tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61229382012-01-26T00:14:42.455-08:00Blog by Julie Hodges, Yoga and Meditation Instructor and Coach, and owner of Awareness Village Yoga and Meditation Center and Your Meditation Coach in Incline Village, Nevada.Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.comBlogger411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-17723033252327543962012-01-26T00:09:00.001-08:002012-01-26T00:09:31.036-08:00

"It is by the co-ordinated and concentrated efforts of his body, senses, mind, reason and Self that a man obtains the prize of inner peace and fulfills the quest of his soul to meet his Maker.  The supreme adventure in a man's life is his journey back to his Creator." - B.K.S. Iyengar, "Light on Yoga," Page 30.I am on week 5 of Iyengar's asana course (detailed in his book, "Light On Yoga").  I've

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-73764982048541815702011-12-30T21:15:00.001-08:002011-12-30T21:15:39.647-08:00

For many years I have tossed around the idea of doing B.K.S. Iyengar's asana courses, Appendix 1 of "Light on Yoga."  The courses detail 300+ weeks of personal practice, as if one were studying asana for the first time all the way to an advanced practitioner.Michael Jordan was asked what he was thinking about as he was dribbling and shooting a basketball.  He said he was thinking of the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-72732509351597072322011-03-30T21:38:00.000-07:002011-03-30T21:39:01.859-07:00

Hello Faithful Challengers,Today was a fine day.  I did 1 1/2 hours of asana, 20 minutes of meditation, and 40 minutes of yoga nidra.Some of you have told me about the difference this Challenge has made in your life.  I am thrilled for you!!!  And, I am very proud of you for sticking with it.  You inspire me.  I've had a great deal of fun hearing from you and experiencing the Challenge along with

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-60717217059187700642011-03-29T21:27:00.001-07:002011-03-29T21:27:05.765-07:00

Hi Yogis,WOW!  Day 20 has come so quickly!  I hope you have been having a good time with the challenge.  Today, my practice consisted of 1 hour 10 minutes of asana and 20 minutes of meditation."See" you tomorrow!Namaste,Julie

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-70726599341357950872011-03-28T22:22:00.001-07:002011-03-28T22:22:34.785-07:00

Hello Challengers,Today's practice was 20 minutes of asana, 20 minutes of yoga nidra, and 15 minutes of meditation.Namaste,Julie

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-80630383189708070602011-03-27T22:30:00.001-07:002011-03-27T22:30:56.410-07:00

Hello Fellow Challengers,Today was a fairly busy day with class this morning and busy work around the house.  I moved some things and cleared out some clutter.  You have to get the old out to get the new in.  Or, as Aristotle once proposed, "nature abhors a vacuum."That idea can apply to your yoga practice as well.  It is easy to get stuck in a yoga practice rut, doing the same thing every day,

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-5292007591462228752011-03-26T23:50:00.001-07:002011-03-26T23:50:09.074-07:00

Today's blog post will be short and sweet as I am ready to go to bed!  I did 25 minutes of asana and 10 minutes of meditation.I hope you all had great Saturdays!Namaste,Julie

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-36968956130611548242011-03-25T23:38:00.001-07:002011-03-25T23:38:22.693-07:00

Hi Fellow Yogis,What I can't believe is that it is the 16th day of our challenge.  The 16th day!  It is insane how quickly time passes. What I want to remind all of you of is that time does pass quickly.  Procrastination or apathy isn't an option if you are going to look at the last month, the last year, or your entire life wishing you would have done things differently.  So start doing those

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-23788906480061410162011-03-24T23:22:00.001-07:002011-03-24T23:22:45.365-07:00

Hello Challengers,Today was a day to keep on keepin' on.  It was a busy day in Reno, helping my partner at the hospital (he had an outpatient procedure) and we were not able to get back to Incline Village due to the snow and the closing of Mt. Rose Highway and I-80.  Due to my inability to get back up the hill, tomorrow's 7:30 and 9:00 a.m. classes are canceled. Hopefully, I will be able to get

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-60692491438690478522011-03-23T22:53:00.001-07:002011-03-23T22:53:25.618-07:00

Hello Fellow Yogis,Today was a fun day!  I did 1 hour of asana, 20 minutes of yoga nidra, and 20 minutes of meditation.  I also went to a new knitting group and met some really nice ladies.  It's always nice to meet people who like the same things you do.  I can't wait to knit with them again!I hope you all had great days, as well, and are enjoying your practices.Namaste,Julie

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-27871320501525085262011-03-22T23:16:00.001-07:002011-03-22T23:16:43.460-07:00

