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Items to Add to Your Meditation Space at Home

2/19/2021

I recently was asked by Cassandra Rosas from porch.com to contribute to an article about creating a meditation space at home. Please read on for helpful tips.

For creating a meditation space at home, add items that evoke a feeling of calm and connection when you sit down on your meditation cushion. Keep it simple as you get inspired by the following ideas:
Find an item that represents nature, e.g., flowers from your garden, seashells from a beach walk, or rocks that you collected with your children. Add something that symbolizes love; this could be a photograph of a loved one, a special object that you associate with love, or a rose quartz crystal, commonly thought of as the heart stone. To honor your family, you could add a picture, a child’s drawing, or anything else that evokes gratitude for the VIPs in your life. Last, but not least, you may want to involve something that has spiritual meaning for you.
Another approach for choosing the right items includes allowing your 5 senses to guide you. For sense of smell, add a flower, a dried lavender sachet, aromatherapy oil, or some incense. For sense of sound, play relaxing meditation music, ring a singing bowl or bell, or listen to the gentle resonance of a rain stick when you begin your practice. For sense of touch, have a soft blanket at hand. You may skip sense of taste, or perhaps place a piece of fruit that’s pleasant to look at in your space. Adding to sense of sight, find a piece of art, a photograph, or a candle to complete your set-up.
If you have children, you may want to invite them to pick one item special for them to place in your meditation corner. This will help them feel included, and bring joy to your heart when you meditate.

For more ideas read Cassandra's full article here.

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Serene Tips for Designing a Yoga Space at Home

1/22/2021

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Written by Alison Bentley

As many of us still work from home and the world is ever-changing, some of us feel like there’s no escape from home. You might be looking for a way to relieve some stress with some peace and serenity in your home. The answer could be as simple as finding the perfect place in your house for a yoga space.

Whether you live in a studio apartment in Seattle, WA or a large home in Dallas, TX, all you need is a little space and some calming decor for the perfect at home yoga space. We’ve reached out to yoga experts across the country for their easiest and most serene tips for designing the perfect at home yoga space for your practice.
Have the right space. To create the ideal at-home yoga space you’ll want to pick a room with enough space. You should be able to stretch your hands up and all around without touching any walls or furniture. Then place your laptop or tablet about 9 feet away from your mat, so your online teacher can see you from head to toe, even when you’re standing. – Will Allen, Co-Founder of myYogaTeacher
Find the place with the most serene energy. Scan your house for any potential inside or outside areas that have the most serene energy. Sometimes, that is not as easy as it may seem, but it just takes dropping in and really feeling the energy of each space. Quiet is key, but also the sounds of the birds can be really beautiful. Add some design elements and nature to the space like beautiful plants or flowers, some crystals or put up some inspiring art. Just make sure everything you choose has calming, focused energy. You don’t want to put up a chaotic, red painting for example. It’s important to have the space and mat feel clean before beginning a practice. Listening to classical music or something soothing can also help to calm the nervous system and focus. – Erica Simone, Sacred Yoga Shop (use coupon REDFIN10 for $10 OFF any mat)
Limit the noise in favor of soothing sounds. When you are creating a space in your home to practice yoga you want to focus on creating peace and limiting distractions. I suggest using a space in your house where you won’t hear a lot of noise or be disturbed easily by those who live with you. It is a great idea to use soft lighting, include a little water feature or find some pretty candles to set the mood- whatever will help bring you peace and joy. – Jessica R. Fuller, The Hot Yoga Spot
Having a private space will limit distractions. Make sure to find a space where you can close a door or create privacy so that there are no interruptions. Also try to find a place that is non-carpeted so you don’t slip. – Amy Vetter, Owner, eRYT-200 DRISHTIQ Yoga
Have everything nearby so there’s less distractions. Before I practice Yoga, I make sure my space is clean, smells good (I burn incense or a candle), have appropriate props (blanket or bolster),a glass of water nearby, and silence my phone. That way there’s less reason for me to have to pause my practice because I have everything I need surrounding me, with no distractions. – The Pure Bag
Store your yoga props where you can see them. If you’re short on space and don’t have the luxury of a yoga room keep all your yoga props in an easy to access bin, box, or basket where you can see it. The key is, where you can see it. This way you’ll always have the reminder to get on your mat. Plus, yoga props nowadays are pretty beautiful with bright colors and designs, no need to store them in a closet where they may not see the light of day. – Sarah Bodnar, Co-owner of Three Birds Yoga Studio
Keep your yoga mat rolled out. Our top recommendation for new yogis trying to create a healthy yoga habit is to always keep your yoga mat rolled out. If the yoga mat is rolled up in your closet, it’s easy to forget about it. Having it out in the open means that practicing yoga is always just a few steps away. – Shayna Hasson, Yoga Beyond the Studio
Get the whole household involved. If you have kids, creating the yoga space together encourages them to practice yoga with you and/or by themselves, as well as to respect the yoga room or corner as a special place of calm in your house. Give it a fun name like Relaxation Station, or Zen Den, and have everyone place a unique object in the space that represents love, peace, and happiness. – Sünje O’Clancy, MA, E-RYT, RCYT Founder of Yoga Rascals

