“What you focus on grows, what you think about expands, and what you dwell upon determines your destiny.”  What is drishti? What does that mean? Why does the teacher constantly say that in class?
Drishti is a term that loosely translates to an area of focus, a place to look at during asana practice. A focused drishti offers balance in your yoga practice. Having a clear focus point when attempting Vrksasana [tree pose] can mean the difference between a strong steady pose or a wavering or falling moment(s). This focused view will help you find your center and connect with the stability within your own body. But there are layers to our drishti. On a mental level, begin to utilize your drishti and focused intention to re-establish yourself into the moment. When you are in a challenging posture, or if you start to feel a sense of mundaneness in your practice, you may notice that you have the desire to dissociate from the experience. Looking around the room to other practitioners, looking out the window, scanning the floor for stray hairs and dust can all help to take you out of the experience you are having within your body. What you are doing when you start to incorporate drishti into all of your postures—those that are old and familiar as well as those that are new—is training your mind to stay with the present moment. You are training yourself how to endure experiences as they are happening, even when they are slightly (or more than slightly) unpleasant. This builds up your ability to do this in life. The gift of focused, present attention in everyday life is invaluable in problem solving, communication and general living. Now you can take the concept of drishti and expand on it even further. The term can be translated to mean a point of view, intelligent vision, or to have a vision. This tool of drishti is one that can be used to help you create the life that you want to live, both on and off your mat. Now is time to put this powerful tool in action; whether asana, meditation, or life design practice. See how it transforms the monotonous into the divine and purposeful. VUORI CLOTHING GIVEAWAY! Thanks to Vuori for the goodies and the winners of the Summer time swag. We'll do in person giveaways at New York Yoga and Sui Yoga for attendees at those studios. MENTORSHIP WITH VICYASA™... Yoga with Victor's mentorship program... for teachers looking to sharpen their tools and hone in on varying skills that will make you more proficient at sequencing, teaching anatomy, or widening their skill set to become a successful instructor and craft your own business model. What if you're not a teacher and would like to prepare for training or enhance your ever-hungry-desire to absorb all things yoga? Holla' at me. Feel like your 200 hour training ended with you needing more questions answered? Want to expand on those teachings? Do you feel like there are areas of your teaching repertoire that need enhancing? Contact me for more info and enrollment. PRIVATES: ONE-TO-ONE WORK! If you want to set up any private sessions or events, please contact me through email. You can learn more about privates: CLICK HERE! SINGLE CLASSES We've added single class purchases to our on-demand offerings. How does it work? A $17 payment will give you access to a single pre-recorded class with Victor or anyone on his staff. The private link with unique access code will give you entry to that class, which you can load anytime you want. You'll have 24-hours of unlimited access to that class. No refunds, returns and you must use that class within 24-hours of receiving it before it expires. You can request a teacher on our on-demand options... featuring Demetra Kentrotas (@d_meetch), Leanne McDermott (@leannerays), Elinor Cohen (@elinorraerigby) and others. YOGA AT OHHHMMM LIVE VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/29/2024 NO CLASSES TUESDAY: 7/30/2024 NO CLASSES WEDNESDAY: 7/31/2024 NO CLASSES THURSDAY: 8/1/2024 NO CLASSES FRIDAY: 8/2/2024 NO CLASSES SATURDAY: 8/3/2024 NO CLASSES SUNDAY: 8/4/2024 NO CLASSES *ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. *NEW REGULAR RATES:
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- [email protected] NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™
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“I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love.”  Summer is the time when we put plans into action. This is the season we are invigorated, feeling motivated and full of energy. The height of Summer is also the height of extroversion, and the time to embrace all that life has to offer. This is the time to say ‘yes’ to invitations, engage in projects at full capacity and dive into passions; travel and explore, and infuse as much fun into your day as possible.
