Pathway to Peace & Joy
Establish a more harmonious and peaceful environment within and around you through the practice and study of the Yamas and Niyamas.
Yoga is so much more than a physical practice.
It is about cultivating a supportive relationship with ourselves and the world around us that leads to less stress and discomfort, more ease, and positive change.
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The cornerstone of yoga philosophy lies in the yamas and niyamas—sacred principles that illuminate the path to inner peace and harmony, guiding us to cultivate peace within ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world around us.
Are you seeking to:
Ease stress and tension in your life?
Discover tools to transform your relationship with stress, even when challenges feel unchangeable?
Feel more at home and at ease in your body?
Cultivate a deeper connection with your thoughts and emotions?
Recognize patterns that no longer serve you and embrace principles that support new, life-enhancing habits?
Foster uplifting relationships and create a more nurturing environment?
The Yamas and Niyamas are sacred principles that guide us toward deeper self-awareness and a clearer understanding of the world around us.
They expand our perspective, allowing us to see life, our roles, and our personal vision through a new and enlightened lens.
With this shift in perception comes greater understanding and compassion, easing our inner struggles and opening the door to new possibilities.
By cultivating clarity and balance within, the Yamas and Niyamas shape our daily lives, helping us make choices that align with our deepest values and aspirations.
They gently unravel the layers of stress and tension we have carried, offering tools to move through life with greater confidence, grace, and ease.
They also teach us to surrender what is beyond our control and focus instead on our own thoughts and actions—empowering us to create meaningful, positive change within ourselves and our lives.
Deepen your connection with yourself.
Let the Yamas and Niyamas be your foundation, strengthening your inner wisdom and intuition so you can move through life with confidence and empowerment.
With clarity and understanding, explore your habits, patterns, and choices—awakening the power to consciously shape the life you wish to live.
This is about purposefully designing your life and nurturing your inner landscape so that peace and harmony flow through you and you move through life with more grace and ease.
It is also about recognizing what stands in the way and how these vital principles can help to interrupt old patterns and slowly create new ones.
Like any new skill, it takes time, patience and practice.
We need time to explore the teachings, to see ourselves more clearly, undo old ways of thinking and being, practice new ways, and integrate them so that this becomes part of who you are..
Yoga is a path of transformation.
It is also a practice of patience and commitment.
In our fast-paced world, we are looking for quick change and for things to be different yesterday.
Through the lens of yoga philosophy we begin to understand that change takes time and commitment.
The yamas and niyamas provide the first steps so that the journey is built from a place of compassion and loving kindness.
These teachings help to reduce conflict within ourselves and with others, decreasing tensions, anxiety, overwhelm and depression by helping us lean into a source of wisdom that reduces confusion and misunderstanding. This uncovers our own inner radiance and luminosity.
We learn and grow as we walk this path of self - understanding and self - discovery.
Classes are recorded if you need to miss a class. Life will always surprise us. Work, family, health concerns and travel take us away. It is OK to miss a class. You can watch the recordings and do the reading on your own time, as you have time. In this way, we keep the teachings present with us as we flow with life and learn to navigate life’s obstacles with wisdom that we will carry with us long into the future.
Testimonials
“Chrissy’s Yamas and Niyamas class is a life-changer! I’ve had the privilege of attending two consecutive classes, and now I’m looking forward to a deeper year-long study of these essential yoga principles. I’m very grateful for the growth and support I’ve received – the yoga “sisterhood” is awesome! I have finally found a way to control the anxiety that seemed to govern my life, that understanding is invaluable! Chrissy is a generous, patient and intuitive instructor. She connects with everyone while sharing her experience and wisdom, and her passion for these yoga teachings. I would encourage anyone that is exploring yogic traditions to take this class.” - Sherry
“The Yamas and Niyamas course facilitated by Chrissy Lakusta provides opportunities for exploration, reflection, and discussion of Santosha: Contentment as well as the other 9 Yamas and Niyamas. With Chrissy’s extensive knowledge and gentle support and Deborah Adele’s, The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice the teachings of these first 2 limbs of the 8 limbs of yoga come to life, providing essential tools for living with greater awareness and resiliency. The weekly discussion among group members become a valuable touchstone for each participant. This course does not provide a formula for solving life’s problems. Rather, it challenges us to choose to be our best selves in the face of whatever problems and complications we are experiencing. An excellent course!” - Debra
“I started out hoping to learn more of the Yoga philosophy and history to satisfy my curiosity. Instead Chrissy’s weekly study of the Yamas and Niyamas in the Pathway to Peace classes showed me a way of practicing Yoga that can be much more than the practicing poses on the mat. Through Chrissy’s extensive knowledge, kindness, enthusiasm, and patience and the group interactions I find I am both consciously and unconsciously practicing the Yoga principles. The deeper the study the deeper the rewards of calmness, responsiveness (instead of reactiveness) and starting to feel more control over my life. I can examine why I feel the emotions I do and to examine whether they are useful to me or not and what I may look at changing in myself. While this sounds pretty serious and heavy in fact the classes are fun and I looked forward to each session.” - Bruce Seifred
“Studying and applying the wisdom and principles of yoga philosophy has provided me with a framework for examining my life, my values and those aspects of myself that challenge me as I work to develop deeper spiritual practices. Chrissy guides with gentleness, humor and compassion.” - LN
“The benefit of taking yoga philosophy for me is it is giving me the opportunity to get to know myself in an approach I never would have thought of. It has been a blessing to study with a group of women who are so committed. Chrissy has so much knowledge to share and she walks the talk. The teachings and the group have given me the confidence to be more curious and to look at myself or a situation differently. Often you feel you are going it alone, and then you discover you are not, how freeing is that. We are really all walking the same path but our paths to get to this one has been so different. I love hearing all the different reflections and going, "Oh my, that is exactly what I was thinking or what I am feeling." , or "Isn't that is great way to approach my situation.", or "I can help you with that.". Being in a group has helped me to stay committed to my Sadhana. Being in a year long study requires a big commitment, no doubt. The advantage to me is that you really get to know the people in your group, and you start to reach out and feel comfortable, you create a safe space, you create community, and the best part you are amongst a group of like minded people, you speak the same language. Another advantage is you can do a deeper dive into the philosophy, not just skim the surface. The skills I feel I am growing are confidence, patience, compassion, self love, slowing down, and being okay with saying no, that is not building me up. I laugh more.” - Belinda