Ready, Get Centered, Go! with Jess G

 This last klesha, or veil,  is difficult, even for the wise sages!  The fear of dying is the seed of all fear and anxiety, and its inborn characteristic indicates that perhaps we have known death before.  Yet here we are, alive and breathing.  Why fear what is to come?   I read from BKS Iyengar's Light on the Yoga Sutras. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Our unreasonable dislikes can cause our own suffering. The way we THINK about a thing might actually be worse than the thing itself. 🤯 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Raga is the klesha, or veil, of attachment. Sometimes we become attached to an idea, status, or a way of doing things. These attachments take us out of the present moment and into a longing, which causes suffering. Remember, happiness lies within. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

In this klesha, or obstacle, we run into egoism, or misidentification. When you begin to confuse who you are with what you do or what you have, there will likely be suffering. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

As we embark on this journey to clear our minds of kleshas, or veils that obscure true perception, we can practice the art of remembering. AVIDYA, the first Kesha listed in the yoga sutras of Patanjali, is our ignorance, or innocence, of our divine nature. It is like a translucent curtain that obscures the light of the divine within us. It is this ignorance that makes way for the other four obstacles, so this is a big one! When you were a newborn baby, you were so close to this light within—it was not yet obscured by life in the material world. This connection was there in the beginning, it is still there! Remember this innocence as a practice this week. Notice it in the eyes of any baby you meet 💗 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

This is the first episode since the COVID-19 pandemic hit American shores.  My classes are now online.  You can join us Live on Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 9am CST on Jess G Yoga Facebook Page.  If you miss the live event, you can enjoy all the past classes at Chakra Savvy.com.  This podcast is the opening talk from my first Facebook Live class.  Take care, be well, and enjoy Now There's This.... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Right now I am ESPECIALLY glad to have the practice of yoga in my life.  There is now a large body of scientific evidence stacked in favor of yoga's claims of boosting the immune system, which is very empowering at a time like this.   In this week's podcast, I take the class through some pranayama (breath work) that is helpful in fortifying the lungs and supporting good digestion, both of which help keep us healthy and strong.  You can do the practice anywhere, anytime! Go to jessgyoga.com to claim your FREE downloadable PDF of 5 Practices to Boost Your Immune System now! Learn more about my yoga therapy teacher, Chase Bossart, at www.yogawell.com. Join the Jess G Yoga Facebook group and be the first to hear about new episodes,  learning opportunities, and expanded content: www.facebook.com/jessgyoga. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Sera Bonds, co-founder of Waking Giants, joins me for this week’s podcast to talk about how we can bring our yoga practice “off the mat” and into the world to be engaged citizens and demand a better reality for the planet and the people on it. Sera and her co-founder, Martha Pincoffs, founded Waking Giants with the mission to connect people more deeply to the issues of today and provide resources to move them to action. They provide quarterly issue-specific toolkits that include an easy-to-use call to action guide, a booklet providing historical context, beautiful art, and Waking Giants gifts just for you. In this episode, Sera talks about three clear paths of action off the mat that make it possible for each of us to make a difference. 1) Get clear about what matters to you. What are you for? What are the issues that matter to you and go towards that. [5:00] 2) Operate with honesty and integrity – all the time. Making sure our words and behaviors match our intentions. [10:00] 3) Live a life of connectivity. Small acts of activism for humanity that cause a ripple effect. [12:55] If you are looking to plug in to an issue that matters to you, but aren't sure where to start, Waking Giants is for you. Check them out online at https://www.wakinggiants.me Sera is a social justice activist committed to working towards balancing the scales of access, equity, and availability in sexual reproductive healthcare. She has training in midwifery, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s Studies, and a Masters Degree in Public Health. Her community organizing background ranges from reproductive rights to violence against women to welfare and poverty issues to pro-immigration campaigns. She has worked on sexual reproductive health actions in over twenty countries spanning North America, Africa, Asia, Central America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, having raised over 20 million dollars for political actions and public health programs impacting over three million women globally. She is the founder of a leading feminist global aid organization, Circle of Health International and an online feminist sex-positive retail marketplace, The Control Room. Follow Waking Giants on Instagram and Facebook @forthegoodfight --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

In this episode, I get real about my newly discovered attachment to the way my body was when I was dancing--and why I can't have it that way again. I talk about how Dr.Deb Kern got real with me after a particularly moving PranaShakti™ dance class and dropped a wisdom bomb on me that I'm still using today. I also read from The Way to Love  by Anthony de Mello, where he declares that any feelings of anxiety fear jealousy anger paranoia boredom and depression all stem from an attachment.  They all come from something we have convinced ourselves is true: Without this thing, I cannot be happy. My friends, this is not true.  This is a klesha--a veil over the truth that happiness lies within. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

