Topics from the Yoga Circles book
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…]
Do you know that suffering is optional? Spiritual traditions tell us this, but many of us are slow to accept it. Spiritual masters like Buddha and Jesus advised their followers that they would suffer, but they also offered hope for redemption. Yes, suffering is inevitable, but we can transform it. A friend of mine recently … [Read more…]
This week, I’ve done my best to avoid the theme of letting go of what doesn’t serve me or making New Year’s Resolutions. But it seems every email, social media update, or blog post I’ve seen in the last several days is about charting a new course in one way or another. So I’ll stop … [Read more…]
You never really know what affect you’ll have on someone’s life. Simple gestures can make a lasting difference. Sometimes we hesitate to reach out in a simple gesture of kindness, because we’re not sure how it will be received. When you feel this way, share the light anyway. Believe it will make a difference! No, … [Read more…]
At a yoga class one day, my teacher read a simple quote that is a spin on the Serenity Prayer. It goes like this: God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, The courage to change the one I can, And the wisdom to know it’s me. The quote, like the prayer itself, … [Read more…]
Since I started practicing yoga decades ago, I’ve had lots of discussions with folks brought up in the Christian faith who are curious but skeptical about the practice. For me there’s no reason to separate Christianity and yoga, but I understand some of the hesitation I’ve encountered. For whatever reason, some people believe yoga is … [Read more…]
Today before yoga class, the lovely yoga instructor who was subbing in the class I attend every Monday asked how my mom is doing. Since she also comes to the class as a student, we’ve chatted often, so she knew about my mom’s medical issues. We chatted briefly about caring for loved ones who are … [Read more…]
I’m curious. What’s your favorite yoga style? And has it changed since you started practicing? With so many yoga styles and even variations within styles, finding your groove may take some time. It’s not even clear what counts as a yoga style and what is more of a whim. At a studio where I practice, … [Read more…]
Paramahansa Yogananda, whose life is chronicled in the yoga classic Autobiography of a Yogi, said, “To be fit for self-realization, man must be fearless.” Yoga can make you fearless. It can also give you personal power. Fearlessness often comes up in yoga, particularly when students are learning challenging poses. But what does it mean to be … [Read more…]