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Namaste, I hope that you have been happy and healthy. It has been a couple of weeks since the Exercise Challenge ended. It is a great opportunity to use our YOGA approach to learn from our experience. In this Y.O.G.A. system, we are trying to gain greater awareness. We do this using the S.I.M.P.L.E. method, which involves Self-Inquiry to better Modulate Propensities, resulting in Life Enrichment. I invite you to explore the questions in this episode to gain greater awareness about your tendencies, habits and inclinations to better modulate them to enhance the quality of your presence. If you’d like to dive deeper into these ideas, consider: * Reading the article : Weaving the Thread of Yoga: Y.O.G.A. S.I.M.P.L.E. * Listening to the audio version in the podcast * Explore an abbreviated video version that includes a brief practice * Use the image on the podcast, Ridge as a visual cue for contemplation You might also enjoy the article, Yoga, Awareness and Tendencies , or the audio version in the podcast: https://simpleyoga.substack.com/p/weaving-the-yoga-sutra-yoga-conscience-cd8 And remember that you can find the whole exercise challenge at: https://simpleyoga.substack.com/t/challenge I’d love to know how you used these questions and reflection for future endeavors. Peace and a joyful day, rubén This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Namaste! I hope you have been doing very well. I would like to encourage you to include more movement in your daily routine. Some people love exercise, while others hate it. However, a sedentary lifestyle can result in low energy, weight gain, muscle weakness, reduced mobility, poor posture, and joint pain. A lack of physical activity can also lead to health risks and diseases. The goal of Present is to offer simple, easy ways to feel good at all levels, so you can actively uplift your life and the lives around you. I have learned from my students that a simple, at-home routine can lead to excellent results, such as feeling better, having more energy, and improving posture and overall mobility. To help you get started, I created this short 5-minute routine of seven exercises to practice at home. No equipment is necessary, just enough room to move. The challenge starts this Saturday, August 29th, so that you can fit it into your day. So is this yoga? Remember, we are defining yoga as You Organically Growing Aware. Even though it may seem like just exercise, I consider this practice a form of yoga because our intention is to gain greater body and movement awareness, to minimize pain and obstacles so that we can consciously participate in our lives. Additionally, we perform the movements consciously and deliberately, attending to our breathing and sensations. How it works: As a subscriber, you will receive an email containing the week’s exercises. Use the video in the email message until you receive a new email notifying you of a change to the exercise routine. Paid subscribers will receive an email every day for the next 30 days. Each email will offer a suggestion on what to focus on during your five-minute session to enhance concentration, performance and awareness. Do the exercises with the video. You are done. If you’d like to strengthen your commitment, you can keep a brief daily journal to gain insight into how this process is working and reinforce habit building at the same time. My goal with this challenge is to assist you in moving a little more each day to enhance function in your joints and muscles. The whole routine will not take more than five minutes.We will try the same routine for several days so that body and mind start to create a habit. Do this sequence when you have time. Ideally, try to do it around the same time each day so that you use our tendency to generate habits to your favor. Suggestions for developing this routine into a healthy habit -Do only what you can do comfortably. This way it is easier to keep doing it and enjoy it, instead of dreading it. -Consistency is key. It doesn’t matter if you miss a day. What matters is that you keep trying. Consistency conditions your body and mind. (Remember there is an article on cultivating the skill of returning to presence again and again https://simple-yoga.org/distractions/) -Find a good spot where you can do these exercises, maybe get your exercise clothes ready so that it is easy to get started every day. -If there are things that you do daily, try to link this exercise routine to an existing routine, like doing the practice while you wait for your tea or coffee to brew/steep. -Notice if you are feeling any progress, no matter how small. See you Saturday! rubén This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

I hope you find these ideas useful to keep returning to presence without strain, struggle or self-judgment. Peace and health, rubén This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

A simple way to establish a connection between our body, our breath and our body. I hope that you enjoy it. Peace and health, rubén This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

In SIMPLE YOGA, we understand range of motion as the potential range of healthy movement available, including the minimum as well as the maximum amount of movement. Moreover, because this particular perspective on yoga emphasizes the importance of acting with awareness, the notion of Range of Motion is expanded to mean the totality of potential range of healthy movement that we can consciously do. Furthermore, to ensure that our yoga practice incorporates all aspects of our being, it seems most useful to replace Range of Motion with Range of Action. Range of Action encompasses the full range of natural possibilities available to you. We can define Range of Action as the complete set of possible variations along the many variables involved in healthy activity. In this practice we will explore the basics of a technique called Brahmari - the humming sound of a bee - to explore options for the range of action in our breathing by listening to the sound of our humming and feeling its vibrations as we change its duration, volume, and pitch. What happens when you try this? Peace, rubén This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Namaste, I hope you have been well, happy, and healthy. This short practice is an invitation to cultivate relaxation. It’s an important skill to master. Relaxation is important for our health, beyond just stress reduction. It is also the basis for meditation. It is a practice that feels good while you are doing it and afterwards. I hope you enjoy this opportunity to recharge. Thank you for practicing with me. Peace and health, rubén This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

