Aimee Hughes Contributor Bio - Yogapedia
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Aimee Hughes

Bio

Aimee is an advanced yogi (21 years) and mindfulness enthusiast. After earning her B.A. in French from Tulane University and then Doctor of Naturopathy (ND) credentials from Clayton College, she has gone on to pen more than 500 holistic health and spirituality articles for a number of worldwide publications, including Gaia TV, DOYOUYOGA, "The South African Journal of Natural Medicine," "OnFitness" magazine, "Longevity Times," Yogapedia.com and more. Aimee has also authored a self-published vegan cookbook titled, "The Sexy Vegan Kitchen: Culinary Adventures in Love & Sex." You can find her at her new site: https://natura.yoga

Articles by Aimee Hughes

Q&A by Aimee Hughes

  • What is the difference between jnana and karma yoga?

    Chances are, you’ve heard the term karma, but maybe not Jnana. These essential branches of the tree that is yoga are often overlooked because so much emphasis in our modern yoga culture is on the physical branch of yoga,...

  • How do you engage your mula bandha?

    The bandhas are shrouded in mystery. And for good reason! Like the chakras, you can’t see them with the naked eye. Mula bandha is one that we engage frequently in yoga, if we bring our awareness and attention to do so....

  • What do I eat before meditation?

    If you’re wondering what foods and drinks are best before meditation, you’re not alone. Varying ideas and opinions exist when we’re talking food, drink, and sitting in stillness. Because I like to dutifully sit to meditate...

  • How is mantra meditation different from normal meditation?

    Mantra meditation is one of the most effective styles of meditation out there. When I say effective, I mean, it works to focus, and consequently, quiet, the mind in a way other forms of meditation don’t do. It’s a focused...

  • How do you stay committed to your Dharma?

    Staying committed to your dharma—whether that means teaching inspirational yoga classes, or being the best mother you can possibly be—takes constant practice. Life is full of distractions, and it’s far too easy to get pulled...

  • How do I ‘activate’ my mala beads?

    Mala beads are fantastic tools for mantra meditation and spiritual practice. When activated, they are believed to hold great spiritual power to assist you in your meditation practice as well as your overall spiritual journey...

  • Is meditation good for everyone?

    Meditation. It’s slowly becoming as popular as yoga nowadays. This contemplative practice, brought to the West by Buddhist and yogic traditions, has a treasure trove of health benefits---physical, mental, and spiritual. But,...

  • How can I be more self-aware?

    This is a fascinating question, especially within the context of yoga, given that one of the primary aims of yoga is to know thyself. The practice of self-study, known in yogic speak as svadhyaya, is one of the core...

  • How do the chakras help us understand our spiritual growth?

    Each chakra represents one of seven energy centers in the human body, each representing a physiological function and sacred truth. Starting with the muladhara and moving up through the body to the sahasrara, the chakra...

  • Why do we believe what we think?

    Our thoughts are powerful things — so powerful, in fact, that we actually believe them. If you’re a beginning yogi or meditator you’ve probably been taught that your thoughts are fleeting. They come and go, like clouds in...

  • What’s the difference between non-attachment and detachment?

    Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the Buddhist concept of non-attachment and the act of simply being detached? They are sometimes mistaken for one another, but the truth is they’re completely different...

  • How do I hold shakti?

    In the Tantric yoga tradition, there’s the concept of Shiva and Shakti. It’s the understanding that a human being holds both masculine and feminine energies within their body, mind and spirit. Depending upon the time, place...

  • What is a kundalini awakening?

    Kundalini is best described as a coiled rope of energy that rests at the bottom of your spine. It sits there, waiting to be released, which is what happens when you have a kundalini awakening. When this happens, you begin...

  • How does yoga help me understand the world around me?

    The beauty of yoga practice is that it is so much more than just an exercise routine. It’s also so much more than personal time on the mat for self-care. It’s these things and much more. Because yoga also works as a mental...

  • How do you overcome performance anxiety when you first start teaching yoga?

    So, you’re considering yoga teacher training and a career change. You love yoga, but you also have a fear of public speaking. The thought of getting up to teach in front of a class is terrifying. Or perhaps you’re all...

  • Why is it important to practice with the right intention?

    Our intention dictates everything. It is at the root of our choices and actions, which ripple out into the world, hopefully creating a better place for all beings. We don’t even realize how much our intentions affect the...

  • What are some helpful asanas for soothing sciatic nerve pain?

