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Category Archives: Restorative yoga

I know that  healing work, especially energetic, can bring up issues, memories, and cause detoxification (sometimes severe). And with this chakra therapy I  have been doing, I feel it.

During the week my class and I focused on the throat chakra, I really felt challenged. I felt tired. I felt irritated.  I felt like I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I knew I needed to be in nature,away from the computer, away from the freeway, away from the city.

So on a whim,I booked  a campsite in the Florida Keys, and went on ‘retreat’. I told my family and friends,” I will not be talking on the phone for the next two days, or responding to messages. I am going on retreat. ” My ‘retreat’  was an essential part of my healing.

The Healing Waters of the Florida Keys

The Healing Waters of the Florida Keys

So, we were on our way to the Florida Keys. Just me, my son, my dog, and my sweetheart.  As soon as we got to Key Largo, I could really feel the energy change. I started to relax. And about 70 miles south of Key Largo was our campground.  Bahia Honda State Park. Bahia Honda is my favorite place in the Keys. The park is beautiful. There are trails, a nature center, nice bathrooms, and hot showers. The park is  popular, so Reserve early (or check for cancellations). By the way, there are three campgrounds in the park. My favorite campground is called Sandspur..And it has some campsites with amazing ocean views.Me and my dog Sadie:Dogs are Welcome at the Park, on a Leash, and not on the Beach

Me and my dog Sadie:Dogs are welcome at the Park, and on the Trails,  but no Dogs on the Beach
Reflecting, Cleansing Healing.... Had the beach to myself...;)

Reflecting, Cleansing,Healing…. Had the beach to myself…;)

As soon as we arrived and set up the tents,I felt so good.  The entire weekend was spent relaxing, healing, cleansing. Yoga on the beach, walking on nature trails, long meditations, good food, camping under the stars. The stars were magical….

Sometimes the best therapy, is turning off the phone, getting out of the city, looking up at the stars, and taking a retreat.

Relax and Breathe~Yogini Tiff


I have a group of yoga students who have been studying and practicing with me for a few years now. We are all friends, and before class starts, we all laugh and ‘bitch’ a little, we help each other process stuff, we keep it real. Then class starts, we quiet our worries and thoughts, and focus on the breath. Then we begin to flow, linking the body and the breath in movement.

Anyways, after several years practicing together, everyone is able to do their asanas, listen to their bodies, honor their bodies, and comfortably meditiate.  Everyone is becoming more sensitive. Last week, I felt intense amounts of energy,while teaching.  I opened my eyes during our final seated meditation, looked at my students (friends) and I saw that everyone was really in a deep meditation. Blissed out, connected, and healing. After class ended, nobody moved. For about 20 minutes after class, no one spoke, no one moved. I  decided then and there that it was time, to week by week, teach in depth, about the chakras. So starting today, with this particular class, I am going to add a new element to our practice -Yoga and Chakra Therapy..

My Lake Worth Yoga crew....I Love you!! (I am the one standing under the orb)

My Lake Worth Yoga crew….I Love you!! (I am the one standing under the orb)

Focusing on the Chakras while practicing yoga helps activate, cleanse, and heal the Chakras and it helps encourage the energy to flow , upwards and towards the crown of the head. This is often referred to as awakening the Kundalini. Kundalini is often described as a coiled energy that lies dormant at the root chakra, and as people ‘awaken’ the energy activates and starts to move.. I have experienced major surges of energy and felt the power. It is intense. When you are able to truly feel the energy, there is no turning back, it is undeniable, it is life changing.  It  opens the door to a new path. A path of healing, connection, wisdom, and magic.

Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means spinning wheel or vortex.  There are seven major chakras in the human body and over 72,000 nadis, smaller energy centers. The study of chakras and the human energy system is over 5,000 year old and various religions, ethnicities, and cultures in the past and present share the core belief of chakras.

Chakras are usually invisible to the human eye but practicing yoga and other healing arts and sciences helps bring the bring the practitioner into awareness of the subtle (or not so subtle) energies of the chakras, the nadis and the entire energetic system.

The seven major chakras in the human body run parallel from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. Chakras are centers of prana (life force energy).

The chakras basically act as pumps or valves and they regulate the flow of energy.  Each chakra resonates with a certain color, sound, or frequency.  Tuning into the chakras helps bring us closer our true nature.Each chakra gives off one of the seven colors of the rainbow.  When all the chakras are open and balanced the person is vibrant, healthy, and all of the colors of the rainbow surround the persons body, which is known as  the person’s aura.

There are specific issues, emotions, and energies  that correspond with each chakra :

The Root Chakra, the Muladhara represents survival, relationship security, and inner safety. The element is earth.

