“The thing about yoga is it’s such a vast system, there’s a million variations you can do,” said Dayna Macy, spokeswoman for Yoga Journal, a monthly magazine. “Like any other pursuit in any other area, you can make lots of different judgments on what’s good, what’s not good, who knows, who doesn’t know.”

Macy has been a practitioner for two decades, but says the practice has grown into a fad over the past few years, thanks to its popularity among stars like Madonna and Sting. Indeed, yoga - the ancient Hindu practice for the mind, body and spirit - has evolved from breathing exercises and meditative poses to physical therapy, aerial choreography to a new way to firm your face, calm your child or limber up while pregnant.

Sting’s wife, Trudie Styler, will be among a host of yoga enthusiasts and experts who descended upon South Florida last weekend, for Yoga Journal’s South Florida Conference. With that in mind, we tried out some of the more unusual yoga classes out there: Read the rest of this entry »

Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga of Devotion. It’s all about the heart, and includes kirtan and mantra and music. On the last Saturday of every month, Tyag and other Satyananda Yogis come together at Te Aro Astanga on Cuba Street, Wellington for a 90 minute practice. Never much one for singing, it was a whole new world for me, but I was smitten from the very first opening chant - one we do 108 times.

And there was Tyag, perched in easy pose, his knees effortlessly lying flat to the floor, playing the guitar and using his prayer beads to count out the 108 rounds. His presence is both light and open, and it’s rare to see him without a smile.

It is my pleasure to introduce the second of my profiles of Wellington Yoga Teachers. I found Tyag and his Satyananda classes through a retreat I booked for, but was unable to attend. It was enough to get me on his mailing list though, and when I saw a Bhakti Yoga night advertised in my inbox, I was intrigued, and went along. Read the rest of this entry »

The last few weeks have been taxing on everyone, with the economic meltdown and folks cutting back everywhere. I attribute this meltdown to greed, fear and insecurity. Many of us didn’t buy risky mortgages and have regular jobs that didn’t need to be impacted by such greed. Greed leads to fear and fear leads to insecurity and that leads to rash decisions, the very opposite of what we are taught in yoga. If we all just took a deep breath and remained calm through all this chaos, the world would not have been any different than what it was 3 months ago. Its amazing how a change in people’s thinking about the world and the economy can leash such a calamity that in a matter of a few weeks, the entire world is in the middle of an economic meltdown.

Its that simple of a change. And if we can bring that change in ourselves, I am sure the world will change around us! That is an essence of what I have learned in the last 3 years by practicing yoga. Last night I saw a small glimmer of that….. and I continue on this path of change one asana and one breath at a time. I wish the same for you. Read the rest of this entry »

A fatwa in the Muslim culture is a religious ruling issued by an Islamic authority on issues that can be deemed contradictory to Islamic law. Traditionally, only a Muslim scholar could issue this decree. He would have to provide extensive proof to support the judgment, and show that it is coming from a place of genuine concern without regard for personal or political agenda.

Yet again, there is controversy over the practice of Yoga. This time it is in Malaysia, where a professor of Islamic studies has called for a ban on the practice of yoga. In Islam, this ban is known as a Fatwa, and the professor, Zakaria Stapa, opposes its practices because of its origins in Hinduism and the possibility it may cause some Muslims to deviate from the teachings of Islam.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been teaching at the Y for almost five years now, and I like to think that the yoga experience my students get is very similar to one they would get at most studios. I’ve found us a quiet space in the unused dance studio (lovely wooden floors) and I have a nice stash of props. The Y is very accomodating when I wanted to add new classes or try new themes; it’s been a wonderful steady gig.

There is often the implication (from YJ, among other places), that the ideal place to teach and practice yoga is at a studio. That was even my attitude, back in DC, where the studios I went to were much more dedicated to the practice than the gyms (not that the gym experiences were bad, but they were a lot more generic). I wanted to write a piece that would show the benefits of teaching at a gym (variety of students, steady income), drawbacks to avoid (loud practice spaces, workout mentality) and suggest ways to make it pleasant employment.

I’m in the midst of my next YJ article, so I’ve been a bit quiet (not to mention, lax in my daily Up Dog). I’ve enjoyed my interviews, tho, as this is a subject near and dear to my heart: Teaching Yoga at a Gym. Read the rest of this entry »

It has been some time since I acknowledged on the website the sources of my Kundalini Yoga knowledge, so before I proceed I would like to mention that these techniques were taught to me by Ravi Singh, who was a student of Yogi Bhajan.  My deepest gratitude to both of them for sharing this priceless wisdom with all of us.Having said the above, there are techniques, of course, that allow you to stir and awaken Kundalini directly, and rise up from the state of pure potentiality in which she resides at the base of the spine.  In this article I will present such a technique, but it should not be used in isolation.  It is though a valuable technique to learn and employ as part of a complete Kundalini Yoga practice.  Especially if your practice has matured to a certain degree, and you have developed a strong body and nervous system as a result of it.

