soul

Calling All Yogis! Take the Quiz

November 20, 2015 By bohodaily Leave a Comment

What each Sacred Identity type does at a Yoga Class

The Boho Child (ENFP): Becomes besties with everyone around them in 5 minutes or less.

The Shaman (INFP): Calmly lights sage sticks ? cleanses the space.

The Truth Seeker (ISTJ): Just here for the Savasana.

The Yogi (ESFP): In the corner concentrating on nailing that Handstand Scorpion.

The Guru (ENFJ): Making friends with first-timers and teaching them the moves before class even starts.

The Life Coach (INFJ): Hosts a counselling session in the bathroom.

The Goddess (ESFJ): Calmly people watches ? learns.

The Light Worker (ISFJ): Walks around helping classmates nail down their poses.

The Gypset (ISFP): Crushing on the hot dude beside her.

The Risk Taker (ESTP): One-Handed Tree-Posing.

The Student (ISTP): Takes the advanced class on their first go.

The Warrior (ESTJ): Makes slightly inappropriate jokes for anyone who will listen.

The Planner (ENTJ): Somehow networks the entire class and wakes up with ten job offers.

The Creator (ENTP): Secretly wishes she was teaching the class.

The Sage (INTP): Accidentally wandered out of class and ended up in another town.

The Manifester (INTJ): Takes scheduled hydration breaks and basks in their happy place.

What’s your Sacred Identity?

Take the quiz here to find out, and share your results below!

Filed Under: Boho Community, Stories., Wanderlust, Yoga, Yoga + Spirit Tagged With: bohemian, mala beads, soul, Tiny Devotions, truth, wanderlust

4 Ways to Find Inspiration Daily

October 17, 2014 By bohodaily Leave a Comment

As a writer and yoga teacher, I am constantly on the lookout for inspiration. I love watching people in creative yoga poses, passionate discussions with friends (using apps like the new Conversation Starters by Danielle Laporte) and sitting at cafes with large floor to ceiling windows to enjoy the view and people watch for the afternoon.

Inspiration is something I always need as I never want my well to run dry, so I’ve created a quick list of places we can find inspiration in a pinch.

1. Pinterest. My favorite place to draw in inspiration would be Pinterest! It is such a creative hub full of everything you could need. In the past few months I have used it to style my newly PINK and blonde hair, create a few fun vegetarian dishes for our family and grab fun quotes for my Facebook pages. I have also used it to create a bit more style in my life. As I LIVE and breathe in yoga pants, it’s nice to have a few “days off” outfits.

But here’s the trick my boho friends – some days you need to re-inspire yourself. This is when you need to look at your own pins. What inspired you weeks ago, or yesterday? Instead of constantly searching for the new, see if you can find some inspiration from a few days past. The same goes for old notebooks, blog posts or emails – check it all out and see what inspired you in the first place.

2. Get outside! In nature. In the city. By the ocean. People watch. Listen to others stories. Sit in an urban garden. Watch the stars. Hear the stillness of the lake or the crunch of the leaves underfoot. Tune in and be present to the world around you. Step away from your computer. Go LIVE, connect and breathe into each moment. Or as Emerson says in my favorite quote: “Live in the sunshine, Swim in the sea and Drink the wild air”

3. Write a bucket list. This is one of my favorite things to do! I LOVE writing lists and do so for everything: to-do lists, Core Desired Feelings, a themed word for my year ahead, seasonal goals and intentions etc. I am constantly finding inspiration by plotting out what it is I want to do and how I want to create a life I love. By digging deep every few weeks or months, I am able to connect to how I want to feel and what it is I truly want in life.

The biggest key here is visibility. I always use a beautiful card each year and create a list of fun goals, intentions, to-dos and wishes. I place this card on my desk at work, or my meditation altar in order to see it all the time! This is why I choose a beautiful card; it’s something I want to view often to connect with my own inspiration and intentions.