A little farther up and orange in color is the Sacral or Svadhisthana Chakra.  This Chakra represents water and the emotional connections are blame and guilt,money and sex, power and control and relationships.

The next chakra,the solar plexus, or Manipura represents the element of fire. The color is yellow and it said to be the core of our will power.   The emotional connections are will power, self-esteem , sensitivity to criticism and care for oneself and for others.

The fourth Chakra, the heart Chakra, also known as Anahata is a vibrant green Chakra located at the heart center.  The element is air and the emotions associated with this Chakra are, love and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance,but also hatred, loneliness, grief and anger. These emotions are all connected to the functioning of the heart Chakra.

The fifth Chakra is the Vissuddha, the throat Chakra.  The element is ether or space and the emotions are personal expression, judgment, criticism, addiction.The key function of this Chakra is communication.

The sixth Chakra is commonly known as the third eye Chakra. The color is purple, or indigo and it is located near the center of the forehead.  The Chakra is associated with truth and intuition.  It is said that psychic abilities center around the third eye.  The element is light.

The seventh Chakra the crown Chakra is located at the top of the head and is commonly thought to be white, violet, or gold in color.  The element for this Chakra is ‘not of this world’ and awakening this Chakra is believed to lead one towards enlightenment.

If one finds they have unbalanced energy they can set their intention for their yoga practice to be on healing and balancing the chakras.

Practicing breathing exercises encourages the energy to balance. Finding time for self-care can have enormous healing effects on an unbalanced Chakra system.  Sometimes people have excessive Chakra energy  usually one or two Chakras.  This can be seen in people with addiction to sex, drugs, alcohol, relationships, food, etc. or it can be seen on someone with a large ego or a “I am better than you” type of personality.

Sometimes a person is so ‘closed off’ that they are deficient in Chakra energy. This sometimes happens after a traumatic events, broken hearts, or health issues.   Use of color therapy along with chanting, yoga and meditation will help balance the Chakras.

I have found that Gemstones that correspond to specific Chakras are very useful as well.

The goal is a strong clear and balanced energy system.  Consciously and unconsciously yoga works to purify, re-balance and awaken the Chakras, individually and also as a whole. Through the practice of yoga we can awaken and cleanse the Chakras and heal our spirits. Once the Chakras are functioning in a healthy manner we are able to safely raise the Kundalini energy up the spine to the crown of the head.  What a ‘trip.;)

I know this post is a very basic introduction, but I hope you found it helpful..if you have any questions, or wish to add something.. please contact me..

Growing and Healing...

Growing and Healing…retreat with my teacher

To our healing, and with love.  ~T


A beautiful morning.  Lake Worth Beach, with a group of beautiful friends. Connecting and healing in the ocean. Breathe in love. Breathe out gratitude.~Yogini Tiff

The Beautiful Moments in Life

See the magic. ..


As a single mom, everything is my responsibility. There have been times when I have felt so worn down and crippled by exhaustion, that the tears start falling and keep falling for hours.   I know I have narrowly avoided several potential nervous breakdowns. (Yoga and meditation help, and so do big hugs, and dance parties.) But the truth is, being a single mom is hard. And any single mom deserves respect and needs support.

Anyways, I could write, and write, and write about all the hardships I have dealt with as a single mom. My son’s dad, has not helped at all. There is no anger about this. Just sadness.. And acceptance.  In the past 5 years, I have received a grand total of  58 dollars in child support. There have been some real struggles. There have been some deep wounds. But this is life.  Life presents all of us with both challenges and blessings..

And in terms of blessings, without a doubt, my son has been the biggest blessing in my life. 

For the last 13 years, my life has been a constant adventure with my kid. I was pretty young when I had him, so in many ways, we have grown up together (and we continue to grow). Luckily, my son has the adventurous adaptable gypsy spirit (just like me).  So, we have had a lot of fun. We have lived all over the place. And experienced so much.  I am amazed at all we have done together.

Camping with my kid

Camping with my kid

24005025747803l beautiful blue mar

My son really is magical. And I am not just saying this because I am his mom.  If you know my son, you know what I say is true. He is mature, loving, thoughtful, intelligent, and handsome. Even when he was very young, you could see and feel wisdom radiating from his big brown eyes. Often, I think he teaches me more than I teach him. And in terms of maturity, without a doubt, he is far more mature than I am. ;) My Buddhist teacher  told me “Marlin is not a normal child, he is a very special being.” I know what my teacher says is true.  My kid has special gifts (aka-magic).  

