YOGA by Brittney

No Sugar, No Gluten, No Dairy... My 10 Day "Shred" Begins... Throughout my teenage years I struggled with bulimia - I started modeling when I was 10, and my obsession with food, restricting and purging became a big problem. My face was always bloated. Blood vessels in and around my eyes were burst. I was in NYC for an event with my agency, and in my hotel room, my mom heard me throwing up after I turned the shower on. It wasn't long after, by the grace of God, I managed to stop the cycle of binging and purging. In college, counting calories, diet pills and exercising 3 hours a day became my obsession. When my drinking and partying escalated from 2011 -2014 I lost a lot of weight. I liked that, plus how alcohol made me feel. I began my sober journey in 2014 . (This was 2012-ish, I weighed a little over 100lbs, at 5'6") Controlling food was considered an "old way of thinking" - so since 2014, I really haven't made any attempts...

I'm nervous...  What I've learned and experienced of self-reflection and spiritual growth thus far: It can be painful. But to gain self awareness, enlightenment and to awaken is powerful and what I believe we've all essentially incarnated for. So, from an internal perspective, I'm excited, trusting, albeit apprehensive about my trip to India. The facilities of the Arhanta Yoga Ashram are simple, offering the possibility of immersion in traditional Indian culture and lifestyle, free from western luxury and comfort. The idea is to minimize materialistic influences and attachments, renounce material dependencies and to bring the focus within. Situated outside the historical city of Khajuraho amidst 17 acres of green land,  beautiful lush nature, surrounded by hills, forests and seemingly endless fields - the environment is a serene place for yoga, meditation and focus on spiritual growth. It is quiet and secluded promoting a deep connection with creation. I g...

I have now been a vegetarian for a total of two weeks. My reasoning for eliminating meat in my diet is two fold: 1) I have a very sensitive digestive tract and needed to make some sort of change, and 2) One of the five yamas (self-restraints, or moral and ethical   guidelines for yogis ) is Ahimsa, or non-violence, and I wanted to more deeply integrate this practice into my daily living in a way that was meaningful to me. I began with a one day Ayurvedic cleanse . Ayurveda is essentially a "Science of Life" that originated in India (like yoga) and marries yogic philosophy beautifully. Ayurveda teaches that the mind and the body are inextricably connected. The Khichdi cleanse is basically comprised of soft, easily digestible foods, tea and lots of water. It's meant for three days, but I didn't eat much meat to begin with, so I felt one day was sufficient for me as a digestive reset. For breakfast, I had plain oatmeal, and for lunch and dinner Khich...