Yoga and meditation changed my entire life and made it possible for me to live authentically and passionately. We have nothing except for the present moment. It is the only place where life exists. I am so happy to be able to offer this meditation for you to connect with your life as it is in the present moment. Majken tranby (e-ryt 200) is the owner and founder of moodra yoga (http://moodrayogavt.com/) in south hero vermont. She is a lululemon brand ambassador, dog mom, and loves ashtanga vinyasa yoga. Majken comes to yoga from a diverse background with experience in university advancement (at her own alma mater st. lawrence university), finance at morgan stanley, and marketing at a startup in Austin.

This meditation uses the relationship between the body and the earth to cultivate feelings of support, center, and embodied stability. As we scan the body, we become aware of the ever-present comfort that resides in the places where the body and floor meet. Each exhalation allows us to sink in deeper into that relationship—building trust and confidence in our inherent ability to connect and ground with our bodies, minds, and the surrounding world.

This meditation uses breath to initiate a relaxation response and transform our minds from a racetrack towards a more peaceful place. Our exhalation is our body’s built-in stress buster. It is tied to the part of our nervous system that supports us to feel more calm and relaxed. Research has shown activating this part of our nervous system improves our immune system functioning and overall wellbeing. For me, I find it unbelievably empowering to know that I can rely on my breath--instead of anything outside myself--to help me release stress and return to a more centered place.

This meditation is based on the seven Chakras, which are the the energy centers throughout our body. According to Indian tradition, each chakra has a specific meaning and color associated with its energy. They also correspond to western science’s perspective of endocrine and nervous system functions, including parts of the brain.

We all have days where we feel like the world is stacked against us. When stress seems to be just that much more biting. In these moments, I find it enormously helpful to retreat to a calm place where instead of reacting, I can reconnect to an inner sense of stability. This meditation is about transporting to that place of timeless, stressless, inner strength. After all, strength lies not in how much you can lift, but in how much you can persevere through--and grow from--any challenge. In the words of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”

Maggie Donin is a yoga and meditation teacher in Burlington, VT. She teaches mostly hatha flow and yin classes. Maggie began practicing yoga and meditation about 7 years ago and has been practicing ever since. She is passionate about yoga as a way for people to get to know their bodies and minds with curiosity and without judgement.

Mentally move through the body to tighten and release your muscles so you can find a deep sense of relaxation.

This meditation uses visual cues to activate the right hemisphere, which is associated with visual and emotional processing. This can help focus and quiet the mind. Enjoy!

A former rugby player from Upstate New York, Kate found a new outlet in yoga after her playing days ended. She has been a long-distance runner for nearly two decades and began using yoga as a way to stretch out after long runs and recover from injury. Kate believes that yoga is for everyBODY, that it offers something for everyone no matter their physical background or level of physical fitness. She currently teaches yoga and meditation at Yoga Vida in NYC.

Megan is a yoga teacher based out of Denver, Colorado and is also a member of the LoveYourBrain team. After years of snowboarding and multiple concussions, yoga and meditation were some of the most effective tools to keep both her brain and body healthy. For her, meditation has been one of the best ways to heal her brain after concussions, since it has helped her with memory loss, attention span, and calming the mind. The meditation she brings you today will help you relax and slow down the mind, soothe the physical body, and allow your attention to move inwards.