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by Jennifer FrenchHmmm, it feels like something's wrong. It’s hard to put a finger on what. Some vague feeling of losing track of ourselves. Worn down by our daily routines and obligations, an undetected general fatigue builds up gradually over time…Or, maybe life...
In May 2007, Bonnie Yonker, yoga teacher and founder of The Yoga Sanctuary, opened the studio doors in the Swiss Connection Building at 403 Sullivan Street with just eleven classes on the schedule. Read more to learn the story of The Yoga Sanctuary…
The practice of cultivating gratitude is part of the science of positive psychology. Studies have found that gratitude can increase levels of well-being and happiness in those who cultivate it.
Rich in symbolism, tadasana comes from the Sanskrit words tada (mountain) and asana (posture, or seat). Mountain Pose is the essence of stability and foundation, and as such, contains the building blocks for every other posture in yoga. Yoga videos exploring Mountain Pose can be found here!
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, compiled by the sage Patanjali at least 1,700 years ago, is considered one of the main authoritative texts on the practice and philosophy of yoga. The Yoga Sutras outline the eight limbs of yoga, which teach us the ways in which one can...
Virasana, or the Hero’s Pose, is a commonly used sitting or meditation posture. Those that have difficulty taking a cross-legged position often find the pose to be more accessible and comfortable. Vira, the root word for virasana, translates to hero. You may wonder how a simple and humble kneeling position came to be known as such… Practice videos included here!!
“Asana practice stimulates healing on many levels. Yes, it can help to heal injuries and bring strength and flexibility to muscles and joints, but, spiritually, the practice of asana can release us from avidya, which means ignorance of who we really are.” ~...
Enjoy this simple, 15-minute guided meditation that focuses on the natural rhythm of the breath, and your unique breath print.
A Guided Meditation Led by Melissa Goodwin Melissa fell in love with yoga at the age of 10, when she and her mother attended a community yoga class. She is grateful to have found her long-time teachers, Tias and Surya Little, when she moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in...
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. ~ Viktor E. Frankl Many of us live our lives as if on autopilot, constantly being destabilized and reacting to what we...
The eighth limb of yoga is what we refer to as samadhi. Following dhyana, or meditation, in which concentration is maintained for longer periods of time, samadhi involves the union of the meditator with the object of meditation. It unites the seer with the seen. As...
Dhyana builds on the previous limb, dharana (one-pointed concentration). Dhyana is meditation. Think of dhyana as the maintenance of dharana for longer periods of time. When the mind is focused on one object, or activity, without interruption, this is dhyana. Says...
Dharana is the state of one-pointed concentration, when the mind is able to continuously focus on one object without distraction. The limbs leading up to dharana serve to build up to it: asana builds strength, making the body more comfortable; pranayama helps to build...
Pratyahara is, simply put, the withdrawal of the senses, or “to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses,” according to T.K.V. Desikachar, the son of the man responsible for bringing yoga to the West,...
The word pranayama contains two parts: prana and ayama. Prana refers to the life force, vitality, or energy that sustains us, and indeed, sustains the entire universe. Ayama means “extension” or “expansion.” Pranayama, therefore, means “extension of life force.” Prana...
By Jennifer French I often reflect on how fortunate I am to be on this yogic path. It has provided me with tools and skills that help keep me afloat when the day to day challenges of life get even more challenging. It’s a blessing to have mentors to go to, teachers...
by Gwen Burdick The dualistic theory of creation or causation is called Sankhya Philosophy and it appears in texts as ancient as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Its founder was the sage Kapila who is considered by scholars to be older than Buddha. It is also the...
by Gwen Burdick Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah Tat savitur varenyam Bhargo devasya dhimahi Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat Translation: With loving reverence we bow to the inner Light, the supreme wisdom in all the world. May this Divine Light guide and illuminate our...
by Gwen Burdick Om Triyambakam yajamahe Sugandhim pushti vardhanam Urvarukamiva bandhanan Mrityor mukshiya mamritat Translation: I meditate on, and surrender myself to, the Divine Being who embodies the power of will, the power of knowledge and the power of action. ...
The Fourth Aim: Moksha Our investigation of the four Purusharthas, or aims of life in the Vedic tradition, concludes with Moksha, which means release, liberation or self-realization. The harmonious interactions of the first three aims, Dharma, Artha and Kama, are the...