Sutra Saturday 1:2

YOGASH CHITTA VRITTI NIRODHAH

YOGASH = yoga

CHITTA VRITTI = modifications of the mind-stuff

NIRODHAH = restraint

In this sutra, Patanjali articulates the goal and definition of yoga: to quiet the modifications of the mind. This is my favorite one to ponder because I am someone who has so many modifications of the mind - my chitta vrittis make me pretty "cray cray." I am your typical over-analyzer.

When I was little, my mom told me that I should be a therapist because I was so good at psychoanalyzing people. Sometimes, that comes in handy, but at other times, it only serves as a distraction.

So what are chitta vrittis for the college yogi? Visualize yourself in yoga class or sitting in the library trying to crank out a paper. Your mind goes to: "Is last night’s hookup going to text me?" "Should I not have given out my number?" "What is wrong with me?" "Oh no, I made a mistake!" Or, "I have so much to do in so little time. I have this paper, that paper, and that problem set, and that writeup and how am I going to do it all at once? What did I get myself into?" Or, "What’s for dinner? I hate the new dining hall. Who am I going to go with?" "Is the vegan option going to be good enough?"

Does any of this sound familiar?

These are all aspects of chitta vrittis, otherwise known as the fluctuations of the mind. These various questions and analyses we pose to ourselves on a daily basis share some commonalities: they project into either the future or the past, and they are entirely unnecessary in the present. They are distractions. They modify what is going on in the moment so it makes it more difficult to focus. In many ways, they are jailers - they bind us to thoughts that are not facts. Now, we’re human so we get them all the time. I know I do and a huge reason why I now do yoga is to quiet that chitta and to simply observe them. That last part of the sutra, nirodhah - restraint - allows me to be gentle when I see the chitta pass by. The way I interpret it is that I restrain myself from judging these modifications and acting on them inappropriately.

In his translation of this sutra, Sri Swami Satchidananda says, “All the differences in the outside world are the outcome of your mental modifications.” You cannot change the outside world when the inner worlds are blocked. The inner worlds are made up of the selves that make up the outer world. To change the self is the only way to create real change. Reading this sutra offers up a whole new interpretation to Gandhi’s famous quote (and line in MC Yogi’s song), "be the change that you want to see.”

Satchidananda also says, “Yoga does not bother much about changing the outside world...bondage and liberation are in your own mind. If you feel bound, you are bound. If you feel liberated, you are liberated. Things outside neither bind nor liberate you; only your attitude towards them does that.” Talk about a way to take us out of self-victimization, to hold us accountable for our actions through our thoughts, through relabeling them. Pretty mind-blowing, no?

A bit about our Author, Camille Brown: Hi there and welcome to my segment, The Daily Om. I'm a twenty-something lover of health, fitness, yoga, personal style, reiki, nature, travelling, and capturing those special moments in life that matter the most. My daily goal is to be the best I can, give all I know about yoga, holistic living, and just living your most authentic natural life. I will offer challenging asanas that will push your personal limits in order to achieve success on the mat and offer insight mantras to get your day started your day on a positive note. Remember, "A day without laughing is a day wasted."

Read more from her at http://lotusflowerwellness.blogspot.com/

Find Your Flow Friday: Yoga as a Science

One of my favorite "pundits" without politics, Pantanajali. I offer this accessment of Yoga as Science.

Yoga is not a religion-remember that. Yoga is not Hindu, it is not Islam or Christian or Judaism . Yoga is a pure science just like mathematics, physics or chemistry. Physics is not Christian physics is not Buddhist. If Christians have discovered the laws of physics, then too physics is not Christian. Yoga is a science -- it is "happenstance" that Hindus uncovered it. It is not Hindu. It is a pure mathematics of the inner being. So a Mohammedan can be a yogi, a Christian can be a yogi, a Jain, a Jew can be a yogi.

