Diana Athena Yoga

New schedule starts tomorrow! Catch me at 12:15 PM tomorrow and every Sunday All classes are beginner friendly and are donation based See you on Zoom! photo by @robz_fut

Goodbye summer My favorite part about this life and the times we live in is that despite the pandemic and all the horrors we still manage to have moments worth living for, and create memories, and shine with happiness Illusions that no longer serve us are slowly burning away, leaving purity and honesty, leaving love ... by @robz_fut

A few months ago I have started a daily practice of gratitude, where every morning after the sdhan practice I write down 10 things I am grateful for - 5 things in the external world and 5 things I am thankful for in myself. The observation I’ve made from this exercise is that it’s so much easier for me to be grateful for my surroundings! Even when I’m feeling down it’s soooo easy to find 5 things I’m grateful for out there in the world... Finding gratitude for myself on the other hand has been challenging. However I am hoping that the subtle changes created by commitment to my practices will serve as a foundation for developing more self-love. Before then I’ll keep on being grateful for staying committed to my choices Photo credit: @robz_fut

*insert deep philosophical quote here* I am just here. Practicing. Waiting. Surviving COVID summer. How y’all are doing?

Tuning in with yoga and essential oils workshop with @thewhippletree in less than 2 weeks!!! Last chance to register is TOMORROW! Don’t miss your chance to get free samples of a roll-on and a mat cleaning spray! DM me for the link!

I often get asked if I can touch my toes the answer is YES! NOW I can! However once upon a time touching my toes was my goal. I have been there; I get the struggle, but nothing happens over night, and progress takes patience, dedication and some good coaching! If you are still working on touching your toes or any other goal in your yoga practice - DM me and we can work on it together! I am now offering discounted online classes! #goodstretch

Kitty yoga and rolling around in full bow pose still learning to use my lower back muscles/legs in my backbends. Also in case you didn’t know, I am offering donation based yoga classes on zoom every Sunday at 11 am Come get your bow on! Love Crime by Siouxsie #donationyogaclasses #onlineyoga

Hey, lovelies! Me and @thewhippletree are offering a FREE workshop which will be focusing on the ways you can use yoga and essential oils for relaxation! come learn the ways to step up your self care game! DM me for a link to register, if you are interested. Registration closes on 07/24, so that everyone can get their free samples

I stand with survivors! Read. Listen. Collect your own information and make your own choice. But also speak up if you have things to say. You can do so anonymously at @yttpshadowwork

You don’t always have to work hard for what you want. Sometimes you’ve just gotta learn to receive and remove all the labels and obstacles you’ve created in your mind, that hold you back by telling stories about you not being the person who deserves the life you want. The stories in your head are just that stories. Song The cost of you by Sirsy.

Practice and all is coming - K. Pattabhi Jois Daily practice is incredibly powerful in shaping one’s patterns. If you can change the shape of your spine by working daily on your body, you can change the way you perceive people. Compassion will always be the way for me. Companion can be loud and demanding. Comparison can also show up in a smile to a person who needs it, in a conversation with a neighbor, in seeing people, in encouraging someone who’s in doubt, in helping ou...t an elderly person with their bags to the subway platform, in reaching out to your classmate, who doesn’t understand the subject. Not everyone has to scream on top of their lungs to make a change. At the end of the day social media itself is a privilege. Start examining your patterns daily, not only your body and diet, but your actions towards those around you. Find ways to cultivate compassion daily. We CAN change the world, but it starts within.

3 weeks difference... Maybe I haven’t gotten a handstand in past 4 weeks, but I’ve gotten a for sure . Body by @a.zhuravel If you’re looking to improve your inversion practice and get like times stronger in just a few weeks, check out her #handstandmarathon

The other day while doing dishes, it struck me... This whole experience requires a ginormous amount of mental strength and resilience. It’s not just about social isolation or the absence of income or the unexpected amount of free time or inability to pay the bills. It’s just the fact itself that life didn’t prepare us for any of this and we can only do our best. . I try to remember that when I have my temper outbursts I am only human, I am going my best (even if requires da...ily naps) and this too shall pass. . And here’s my chakrasana and a sloppy but successful attempt of getting back up from up. See more

It took me 4 years of practicing Vinyasa to finally get blocks, but man do I love those boyz!!! Thank you, @heyananday for still providing best quality product even during these uncertain times And if you’re looking to get any yoga supplies, I highly encourage you to get environmentally friendly sustainable product. Make a choice to practice not only asana, but compassion toward mama Earth

You can now find recordings of my online classes on YouTube! Just search Diana Athena Yoga or visit the link below https://youtu.be/O9aiumGubU4... Practice at your convenience and stay safe!