4. Go on a date. You can go on a date by yourself or with a loved one. If you’re alone, bring your notebook. Record musings of your day, conversations you’ve overheard and drops of the chai tea you let loose over your thoughts. If you’re with a friend get creative: think outside the box, bring along that same notebook and make some BIG plans. Instagram your delicious lattes and promise one another that you have #bigthingsbrewing. Dream big and then talk about those dreams OUT LOUD. If you’re out with your honey, do something unique. Go pumpkin picking. Explore Six Flags in the fall. Drink lattes after a late night movie. Watch the stars as you hold hands and fall back in love.

Your life is truly yours to live. You get to choose whether you want to snuggle in with a delicious mug of chai and use Pinterest for hours on end, or if you’d like to explore the world as you watch it spin around you. Get out there boho babe and CREATE inspiration by being you. Live life out loud, have FUN, connect, breathe and play.

Jenny Ravikumar is a yoga teacher, blogger and studio owner of Barefoot Yoga Shala. As a teacher and self-proclaimed boho mermaid, Jenny has been bringing her yoga lifestyle knowledge to the online world for years through her blog, jennyravikumar.com. She specializes in helping women dig deeply into self-love & care, while also explaining yoga philosophy and love on her blog and through her courses/private online groups. You can catch her teaching 6 days a week in Massachusetts or pouring love all over the internet 24 hours a day.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Intentional Living Tagged With: bliss, happy, how to find inspiration, inspire, nature, pinterest, soul, Yoga

6 Mantras to Repeat when you Need to Let Go

September 24, 2014 By bohodaily 5 Comments

In the past few years I have had the really rad experience of becoming a yoga teacher. I have gone from chugging 5 diet sodas a day to chugging my veggies each morning. I have learned Sanskrit words for poses and been to a few chanting festivals. Kirtans, tattoos, loving soul sisters walking the same walk, mala beads, out of body experiences, meditation, opening a studio and been in step with LOVE (always).

Here’s what I’ve learned through all my readings, teacher trainings, workshops and teaching/practicing from the mat: we are all on a similar journey. Our paths may not be the same and our lives will look entirely different, but deep inside we are all walking the same walk. It’s a simple mantra that puts itself on replay whenever we need it most: more love, less bullshit. It’s as simple as that.

All of us are looking to let go and release that which no longer serves us in order to step into our path, into greatness and into a deeper connection of love. Today I want to share with you 8 mantras for letting go in order to help you let go and step into that greatness.

1. Ishvara Pranidhana – This mantra is my FAVORITE. As one of the yoga sutras, this is my constant connection to the divine (and my tattoo). Ishvara means divine, God, universe, higher power. It is blind faith, surrender and trust that no matter where we are right now, it is exactly where we are supposed to be. It’s a love and an acceptance. It’s the truest amount of trust you can put into yourself and the universe. Repeat this mantra as you count your rudruksha beads or place it as your intention at the beginning of a Prana Flow class.

2. Om Shanti – Om Shanti is more than one of those yogic greetings that you see at the bottom of every yoga teachers email, it’s an intense and beautiful mantra with a meaning of peace. I often tell my students that om “simply means creation” but it is so much deeper than that. It may even stem from the big bang theory when the world exploded into itself and was created the vibration of OM. It is the all encompassing idea that we are all connected. Shanti means peace and in combining these two words together we are able to wish for peace and love to all beings. By wishing peace for all you are including yourself and allowing anything that no longer serves you to leave you immediately. Chant this with your favorite incense as you relax before bed.

3. Om Gum Ganapateyi Namaha – This mantras translation is to release obstacles. It is a call or a devotion to Ganesha, one of the most popular deities. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles and by using this mantra in your meditation, it is helping you to let go of that which is blocking your path. And do you want to know something extra tricky? Sometimes Ganesha PUTS the obstacles there for us to maneuver around, the idea that wherever we are is EXACTLY where we are supposed to be is always present. Sometimes we need to work around things and learn the lesson before we can fully move on into grace.

4. Lokah Samasta Sucinho Bavantu – May all beings be peaceful and free. This mantra allows us to release jealousy, anger and any negative feelings to make way for peace for all. Chant this whenever you need a boost. Sometimes chanting for not only ourselves, but for others can give us the lightest of intentions and the biggest opening in our hearts.

5. Om Shrim Maha Laksmeyi Namaha – Lakshmi is the goddess of good fortune and wealth. This chant is for abundance, so if you’re needing to let go or release any money blocks this would be the perfect mantra for you. I often grab my citrine quartz as I chant this mantra and begin to release anything that is blocking me from receiving abundance.

