How to find your mantra

Let’s talk about OM. Believed by yogis to be the very first sound of creation, it resonates throughout yoga studios across the land and is the trademark sound of yoga that also happens to be a lovely-looking symbol. Amen to that, sister! Oh wait, let’s also talk about Amen… Amen is a word that came to English from Latin, which …

Yoga nidra and savasana

Savasana is the relaxation at the end of a yoga practice. It is the ultimate yoga pose. But not everyone has heard of yoga nidra, a psychedelic meditation which taps deep into the unconscious to draw up the goods from below. Yoga nidra is a very simple practice and is essentially a guided hypnosis filled with visualisations.  It’s said to …

How to find your spiritual self

Sometimes in our fast-paced world we can feel a little disconnected, but there are many ways we can feel more at one with source. Here are some suggestions… 1. Give your soul a voice Write a letter beginning with the words, ‘If my soul could speak, it would say…’ Do not edit, judge or censor yourself and do not lift …

Yoga is not about bliss

Yoga has a corner market on feel good words.  I recently had a massage therapist tell me we were both in the ‘feel good industry’.  But yoga isn’t all about feeling good… The promise of ‘enlightenment’ tends to make us think we will be more spiritual, and this somehow means we’ll be a little less freakish about time, our kids, …

Teaching meditation to children

meditation for children Ivory Magazine

Children benefit from yoga and meditation. While they may instinctively use the breath, mind, and body independently, the union of the three increases their ability to be patient, identify and manage emotions, and see the unique light in others. Aside from the physical benefits – increased strength, flexibility, and coordination – children are encouraged to bring attention to their breath, …

Yoga meets Christianity

IVORY magazine yoga and christianity in spirituality with mindfulness

In the heart of The South, yoga studios are few and far between, with plenty of misunderstanding on the parts of yogis and proud generations of Southerners alike.  Despite all this, a genuine practice has its place below the Mason-Dixon, where yoga culture has taken on a life of its own. Justin Linderman of Shoals Yoga Studio, located in Florence, …