We have made it one more week! And here is a throw back to last week when I still had hair . As some of you may have noticed I am a huge fan of backbends and no, they don’t come easily for me, but that is exactly why I love them. Because in a matter to go deeper I have to stay and breath through the pose, breath through the uncomfortable and stay with it, and for me it is the best way to learn things about myself, to learn to be strong in my sensitivities and to welc...ome all of my feelings! . Then of course this practice translates into courage in a real life. That courage doesn’t always show up as breaking all the obstacles on the way to a goal, but often as a willingness to sit still as the things around do not go as planned, and be able to be okey with it and not to give in into a self destructive rage.

Commitment and hard work pay off. It may sometimes be hard to see the progress, but it is there. Progress doesn’t just happen over a night or in a week, sometimes if takes months, maybe even years. But if you stick to your work you will see it! . Just 6 weeks ago I couldn’t get my heals on my own! A year ago I couldn’t even bring my hands to the floor. But the water can shape a rock, and consistent practice can change your spine

I loved all your reactions to my new hairstyle or rather the absence of it!!! so here’s why.... Before you read this post, go ahead and SWIPE LEFT to see most of the hairstyles I have been thorough. Those are MOST but nearly not all. I think I may have been through all colors and all shades of all color. I love the change. I love to try new things...but at the end of it all hair changes, but one thing remains the same, and that one thing is me. The hair is just an addit...ional element for self expression. So I have made a decision to go down to the core of it all and to actually see what am I without this unnecessary attachment. Agree, if there was a perfect time to try something it is now! So why the hell not??? People give way to much meaning to hair and unnecessary things in life. I am still the same exact person as I was with red, blond, brown, long, short, whatever hair. Now I just feel way more open and free! @ The Universe

And I AM BACK!!! After only 3 days without social media, but since we are on quarantine, let’s be honest it felt more like a week! And here are a few things I have learned during this short detox period: My finger unconsciously went to the Instagram and FB icons multiple times throughout a day Which only indicates how much of an addiction the social network is! . Social media addiction is just another way to escape and to numb. And yes, of course I knew that all al...ong, but that’s one thing to know something and another to actually not have that notch to fall on. . Sitting alone with your feeling without running away from it is hard. Another one I’ve known, but was pointed into past 3 days. . Social media is an ILLUSION. A very painful truth. I felt lonely without it. But no, not because it fulfills me in anyway, but because I just sometimes feel lonely. Which I am OKAY with. But it’s easy to get lost in the fake feeling of worthiness created by likes and DMs. Do I want that in my life tho? That’s the question. So yeah, if you’re like me and rely heavily on your IG and FB accounts, maybe try to stay away from it for a few days. And by away I mean DONT YA DARE TO EVEN OPEN IT TO READ THAT 1 MESSAGE FROM THE PERSON YOU CRUSH ON! haha Lovely song Lots of Love by Sirsy

The opportunity to teach online classes has been a blessing! Not only because it gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning, but mostly because it lets me to be in the center of it, surrounded by so many people who are going through the same thing I am. To lead a class in the mist of uncertainty is a privilege. Thank you everyone who had an opportunity to join my online classes! We are all in this together! @ The Internet Family

For me it is so much easier to love other people, to adore and admire them, to be inspired by others, to help and to constantly give. I get extremely upset if I think I’ve offended or hurt someone by a simple mistake or by accident and then won’t let go for years. . And I have to constantly remind myself to turn that same care, that same compassion to myself. Sometimes it can be challenging, since I am always striving to be better every single day. But I do also need breaks ...and time to feel, to allow, maybe even to break apart once in a while. . As much as tapas (discipline) is a part of a yoga practice, I believe a self care and self allowance can be a part of that discipline. Whatever form it maybe come in on a given day. . And when I have my doubts it always helps to think, what would I tell a friend, if they were going through this same issue right now? . My life is going on by Cecilia Krull (aka La Casa De Papel appreciation) See more

Last Sunday class in now online! Get your yoga on!

