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Skipping ahead a few sutras to yoga sutra 1.14, which states, sa tu dirghakala nairantarya satkarasevito drdhabhumih: Practice that is done for a long time, without break and with sincere devotion becomes a firmly rooted, stable, and solid foundation. This is an...
According to Vedic science, when Spirit (Purusha in Sanskrit) takes form as life it is called Prakriti. Prakriti is made up of five elements from finest to grossest: space, air, fire, water and earth. In Sanskrit they are called Akash, Vayu, Agni, Jal, and Prithvi,...
The word Guna means "that which binds" in Sanskrit. According to Vedic science, all matter and energy that make up the manifest world consists of the three gunas in different quantities. They describe the qualities of nature and states of awareness, and are likened to...
Building on the first three sutras, yoga sutra 1.4 states, Vritti sarupyam itaratra: When one is not in Self-realization, the Seer takes on the identity of the fluctuations of mind (thought patterns). That is, when we are wrapped up in our thoughts, unable to stay...
I have been married to Dave, the love of my life, for 23 years. My children Jack and Olivia are simply amazing. I was put on this earth to be a teacher. I teach fourth and fifth grade gifted at Neil Armstrong Elementary School. I first began yoga three years ago, and...
I went to a small Catholic school where they taught with intimidation and harness. While I did have a couple of wonderful teachers who made it tolerable, they were few and far between. School was not my favorite place to be. I was taught to fear the wrath of God more...
A concentration of energy occurs twice a year on average as the Sun, Moon, and Earth line up in space, creating solar and lunar eclipses. Solar eclipses take place on the New Moon and lunar eclipses on the Full Moon, always two weeks apart. They are events when the...
I grew up in Highland Springs just outside of Richmond, Virginia. At age 21 I became a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines, based in New Jersey, Miami, and Washington, DC. I flew for 11 years and then moved to Charlotte County in 1982. I have a son, Jonathan and a...
I was first exposed to yoga at the age of 19 or 20 when my little sister—quite the workout video enthusiast—brought over her latest “thing.” We huffed and puffed our way through Alan Finger’s Power Yoga video, and I loved it. So I bought a few more videos and...
Following up on yoga sutra 1.2 (essentially, yoga is the cessation of mind chatter), yoga sutra 1.3 states, Tada drashtuh svarupevasthanam: then the seer abides in itself, resting in its true nature, also known as self-realization. This sutra explains the...
I am a 54 year old from Hawthorne, NJ with two sons and a wife of 27 years. I worked as a pressman for a printing company in Paterson, NJ for 15 years and then worked as a leak detection technician for the State of New Jersey at Passaic Valley Water Commission for 15...
A wise friend of mine once said that all rivers lead to the same ocean. Taking into consideration all the investigating I have done on many different philosophies, sacred texts, and literature from various authors throughout the years, I concluded that not only was...
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...
While our main focus at The Yoga Sanctuary is, obviously, yoga, we like to branch out and explore other related disciplines from time to time. Yoga is a great practice all on its own, but for many people, it complements another training modality. Taichi (or t’ai chi...
Red Light Sangha We all have been in traffic where one of the drivers just has to go faster then others – zig zaging in and out of lanes—just at the end, comes to stop at the red light and all others catch up with him. Sitting at the red light one time I felt oneness...
I have known about yoga for decades. In the mid-1970s I attended a yoga series, which was my introduction to yoga. I loved the practice, but sadly, the series was a one-time experience. Further yoga practice was not offered again. Living in a small Midwest community,...
In the early days of yoga, men were the only practitioners. In fact, up until the latter part of the twentieth century, the practice was almost exclusively for men. But as Westerners became interested in the practice, traveling to India to learn more about its...
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...
Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of aromatic essential oils derived from plants. Aromas are inhaled, used topically, or sometimes ingested to bring about mental and physical well-being. Popularity of aromatherapy has steadily increased in recent years, prompting...
Many years ago my best friend sent me a copy of the book When Things Fall Apart by the Buddhist nun Pema Chodron. At the time I was unfamiliar with her work, but my life was definitely falling apart and out of my control. So I was interested in what it might offer to...