Yogis are often interested in Buddhism, especially in the West. After all, our yoga practice has roots in Eastern spirituality and is associated with a major Eastern religion (Hinduism). So, it makes sense that at some point, many of us begin to wonder about the connection between yoga and Buddhism. As a new yogi, I … [Read more…]
Last week, I went to a chakra balancing yoga workshop to explore how yoga can help open and balance the body’s energy system. It’s not the first chakra yoga workshop I’ve attended, but it was the first time I had more of physical experience than a traditional learning experience. The teacher told us she was … [Read more…]
A while back, a member of a social media community I’m part of posted about an interesting dilemma. As an Indian native versed in classical yoga, he was wondering how to expose Westerners to a more authentic experience of yoga. It made me think (again) about whether we are truly practicing yoga, and what we’re … [Read more…]
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali warns us of the pitfalls of attachment. Non-attachment is a powerful spiritual practice in yoga. Human beings tend to hold tight to what we believe is ours: possessions, identity, the attention we believe we deserve. We may even cling to our yoga teachers. But the best yoga teachers know how … [Read more…]
This week, my yoga teacher asked an interesting question. “When you hear the word vulnerability, do you think it’s a good thing or a bad thing?”. Before I go on, let me say it was one of those times when I knew the dharma talk I’d hear that morning would align with why I started … [Read more…]
The chakras system—the energy system of the body—is complex. Experts say we need to work with each of the main chakras carefully. We begin at the base of the spine with the root chakra, where we can root to rise. Rooting in yoga creates a foundation from which we build stability and strength. From there, … [Read more…]
If you’ve listened to the songs from the Broadway musical “Hair,” you’ve heard of the Age of Aquarius. At the time, it may have sounded like an imaginary age and a catchy tune. Turns out, the Aquarian Age is a real thing, and it’s probably happening now. What is the Aquarian Age, you ask? Good … [Read more…]
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are sacred verses that teach us why we need yoga and how to practice. First, we’re told to take a seat and listen. We will now learn about yoga. Yoga (or union) is the cessation of the modifications of the mind, specifically five types of thoughts. Patanjali then describes the … [Read more…]
What if the things you dislike most about yourself are your greatest strengths? Crazy idea, isn’t it? Yet this is an idea my yoga teacher put out to us one morning. She was reading a book about shadow work, or more specifically embracing our shadow side. The author suggests we think of our dark sides … [Read more…]
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali—196 verses of yoga wisdom—begins by asking a fundamental question: What is yoga? Well, to be precise, the sutras begin with the sage calling yogis to take their seat. It’s time, he says, for the teachings of yoga. After we (the students) are presumably settled in place, Patanjali explains what we … [Read more…]