To me yoga is not just sana practice, or sdhan, or the rest of the eight limbs. What I found through yoga is a sense of belonging, a sense of community. Not only has yoga made me a better person over the years, it has also taught me to simply not be afraid to be myself. We can only connect to the world outside of us as much as we allow ourselves shine in all our glory, which sometimes may not seem logical and may be scary AF, but that’s the way. Thank you, yes you (!) for being a part of my journey Special thanks to @thecypriotyogi for the inspiration I had no idea I could do hollow back without a wall (and now come days of obsession with the posture )

Our backs tell stories no books have the spine to carry. (Rupi Kaur) Join me for class tomorrow (Sunday) at 11 am here on Insta LIVE or DM for a ZOOM link to explore your stories and to move your spine!

I think I have finally figured out how to do this IGTV thing It only took me like 2 hours, but that’s alright. We live we learn! Music Hopopono by GoGo Penguin

Episode 3. Mobilizing the shoulders is now available! You can find the link in BIO or simply search Yoga with Harley on YouTube @ Gotham City

If you are looking for some yoga, here's a recording of my LIVE class past Sunday 04/05/2020. Enjoy! :)

Over the years I have learned that it is much easier to complain, to complain about not having enough time, to complain about having too much time, about the weather being too hot or too cold, about the noise being too loud, but once it’s gone it is suddenly way too quiet to bare. I used to complain about things being too hard, even the things I actually wanted and enjoyed doing, about something in my life being not good enough... but the fact is we DO NOT appreciate what is given to us, and once it’s gone we tend to miss it. Even now I sometimes get nostalgic about the things that didn’t seem perfect at the moment. We can not control the external, but we sure can change the attitude about it and use the opportunity to be grateful for what we have now at this moment, find ways to enjoy it.

All the best people are crazy Alright, sweets! I’ve decided to bring my inner Harley out and to brighten up the isolation by starting my YouTube channel Now you can do Yoga with Harley by clicking on the link in my bio ... https://youtu.be/F08WMKjek7A Don’t forget to like and subscribe, if you’re supporting the idea! Psycho by Post Malone

When I first moved to this country I was 19. I have just turned 19 at the moment. I did not have anyone here... no family, no friends (well 1, but that had ups and downs). I did not speak the language. I remember spending long days and nights at home, rewatching LOST in English with Russian subtitles, so that I could learn the language, listening to a lot of music and drinking... Drinking by myself, drinking with friends through Skype. It didn’t even ocurre to me at the momen...t that I felt lonely or socially isolated. I just knew that that’s where I want to be (the country) and that’s what I need to get through. That’s all. There was no plan either, just faith, faith that I am strong enough to get there I am going. And that was enough. And right now, staying at home for a week, I am reminded of those times, except I no longer drink, now I have my yoga and my practice, and people who care, here on the same continent with me, many in the same city. And most importantly I still have my faith, that WE (!) will get through anything! Together! Please stay safe, but also stay committed to yourself, to your goals! You have everything you need to get to where you’re going!

Shivananda salutations as a part of my home practice to warm up for deeper backbends. This time with ourselves is what we make of it. It can be used to recreate the anxiety by being hooked on what’s going on in the external world, or it can be used to go deeper into yourself, your practice, your relationships, you connections with the outside world. You are what you practice. I know I am coming out of this with a handstand and a badass backbend! Sleeping with Ghosts by Placebo

In yoga it is important to find a perfect balance between the appreciation and gratitude for what your body is capable of today and the desire to strive for the better. Even with the understanding that perfection does not exist we can easily fall into a trap of constant chasing for BETER without valuing what we have, and if you don’t stop to acknowledge, to feel possible resistance and to accept it with care and compassion as you breathe through it, your body may just go SNAP! Then you will be left much further behind on your journey. Constant pressure can shape a rock. But it can also overflow and tilt a bowl to the side leaving it empty.

