Àse Yoga Studio & Tea Room

How are you feeling today? Are you a bit under the weather, dealing with a long-term illness? How we live influences our health. Heart disease is still one of the top killers, and anxiety is at the top of the list for mental health problems. As Marvin Gaye sings "Whats Going On?"

Even though many of us seek medical help, only a small number actually get health care. Because of that, we often end up suffering without really getting better. We stay sick...

When was the last time you saw a doctor? Or went to the emergency room? Did the medical staff appear unwell themselves? Around half of all medical care workers may be unhealthy.

Understand this: medical care and health and wellness care aren't the same thing, even though a lot of people mix them up. Medical care is the services that doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals provide. They use advanced AI to diagnose and treat various health problems. This includes regular checkups, prescription meds, emergency care, and long-term health care for chronic illness.

Chronic illnesses include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, COPD, asthma, cancer, and high blood pressure. About 76% of American adults—around 194 million people—live with at least one of these conditions. Even with all the progress we've made in medicine, we still tend to focus more on disease than on health and wellness.

Reflect on the quality of your life. Health and wellness care is a holistic approach that realizes that our bodies, minds, and spirits are interconnected. For that to happen, though, we need to pay attention not just to the medical but also to our emotional and spiritual health.

You have the power! Embrace this moment. Take a moment to drink some water. Let go of the urge to dwell on the past. Prioritize health and wellness. Work on harmonizing your body, mind, and soul. Recognize yourself as a remarkable gift. It's time to start your healing journey. Feeling good means being mindful, balanced, joyful. Consider incorporating practices such as meditation, yoga, and qi gong into your routine. Nourish your body but also learn how to care for your mind and soul.

Experience Àse Yoga, where every breath counts

Be Aware!

Have you ever been accused of doing something wrong, but you're unaware of it? Yet, you're still chastised for it. It bothers you. But what is it to really be right or wrong? We move through life wanting to be right, only to feel guilty, ashamed, or defensive when we do something wrong. We go through life with a slew of 'do this, don't do that' rules. Certainly, most of us do not set out to hurt one another; when it happens, we quickly judge each other for our mistakes or praise them when they meet our expectations.

Rumi's words remind me that being "wrong" need not be a failure. It can be an opening—a chance to look within, reflect, and grow, instead of turning judgment outward. Free yourself. It's alright to make a mistake. We are invited to face our own flaws, which is often the harder but more honest path. Instead, we cut our friends off, give them the cold shoulder, and live on this high moral ground of right and wrong.

We all carry imperfections. Our habit of finding fault with others is often random, subjective, and socially conditioned rather than universal truths.

Consider meeting one another with honesty and compassion. Discover a peace that exists beyond ego, judgment, and uncertain thinking. In that space, we move past the need to be right and the fear of being wrong.

Actually, it's not really about what's right or wrong; it's more about being aware. Don't fall into unawareness —it's the state we often live in. When we're unaware, we might think we're doing the right thing, but it can't really be. Being conscious is the way to go.

It's then that love, understanding, and genuine connection become possible. We no longer hurt or punish the people we care about; friendships grow deeper and more authentic. We become less judgmental and more loving. As we awaken to consciousness, real transformation begins.

As children, we quickly learn that if we do certain things, there will be a consequences. Growing up, we often feel uncertain and guilty about our choices. But as we get older, we come to understand that everything we do has its consequences.

Eating a lot of junk food can cause health problems like inflammation, insulin resistance, and weight gain. These issues increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even memory problems later on. Not exercising slows down your metabolism, making it harder to burn calories. On top of that, having many negative thoughts triggers stress in our bodies. This releases hormones like cortisol that weaken our immune system. A consequence follows or results from our action, decision, or event.

Being healthy isn't just about avoiding diseases; it's really about feeling good overall. At our core, happiness is what we're all about. Although we chase after success, money, or popularity, our real joy comes from letting go of our desires and focusing on the here and now. It takes courage...

Consequences, however, are just a natural part of life. They're all about cause and effect. Sometimes a mistake leads to a quick negative outcome, while doing something good can feel rewarding right away. In living wisely, we learn from our experiences without lugging around guilt.