In our busy lives, there never seems to be enough time to pause because there is always something demanding our attention. In addition, our technology seems to invite us to engage with an endless stream of notifications, messages, and updates. It seems that we are training, consciously or unconsciously, to keep our attention jumping from one idea to another, from one task to another. For example, there is more information available today than at any time in human history. But just as it would not be effective or healthy to eat food continuously throughout the day without giving our bodies a chance to digest and assimilate the nutrients we are consuming, it is not effective or healthy to keep feeding ourselves information without taking a moment to rest, digest and assimilate the information so that we can apply it intelligently. We emphasize this skill of pausing and noticing because it is the foundation of all the practices, and of Presence itself. The better we are at pausing and noticing, the easier it will be to notice our awareness and tendencies and their usefulness or lack thereof for being present and participating in our lives. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Y.O.G.A. As we embark on this journey, it is useful to define what we are doing. There are innumerable definitions of yoga. And there are so many expressions of yoga that it can be confusing to know what a person means when they say they are practicing yoga. One way to interpret Patañjali's definition of yoga in The Yoga Sutra is that yoga is our ability to modulate our ways of being, which include all of our physical, mental, emotional activities, habits, and inclinations, so that we can feel at peace, integrated, and present. I simplify this definition with the acronym Y.O.G.A.: You Organically Growing Aware. You. Because this is a personal process of exploration of our whole being and no one can do it for you because no one can have the experience of being you. Organically. Because you are a living organism, and like all living organisms, you are a process that gradually moves from one stage to another. How do you do that? By taking the steps that are within your reach at each point. No need to force or strain. Grow. Because you are a work in progress, you are constantly learning and expanding your perspective. Aware. The most fundamental aspect of our being is that we are aware, we are conscious. Although our bodies, emotions, beliefs, thoughts, and memories are constantly changing, there is something within us that feels timeless, our awareness. Our YOGA practice is a personal process of expanding awareness at the rhythm that feels right for us at the moment. For now, I invite you to reflect on this idea, especially to make sure it makes sense to you. Please share your impressions and opinions about this definition as a starting point for our practice. Today's practice, what am I aware of? Take a moment to notice the effects of this short practice. Next time we will explore a general guideline to guide us in the practice. I’m curious to know: what was this experience like for you?Please share your experience, as well as your discoveries and challenges…. Thank you for practicing with me. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

I have been studying, practicing and teaching yoga for over 20 years because it works. For me, yoga is the most complete and effective system for cultivating presence and living a meaningful life. (I am aware that there are other systems out there, but yoga is the one that has worked best for me). Experiencing the benefits of yoga personally is what inspires, motivates and energizes me to dedicate my life to making yoga available for the benefit of others. I started the podcast as a way to share simple and useful ways to understand and, more importantly, apply the wisdom of yoga to everyday life. I was humbled to know that many people have found the podcast useful in their lives. When I finished exploring all of the Yoga Sutras in 201 episodes of the podcast, I thought I might stop creating the podcast. However, in listening to my students and other people in my life, I realized that many of us could use some guidance, encouragement, and support on our journey to feeling healthier, happier, and more balanced. I tried to take a more practical approach in the following 50 episodes of the podcast. As I mentioned before, I look to my students and all the people around me as my teachers to help me decide how to focus my energy to be of service. Again, I have heard people express the challenge of maintaining a consistent practice. Last year, I learned about this newer platform, Substack, as a robust platform where I can share articles, audio and video in one place in a way that is easier for people to navigate, and after subscribing to some of the writers on the platform, I am inspired to offer more ways for people to practice a simple, effective and enjoyable form of yoga more regularly. On this new platform, I will continue to provide free resources for you to practice with. My intention is also to create more videos, as they may be easier to follow for