BOHO BEAUTIFUL

YO G A J O U R N E Y H A N D B O O K
 4 YOGA EXPLORATION
Yoga to Us...................................................... 06
Our Yoga Journeys - Juliana....................... 08
Our Yoga Journeys - Mark........................... 10
The Eight Limbs of Yoga............................. 12
Prana............................................................... 14
Your Energy Channels................................. 16
Pranayama ................................................... 18
Mudras............................................................ 26

CONTENTS
The Yoga Diet................................................ 28
Common Types of Yoga.............................. 30
Hatha Yoga............................................... 30
Ashtanga Yoga......................................... 32
Yin Yoga..................................................... 32
Vinyasa Yoga............................................ 33
Yoga Nidra................................................ 34
DISCL AIMER
Glossary......................................................... 36
No part of this book may be reproduced in any format without permission unless its sole intent is to
help make the world a better place in anyway whatsoever. Credits............................................................ 39

The ideas, concepts, and opinions expressed in the Boho Beautiful Yoga Handbook are intended to be
used for educational purposes only. The Boho Beautiful Yoga Handbook is sold with the understanding
that authors and publisher are not rendering medical advice of any kind, nor intended to replace
medical advice, nor to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, condition, illness, or injury. It is
imperative that before beginning any diet or exercise program, including any aspect of a plant-based
diet, you receive full medical clearance from a licensed physician. Authors and publisher claim no
responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused
directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material in the Boho
Beautiful Yoga Handbook.

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YOGA

EXPLORATION
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YOGA TO US
In this day and age where yoga and the healthy living lifestyle has become so popular and
mainstream, we sometimes catch ourselves searching to put us and all that we do into a
compartment. Where do we fit in? Why do we even have to fit in? In a world where people
judge each other and themselves based on the tittle they carry, the teacher they study with,
or the amount of followers they have, it’s hard to find a definition for what “we are”.

The world of social media, and e-commerce platforms, has definitely turned something that
we loved to do in our spare time, now into a full time career, and everyday we see that as
nothing greater then a blessing, but again is this what yoga is to us? No, it’s not.

This is just the secondary portion of what we do in order to sustain our life. Just like each and
every person out there gets up every morning to do what they have to do in order to sustain
and take care of their life and those around them. So no, even Boho Beautiful isn’t what the
idea of yoga is to us.

Yoga to us is the moment where we allow the worldly noise to stop, to disappear. To take a
breath and realize of how interconnected each and every sentient being is on this planet. To
understand that living with compassion asks more of us than simply demanding ourselves to
step onto a mat once a day.

Yoga to us is:

Kindness
Compassion
Equanimity
Equality
Love

To us it is a teacher of these morals which guide us through this existence of time. Because
To be a student on and off the mat. A student of life. Constantly learning how to be and become
each and everyone of us came here with a purpose.
all that we’ve been brought here to do.
To share this love.

To love, to be kind, and to share true compassion with each and every soul we encounter.
To share this energy of connection that is lacking in this society these days.

To share the idea that no one is alone in this world…and that even outside of our differences,
we can look into each other’s eyes and reach out our hand to say “I’m here…with you”. Part of
this human family, on one Earth, going through our own experiences of joy and pain.
So to us yoga is a way of life. It is not a religion, a club, or even our aesthetically pleasing
videos. It is beyond that…it is so much deeper than this external world. It teaches us how to
open our heart and our mind to experience this life in the most authentic way to us.
So to us, in our life, we step away from the yoga culture “right or wrongs”, the credentials,
and the yoga certificates, because we find that focusing on these components only causes
more separation, cliqueness, and judgment. We simply look at yoga and see a true union of
our mind and body, which then awakens the spirit to understand that this body is simply a
beautiful vessel through which we experience all that this existence we call human being has
blessed us with.

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OUR YOGA JOURNEYS
And on top of that the experience of all that I went through took a serious emotional toll too.
So finding a new home on a new type of mat allowed me to understand that it was okay to
hold back and listen to my body for a change.