Relax, bring light into your life. Learn from your experiences. Enjoy the consequences of authentic love: happiness. Happiness is a consequence.

Experience Àse Yoga, where every breath counts

You've got the power!

Got an idea! Of course you do. Ideas are a dime a dozen; they are incredibly common. As such, they often lack value or uniqueness. How often do we hear someone say, "I have an idea!" Everyone has ideas. That's nothing rare. What's rare is manifestation.

When someone mentions they have an idea, we most of the time don't pay much attention to it. Why is that? Because our ideas are like a bottomless pit, they go nowhere.

If there were a landfill of ideas, it would be overflowing. Ideas are things we create in our minds. They can keep us from fully experiencing what's really happening around us. We talk about big ideas all the time, but we often don't take the steps to actually make them happen. Perhaps because of fear of failure, overthinking, and conditioning...

When we voice an idea, our brains receive the same dopamine boost and validation as if we had actually achieved it. Talking about our ideas triggers the brain's reward centers, creating the illusion of progress without any real action taken. This diminishes our motivation to put in the effort necessary to execute our ideas.

Clearly, there is a gap between having an idea and manifesting it. Usually, we revert to our familiar, safe routines in everyday life. Our ideas become unrealized, unattained, or unachieved.

Pause for a second before you say, "I have an idea." Realize ideas are common; manifestations are rare. Manifestation requires effort and focus. Connect with the deep peace within ourselves. Understand that our thoughts shape our reality. What's on our mind?

What are we telling ourselves? What do we truly want? It's time to focus. Manifestation requires transformation. Let go of the obstacles that distract your mind. Clear away learned anxieties and self-doubt. Visualize what you want as if it is already happening, and use the present tense. Manifestation becomes effortless when we allow our Àse energy to unfold naturally. Ase is "the power to make things happen"

Experience Àse Yoga, where every breath counts

We'd feel insulted if someone called us ignorant. So, we proudly display our diplomas, degrees, and certificates to let others know we're not ignorant. And if we don't know something, we often turn to social media for answers. Being ignorant carries a bad rap.

So what does it really mean to be ignorant? Is it always a bad thing? The word 'ignorant' comes from the Latin 'ignōrā s,' meaning 'not knowing' or 'unaware.' We all have things we don't know, right? Is it such a big deal not to know?

Lao Tzu wisely stated, "To know that you do not know is the best." Accepting this is challenging. Society often attaches shame to not knowing, leading us to collect a reservoir of knowledge filled with noise, arguments, information, and a lot of egos. We start to believe we know, which ultimately hinders our growth.

We speak more than we listen, and text more than we read. Along the way, we become arrogant. What we don't realize is that all we're accessing is borrowed knowledge.

Over time, borrowed knowledge, however, fills our minds. So akin to a parrot, we repeat what others have said without true understanding. Whatever we know is often something we've merely heard. But it hasn't become a revelation for us. We court ignorance, not even recognizing what we don't know.

Reflect on your life... what has changed within you over countless years of accumulating degrees and knowledge? Often, the answer is "nothing." We've merely become conditioned.

Ptahhotep once said, "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." It's alright not to know. Actually, the more we believe we know, the less aware we become. Embrace 'conscious ignorance' — the awareness that we don't know.

To change our lives, we must rise above knowledge. When we do transcend it, we set aside the limitations of our mind. We break out of our shackles. We become our authentic selves for the first time. Truth emerges.

With a meditation and an energy practice, our purpose is to go within, to seek truth, not to borrow, steal, or deceitfully acquire knowledge. When we embody truth, we embody wisdom. Wisdom, which is rooted in love, comes from the heart. Wisdom transforms us. We're born knowing...Àse

Happy Full Moon!

Does your heart start racing in certain situations? That's totally normal. It's part of our body's 'fight or flight' response, which is designed to keep us safe. It's getting ready for either a fight or an escape. But sometimes it can also mean our brain is overreacting, and releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol throughout our bodies.

But there is no real threat. At times, though, we're needlessly setting off our nervous systems just by the way we converse. What we say to one another matters.