some practices. Substack also provides an opportunity for you to support my work through paid subscriptions. Paid subscriptions Simple Yoga and Unravel the Thread are a labor of love. I create all of the content, including the writing, photography, chanting and videos. I record, edit, and post the podcast. I also record, edit, and do all the post-production on my videos. I create all of these resources in two languages, English and Spanish. This is in addition to practicing yoga daily, teaching yoga classes, meeting with students privately, and continuing my own study of yoga. Yes, it is a lot of work. And I do it with joy and enthusiasm. As you can imagine, it all takes energy, time, resources and money. If you find these resources useful and valuable, you can contribute to keep the website, blog, podcast and videos up and running. Your support to Simple Yoga and Unravel the Thread contributes at three levels: First, you help me continue learning, growing and sharing. Second, you help keep these resources available for you and others (in both English and Spanish). And third, you cultivate your generosity which is the gift that keeps on giving because generosity enhances your health, increases your happiness, reduces your stress, helps you feel connected to others and may be linked to a longer life as documented by a couple of interesting articles; Why giving is good for your health and Seven Science Backed Reasons Why Generosity is Good For Your Health). I invite you to subscribe to this new email list to receive simple, easy, effective and enjoyable 5 to 8 minute yoga practices for your body, mind and emotions. When you subscribe, you will receive regular public posts with practices you can do at home. If you decide to become a paying subscriber, in addition to the free posts, you will receive subscriber-only episodes and posts, and you will be able to post comments and join the community. You can also be a Super Subscriber, willing to give more generously, for that you will receive my undying gratitude for your generosity and support. You can subscribe by going to https://simpleyoga.substack.com/ I look forward to traveling on this journey with you as we continue growing in presence and awareness together. Thank you. Namaste This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Weaving the Yoga Sutra: Health, Summary and application (part 6) How to apply the integral definition of yoga What stimulates your appetites? How do you satisfy your appetites? How do you feel as a result? Is there a balance between your appetites and your elimination?  What are some effective ways to quiet your mind? Are your movements deliberate or are they mechanical?  How do you regulate the intensity of effort in your activities? What happens if you follow Patanjali’s suggestions for calming your mind? How do you interact with yourself? How do my interactions influence my health? https://simple-yoga.org  This content is inspired by the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali according to the  book Unravel the Thread by Ruben Vasquez available at:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737648202/  Alibris https://www.alibris.com/Unravel-the-Thread-Applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life-Rub-n-V%C3%9Fsquez/book/50532904  Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unravel-the-thread-rub-n-v-squez/1139928755  Indiebound https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781737648208  Thriftbooks https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/unravel-the-thread-applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life_rubn-vsquez/29003752/    #yoga #simpleyoga #yogasimple #unravelthethread #yogasutra #patanjali #patanjaliyogasutra #presence yoga, yoga sutra,yoga philosophy, patanjali, awareness, consciousness, meditation, presence, memory, applied philosophy, yoga practice, pranayama, pratyahara, concentration, presence   This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Weaving the Yoga Sutra: Health, compassionate interaction (part 5) Can the way I interact with others reflect or influence my health? How do I interact? …With myself? …With the people around me? …With family and friends? …With acquaintances and strangers? …With other sentient beings? …With my surroundings? …With the world at large? Is it possible that offering a disinterested helping hand to others can have beneficial effects on both the recipient and the giver? https://simple-yoga.org  This content is inspired by the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali according to the  book Unravel the Thread by Ruben Vasquez available at:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737648202/  Alibris https://www.alibris.com/Unravel-the-Thread-Applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life-Rub-n-V%C3%9Fsquez/book/50532904  Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unravel-the-thread-rub-n-v-squez/1139928755  Indiebound https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781737648208  Thriftbooks https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/unravel-the-thread-applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life_rubn-vsquez/29003752/    #yoga #simpleyoga #yogasimple #unravelthethread #yogasutra #patanjali #patanjaliyogasutra #presence yoga, yoga sutra,yoga philosophy, patanjali, awareness, consciousness, meditation, presence, memory, applied philosophy, yoga practice, pranayama, pratyahara, concentration, presence This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Weaving the Yoga Sutra: Health, calm mind, cheerful attitude (part four) Does having a calm mind and a cheerful attitude contribute to your state of health? What is the state of your mind? Is it possible to modulate the state of your mind?  