There are moments in my life where I take the opportunity to reflect. To look back at a journey
I went slow.
that has brought me to where I am today. I think it is extremely important that we all make the
I opened myself to an idea that I had never even thought about…self-love.
effort to find the space to do this once in a while.
Through a long career in athletics all I ever knew and was told was that I wasn’t enough. That
The first time I stepped onto a yoga mat, it was for the purpose of healing my body and my
I should be better, stronger, more flexible, more this and more that. This was engraved in my
pain. I was a 16-year-old girl that had been physically contorting herself since the age of 7
brain and kept pushing me beyond my limits.
through a professional rhythmic gymnastics career that had a serious toll on me. I was injured.
And it took me further than expected… but with a cost.

By the time my body forced me to stop, I was in a dark place…the bottom.

Lost and afraid my experience on my yoga mat began to allow me to look for something.
A deeper love for this beautiful being and energy that I am.

This was my first date with the experience of yoga.

For me it wasn’t about learning physical alignment, or mastering human body pretzel shapes,
it was simply about understanding how to be still.

To listen and not question.

To breathe.
To cry.
To heal.

This was my moment of spiritual introduction to my own energetic being.

It was a long journey of growth, frustration, awakening, deepening, and discovery. As I write
this I can say that I have only begun to scratch the surface.

Each time I step on my personal mat, I go into a mode of discovery and self-exploration.
Of disconnection and reconnection. Of self-acceptance no matter what the outside world is
screaming back at me.

Yoga has become the leading center of my life on and off the mat. A practice of compassion to
myself, and towards other human and non-human fellow citizens of this Earth.

It is everything that fuels all that I am and stand for, and the exciting part is that I feel like it’s
only the beginning.

May we always be guided by the divinity within us that is here to show us the path to true love of
our own selves.

Juliana

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Talented or not. When I look back at everything I have ever been a part of, I was always being held

OUR YOGA JOURNEYS
I have never before given much consideration or really publicly discussed the experience of being
a man and being completely dedicated to my yoga practice. In the west, Yoga has historically and
continues to be pushed towards us as a predominant female practice, yet strangely at the same
time most of the infamous “gurus” and originators of modern yoga like Krishnamacharya and
his students who caused the resurgence of yoga, were too indeed men as well (something in my
opinion that needs to change, but is a necessary discussion for another time).
It’s not awkward to me at all though, after all it is my practice so I’m very used to it. But it’s strange
how both the lack of equal representation as well as the discussion of how men who practice
yoga feel about being yogis are basically taboo. My immediate intuition whispers that it is simply
a symptom of our cultures patriarchal definition of “manhood”… i.e., that it’s “for girls”. But again
something to talk about later, as me being a man is only the frame work and aesthetic to my
accountable to a standard that I never created. Even the most beautiful of creative endeavours
like music… we still find a way to put a kid on stage and give them a grade after their performance,
or to judge the value by results like record sales and other such nonsense.
It wasn’t easy, but once I caught my first conscious moment of just “being”.
Well, it was like a lifelong weight was being lifted off my shoulders.
And it felt liberating.
And it sparked this flame that to this day carries the most valuable journey inward.
Yoga is the acknowledgment of our oneness, the universal all, and a pathway for each of us to
converse with it.
It is the ability to learn how to quiet all the noise, and find the eventual realization that the
mind and body are already one… and all we have to do is simply step out of the way.

Mark
story…and something I hope other men reading this or the men in the lives of women reading
this take a moment to consider. Because my yoga journey, like all yoga journeys, is completely
personal. And somehow in my personhood to me, I am not a man, nor a yogi, or a videographer,
or any of the labels we all love to lather ourselves in… because at my origin, I have discovered that
I am just that and that alone… me.

And “yoga to me” was first and foremost figuring that idea out. And for the rest of time on my mat,
I suppose, I will learn to find my peace with the next Yogic question that naturally follows suit -
“well then if I am just me, then who am I?”.

Yoga started for me as a cure. From suffering. After a knee surgery. One with an extremely slow
recovery, but which was a blessing because it created a greater necessity for this cure.

It was the first time I had slowed down.

It was actually the first time I had ever stretched in my life, because playing competitive hockey
my whole life never taught me anything about it’s benefits (there is that patriarchal definition of
my “manhood” again).

And I hated yoga at first. I was terrible at it. I couldn’t do anything right, I was uncoordinated, and
I was so inflexible it’s awkward to think about.

