Devinder Kaur, Author at PranaShanti

Ayurveda For Self-Healing

April 23, 2016February 28, 2023 by Devinder Kaur4 Comments

By Maria Garre We don’t have to search very far in the ancient Ayurvedic texts to find a simple definition of Ayurveda. Charaka, known as the first physician of Ayurveda, says “science where advantageous and disadvantageous as well as happy and unhappy states of life along with what is good and bad for life, its measurement and life itself” is Ayurveda. To begin the healing process, we must first inquire and comprehend what made us sick in the first place. Understanding the root cause of illness is at the heart of Ayurveda. Often we want to get rid of the symptoms, put a band-aid on what pains us, without looking deeply and connecting the dots of our actions which led us to feel ill. This is the glory of Ayurvedic medicine as stated above. We should understand how all of our actions, from eating to exercise habits along with lifestyle choices, can sometimes serve us and sometimes not. Today’s nectar may very well...

Use of Props in Yin vs. Restorative Childs Pose

March 23, 2016February 14, 2021 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

Props can be used in yoga to help the body stretch, strengthen, balance, relax or improve body alignment. They can help students experience the pose more profoundly and safely. Students often ask me what is the difference between yin and restorative poses. In yin, we hold poses for a shorter amount of time (5-10 minutes) compared to restorative poses which can be held from 5-20 minutes. In yin poses, we are looking for a stretch in the joints and ligaments (connective tissues), while still relaxing the muscles in the body. However, in restorative poses we are looking for a more gentle opening of the body rather than a deep stretch in the connective tissues or muscles. In restorative poses, we also want to support the body in a way that the muscles in the body completely relax, and feel fully supported by the use of props. When the body is fully supported, we can let go. In restorative poses, we are looking to calm...

We’ve gone mobile!

March 22, 2016March 29, 2017 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

The PranaShanti mobile app is now available! With the mobile app you can: Check the Class Schedule Reserve your space in Class Check into Class from your mobile device Enroll in workshops, events and trainings View your appointments Make new appointments View your attendance and place on wait lists DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP! Follow the links below to either the Android or Apple store to download the new App: • Apple App Store • Google Play Store Enjoy the ease and convenience from your phone or mobile device!...

Explore The Benefits of Yin Yoga with Joe Barnett

February 18, 2016October 31, 2016 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

What is yin yoga and why is it beneficial? Before the lovely and knowledgeable Joe Barnett returns to PranaShanti this month, let’s explore what this quiet, powerful yoga is and who will benefit from a yin yoga practice. You’ve seen the Yin Yang symbol – a black and white circle divided by a curved line to form two intersecting teardrops, each with a drop of the opposite colour inside. The yinyang concepts originate in ancient China where various schools of cosmology and astrology sought to explain cosmic harmony, but dominantly drew on the notion that the sun, warmth and daytime (yang) were balanced by the moon, coolness and nighttime (yin). The yinyang symbol itself has no known origin, but is also associated with the healing system of Traditional Chinese Medicine that integrates into yin yoga. In India, yogis called the subtle energy of our beings prana and the pathways it flows along nadis. In China, the Taoists (adepts of the Tao philosophy, premised...

Family Day Ottawa

February 15, 2016February 16, 2016 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

Family Day is Monday, February 15! We are open! Whether you are celebrating Family Day with the family tree or with your yoga family, we're open with our full Class Schedule. You can get into a class with a daytime teacher you haven't tried before, or go to your regular evening class. ...