Choose calming colors and a clean space. If you are able to dedicate an entire room to your home yoga space, consider a repaint of the walls with a natural earth tone or calming color. If you need to dedicate a space in a room versus the entire room, try to get the space around you as clean as you can so you are able to come back to that consistent space each day. Simplify and declutter to make the space feel calming. Accent your space with plants or any meaningful object you would like such as a singing bowl and your favorite props. Make it feel clean and cleanse the space with fresh air, sage, vibrations from a singing bowl and sunlight. Create a special area where you can relax and enjoy your practice. – Keala & Nicole, In Balance Yoga Studio
Make it all about simplicity. Since I both practice yoga and teach yoga classes online, I see lots of spaces via video. Some look cluttered and others are almost the picture-perfect setup with a place for yoga props, a couple of mats, and beautiful decorative elements, like a Ganesha painting or tapestry in the background. You don’t need to go out of your way to create a ‘perfect’ yoga space at home. All you need is a clear section of a room – enough space for your mat, and your computer or screen. I recommend doing away with clutter to create a more peaceful atmosphere – a space you can carve out just for you. From there, you can add in a plant or two, a designated corner for your props and perhaps a ring light to cast more light on your space. As I like to tell my teachers: Less is more – Robyn Parets, Founder of Pretzel Kids yoga
Natural light brings peace to your space. Our #1 tip for creating the perfect yoga space at home is to find an area with abundant natural lighting. Natural light is soothing for the nervous system for all times of day – energizing you in the mornings and quieting the mind in the evenings. – Tiffany Pridgen, Glow Yoga
Make sure you have lots of light and air. Set up your mat in a comfortable space with as much light and air as possible and room to move comfortably. That sometimes means moving a few pieces of smaller furniture around, especially in smaller New York City apartments. Since many people don’t have practice at home I often recommend having rolls of paper towels or large boxes around that can be used as yoga blocks. And when I teach my Pilates classes if people don’t have small weights they can use soup cans. – Harlem Yoga Studio
Keep your space clear and clutter-free. When creating a home yoga space you want to make it clutter-free and clean. You need a space where you can breathe deeply, turn your awareness in and move freely. Sweep away the dust and roll out your favorite yoga mat and get started – Tarra J. Madore, Smart Asana Yoga