But I had to keep going. And for that I too am grateful.

Because in time, my first lesson arrived.
That there is no “being good” at yoga. There is just where you are and that is all.

Now this idea was intensely foreign to me. Because it also allowed me to realize that throughout
my entire life, everything I have ever done has been judged. Good or bad. Pass or fail. Great or OK.

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THE 8 LIMBS OF YOGA
As much as yoga is a beautiful way for us to reconnect our mind and body, the practice of yoga
from a traditional perspective is more than just the practice of asanas, or physical postures.
It is a way of living. And “living yoga” means integrating the principles of yoga throughout
our everyday thoughts, words, and actions. It also means taking the lessons learned from our
yoga mat and into all of our everyday worldly experiences.
The birth of yoga (4,000 - 5,000 years ago) originally comes from the Vedas, which are ancient
Hindu scriptures. Originally Vedic knowledge was only passed down from teacher to student
through verses and poems, however around second century B.C. a sage named Patanjali
created the first written recordings of Yoga in his Yoga Sutras. In the Yoga Sutras, he outlined
what is known today as the Eight Limbs of Yoga. Each limb, when practiced and followed
consistently throughout one’s life, is said to help the process of purifying the body and mind.
The Eight Limbs Of Yoga are broken down into the following order:
1. YAMAS - The purification process of the mind
These are the moral regulations to guide a person to live a purer life through a higher vibration.
They make sure that a person interacts in a harmonious way with their environment and
community.
• A HIMSA The practice of non-violence, which includes physical, mental, and emotional
violence towards yourself and other sentient beings that share this Earth with us.
• SATYA The practice of truthfulness, which encourages us to live and speak our truth at
all times.
• A STEYA The practice of not stealing or taking what is not freely given.
• BRAHMACHARYA The practice of moderation and balance in all things.
• A PARIGRAHA The practice of non-attachment. To let go of everything that we do not
need, and only possess as much as necessary.
2. NIYAMAS - Inner observations and awareness to make sure
that once we begin to purify the body and mind, we do not
pollute it again.
These observances help us maintain a positive environment in which to grow, and they give
us the self-discipline and inner-strength necessary to progress along the path of yoga.
• SAUCHA - PURITY . The practice of yoga, pranayama, and meditation to cleanse
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and purify the body and mind. For complete purification we must also consciously work
at surrounding ourselves with positive energy which includes the people we choose to be
around, the food we eat, what we drink, and how we choose to entertain ourselves.
• S ANTOSHA - CONTENTMENT . To not crave for what we do not have, as well as not
coveting the possessions of others. When we are perfectly content with all that our lives
have bestowed upon us, then it is said that we can attain true joy and happiness.
• TAPAS - AUSTERITY. The practice of intense self-discipline and attainment of willpower.
To only do things which will contribute to a positive outcome to your life.
• SVADHYAYA - SELF-STUDY. The ability to see our true divine nature through the
contemplation of our life lessons and through the meditation on the truths revealed by
our teachers and inspirations.
• ISHVARA PRANIDHANA - DEVOTION & SURRENDER. The dedication,
devotion, and surrender to the universal energy of life. To allow yourself to surrender to
something that you understand to be greater than yourself.
3. ASANA - The practice of yogic postures. A personal physical
yoga experience that guides you to a greater understanding
of your own self and prepares you to sit comfortably longer for
deep meditation.
4. PRANAYAMA - Breath Exercise. Controlling the breath using
different techniques which allow us to calm and prepare the
mind for meditation.
5. PRATYAHARA - Withdrawal of the 5 senses. Once the mind
withdraws contact with the sense organs, the power of the
senses to control our human experience automatically ceases.
6. DHARANA - Concentration. The ability to focus the mind
on a single object without any disturbance of thought. This is
used as preparation to go into a deeper meditative state.
7. DHYANA - Meditation. State of the mind in which the object
of concentration is held for a long time without any interruptions
from thoughts or external factors.
8. SAMADHI - State of oneness. When the object of
concentration ceases to exist separately, but fills the entire
mind. Considered as the final stage in which complete unity
with the divine is reached. When the entire mind has become
unionized with all things, or one form with totality.
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PRANA
Prana means ‘vital energy’ or ‘life force’. It is the force that exists in
all things.