    It is very important to decipher what the underlying cause of your sciatic pain is before attempting any asanas, especially if you are experiencing severe pain in your lower lumbar spine; however, from experience with...

  • Why should we pay attention to our thoughts?

    Our thoughts rule our lives, and we need to cultivate mindfulness around our thoughts so that we can be truly open and present in our lives. Mindfulness of thought means paying close attention to our thoughts with a quality...

  • Am I chanting OM correctly?

    Ever get confused about how to chant OM? I know I have. So, I decided to do some research. I mean, I didn’t want to go about chanting the sacred syllable in vain. I wanted to get it right. So, I decided to find out just how...

  • How can I practice seva in my daily life?

    Seva, or selfless service, is a wonderful aspect of yoga that we can practice off the mat. Seva is a Sanskrit term that means helping others, without expecting anything in return. It’s something that we all need to...

  • What’s keeping us from happiness?

    It’s our true nature to be deeply content. At the heart of our being, we are loving, happy, compassionate and deeply wise beings. But it doesn’t always feel that way, does it? Many of us feel quite the opposite. Many of us...

  • I’m struggling to get started with meditation; where should I begin?

    The best way to start a meditation practice is to begin with what’s called mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness perfectly exemplifies the essence of meditation, which is the cultivation of attention. In mindfulness meditation...

  • What is ashram dharma?

    According to the Hindu tradition, there exists four unique stages in a human life with specific duties and characteristics for each phase if one is to attain moksha, or enlightenment. These stages are referred to as ashram...

  • Does our spiritual longing deepen after 40?

    This is an interesting question and I think the answer is that yes, as we grow older, we naturally move deeper into the stages of our lives when spirituality becomes more and more essential and necessary. By age 40 and...

  • How does twisting in yoga help with detoxification?

    Twisting poses are very much an integral part of the pantheon of yoga asanas. Yogis are constantly twisting into intricate poses, holding them as they breathe deeply, and counter-twisting many of them. But why all the...

  • Why do we journal our thoughts that arise during meditation?

    Have you ever noticed how when you sit and meditate on a regular basis, you really, truly get to know yourself? This is one of the primary subtle practices of yoga – that of self-study, or svadhyaya. When we get really...

  • When was the yoga mat introduced?

    Have you ever wondered when the yoga sticky mat made its way to the forefront of the yoga scene? The yoga mat is a modern phenomenon, as you might have guessed, given that you don’t see colorful rubber mats under the feet of...

  • What are karma and destiny?

    KarmaKarma, or "action," is a way of understanding the world in its entirety and that everything does indeed happen for a reason. Every story has cause and every consequence is an outcome that can be understood and...

  • Why do yogis squat?

    As you might very well know, ancient and modern yogis alike squat a lot. There are many reasons for this – one of them being that squatting is a highly grounding posture. It connects us to the earth and grounds us on an...

  • Why should I skip inversions during my cycle?

    If you’ve been doing yoga for a while, whether at a studio or by watching videos in the comfort of your home, you probably know by now that it’s not recommended to practice inverted postures during your menstrual cycle. For...

  • What’s the difference between prana and chi?

    Have you been hearing the word, prana, in yoga class? Maybe the word, chi, comes up almost as much. What’s the difference between the two, anyway? Or is there any?ChiChi is the life force energy that comes from traditional...

  • What is a chakra?

    A chakra is a vortex of energy within your body. It’s an energy center and each energy center within the body is believed to hold spiritual power. The term, chakra, comes from the Sanskrit word that means "wheel" and is used...

  • Is your workplace emotionally toxic?

    Do you find it difficult to keep your yogic center in the workplace? If so, you’re not alone. There are many emotional toxins in the workplace. If you’re wondering how you can survive a sometimes cutthroat work environment,...

  • Are you a yogi or a yogini?

    Are you a yogi or yogini? Have you been wondering what the difference is between the two terms? Let’s find out what they are. Masculine and Feminine EnergiesTo put it simply, a yogi refers to a male master yoga practitioner...

  • How do we control our emotional impulses?

    Emotions are funny things. Like thoughts, they come and go, but sometimes our emotions get the best of us. We react from an emotional place that sometimes gets us in trouble. We say or do things we regret. Generally speaking...

  • What’s it like to go to a yoga festival?

    The yoga community loves to come together to share their practice. So much so that yoga festivals have become a huge part of the modern yoga scene. You may have heard about various festivals: Wanderlust, for example. But...

  • What is turmeric?