6. Om Namah Shivia – I honor the divinity within me. This mantra is one of the simplest and yet most complex of mantras. It allows you the opportunity to accept yourself where you are today. It allows you to let go into the knowing that you are enough, you are perfect and you are divine. Honor and love yourself, always.

This week I hope you hold onto one of these mantras that resonates with your spirit. As with all things boho babe and yogi lifestyle, you get to choose which one you’re connected to and hold onto it for as long as you need. Whenever you need a refresher, come back here and check these mantras out to infuse your malas with more love.

Jenny Ravikumar is the owner and a yoga instructor at Barefoot Yoga Shala.

Web: www.jennyravikumar.com

Facebook: Jenny Ravikumarayoga

Twitter: @Jennyravikumar

Instagram: @Jennyravikumar

Filed Under: Intentional Living, Yoga + Spirit Tagged With: chanting, connection, Let go, letting go, Mantra, meditation, release, soul, spirit, Yoga

Confessions from a Boho Fashionista: My Top 6 Baby Step Tips to Maintaining a Clean and Green Summer Lifestyle.

July 4, 2014 By bohodaily Leave a Comment

Hey Boho Beauties,

If you’re a yogi fashionista, beach babe or gypsy goddess, you’ve probably already got a green lifestyle that would make Kris Carr and Gabby B proud! Your lunch is filled with avo-toast and you go to hot yoga on the regular. You know where to find all the best fresh, local and organic produce, and you’ve got your fave kombucha tea on special order in bulk from Kombucha Wonder Drink.

When the sun begins to light up the bohemian sky and warm our skin for longer and longer during the summer, and there are so many more fun adventures to go on, sometimes we loose sight of our clean and green routines. Have no fear, boho bella, it only takes a couple of tricks to get and keep your green on in the summer. Every gal deserves to keep their green glow on!

Here are my top 6 baby step tips to maintain your clean and green summer lifestyle.

1. Write it Down, Boho Girl!
Pull out your fave moleskin and pop down all of your healthy meal prep ideas. Being mindful and prepared for the week ahead keeps a goddess’ mind clear and her heart open to all the magical things that might come her way! Take a sweet Sunday evening and write down what you prepare to consume the coming week. This works like a charm and will keep your health plan in check. Don’t fret if you fall of track, the best friend a girl can ever have is herself, so be kind to yourself and check right back in with your plan if you had one two many Ahi tuna tacos or an extra green margarita last Saturday!

2. Move Your Fine Self
Find special and creative ways to get moving, all the time! You don’t have to join a gym to stay active, there are great ways to move everywhere. Whether you’re dancing in your kitchen, taking a jog through the local park, or checking out a new ecstatic movement class downtown, your heart rate is up and that’s all you need! See if you can get creative and find ways to keep moving when you can. Keep moving that beautiful bod, boho girl!

3. Take Adventures to Your Local Farmers Market
The farmers market is home to all things green and clean, so if you haven’t yet checked it out now is the time! From fresh dark green leafies to special healthy tonics, the farmer’s market has you covered in all avenues of health. The best part about the farmer’s market is that it’s totally magical. You may meet a new friend, hear some live music or get to taste test some uber healthy dark chocolate! This one is a must-do, especially in the summer, so go find the nearest one to your home on the double.

4. Flip Things Upside Down in The Morning
Headstands have been known to change a girl’s perspective, reduce stress, increase core, thigh and arm strength, and help with overall happiness. We’ve all got to wonder why everyone doesn’t do headstands every day! Ask your yoga instructor to demonstrate a headstand to you if you’ve never tried it, and start practicing it every morning. The morning is a great time for this super dynamic and wild pose because it starts your day off positive and playful.

5. Walk in the Sunshine with Your Gal Pals
If you’re planning on catching up with your besties for tea or coffee, why not turn it into a walk to somewhere new and adventurous? There’s always a new place where the sun is shining and the birds are chirping to explore with your greatest pals. Pick up a sweet iced chai and break free to the pathways with your girls. You’ll be pumping up your endorphins and getting in a gab sesh all at once.