Hello Challengers!  Today was a busy day, but a good day.  I had a nice conversation with my Feng Shui Consultant, Gail Hill of Feng Shui Element in Incline Village, where I live and have Awareness Village.  We made some changes to the studio, that feel really good.  There will be some more changes in the studio space soon, as I am able to get what I need to get.I also did 25 minutes of asana and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-86639876632169755542011-03-21T21:22:00.001-07:002011-03-21T21:22:52.992-07:00

Hello Challengers!  Yesterday I wasn't feeling well and actually didn't do my practice.  In the morning I felt like I could do a gentle, restorative practice, but kept putting it off and I didn't get it done.  I think I'm like most people who intend to do something first thing in the morning, then put it off and it never happens.  Obviously it is best to get things done as soon as possible.  Of

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-5352707590676270052011-03-20T00:37:00.001-07:002011-03-20T00:37:17.287-07:00

Hello All.  I realized this morning that i didn't blog last night. Oops, sorry about that!  I did NOT however, forget to practice.  Yesterday, I did 1 1/2 hours asana, 40 minutes of yoga nidra, and 20 minutes of meditation.  Today, due to a lack of time, my practice consisted of 20 minutes asana and 10 minutes meditation.  Hope you all have had a great day.  See you tomorrow!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-30745799409755054282011-03-17T21:54:00.001-07:002011-03-17T21:54:58.591-07:00

Today was a great day!  I am having an equally great, and busy, evening, so today's blog post will be short.  My practice consisted of 5 minutes of pranayama, 90 minutes of asana, and 15 minutes of meditation.  It was a really nice practice.  I felt refreshed, relaxed and serene afterward.I hope all of you had a great day, and, if you didn't, you can find at least one thing that was great.Namaste

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-30232061393627817612011-03-16T22:56:00.001-07:002011-03-16T22:56:42.910-07:00

Good evening!  I hope all is well with all of you and yours and that you are having fun with this Yoga Challenge. Today, I did 40 minutes of yoga nidra, 10 minutes of pranayama, 45 minutes of asana, and 20 minutes of meditation.I was thinking this afternoon what I might want to write about today.  The idea of constancy popped into my head. To be constant is to be steadfast, stable and to act with

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-86609703784899910242011-03-15T23:10:00.001-07:002011-03-15T23:10:09.394-07:00

Good evening, fellow yogis!  I did 35 minutes of asana and 10 minutes of meditation today.  How is it going with your practice?  If you feel distracted from your goals, which you might experience right around now, just do what the ancient yogis and meditators did, begin again.  That's right, just put your expectations aside, forget about the past, and any failures you feel your might have

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-68179132061566186002011-03-14T22:54:00.001-07:002011-03-14T22:54:40.737-07:00

Hello Challengers!  Today was a busy day of bookkeeping for a friend, an appointment and teaching.  I took the opportunity for 5 minutes of pranayama, 25 minutes of asana, and 20 minutes of meditation, which really cleared my brain!I also took time out to get some containers for the goods I plan to make while moving toward adopting a zero waste lifestyle.  (I am inspired!)  I also bought two

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-3649221398249261252011-03-13T21:53:00.001-07:002011-03-13T21:53:32.279-07:00

I was very tired today, but still kept my promise to myself and to all of you.  I did 35 minutes of asana and 15 minutes of meditation.  It was a mellow, more gentle practice, suitable for a tired girl, and I was pleased to have much more energy afterward.  After practice I went out to do some shopping.  I had been reading about a family with a zero-waste lifestyle, and I wanted to buy a couple

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-29645225669526008582011-03-13T00:15:00.001-08:002011-03-13T00:15:28.607-08:00

Hello All!  It is 11:59 p.m. right now, and I just got back from a wonderful evening out.  But like my home practice for this Challenge, I promised myself, and you, that I would blog every day about my practice.  So, here I am keeping my commitment.I have found that once I break a promise to myself, it is easier to break it again.  Have you found that to be true, as well?  It is much easier for

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-16245638961074335302011-03-11T21:33:00.001-08:002011-03-11T21:33:17.615-08:00

This morning I did 10 minutes of pranayama, 1 hour asana, 40 minutes yoga nidra, and 20 minutes meditation.I never know what I might want to listen to while I practice, sometimes I don't listen to anything at all.  Today I started out listening to Tim McGraw, whose music I don't think I have ever done yoga to.  Anyway, I was listening to a song called "One of These Days."  I like the song, and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-43194260305248879022011-03-10T21:54:00.001-08:002011-03-10T21:54:06.438-08:00

