frequently asked questions

what is vinyasa?

vinyasa is a sanskrit (the original and ancient language of yoga) word. it means: a series of yoga postures and movements put together with specific intention.

over the years, it has gained many meanings and been described in many ways. although many learned vinyasa to mean "one breath, one movement" - vinyasa does not need to be fast-paced to be considered vinyasa.

why is meditation so hard?

many times we are taught that meditation is completely clearing your mind - making it blank. well this is impossible! so instead of trying to clear your mind - we can just try to quiet, or steady the fluctuations of the mind (the citta vrittis in sanskrit). knowing this, has helped make meditation more enjoyable for me, knowing i'm not failing by not being able to have a blank mind. but rather, how can i slow down the thoughts, quiet the thoughts, make friends with the thoughts.

what is yoga?

yoga is so much more than a physical practice! yoga comes from the ancient sanskrit word yuj which means to join - unify - oneness. in the west, we have learned yoga is primarily a physical practice. but, more fully, it is the study of remembrance - remembering who we are at a soul level - that we are one, we are whole. there are eight limbs of yoga - eight different ways to build a yoga practice that feels good to you. the physical practice (called asana) is the 3th limb. pranayama is the 4th, meditation is found in the 6th & 7th limbs. this is a very simplified explanation - for a deeper dive, we recommend checking out our reading list or reaching out :)

what is pranayama?

pranayama or pranayam is the ancient breath techniques practiced in yoga. prana means "life force." there are many different pranayama techniques that either help clear blockages or calm you down.

can i still do yoga if i'm not flexible/can't touch my toes/find slowing down hard?

yes, yes, yes. yoga was so challenging for me when i started. i was constantly in a fight/flight mode, stressed pretty much 24/7, and felt inadequate that i couldn't do all the headstands. yoga has taught me many things - but one, that we're all on our own paths. yoga poses look different on every body (truly! poses will never look the same). slowing down & finding connection with breath & body, is hard, but we can teach ourselves how to do it, by practicing compassion for ourselves, speaking to ourselves kindly, and asking ourselves how we are feeling day to day, and meeting ourselves there, without trying to change it.