Yoga Travels

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While rest and relaxation are incredibly therapeutic in their own right we increase their healing benefits exponentially by practicing in nature. 2016 we went to Little Corn Island, 40 miles off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. June 2017 we traveled to Mexico in June for the ultimate R & R at Haramara. And December 2017 we took a very special, once-in-a-lifetime trip, deep into the Amazon Rainforest. Stay tuned for upcoming retreats.

Gratitude

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There is so much to be said about gratitude. Here’s a taste of what a few great thinkers have had to say:

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” ~ Cicero

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Gratitude opens the door to…the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the Universe. You open the door through gratitude.” ~Deepak Chopra

“Trade your expectations for gratitude and the world changes instantly.” ~ Tony Robbins

“Gratitude is heaven itself.” ~ William Blake

And there is a ton of research on what gratitude does for your well-being. The results are astounding. Turns out being grateful makes you feel better and isn’t that what we all really want? Just to feel good?

“Our world is pretty messed up. With all the violence, pollution and crazy things people do, it would be easy to turn into a grouchy old man without being either elderly or male. There’s certainly no shortage of justification for disappointment and cynicism.”

“But consider this: Negative attitudes are bad for you. And gratitude, it turns out, makes you happier and healthier. If you invest in a way of seeing the world that is mean and frustrated, you’re going to get a world that is, well, more mean and frustrating. But if you can find any authentic reason to give thanks, anything that is going right with the world or your life, and put your attention there, then statistics say you’re going to be better off.”

READ MORE ON GRATITUDE:

http://www.dailygood.org/story/578/the-neuroscience-of-why-gratitude-makes-us-healthier-ocean-robbins/

Liberated Body

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Liberated Body is “100% in service of helping people to reduce or eliminate pain, normalize range of motion, and embrace their body’s full potential by returning it to the happy, fully functional, badass state that is its birthright.”

Here you will find some nice articles on fascia, chronic pain and so much more:

Visit Liberated Body’s Site

Therapeutic Effects of Yoga

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“Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions and involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional and spiritual pain, suffering or limitations. Results from this study show that yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.”

READ THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF YOGA ARTICLE HERE

Abundance

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When you think about it, anyone who spends the hours of their days chasing after money, fame or power is really just a slave to the belief that there is only so much to go around. On the other hand, when we start recognizing the incredible abundance that makes up the world, we can start seeing ourselves surrounded by an abundance of love, creativity, ideas, opportunities, awareness, friends, beauty, happiness, fun and so, so much more. I’m not sure what direction our young friends will take in their lives but I hope they figure out somewhere along the line that the abundance they seek starts deep within. In the end, it’s SMART to remember that the path to real abundance is as Lao Tzu says, “When your realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”

Read the rest of this lovely SMART Living 365 blog here.

What is AVY?

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AVY (Amber Voiles Yoga) has been practicing yoga for 20 years and comes from an extensive movement and healing arts background, including Alexander Technique, Laban, Feldenkrais, LeCoq, Skinner Releasing Technique, Qigong, Integrated Respiratory Therapy and 15 years of massage therapy. Her restorative and gentle classes are a perfect complement to a vigorous lifestyle and yoga practice. They are designed to slow down the body and mind so that you can relax deeply, allowing your natural rhythms to balance and restore. She is currently completing her National Ayurvedic Medical Association approved Ayurvedic Counselor training. Find her on facebook here.

Be. Still.

Find a Teacher

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Judith Lasater, who was a student of B.K.S. Iyengar’s, was the pioneer of restorative yoga. Her teacher directory can be found here. Jillian Pransky heads up the almighty Yoga Works restorative division and her teacher directory can be found here. I have studied with both and find their work to be profound.