Embracing Vitality Through Yoga and Plant Healers in Your Garden

This post is a bit of a follow up for the wonderful yogin who attended my Embracing Vitality, Yoga and Natural Medicine Making workshop last Saturday. We had a great morning of yoga, went on a garden walk, ate lunch in the sun, made infusions, decoctions and tincture and ended with a gentle, restorative yoga practice. I will be holding this and similar workshops in the future and I hope you will join us!

One of the energy cleansing and management techniques we did is the Four Thumps. Here is a great info graphic to serve as a reminder. Many thanks to Gwenn Bonnell for creating it.:

Yoga and Energy Work
http://www.tapintoheaven.com/charts/Four_Energy_Thumps_TIH.pdf

I hope you will continue to use the Ashvivi (horse) bandha, Ashvaranta (Precious Horse Mudra) and Horse Goddess pose as part of your daily yoga sadhana. After a workshop when you are feeling inspired is a GREAT time to start or rejuvenate your practice!

Herbal Healing
Here is a fun write up on one of our plant friends, Chickweed. Susun Weed is a preeminent herbalist and there is a wealth of info on her site:

http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/May08/healingwise.htm

Some other sites with great info:
http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/
http://www.matthewwoodherbs.com/Mattwood.html
http://blog.chestnutherbs.com/

http://7song.com/blog/

We barely touched on adaptogens, but they are so important for us in this bustling, busy world we live in. David Winston has a great book you will enjoy:

http://herbmentor.podbean.com/2013/10/07/david-winston-adaptogens/

Hope this gives you some more fun and food for thought on the path!

Love and light,

Teal Chimblo Fyrberg

Blissful Body Yoga

Blissful Body Yoga is located deep in the beauty and magick of the Appalachian mountains, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Mudras for Healing and Transformation by Joseph and Lilia Le Page, Book Review

Mudras for Healing and Transformation [Kindle Edition]

Joseph Le Page (Author), Lilia Le Page (Author)

I love mudras. They are one of my earliest discoveries of yoga, dating back to my childhood when I would "play" with my hands. Bend them, press them together, make them soar like wings. I let my hands dance as the true expression of my anahata (heart) chakra that they are. As I grew into an artist, yoga teacher and healer, the magical emanations of energy from my hands became an even deeper part of my practice, and how I share healing with others.

The Kripalu tradition is part of my lineage as a yogi, and Swami Kripalu, like many yogis, was known to have eruptions of spontaneous mudras while deep in meditation. Mudras create powerful energetic "circuits" in our system on many levels, in all of our koshas (energetic sheaths.) They hold energy, heal, protect, enlighten and express.

Over the years I have learned mudras from my teachers, but many, many more have simply come through my hands in a natural way. This is the point I want most to share with you, that mudras, like all yoga, are already in you. All aspects of yoga will express themselves naturally if you allow them to, and take the time to be mindful and notice what is occurring. The more you do this, the more it will occur. In Kripalu yoga we use the acronym BRFWA (Breath, Relax, Feel, Watch, Allow) for the process which encourages meditative states to arise, which will in turn lead to many things including spontaneous asana and mudras experiences.

So, as always, got first to your own practice and explore with the wonder of a child.

But, then go and purchase this book. Mudras for Healing and Transformation by Joseph and Lilia Le Page of Integrative Yoga Therapy. This is by far the most extensive, well-research, clearly organized and beautiful book on yoga mudras I have ever seen. This book is clearly a labor of love and I can't imagine how long it must have taken for them to write it.

The book is organized into section for the different uses of mudras, some of which are: mudras for the koshas, chakras, vayus, health challenges, the 5 elements, protection and spiritual awakening.

Each mudra has a "quick reference guide" which not only outlines the steps for performing it, but the benefits, characteristics, core qualities and more.

Additionally, their are seven appendices in the back illustrating mudras for the main asanas, pranayama, chanting, therapy and other uses.

And the illustrations are really, really beautiful.

At 658 pages this is an incredible resource and it is very nice that it is now available as an ebook (on Amazon.com) so that you can take it with you without carrying an encyclopedia! However, the softcover version is also available through their website.