Prana is the energy that lies within the body and makes up the
mind-body complex.

Although some may see prana closely related to the air we breathe,
prana is more subtle than air or oxygen and has a much deeper
contribution.

For example, according to one ancient scripture (Satapatha

Brahmana), prana is considered to be a vehicle or medium of
consciousness.

Also, if we look deeper into ancient Hindu scriptures and tantric

texts where the idea of prana was first recognized, prana is
symbolized as feminine principle. Through goddesses. And most
represented by the all powerful divine mother Shakti. Prana is
considered to be the feminine aspect of existence, the ground
on which the male aspect of existence, consciousness (which is
represented by various gods such as Shiva) can take root, grow,
and manifest in the universe.

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OUR ENERGY CHANNELS
HOW DOES PRANA FLOW THROUGH OUR BODY

Within traditional yogic teachings, it is said that surrounding and permeating the ‘physical
body’ is an ‘energy body’ known as the ‘pranic layer’. Within this ‘pranic layer’, prana flows in
fixed pathways known as your astral nerve tubes which are also known as ‘Nadis’.

According to the yogic theory, there are approximately 72,000 nadis in the body. The most
important three nadis are called Susumna, Ida, and Pingala.

IDA is the energy channel located along the left side of the body. Representing our feminine
energy. Fluid moon energy, cool and creative. It governs the right hemisphere of the brain.

PINGALA - Energy channel located along the right side of the body. Represents our masculine
energy. Sun energy, hot and logical. It governs the left hemisphere of the brain.

SUSUMNA is considered to be the astrals body’s counterpart to the spinal cord. The
counterpoint that the Ida and Pingala intersect seven times throughout between the top
bottom of your spine and top of your skull.

As mentioned above, the energetic frequency of the Ida and Pingala (masculine and feminine)
sides intersect at the main central channel, Susumna. These points of intersection are known
as our chakras. The first six chakras lead upward along the Susumna to the final and main
destination, the Sahasrara chakra, which is located along the crown of the head.

The chakras are storage places for both subtle and vital energy, and each come with specific
tones of awareness, characteristics, and bliss.

Below is a beautiful image that demonstrates the chakras in the body, their locations, and the
effect that they play on our human experience in this life.

THE ANAHATA
(Heart)
SEVEN CHAKRAS Love

SAHASRARA MANIPURA
(Crown) (Solar Plexus)
Spiritual Power

AJNA SWADHISTHANA
(Third Eye) (Sacral)
Perception Sex

VISHUDDHA MULADHARA
(Throat) (Root)
Expression Survival

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PRANAYAMA
Inhale. Exhale.

Breath, the most vital process in the human body.

Linked to all aspects of our human experience.

It is said that we breathe about 15 times per minute. which

is 21,600 times per day. This process of respiration fuels the
burning of oxygen and glucose, producing energy to power
every muscular contraction, glandular secretion, and our entire
mental process.

Pranayama is generally defined as breath control.

The word itself can be broken into a combination of two roots:

PRANA = the vital energy or life force

AYAMA = expansion or extension

So to extrapolate, the words together imply the extension or

expansion of our vital life force.

Pranayama is often looked at as simple breathing exercises

which are aimed to bring extra oxygen into the lungs. However,
pranayama goes much deeper than that. Pranayama exercises
use the power of the breath to influence and revitalize the flow
of prana through the nadis of the entire energetic body.

The following are a couple examples of powerful Pranayama

exercises…

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NAADHI SODHANA
ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING
Naadhi Sodhana is also known as Alternate Nostril Breathing. This type of breathing
exercise is a wonderful way to bring more balance into your life through the body. Among
other things, Naadhi Sodhana aids the body in releasing toxins and balancing hormones, it
calms and rejuvenates the nervous system, and it also balances the right and left hemispheres
of the brain.

TO BEGIN PRACTICING THE ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING, YOU WANT

TO START WITH THE 1:1 RATIO.