    Turmeric is a fantastic little spice used in Ayurvedic medicine to prevent and cure a treasure trove of ills. In the Indian pantry, turmeric is used in most dishes. In the West, we’re not nearly as accustomed to using...

  • What time of day is Brahma muhurta?

    Ever heard of Brahma muhurta? You might not have ever heard of this particular Sanskrit term, but you certainly know what it is. Brahma muhurta simply means “early morning hours,” or "the time of Brahma." It’s the dawning of...

  • How do we control our breath?

    Breath control is one of the most fascinating and even slightly offbeat aspects of the yoga tradition. We do it for longevity, because our breath is inextricably linked to our minds, our nervous systems and even our...

  • Is namaskar the same as namaste?

    While these words sound quite different and look quite different from one another. They hold essentially the same meaning. In the West, we know the word namaste and use it often at the end, and sometimes at the beginning, of...

  • What is Cosmic Vibration?

    In yoga (and other spiritual traditions), it’s believed that there is one universal cosmic intelligent vibration. That vibration is articulated through the sound OM, or AUM. It’s also expressed in the form of light,...

  • What is the source of creativity?

    Your creative source lies deep within you. It wells up from the still, soft voice---the one that rears its head in moments of quiet, like when you’re taking a bath, walking alone in nature, or meditating on your comfy...

  • Should I be keeping a yoga journal?

    Journals are excellent tools for contemplation. Typically used for jotting down one’s thoughts or keeping track of life events, these little books filled with blank pages can also be used for yoga. Keeping a yoga journal is...

  • Why do we say “Namaste?”

    The light in me honors the light in you. The divine in me reveres the divine in you. These are just a couple of the deeper spiritual meanings of Namaste. We say it at the end and sometimes the beginning, of a yoga class as a...

  • Why should I meditate in the morning?

    Meditating first thing in the morning is probably the best time to practice. The mind is clear when you wake, even if a bit groggy. It’s not yet been clouded with emails and all the to-do’s of the day. Nor has it been...

  • What is unselfish love?

    Yogis speak of love in many ways, just like Westerners do, but common between both cultures is the idea of selflessness. When love is an emotion, it aligns with asmita, or the ego sense. Love is a feeling that we seek to...

  • Why is Ganesha the most popular Hindu deity?

    With his elephant head and human body, Ganesha (or Ganesh) is one of the most beloved and popular of all the Hindu gods. This is because he brings good fortune while destroying all obstacles. He also looks endearingly cute,...

  • Why is japa mantra so effective?

    If you’ve ever practiced japa meditation you probably know just how effective it is for calming your mind and dropping you into an almost trance-like state of ease. Repeating mantras over and over again is what japa is all...

  • How do you know if you are meditating?

    Any effort to meditate is meditation. Any time you sit in lotus pose or lie somewhere comfortable, attempting to bring your focus inward, you are indeed meditating. Any attempt whatsoever to be present with your thoughts or...

  • How do I begin meditating?

    The starting point in meditation is your physical body. This is because the first thing we must do before going deeper in meditation is to get really, really present. The easiest way to do this is to bring our awareness to...

  • What happens when you meditate?

    Meditation has so many positive and profound effects on the body, mind, emotions and spirit. It cleanses the mind in the same way taking a calm, relaxing bath cleanses the body. When we meditate, we turn inward, away from...

  • What’s my sadhana (practice)?

    Let’s first define the yoga term, sadhana. Your sadhana is your personal spiritual practice; it’s a set of rituals you do each and every day. Establishing sadhana is crucial to your spiritual growth. In creating your own...

  • Why does Goddess Durga carry weapons?

    Goddess Durga is the one goddess in the yogic pantheon who's job it is to ward off and fight against all evils, so that good, ethical and moral behavior prevails. With her name meaning "fort" in the ancient Sanskrit language...

  • What would Patanjali say about our changing states of mind?

    Patanjali defines one of the main goals of yoga as the ability to control the changing thought waves of the mind. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains how our mind is constantly recording the situations, events and objects...

  • How do I evolve my sadhana?

    Sadhana is a Sanskrit term meaning "practice." To the sadhu or yogi, the way you integrate yoga into your life will vary based on your level of maturity in the practice, your own personal discipline (abhyasa), commitment and...

  • Why do we end yoga classes in savasana?

    Savasana, also known as corpse pose, is an essential part of every yoga practice. It’s that relaxation time that synthesizes a well-rounded asana practice. But why do we do it and why does every yoga class usually end with...

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