Marlin in the Azores..

Marlin in the Azores..

It is certainly his heart and warm caring behavior that are most important to me, but he is also one of the most talented artists I have ever known. He is a self-taught visual artist, and although born left-handed (like his dad), he has developed the  ability to draw equally well with both his left and right hands.

Marlin's art.. watercolors

Marlin’s art.. watercolors

Panda (Watercolors)

Panda (Watercolors)

Tiger (colored pencils)

Tiger (colored pencils)

He is also a talented performer.And an amazing singer. Marlin caught the ‘acting bug’ at a young age and has already been in 15 plays. In fact, right now he is rehearsing  for a solo he will sing on Saturday Feb 9th, for a fancy Gala honoring the famous Burt Reynolds.I am so proud of him.

Marlin as the Scarecrow in the Wizard of OZ

Marlin as the Scarecrow in the Wizard of OZ at the Lake Worth Playhouse

Marlin singing a Solo, as 'Star to Be' in Annie, at the Lake Worth Playhouse

Marlin singing, in Annie, at the Lake Worth Playhouse

Like I said, our life has been an adventure. Sometimes good, sometimes difficult..Never normal, but always with love.

Cheers to the amazing Marlin. And a big warm “Thank you” to everyone who has helped along our journey. I am truly grateful.

Cheers to Adventures with magic kids...

Cheers to Adventures with a magical kid…

Have a great day.. ~Yogini Tiff


This is just a quick post I wanted to share with you all.My friends and I love yoga.. so I put together a little video set to the music of Vaisnava.. (Vaisnava is a talented musician and he also happens to be my little brother).. strange I know, a yoga teacher with a brother who makes really awesome yoga music.. Life! Please watch, listen, breathe and enjoy.

xxxxx~Yogini Tiff


This is a  a guided relaxation I made with the musician Vaisnava.  The photos are all from my 6 months living in Atlantis (Santa Maria).

I hope you enjoy. Relax and be well.

~Yogini Tiff


I love teaching yoga. Over the past three years, I taught yoga 6 days a week. Sometimes I taught as many as 12 classes a week. But about three weeks ago,  I said a tearful goodbye to all of my students and began my gypsy travels. I am having a great time. I am maintaining my own practice, but, I miss my students. I miss my classes. I miss teaching. It truly is my calling.

My Lake Worth Yoga crew….I Love you!! (I am the one standing under the orb)

Luckily, I had the opportunity to guest teach last weekend. My friend from Siembra Farms, is also a yoga teacher, and a fellow Gemini, and she arranged for me to guest teach at a beautiful and Historic Bed and Breakfast called the Herlong Mansion, in Micanopy Florida.  I had a good-sized class, with strong students.  In honor of the sun in Gemini, the class I taught was called The Gemini Flow. It felt so good to teach. It felt perfect. I love teaching yoga.

We have left the farm and are in Tampa now. When I think of Tampa, paradise does not come to mind. To me Tampa Florida is all the things I don’t like, wrapped up in one big  weird city.  But, it is part of the friend tour/gypsy travels. My good friend Lisa, who I met 9 years ago in HAWAII, moved to Tampa. You might be wondering, How did they both end up in Florida???   Well, my friend, that would be a book. A long and complicated book filled with happy moments and deep, deep wounds. I will write it someday….but not today.

So I don’t love life in the city, but I do love my friend. Our kids are best friends.  They were in kindergarten together, back in Hawaii. The kids are having a great time catching up, and my friend and I have been able to take some yoga classes.  But, I miss teaching!!!! A lot.

I know this desperate longing to teach is good for me. Taking a variety of yoga classes is good. Some classes I have enjoyed, while others I have felt critical of (confession, I am sorry).  Luckily,I  found a class on Youtube that i really enjoy. It is called The Detox Flow with Clara Roberts-Oss. I am even doing my own flow that is on YouTube. It is short, so  I do it two or three times through.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pj_9msaLa8&hd=1 

Anyways, I know someday soon I will be teaching again. Always a teacher. Always a student. And in two weeks we will be living in the Azores.. doing yoga, eating grapes, and connecting with my relatives and my ancestral home .

I am sending lots of love to my yogi and yogini friends.

Warrior Women

Namaste~Tiff


Two years ago, a fellow yoga teacher called me, and asked if I had interest in taking over one of her classes at a nearby gym. I was teaching a lot of classes at the time, and I had no interest in teaching at a gym. “I can’t teach GYM yoga!” was my snobby response.

