I arrived early to my Tuesday class, so asked some of the students if they had any inspirations for the practice. “Levitation,” replied one particularly cheeky monkey. “Inversions!” another cried. “I may get in trouble for this,” said a third, “but I’d like to do abs.” Alright, I thought. Levitating, inverted abs it is. Challenge [...] [read more...]
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Ajna Chakra, located at the third eye center, opens us to element of light. In addition to literally seeing, this chakra draws us into the power of visualization, imagination, and abstraction. We literally connect to a higher frequency (Vishuddha was the frequency of sound, Ajna of light) and our experience moves further beyond the tangible [...] [read more...] The link from the heart chakra to the more etheric upper chakras, Vishuddha (the throat chakra) is the center of conscious communication. Like the second chakra, Vishuddha is a creative nexus. However, unlike the unconscious, earthy, and sensuous energy of Svadisthana, Vishuddha’s creativity is connected to our higher consciousness. Through its power, we literally express [...] [read more...] What more appropriate chakra to explore on Valentine’s Week than the heart chakra? We are all familiar with the sensations of the heart. Almost everyone can relate when someone says that they feel ”light-hearted” or that they have a “heavy heart.” In this way, the sensations of the heart chakra are some of the most [...] [read more...] Manipura Chakra is the seat of the ego and self-definition. Its element is fire and it the seat of the ego. Too much fire breeds anger, aggression, over-assertion; too little fire and we are not able to create boundaries, self-determine, or speak our minds. A healthy third chakra is marked by empowerment. When we are [...] [read more...] As we move into the second chakra, life starts getting juicy. Now that our primal survival needs have been addressed, we move into the realm of feelings, pleasure, creativity, and sexuality. To paraphrase Anodea Judith, we are creating a container in the first chakra…and in the second chakra we fill this container with fluid and [...] [read more...] Can we be strong without being rigid? Can we own our own space without being overbearing? Is our relationship with our body healthy? These are just a few of the issues encompassed by our first chakra. Located at the base of the spine, muladhara chakra is the “root” of the chakra system. Like the foundation [...] [read more...] I first started practicing yoga so that I didn’t get fat. I was a fairly neurotic, athletic, 20-something, looking for a way to stay flexible, “healthy” (skinny), and (sure, why not?) centered. Living in NYC with a healthy competitive streak and a does of obsession, I was determined to get “good” at yoga. Handstand, shoulderstand, [...] [read more...] Ah, New Year’s Resolutions! As we turn the corner into the New Year and the days begin to become longer (even if we don’t quite notice yet!), NOW is the fertile time to initiate profound change. Before we dive in, though, it is important for us to take the time to distinguish between reflexive and [...] [read more...] To move into the unknown, we have to step out of our comfort zone. To paraphrase Andre Gide, we must consent to lose sight of the shore if we are to venture to new lands. As we let go of the attic junk that no longer serves us – be it a habit, relationship, attachment, [...] [read more...] |
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