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Root 2 Rise Yoga with Michelle Chua
  • Home
  • About Michelle Chua
  • Join eNews
  • Weekly Classes
    • Energy Exchange
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  • Community Events
    • Yoga & Vegan Nutrition Workshop
    • Integrative Yoga
    • Soul Movement
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    • Custom Retreat
  • Workplace Wellness
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Root 2 Rise Yoga with Michelle Chua

A Blog About Living Yoga

Calming the Mind through Breath-led Movement     (​CSUN Week 2)

9/6/2017
In the Yoga Sutras of Pantajali, Sutra 1.2 defines yoga as “the calming of the fluctuations of the mind.”  So, how do we practice this in a Vinyasa Flow class?  There are many answers to this question, but let’s explore the union of breath and body while in continuous movement, as is the characteristic of Vinyasa Flow. 
 
Through a consciously balanced steady breath, particularly with the soft whispering sound of Ujayi Pranayama, or victorious breath, you can steady the mind’s focus on the sound and its soothing vibration and tune into an inner calm or sensation of stillness while moving the body from pose to pose.  Specifically, during the physically warming Surya Namaskars, or Sun Salutations, the repetitive motions linked to sustained rhythmic breath create a feeling of peacefulness and ease, even while exerting effort in some potentially challenging movements and postures. 
 
This practice of cultivating tranquility from the inside out, through balancing effort and ease, or sthira and sukha in Sanskrit, is an empowering practice that can be transferred to daily life within stress-inducing situations, like driving in traffic or conversing in an escalating argument.  As yoga is always a practice, progress may vary with what you’re currently working with—physically or psychologically—in creating this state of equanimity through conscious breath and conscious balance of exertion.  However, as with any new skill, diligent consistent practice opens the gateway for mastery. 

Practice Sun Salutations A, B and C on our video tutorial here.
 
Take a look at Sun Salutation A (photo from Mark Stephen’s book, Yoga Sequencing), which are often repeated in various versions in a flow class:
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    A Collective Blog about Yoga Lifestyle & Inspiration 
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REviews of Root 2 Rise Yoga with Michelle chua:

Michelle truly lives out what she teaches. She is so much more than a yoga teacher - I learned this when I went on her exquisitely curated trip that she organized to Costa Rica this past June 2018...Hopefully like me, you'll be delighted by her effervescent love of movement, nature, and all people!
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Michelle clearly stands out with her beautiful and bright energy. I love how her practice and teaching encompass body, mind and spirit. She not only teaches yoga but lives and exudes it.
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My first yoga class was with Michelle years ago.  ​You can have the best (yoga pose) sequence and not teach from your heart.  With Michelle, I also feel her passion when I'm in her class.  I can see she loves what she does, and she inspired me to want to teach yoga, too.
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I'm so grateful to have met Michelle! Her kind energy opened up my interest in pursuing yoga and meditation. She is such an incredibly light and soul. She starts with grounding ourselves through mindfulness and breathing exercise. She brings the most authentic energy to the class by sharing the history and understanding behind poses, names, and techniques. I truly appreciate her work and impact on my well-being!
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