Mirabai Ceiba Concert Ottawa

February 4, 2016February 29, 2016 by Devinder Kaur2 Comments

Mirabai Ceiba Concert Ottawa Date Saturday, February 27, 2016 Time 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Doors open at 7:00 PM for seating. Concert begins at 7:30 PM. Venue Kitchissippi United Church, 630 Island Park Drive, Ottawa, Ontario. There is free parking at the church in the parking lot. Cost $25.00 per person in advance, $30.00 per person day of the event. Children under 12 free admittance. About the Concert A gentle yet expansive spirit pervades all the music of Mirabai Ceiba. The delicate sounds of harp, piano, and guitar blend with lovingly intertwined voices amid lush celestial soundscapes. Their concerts are group celebrations for peace—joyous and loving occasions that embody the duo's profound belief in music as a universal language uniting all the world's peoples, cultures and traditions. Join Mirabai Ceiba for an intimate evening of heart opening chanting, conscious breath practice, meditations and spiritual songs to embody the Song of our Lives. About Mirabai Ceiba Mirabai Ceiba is a duo consisting of guitarist/singer Markus Sieber and singer/harpist/pianist Angelika Baumbach. They come from different parts of...

40-Day Yoga Challenge 2016

January 28, 2016April 17, 2023 by Devinder Kaur1 Comment

With the tremendous benefits of yoga and meditation too numerous to name, these practices are definitively acts of self-love. In acknowledging that we are worthy of wellness, peacefulness and health, we are caring for ourselves when we show up on the mat. This season of the heart, February, is such a critical time for self-care – particularly in colder climates where willpower is depleted just by meeting the basic needs of work and daily routines. In Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, this is a very wet, dense season that corresponds to the Kapha dosha. To restore balance in body and mind, we should adopt practices that soothe and counter our personal constitutions. Some of us will need quiet practices in the warm room, and others need invigorating Kundalini and movement practices to keep us from slowing down into inertia. It is an excellent season to practice daily self-love with the 40-Day Yoga Challenge. The Challenge at PranaShanti begins in February for a variety...

The Benefits of a Strong Core – On and Off the Mat

January 19, 2016October 26, 2024 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

This is a guest post from Angela Regnier, to invite you to our January 23 workshop! I often hear moans and groans in my Forrest-Inspired yoga classes when we are about to start the core sequences, but students regularly admit to me how beneficial and effective they really find them! Here are a few reasons why core strength is so important: Improve balance and stability – By strengthening muscles in your lower back, hips, and abdomen, you will make every day activities and sports easier to enjoy. The transverse abdominis is an important and large muscle that yogis need to access. It is the deepest of all abdominal muscles that plays a huge role in supporting your posture – especially your pelvis and low back. Virtually every yoga asana (posture) and every movement you make in a day will improve with a stronger core. Build digestive fire – Some traditional yogic breathing exercises, such as kapalabhati and nauli, do much to activate...

Prenatal Yoga: Prepare and Connect

January 14, 2016April 23, 2020 by Devinder Kaur16 Comments

This is a guest post from PranaShanti Yoga Teacher Jen Gillean, a Prenatal Yoga instructor. It is no surprise that many women are drawn to yoga practice during their pregnancies. Most of us now know that yoga means union or connection to the universe through our physical being. And most pregnant women would agree that this is what they feel is happening as nature takes the driver's seat in their body. I mean think about it, each day a pregnant woman wakes up to find a stranger eating her food and literally claiming VIP status in her body! And yet, society expects pregnant women to "keep up" with the rest of us in this crazy, busy world. In just 9 months, women must wrap their minds not only around what is happening to their body but also to prepare for their new role as mothers. Pregnancy is often a time to reflect on the types of values with which to raise your...

Max Strom: There’s No App for Happiness

January 13, 2016January 14, 2016 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

Start the new year by furthering your self-development and yoga education with Max Strom. If you love proven methods for living a happier, calmer life, and enjoy an accessible, intelligent yoga practice, this weekend is exactly what you need to start your year off right. On January 15-17, we’re hosting Max for a four part series of seminars that will explore a transformational breath practice and gentle yoga, self-healing through strong vinyasa practice, and lectures and writing workshops inspired by his book: There is No App for Happiness – How to Avoid a Near-Life Experience. Read on for praise for There is No App for Happiness, and learn more about Max’s weekend in Ottawa here. In There Is No App For Happiness Max focuses on the many methods we are employing daily to isolate ourselves further from each other, and compares the effects of these trends to a kind of mass autism. Note he is not a Luddite: he offers examples of the...