During the holidays, it’s more important than ever to have some quiet time. With all of the distractions – parties, relatives, drama, presents, planning, joy, baggage – it’s easy to get swept away on a holiday rollercoaster! This week’s pose is halasana (plow). By turning ourselves upside down and folding over, we are literally looking […]
Bakasana – stoking the inner fire
Bakasana is one of those asani that looks impossible until you actually do it. “You want me to put my knees where and balance on my what?” we think with dismay. But with just a few steps, you two can begin to find the effortless flight that characterizes this arm balance. And the key lies […]
The King of the Asanas – Headstand
Moving with our fear. Headstand is an elegant inversion, insisting on patience, presence, and control to be done properly. For many of us, headstand is an opportunity to brush against our fear. Fear of the unknown, of falling, of not being in control. As such, the practice of headstand become an opportunity to practice intimacy […]
Aum Shanti Meditation – from Alan Finger
Shanti, of course, is the Sanksrit word for peace. (The tradition of reciting “shanti, shanti, shanti” 3 times reflects the trinary nature of existence – – the relationship of peace within yourself, peace between you and others, and peace throughout the universe. Buddhists also refer to the Threefold peace of the body, mind and speech). […]
Hum-Sa Kriya – Alan Finger
This meditation was one of the first that I learned from my teacher Alan Finger. It is a beautiful way to calm and still the mind and connect to the energy of your body. The Hum-Sa Kriya is part of the “Ishta Diksha.” Diksha, meaning “initiation,” is the physical transference of divine energy directly into […]
Natarajasana
Natarajasana, Pose of the Lord of the Dance, is a complex pose that is deep backbend with the added fun of balance. As with any backbend, is it essential to fully warm up the thoracic spine and hip flexors as well as integrate core stability for the safety of the lower back. A myriad of […]
Giving Gratitude Legs – Ustrasana
Frequently when we leave yoga class, we’re feeling pretty good. We’re stretched, we’re stronger, our minds are a bit more settled. After all, feeling good in our own bodies is a crucial first step on our hatha yoga path. And if that’s what gets us to the mat, so much the better. But at some […]
Stroke of Insight – Jill Bolte Taylor
This astounding video recounts neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor’s experience of having a stroke. Not only is she able to contextualize the experience from a medical perspective, but she discovers that bliss may be a simple matter of “stepping to the right.” I also highly recommend her book, where she candidly offers her experience of recovery. […]
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana, aka Upward Bow – don’t call it Wheel, that’s a different pose ;). One of the ultimate yoga stretches for the front of the body, Urdhva Dhanurasana challenges us to maintain our strength though the core as we radiate through our upper chest and heart and stretch our hip flexors and shoulders. Any […]
Levitating, inverting, abs. By request.
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 […]
Ajna Chakra: Light
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 […]
Vishuddha Chakra: Space
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 […]
Anahata Chakra: Air
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 […]
Manipura Chakra: Fire
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 […]
Svadisthana Chakra: Water
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 […]
Muladhara Chakra: Earth
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 […]
Fanning the Inner Fire
The increasing darkness of winter is an invitation to move more deeply into our shadow selves. We can hunker down, get internal, and examine what pieces of ourselves no longer serve. It is time to clear out space and let go of old habits and limiting patterns, so that when the sun begins to come […]