How much do you love waiting?  I don’t mean the fun, anticipatory waiting like for the start of a movie--I mean the finger-drumming, “when’s it going to be time??” waiting.  I’ll admit, I’m not a fan.  But I’m getting better at it. In this week’s podcast, I tell a funny story about waiting as a fruit of maturity. I offer a releasing breath and calming mantra. We do get better with waiting as we age, but maybe that’s just because we don’t really have to wait much--especially not these days (thank you, Amazon :).  Most of us have been around long enough to know that with enough time and right effort, “good things come to those who wait.” But how about some of that deeper stuff?  How do you do with waiting for Your body to heal from injury, illness, or surgery? Anger to settle before engaging in an argument? Financial dips to rise back up? The right diagnosis? Clarity and wisdom in a difficult situation? Your estranged relationships to heal? These are tougher.  This is where we have to exercise that patience muscle. Or do we?  What if instead of requiring fierce determination and  great effort, patience was easy and beautiful?  What if it were there all along? What if patience were a natural outcome of your yoga practice? Continue reading on my blog: jessgyoga.com/blog --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Chaos happens. The practice is to maintain Yoga, or remain yoked to what is eternal, so we don’t get jerked around by the temporal chaos that life can sometimes be or feel like. The messes of life don’t go away, but they have less of an effect on us when we keep proper perspective and give the chaos a container.  We keep our surroundings tidy, we keep our body toned, stretched, watered, fed, and slept. The chaos will be there, but it won’t be such a disrupting force in our day. Chaos isn't going anywhere, so we best learn how to deal with it! In this week’s podcast, I talk about the effects of chaos and how it can be hard to focus and to be in your body.  I also take you through some directed attention and breath, considering what is your current mental state. The intention is inner peace. May you accept chaos as an underlying part of life, and always practice yoga to remain yoked to inner peace. Read more about chaos on my blog: jessgyoga.com/blog and sign up for my weekly newsletter of expanded content and thoughtful guidance. If you're in the Austin area, come take a class or schedule yoga therapy!  All info available at jessgyoga.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

What is your relationship to "delight?" Is it something that was available only in childhood? Has "adulting" robbed you of seeing the sweetness in life more often than the fear? Delight is an absolutely necessary component for a balanced and happy life.  It's so close to our foundation, it's in the energy center just above it! Really noticing the fear in the world around us prompted me to create this bonus podcast episode all about delight. In it I talk a bit about > the symptoms of fear. > how to have less of that! > the way the mind works for positive and negative events in your life. I hope you find my words and centering breath helpful to you in your journey today. May you find several ways each day to see the butterflies of delight in your life. Sign up for my weekly newsletter full of thoughtful guidance and expanded content at www.jessgyoga.com Learn more about and register for Chakra Savvy: Embodiment at www.chakrasavvy.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

In this week's podcast episode, I talk about how LESS can be more.   Less intake, less output, less effort, or less distraction might actually create space for MORE of what is life-giving and nourishing to you, body, mind, and spirit.  Things like scarcity-mindset, anxiety, worry and need to control, shame, and our family of origin can fool us into thinking that all is not well, when in fact quite often it is. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter at jessgyoga.com Sign up for Chakra Savvy at chakrasavvy.com CHAKRA Savvy: Embodiment is my Chakra One three-week online course where you learn to calm the anxiety and worries of the mind so you can stop doing MORE than is right for a balanced life.  You will learn practices of abundance and ground out your fears around scarcity. Here's what Lorenna, who participated in my trial run said, "I was surprised by the shift in energy. I felt so much more focused, and connected with the abundance in my life; more in tune with the wisdom of my body, and deeply connected to the earth." I so wholeheartedly believe that once you experience feeling balanced in Chakra One, you will want to experience balance in the rest of your system.  Therefore, I am offering all students of this Embodiment launch 10% off all future CHAKRA Savvy courses! From Embodiment in Chakra One, to Release in Chakra Two, and Confidence in Chakra Three, all the way to Clarity and Wisdom at the top.  The journey starts now!  **Registration ends February 9, so I encourage you all to enroll today! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

