Karmic Seeds Body Mind & Spirit

The yamas and niyamas are yoga’s roadmap or framework for unlocking your potential and discovering your true and higher self. They are the first two limbs of the eight-limbed path to understanding who you are, which intrinsically and inevitability describes the ways in which you are enough. This map is open to your interpretation and individual experiences of life. In fact, it operates as a guide that invites you to think deeply and without inhibitions, providing the courage and strength to be bold in your understanding of self. Through the gentle guidance of the yamas and niyamas, we each can find our personal power.  The Yamas The yamas define your interactions with the world at large. They start with  ahimsa , or non-violence, which raises the question: How can I be kinder to myself and others? We start with empathy and compassion toward ourselves, and from this place of compassion, we naturally find ourselves being more generous and more compassionate toward others as well...

BY   #DAILYCUPOFYOGA   Silvia Mordini , E-RYT,  Happiness is a direct experience of enthusiasm. Remember, it is not how or when we accomplish something that matters most, it is the sense of enthusiasm during the process that demonstrates our quality of life. As Bo Bennett puts it, “Enthusiasm is not the same as just being excited. One gets excited about going on a roller coaster. One becomes enthusiastic about creating and building a roller coaster.” What are you enthusiastic about? If you wake up dreading the day, worried about the hours ahead and already wishing you could be done with it and back in bed, well, that’s just not cool. The first thing we reach for in the morning shouldn’t be our i-device or Droid; it should be  consciously choosing the most positive thought that stokes our energy to excel for the entire day . Since our conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time, this singular thought can inspire the quality of the rest of our day thr...

I am peaceful and calm. I always deserve love. I trust myself. I attract amazing people. I love and approve of myself. I am happy in my own skin. The past has no power over me anymore. I feel good about myself. I am open to receiving love. I attract loving, beautiful people into my life. I accept myself exactly as I am. I am grounded in acceptance. I am grateful. Others love me easily and joyfully. I am never alone. I express love freely. I create my life and no else makes it for me. I am a radiant being filled with light and love. I attract loving relationships into my life. I am healthy and strong. I turn my dreams into reality.

This is the first of a four-part series on the shoulder joint, focusing specifically on the rotator cuff and its biomechanical relationship with the deltoid muscle. Let's begin by looking at the muscles that comprise the rotator cuff, starting with the subscapularis. As figure 1 illustrates, the subscapularis occupies the space, or fossa, at the front of the scapula. From there it attaches to the lesser tuberosity, a knob-like structure on the humerus bone at the front of the shoulder. Concentrically contracting the subscapularis muscle (shortening the muscle on contraction) internally rotates the shoulder. The subscap also acts, in conjunction with the infraspinatus muscle, as a stabilizer of the humeral head in the socket (glenoid). We test strength and function of this muscle with the   "bellypress" test  or the   "bear hug" test.  Tightness in the subscapularis can limit external rotation of the shoulder. Figure 1: The subscapularis muscle, ill...

Get to know the different ways your muscles contract to power up your asana practice. There’s a reason your yoga teachers say things like, “Eccentrically contract your triceps to slowly lower into Chaturanga,” instead of just, “Contract your triceps.” It’s because there are three different ways a muscle can contract, and how you utilize these actions can affect strength and safety in a pose. So, what 
is really going on inside the muscle tissue when we flex, 
and why does it matter? Explore All Three Types of Muscle Contractions To get a feel for the mechanics in question, bend your 
elbow. The biceps on the front of your arm contracts to lift your forearm, creating a shortening of muscle fibers, or concentric contraction. If you keep your elbow bent, your biceps stays contracted to resist gravity in a static (nonmoving), or isometric, contraction. These types of contractions probably feel familiar—they’re what you’d do if you wanted to “make a muscle.” Now slowly...