Yoga at OHM Newsletter Vicyasa™ 2/2 - 2/8/2026: Looking for Love in All the Yogic Places: An Exploration of Karma Yoga

LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE YOGIC PLACES: AN EXPLORATION OF KARMA YOGA
“Every act of love you’ve given freely adds more light into this world, and that light will always find its way back to you.” - Meggan Roxanne, author and founder of @thegoodquote

(This week's newsletter was composed by our dynamic on-demand teacher and full time writer Elinor Cohen. Check out her Instagram HERE and her amazingly empowering advanced & intermediate sessions on our on-demand archives.)

Have you ever heard of Karma Yoga? If not, chances are you’ve at least heard of karma. In its simplest term, karma connotes reciprocity: what you put out comes back to you. Karma Yoga is similar in that sense but slightly different.

One of the 8 limbs of yoga, Karma Yoga is defined as selflessness. To go down this path is to do whatever you do 1) selflessly 2) to the best of your ability 3) without attachment to results or outcomes and 4) with dedication to the supreme consciousness (aka the Universe).

When we live by the principles of Karma Yoga, we live through an expression of love. How fitting for this time of year and specifically this month, given that it’s February and Valentine’s Day is upon us. There are so many ways to celebrate love, both for oneself and outwardly toward others. This season, consider the exploration of Karma Yoga as an invitation to express love both on and off the mat.

As a practitioner of yoga, you probably know that the asanas are only a small part of the journey. They are, in fact, another of the 8 limbs, but they’re just one piece of the heart-shaped pie. How we act off the mat is just as important (if not more so) than the poses we move through. In keeping with the theme of Karma Yoga, the following are suggestions of how to incorporate this practice into your daily life.

Karma yoga could look like: 

• Making space for fellow yogis.
• Showing up early to class so you don’t stress out your teacher or your fellow yogis. Trust us – scrambling to help a student find a spot once class has already started doesn’t feel loving for anyone!
• Easing up about having a certain spot in the room.
• Refraining from handstands or poses that take up off-the-mat space in a packed class. Very few people find getting kicked in the face to be a loving gesture.
• Using a quiet voice in the yoga room both before and after practice.
• Exercising compassion for others in class who may fall, stumble, trip, or not know the names of poses.
• Demanding less of yourself. This practice is not a performance. Moving in a way that’s loving toward yourself will help you now and in the long run.
• Refraining from leaving the room too many times. We all have to take a pause from time to time, whether to step out and use the restroom or just for some air. While that’s understandable, try to consider how that may affect the rest of the room and if possible, limit the number of times you enter and exit.
• Staying in the room through savasana. These last few minutes are part of the class and remaining for the entirety is a sign that you respect the teacher, the other yogis, and the environment.
• Buying a class pack to support your local yoga studio.
• Being patient when checking in at the front desk. Remember, we all have the same goal: to have an enjoyable practice.
• Checking in on the fellow practitioner you haven’t seen in class in a while. A simple text goes a long way.
• Saying thank you.

Essentially, Karma Yoga comes down to having respect for the practice, the flow, and the community. It’s about behaving in conscious, loving, mindful ways and acting as selflessly as possible without expecting anything in return. The mindset you adopt both in and out of the studio is a sign that your love is pure and genuine.

Karma Yoga encourages us to think beyond the traditional concept of romantic love. When we do so, we find that love really is everywhere as long as we remain open to it. Much love to all!

COMING SOON...
Weekend intensives!!! Want to practice sequence building? Want to learn functional anatomy and how to apply it to your yoga practice? Want a small intimate group to get feedback on how to teach clearly, concisely and with command? I'll be hosting small groups of 2-3 students for weekend intensives with lectures, and workshop style exercises for you to sharpen your practice and teachings. EMAIL or contact me directly for involvement and tuition/enrollment info.

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NAMASTE,
Victor Cotto
www.YogaWithVictor.com
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