Eka Pada Koundinyasana. It’s one of those poses that you see on the cover of yoga journal, performed by someone smiling peacefully (and seemingly in no state of stress or panic) that makes you go, “Huh? Riiiiiiiiiight.” As my boyfriend said with alarm upon seeing this picture to the left, “Jesus! That is not good!” […]
Getting Quiet in Practice: Halasana
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 […]
Chakras – the practical side for the dubious
The chakras can seem a little…well, out there. Whirling wheels of energy? Rainbow light? Huh? But if we think about the body and its functions, the chakras do seem to match up pretty well to how we work. The root chakra – muladhara – is at our pelvic floor and deals with earth, downward energy, […]
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 […]
Clearing the Windshield
Our ego is like a sheet of glass that exists between the world and our mind. As information from the world filters through our senses, it passes through our ego on its way to our conscious thought. We screen though everything we perceive: “I like this because I did something like it before and that […]
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 […]
Mark Whitwell – What is yoga?
What is yoga? In this ten-minute segment, Mark – with his typical directness and humor – clarifies the purpose of yoga and exhorts us to participate with authenticity and intimacy in our own lives. I have studied with Mark on several occasions in New York and in Vancouver and always find his clarity and inclusiveness […]