The Yoga Sutras are comprised of 196 sayings that speak to the nature of mind, lifestyle, values, use of the body, breath (prana, in Sanskrit) and our senses. Compiled by the sage Patangali in the second century BCE, the sutras are intended to bring about self-realization. Over the ages, there have been many outstanding translations. […]
Yoga
To Thine Own Restricted Shoulders Be True
I took my first training with Paul and Suzee Grilley in 2007. I was drawn to study with Paul because of his best-selling DVD on anatomy for yoga practioners. Besides wanting to deepen my knowledge of anatomy, I was curious as to why I was so blessed with a flexible lower body, yet had shoulders […]
Navigating Your Journey Using the Koshas
I first realized that yoga could impact me in ways beyond my physical body during deep relaxation practice in the classes I took over 25 years ago. After 45 minutes or so of physical movement, we would lie on our backs on a yoga mat in a pose known as savasana. For goodness sake, what […]
Yoga and the Use of Technology
This month we invite you to listen to an audio recording of a program entitled “Yoga and the Use of Technology,” presented August 19th at the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco. Heather Ford, Marc Morizumi, and I discussed our personal relationship to technology and how our use of technology can serve us, rather than […]
The Many Faces of Greed
The final and fifth yama is aparigraha, or non-greed. In this blog, we’ll examine several aspects of gluttony, including materialism, and the ways in which we exhibit greed in our thoughts and communication. Material Greed Greed is a gross and enduring problem of humankind. Endless stories through the ages have chronicled the devastating consequences of […]
Mindfulness and Moderation
Thus far in examining the Yamas (ethical principles for living from the yoga sutras), we’ve discussed non-violence, truthfulness, and non-stealing. Brahmacharya, the fourth of the five yamas, is often translated from the Sanskrit as conservation or celibacy. It is also understood as moderation. For the purpose of this blog, we’ll focus on moderation. Before we dive […]