Yoga Philosophy

Understanding the Koshas

Understanding the Koshas: The 5 Layers of the Body

It’s widely accepted that yoga can improve flexibility, balance, and strength as well as cultivate mental clarity and a sense of calm. However, this is just scratching the surface of what the practice of yoga entails.  Yoga, at its core, is a comprehensive and holistic approach to physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. When practiced fully,…
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Sun Salutations

What is a Sun Salutation?

If you’ve ever taken a vinyasa yoga class then you’ve likely performed Sun Salutations, or Surya Namaskars in Sanskrit. They are a key component of instructor-led yoga classes and are generally performed at the beginning of class as a way to warm up the body and prepare you for deeper stretches or more challenging postures.…
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The 8 Limbs of Yoga

What Are The 8 Limbs of Yoga?

In the West, we generally understand yoga as a practice that helps our bodies stay fit and our minds stay more or less relaxed. While we are extensively aware of postures and breath—we’re less aware that these two factors are really just a scratch on the surface of the holistic system that Yoga really is.…
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The Origins of Ohana

It all began with a warm pot of chicken stock and some freshly toasted arborio rice. Laboring over the stove for what seemed like years, a woman who had stolen my brother’s heart (and soon mine, too) taught me all about life: how the patience and practice of making risotto were no different than learning…
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Dharana & Dhyana

Dharana & Dhyana: Two of the Eight Limbs of Yoga

If you’ve gone through Ohana’s Yoga Teacher Training program then you know that asana – the physical form of yoga – is only a small part of the practice. Being a yogi encompasses so much more than just your classes in the studio. It is a holistic lifestyle designed to bring you closer to the…
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What is Prana

Prana & the Power of the Energy Body: Increasing Life-Force Energy For A More Balanced Life

I don’t know about you, but this month tends to be the time of year I like the least. It’s cold, dreary, and there are no upcoming holidays to fuel some level of excitement. It’s usually the seasonal period where we begin feeling a sense of stagnation. The days are shorter and everything feels dense…
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