Determine what items resonate & inspire calm in your space. Maybe your yoga/meditation room is full of your favorite books, colorful crystals, totems, candles, and small ritual items thoughtfully placed throughout the space, or tucked away on a shelf for when you feel called to use them. Test out taking items in and out of your space because sometimes it’s best to look at what you need to take away that will distract you from turning your gaze inward while you practice. – Mala Yoga
Incorporate all the elements: water, fire, earth, air. An ideal yoga space includes connection with all of the elements, such as using the element of water to infuse cleanliness and aroma through essential oils. The stimulating element of fire can be enhanced through yellow dimming adjustable lights, candles, or a large window to bring in sunlight, moonlight, and starlight. Grounding through the element of earth can be found by mounting a soothing artwork on one wall, placing a tall house plant in the corner, and leaving one wall empty for stability in handstand and headstand prep. Finally, the element of Air carries healing chimes from singing bowls or vibrations of worldly meditation music (like Karunesh) on a surround sound stereo. – Hannah Faulkner Roman, Half Moon Yoga and Art
Three elements will maintain the sacredness of your practice. Clear as much physical and visual distraction as possible to keep your mind present to your body. Collect your mat and props in a basket for easy access. Create a small altar or a tray that holds two or three meaningful things such as a candle to hold your drishti or gaze, incense to engage your senses with aromatherapy, and a small plant as a reminder to breathe deeply. Rolling out your mat and routinely lighting your candle and incense as a ritual to signify the start of your practice will help your journey to your mat feel purposeful. – Wildlight Yoga
Make your space bright and full of color. Create a colorful sanctuary that makes you excited to get moving. Brighten up your space with a bold yoga mat that doubles as a gorgeous accessory to your at-home setup. – Courtney Johnson, MySolMat
Less is more, but choose items you like. A yoga space should be clutter free. Infusing a sense of calm as you step on your mat. You don’t need an elaborate space for your yoga, but it’s fun to add something that brings you joy like your favorite plant, a picture of a dog doing yoga, or a candle. Create one dedicated space in your home for your yoga and watch it become your favorite spot. – Aham Yoga
Your space just needs to be intentional. Setting up a dedicated yoga space doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive; it just needs to be intentional. #1- Turn Off Your Phone: we need to disconnect to reconnect. Want music? Just put your phone on ‘do not disturb’ #2- Clear the energy in your space: burn Palo Santo, Sage, favorite incense, or light a candle. #3- Create an Altar: turn to what inspires you. A photograph of a loved one to dedicate your practice to, a picture of the mountains to focus on grounding, a rose quartz crystal to tune into self love, a statue of Ganesha: The Remover of Obstacles – Marybeth Brady, Owner/ Director of Wild Heart Yoga
Your yoga space should be a place that is relaxing and inviting to you. A place that makes you want to practice yoga. I have a ton of candles and incense that I light and a small altar off to the right that I place a crystal, mala necklace for meditation, and a picture of my late grandmother (symbolically reminding me to always be strong no matter what life throws at you). Next to your mat keep a block, strap and yoga blanket for use during class. And lastly a journal for reflection, my mind is so much clearer after a practice. – Alyson Leinbach, Owner of Serenity Yoga Studio
Originally published by Redfin

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Family Yoga at Home

6/12/2020

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First published on Red Tricycle
You love yoga. Your child wants to jump in when you roll out your mat. You’d like to share your yoga practice with her, but you know your primary series, or any other adult yoga routine for that matter, might not be the way to go. Here are a few tips on how to create a special yoga experience for you and your child at home.

Make time
Find a day and time when you can spend 30 minutes or so together without interruptions. Be considerate of meal times. In other words, don’t practice right after a big lunch when tummies are full, or too close to dinnertime when a growling stomach makes for a cranky yogi. For school-age children, weekends and school breaks are great times to get started.

Find a place
Unless you already have a designated yoga area, ask your child if he has any suggestions for a good yoga spot in your home. Talk about what qualities might be helpful. For example, enough room to not bump into furniture, the right temperature, a peaceful setting, appropriate lighting, etc. Decide on a place together, move furniture out of the way if necessary, and proudly roll out your mats. If you don’t have yoga mats, beach towels will do. Make your yoga spot even more special by placing a couple of meaningful objects next to you. This could be a rock, a seashell, your child’s favorite stuffed animal, or anything that makes you feel good.

Turn off distractions
Turn off your cell phone, and any other electronic devices. Better yet, leave them in another room, so you don’t get tempted to peak “real quick” at an incoming text. If you still own one, turn your home phone and answering machine down. Be ready to be offline, so you can connect with your child.

Ring a bell
Now it’s time to get started! Create an opening ritual like ringing a bell, a chime, or a singing bowl three times. Don’t worry if you have no musical instruments around. Improvise. Fill a wine glass with water and gently hit it with a spoon. Take turns making the sound while the other person is listening, hands on heart, eyes closed. Another lovely opening would be to chant OM three times together, if you feel comfortable doing so.

