Bread to Breadth
Expanding the Present with Yoga Nidra Yoga has graced my life for over 20 years. At first, I was drawn to it for the feeling of stretch and movement—so natural and sublime—and the peaceful mind-space afterwards. As I continued taking classes, different aspects of the lifestyle—meditation, pranayama, kirtan music, the idea of guru—crept in through a single, special place called the Shakti Yoga Center in Staten Island, New York. The studio was housed in a one-floor bungalow in between two low-rise residential buildings, steps away from the New York Harbor. As I grew into this sangha, one regular class became a cherished routine: Friday morning Basic Yoga, taught by Clarissa (Sevika). Around 2007, my favorite class began to change. Sevika began extending the savasana time at the end of class, sneaking in this curious guided instruction: “…bring awareness to the right hand thumb…second finger…third finger…” and so on through the entire body. Eventually, Yoga Nidra became our regular...
Yoga for Personal and Social Resilience
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." Yoga helps us develop personal resilience. Yes, the world's a mess, but I can't save the whole world. I tried and succeeded mainly at making myself miserable. I was a radio news reporter at the end of the...
When I Feel Peace, I Feel Guidance with Mitra Somerville
Description Mitra Somerville and Avi Gordon discuss how we find peace, and the practical advantages that come from it. Quotes From the Interview: Fortunately in yoga there's a lot of different techniques, and the more techniques that we know about and the more that we...
More Recent Articles
Embodying the Dharma: Yoga Practice for Buddhist Teachings
Yoga and Buddhism have much in common; although they are two distinct paths, there are many places of convergence. In the past 50 years many Yoga practitioners in the West have also become followers of Buddhist teachings and practices. Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy,...
When Your Mind Won’t Let You Meditate
As a meditation teacher, people frequently tell me they want to meditate, but their mind won’t let them. When they sit to meditate and try to quiet their mind, they claim the mental chatter only gets worse. The truth is, they are correct. We can’t force our minds to...
Chains: A Poem by Tara (Becky) Eschenroeder
These chains that we create are just an illusion. Yes, that happened… and perhaps this will be. But NOW is reality and it’s all that we have. Every tumble, every fall, every step, every leap has led to our ability to now FLY. I release the heaviness as I open to the...
Self-Compassion During Difficult Times
Excerpted from the book, Yoga for Grief and Loss: Poses, Meditation, Devotion, Self-Reflection, Selfless Acts, Ritual We live in a world overwhelmed with pain and grief. We may not wish to think of that, but sadly it is true. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the sheer...
Laugha Sutras
“The best remedy for any illness is laughter.” —Sri Swami Satchidananda “Friends find each other through laughter.” –Bharata Wingham “Levity relieves stress and ends the fear of death.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terminator 3 “Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side...
The Benefits of Obedience
In most monastic traditions, the monks take vows of obedience (along with poverty and celibacy). You obey the rule of your monastic order and the abbot (head monk of your branch of the order). What’s the benefit of obedience? Obedience teaches you to intercept the...
Vegan Ranch Dressing
Whether you follow a vegan diet or just want to try something new, this dairy-free Ranch recipe is sure to be the perfect dressing for your summer salad. Ingredients 1 cup veganaise (or other vegan mayo) 2 tbsp fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried parsley) 1 tsp fresh dill...
From the Inside Out: Yoga for the Special Child
An Interview with Sivakami Sonia Sumar Science confirms that Yoga works on deep levels and in all systems of the body and mind—essentially, it works from the inside out! That is just one reason that it has proven so effective in helping children with special needs....
Meditation: It’s Not What You Think
I've been meditating for years now, but the same thought flashes through my mind every morning when my alarm sings its pleasant little riff at 5:30 am: Meditation is stupid. Sleep is better. But I get up and do it anyway, because my first thought of the day is always...
Racing Against Time: Preservation and Digitization of the Integral Yoga Archives
Rev. Prem Anjali, Ph.D. has dedicated her life to the service of Sri Swami Satchidananda. Not surprisingly, she has made it her mission to preserve the history and teachings of Sri Gurudev and Integral Yoga through the Integral Yoga Archives and make them more...
The Four Glorious Goals of Life: The Purusharthas of Ayurveda
When our digestion is good, our sleep is deep, and our emotions and sexuality are being channeled properly, we have more energy to engage in our passions and pursuits in life—in Ayurveda, our foremost pursuits are known as the four goals of life. According to the...
Mindful Warriors: Addressing the Effects of Warfare with Yoga
Q&A with Daniel Hickman, E-RYT 500, YACEP After returning from combat, many military veterans are being introduced to Yoga and meditation practices to help address the physical, mental, and emotional effects of warfare and trauma. Yoga teachers like Daniel Hickman...