Anyways, a couple of days later,  I was at my son’s rehearsal for a play he was in. Sitting and waiting, I had a conversation with one of the other mom’s. She happened to be the fitness coordinator from the very same gym. She asked if I would teach a class there. I realized there was clearly a divine pull for me to teach there. So, I told her I would try it. Honestly, I never would have looked for a class at a gym. Gyms make me uncomfortable. I need a quiet, sacred space to practice. But, I agreed to teach one class a week, just to try it out and to see if anyone would start coming.  Well, they did. A lot. In fact, it became a very popular class (sometimes as many as 50 people would come). I was soon asked to teach another class. Already feeling love for my students, I accepted.

If you know me, or have been reading my blog, you know, I do not follow rules. Always a bit of a rebel, and definitely someone who whistles to their own tune, I learned at a very young age, that I have to stay true to myself.. regardless of what anyone thinks. And that is apparent in the classes I teach. Over the years, my class has evolved from a vinyasa flow class, to a much slower flow class. And every class is very different.  I follow my intuition. I feel the room. The yoga begins to flow. I am guided. My body truly becomes a conduit for healing. There is no ego involved when I say this. Much of the time, I am just as confused,scared, worried, lost, etc., as anyone else. But when I practice and when I teach, something happens-beauty, wisdom, and compassion radiate from my being. Other people feel it too. I have come to recognize that the something, is God. As our awareness expands, we start to see that God is not a man with a long white beard sitting on a cloud…. God has no gender. God is pure consciousness. God is love.  Love is within all of us.

For  two years, on Wednesdays and Fridays, a huge number of yogis and yoginis, came to take my class. This was not fitness/gym yoga. Lives were transformed. My life was transformed. I truly feel blessed.   Breathing together, we worked through our own heartbreaks, and struggles. Moving together, we became aware of the connection we all share. We generated so much love energy-I know we helped the whole Universe. Universe meansOne Song’. Major healing.

My lovely Yoga class and some lovely orbs……

I built so many friendships with people in the class. In fact,  everyone has built lasting friendships…. There have even been some love connections (wink, wink). Babies have been born, and loved ones have been lost.. Happiness and sadness, yoga has helped us cope. Yoga has opened our eyes.

Nothing in the external world is permanent..  The only constant is change. And there is major change in the air. So, yesterday was my last class teaching there.  And, in one month,   I will begin a very new adventure, first to an organic farm in Northern Florida, and then to the Azores. The Azores is the land of my family. I honestly have no idea what will happen or where my path will take me, but with yoga to help guide me, I am sure the journey will be magical.

I have so much love for my students. I am eternally grateful our paths have crossed. Our experience together, truly was a miracle. Thank you so much!  And remember, we are always connected.

Much love~t


During a moment when I really needed some guidance, Desperate, I said a prayer.  “I need a teacher!!!”    The very next day, I met a woman (through yoga ), who introduced me to a high Tibetan Buddhist teacher.  He is a Geshe. He currently lives in Spain and India. He studied directly under the Dalai Lama.– I have never met anyone so kind. So kind and wise. What a blessing.  He showed me divination, numerology, and astrology. He taught me several mantras. and new ways to meditate.  He also conducted several blessings on both my son and I. After these blessings, both my son and I experienced the most beautiful, incredible dreams.  My son woke up smiling from ear to ear and told me he ”flew out the window and flew around the neighborhood until sunrise”. He recalls feeling a giant “pop” and then suddenly he was back in his bedroom.   He told me it was the happiest he has ever felt.  In my dream, I was floating in rainbows of warming colors. Blissful.

Blessings and Love

While the Lama was here teaching me, we discussed the power of dreams.  He said very simply, “Dreams are very powerful. As we develop, we can travel in our dreams, learn from our dreams, and yes, we can even fly in our dreams. “

“Your dreams can tell you what nobody else can”~ Swami Radha

Dream Yoga, or Lucid Dreaming, is when we are consciously aware that we are in a dream state.  We realize “Hey I am dreaming,” and then consciously, we continue to dream. Throughout the years,  I have had many magical experiences with my dreams.  Prophetic dreams too, some very powerful (those feel very different ).

About a year ago, I started recording my dreams. Dream Recall is said to be a step to learning how to lucid dream.  Lucid Dreaming,  also called Dream yoga, is something I have been working on.  And now, at least a  few times a month, I experience  lucid dreaming. Sometimes I try to lucid dream, and then I wake up and don’t recall having a dream at all.   Sometimes it works, and sometimes, it doesn’t. I am still trying to figure it all out.

Learn and grow.

