
AYAMA™ RESOURCES & ARTICLES BY AARON

Why Stretching May Not Be As Great As You Think
Over the last few years, the debate to stretch or not to stretch has been a heavy topic of discussion. Many of us have grown up with the belief that stretching before and after a workout is a great way to prepare the body to move and then recover after we sweat. However, what if I were to tell you that stretching may not be as great as you think. Think about it. When you stretch a muscle, it is...

Yoga Postures to Reset the Pelvic Floor For Better Alignment
Do you suffer from lower back pain? What about neck pain or even jaw pain? If so, chances are you may have a tilted pelvis! Pain within and around the pelvis is a common issue that many people around the world suffer from. As a foundational bone of the body, the pelvis is an essential component of our structure that helps with many basic movements. Our pelvis dictates how our muscles and bodies...

We Need More Radical Diversity In the Yoga Community
It's challenging to have a conversation around the lack of diversity in the yoga community. Yoga can be a powerful tool on your journey to empowerment, healing, and awareness. But for a practice that has unity and oneness at its core, the walls of accessibility remain to be as complicated as ever. It's uncomfortable, because a practice like yoga that promotes health, wellness, and spirituality,...

How To Live In Gratitude
There is a lot of talk in the world today, in politics, in the world, in concern with the accumulation of wealth and this idea of abundance. I know it’s a hot topic for a lot of people, especially when you start talking about money and abundance. The key to unlocking abundance is through gratitude. Learning to live with more gratitude in our lives opens up the door to infinite abundance. When...

Why Don’t I See Homeless People And Do More To Help?
Homeless people are everywhere, but I do not see them. I am originally from Vancouver, and the statistics of homeless people there are staggering. And I am left wondering, what is the government doing to help homeless people? But I never really see them. I never see homeless people. Something that has haunted since I traveled through Spain one summer was a homeless person. I was on a glorious...

The Garden of Karma: Let the Seed Take
During the One Month Immersion Yoga Teacher Training here at Blue Osa, I began the morning with a discussion on Karma, particularly the practice and patience that is needed for us to reap the benefits of the seeds we sow, as well as the importance of being honest with ourselves in our practice. To explain this concept, I used the idea of gardening. Once a seed is planted, we must wait for the...

The Importance of Having a Community
Have you ever felt out of place? Like you’re not in the right place, or that no one understands you? Do you ever feel outnumbered? From a young age, I often found myself alone when I needed support. As I got older, I began to notice the value of being part of a team. I remember training with teams in college, I reveled in the atmosphere of camaraderie. It was not exactly what I needed, but it...

The Five Elements and Yoga
The five elements are earth, water, fire, air, and space. The five elements and yoga dictate that they have a location in our body and they also have a location in the universe. Integrating the five elements and yoga into our life is important for our mind, body and verbal wellbeing as the elements are the framework for just about everything and especially our body. Seasons correlate to the...

The Goal Of Yoga
Millions of people practice yoga each day, but if you asked them what the goal of yoga is they would be at a loss to answer. So, what is the goal of yoga? Why do we come to the mat? Is it to attain bliss, become super flexible, to look good in our Lululemon?! I would argue that according to the yoga tradition, the goal of yoga is to attain happiness. Yes happiness, that mysterious and seemingly...

Mantras: How Sound Affects Us On and Off The Mat
I love sound. I love what it does. I love how it is shared all around the world. I love to explore sound and how it makes me feel. Have you ever considered how sound makes you feel? Have you explored sound and how it affects those around you? There is a lot of evidence to show that sound dramatically affects both our physical and our emotional bodies. This science was discussed hundreds of years...