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Exploring Pantanjali’s Yamas – Ahimsa
Ahimsa is the first of the Yamas, which when translated means nonviolence. The Yamas are part of the eight-limb path of Pantanjali designed to help move a person along the path of enlightenment. Nonviolence seems pretty straightforward – don’t beat anyone up, do no harm to any living creature, right? Turns out, while this is certainly part of Ahimsa, there are acts of violence that people commit each day that they probably have no idea are actually violent. Have you ever tried to tell someone how to do something better? Ever find yourself trying to “fix” someone else? How about worrying about another person’s well-being or choices? Guess what? In…
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Balanced Planet Yoga Studio Update
In appreciation for your early support of our studio, we’re kicking off our grand opening by first spreading the good vibes to YOU with two opportunities to try us out: $25 for a two week unlimited pass (new students only) OR $99 for one month unlimited (offer must be purchased by May 15, 2015).
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A Thousand Mile Journey
A conversation with BPY’s Derek McMahon “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Confucius Each person has a different reason for starting their yoga practice but most seek something similar from the practice: a healthy body and a balanced mind. I was extremely stressed when I first started my practice. One day, during the midst of a harsh break-up, my mother handed me a mat and brought me to my first yoga class. I never experienced an exercise quiet like it and I can still remember the feeling of lightness and levity that continued long after my first shavasana. From that moment on I was…
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BIG change
There are lots of ways to make big changes quick. You could chop your hair off and dye it purple or you could quit your job and move to another country. I think we can agree both pretty severe, life-altering changes. But what about the kind of big change that cannot be made quickly with a pair of scissors or a plane ride? What about the type of changes that require hard work – like losing weight, quitting any bad habit, or getting an education (just to name a few)?
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Gain Balance
You may have noticed that this is the lead-off phrase in our tagline. Gain Balance. We put it first, because we think it is probably one of the most difficult things to attain in a modern society. With a ton of seeming “have-to’s”, like working to pay the bills, raising children, going to school, or caring for an aging parent, how does a person carve out the time necessary for self-care and reset? We know for ourselves that finding time for the have-to’s is even an increasingly difficult challenge that leaves us sleep deprived, cranky, and reaching for our box of Thin Mints Here is what we know for sure –…
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Balanced Planet Yoga Gives Back – For Our Planet
Marlton, NJ – The studio has selected Clean Ocean Action as its first charity that will fall under our BPY Gives Back Initiative. New Jersey residents have a great affection for our beaches, and we here at Balanced Planet Yoga share that sentiment. Join us for Karma Classes and other events as we try to shine a light on all the good works this organization has done and continues to do. We hope that you will join us in raising efforts and resources that promote the safest and cleanest beaches here on the East Coast. Clean Ocean Action (COA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the degraded water quality of the marine…
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The Struggle is Real
I finally got into a pose that I have been working on forever – eka pada bakasana or one-legged crow pose. I was super-excited, had the camera all set up, and was ready to post it on my January Instagram challenge for the Chicago Yoga Lab. I open up the app to begin the process of editing only to find out that my extended leg was cut off by the angle of the camera. No problem I thought….I’ll just do it again. And again. And again. Well you get the point. The again never happened. Such is the life of a yogi. Our egos are always being put in check.…
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I Cannot Do Yoga
“I cannot do yoga”. Yup, I know. I have about a million reasons that I have heard to add after this phrase. I cannot do yoga because I am not flexible, because I don’t know what I an doing, because I heard that yoga tries to change your religion, and because, because, because. The list goes on. But let’s be real….you can do yoga. Anyone can be a yogi. Here is what I am going to tell you – It doesn’t matter one bit if you can’t touch your toes. In fact, it’s even better. Yoga isn’t about learning to touch your toes – at least it is not completely…