What is your general attitude? Can you modulate your emotions? How does yoga affect your state of mind and attitude? Is there a relationship between a calm mind and a happy attitude? What is the relationship between calm mind, attitude and your health? https://simple-yoga.org/  This content is inspired by the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali according to the  book Unravel the Thread by Ruben Vasquez available at:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737648202/  Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unravel-the-thread-rub-n-v-squez/1139928755  Alibris https://www.alibris.com/Unravel-the-Thread-Applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life-Rub-n-V%C3%9Fsquez/book/50532904  Indiebound https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781737648208  Thriftbooks https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/unravel-the-thread-applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life_rubn-vsquez/29003752/    #yoga #simpleyoga #yogasimple #unravelthethread #yogasutra #patanjali #patanjaliyogasutra #presence yoga, yoga sutra,yoga philosophy, patanjali, awareness, consciousness, meditation, presence, memory, applied philosophy, yoga practice, pranayama, pratyahara, concentration, presence This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Weaving the Yoga Sutra:Health, optimal posture and graceful movement (part 3) How are your posture and movements? What are the reasons we have for practicing yoga postures and movements? Is our optimal posture likely to be influenced by our personal history, context, circumstances, needs and activities? According to the Yoga Sutras there are four components to the practice of yoga postures, including a combination of steadiness and comfort, effortlessness, and focus on infinity. What are the qualities of posture that would make certain postures optimal for you at this time in your life? What are the qualities that contribute to your movements being graceful at this time in your life? Can our ways of acting constitute a form of movement?  https://simple-yoga.org This content is inspired by the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali according to the  book Unravel the Thread by Ruben Vasquez available at:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737648202/ Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unravel-the-thread-rub-n-v-squez/1139928755 #yoga #simpleyoga #yogasimple #unravelthethread #yogasutra #patanjali #patanjaliyogasutra #presence yoga, yoga sutra,yoga philosophy, patanjali, awareness, consciousness, meditation, presence, memory, applied philosophy, yoga practice, pranayama, pratyahara, concentration, presence This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Weaving the Yoga Sutra:  Health, appetites and elimination (part 2) Is it possible to integrate adequate appetites and efficient elimination? What are the appetites that you have at the physical, mental and emotional levels? Are our different types of appetites interrelated? What influences our appetites? Is there a difference between needs and wants? How does our elimination relate to our appetites? Do we eliminate what is no longer useful or do we hold on to it? Which ideas in the Yoga Sutras help us modulate our appetites and elimination? What symptoms indicate to you that your appetites and elimination are in balance? Is it possible that when our appetites and elimination are balanced and integrated, they may not require much attention at all? https://simple-yoga.org  This content is inspired by the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali according to the  book Unravel the Thread by Ruben Vasquez available at:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737648202/  Alibris https://www.alibris.com/Unravel-the-Thread-Applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life-Rub-n-V%C3%9Fsquez/book/50532904  Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unravel-the-thread-rub-n-v-squez/1139928755  Indiebound https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781737648208  Thriftbooks https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/unravel-the-thread-applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life_rubn-vsquez/29003752/    #yoga #simpleyoga #yogasimple #unravelthethread #yogasutra #patanjali #patanjaliyogasutra #presence yoga, yoga sutra,yoga philosophy, patanjali, awareness, consciousness, meditation, presence, memory, applied philosophy, yoga practice, pranayama, pratyahara, concentration, presence This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe

Weaving the Yoga Sutra: What is health? A definition of health and its relation to Patanjali's eight limbs of Yoga How do you define health? How does your definition of health guide you through your daily activities? A comprehensive definition of health that broadens our awareness of health by including the physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of our being. Are all aspects of your being in equilibrium? https://simple-yoga.org/  This content is inspired by the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali according to the  book Unravel the Thread by Ruben Vasquez available at:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737648202/  Alibris https://www.alibris.com/Unravel-the-Thread-Applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life-Rub-n-V%C3%9Fsquez/book/50532904  Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unravel-the-thread-rub-n-v-squez/1139928755  Indiebound https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781737648208  Thriftbooks https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/unravel-the-thread-applying-the-ancient-wisdom-of-yoga-to-live-a-happy-life_rubn-vsquez/29003752/    #yoga #simpleyoga #yogasimple #unravelthethread #yogasutra #patanjali #patanjaliyogasutra #presence yoga, yoga sutra,yoga philosophy, patanjali, awareness, consciousness, meditation, presence, memory, applied philosophy, yoga practice, pranayama, pratyahara, concentration, presence This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe