There’s sometimes a misconception in the yoga community that yogis transcend all the messiness of life. Early in our practice, we’re often taught to let it go, as one of my teachers pointed out recently. But she wasn’t pointing that out to encourage it necessarily. She was pointing it out to dispel the myth that … [Read more…]
The purpose of yoga is to yoke the mind. In a sense, the goal is to lasso the beast and gain control over its nonsense. Before we can do this, we need to understand how the mind works. Once we understand what the yoga sutras call the five modifications of the mind, we can work … [Read more…]
Adhering to the yogic principle of non-possessiveness—the fifth yama—is a challenge. But its power cannot be denied. When I’m able to practice non-possessiveness, my life improves dramatically! How does this work? If you’re familiar with the yamas and niyamas, you know they are guidelines for living. I sometimes think of them as the Ten Commandments … [Read more…]
In an early-morning yoga class one day, our teacher asked which poses we love to do. This seamlessly led to a discussion of which poses we hate. (For the record, I love warrior poses and twists.) The consensus: among the more dreaded poses was utkatasana, or “awkward chair.” You probably know the pose. (If not, check … [Read more…]
My first yoga class was in a library, not a gym or a yoga studio. It was a community school class held at the high school I’d graduated from five years earlier. I remember that class well, even though it was decades ago. Even though I fell in love with yoga quickly, I only practiced … [Read more…]
For Christians, Lent is traditionally a time to fast and repent. It’s a time to make a conscious effort to put aside obstacles to our relationship with God. If you’re Christian, or if you know Christians, you may associate Lent with giving up chocolate or alcohol, for example. For yogis who are also Christian, there … [Read more…]
Have you ever left a yoga class feeling like you’re floating on a cloud? Even if the feeling isn’t so dramatic, I’m sure you’ve experienced a shift after a yoga class that makes you wonder how yoga and the nervous system are connected. Maybe you go into class feeling anxious and you leave feeling calm. … [Read more…]
I was flipping through channels on TV and came across a psychologist doing an audience Q & A. Someone asked him for tips on better communication with loved ones. The psychologist’s answer was simple (but not easy). “Listen longer than you want to,” he said. Start with Listening I’m often told I’m a good listener. But … [Read more…]
You won’t escape people asking about New Year’s resolutions or intentions for the new year. If you’re like me (I haven’t made New Year’s resolutions in nearly a decade) you may cringe when everyone starts talking about all the ways their lives will be different after January first. You’ve probably noticed most resolutions or intentions … [Read more…]
It would seem at first that being authentic, while a valuable concept, isn’t really a yoga topic. But it’s come up in my yoga classes more than once recently—and I think I know why. I wrote a while ago about one of my teacher’s dharma talks about vulnerability, and how being authentic isn’t possible unless we … [Read more…]