Breathe together
Get settled with a breathing exercise. Here are a couple of examples (choose one at a time): 1. Put your hands on your belly and blow up an imaginary balloon as you inhale, deflate it on the exhale. Ask your child what color her balloon is. Repeat a few times. 2. Sit across from each other and take a deep breath in while lifting your arms up overhead. Let the palms of your hands touch together. Hold the breath for a moment. Exhale slowly while your arms come back down by your side. Repeat a couple of times. You could also do these breathing exercises while sitting back to back so you can feel each other breathing.

Go on an imaginary adventure
Now it’s time to take off on a yoga adventure! Imagine you are going on a bike ride (lay on your back while pedaling your feet). Where are you going? Your child will have great ideas! Touch the soles of your feet together to ride your bikes in unison. What do you see along the way? Become a cat, a cow, a dog, a snake, or a mouse. If your child thinks of an animal that doesn’t have a corresponding yoga pose, make it up! Are you going to the beach? Add dolphin, turtle, and fish! Are you riding through the countryside? Be a butterfly, a bird, or a horse. Are you ready to get off your bike and hike up a mountain? Walk in place or stomp around the room! Do you see trees? Come into tree pose and ask your child what kind of tree he is. Let your child’s imagination guide you, and be creative. Make up a story and act it out! Compliment your child on her great ideas. Let her be free in doing the poses her way. Unless she is hurting herself, there is no need for correction. Your child learns easily by copying you, doing the poses to the best of her ability and the way it is appropriate for her development. Be encouraging, supportive and enthusiastic. You will have lots of fun together!
It might be helpful to have a look at a few kids’ yoga books and videos beforehand, so that you have a variety of kid friendly yoga poses up your sleeve.

Take a nap
Every great trip has to come to an end. When you’re ready to come back home, find the perfect spot to take a nap. Would it be underneath a tree? Or would you like to rest in the sand on the beach? Place an eye pillow over your eyes, and cover yourselves with a blanket. You may cuddle up with your child, or rest side by side. Play relaxation music or a track with nature sounds. Rest for a few minutes. When you are ready to come back, ring your bell again three times.

Namaste
Sit across from each other. Put your hands together in front of your heart. Explain the meaning of Namaste (The light in me sees the light in you) and talk about what it means to you. Bow to each other and say “namaste”. Thank your child and express how much fun it was practicing yoga together. Set a date for your next yoga session.

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Make your own Lavender Spray

3/10/2017

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Recently I have been spraying lavender mist in our yoga classes. The kids love the “lavender rain”, and right away it helps them to relax as we first start our class. I have been using the spray in my adult yoga classes as well, and the grown-ups love it just as much.
We are lucky to have a local farm nearby that grows organic lavender. They make a fantastic Lavender Stress Relief Mist. However, I teach a lot of classes and go through this stuff like water, so I started making my own. Thankfully, Keys Creek Lavender Farm also sells pure essential lavender oil, which I have been using for my personal mix. The kids and I have been talking about making our own spray.
So Mom and Dad, here is the recipe: in a spray bottle mix 1 cup of water with 10 or more drops of lavender oil. I use distilled water since it is more pure. You can use more or less essential oil depending how intense you’d like the scent to be. You may also experiment with mixing in a few drops of other essential oils. Recently, with all the colds going around I have been adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil.
Now mix away and enjoy a whiff of relaxation around your house — especially at bedtime!

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Yoga Rascals Wins Award

10/16/2016

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Yoga Rascals wins
Red Tricycle's Totally Awesome Award

Dear Families,
We are happy to announce that Yoga Rascals won Red Tricycle's Totally Awesome Award in the category Most Invigorating Fitness Program in SoCal. It wouldn't have happened without you! Thank you so much for taking the time to vote. We truly appreciate your support.
Namaste,
Sünje O'Clancy
Yoga Rascals Founder, MA, E-RYT, RCYT, RPYT

The winners of the eye pillow giveaway are Norma D., Christina G., and Petra P. Congratulations!