Happy Friday y’all! What are your plans this weekend? I am teaching all weekend! and you can catch me at NYPT (19th and 5th) starting this Friday! And every weekend moving forward! Friday 5:30PM and 7:30PM ... Sunday 2PM and 5PM Let’s YOGA together!

Nothing teaches us to understand boundaries better than our own bodies. The ego can easily create many stories about how and why the final expression of a posture can make you feel, but if your body is not ready for it, it is simply not ready for it. And there’s nothing much you can do, but let go of the control, do the work, stay committed to your practice, and simply wait. Respect the boundaries. Learn from them. And stay grounded in the present moment. @ Hot On Yoga 27th

I have started practicing yoga about 7,5 years ago. I did not have any expectations nor ideas about it. All I was trying to do was to get more flexible and get in a better shape. Starting with my body, yoga has slowly made its way into other areas of my life, slowly becoming a lifestyle, or rather my life coach. This practice is so much bigger and deeper than asanas and the physical aspect of it. Yes, my body has changed opening up new levels of flexibility and postures, but the biggest change was in the way I am living my life outside of the studio. I am way more compassionate to myself, my body and those around me. I give my body an opportunity to communicate with me, allowing my sensitivities and intuition to be the judgement. I keep my heart open for new experiences and possibilities. And that is a practice on its own.

Have a wonderful week, everyone! Keep on breathing! Keep on loving! And keep on moving your body! #loveandalliscoming Your love by Kosinus.

"The goal of healing is not about feeling good but about feeling more" (Amita Swadhin). Loved that quote shared by @cowitchcraftofferings on the Home|Body podcast with @mary.grace.allerdice ... People are eager to run after happiness as it is a destination, but the truth is you can't come to feeling good, without shading the layers of unpleasant emotion that got pushed away and down deep into your body over the years. If you want to feel good, you've gotta feel it all, letting go of the armor and discovering your wide and loving heart once again. @ Planet Earth See more

I have been slacking with my asana practice lately. The last semester at school has been incredibly busy and between working, studying and teaching it was hard to find time to get on my mat. But even tho my asana practice hasn’t been stable I have been very committed to my sdhan, doing all the mantras, pranayama and meditation daily Finding time to check in and to listen is my number one priority these days. And I am pretty sure that’s what keeps me going. Wearing @gamat.brand.

Stay TRUE to yourself. Even if it means saying NO to everyone else. Open heart and compassion first of all to YOURSELF and then to those around you is the key. I’m not here to judge, nor teach, I am here to live my life the best way i know it.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate from me and my wooden friend May your day be filled with love and joy!

Do you see me as broken? Because I certainly don’t feel that. I have recently noticed that whenever I try to talk to ppl about being depressed or feeling down, the theme makes them very uncomfortable. Common reactions would be trying to cheer me up, switching the subject, or (the winner!) waiting out a few days then asking if my moment has passed. How so? How did this world come to believe that not always happy is an unwanted state of mind? My uncomfortable does NOT obli...gate you to respond in a way of saving me or changing things. I have learned most about myself in my down moments. And if it is there it is there for a reason, not because I am broken. And if I am sharing it with you, it doesn’t mean I want you to change it. I may simply need support, someone to sit with me in my uncomfortable and accept me with all my baggage. See more

A few weeks ago, about a month into a new semester I’ve made a choice to follow my heart and has switched my major to creative writing... I always loved to write, but was never sure enough to pursue it, or even share it with others. It requires a big deal of vulnerability to be able stand before others and share words from your heart. Huge thanks to @chromadigits for pushing me to write and share. In that moment reading my poetry and hearing all the kind words after I knew following my heart was a right choice. #pursuewhatreallymatters

Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I practice gratitude on a daily basis. After every meditation I write down at least one thing I am grateful for. And there are plenty - Friends... the ability to do what I love... I am grateful to be a student... I am grateful to be able and capable to learn new things... I am grateful for my family for the resilience... I am grateful for the roof over my head...for my cats...for my poems... for the space heater that keeps me warm... I am grateful f...or all the lessons in my life pleasant ones and those that came at the cost of my heart. I am grateful. I can keep this list going.... But... in that small little notebook of being grateful... I have never wrote, not even once, that I am grateful for me. So today I AM GRATEFUL FOR MYSELF! I am grateful for choosing to stop eating meat a year ago. I am grateful for my life choices past year. I am grateful for my strength. And for my sensitivity. I am grateful for me. See more

