Tara Stiles

“I think yoga should be for everyone, not just the folks who change their name to something Hindu.”

“Our lives are full of distractions, and that's life. The sounds of the street, the thoughts in our minds, family on-goings, tasks at work, and Facebook friends, oh my!”

“The world needs yoga. This stuff is powerful and intense. It has the power to harm when held tightly, studied without practice, and posed rigidly. Done right, it also has the ability to heal and cure.”

“When we have built up armor against all the bad things we think might happen in the world, we have a false sense of protection and have only built up isolation.”

“Yoga practice is therapeutic for the body and mind, reminds us of our goodness, energizes our creativity, and inspires.”

“Efficiency is a great secret that can drop us right into our ideal life path, but it is a hard one to practice and something that takes constant maintenance and work.”

“Friendships naturally shift over life. We have different friends for different times in our lives, and sometimes it's not the best idea to hang on to a friendship to try to make it work if it's an unhealthy connection.”

“A swollen belly is a lot of pressure on the back.”

“We get so caught up in doing everything for ourselves, including inspiring ourselves, that it's exhausting and not at all useful. Take a look around you. Look at your friends. Open up to your friends and take in the caring and good intentions they hold toward you.”

“Green things are good for your body.”

“Paying attention to what we allow ourselves to pay attention to is a tricky thing. It's like being in two places at once but completely worth the discipline. We can react mindlessly or respond mindfully. It's up to us.”

“When we focus mostly on our immediate needs, wants, and desires, we may achieve some of them but hardly feel satisfied. When we feel connected to ourselves on a deeper level, we get happy. We feel safe.”

“This idea of bringing awareness to our lives seems like a good idea, right? We'll gain a productive, enjoyable, reflective life and be able to extend compassion, empathy, and joy to others. That seems like a pretty good deal.”

“Meditation will sharpen your senses and your awareness.”

“For me, meditation is a practice to get rid of useless junk cluttering my mind and useless ticks inhabiting my body.”

“Coloring is relaxing even for adults - and cheap therapy.”

“Our bodies and our minds have their own timing that pay little attention to our cerebral desires. We can't force or expect things to change as fast as we want, but when we put our efforts in the direction of our intention and drop everything else like snow falling, things unfold with ease.”

“I've had a righteous streak since as long as I can remember. I never tolerated bullying from kids or authority, no matter the case. I got into trouble for calling things how I saw it in my early years at Catholic school, but I couldn't help myself.”

“If we eat healthy and live healthy, then that's sustainable.”

“Yoga and mediation exist whether we choose to acknowledge or practice. It's like a tree. You can walk by the tree and inhale the oxygen it provides consciously or unconsciously. You'll still be benefiting from the tree.”