Summer is here in all its glory, and where I live, we’re not likely to see temperatures below 90 degrees Fahrenheit anytime soon. This of course gives me yet another excuse to avoid physical exertion, including my yoga practice. Sound familiar? Thankfully, the yogic sages also contended with sweltering days, and their wisdom has giftedContinue reading “Breathing Techniques for Hot Weather”
Category Archives: Yogic Philosophy
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.
Some Thoughts on OM
The three major religions of the Western world all testify to the power of the spoken word. Judaism claims “And God said, ‘Let there be light.”(Genesis 1:3), while Christianity states “In the beginning, there was the word.”(John 1:1) and Islam declaims “Fear God and speak a word that is right.” (Quran 33:70). In Eastern spiritualContinue reading “Some Thoughts on OM”
Back to Vata Season!
Summer is gone. Granted, Los Angeles is still seeing heat spells, but in some parts of the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures are actually dropping. Even in southern climes, however, the sun rises a bit later and sets a bit earlier every day. Depending on where you are as you read this, the movement from summer toContinue reading “Back to Vata Season!”
Using Yoga to Work With Grief
One of my best friends died last Sunday. I’ve spent this week in a daze, alternating between confusion, anger, and sorrow. I wish I could do something to spare everyone – immediate family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances – the pain they are feeling. I wish I could understand why bad things happen to good people andContinue reading “Using Yoga to Work With Grief”
Re-Rail A De-Railed Yoga Practice
Like so many things about yoga, what we do on the mat is a microcosm of what we do off of it. In the big bad world out there, no one really cares that we can stand on one leg and balance into Warrior III, but everyone would agree that being able to fall safelyContinue reading “Re-Rail A De-Railed Yoga Practice”
Eknath Easwaran, author
Even during pandemic times, we are almost terminally busy. We know we need to continue yoga study, but it’s hard to determine what to read. With that in mind, I highly recommend the works of long-term UC Berkeley professor Eknath Easwaran (1910-1999). As a writer, Easwaran had the ability to write for both the currentContinue reading “Eknath Easwaran, author”
Remembering Yoga Bhajan
If you can’t see God in all, you can’t see God at all. Pretty challenging teaching, especially in these divided times. But then, Yogi Bhajan didn’t come to the West on a feel-good mission. Instead, his teachings confronted our samskaras and continue to challenge us, offering a yogic vision for life that continues to instructContinue reading “Remembering Yoga Bhajan”
Buying A Yoga Mat
At some point, every yoga practitioner using a borrowed mat has looked down and wondered who else has used it, and how long ago it has been washed. Generally, this is when the thought of buying your own surfaced in pre-pandemic times; once we found ourselves practicing at home, owning a mat became not onlyContinue reading “Buying A Yoga Mat”
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….”
Yoga Cielo Stellato 