What does it say about our current world, that visitors to Jewish sites in Europe must first pass through metal detectors and have their purses checked? I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. As we left the entrance to join our tour group, the tone of the tour was set –Continue reading “The Yoga of Auschwitz”
Category Archives: Yoga Activism
A Fresh Look at the Eight-Limbed Path
Can you see the progression from one limb to the next? All eight are important to our personal and planetary development.
Making Down Dog Accessible
Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Down Dog, strengthens and stretches multiple muscle groups in the arms, legs, core, and back. It’s the basis of most vinyasa classes, where some iteration of Surya Namaskar. or Sun Salutation, connects different asanas. Downward Dog is a simple inversion, bringing all the benefits of placing one’s head lower than theContinue reading “Making Down Dog Accessible”
Another day, another shooting….
Here’s a conundrum: what do yogic texts teach us about disasters like yesterday’s shooting in Uvalde, Texas? After all, we believe that yoga and meditation are there to help us in the rest of our lives. Like many Americans, I was gutted by the news of yet another school massacre, and so I took toContinue reading “Another day, another shooting….”
Yes, I did the thing….
I’ve blogged about yoga at one site or another for a good five years, but there’s one thing I’ve never done: post pictures of myself doing yoga. Why, you may ask? Well, honestly — it’s one thing to talk about yoga being accessible for all sizes; it’s quite another to feel good about people staringContinue reading “Yes, I did the thing….”
Arm Modifications in Yoga
People practice asana for many reasons. Some want a “yoga bootie”; others seek cross-training with a sport or another fitness modality. Still others look to manage their stress, ease the strain of seated meditation, or quiet the mind by focusing on motion and the breath. All of these are worthy endeavors. However, what if someoneContinue reading “Arm Modifications in Yoga”
Focus on the yamas: Asteya
Like many yoga practitioners, I started with with asana, and began to seek out yoga philosophy later rather than sooner. Part of the reason for this was my initial glance at the yamas, or moral restraints; I thought of them as the second half of the ‘yogic Ten Commandments.’ They didn’t seem that difficult orContinue reading “Focus on the yamas: Asteya”
Sangha and Yogic Practice
What does it mean to be part of a sangha, or community? As a society, we’ve become inured to many things. The word inured is defined as ‘becoming accustomed to accepting something undesirable;” as the yogic path asks us to examine what we take for granted, I think it’s important to consider how we useContinue reading “Sangha and Yogic Practice”
Yoga Cielo Stellato 