6. Guzzle Lemon Water in the Morning
Every morning we have a new chance to start fresh, cleanse our beautiful bodies and put fresh, wholesome foods into them. The best way to start your healthy routine off right is to drink lemon water before anything you’ve consumed. This yummy, tart water will cleanse your pipes and leave your body ready for all of the healthy things you will be nurturing it with!

There’s so many ways to keep your lifestyle clean and green in the summer. The best way to do so is keep it fun, light and adventurous. I’m sure you’ve got some great ways that you stay glowing in the summer, and I’d love to add them into my bohemian routine! Tell me all about them in the comments below 😉

Peace, Love and Magic from,

Your Resident Boho Fashionista, Libby xx

Filed Under: Health + Wellness, How - To Tagged With: beach body, green juice, health, Intention, soul, Summer

Birkenstocks and Stilettos, with Jackie Dumaine.

May 25, 2014 By bohodaily Leave a Comment

I bought my first pair of Birkenstocks a few years ago when I returned home from teacher training in India. They were bronze in colour and I remember looking down at my feet thinking how I had once sworn that I would never own a pair of these.

An ex-boyfriend used to describe them as “birth control shoes” and I somehow bought into that theory during my pre-yoga years working in advertising and media.

Before leaving my six digit corporate career to live in a marble floored ashram, my typical footwear of choice was shoes that left my feet pointed like a leprechaun and my low back aching for a massage by the end of the day.

Now that I had become a yogi, I had developed a self-righteous false belief that my official Yoga Teacher Training Certificate meant that I had to change who I was and how I dressed.

This my friends, is a false belief.

There seems to be a misconception that once you become a yogi or experience an angels-singing-in-the-sky spiritual awakening, you need to cleanse your closet of all designer fashion labels, handbags and shoes with heels over one inch.

That your music playlists need to be cut down to a few choice tracks of mantras, Tibetan monk chanting and ocean waves crashing over shore rocks adorned with singing sea lions.

I bought into this theory too until I realized that being a yogi or spiritual doesn’t mean giving up who you are, but rather becoming a more authentic version of who you already are.

It’s okay to have nice things. Pretty things.

It’s okay to bask in the glorious little luxuries of life.

Where the inner turmoil occurs is when you connect your self-worth and your identity to these things. Or when you drown in the crazy-making thoughts of needing “things” to impress others.

Do it for yourself. Dress the way your spirit feels.

Consider it an act of accessorizing your soul.

I don’t have many regrets in life however I do wish I had contemplated this theory before giving away my corporate world closet and replacing it with yoga pants and Om symbol hoodies (I’ve been slowly rebuilding my closet with some sassy numbers that reflect the true “me”).

The beauty and gift of life is to explore and express all sides of yourself. The Dark, the Light, the Divine.

To show up as you are, fully and completely.

In all your beauty and radiance.

Do I still own my Birkenstocks? Absolutely (they’re comfortable!)

But now they sit right next to my new 5 inch stilettos.

Jackie Dumaine is the successful founder of The Yoga Code, Coach, Speaker, and Guide.

Find more of her below:

Web: www.TheYogaCode.com
Facebook: Jackie Dumaine
Twitter: @JackieDumaine

Filed Under: Boho Community, Intention Tagged With: birkenstocks, radiance, soul, stilettos, Yoga

Get Moving: Why Endorphins are Cool, and How They’ll Heal Your Soul in 30 Minutes or Less!

May 13, 2014 By bohodaily Leave a Comment

Let’s face it; sometimes it can be tough to get ourselves moving. Life can get busy, and every day it seems like we have less and less time to get everything done. With the busy work and social lives we try to maintain, it’s difficult to fit in a good sweat-it-out time to bring our minds and bodies back to zen. Trust me, guys, I get it.

I also get that the last thing on the planet you want to do after dealing with all of the chaos is moving your body more. We want to relax, but what we don’t realize is moving actually activates a magical little thing that makes us happy! In fact, the activation of these things can transform any lack luster mood into superhuman strength. Those things, dear boho friends, are endorphins.