Yoga is pure science, and Patanjali is the greatest name as far as the world of yoga is concerned. This man is rare. There is no other name comparable to Patanjali. For the first time in the history of humanity, this man brought religion to the state of a science: he made religion a science, bare laws; no belief is needed.

  

Because so-called religions need beliefs. There is no other difference between one religion and another; the difference is only of beliefs. A Mohammedan has certain beliefs, a Hindu certain others, a Christian certain others. The difference is of beliefs. Yoga has nothing as far as belief is concerned; yoga doesn't say to believe in anything. Yoga says experience. Just like science saysexperiment, yoga says experience. Experiment and experience are both the same, yet their directions are different. Experiment means something you can do outside; experience means something you can do inside. Experience is an inside experiment.

Science says: Don't believe, doubt as much as you can. But also, don't disbelieve, because disbelief is again a sort of belief. You can believe in God, you can believe in the concept of no-God. You can say God is, with a fanatic 

attitude; you can say the quite reverse, that God is not with the same fanaticism. Atheists, theists, are all believers, and belief is not the realm for science. Science means experience something, that which is; no belief is needed. So the second thing to remember: 

Yoga is
 simultaneously existential, experiential, experimental.

No belief is required, no faith is needed -- only courage to experience. And that's what's lacking. You can believe easily because in belief you are not going to be transformed. Belief is something added to you, something superficial. Your being is not changed; you are not passing through some mutation. You may be a Hindu, you can become Christian the next day. Simply, you change: you change Gita for a Bible. You can change it for a Koran, but the man who was holding Gita and is now holding the Bible, remains the same. He has changed his beliefs.

Belief is easy because you are not required really to do anything -- just a superficial dressing, a decoration, something which you can put aside any moment you like. Yoga is not belief. That's why it is difficult, arduous, and sometimes it seems impossible. It is an existential approach. You will come to the truth, but not through belief, but through your own experience, through your own realization. That means you will have to be totally changed. Your viewpoints, your way of life, your mind, your psyche has to be shattered completely as it is. Something new has to be created. Only with that new will you come in contact with the reality.

(((INhale/Exhale))) absorb what is useful.... the discussion continues in our next edition. 

Mantra Monday: Letting Go & Planting Seeds

If we're stuck or afraid to let go of that which no longer serves us, we limit our ability to move forward. If we throw ourselves forward without rooting down and integrating, we fall.

The theme for the last several classes I've taught is "Release the past & create space (forward folds). Plant seeds and set intentions (backbends)." We've primarily focused on foundations - Setting our feet correctly, rooting down. We've also looked into Geotropism - Pushing into gravity in order to lift up. The deeper the roots, the taller the tree, you know?

Happiness awaits us.
May your positive seeds bear fruit. No action is wasted. May you cultivate and nourish in yourself all that is good and true.

Namaste.

Happy, joyous, loving, prosperous new week to you!

The Daily Om: Find Your Flow Friday - Am I Getting Better at Yoga??

Progress. This is just how we’re wired these days. Things need to be achieved. Boxes checked off. No, not just the big stuff - school, studies, degree, first job (and a good one, please!), success at work, the ‘perfect’ partner… It’s true for the small things in life as well. By the way, what’s on your to-do list for today? Who replied “nothing”, back there, in the last row? Please stand up!

So no wonder that this infiltrates our approach to hobbies and everything we do outside of our to-do list; that time when we’re not busy crossing off accomplishments - IF there’s time left, that is. For most of us, there’s no time left, which is why something like yoga needs to be added to that list. If it’s not on there but just something we enjoy doing in our “FREE” time, well – then it just never happens.

Manage your free time wisely – and never forget to PLAY! 

While this is a good thing to do and shows we’re valuing our yoga-time (it’s like an appointment with ourselves, isn’t it?), we’re just getting even more stuck in this whole progress / achievement way of thinking. How you can tell? Well, have you asked yourself any of these questions lately?...

• Am I getting better at yoga?

• When will I be finally able to master this posture?

• Why can’t I reach my toes?

