The Poetry of Yoga
Having participated in an all-night meditation and chanting session in honor of Sivaratri, gave me plenty of time to reflect on and wonder about Siva energy. (And when I say “all-night”- I mean from 9pm - 6am)!
First, let me explain what Sivaratri is and why I participate in this annual “night of Siva.” Siva (also spelled Shiva) is often described as the ultimate yogi in deep meditation. He is painted with long flowing hair (of the river Ganga) and coiled snakes embracing him. Stories about Siva portray him as both a devoted ascetic who renounces the world and then with Parvati and their child, Ganesha. (more…)
Posted on February 19th, 2007 in Thoughtful Yoga, Understanding Yoga, Teaching Yoga, Devotional Yoga, The Poetry of Yoga
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Keeping a journal is a common enough practice these days. Artists often use journals as a way to remember inspirations and reflect on what they are experiencing. Similarly, starting a yoga journal can help you record and notice how your daily life is changing because of your yoga practice. (more…)
Posted on February 12th, 2007 in Thoughtful Yoga, Start Your Yoga Practice, Yoga and Meditation, The Poetry of Yoga
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One of the rumors about yoga is that it creates a youthful body, hinting at longevity.
Don’t know about that-I’ll tell you when I get there but I was reflecting on the whole age thing this week because my beloved auntie celebrated her 96th birthday (her husband is a younger man at 95!). My sister Basia, who has an incredible blog, wrote a beautiful piece about them and how significant they’ve been in our lives. (See India Ink entry for January 9, 2007, it includes one of my poems) (more…)
Posted on January 9th, 2007 in Thoughtful Yoga, Yoga for Laughs, The Poetry of Yoga
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I’ve written previously how devoting my breaths to the Durga mantra, Lakshmi mantra and Saraswati mantra has affected my life. (See my blog entries on Navaratri for September 23- October 2, 2006). (more…)
Posted on January 8th, 2007 in Thoughtful Yoga, Yoga for Emotional Health, Understanding Yoga, Yoga and Meditation, Teaching Yoga, Devotional Yoga, The Poetry of Yoga
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It’s a very different feeling creating your own yoga session than it is showing up for a yoga class. In my 20 years of yoga practice, I’ve gone through periods of knowing that I needed the structure and guidance of another yoga teacher and other times when I was able to go much deeper into my own yoga practice by going solo. (more…)
Posted on January 2nd, 2007 in Thoughtful Yoga, Start Your Yoga Practice, Yoga and Meditation, 30 Days of Yoga, Benefits of Yoga, Teaching Yoga, The Poetry of Yoga
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Yes, I do celebrate the holidays- the light returning, as of yesterday’s Winter Solstice; thinking of what else I can give, give, give; smelling evergreens when I visit my friends’ homes; hearing from friends I thought I lost track of since my move; cheering those on who are in dire need of rest from their 9-5 jobs; updating my address book; finishing writing projects begun this year. (more…)
Posted on December 22nd, 2006 in Thoughtful Yoga, Yoga and Community, The Poetry of Yoga
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Meditation, in yogic practices, is not usually given as much explanation time in beginners yoga classes as guidance on the positioning and alignment of asanas. In fact, many of the explanations used by yoga teachers actually arise from Buddhist meditation techniques. Partly this is due to the fact that Buddhist practices have more written material available - having been developed and maintained through Buddhist monastic traditions.
So what’s the difference and isn’t it all just meditation anyway? (more…)
Posted on December 14th, 2006 in Thoughtful Yoga, Understanding Yoga, Yoga and Meditation, Teaching Yoga, Devotional Yoga, The Poetry of Yoga
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Even though sunset today was at 4:50 pm, I kept on walking. It gets dark quickly now, days before winter solstice. So my vigorous 5 mile walk felt very dramatic as the trees and bushes I’ve become familiar with became unrecognizable in the dark. The line between the road and the tree roots was blurred and the afternoon rain storm had painted a blue tinge on the sidewalk ahead of me. (more…)
Posted on December 14th, 2006 in Yoga for Emotional Health, The Poetry of Yoga
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Here are a couple ways of understanding what might happen in yoga, from a philosophical perspective.
The most discussed explanation is the whole idea of steadying the fluctuations of the mind (called vrittis in Sanskrit). If you’ve been going to yoga classes, you’ve probably heard the teacher say or read something like this: we are surrounded by distractions that take us away from our true self. Yoga is a technique that allows us to not be pulled this way and that (by both negative and positive circumstances and their effects on us). Sometimes I think this describes my experience, especially when in sitting meditation, but then it doesn’t fully account for what happens during yoga practice. (more…)
Posted on November 28th, 2006 in Understanding Yoga, Yoga and Meditation, Teaching Yoga, The Poetry of Yoga
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Sometimes, when I move through the yoga asanas. When I’m really just following my breath and not too concerned with the right place for my every finger and toe. When I trust the rhythm the yoga teacher has set or feel the changes in a music selection leading me.
Sometimes, I feel myself as a Cobra and a Fish and Tree. Sometimes it’s as if I go through the whole evolutio nary circle. I am crawling and then rising and standing upright with arms to the stars, now soaring and then hugging the earth. (more…)
Posted on November 6th, 2006 in The Poetry of Yoga
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