Greetings gorgeous! Yep, I’m talking to you. See that BIG smile of mine? It comes from knowing that
together we can get you feeling fabulous through the healing power of yoga. I’m not talking about the false, fleeting kind of feeling good that comes from losing a few pounds on a diet, toning up with the latest wild workout or getting lots of attention for your appearance. I’m talking about the kind of inside out beauty that comes from being authentically you. You know what I mean, that shine from within that comes from courageously living your unique life. No matter your size, shape or weight, you can feel at home and empowered in your body which is great not only for you, but for the world at large.
Welcome to the Body Karma Healing (BKH herein) Foundations eCourse which includes my essential philosophy and practices to bring you back to PEACE: Peaceful body image, Eating and exercise Alignment, and Creative Expression so you may live and enjoy life to the fullest. If this is your first time here, click my pic to learn more about me and my work. I’d also love to have you on my e-list!
A few things before we dive in; be sure you’ve read the site’s terms and conditions. By using this site you agree to them whether you’ve read these or not. Please respect the material for your personal use. The format of this course is simply a set of landing pages as the modules. In each page you’ll find links to additional content such as audio recordings, videos and PDF files. If you find glitches, please tell me. Everything is a work in progress! You’ll notice I use a very casual approach. I like to imagine I’m talking straight to you. Take this offering as you will. It’s simply my truth informed by my personal and professional experiences. By no means do I claim to have it all figured out! BKH is just one interpretation of the path of yoga, of life. It is designed and intended to inspire body food peace to empower your life.
inspire
verb in·spire \in-ˈspī(-ə)r\
To affect or guide, initiate action, draw forth or elicit. To stimulate energies or reverence.
To inhale; to breathe life into.
You’ll notice I use the term “guru” in my BKH branding. This is meant as a light-hearted way to teach the
true meaning of the word. Guru means “darkness to light.” The role of a guru is to lead you back to the “sadguru” or true teacher within. Any teacher, guide, mentor, etc. is in your life to help you remember and trust the wisdom you already have within. The most powerful person on your healing path is you. It is my greatest hope that BKH inspires you to heal deeply. Deeply enough to fully experience and enjoy your unique life. Enough to live your dreams. Enough to dispel the notion that it’s “normal” to be dissatisfied with your body, your life, or “normal” to merely survive day to day. Let’s heal enough to THRIVE! Life is beautiful, rich, open and authentic when out from under the weight of body battles. They’ll still be ups and downs, but you can throw your arms up and enjoy the ride instead of being tormented. No matter your current experience, may BKH serve you in knowing the peace and personal power that is possible for you, for all.
Here’s some tips for using this resource:
Be prepared: Below you’ll find a supply list that has directions for setting up your sacred space. Be sure to have your things and that you have a place to be alone and focused when coming to this work.
Participate fully: Throughout this course you’ll find Practice Points. These are places for you to pause and embody the work. Most of us are trained to multitask. We’re used to being only partially present. Rather than just reading through, engage with all you have. I encourage you to write with pen and paper. Use your journals, sketch book and art supplies. Print off and use the materials tactilely. Do the practices and activities mindfully. Don’t rush yourself, this is important…YOU are important.
Stay with what triggers you: Sure, we all love to be inspired but I invite you to attend to what pushes your buttons throughout this course as well as in your life. Yoga philosophy holds that everything is a sacred mirror. Working with what we want to avoid and leaning into what’s uncomfortable reveals our shadow, that which lies in our unconscious that keeps us stuck. More on this to come.
Cultivate self-compassion: The very first teaching of yoga is ahimsa. Most often explained as non-violence, the word truly means “compassionate awareness.” Consider that to keep from acting in violence you must take a step back (internally) from the situation and simply be aware of it. See it for what it is free of a story line. Compassion simply means “to be with.” Non-violence is the result of this empathic, conscious awareness which must start with ourselves.
Self-observation is the highest form of spiritual practice.
-Swami Kripalu
Next, I want to share my Intentions and Affirmations for BKH-Click HERE. We’ll be working on your personal intentions and affirmations extensively throughout this course. Mine you see here are an example and they further set the stage for our work together. Before moving into the rest of the modules, I encourage you to pause and practice my very first video I created years ago when leaving my conventional role of nutrition therapist in eating disorders treatment and committing fully to the path of yoga. You can come back to this practice anytime and build upon it with the other videos throughout the course.
Finally, you’ll need a few things for your journey through the full course. Below you will find the Soul Supplies List. You can still get rolling with Part One of the Fundamentals Module even if you don’t have all of these yet. Now let’s begin by reading the Manifesto and moving on to Module 1. I’m so delighted you are here!