Seated in a comfortable position:

1. Begin by closing the right nostril with your thumb, inhale into your left nostril while
counting from 1 to 5…
2. Then close the left nostril with your ring finger, lift your thumb and open the right nostril
and exhale counting again 1 to 5.
3. Then keeping the right nostril open and left closed, slowly inhale for five more seconds
block the nostril with your thumb again, lift your ring finger from your left and
exhale again.
4. Repeat inhaling and exhaling out of each nostril. One inhale and exhale out of both
nostrils counts as one round.
5. Practice for 5-10 rounds.

PRECAUTIONS :
• Do not force the breath in any way
• Make sure to practice sitting down in case of dizziness
• Be careful not to speed up the counting during the exhalation to compensate for the
shortage of breath
• At any sign of discomfort, reduce the count

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KAPALABHATI
PRANAYAMA
BRE ATH OF FIRE
Kapalabhati is also known as the Breath Of Fire. This type of breathing exercise
brings a state of clarity to the frontal region of the brain. This is a powerful
breathing technique that strengthens the nervous system, purifies the
masculine and feminine energy channels (Ida and Pingala), cleanses the lungs,
sinuses, and respiratory system, and brings energy and alertness to the mind.

KAPALA = Forehead
BHATI = Shining light

To begin practicing the Breath Of Fire, you want to start with bursts of 10 or 20.

Seated in a comfortable position and with your hands preferably in Chin or

Jnana Mudra (pg 26) or just simply your hands relaxed on your knees with your
palms down:

1. Keep the neck, head, and spine in one straight line. Gently close your eyes.
2. Inhale through both nostrils, expanding the belly.
3. Exhale through the nose with a short burst and forceful contraction of the
abdomen, but do not strain..
4. Do not inhale between burst by breathing in, however allow the natural
small sip of air to re-enter the passage way each time you relax your
abdomen between bursts.
5. Remember, that the rapid breathing in this exercise comes from the
abdomen not the chest.
6. Start with bursts of 10 or 20 per round and increase the number of
respirations as your abdominal muscles get stronger.

PRECAUTIONS:
• Not recommended to do during pregnancy or menstrual period
• Do not practice if you suffer from heart problems, high blood pressure,
vertigo, or epilepsy.
• Make sure you are seated.
• If you begin to feel dizzy, stop the practice and sit quietly for some time
until the sensation has passed, and then begin again with less force and
more awareness.

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UJJAYI PRANAYAMA
THE VIC TORIOUS BRE ATH
Ujjayi is also known as The Victorious Breath. This type of breathing
exercise will help calm the mind and warm the body. It is believed that
this type of breathing technique has a profound relaxing effect. It is a
beautiful way to soothe the nervous system and calm the mind. It also
slows down the heart rate which can be an incredibly effective tool for
people suffering from high blood pressure.

To begin practicing the The Victorious Breath, start by experimenting in

sets of five or ten complete breaths.

Seated or lying down in a comfortable position:

1. Breathe in a full breath and then constrict the back of the throat, similar
to the constriction made when speaking in a whisper.
2. As you exhale, keep your lips closed and make an ocean like sound
in the back of your throat as you slowly release the air through your
nasal passage way. Inhalation and exhalation should be long, deep,
and controlled.
3. Once all the air has left your lungs, inhale deeply and exhale again for
another breath.
4. Begin with 10 breaths. Over time you can use Ujjayi throughout your
entire Ashtanga or Vinyasa practice.

PRE-CAUTIONS:
• Do not contract the facial muscles. Relax the face as much as possible.
• Do not contract the throat too tightly.

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HAND MUDRAS
MEDITATIONAL HAND POSITIONS
Through a meditation or pranayama practice the position of the hands is very important. The
term “Mudra” is a Sanskrit word that means a “gesture” or “attitude”. The mudras used during
meditation or pranayama allow you to develop a beautiful sense of awareness of the flow of
prana in the body.

The nadis and chakras constantly radiate prana, which are always naturally departing our
bodies to then leave into the external world. However, by creating a type of “barrier” within
the body, which can be the hand gesture of a mudra, it is said that this action or position
allows the energy to stay and be redirected within.

The hand mudras examples below are meditative mudras, which redirect the prana emitted
by the hands and fingers back into the body. There are many other mudras and we encourage
you to explore them deeply in your own practice as well.