• How many calories did I burn in this lesson?

• When will I be given a new posture by my teacher?

It’s like quicksand. By the time you realise you’re stuck, it’s a little late. And once you’re in there, “to remove a foot from quicksand at a speed of .01 m/s would require the same amount of force as that needed to lift a medium-sized car“.

No, you don’t wanna get stuck in this way of thinking.  It’s not FUN. It means you’re entering into a competition with yourself. You’re demanding that your body please deliver measurable success. You want to check boxes. You want to achieve things. There’s almost nothing I hear more often after a couple of beginner’s classes than the question: “Do you think I am making progress?”

The honest answer would be: How the hell do I know? Sure, I can tell you if your hamstrings are less tight, if your back bends are deeper, I can check my watch to see if you’re holding your headstand longer. But I cannot tell you if you’ve made real progress.

Only one person can tell if you’re making progress: YOU.

Do you feel certain that your power of discrimination and light of thought have been steadily growing? [...] Has there come into the conscious activities of your everyday life, the active function of a new delightful angle of vision, a new perspective, a strong sense of self-possession, a steadily growing conviction of your dependence upon and intimate relation with the all-pervading Divinity? [...]

I’m a little addicted to Swami Sivananda’s easy-peasy replies to some of mankind’s most difficult questions. So here’s another piece I’ve come across – let’s chew on it together.

It’s about how to tell if you’re making progress in your practice:

Peace, cheerfulness, contentment, dispassion, fearlessness and an unperturbed state of mind under all conditions indicate that you are advancing on the spiritual path.  [...] Has your personal awareness come to a possession of a sense of peace and strength which men who are not aspirants do not find in their everyday lives?

Granted, he talks about spiritual progress. But how about we try this: Seeing the physical and spiritual as one and the same thing?

I know. How radical. It might require a change in the way we think. The way we see ourselves. Our mind AND body. Because let’s face it: Do we want to be great yogis – or great gymnasts?

Oh and by the way, do you know how they say you’ll manage to get out of quicksand? Wiggle the legs as slowly as possible in order to reduce viscosity, try spreading your arms and legs far apart and lying prone to increase your surface area, which should allow you to float.

Let’s FLOAT instead of lifting medium-sized cars!

~Om Shanti 

A bit about our Author, Camille Brown: Hi there and welcome to my segment, The Daily Om. I'm a twenty-something lover of health, fitness, yoga, personal style, reiki, nature, travelling, and capturing those special moments in life that matter the most. My daily goal is to be the best I can, give all I know about yoga, holistic living, and just living your most authentic natural life. I will offer challenging asanas that will push your personal limits in order to achieve success on the mat and offer insight mantras to get your day started your day on a positive note. Remember, "A day without laughing is a day wasted."
Read more from her at http://lotusflowerwellness.blogspot.com

The Daily Om: First time [yoga] fears......

Many people have a lot of anxiety surrounding doing yoga for the first time. so I figured it would be a good idea to address the most embarrassing things that might happen in a yoga class.

the lady next to you who’s half your size and a million times your age can do a thousand more push-ups than you and stand on her head for hours
don’t stress. take your time and do the best you can. at least you know that if you keep at it, you’ll be a machine when you live to be a hundred… and that you will live to be a hundred.

you’re sweating bullets and can’t catch your breath and everybody else is perfectly relaxed
take it slow. while yoga is [in part] a physical practice, it’s totally a spiritual experience. the internal sensation is more important than the outward appearance. the energetic body can undergo profound transformations with little exertion of the physical body. if you spend half the class resting in Child’s Pose, but you leave feeling tranquil and energized, you’ve made a major accomplishment and you should feel proud.

you lose your balance
thank god you have four limbs. if balancing on one leg just isn’t happening, put the other foot down too.