I give this book my highest rating. It is an absolutely must-have for any yoga teacher or serious student of yoga. Or anyone who simply loves mudras and their transformative power.

If you would like to learn more about how to incorporate mudras and mantras into your yoga practice, please join me in Asheville for my exciting new workshop Into the Mystic: Journey into the Mystery with Yoga, on March 5, 2014 and March 13, 2014. 

Wishing you magick in your hands, and all that you do.

Love and light,
Teal Chimblo Fyrberg

Blissful Body Yoga is located deep in the beauty and magick of the Appalachian mountains, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Into the Mystic Yoga Workshops in Asheville

Into the Mystic

Journey into the Mystery with Yoga

Come discover where a deep practice can lead you.

This gentle, meditative workshop will include:

Deep, long holds of asanas (postures),

Balancing pranayamas (breathing exercises),

Mystical mantras and mudras, and

Guided meditation.

Join us for a journey that will help you unlock greater clarity on your path, and a deeper bond between yourself and the Mystery.

Two workshops in March:

Wednesday, March 5, 9-11:00 AM

Thursday, March 13, 6-8:00 PM

Learn more and register today at

www. blissfulbodyyoga.com

10% of proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. Use this link donate to The Trailblaze Challenge. We will be walking 24.1 miles across the Western North Carolina mountains to help make wishes come true for children with life threatening illnesses!

Blissful Body Yoga is located deep in the beauty and magick of the Appalachian mountains, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Yoga for Strength and Endurance Workshops in Asheville

Yoga for Strength and Endurance Workshop

with Teal Chimblo Fyrberg of Blissful Body Yoga, Asheville, North Carolina

Spring is just around the corner!

Come build functional strength and endurance for everything you do, with yoga!

This workshop will teach you how to:

Pratapana — stoke the sacred fire to warm and ready your body for activity.

Build Strength and Endurance — develop flexible, balanced strength in your body, and energy reserves that will see you through challenging activities and everyday life.

Rest and Rejuvenate — embrace constructive rest that will allow you to recover and be ready to come back to your activities joyful and refreshed.

Two workshops in March:

Monday, March 3, 6-8:15 PM

Wednesday, March 12, 9-11:15 AM

Learn more and register today at

www. blissfulbodyyoga.com

10% of proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. Use this link donate to The Trailblaze Challenge. We will be walking 24.1 miles across the Western North Carolina mountains to help make wishes come true for children with life threatening illnesses!

Blissful Body Yoga is located deep in the beauty and magick of the Appalachian mountains, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Handmade Organic Face and Body Cream Giveaway from Blissful Body Yoga

Handmade Organic Face and Body Cream Giveaway from Blissful Body Yoga

Enter to win $113 worth of handmade organic face and body creams from Blissful Body Yoga's Healing Apothecary. You can see a selection of all the divine things we make at www.blissfulbodyyoga.com

Share and enter daily!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blissful Body Yoga is located deep in the beauty and magick of the Appalachian mountains, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Yoga for Strength and Endurance Workshops coming soon to Blissful Body Yoga

I will be doing a series of these workshops February-May 2014. 

Please sign up for our newsletter for times and places!

Yoga for Strength and Endurance

Spring is just around the corner!

Come build functional strength and endurance for everything you do, with yoga!

This workshop will teach you how to:

Pratapana — stoke the sacred fire to warm and ready your body for activity.

Build Strength and Endurance — develop flexible, balanced strength in your body, and energy reserves that will see you through challenging activities and everyday life.

Rest and Rejuvenate — embrace constructive rest that will allow you to recover and be ready to come back to your activities joyful and refreshed.

Multiple workshops coming up!

February- May 2014 (times TBA)

For more information join our newsletter today at www. blissfulbodyyoga.com

10% of proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation®

Instructor/Owner Teal Chimblo Fyrberg has been teaching yoga for over 15 years with love and passion. Blissful Body Yoga is located in Asheville, North Carolina. 704-837-7278

Blissful Body Yoga is located deep in the beauty and magick of the Appalachian mountains, in Asheville, North Carolina.