Sheila Miller Contributor Bio

Articles by Sheila Miller

An Introduction to Kriya Yoga

Discover what Kriya yoga is, its history, as well as what a typical Kriya yoga practice is like should you feel drawn to this yogic path of action.
The Importance of Cobra Pose: Bhujangasana

Cobra pose, or Bhujangasana in Sanskrit, can help us to gain the strength we need for comfortable, seated meditation.
From the Lotus: The History and Benefits of Padmasana

Padmasana or lotus pose is one of the best known yoga poses. Here's a look at why it's so important (and how you can master it).
The Chakra That Isn’t: Sahasrara, Your Crown Chakra

Our Crown Chakra, Sahasrara, isn't like the other six chakras. Here's an introduction to sahasrara and how you can experience it.
Top Tips for Your Best Virabhadrasana Series

The Virabhadrasana series are a vital yoga sequence. Here are some tips on how to improve your warrior series and find strength and power in the poses.
The Best Meditation Style to Help Bring You into Balance

Not all meditation styles are equal. Here's a look at a few different meditation styles to help you decided which one is best for you.
Hidden Magic: The Power of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama can be a powerful tool, but it isn't always well explained. Here's a brief explanation and how it helps cleanse your body.
Achieving Your Best Downward-Facing Dog

Downward-Facing Dog is a staple in all yoga practices. It's the position you come back to again and again. Here are the best ways to strengthen and improve your downward-facing dog in order to get the most out of the post (and to actually enjoy it).
Where is Your Spiritual Discipline Wavering?

Weaknesses in our spiritual practice often come from our thoughts. Here's how to locate and resolve the places where you spiritual discipline is wavering.
Tapasya: Breaking Patterns of Limiting Beliefs

Most of the problems we face originate from our own mind. Learn how Tapasya can help you break through these barriers.
Renunciation: An Invitation to Fulfillment

In order to give ourselves over to what is most important, we must give up what isn’t. Here's how renunciation can help you obtain happiness.
The Law of Karma: How Karmic Forces Really Work

Karma is not the system of punishment it has come to be known as. Discover what karma really is and how our lives operate within it.
Why You Need to Know About the Three Gunas

Gunas form the three aspects of all of experience and all of creation. Learn more about each of them, how they play out in your daily life and how to balance them for a more liberated life.
10 Mind-Blowing Insights From the Yoga Sutras on Concentration (Dharana)

Here are 10 insights into the role of concentration (dharana) in your development as a yogi, as inspired by the Yoga Sutras.
The Tendencies of Feelings and How to Take Back Control of Your Emotional Responses

Want to take back control over your pattern of reactions to negative emotions? Start by understanding the behavior of feelings and creating space between you.
How to Make Friends With Silence and Hear the ‘Sound Beneath All Sounds’

Silence is your great ally. Here is what quiet has to offer you and how to make friends with silence.
Bhatki Yoga: An Introduction to the Yogic Path of Devotion and How It’s Practiced

Bhakti is the path of devotion, the absolute dedication to the Divine. Learn about its origins, how to practice it and how to incorporate more bhakti into your everyday life.
5 ‘O Arjuna’ Quotes From the Bhagavad Gita for You and Your Yoga Practice

Here are five pieces of counsel from the Bhagavad Gita offered by Lord Krishna to Prince Arjuna with notes on how you might find use for them in your life and yoga practice.
The Meaning of Namaskar and the Way We Say ‘Namaste’

The verbal greeting of namaste is a part of namaskar. Here we explain what namaskar is, the significance of each component and the meaning of the salutation as a whole.
Ahimsa: Yoga’s Single Most Important Practice (Kindness)

The first of the first of The Eight Limbs of Yoga, ahimsa is an attitude of loving-kindness that is practiced on and, more importantly, off the mat.
Diksha and the New Year: It’s All About New Beginnings

Diksha, a Sanskrit term meaning 'initiation,' offers us a fresh start. Here we look at the ancient diksha ceremony and ways to experience the freshness of another beginning: the New Year.
No, You Aren’t Terrible at Meditating: 3 Tips for Getting Back to the Cushion

Meditating isn't easy, but we promise you aren't doing it all wrong. Here are three ways you can relieve common frustrations and develop a more joyful meditation practice.

Q&A by Sheila Miller

Should I form a relationship with a yoga guru?

The short answer is: yes.To have a guru is to learn and to practice unconditional love, to intentionally subvert ego and sense of self in order to recognize that they - ego and a separate self - are ultimately illusory. When...
What is the difference between Tantra and tandra?

Tandra refers to a state of being while Tantra is a method for attaining liberation.Lineage differ significantly in where they place the meditative state of tandra on the spectrum of experience. A few seem to place it as a...
How do I shift my energy?

The two key steps to shifting your energy include discovering what you’re feeling, followed by applying an appropriate technique to bring yourself into balance.First Understand How You FeelThe yogic teachings speak of three...
How do I see through my third eye?

The third eye, or spiritual eye, is a chakra, or energy center. Ajna chakra is part of your energetic body in the way that an elbow or a spleen is a part of the physical body. It is generally in the region of the forehead...
How do you know what type of yoga you’re in the mood for?

What we want isn't always what we need. We tend to feel more balanced (sattvic) after the practice we need—the one that helps us bring into balance excesses and deficiencies. One of the best diagnostic tools for what we need...
How do you practice alternate nostril breathing?

In the practice of alternate nostril breathing -- or nadi shodhana pranayama, as it's known in Sanskrit -- we use the fingers to direct the flow of the breath between the nostrils.(You may be first wondering, How do we...
What does namaste mean?

You may have heard someone say Namaste at yoga class, or when you walked into a studio or ashram, and you might be curious about what it means.Four Meanings of NamasteHello!First of all, namaste is a respectful way of saying...