you lose your balance and fall over
when we feel ourselves falling down, it’s natural to make sharp desperate attempts to stop it from happening. sudden movements actually throw your balance off even more. the best thing you can do is make gentle adjustments and eventually maybe surrender to and become harmonious with gravity—no matter how hard you fight, it will always win anyway. if falling is inevitable, accept it, and concentrate on allowing for a safe landing for you and your neighbors!

you have no idea what the teacher just told you to do
how the heck were you supposed to know that adho mukha svanasana means down dog?! take a second. take a breath. and hopefully you’ll get an English translation soon. if all else fails, there’s nothing wrong with cheating off your neighbor.

you thought you knew what the teacher told you to do, but you look up and everybody else is doing something else
chances are nobody’s paying attention to you anyway. so don’t trip. just enjoy the moment you’re in and join the rest of the class on the next go-round.

you know exactly what the teacher told you to do, and it’s impossible
don’t beat yourself up. it’s called a “practice” for a reason… do what you can in the moment, and be happy with whatever that is at the time. if you keep your mind open to the possibility of growth and progress, that’s what your body will manifest.

you feel self conscious about your body
every body is different. there is no perfect yoga body. there is no perfect pose. concentrate on what sensations you’re experiencing as opposed to how high you can life your leg or how deep you can bend your back or that little tummy pudge getting squished up in a spinal twist. whatever you have is fine the way it is.

you just feel awkward 
get used to it. because it will happen. a lot. the idea of practicing yoga is doing things with your body that you don’t normally do, in order to balance out the things that you normally do. so you will feel a little awkward, by design. just find your most natural and comfortable expression of the postures, and have the Courage to let your Heart shine.

and the scariest of all:

you fart
somebody always does. and one day it might be you. the good thing is that with everybody all Zened out and disoriented from inversions, they probably won’t even notice. and if they do, they’ll have no idea where it came from. this is a great opportunity to practice employing the fundamental yogic mantra: “notice without judgment.” in the very next instant the moment has passed and is no longer relevant. be present.

so, there it is. when you’re asked, “what’s the worst that could happen?” now you know. and you know what to do if it does. the best piece of advice I have is
HAVE FUN!

♥
Namaste

 

A bit about our Author, Camille Brown: Hi there and welcome to my segment, The Daily Om. I'm a twenty-something lover of health, fitness, yoga, personal style, reiki, nature, travelling, and capturing those special moments in life that matter the most. My daily goal is to be the best I can, give all I know about yoga, holistic living, and just living your most authentic natural life. I will offer challenging asanas that will push your personal limits in order to achieve success on the mat and offer insight mantras to get your day started your day on a positive note. Remember, "A day without laughing is a day wasted."
Read more from her at http://lotusflowerwellness.blogspot.com

The Daily Om: Tadasana Tuesday - Change

For people who want to evolve, struggle = change. What we struggle with is how we learn. The struggle shapes everything from our body, to our brain, to our world.

Our postures are empty - there is nothing there but what we project into it. Postures are a vehicle to work on the mind. The stories we tell ourselves show us our path to freedom. Change the stories your'e telling yourself.

We're talking about the 8-limbs of (ashtanga) yoga. Four of the limbs deal with externals: How we treat others (yama), how we treat ourself (niyama), asana (physical practice) and pranayama (energetic practice).

The last four limbs are internal: They deal with the mind.
Pratyahara: Focus the mind
Dharana: Concentrate.
Dhyana: Meditate.
Samadhi: Freedom. "This is why you're here."

Practicing any of the limbs opens a doorway into all of them. Each limb informs the next.

Even if your practice is entertaining to you,  you can take it as deep as you want it. Seeds will be planted..

- Yogini Camille Brown

A bit about our Author, Camille Brown: Hi there and welcome to my segment, The Daily Om. I'm a twenty-something lover of health, fitness, yoga, personal style, reiki, nature, travelling, and capturing those special moments in life that matter the most. My daily goal is to be the best I can, give all I know about yoga, holistic living, and just living your most authentic natural life. I will offer challenging asanas that will push your personal limits in order to achieve success on the mat and offer insight mantras to get your day started your day on a positive note. Remember, "A day without laughing is a day wasted."
Read more from her at http://lotusflowerwellness.blogspot.com

Yes, it's late, but here is your "Mantra Monday"

So technically speaking my mantra muse monday is late. Life has been happening and new jobs and new experiences. Never the less here is your mantra monday!!!!!

