This month we are doing a blog series with our favorite Yoga expert, Ellen! She inspires us all to be a great person and help others. Follow her on instagram and check out more about her below!

“If I could do this pose, then I am a YOGI! How many times have I heard that before? How many times have I said that to myself, while practicing inversions and arm balances that often makes me look like I’m a contortionist?

What makes me a yogi is not the achievement of a pose, but the awareness I gain from my practice. Consciousness.

This starts with the physical body to the most subtle. Physically, we become aware of our movements. In asana, the physical practice that we often refer to as yoga, gives us a sense of awareness of where our body is in space. In Warrior 1, the bent knee tends to sway to the outside of the body, possibly because you lack the strength in the inner thighs to keep the knee centered.

The next time you come to a Warrior 1 pose, mindfully send a message to your brain to innervate your inner thigh muscles so that it draws the knee back to center, protecting the knee. This is physical consciousness.

In arm balances, like Pincha Mayurasana or forearm stand (photo below), I have to be mindful of where my shoulders are in relation to my elbows, where my hips are in relation to my shoulders, so that I have a supported structure to invert. I find the connection between my breath, mind, and body during this pose. I have reached a point where I can call this pose yoga because my awareness allows me to find peace in this pose, without fluctuations in my head, or questionning where my body is in space. In this pose, I am effortless. I can smile. That is yoga.

Mentally, consciousness allows us to become aware of our habits. I have a bad habit of slamming drawers or cabinet doors of our kitchen every time I take out a cup or silverware.

When we become conscious of our habits, they become choices. Now, when I get a spoon for my coffee, I have to mindfully close the drawer without making the loudest noise in the apartment. Being mindful is a practice that gives us more control of the things we do carelessly.

No more slamming of drawers or doors, no more forgetting keys, no more procrastination, and the result is becoming a more conscious human being. You would be surprised by how much more human you will feel once you start becoming mindful of the things you are doing — the way you speak to your loved one, the way you see and acknowledge living beings in the street, the way we treat the environment, and most of all, the way you treat yourself. The practice of yoga, whether it’s meditation, pranayama, or asana, takes as short as 5–10 minutes of your day. The Sworkit app is a prime example that an asana practice is possible in 5–10 minutes. The benefits are limitless.

So, who wants to be a better human being? In your next practice, create an awareness of how your body moves in space, and how it finds its way into a pose. Connect the movements with your breath. Start to cultivate consciousness. Be mindful. Be kind. Be human. — Ellen.”

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**Ellen. **A NYC native, Ellen’s relationship with yoga started over 15 years ago. It led her on a journey to Rishikesh, India where she immersed herself into the culture of yoga and received her training. As a Pediatric ICU (PICU) nurse who is focused on providing Palliative Care and End of Life care to critically ill children, Ellen realized a need to marry her passion for yoga with work in the hospital. Ellen also volunteers as a pediatric nurse in international medical missions for non profit organizations who provide free and corrective surgeries to children born with facial deformities.

Her flows are fun and challenging, playing with arm balances and inversion, but never forgetting to maintain attention to alignment and breath. The knowledge and wisdom that was passed on to her by her teachers in India remains close to her heart and is reflective in her practice.

All these experiences have taught her the importance of being mindful, being present and most importantly, being human, all with a practice that is selfish yet selfless, one that allows you to see the world in a new light.

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