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….”
Tag Archives: asana
Thoughts on Hanumasana and Life
Advanced poses aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and they aren’t required — the measure of a good yoga practice isn’t what you do on the mat so much as what your practice helps you to do during the rest of your life. With that said, however, I think all of us are fascinated by theContinue reading “Thoughts on Hanumasana and Life”
The Bhagavad Gita
Thoreau and Emerson loved this poem. So did T.S. Eliot, a century later. And, now that I’ve read it, so do I. I first encountered it in my yoga teacher training, where study of the Bhagavad Gita was included in the curriculum alongside discussions of anatomy. Yoga Journal magazine goes so far as to call itContinue reading “The Bhagavad Gita”
A Sequence for Neck and Shoulders
Ah, the start of warmer weather… skipping asana for picnics and meditation for shopping. Mantras change to “charge those hiking boots, please!” The return of traffic makes us ill-tempered, longer days make us restless, and the volatile temperatures make us stiffer. Fight back! If you honestly don’t have time for a full practice, try thisContinue reading “A Sequence for Neck and Shoulders”
Yoga People: Ellen Mathews
When Tolstoy wrote that ‘all happy families are alike,’ he certainly wasn’t speaking about the yoga family I’ve been blessed to enjoy. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, you won’t regret making a trip to the San Gabriel Valley – or reaching out on Zoom – to take a class with the incandescent EllenContinue reading “Yoga People: Ellen Mathews”
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”
Book Review: Bent
Bent is an interesting addition to the current published literature on yoga. Written as a memoir, it begins when the author is diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease and then weaves its way back and forth in time. We discover that Anne Clendening began her recovery from alcoholism in her early twenties, and that she staysContinue reading “Book Review: Bent”
A Yoga Practice for Manipura Chakra
Located at the center of the body, behind the navel, manipura chakra is the energy center that represents what Western civilization thinks of as personhood. Here, vitality impacts willpower, personality, and the ego. Who are we, and how do we share ourselves with the world? When manipura is balanced, we experience clarity of thought, physicalContinue reading “A Yoga Practice for Manipura Chakra”
My Knee Wants Its Say (a personal interlude)
I’ve been sidelined this week by the voice of my unrepentant right knee, which currently insists that it doesn’t want to bend. This knee has been troublesome every since that time I almost died in Patagonia (a phrase I love to throw around that exaggerates a hiking mishap outside of Ushuaia, Argentina), but lately it’sContinue reading “My Knee Wants Its Say (a personal interlude)”
A Beginning Yin Sequence
I’m always conflicted about posting a sequence for people to practice by themselves, since I very much believe that learning any style of yoga should always begin with lessons from a qualified teacher. In a perfect world, this lesson would be face to face. However, amidst the realities of COVID, most of us have practicedContinue reading “A Beginning Yin Sequence”
Yoga Cielo Stellato 