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9 Ways To Help Your Child Relax After School

8/22/2016

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It’s time to go back to school! The days of summer leisure are over, and the demands of getting up early, a long school day, and a more regulated schedule might feel a bit overwhelming for your child. It is important to give your busy student time to decompress when coming home. Rather than plopping down on the sofa to watch TV or getting busy on your phone, here are some ideas. After school is out, choose one of these easy everyday activities, and have fun together!

1. Move
Your child has been sitting in a chair for the majority of the day. Now it’s time to move: Walk around the block as you talk about what happened in school today. Go to the playground. Ride your bikes. Throw a ball in your backyard, or the park. Shoot some hoops. Kick the soccer ball. Jump rope. Swirl the hula-hoop. Play hide-and-seek. Do a few yoga poses. Turn on your favorite song and dance. Wiggle and shake. Challenge your child to a race. Jump on one foot. Set a timer and move your body until time’s up. In general, whatever physical activity you both enjoy works.

2. Go Outside and Smell the Roses
These days, many children are driven to and from school, and miss out on the opportunity to spend time outside on their way home. It feels good to get fresh air after being inside. That’s why several of the activities mentioned above involve going outside. You can walk around the block, stop at the park, or enjoy time in the backyard. Bring your child’s awareness to the way the air feels, describing it in a positive way, i.e. pleasantly warm, nice and cool, fresh on your skin. Use your other senses to help your child arrive in the present moment, and let go of any stress he might have experienced in school. Notice what sounds you hear. What do you smell? What do you see? Recognize beauty around you, a flower blooming, the shape of a tree, or a cloud in the sky.

3. Be Silly
Roll down a grassy hill. Talk like a chipmunk. Walk like a sloth. Pretend to be someone else, an imaginary person with exaggerated character traits, or mimic a favorite character from a book or movie. Tell knock-knock jokes. Pick a cue word. Any time that word comes up in your conversation, everyone has to jump for joy for 10 seconds.

4. Share Food
Most likely your child is hungry after school. Make a point of sharing a healthy snack. Even better, prepare it together. For instance, let her wash a peach, then arrange it on a plate together after you have cut it in slices. Smell the peach, describe its vibrant colors, and talk about its sweet juicy flavor after taking your first bite.

5. Walk Barefoot
Everyone kick off your shoes and take off your socks. Wiggle your toes and let your feet breathe! Walk and feel the ground underneath you. Let your toes talk with a funny voice and say something like, “Oh, I am so happy to be free! I was stuck in shoes all day! I am finally out! I feel dandy! Thank you for letting me come out to play!” Ask your child what his toes are saying.

6. Break out in Song
Play your favorite song and sing along together. Pretend to hold a microphone. Throw in some fancy dance moves. Have fun!

7. Make a Mandala
If your child had a real busy day, or seems hyper, a calming activity might be the answer. Draw and color a mandala together. Or, for a more sensory experience, make a sand mandala. Take a pie pan and fill it with sand or salt. Pick rocks, leaves, flower petals, sticks, beans, beads, or anything else you may find in your back yard or around the house. Arrange the materials to make a pretty design in your pie pan. You can keep using the same pie pan over and over again, creating new mandalas by rearranging your objects or adding new ones.

8. Drop to the Ground
Some days your child might be simply exhausted, and in need of a break. Grab a couple of stuffed animals. Turn on relaxing music, or a nature soundtrack, and lay down next to each other on the floor. Give your stuffed animals a ride on your bellies. See it go up and down with your breath. Hold hands and stay for a while.

9. Give a Hug
Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of the most obvious. A hug feels good. Give your child a heartfelt hug when the moment is right (with older kids wait until you get home :-)

Even if you take just a few minutes after school to spend quality time with your child, it will make a big difference for both of you. Allowing for a moment of connection and shared happiness goes a long way. Enjoy!

Photo by Barney Moss via flickr

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A cleaner way to roll up your yoga mat

2/18/2016

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Your yoga mat might pick up a lot of dirt depending on the floor you put it on. When you roll it up at the end of class, you roll any dirt sticking to the bottom side right onto the top side. Besides cleaning & disinfecting your mat regularly, you might want to consider folding your mat in half before you roll it up. In other words, fold the top side onto itself, and when you roll up the folded mat, the bottom side will never touch the top side.