How is Alchemy of Yoga Organized?

The program is based on two key influences: (1) The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and (2) How the Yoga Sutras define Happiness.

Chapter 2 verse 1 of the Yoga Sutras sets forth how the Alchemy of Yoga actually works.

“Tapas svadhyaya ishvara pranidhana kriya yoga”

Translated, this means that yoga helps us transform our happiness on three levels: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual

1. Physical Alchemy – Tapas:

To ignite the changes we want to make in our lives we must establish a solid foundation. Traveling through the elements we work our way through the first three chakras Mulhadara, Svadhisthana, and Manipura.

EARTH (Muladhara Chakra 1): To manifest our desires we must have strong roots within ourselves.

WATER (Svadhisthana Chakra 2): We tap into our limitless potential to create our dreams and desires.

FIRE (Manipura Chakra 3): We ignite the fire of our burning desires and dreams through action.

2. Mental Alchemy – Svadhaya:

In yoga we study the self to learn about the self. Here the mental alchemy is through self- observation. By witnessing our thoughts, we become aware of our mental patterns and the obstacles to our happiness. We journey through the heart chakra to align the love and wisdom from our hearts and communicate it out to the world, aligning thoughts, words and actions with our truth.

AIR (Anahata Chakra 4): Our inner wisdom becomes available to us when we open up the heart and learn to surrender to love, letting go of what is no longer in alignment with our hearts.

3. Spiritual Alchemy – Ishvara Pranidhana:

As we are doing and watching, we let go of the ego of judgment. We move beyond wanting life to be different and begin to feel the surrender and acceptance of the natural flow of the present moment. We understand that there is no reason to stop this flow for its natural current is to align with the current of grace that is everywhere outside us. Beauty becomes our way of life. Happiness becomes our natural alchemy once again.

ETHER

(Vishudha Chakra 5): Communicating to the universe our wisdom learned from the heart with clarity and truth. To open the heart and surrender to love we must have a strong knowing of our truth.

(Ajna Chakra 6): We open up through the third eye in order to sink back as the observer of our being. As we do this, all negative thoughts and egoistic tendencies dissolve and we return back to stillness, happiness, and love. We surrender to the guidance of our inner wisdom and know that all the answers we seek lie within us.

(Sahasrara Chakra 7): The flow of grace all around us flows through us from an open crown chakra. We become the embodiment of the Divine, a unique expression of consciousness, dwelling in our natural alchemy of love and peace.

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