This episode is all about saying “YES.” “YES!” to the things you DO want, the direction you DO want to go, the people you DO want to surround yourself with.  Focusing positively on the choices you do want  allows a greater sense of freedom and abundance.  All those “yeses” come together to pour the foundation for the life you’re building.  With a structurally sound foundation, the sky is the limit! As I talk about in this week’s podcast, and in my blog at jessgyoga.com, saying “yes” to daily yoga practice is not “no” to other things! But it’s hard to structure it into our lives, I know that for sure.  That’s why I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to get you your yoga in a way that is practical, relatable, beautiful, convenient, and most of all, enjoyable. My greatest initiative in providing this framework is available right now through February 9 when the cart closes. Chakra Savvy: Embodiment is your opportunity for daily yoga practice that fits with your time and place. It's a deep dive into the experience of Chakra One, which is grounding, stable, self-loving, and deeply connected. go to chakrasavvy.com and join others like you who are ready to say “yes” to the best version of their life today.  “Yes” to the abundance life has to offer! See you Friday at 7:30 am for Ready, Get Centered, Go! LIVE on Facebook! P.S.  There is ONE SPACE available in ARUBA! You can experience daily yoga in Paradise!  This can be your reset button to the yoga-infused life you're craving.  I'll teach you how.  We can talk about it, plan, and strategize your continual yoga path for once you're back on the mainland. It's a great investment in YOUR LIFE! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Today I’m talking about chakras.  Yes, those wheels of energy in your body that help you interface with your interior and exterior world.  Our knowledge of them comes from the meditations and experiences of the ancient yogis, and we now know they are located at the seven groups of nerve ganglia that line up along the spine. I love the chakra system for self-study, transformation, and healing. For fifteen years now, once a year I teach a full week of classes on one chakra at a time. Many of you have been there for these classes, and I always hear about the fantastic transformation, understanding, and empowerment that comes from the chakra series. In fact, The number one question students ask me is, "When are you teaching your chakra series again?" Well my friends, The answer is NOW, and it's even better. I have always wanted the chance to go deeper, explain more, and give more practices that support the asana we do on our mats.. So please, allow me to introduce you to CHAKRA Savvy, my emerging suite of online courses perfectly designed to bust through blockages get you on track for the life you know you can have.  The first course, Embodiment,  is a proven, mind-spirit-body system to harness the Energy of Chakra One and set a new foundation built on connection, gratitude, and trust in the world. Find out more at www.jessgyoga.com and www.chakrasavvy.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

"Checking in" with yourself every day is a facet of self-study that is invaluable to personal growth and healthy relationships.  It’s a process of tuning in to the conversation going on between your interior and exterior environments.  The chakras, or the seven centers of energy that align with your spine, have valuable information to share with you about how balanced you are--you just have to learn to speak their language.  There are 5 clear steps to tuning in.  The order can be changed according to experience.  You can download a handy Chakra Savvy Reference PDF to have on hand as a guide to your practice.   Enjoy the journey! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

“There is an Energy in the world that is life-giving and all-pervasive.  This energy is within you. You ARE this energy." Welcome to the first podcast of the new year--the new decade! This season I want to try something new--I’m going to start my podcast by talking to you directly. So now, in addition to the centering and guided breathing you usually hear, I want to give you some valuable nuggets that you might not get in just the class opening chat. I want to empower you to go deeper, ask yourself challenging questions, and open to the insights you have within you, but maybe don’t have a road-map of how to get there. My road-map starts with INTENTION, which is my word for 2020.  It is my theme for the year.  I want everything I do, every relationship I maintain, and every event I create or attend to have the intention of living my life purpose, which is teaching you how to live well and in harmony with YOUR life purpose! Here are the links to four of my INTENTIONAL events happening this month: First, Facebook Live Friday starts this week! I’ll see you on jessgyoga facebook page at 7am every Friday for a wonderful 30 minute practice to end your week on a high note, and start your weekend calm and happy. Second:if you’re in the Austin area this weekend, January 11, I am teaming up again with Erin Mursch of Organized for Good, and we are doing another Making Space workshop, combining yoga and the Kon Mari Method of organization to help you create a home that is grounding and supportive and a body that has space for ease and joy. Third: On January 18, I am leading the yoga portion of a wonderful day-long retreat at John Knox Ranch, about an hour outside Austin. It’s called Time Out to Regroup with God, where you will join others in worship and learning contemplative practices that will bring you daily experiences of the holy. And fourth: you should come with me to Aruba on February 28. I know my students have very busy lives, full of career, family, and friend obligations that can feel overwhelming at times.  The BEST WAY to balance this is a vacation that has yoga, meditation, adventure, and the ocean.  I personally can’t WAIT to come home from vacation feeling restored and ready to return to life, rather than feeling the need to recover. The LAST DAY to sign up is January 14, so please don’t delay! Now join me in my class as we get centered on how to tune in, listen, and follow this beautiful incarnate energy. **If you're curious about the chakra system and want to get started, I encourage you to go listen to my podcast episodes dedicated to each chakra.  They start at episode 19, published on November 19, 2018. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Sahasrara! The crown chakra means “thousand petaled lotus,” and is our port of entry for Divine consciousness and point of liberation for our Spirit. It is the realm of non-attachment, where we invest in the gift of life, but hold all things loosely. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Chakra six, located at the brow point, is the seat of wisdom and intuition. Your eyes see see, and your mind creates pattern. See the patterns in your life and help destroy illusion! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message

Chakra 5 is the realm of sound, creativity, and purification. Located in the throat and tops of shoulders, there can be a physical bottleneck of tension blocking emotions, desires, and individuality from being spoken in truth. 5th chakra could also block lies we hear or violence we see from entering the heart. A healthy 5th chakra listens well and speaks the truth with a resonant voice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-goulding/message