1. JNANA MUDRA ( THE GESTURE OF KNOWLEDGE)

Fold the index fingers so that they touch the inside root of the
thumbs. Straighten the other three fingers of each hand while
keeping them relaxed so they can stay slightly apart. Place the
hands on the knees with the palms facing down.

It is said that the index finger represents your individual consciousness and the thumb
represents the universal consciousness. Through the connection of these two fingers
together, it represents the unity of the self with the Universe.
2. CHIN MUDRA
(THE GESTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS) We have always found that whenever we seek more guidance and support from the
“higher energy”, placing the hands in Chin Mudra with fingers pointing upward brings a
Performed in the same way as Jnana Mudra, except the palms of the sense of openness and receptiveness.
hands are facing upwards, with the backs of the hands resting on
the knees. Whenever we feel like we need more grounding and stability in life, placing the hands
in Jnana Mudra and pointing the fingers to the Earth, brings a deeper sense of calm,
awareness, and grounding.

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THE YOGIC DIET Prepared your food with love and give gratitude before consumption.

FOODS TO AVOID OR REDUCE WHEN FOLLOWING A YOGIC DIET:

In yogic philosophy it is believed that food is the creator of the prana which sustains our
1. Meat and fish
bodies and brings us energy and health. Therefore, what we choose to consume affects the
2. Eggs
level of our conscious development.
3. Processed and/or artificial foods ( i.e., junk food, artificial sweeteners)

As we enter into a yogic journey, following a pure (ethical) vegetarian/vegan diet facilitates the 4. Soda pop and artificial fruit juices

development of Sattva. Sattva is awareness, connection, and peace with all sentient beings. 3. Dairy products

Yogis believe that food is our first interaction with the world around us, and so to consume 4. Fried foods

food with a sense of love will in return affect all of our other aspects in life. 5. Canned foods
6. White flour
The basis of Sattva is the concept of ahimsa (non-harming). The Sattvic diet is conductive for 7. White sugar
the practice of yoga and the development of the mind. It consists of pure ingredients that are 8. Garlic, onions, spicy foods
light in nature, in order to not disturb the mind. This type of diet avoids any foods that involve 9. Microwaved foods
the killing or harming of animals. A Sattvic diet also encourages to consume food which is 10. Alcohol, tobacco, stimulants
naturally grown and harmonious with nature. 11. Foods that are genetically modified

In addition, Sattvic food should be prepared with pure love and positive intention. In eating
Try to not consume your food in a rushed or a disturbed environment.
this type of yogic diet, we are increasing our pranic energy and calling inward a higher state
of consciousness.

Below are suggested Sattvic foods.

We have also included a list of food that we recommend you avoid to make sure you are
continuing to increase your own energetic frequency.

SUGGESTED LIST OF FOOD TO EAT ON A YOGIC DIET:

1. All Fruits
2. All vegetables (except onions & garlic)
3. Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley, buckwheat etc.)
4. Tofu, beans, aduki beans, mung beans, tempeh, chickpeas, lentils, edamame,
and other legumes.
5. Olive oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, other plant based oils
6. Nuts and seeds (unsalted)
7. Natural, raw sugar, maple syrup, agave syrup
8. Herbal teas
9. Assortment of natural spices i.e., cinnamon, cardamom, mint, basil, turmeric, ginger,
cumin, fennel.
10. Natural superfoods (chia seeds, hemp hearts, flaxseeds, maca powder, spirulina
chorella, moringa, healing mushrooms- reishi, chaga, lions mane, etc. )

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COMMON T YPES
OF YOGA
HATHA YOGA

Hatha yoga is the one of the many different practices that we can
embrace within our journey to deepen our state of peacefulness.
It is a gentler paced practice of asanas (yoga postures) which are
designed to align the body muscles, bones, and tissues in order to
prepare for deeper inner mindfulness and meditation. One of the
great benefits of Hatha yoga is that it stimulates and opens up many
of the energy channels in the body which creates a deeper sense of
balance, presence, and consciousness.

The word “Hatha” is a combination of two different energy

components.
It derives from the Sanskrit words:

HA - Meaning “sun” and represents action & heat. This masculine

energy is found in the Pingala Nadi, which is situated in the right
hand side of the body and interacts with the left hand side of the
brain.