This is an invocation between teacher & student, which acknowledges their roles are interchangeable, and asks that their work together be fruitful. Shiva, the God in the image above, is said to be the first yoga teacher. 

"om saha navavatu

saha nau bhunaktusaha viryam karavavahaitejas vina vadhitamastu ma vid visavahaiom shantih, shantih, shantih"

May we be protected. May we be nourished. May we work together with great energy. May our study be brilliant. May the energy between us, and our personal relationship to the work be good. Om Peace Peace Peace.

-Yogini Camille Brown

The Daily Om: Find your Flow Friday - Inversions

One of the funnest things to learn in yoga are inversions. I never thought I’d be able to do some of the things i’m able to do know. When I first started, the biggest part was getting over fear of being upside down. The first time you try, you’re like whoa! Crazy! It feels completely foreign. And kinda scary!

When I first tried out inversions like, headstand, forearm stand and headstand, I tried without wall support. I only had to crash down a couple times to move to a wall for support and security. This is a great way to build confidence, but the fear of falling kept the wall close by. What helps you move away from the wall is to LEARN HOW TO FALL PROPERLY WITH CONFIDENCE.


If you’ve slammed on your back falling out of headstand (me), learning how to fall correctly will give you so much freedom to eventually move away from a wall.


This is a GREAT video that explains how to fall out of headstand, tripod headstand, and handstand. Practice falling just as much as you practice the inversion itself. It will give you much more confidence to pop up in an inversion anytime, anywhere!





*HINT: I started to practice falling by also placing all the pillows I had in a pile on the floor, so If I spazzed, I’d have a little cushion for the fall until I did it right.


HAVE FUN!!!

A bit about our Author, Camille Brown: Hi there and welcome to my segment, The Daily Om. I'm a twenty-something lover of health, fitness, yoga, personal style, reiki, nature, travelling, and capturing those special moments in life that matter the most. My daily goal is to be the best I can, give all I know about yoga, holistic living, and just living your most authentic natural life. I will offer challenging asanas that will push your personal limits in order to achieve success on the mat and offer insight mantras to get your day started your day on a positive note. Remember, "A day without laughing is a day wasted."
Read more from her at http://lotusflowerwellness.blogspot.com

The Daily Om: Tadasana Tuesday - Breathe

Tada : Mountain,  asana : Pose = Mountain Pose

Tadasana (aka Mountain Pose) is often a starting position in a yogic routine which consists of standing with arms straight down one's sides for balance and alignment. It is a grounding position where you may become one with your breath. This is your foundation.

Asana is a Sanskrit word translated into English as a physical yoga position, posture, or pose. But, there is a difference between the everyday usage of those words and asana.

Moving into an asana, the body moves consciously with fluid movement that is coordinated with the flow of breath. Asana is conscious movement into a traditional yoga pose. The movement is physically and mentally relaxed. Balanced equilibrium maintains the asana when it is held in a stable state. As the body and breath movements are synchronized in a relaxed way, a full awareness of both is developed. A steady asana is a portal to higher awareness of the body and mind.

A specific asana uses the movement to direct and infuse a particular part of the body with prana or vital energy. This can help relieve tension or tightness, heal, and create a much greater awareness of prana as blockages to its smooth flow are removed. As the awareness of the body and movement deepens, bad habits and negative conditioning can be replaced with more conscious, positive movements of the body.

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99.9% of Yoga comes from the breath. After all, 100% of life comes from the breath but how many times do you actually stop to notice how important the breath is to you as a being? Be honest, you take it for granted, we all do.