Take a moment to reflect upon how much ‘fun’ you incorporate into your life – when was the last time you did something purely for the joy of it? When was the last time froliking and flirtations were on the forefront of your day-to-day life? If it’s been a while, journal ten things that you consider fun, that you inherently enjoy, then commit to engaging with at least one of these activities each week throughout the Summer. Summer is linked to the ‘pleasure’ hormone dopamine. That boost happens with an early dose of morning sunlight, as it triggers a dopamine release into the body, giving us a natural mood boost to start the day. Dopamine isn’t just about pleasure however,it stimulates neurotransmitters responsible for motivation too. With a morning dose of dopamine, we’re more motivated to approach the day with energy, vibrancy, and enthusiasm. Ancient yogis knew the power of morning sunlight, and some of the earliest forms of Surya Namaskar [Sun Salutations] didn’t involve movement, but focused instead on meditation with sun-gazing – looking towards the sky at sunrise and sunset. It's time to live this Summer -- start by aligning your personal rhythms with the tempo of nature. Get outside in the morning, add a little more fun to your day, and perhaps say ‘yes’ to life a little more this season. VUORI CLOTHING GIVEAWAY! Thanks to Vuori for the goodies and the winners of the Summer time swag. We'll do in person giveaways at New York Yoga and Sui Yoga for attendees at those studios. MENTORSHIP WITH VICYASA™... Yoga with Victor's mentorship program... for teachers looking to sharpen their tools and hone in on varying skills that will make you more proficient at sequencing, teaching anatomy, or widening their skill set to become a successful instructor and craft your own business model. What if you're not a teacher and would like to prepare for training or enhance your ever-hungry-desire to absorb all things yoga? Holla' at me. Feel like your 200 hour training ended with you needing more questions answered? Want to expand on those teachings? Do you feel like there are areas of your teaching repertoire that need enhancing? Contact me for more info and enrollment. PRIVATES: ONE-TO-ONE WORK! If you want to set up any private sessions or events, please contact me through email. You can learn more about privates: CLICK HERE! SINGLE CLASSES We've added single class purchases to our on-demand offerings. How does it work? A $17 payment will give you access to a single pre-recorded class with Victor or anyone on his staff. The private link with unique access code will give you entry to that class, which you can load anytime you want. You'll have 24-hours of unlimited access to that class. No refunds, returns and you must use that class within 24-hours of receiving it before it expires. You can request a teacher on our on-demand options... featuring Demetra Kentrotas (@d_meetch), Leanne McDermott (@leannerays), Elinor Cohen (@elinorraerigby) and others. YOGA AT OHHHMMM LIVE VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/22/2024 NO CLASSES TUESDAY: 7/23/2024 NO CLASSES WEDNESDAY: 7/24/2024 NO CLASSES THURSDAY: 7/25/2024 NO CLASSES FRIDAY: 7/26/2024 NO CLASSES SATURDAY: 7/27/2024 NO CLASSES SUNDAY: 7/28/2024 NO CLASSES *ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. *NEW REGULAR RATES:
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- [email protected] NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” ― John Lubbock  It's hot. It's humid. I'm overheated. How can I practice in this oppressive Summer climate?
Heat can stimulate stress responses and irritability, so when you think about your yoga practice for hot weather, don’t forget to include calming practices like left nostril breathing and more meditation. A yoga practice for hot weather may also include gentler asanas, lots of resting poses (how about child’s pose and longer downward facing dogs), and a more restorative practice (take a yin or yoga nidra session). Yoga students are usually more familiar with the Surya Namaskar (or sun salutations) practice. However, sun salutations may tend to be too stimulating for some people during the summer. Chandra Namaskar or moon salutations on the other hand are cooling and calming as they incorporate sideways movements as opposed to the more invigorating forward-backward movements of the Surya Namaskar. Also, a few of these poses: Easy Pose, or Sukhasana; the perfect pose to practice a cooling meditation or guided imagery, helping you dive deeper into a relaxing, cool state. Keep in mind that you will ideally sit here for some time so make sure to support your spine by sitting on a bolster or resting against a wall. Inhale to lengthen your spine skyward and keep your shoulders stacked above your hips, relaxing your hands on your knees or in your lap. Supported Fish; a fantastic chest opener as it relaxes the shoulders and neck and stretches your entire front body. This cooling yoga pose also calms the nervous system. Lay on your back and place a pillow, bolster, block, or rolled up yoga mat under your shoulder blades (behind your heart). Recline over your prop so that your chest is lifted toward the sky. You can place your arms wherever they are comfortable – alongside your hips, to the side in a “T” shape, or extend them overhead, resting the back of your hands on the floor. Completely surrender your legs. Legs Up the Wall; one of the best cooling asanas you can practice for your body. This pose can alleviate stress and headaches, improve digestion, and reduce swelling at your lower extremities, which is a common problem in the summer months. Lay down on your back on your mat or bed. Bring your glutes as close as you can to the wall. Option to use a pillow or bolster to help support your lower back. Lift your legs upward on the wall. You want to stack your ankles over your knees, and your knees over your hips. Relax your legs should with the soles of your feet facing toward the sky. We don’t have to avoid movement entirely in the sweltering days of summer. But we can learn about smart, energy-saving ways to create a summer yoga practice -- practice in the cool of the day, slow down as needed and move with mindful intentions. VUORI CLOTHING GIVEAWAY! Thanks to Vuori for the goodies and the winners of the Summer time swag. We'll do in person giveaways at New York Yoga and Sui Yoga for attendees at those studios. MENTORSHIP WITH VICYASA™... Yoga with Victor's mentorship program... for teachers looking to sharpen their tools and hone in on varying skills that will make you more proficient at sequencing, teaching anatomy, or widening their skill set to become a successful instructor and craft your own business model. What if you're not a teacher and would like to prepare for training or enhance your ever-hungry-desire to absorb all things yoga? Holla' at me. Feel like your 200 hour training ended with you needing more questions answered? Want to expand on those teachings? Do you feel like there are areas of your teaching repertoire that need enhancing? Contact me for more info and enrollment. PRIVATES: ONE-TO-ONE WORK! If you want to set up any private sessions or events, please contact me through email. You can learn more about privates: CLICK HERE! SINGLE CLASSES We've added single class purchases to our on-demand offerings. How does it work? A $17 payment will give you access to a single pre-recorded class with Victor or anyone on his staff. The private link with unique access code will give you entry to that class, which you can load anytime you want. You'll have 24-hours of unlimited access to that class. No refunds, returns and you must use that class within 24-hours of receiving it before it expires. You can request a teacher on our on-demand options... featuring Demetra Kentrotas (@d_meetch), Leanne McDermott (@leannerays), Elinor Cohen (@elinorraerigby) and others. YOGA AT OHHHMMM LIVE VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/15/2024 NO CLASSES TUESDAY: 7/16/2024 NO CLASSES WEDNESDAY: 7/17/2024 NO CLASSES THURSDAY: 7/18/2024 NO CLASSES FRIDAY: 7/19/2024 NO CLASSES SATURDAY: 7/20/2024 NO CLASSES SUNDAY: 7/21/2024 NO CLASSES *ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. *NEW REGULAR RATES:
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- [email protected] NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “What we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore—plays in defining the quality of our life.” – Cal Newport  A lot of our unhappiness is not solely from the occurrences of our life, but from the story the mind tells you about those circumstances.
