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In yoga sutra 1.2, the second sutra of book one, Patanjali lays out the definition and purpose of yoga. Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah: yoga is the cessation of the modifications, or fluctuations, of the mind. This sutra gets right to the heart of why we practice yoga. No...
At the end of a yoga asana practice comes what many find to be the best part of the practice—Savasana, or Corpse Pose. Often, Savasana is referred to as Final Resting Pose or Final Relaxation Pose, but at its essence, Savasana is about surrendering deeply to an energy...
Siddhasana, or Accomplished Pose, does not look like much from the outside, but the ability to hold this pose for long periods of time is known to be a marker of meditative excellence. In a sitting position, with the left heel placed against the groin, or perineum,...
Balasana, or Child’s Pose, is one of the most-loved yoga postures for the simple reason that it feels so good. The fact that it’s often taken after a difficult pose may even increase its appeal. Balasana is like a refuge. A breath of fresh air. A release. It’s where...
Vasisthasana, or Side Plank Pose, is named after the great Indian sage Vasistha. The story begins with King Ram, who was an incarnation of Vishnu, one of three main Hindu gods responsible for the creation, maintenance, and destruction of the universe. Vishnu is...
In the Buddhist tradition, the practice of metta, or loving kindness, plays an important role. The ability to view other people and beings with benevolence is a strong value of this belief system. But in a world with so much violence, so many differing opinions, so...
Hanumanasana, or Monkey Pose, in its full expression, is the forward splits, a challenging pose that represents the pose Hanuman took as he leapt from the southern tip of India to Sri Lanka to rescue his good friend Ram’s wife, Sita, who had been kidnapped by the evil...
Silent meditation, which you can experience in our weekly meditation class, is a way to quiet the mind and open the heart to the possibilities of the moment. Silence is a powerful tool that helps us turn inward and listen to the quieter voice that comes with insight....
Bhujangasana, or Cobra Pose, represents our ability overcome fear. While the cobra is generally considered to be a creature that evokes fear, our ability to look past this initial instinct and view fear from a new perspective is key to helping us move past it. As...
Natarajasana, or King Dancer Pose, is the embodiment of King Nataraja, a depiction of Shiva, the god of destruction. Shiva represents change. With birth must come death; with destruction must come rebuilding. Nataraja represents Shiva as the ever-present change in the...
By Margit Bannon If you play tennis it’s not such a stretch (pardon the pun) to say that you might enjoy the practice of yoga, and if you practice yoga that you might enjoy tennis. Let’s consider the parallels between these two disciplines. As yogis we often...
One reason that yoga appeals to so many people is because, in addition to the great physical and mental benefits, its added spiritual/philosophical dimension can be integrated into a wide range of belief systems. When you hear the phrase, “Yoga is for all,” you may...
Diwali, which means "row of lights" in Sanskrit, is a celebration in India and around the world to honor the inextinguishable Light within all of us. It occurs in late October or early November every year on the New Moon when the two great luminaries of our solar...
Once we find relative ease in the physical body, we can turn our attention to the mind and the necessary practice of meditation. Vedic teaching tells us that the mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation. An undisciplined mind runs incessantly from one object...
Yoga practice as we know it in the modern world tends to be heavily focused on the physical aspect of yoga. Western practitioners are first intrigued by the asana (postures) and pranayama (breath control) that are taught in yoga studios far and wide, but when we view...
Trikonasana, or Triangle Pose, is a symbol of trinity. Sacred trinities exist in so many forms in yoga. From the practical mind, body, and spirit or birth, life, and death to the more esoteric main energy channels (nadis) of ida, pingala, and sushumna or the three...
"Oh, Aspirant, learn to practice until the last breath of your life." Patanjali The word Sadhana in Sanskrit means spiritual exertion towards an intended goal or the means of accomplishing something. According to Vedic teachings, that something is to live in a state...
If you have been to a yoga class, chances are you have been invited to chant ‘om.’ Whether at the beginning of class as a way to set the space or at the end of class to close the practice, chanting om is a wonderful way to tune back into the present moment and connect...
Yoga is a centuries old practice with a rich philosophy steeped in the ancient language of Sanskrit. A language once rarely spoken by people in everyday life, Sanskrit is being revived in India such that over 14,000 people currently consider it to be their native...
Teacher Appreciation Day By Gwen Burdick "Everything in the world has come out of one Divine Being, the sacred fire. The sages are the direct manifestation of that fire. No one understands them. No one talks to them. No one walks with them. They live in their own...