'Breathing is the most important thing in your life, everything else can wait ’ - this is a wonderful quote I repeat daily in my own life, taken from Barefoot doctors school of warriors. But that’s me, I breathe because I’m reminded daily as a Yogi that it’s something I must do. I’m a breathing teacher. I teach people to breathe! It sounds crazy but it's true. It’s what I tend to categorize myself as on those days when I’m asked for a job title :) 

Anyway back to it. Throughout my years of teaching, I’ve noticed more often than not that people DON’T breathe but they still manage to stay alive (well kind of) and standing on two feet. It baffles me how they manage it! The other day, I taught a group of people who were suffering from depression. One man came to the class for the first time after attempting to commit suicide just a few weeks ago. He spent five minutes in the class and when I began the specific Yoga breathing techniques (known as pranayama) he had to leave the room with his care-giver due to the onset of a panic attack, all because he was confronted with having to breathe and relax. This is extreme but not uncommon. When you think about it, it’s pretty hard to believe that our ‘life force’ our ‘Prana’ our ‘Chi’ - whatever you want to call it - can be so detached from our being that it becomes so alien to us. It eventually does us more harm than good.

Here's a vital task that can change your life and certainly your mood in less than 3 minutes:

Today take ten long slooow deep breaths, in through the nose and out...
Expand your abdomen like a large balloon as you inhale and allow it to gently deflate as you exhale. Take your inhale from the tips of your toes to the crown of your head. Take your out breath from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes. Allow the feelings of expansion to fill your whole being on the inhale and allow the feeling of gentle contraction and relaxation as you exhale. After ten breaths notice how you feel then go and teach someone else exactly the same breathing technique, get them to pass it on and eventually together we can have the whole world breathing :)

'Breathe for Life!'

Namaste!

A bit about our Author, Camille Brown: Hi there and welcome to my segment, The Daily Om. I'm a twenty-something lover of health, fitness, yoga, personal style, reiki, nature, travelling, and capturing those special moments in life that matter the most. My daily goal is to be the best I can, give all I know about yoga, holistic living, and just living your most authentic natural life. I will offer challenging asanas that will push your personal limits in order to achieve success on the mat and offer insight mantras to get your day started your day on a positive note. Remember, "A day without laughing is a day wasted." 
Read more from her at http://lotusflowerwellness.blogspot.com

The Daily Om: Mantra Mondays

"According to the dictionary, a mantra is "Any sacred word or syllable used as an object of concentration and embodying some aspect of spiritual power.

For myself a mantra is a chant of a word or phrase, often associated with meditation, there are mantras that are repeated or chanted during ceremonies or as a form of prayer. When used in meditation, mantras are meant to focus the mind in order to help the practitioner achieve full self-awareness. Mantras can be repeated out loud, very quietly, or silently. When choosing a mantra, it is advisable to choose words or phrases that carry deep and positive meaning for you."

- Yogini Camille

Today is the start of something grand. Don't sweat what happened yesterday.  Become aware of your surroundings, center yourself, and be at one with the universe. Today is a day where human consciousness begins evolving at a faster rate then it has in the past thousands of years. Take this day to think about who you are, why you're here, and what you're doing. Be grateful for the people in your life, and where you are. We are all blessed.

Introducing Yogini Camille Brown

You may recognize her from our Humble Scavenger Hunt, but we would like to formally introduce our new member, friend, and yogi, Camille Brown.

HPNL: Who is Camille Brown? (what are your core values? Your passions?)

Camille: I'm totally into the arts and most forms of expression. You may find me held up in some book store, museum, gallery or some random poetry spot. I'll even take a good lounge or two. I like cool people with good positive auras. I'm wild in a good way and pretty laid back as well. As I've gotten older I have completely embraced my geek but I'm not to over the top with it. I'm a self proclaimed music junkie, yoga junkie, and sometimes Bhagavad Gita junkie. I paint and I draw and if asked I will paint on you....sounds like fun times :)


HPNL: What led you to yoga? How long have you been practicing?