Even a short break in my practice is greatly felt in my body. But not necessarily in a bad way. I feel rested! Energized! And ready for new achievements New comfy pants by @gamat.brand Bad Influence by @pink

Backbends tend to shake things up and may result in overwhelming. But not all experiences/feelings/emotions should be labeled and named. Making tags and trying to understand things to fit them in is the job of the mind. That also means holding on to those things. Instead of trying to explain that thing you’re feeling focus on just feeling it. Feel it in your body. Notice HOW it feels and if it serves you, without trying to figure out what it is and there it came from. And if It doesn’t FEEL good, nor serves you any longer - let it pass by using your exhales to carry it away. Cat stretch - puppy pose is my favorite to open the shoulders and get into that tricky upper back. Yet it hasn’t always been pleasant and required patience, self-analysis and a looooot of deep steady breathing. Song Harley Quinn by Anna Murphy.

I have been often told that I am too much. Too intense. Too persistent. Too strong. I have been told that I need to be more feminine, more gentle, that I need to soften and be smaller to be able to find a partner/a lover. That I need to fit myself into someone else’s standards... Until my teacher told me, If you’re a dragon, you will never fit into a grey mouse body. You can burn villages with your fire, but you can also save the world with it. Yes. I agree. I am too much. I am too strong. Too intense. Too persistent. And I am going to fight for what I want. And I am going to get it. And those, who do want to be in my life will rase their bar, instead of asking me to lower mine. Photo credit @alexagphoto

If anyone interested in picking up my 8:30 am Saturday class at the dojo, please DM me or contact Bond Street Dojo! The students are amazing and experienced!

Sometimes life can feel like standing on a slippery rock in the middle of a stormy ocean. Waves are crushing right near your bare feet. Lightning splitting the darkness in half. The only thing you feel is fear of being washed away by salty water. But you keep holding your ground, by simply being. By allowing what is. You can not fight the power of the nature. You surrender. You listen... You hear...The wind is playing with your hair... The ocean drops are whispering as they run down the rock... The nature is playing music of unity as it finds it’s way to stillness... After you open your eyes to the sunshine. And that is yoga. Photo by Alex Ag

One moment can change one’s life forever. And the more aware I am becoming of those moments, the more I approach them as magical. Those are the moments of CHOICE, when you know your life will not be the same, you will no longer look at the world the way you used to, no matter what decision you make. It can be anything - quitting your long term job, stealing a kiss from a beautiful girl, or rescuing a stay cat at your building’s threshold. In those moments you know the CHOICE you make will change you. And right there, in telling your boss you’re done, in pressing your lips against new lips, in holding the dirty fur against your comfy sweatshirt, there is magic. Magic of transition. The beauty of creation. A whole new world of opportunities.

The planet does not need more ‘successful people.’ The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds. It needs people to live well in their places. It needs people with moral courage willing to join the struggle to make the world habitable and humane, and these qualities have little to do with success as our culture defines it. (David Orr)

Hollow back with the wall very dramatic with this music, but I like it no wisdom today, but backbends and fall vibes by @mumiytroll AKA my favorite Russian band

You don’t have to commit to forever. Or attach your decision to a life time. All it takes is making a choice one day. And the next day. And the following day. And then maybe one day you don’t have to choose anymore. I get a lot of questions about how or why I stopped drinking. I didn’t go to AA. No. I didn’t even considered myself a heavy drinker (maybe at one point). But alcohol certainly didn’t make my life any better. I’d get crazy hangovers and noticeable effects to ...my mental and emotional states (depression, anxiety) just after a few drinks. Likely I was aware enough to realize the direct effects (and I thank yoga for that) of alcohol on my life. Then the questions became very clear- How much longer am I going to do this to myself?, Is it worth to pay such a high price for what’s considered fun in society?, Do I need to use alcohol to have fun?. It was a day at a time journey rooted in awareness and supported by my daily sdhan practice. I never promised myself I quit drinking for good. Every time the opportunity came up I asked myself if it was worth it. And the answer was always and is still a NO. Photo by @alexagphoto