This morning I did my yoga and meditation practice.  It was 5 minutes of pranayama, 30 minutes of asana, 20 minutes of yoga nidra (yogic sleep), and 15 minutes of meditation.  I was very tired this morning after not sleeping long enough last night, so I honestly didn't want to do anything at all.  Of course, once I got started I was happy to be doing my practice, and 100% mindful and engaged.  I

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-73834797515399963882011-02-26T21:01:00.001-08:002011-02-26T21:01:19.238-08:00

Beginning March 10, and continuing through March 31, will be the first annual Spring Yoga Challenge! For 21 days in March, commit to yourself that you will practice yoga and meditation every day, whether at home or by attending a class.  (It is a well-established fact that it takes 21 days to create a new habit.) Make a contract with yourself!  A contract form can be found here.  If you practice

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-18267860987467741932010-06-23T11:43:00.001-07:002010-06-23T11:43:54.095-07:00

WOOHOO!  I am so excited!  I love kids and am happy to be able to share the gifts of yoga with them.Classes will be held on Wednesdays, starting today, and are at 3:30 to 4:15 (ages 4-7), and 4:30 to 5:30 (ages 8-12).Kids yoga has many benefits, other than being down-right FUN, including:RelaxationBuilds confidence and self-esteemIncreases concentration and focusEnhances overall physical health,

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-81396554191932211892010-06-17T12:29:00.001-07:002010-06-17T12:29:09.048-07:00

This week we talk of ishvarapranidhana, devotion to a higher power.When speaking of ishvarapranidhana, we don't have to mean that traditional God of our Judeo-Christian culture.  It is YOUR sense of the Divine.  The Divine can be described as that which makes you feel connected to everything else.  Your sense of the Divine can be an actual god, kharma, nature, your sense of the eternal, or

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-70198297064208087942009-06-01T22:57:00.001-07:002009-06-01T22:57:55.032-07:00

Hello All,Last week I told you I would report back on my foray into tapas.  I did get a lot of stuff done in my master bedroom.  The summer/winter clothes are switched and I reorganized my master bathroom.  Hey, accountability works!This week we will discover svadhyaya, self-study, taking the time to know ourselves.  The better we know ourselves, our own minds and hearts, the better we can know

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-37328303692307708082009-05-25T22:45:00.001-07:002009-05-25T22:45:37.337-07:00

The niyama tapas, austerity or discipline, is a difficult idea for many of us.  I thought I'd look at the dictionary to see what it says about austerity and discipline.  New World Dictionary says "austerity" implies "strict self-discipline" and "discipline" implies "training that develops self-control, character, or orderliness and efficiency."  I like "discipline" better and it seems to fit the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-64792224208860336962009-05-18T21:50:00.001-07:002009-05-18T21:50:09.210-07:00

Santosha, contentment, is my favorite niyama.  If we can't be truly contented with our lives, our bodies, our "whatever," we can't find true and lasting peace and our ability to concentrate suffers.  With contentment, we can rest in a place of peace without desire or attachment.  When we practice santosha we are happy with what we have and what happens in our lives, rather than being unhappy

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-11788948845674890182009-05-11T01:00:00.001-07:002009-05-11T01:00:04.177-07:00

The next limb of Ashtanga yoga philosophy is niyama.  Niyama is comprised of five personal observances: sauca (purity or cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (disclipline or austerity), svadhyaya (self-study), and ishvarapranidhana (devotion).Sauca is concerned with keeping ourselves pure and clean, inside and out.  Outside sauca is pretty straightforward, good grooming and keeping

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-57941195016405120202009-05-04T22:14:00.001-07:002009-05-04T22:14:12.231-07:00

Aparigraha means non-hoarding and is another facet of asteya (non-stealing).  We are to receive only what is appropriate, no more.  If we take more than what we have earned, we run the risk of exploiting someone else.  There is no need to get greedy.  When we collect or hoard, it implies a lack of faith in God or in ourself to provide for our own future.B.K.S. Iyengar in "Light on Yoga" says,By

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-59151983062319019942009-04-27T14:55:00.001-07:002009-04-27T14:55:46.427-07:00

I hope you are enjoying these short articles about Yoga philosophy as much as I am enjoying writing them.  It is helpful for me to review these philosophical points, looking at my own life and behavior, and seeing my own spiritual progress.Brahmacharya has gotten a bad rap.  Traditionally, brahmacharya has been associated with chastity and celibacy.  EGAD!  But at the heart of brahmacharya is the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-49319216962244594192009-04-20T11:18:00.001-07:002009-04-20T11:18:43.591-07:00