Camille: I  was diagnosed with scoliosis (a curving of the spine, the spine curves away from the middle or sideways) many years ago, I decided to make conscious holistic changes. After the discovery I went to physical therapy frequently, only to have the pain come back shortly after her sessions. I was told that I may always the back pains and will have to visit a physical therapist for the rest of my life, as well as be forced to wear an uncomfortable back brace for years to come. I  experienced yoga years before and loved how I felt, relaxed and recharged but after the discovery of scoliosis I understood its power. I began practicing yoga every day and found that the back and neck spasms completely went away. Anyway, I got serious with my practice and started to teach, long before I got certified. And I realized this is what I wanted to do with my life so I saved up my money in July 2010 I received my 200hr certification.


HPNL: That is an amazing story! You're a strong woman :) What form of yoga do you practice? Tell us about it..

Camille: I teach vinyasa yoga, but I practice ashtanga. It all started when many years ago when the first style of yoga that was introduced to me was vinyasa. I fell in love with the faster paced class linking prana and asana. I kept up with that particular style until last summer, when I received a groupon deal to try an ashtanga primary series class in Baltimore. It was love at first posture, the discipline involved with ashtanga is what attracted me to it. I like that the poses never change, but you build onto of each poses the further you get along in your practice. Poses are given to you you can't just continue on, you have to earn them. In October I plan on getting my 40 hour teacher certification from David Swenson to teach Ashtanga.


HPNL: Where do you currently teach your craft?

Camille: I'm on a slight hiatus from teaching. I'm more so working on the side of studio manager, as my life goal is open my own studio in the next 3 years. I figured, let me learn all I can about running a successful studio. But Tuesdays and Wednesdays you can find me at Rolling Brook in Baltimore and also Shakti Studio Thursday mornings in DC.


HPNL: So you know we love food, what diet nourishes your spirit?

Camille: I'm currently a practicing vegan. I have a thing for pasta and veggies. I've been a vegan for about 3 years but I can't cook to save my life so when my roommates went vegan, so did I. I'm a big granola kind of chick, half of the time you see me snacking on it.


HPNL: We'll help you learn to prepare RAW Foods! :)
What else can we expect from Camille in the future? What are your other ambitions?

Camille: I really want to open my own studio. I like the concept of more studios here in the District that try and make yoga affordable and accessible for everyone. I want to share yoga with my community and make it not such a luxury that only the middle class can afford.

Another goal of mine is to make the cover of Yoga Journal magazine. They usually reserve the cover for the best of the best. I'm working on getting my name out there and just building my brand. I go on yoga casting calls from time to time. Really anything that can get me one step closer to making the dream happen, I will do.

Finally, once I buy a camera I will be making youtube tutorials all on yoga. From showcasing poses to answering any questions about the practice, so look out for that in the next few weeks.


HPNL: Anything else for our readers?

Camille: I don't believe in coincidence or chance meetings - if we have connected it was for a reason...yes even on FB or Twitter ;-) That being said, if you see me strolling around DC or Baltimore, say hello. Lately I've been meeting a few of my twitter followers just while out shopping or running errands. <3

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Well, you can soon catch Miss Camille in her upcoming segment, "The Daily Om." Monday she will be gracing us with her first posting, "Mantra Mondays."

What's a mantra you ask? We asked the yogi herself and she responded:

"According to the dictionary, a mantra is  "Any sacred word or syllable used as an object of concentration and embodying some aspect of spiritual power. "

For myself a mantra is a chant of a word or phrase, often associated with meditation, there are mantras that are repeated or chanted during ceremonies or as a form of prayer. When used in meditation, mantras are meant to focus the mind in order to help the practitioner achieve full self-awareness. Mantras can be repeated out loud, very quietly, or silently. When choosing a mantra, it is advisable to choose words or phrases that carry deep and positive meaning for you."

I look forward to many more integrations with this bright and ambitious young woman. Stay tuned!

Namaste.