Feel what you feel. That feeling in your chest - feel it. That numbness in your throat - feel it. Don’t try to push it away, or run from it, or numb it. Don’t ask yourself why you are feeling it. Just FEEL. As humans we can not possibly know why certain things happen the way they are. But we can embrace what we have - our sensitivities, our emotions, our ability to FEEL. Photo by @alexagphoto

Before you can do something that you've never done, you have to be able to imagine it is possible. Jean Shinoda Bolen. This year has truly been a year of CHANGE for me. I quit drinking, went back to college after 10 years of just hanging around, I went Vegan and completed 500 hours of Teacher Training with @wearejared at @lighthouseyogaschool . I quit bartending and became a published writer. And I am not planning on stopping on bettering myself and my life a...ny soon. And let me tell you, I don’t always believe in myself. But in those moments of doubt I keep on going. If you can imagine it, you have an ability to make it real. And it is not going to be easy. You will fall. Many times. But every single fall will teach you something. And you’ll get up and you’ll keep on going. Because you have made a choice to succeed! Photo by Alex Ag See more

Half way through our 8 day break and my mind is spinning. I literally feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster. Dunno if that’s the Mercury retrograde or all the sadhana practice I am committed to, or just my sensitive nature. One day I am high as the sky (natural high, no substances involved), the other I am years back, crying my eyes out in the house I grew up at with my mother yelling at me... Just how??? How is my mind capable of reaching so far back finding old bloc...ks in my body and showing me memories associated with those blockages? And honestly to me this is the true power of yoga. The ability to find, relive, release all that energy that has been stored and held for years or maybe lives. Thank you @wearejared @rebeccaemmalee @lighthouseyogaschool and everyone in our strong group for taking me on this journey of even deeper self discovery once more! Photo by @polichphotography @ Lighthouse Yoga School

You already have everything you want and the only thing stopping you from enjoying it is your mind telling you that you have to work harder, that you are not good enough, smart enough, beautiful enough. I have discovered so much depth in my physical (like straight elbow crow and jump back into chaturanga) and spiritual practices during this TT It is really fascinating what a human body is capable of and how much control the mind has over the body I’m Not in Love by Kelsey Lu

We sealed first part of our 300-hour Teacher Training with Puja with @gauri1008 today. The words can not describe how blessed I feel to have this experiences in my life, to have best teachers, to be surrounded by inspiring people and to do what I truly love! I believe that every TT is an opportunity to reborn, to get burned down and rise up from the flames. And I went into this training with a little anticipation, because it’s the first time that I have actually loved the life I had before the TT. And I am so grateful to remember that there’re truly no limits to growth...and that things can always get better! Thank you to everyone who I got to meet on this journey! @ Lighthouse Yoga School

The feeling of pure love, of gratitude, of respect can be just as overwhelming as the feelings of anger or rejection. Maybe that’s why I have always been afraid to open up to it. It is scary for me to feel supported and to trust, to blindly have faith regardless of the circumstances. And it is even more vulnerable to accept the chance of failure. But the fact is that possibility is always there. And as much as I am trying to save myself from hurt, I am also closing myself off from love. Perhaps it is time to stop running. by @polichphotography

You get to choose the way you see the world. Your mind will simply see what you’re looking for. If you focus on seeing negativity, you will find plenty. If you set you mind on failure, you will discover failure in everything. If you concentrate on beauty you will end up surrounding yourself with beauty as you start noticing it everywhere. And if you choose to see success, you will know success. Your mindset isn’t a given constant, but is a variable you get to choose.

With my arms wide open I welcome what the universe has in storage for me And if for you I am magic for myself I will stay a curious child who believes in miracles

You do not have to run through deserts and cross deep seas to meet your heart’s desires. You just have to believe that you deserve the life you want and that the dreams are meant to come true! The magic is just beginning! Read the whole article at https://biologiquelife.com/life then keep to follow your dreams!!! Special thank you to @halitsotetsi for this opportunity and for giving me a way to share my truth! Photo in the bio by @polichphotography