Last night, I decided I wanted to lucid dream.  I set an intention. I drank a strong tea blend of skullcap, lavender, and oatstraw. Lights off, and in bed, I did some restorative yoga. I consciously slowed my breathing down.. and then everything started spiraling. I started moving into the spiral, a little scared, but I let go, and then I was dreaming. I realized I was dreaming.  I wanted to see an old friend and suddenly he appeared.  I wanted to go to the woods. Suddenly we were there.  I wanted to see my son.  He appeared in the woods, and was playing with his cousins.  I woke up, feeling both amazed and excited.  Hooray! Another lucid experience.

I recorded my dream in my dream journal, and then I started thinking about past experiences. Is lucid dreaming the same as having an out-of-body experience?   I don’t think it is.  I have read conflicting ideas about out-of-body experiences and lucid dreaming. They feel very different. When I was a teenager, I had my first out-of-body experience. It was terrifying. I woke up floating in my bedroom.  I looked down, and I saw my body.   Shocked and scared, I thought I was dead. And then, instantly, I was back in my body. Awake and breathing rapidly. That experience was real.  I was really floating.  

  I did a little research and learned that it was a fairly common experience. So the next time I had an OBE,  I was more relaxed and almost excited.  But still, intense.

There is a really great book called The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep. It is a beautiful book. And very helpful. Check it out…and if you know of other books or resources, please share. Let’s explore the magic of our dreams.

 

We can learn and grow together. :) We always learn and grow together.

Sweet Dreams!

~Tiff


Let go. Grow and flow.   Learn to listen to your body, listen to your breath.  Honor your body, honor the breath. 

Open Your Heart (I'll Make You Love Me)

When I first started practicing yoga, 14 years ago, I was 21.  My yoga teacher indroduced  many new ideas and experiences. Sometimes, I thought she was a new age wingnut (like when she first taught us Lion’s Breath), other times, I saw her wisdom and strength.  She is a powerful healer. When I first came to her class, I was very much operating with my ego. I disregarded her almost constant reminder  ”focus on your breath“.  At that point, I didn’t even breath through my nose, so the idea of taking conscious breaths through my nose, seemed impossible. And really kind of stupid. I knew what I wanted– I wanted to do the splits!  Seriously. I wanted to stretch far!!!!!  I treated yoga  much like a dance class, where ego is often very involved.  I remember once my yoga teacher told me I was flexible..My ego instantly was swollen with pride,  and with a  smile, I pushed myself a little deeper–ooo I felt so good. I thought I was good at yoga.   Turn’s out, I was good at stretching.

Focus on the Breath.... Bring the Mind To Stillness

 

 

 Yoga begins, when we connect body, mind and spirit. Present with our breath, the breath helps us energize and heal.The ‘mind chatter” ceases, and we are connected and in it! Present with the poses (asanas), we feel the lines and currents of energy.   It is magical. It is sacred.

  If you practice yoga, you know exactly what I am talking about.  You are in a pose, connected in every way, and it is bliss.

Partner Yoga: Breath, Body, Energy Connection...me and my friend Brenna

Over the years, As my practice has evolved, I have learned the importance of breath (pranayama) on the physical, mental, and spiritual bodies..

With Asana practice,  I like to practice with my eyes closed. It is soothing and powerful.I have learned to really feel my body. If my body is fatigued from too many chaturungas, I won’t do them. If I need to spend half of class in child’s pose, or savasana, I honor that.  If I am holding an asana, and my body craves a little movement, pulsing, swaying, or grooving, I honor that too.  Sometimes we need to strengthen, sometimes we need to stretch, sometimes we need to restore.

Dancing with The Trees.... Dancer Pose

The moment you are really struggling in a pose, you are no longer practicing yoga.   So, focus on the breath, take time to let the pose evolve.  Slowly and naturally, the body moves deeper.  Deeper into the pose, deeper  into the breath.

There are moments where we are so connected and hyper-sensitive, that the Kundalini begins to rise, and we connect to truth, wisdom, and blissful awareness. Our energetic bodies  shine bright.

There are  other times in our practice where we are overcome with emotion, and crying in class, having an emotional release, and unsure why.  Crying is good. Release and move energy.

 Let go and trust the process.  It is Life Changing.

 I have been teaching yoga for about 4 years now, several classes a week. I love seeing my students evolve…. We are evolving together.   We are always evolving. Slowly we learn to let go of the ego, we start to heal, grow and flow.

Warrior Three-Three warriors..... Yoga with friends

Don’t be rigid with your practice.  Let go of any expectations….. Let your practice evolve.  Be open, flexible, connected.

Breathe. Listen and feel.  Connect. It will change your practice and your life.

Bring the Mind To Stillness

Namaste

~Tiff



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