The Yoga of Action “The power of action shakes off the inertia blanketing our soul. It awakens our dormant forces of will and knowledge and infuses us with self-trust and self-confidence. In the light of this active will and knowledge we are able to see ourselves, discover our own strength, and awaken and deploy our…
Just as every classically trained chef ‘speaks’ the language of Escoffier and follows Le Guide Culinaire, every yogi needs to ‘speak’ the language of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Sanskrit is the gatekeeper of Yoga and you must make friends with it to be allowed into the inner sanctum. While adopting the techniques and terminology of another…
“Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God.” When I Om, I feel that I’m able to pray and meditate at the same time. Reverend Diane Robinson It is said in Hindu mythology Brahma (the creator) had a thought, “I am one, but may I become many?” This…
In The Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, a fierce warrior about to go into battle and reclaim a kingdom stolen by way of many injustices, becomes overwhelmed by the responsibility of the task at hand. Overcome with hopelessness, Arjuna asks his charioteer, Krishna: “Why must I engage in this terrible war? What will be the consequences of the pain I will cause…
Pranayama “Tug on anything at all and you’ll find it connected to everything else in the universe.” John Muir Every night we charge our cell phones but how do we recharge the mind? The secret is our breath. “Prana” refers to the universal life force and “ayama” means to regulate, stretch, extend, or lengthen.…
“Inside of me there’s a mantra going on that reminds me of who I am. It’s that place inside – that niche in the wall where the candle flame never flickers. Always bringing me right to my heart where we dwell eternally.” -Ram Dass A ‘mantra’ is like a beautifully wrapped gift that…
In yoga philosophy, we learn that the greatest causes of our own suffering are due to mental obstacles known as the Kleshas (poisons in Sanskrit). These mental obstacles, when active, serve as the motivation for what we do, while keeping us from a sense of what is real and true. Two of the Kleshas we…
“At its heart, hatha yoga is more than just flexibility or strength in postures; it is the management of prana, the vital life force that animates all levels of being. Prana enables the body to move and the mind to think. It is the intelligence that coordinates our senses, and the perceptible manifestation of our…
“Let it out and let it in;” The lyrics made famous by the Beatles in the song ‘Hey Jude,’ and a quote I immediately recognized when I saw it posted on my sister in-law’s picture introducing her new baby girl, my new niece, to the world. When I read this, I felt an instant connection…
“Asana is a steady, comfortable posture” -2.46 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali “I mean, it feels good. Is it supposed to?” This was a response I got today from a regular student (who was in a reclined pose, Apanasana) when I asked her how she felt as I was gently grounding her leg. I realized…