Right now, you're probably chatting with someone. Is it calm or agitated? Is it loud or quiet? Is it laced with sarcasm? Are we using hurtful words that trigger each other? Have your chat turn. into bickering?

Presently, many families and even friends aren't really talking to each other. One person said they didn't have anything to say to their mother. Not communicating often comes from old feelings, like getting criticized or hurt, which can bring on anxiety, fear, and even depression. It also comes from how we were brought up.

To communicate means to share, not to argue. Good communication helps us understand each other. We build connections. It involves listening as well. How do you communicate with others?

Transforming the way we connect with one another takes real courage. Our ego often fights to keep us in our comfort zones, making it hard to confront past emotional hurdles.

Let's shift from triggering stress to inviting relaxation in our interactions. Instead of provoking a fight-or-flight response, let's foster a calm, serene atmosphere!

Happy Full Moon. Our mental, emotional, and spiritual energy is precious. Protect it. When we chat with someone, embrace calm over chaos. Opt for peace instead of just trying to prove a point. Liberate yourself. Watch your world transform for the better!

Experience Àse Yoga, where every breath counts

Self--love Awakening

Do you love yourself? A lot of us do not. Many later realize they never even truly loved the person they were with—or married. I recently heard someone admit they didn’t love the person they married, and they are not alone. How does that happen? From adolescence into adulthood, we often rely on someone else’s approval or affection, moving from one relationship to another in search of love.

It’s easy to blame others or focus on what they did or didn’t do. But we also need to look inside ourselves. When we are filled with love, we are less likely to harm ourselves and others. Now, when asked if they love themselves, many say, “I do now.” But even that can be questionable, because self-love is not always a natural part of our growth and development—even though it should be.

Self-love is energy. Practicing self-love creates peace in ourselves, our homes, and our communities. Our children benefit from the love within, so they don't seek superficiall approval..

Loving yourself isn’t selfish, egotistical, or narcissistic-it’s where real love flows. You cannot pour from an empty heart. Nor can you give what you don’t have. Start nurturing yourself. Think of a garden: it blooms when it is watered, tended, and given light. You are worthy of the same care. Start loving yourself. Begin to honor your growth, protect your peace, and give the best parts of you room to rise.

Loving yourself is an everyday celebration.

Experience Àse Yoga, where every breath counts...

One of my professors taught me that depression is anger turned inward. This idea stuck with me, especially the word "anger." If you're angry, you're not alone; over 40% of people report feeling this way. Additionally, nearly 60% of those in prison are there for crimes related to anger. Anger causes suffering. It's not cool.

So, what is anger? It's not a gene. Anger is that intense feeling we get when things aren't going our way because of obstacles or other people. Somebody said or did something we didn't like. It's learned behavior, which starts in our mind.

Everyone gets angry at some point. But some people hold onto that anger, while others act it out through harsh words or harmful actions. We become prisoners of anger.

Someone once asked me why I wasn't angry. I realized that mentors in my life taught me I had a choice. So I choose to change anger instead of letting it change me. Also, I'd witnessed the downfall of angry people.

Anger is not just emotional; it affects our bodies. We damage our blood vessels and increase blood pressure. When we get angry, our risk of having a heart attack goes up in the next two hours. Anger affects both our heart and brain, and it can also increase the chance of having a stroke afterward.

Of course, we can all find reasons to feel angry. However, it is our health that matters.. So, what should you do when you're angry?

Be aware. Is your heart and breathing speeding up? Do you feel tightness in your chest? Stress is kicking in. Take a moment, breathe, slowly and deeply. Stay calm rather than let things spiral out of control. You can be totally right about something, but suffer a heart attack.

We have a choice: to react or to act. Silence your ego. We don't need to defend ourselves.. How we handle each moment is crucial. Just because we're not loud, talkative, and blowing up doesn’t mean it's unimportant; it just means you’re putting your own well-being first.

Finally, for the summer solstice, learn to meditate. Taking slow, deep breaths calm you down, lower your heart rate, and ease stress,. Take care of your nervous system. Be wise.

Experience Àse Yoga, where every breath counts.