This week we look at the yama asteya, or non-stealing.Asteya means more than simply not taking something that doesn't belong to you.  It means not desiring, or coveting, that which is not yours, while realizing that whatever is rightfully yours will come your way.  Your happiness is not dependent upon what you possess, material or otherwise.  Swami Kriyananda in Raja Yoga says,Covetousness is

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-60481081318027207152009-04-13T00:15:00.001-07:002009-04-13T00:15:03.954-07:00

Hello Friends,Satya, the second yama, means nonlying or truthfulness and extends to the responsibility of keeping your promises.  We all know the importance of being truthful.  One of the benefits of following the yamas is peace of mind.  Have you ever tried to lie and maintain peace of mind?  It would be nearly impossible!  You can't keep peace of mind when you are trying to remember what lie

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-74478297041434791392009-04-06T15:18:00.001-07:002009-04-07T00:17:59.992-07:00

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 8-LIMBED PATH AND AHIMSAHello and welcome to the Awareness Village Blog. I thought I would do a series on some of the points of yoga philosophy, starting with the elements of the 8-limbed path, or Ashtanga.The sage Patanjali codified yoga practice in approximately 200 BCE in India, as the Yoga Sutras, a collection of aphorisms which, among other things, detail the eight

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1115444227120714122005-05-06T22:37:00.000-07:002005-05-06T22:40:45.986-07:00

Hello all. It's been a long time since I've blogged. I've not been well for quite a while, but am getting back in the swing of things.I've been busy getting some more member pages written for the Awareness Village site and some for the Your Meditation Coach site. (See the links at the right side of this page.) I've also started writing the June 2005 Awareness Village Journal. I'll be doing

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1074373688735506372004-01-17T12:45:00.000-08:002009-04-04T00:21:37.600-07:00

Hello! There is still space in my "Trash the Resolution" coaching groups, and I am forming new groups, as well. Make this year your best year yet! I am also introducing a new style of coaching to Awareness Village. I have used dream interpretation for many years to help people figure out what is going on in their lives. The new style of coaching I am introducing uses dream interpretation to

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1074109852094206642004-01-14T11:45:00.000-08:002009-04-04T00:21:37.603-07:00

Hello and Happy New Year! Well, it's a new year and a new start. I've been thinking seriously about what new products and ideas I am going to introduce into Awareness Village. One thing that came to mind was to use my interpretation of the book "Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform Our World", by Carol S. Pearson, as articles in the Awareness

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1071866906046017372003-12-19T12:42:00.000-08:002009-04-04T00:21:37.606-07:00

Hello and Season's Greetings to all! Happy Hannukah to those of you who celebrate Hannukah! This has been a busy week! Tuesday and Thursday, I hosted my very first teleclasses ever, "Trash the Resolution: 5 Steps to Making Changes that Really Last". A good time was had by all, and I will be doing the teleclass again. The next two Saturdays, I will be doing the class in person in my office.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1071256765393482512003-12-12T11:10:00.000-08:002009-04-04T00:21:37.607-07:00

Happy Friday! Yesterday afternoon, I went to Carson City to run a couple errands. On the way back, I started singing a Christmas carol with the radio. (If you must know, it was "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". LOL) I must be getting into the spirit of the season! This morning, local TV was filled with news of the holiday food drive. It reminded me to decide what I would do this year for

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1071195754101111242003-12-11T18:20:00.000-08:002009-04-04T00:21:37.609-07:00

Hello all! It’s a beautiful sunny day in Incline Village, Nevada! According to the TV weatherman last night, Old Man Winter lovingly deposited 13 inches of snow here yesterday. That seems like a lot, but I’m not the person doing the measuring. I am happy, nonetheless. One of my favorite things to see is snow being hit by sunshine. It looks like someone took a bag of glitter and spread it

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1070476323392282952003-12-03T10:31:00.000-08:002009-04-04T00:21:37.610-07:00

In November I went to New Orleans. I had a great time. I’ve been there several times, but this time I visited a few new places. I have a timeshare condo in the French Quarter at the Quarterhouse, an awesome place! I went to the New Orleans Botanical Gardens in City Park and the new location of my favorite restaurant, Old Dog New Trick. My friend, Matt, joined me, and it was really nice to

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122938.post-1069886909173115212003-11-26T14:44:00.000-08:002009-04-06T15:21:25.094-07:00

Thursday, October 30, 2003 – Wow! Long time no blog! I’ve been very busy the last couple of weeks! Last Thursday I went to my first meeting of the Incline Village/Crystal Bay Chamber of Commerce. As a new member, I got a nice plaque to hang on the wall of the office and I said a few words about Awareness Village. Standing in front of all those people with a microphone in front of me was a

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734338094934170noreply@blogger.com0