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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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 evolutionary circle. I am crawling and then rising and standing upright with arms to the stars, now soaring and then hugging the earth. (more…)