What exactly is a mantra? Ever wondered that? 

As usual, when I choose a topic for this category of mine, Decoding Yoga, everything is much harder to convey than originally expected. Even the concept of mantra is huge and deep. Here's what I've learned: nothing in yoga is shallow or meaningless. It seems everything about yoga is deep and profound, and just when you think you understand it, you learn that you've only seen the tip of the iceberg.

So, I'll do my best here— with mantra— to explain it because a big mission of mine is to make yoga accessible and relatable to those of us here in the West, without watering it down or disrespecting its origin. These concepts sometime seem esoteric and woo-woo to us, and it turns a lot of people off immediately. That's such a shame, because there is so much there for us to learn and tools for us to use if we'll just take the time to understand it. Read on for a basic explanation of what a mantra is, and how to use one.

 If you want a habit to stick— like exercising regularly— then let's use common sense: make that habit as easy as possible.

Don't like going to the gym? Then creating a space at home is absolutely essential to having a regular exercise habit. Even if you are a gym-goer, it's still nice to have a designated home space for those days when you can't make it to the gym. For help on making the time and space to workout, read my post 4 Exercise Hacks To Get YOU Moving.

Now... what to do in that workout zone? Well, if you don't already have a habit of some sort of resistance /strength training, I'd suggest that. (If you're wondering why strength training in particular is so important, read my post Why Everyone Should Strength Train.) In this post, you'll find a list of my gear suggestions to start your own home gym. Read on for a list of versatile, practical, and basic workout equipment for any budget.
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I look forward to this post every year! Here, you'll find gift ideas for a wide variety of interests and in a wide variety of price ranges. These are items that I personally own, enjoy, and recommend. {For more inspiration, here are links to my gift guide from 2018 and also my gift guide from 2017.}

BUT... remember, stuff is just stuff. The best gift you can give someone you love is your TIME and attention. A great gift would be an activity together and putting your phone away for it. A gift doesn't have to cost money. Don't sweat the small stuff this holiday season! Spend time with your loved ones and have a healthy dose of gratitude. 

Xoxo, Merry Christmas, & Happy Everything.  :)

We lost our beloved Labrador Retriever, Layla, over three months ago. It hurts. It hurts so much that I haven't even told a lot of my closest friends that she died. I don't want to talk about it yet. (And that's ok.) It's too painful for me to face the whole reveal of telling my friends and speaking it out loud. Somehow writing about it is healing to me, so here I am, writing about her. This kind of post is out of my normal range of topics, but I know that many of you are also animal lovers, so I think just maybe... it would be nice to talk about her to you. ​

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. One of my favorite things to say. If you've been practicing yoga for a while, then chances are good you've heard this often used chant. It pops up in songs, classes, meditations, and even yoga gear. If you've heard it, but aren't familiar with the meaning, read on for a translation. It's beautiful.

Half Moon Pose may be one that we learn pretty early in our yoga practice, but that does not mean it's an easy pose. It requires balance, strength, stability, and flexibility. If those aren't your strong points, don't despair. Half Moon Pose may be a lot more accessible than you think. Read on for some help and tips.