Endorphins are a relatively recent discovery. Research in the seventies attributed them to inspiring the neuro-transmitters in the brain to trigger releases of emotional calm, euphoria, and yes, even pleasure (wink, wink). These releases not only serve as a support system for the emotional being, but also aid in stimulating the central nervous system, improving the health of the brain and spinal cord. This allows our brain to interpret external stimuli with a stronger, more grounded perspective (i.e. Coping with a huge deadline at work). There are over twenty types of endorphins that help to create emotional awareness in the body, and the more active we are, the more we release!

Linked to the creation of seratonin (the “happy” hormone), endorphins are crucial to anyone looking to live a balanced, health-conscious lifestyle. The good news here is that getting them moving doesn’t take a lot of time out of that busy schedule. In fact, doctors have recommended that up to thirty minutes per day can make a huge difference in your level of health and fitness. Though that may sound daunting at first, it’s as easy as walking to work, going out for a jog with the pooch, or even dancing it up at your favourite Saturday night hot spot!

So, what are some other ways to start inspiring those excellent endorphins?

1.Play your favourite sport.

2.Enjoy an outdoor activity with a friend or loved one.

3.Go swimming at the beach, if the season and weather permit it.

For me, I love to get my heart pumping by taking in a blissful yoga class. It helps me to get the stretch I need, and serves as a heart-pumping work out that my body will thank me for. There are no bounds to the fun and exciting ways you can get your body moving, so get creative and get ready to reap the benefits of active, endorphin inducing lifestyle!

With real balance in life comes a true and perfect way to heal the soul. When the body finds a state of bliss, the mind and spirit quickly follow. You will be surprised at the wonderful changes your Being will experience with a little extra movement in your life. Trust me, boho friends, taking a little extra time per day will make a big difference in the long run. You can count on it!

Namaste from Lauren, xx

Lauren is a guest writer for the Huffington Post and Social Media Coordinator in Toronto.

Find More of her below!
Twitter:@LaurenMesservey
Web: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/lauren-messervey/

Filed Under: Boho Community, Boho Girl, Intention, Uncategorized Tagged With: active, boho, dance, endorphins, movement, namaste, release, soul

Surround Yourself With Sparkle: A Chat with Kate Gagliano

March 18, 2014 By bohodaily Leave a Comment

I am so honored to be sharing some sparkle with you.

I blog over at healthydivalife.com , a blog about living a happy and healthy life! I love spreading happiness, sharing tips, products I love, and more.

I am a mom of two boys, super wife, yogi, wine lover, and glitter addict.

My blog is always growing and changing with me, as life is all about that. A new journey I am beginning and very excited about is happening at the time, yoga teacher training.

Yoga has been so good to my mind, body, and soul. I remember the first time I got on my mat when I lived in Alexandria,VA. I got on that mat and it just felt so right, I felt at peace, and felt the stress I was going through at the time, just disappear . Yoga I just tried that one day, and fell in love with it in every way. I started practicing more at home and at the local gym that had it, and from there I just always kept yoga in my life.

My intention for yoga teacher training is to deepen my practice, learn more what yoga is really all about, and to teach once I graduate. Yoga is more than just getting on the mat and doing poses. I will be sharing my journey on my blog as well, which will be exciting for others to see who might consider trying yoga or becoming a teacher one day too.

I think we all should follow our hearts, and we all should also live life to the fullest each day. A little slogan I have that I love to say is “Surround Yourself with Sparkle.”

Meaning to always surround yourself with positive people, people who uplift you, and to always have a positive light surrounding you. Positivity is everything in life, and having a positive mind and outlook is a great way to live each day.

Need daily inspiration? search #SYWS

So, I hope you take that little note and add some sparkle in your life each day if you need it.

My favorite mala that perfectly fits me, especially at the time now…

New Moon Mala

This stone represents dreams, new beginnings, and creativity.

Such a perfect fit for me, and what this year brings for me. I had a blessed year last year with this little man being born, future yogi!

Remember to always follow your heart and dreams. Never be scared of failing, we all fail at times, but trying is never a failure. Live each day to the fullest, be kind, be grateful, and love yourself.

Love and Light <3
Katie

Find Katie on social media at:
Twitter: @healthydiva31
Instagram: @healthydivalife