THA - Meaning Moon and represents cool & stillness. This feminine
energy is found in the Ida Nadi, which is situated in the left hand side
of the body and interacts with the right hemisphere of the brain.

As we practice Hatha yoga through different sets of asanas and

pranayamas, we practice with the intention of bringing harmony
and union within the masculine and feminine energy levels. This
union between the sun and the moon creates a feeling of balance
and harmony within the body and mind connection of our being.

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ASHTANGA YOGA
Ashtanga Yoga is one of the most structured and “disciplined” styles of yoga. It is designed to
follow a strategic set of asanas in a specific order practiced repetitively in the same structure
each time.
There are six types of Ashtanga series: Primary, Intermediate, and four types of Advanced.
Each series must be mastered by the student before they can proceed to the next.
The Ashtanga Primary Series was first originally developed by Sri K Pattabhi Jois who studied
under the father of modern yoga Sri Krishnamacharya.
The basis of Ashtanga yoga consist of 4 specific key elements:
1. VINYASA Using breath synchronized with movement which creates the link that binds all
of the asanas together in the series.
Yoga Exploration
VINYASA YOGA FLOW
Vinyasa yoga is a modern interpretation of an asana practice where the movement is connected
fully with the breath and a constantly fluid and creative motion. Vinyasa movements intend to
create heat, unblock energy channels, and focus the mind on the natural rhythm of the breath.
There is a beautiful intelligence behind the linked movements that work in harmony to bring
the union of the body and mind into a balanced state.
The term “vinyasa” itself, also refers to a specific series of movements that are frequently
done between each asana in the Ashtanga Primary Series. Repetition of vinyasas help with
the purification of the body through increased circulation and sweating, which then allows
for greater flexibility and a stronger concentration, turning a yoga practice into a moving
meditation.

2. UJJAYI BREATH The sound of the breath through this pranayama technique becomes
the focus of the practice and helps quiet the mind and draws the senses inward. It also is a
key technique to raising the temperature of your body internally.

3. BANDHAS Means to “lock” or “to bind”. This technique is applied during asana practice
to help protect the body physically and to connect the mind in a deeper way.

4. DRISHTI Holding a specific point of sight or gaze to focus the mind during asana practice,
blocking out any outside perceived distractions, and assisting in maintaining a physical balance.

YIN YOGA

Yin Yoga is a slow paced yoga practice that targets the connective tissues of the body. This
includes the ligaments, bones, and joints that are not regularly targeted during more active
styles of asana practice.

This style of yoga is suitable for almost all levels and is a perfect complement to the dynamic
and muscular (yang) styles of yoga that emphasize internal heat, and the lengthening and
contracting of our muscles.

Yin Yoga generally focusses on the connective tissues of the hips, pelvis, and lower spine
through passive often floor based postures which allow gravity to do the work.

During this style of practice, relaxing into the posture softens the muscles so that the release
of tension and stiffness can begin to move through all the tissues of the focussed area.
Usually each posture is held between two and five minutes, to give the body the opportunity
to release and let go fully into each present posture.