An important aspect of dealing with Kundalini Shakti (energy) is to concentrate your efforts on the purification and strengthening of your systems and nadis (energy channels), and not prematurely use direct methods to awaken Kundalini.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Kundalini Shakti and Kundalini Yoga, you may want to first read the following 2 articles: Introduction to the Science of Kundalini Yoga & Kundalini Yoga’s Seven Chakra System Overview. Read the rest of this entry »

Kriya Yoga is a golden opportunity to reach higher states of consciousness and change your life, gaining all-round development of body, mind and soul. It is a quick and easy path. Kriya Yoga techniques are passed down from guru to disciple, master to aspirant, teacher to student.

There is no written record of when the ancient tradition of Kriya Yoga began. It is a spiritual technique which has been practised by saints, seers and sages from time immemorial. The rishis (seers) of the Upanishads, Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, Maharshi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, and many other masters of yoga, practised and taught this scientific method through the ages. Kriya Yoga is not a religion; it is a powerful tool to be used by those of all religions in order to hasten their own spiritual development. Adi Shankara, in the Viveka Chudamani, wrote that three things are very rare in the world: to get a human birth, to have desire for liberation, and have the company of a great soul and realized master.

Kriya Yoga is non-sectarian. Its simplified techniques cause no hardships or austerities, and were developed for householders as well as for monks. 
From Karma Yoga, Kriya Yoga teaches any action, kri, is done by ya, the indwelling soul; work is worship. Constant awareness of the power of the indwelling soul inhaling, leads to mind control and liberation. Kriya Yoga is a festival of breath. Read the rest of this entry »

Picked up from Surat on October 24, she has since been either in the custody of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad or at the Byculla jail.

Sadhvi, according to the jail staff, wakes up at 5am every morning, an hour before the jail alarm goes off. After taking a bath, she is also the first one to reach the ‘prarthana’ centre, an open ground where daily prayers are held.Religious scriptures and yoga keep sadhvi Pragya Thakur occupied in prison. According to officials at Byculla women’s prison, Thakur has borrowed Ramcharit Manas and Ramayan from the jail library and has “immersed herself” in them ever since she was sent to judicial custody on Nov 3. And reading sessions are interspersed with meditation and yoga.

“She hardly speaks to other inmates and keeps to herself,” said a jail official on condition of anonymity.  Thakur was arrested for her alleged involvement in the Sept 29 Malegaon blast Read the rest of this entry »

The Yoga & U Foundation is collecting new and gently used coats and new toys for boys and girls between the ages of newborn and 12 years old. Donation ideas, of all price ranges, include crayons and coloring books, books and magazines, cars and trucks, dress-up clothes, sports equipment, board games, electronic games, hat/scarf/gloves set, hair accessories, grooming items and gift cards. Donations of all types of non-perishable food are accepted as well. Possibilities include peanut butter and jelly, cereal, pancake mix, canned chili, soups, stews and vegetables, pasta and pasta sauces, boxed stuffing and potato dishes, rice and cake/cookie mixes.

Donations can be brought to the Yoga & U Foundation’s Wrap-Up Party on Saturday, December 6 from 1-5 p.m. at Durand Lodge in Point Pleasant Beach. Santa Claus will be in attendance and available for photos. Read the rest of this entry »

In Eastern North Carolina, an oncologist in Beaufort County sees improvement in his patients who take yoga classes.

“There’s been an explosion of data using yoga as a treatment option,” said Dr. Shelley Wroth, an obstetrician at Duke Integrative Medicine and a yoga teacher. She said studies have found that yoga helps people suffering diseases such as hypertension, anxiety, arthritis, chronic back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, stress, depression, diabetes and epilepsy.Researchers at UNC Hospitals are studying yoga’s benefits for people with irritable bowel syndrome. Doctors at Duke University recently completed a study showing that yoga provided significant improvements with hot flashes, sleep and energy levels for postmenopausal women with early breast cancer.

 Causes not clear

Yoga’s legitimacy has increased with interest by the National Institutes of Health, which now funds studies on yoga and its affect on diseases. But some skepticism remains, in the medical profession and among patients. Read the rest of this entry »