Chat&Chai: Yoga Talks from Miami Life Center

Tim Feldmann is back again on Chat&Chai: Yoga Talks from Miami Life Center, to continue guiding us through this 8 limb journey we've been on together. This time to break down the limb of Dharana or concentration. Learn how the tool of concentration can bring us deeper into the practice of yoga, why training the mind to concentrate in one point is a necessary step for every sincere yoga practitioner and how it can be useful in our daily life. In this episode, Tim even takes us through a quick seated practice of concentration to understand how this limb can be practically applied. We’re almost through our series of 8 episodes on the 8 limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. We hope you’ve been following along with us or keeping these talks handy in case you ever want to come back for inspiration or a reminder of why we do this practice. Hope you enjoy!

In this episode of Chat & Chai, we have a very special guest. Chase Bossart coming from San Francisco, was in Miami this summer to teach our Ashtanga Practitioner’s Intensive students the Bhagavad Gita and an introduction to Sanskrit and Vedic Chanting. Chase has been teaching in our past 4 month-long intensive courses and each time we learn something new, each time gaining a fresh perspective on these ancient teachings. This time he also shared with us his understanding of the Yoga Sutras in his talk on Pratyahara or ‘withdrawal of the senses’ and the 5th limb along the 8 limb path of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Taking us into the ‘internal’ limbs, he breaks down the traditional interpretations and explains them to us in a way we can relate to our modern day world. As always, our MLC students chime in, sharing their ideas and finding ways to understand what pratyahara actually looks like in practice. These last four limbs especially, are difficult concepts to grasp for their intangibility and experiential qualities, but with guidance from experienced and knowledgeable teachers like Chase, it becomes a bit more familiar. Listen in to keep going down this 8 limb journey with us, to become more intimate with the teachings of yoga and gain insight into why we get on the mat. To learn more about Chase and Yoga Well Institute visit www.yogawell.com

In this episode of Chat & Chai, Mark Linksman leads a discussion and practice on Pranayama – the 4th limb along the 8 limb path of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. With special guests Anthony Hazin, who goes into a scientific perspective of the practice, and Natalia Vasquez, MLC's restorative teacher, who leads us through a guided meditation to prepare us for the guided pranayama practice led by Mark. Join us for this part of the episode and practice along by finding a quiet and comfortable place to sit. Mark leads our pranayama program a MLC. A student of Iyengar, 20 years under Richard Freeman and Tim Miller, and many years of a daily practice of asana, pranayama and meditation, it is truly an honor to have him guiding us. He has a sincere love for the breath and the power it has to bring us back to ourselves. In his pranayama classes, a group of us sit in a circle and breath together. Like Mark always says, the energy we bring into the room is powerful. It keeps him going and inspires all who cross his path. The pranayama practice in this episode is a shorter version of what we do during his MLC classes. To watch video version of it, check out Miami Life Center’s IGTV here: Part 1 https://www.instagram.com/tv/BmHbBciFCuQ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=terou0ha9w6k Part 2 https://www.instagram.com/tv/BmHd0dzFYtK/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=j69j5z2vba0k We wrap up the episode with questions from our students and all three of our speakers chiming in with responses based on their areas of expertise. This is part of a larger initiative we’ve had going on a Miami Life Center. This summer we took 8 weeks, to look at the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. We wanted to bring more attention to the teachings of yoga, to better understand why we get on the mat and what the path of a yogi is supposed to look like in practice not just in theory. We want to put into action all aspects of this practice not just the asanas. Hope you enjoy!

In this episode of Chat & Chai Emilia Arenas continues in our journey of the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – spiritual teachings every sincere yoga practitioner should be familiar with. Emilia teaches the late morning Mysore program at MLC. She has an infectious positivity and confidence that her students get a dose of everyday in the Mysore room. She guides her students with so much love, passing on to them the tools for asana but also the wisdom to not hold on too tight. In this episode of Chat & Chai, Emilia talks to us about Asana– the 3rd limb along the 8 limb path. This is the limb that most of us are familiar with and the one most commonly practiced. The postural practice of yoga is important but its not the only one, and as a result there are ways we should practice this limb while keeping all the other limbs in mind. Listen in as Emilia reminds us of why we step on the mat to practice postures and the quality of effort we should apply. Tune in to the open discussion that takes place, as many of our student share their thoughts and experiences on the mat. This is part of a larger initiative we’ve had going on a Miami Life Center. This summer we took 8 weeks, to look at the 8 limbs. We wanted to bring more attention to the teachings of yoga, to better understand why we get on the mat and what the path of a yogi is supposed to look like in practice not just in theory. So be sure to check out all the talks we’ll have coming out on the other limbs of Ashtanga Yoga.  

In this episode of Chat & Chai: Yoga Talks from Miami Life Center, Kino MacGregor talks about The Niyamas - the second limb along the 8 limb path of Ashtanga Yoga according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. This talk will leave you inspired to practice other aspects of yoga besides the postures, and you'll take away some concrete practices for dealing with difficult real life situations. Kino founded Miami Life Center with her husband Tim Feldmann in 2006. She also recently founded OMstars.com – the world’s first yoga TV network. You'll find courses on the physical practice of yoga, but also the philosophy and lifestyle of yoga. OMstars gives the world yoga that is accessible and a better understanding of what it means to practice yoga on and off the mat. Which goes to show the impact Kino has had on the world of yoga. She gives the world the inspiration and energy it needs to work for a more peaceful and loving experience. She sheds light on the spiritual path of yoga and how it can be practically applied to our modern world. This is part of a larger initiative we've had going on at Miami Life Center. This summer we took 8 weeks, to look at the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. We wanted to bring more attention to the teachings of yoga, to better understand why we get on the mat, and what the path of a yogi is supposed to look like in practice not just in theory. So be sure to check out the other episodes we’ll have coming out on othe other limbs of Ashtanga Yoga.

In the first episode of Chat & Chai: Yoga Talks from Miami Life Center, Tim Feldmann first introduces the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and then dives into the first limb - The Yamas. These are key teachings every sincere yoga practitioner should be familiar with. The Yamas are the moral and ethical codes for a yogi. They are social disciplines that guide us in our interactions with the outside world and with ourselves. Tim presents these teachings with clarity, personal experience and real life application. Tim is the director at Miami Life Center, which he founded with his wife Kino MacGregor. No doubt, he is an essential part of this community. Without him we wouldn't be such a strong, supportive and dedicated community of yogis going down this spiritual path. He leads by example, teaches with compassion and is always making us laugh. So it’s not often that he sits down and talks about the philosophical aspects of this practice but when he does its always inspiring. This is part of a larger initiative we've had going on at Miami Life Center. This summer we took 8 weeks, to look at the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. We wanted to bring more attention to the teachings of yoga, to better understand why we get on the mat, and what the path of a yogi is supposed to look like in practice not just in theory.