There are two parts to this cycle where negative thoughts can hinder us. The first is the actual event or happening; pain we experience here is due to external situations that we are unable to control [or avoid]. Getting sick, loss of loved ones, getting into conflicts, losing our job, experiencing grief etc. The second has to do with our reaction to the event; our thoughts. When we react negatively, blaming, shaming, aversion, getting angry and upset, we set off the suffering of the second part. It is our thoughts that make us re-live (and keep reliving) an experience that only ever happened once. Reduction of suffering (emotional and physical) and the increase in vitality and full life potential is inherent in the yoga philosophy. A yoga routine that incorporates meditation works on increasing one’s awareness of the present as opposed to resisting or attempting to avoid uncomfortable and negative thoughts. So even though we can’t control the circumstances, we can control how we respond to them. We can choose not to get stuck in a frenzy of unnecessary negative thoughts that have a detrimental effect on our mental and physical health, and direct that energy instead into growing our awareness. When we grow the power of awareness within ourselves, the mind begins to lose its ability to make us unhappy. Realize that certain thoughts are bad for you. Become still and start observing your thoughts. Direct your attention elsewhere. Withdraw consciousness away from worry and unnecessary mindsets. Thoughts cannot survive if you take attention and consciousness (their life stream) away from them. Create space for you to breathe and feel your aliveness. Remember that you are not the narrative of your mind. You are consciousness itself, the intelligence that pervades your body and holds it together. VUORI CLOTHING GIVEAWAY! Thanks to Vuori for the goodies and the winners of the Summer time swag. We'll do in person giveaways at New York Yoga and Sui Yoga for attendees at those studios. MENTORSHIP WITH VICYASA™... Yoga with Victor's mentorship program... for teachers looking to sharpen their tools and hone in on varying skills that will make you more proficient at sequencing, teaching anatomy, or widening their skill set to become a successful instructor and craft your own business model. What if you're not a teacher and would like to prepare for training or enhance your ever-hungry-desire to absorb all things yoga? Holla' at me. Feel like your 200 hour training ended with you needing more questions answered? Want to expand on those teachings? Do you feel like there are areas of your teaching repertoire that need enhancing? Contact me for more info and enrollment. PRIVATES: ONE-TO-ONE WORK! If you want to set up any private sessions or events, please contact me through email. You can learn more about privates: CLICK HERE! SINGLE CLASSES We've added single class purchases to our on-demand offerings. How does it work? A $17 payment will give you access to a single pre-recorded class with Victor or anyone on his staff. The private link with unique access code will give you entry to that class, which you can load anytime you want. You'll have 24-hours of unlimited access to that class. No refunds, returns and you must use that class within 24-hours of receiving it before it expires. You can request a teacher on our on-demand options... featuring Demetra Kentrotas (@d_meetch), Leanne McDermott (@leannerays), Elinor Cohen (@elinorraerigby) and others. YOGA AT OHHHMMM LIVE VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/8/2024 NO CLASSES TUESDAY: 7/9/2024 NO CLASSES WEDNESDAY: 7/10/2024 NO CLASSES THURSDAY: 7/11/2024 NO CLASSES FRIDAY: 7/12/2024 NO CLASSES SATURDAY: 7/13/2024 NO CLASSES SUNDAY: 7/14/2024 NO CLASSES *ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. *NEW REGULAR RATES:
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- [email protected] NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ |
AuthorVicyasa™, your full-time dopamine dealer ... don't allow my confidence to offend your insecurity. Archives
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