Library
The Eternal Dance
There is a widespread and well-known image in Indian Tantric art: Lord Shiva lies inert and corpselike on the earth while the Goddess Shakti dances wildly on his body. He is all potentiality, all mind-space, she is all fluid energy. Together they symbolize the wholeness of universal life, the perfect union of still mind and vibrant matter...more » read more...
Breathing Lessons
When I first encountered pranayama, I thought it was a complete waste of time. I had been taking classes for a couple of years and had just found the instructor I later came to see as my first "real" yoga teacher. One day she announced to the class, "Today we're going to do some pranayama." Huh? I thought. What's that? Prana—what?
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The Gift of Assisting
Even if you are already teaching your own classes, learning to assist a senior teacher can be one of the most valuable learning opportunities you will ever have. » read more...
Manual Transmission
“It’s your job as the teacher to answer questions!” she said a little peevishly, apparently since I hadn’t given her the kind of answer she was looking for.
Actually, I don’t see it that way.
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Vinyasa
Western yogis, modern ones anyway, tend to use the term “vinyasa” to describe a sequence of linked, large-scale bodily movements: tadasana, arms up, uttanasana, arms down, jump back to adho mukha svanasana, jump to trikonasana, bend the front knee to transition to parsvakonasana, and so on. “Vinyasa” has become synonymous with “flow” » read more...