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YOGA NIDRA (YOGIC SLEEP)
Yoga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep, is a meditation and conscious practice that is intended
to induce total physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. This technique has also been
widely used in stress management and therapy, and as a meditative tool.
Throughout the practice of Yoga Nidra, consciousness functions at a deeper level of awareness,
hence why some people even call this practice ‘Psychic Sleep’. It is also believed that a single
hour of Yoga Nidra can be as effective for your mind as four hours of regular sleep.
During the practice of Yoga Nidra, it is intended to achieve a state between sleep and
wakefulness, allowing contact with the subconscious and unconscious dimensions to occur
spontaneously. In this state the mind is exceptionally receptive to input, so any suggestions
given can be successful in influencing behaviour, habits, and day to day tendencies. Therefore
the practice of yoga nidra is an incredible tool to further ourselves by training the mind.
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Yoga Exploration
SANKALPA
One of the most effective methods in training and re-training the mind during the practice of
Yoga Nidra is found through the use of a “Sankalpa”.
Sankalpa is a Sanskrit word that translates to a resolution, affirmation, or a resolve of heartfelt
intention. Sankalpa is said to be able to create the “seed” of growth in the area of your life
that you feel needs the most attention.
During Yoga Nidra, Sankalpa is a very powerful method of reshaping your habits and direction
in life.
A Sankalpa, is a short affirmation or statement that becomes impressed in the subconscious
mind during Yoga Nidra. This is because your mind is incredibly receptive to suggestions when
lingering in the state between wakefulness and sleep. Through repetition of the Sankalpa you
reinforce the idea behind the Sankalpa subconsciously into your later conscious state of being.
CHOOSING YOUR SANKALPA
You must choose your Sankalpa very carefully. The wording should be very precise and clear
so that it can easily penetrate into the subconscious mind. Think about an area in your life or
behaviour that you wish to improve. It can be as simple as bringing out more kindness in your
intentions, or more specific such as altering a bad habit or fixing a relationship. Only you can
choose the right Sankalpa to apply to your practice, as only your sincerity can recognize what
is it that you desire and need to improve upon.
Take your time in the selection process. And once you select the area you want to affect in
your life create a positive affirmation in the form of a statement that implies it is already a
part of you. Make sure you do not create your Sankalpa in the future tense, but instead plant
this seed as an existing reality, in the present tense.
The following are a few examples of clear statements that could be used as a Sankalpa,
however it is up to you to create your own based on the previous mentioned criteria:
• I am healthy, healed, and strong
• I am successful in all that I undertake
• I am loving and loved
• I embrace all that I am
• I am beautiful, kind, and giving
• I am courageous, confident, and successful in all that I undertake
• I am a positive force for evolution of others
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GLOSSARY
ASANA A physical posture in a yoga practice also known as a yoga pose.
CHAKRA The energetic center of the subtle body. An area along the sushumna nadi channel
where the Ida and Pingala energies intersect.
CHIN (MUDRA) Conscious seal which is formed by bringing the tips of the index finger and
thumb together while keeping the other fingers straight and relaxed.
DRISHTI Point of focus - yogic gazing. Ex. tip of the nose or tip of your middle finger.
IDA (NADI) The energy current ascending on the left side of the central channel (sushumna
nadi). Associated with the parasympathetic nervous system and has a cooling/calming effect
when activated.
JNANA Knowledge, wisdom.
MUDRA A hand gesture that facilitates specific energy circuit.
NADI One of 72,000 energy channels along which our life force (prana) circulates. The three
most important ones are the Ida-Nadi, Pingala- Nadi, and Sushumna- Nadi.
NIDRA Sleep
36 BOHO BEAUTIFUL YOGA HANDBOOK
Yoga Exploration
NAADHI SODHANA Alternate Nostril Breathing technique, which is a powerful breathing
exercise aimed at clearing and purifying the energy channels of the body and mind. It is also
a great balancing exercise within the masculine and feminine aspects of our energetic fields.
PINAGALA (NADI) Energy current ascending on the right side of the central channel
(sushumna nadi). Associated with the sympathetic nervous system and having an energizing
effect on the mind when activated.
PRANA Universal life force.
PRANAYAMA Breath control. Conscious inhalation, retention, and exhalation.
PRIMARY SERIES Traditional Ashtanga Yoga series which consists of different postures in
a particular sequence. In most cases it takes an experienced yogi 90 minutes to complete the
Primary Series of Ashtanga yoga.
VINYASA The marriage of breath and movement.
UJJAYI (OOH-JAH-YEE) A breathing technique that helps calm the mind and warm up
the body. This breathing technique is used throughout Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga practices.
KAPALAHBHATI A breathing technique that purifies, rejuvenates, and invigorates the mind
and body. This cleansing breath helps release stress and toxins and negative emotions.
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 DISCOVER CREDITS
O U R F U L L R E T R E AT P R O G R A M
SPECIAL THANK YOU THE SMALL TEAM OF BEAUTIFUL
CREATIVE ENERGY WHO HELPED BRING THIS
HANDBOOK TO LIFE.

Without your talent, this vision could have never been accomplished.
Thank you.

PHOTOGRAPHY - Martina Gebarovska

www.martinagebarovska.com

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www.castrodale.com

LOCATION - Morgan’s Rock

www.morgansrock.com

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Boho Beautiful is Juliana & Mark Spicoluk
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