I am often asked about why I do yoga, why other people should do it, and what it can do for them. I started practicing yoga because it seemed challenging. In the process I realized that not only did it challenge me in a way that I didn’t expect but also it helped me with old injuries from all my previous …
All the practitioners of Ashtanga Yoga know what a Mysore class is. The Mysore practice of ashtanga yoga is the traditional way of practicing ashtanga – as non-guided practice. Mysore is named after the south Indian town, where the late K Pattabhi Jois, the establisher of ashtanga yoga taught until his death, whereas his relatives teach till today. Practitioners of …
The second of the Yamas is called Satya, the word means truth and in the yogic tradition, it refers to the quality of staying true in thought, speech, and action. To not exaggerate and not speak for things you don’t know. The word sat means “that which is, that which exists”, so this virtue negotiates the ability to see and …
Halloween provides a time to put on masks and costumes. We can pretend to be someone else. However, after Halloween, we take the masks and the costumes off. But what happens with the invisible masks or armor that we wear in order to protect ourselves. Things like: … I am strong, I am weak, I get never sick, I can´t …
Chanting and mantra recitation have accompanied yoga practice for thousands of years. Chanting is of course both the in-toning of the rich vibratory sounds and the simultaneous listening to them. The concentrated in-toning of sound vibrates all along the axis of the body from the perineum up through the head, giving access to subtle and deep sensation and feeling. The …
Yoga philosophy is ancient and at the same time it is timeless. This is the reason why in our times it is one of the most effective tools that the modern man has in his disposal who looks for a balanced and a better everyday life that allows him to evolve. In this context, it is important to focus in …
If I asked you, what is your life’s purpose? Where do you want to give your time and energy? Where do you want to invest in? What your answer would be? We read and repeat all the time that the one and only truth is love, and I truly believe that, because romance and optimism have a special place in …
For pranayama practitioners, Kapalabhati is the most important kriya. It should be mastered before any pranayama is commenced (unless it is very, very basic pranayama) and it should prelude any immediate individual pranayama session (unless the practitioner is very advanced). Benefits The Hatha Yoga Pradipika states that Kapalabhati dries up all the disorders stemming from an excess of phlegm …
For every person, yoga means something else, for one person it may be physical activity, for someone else maybe it is meditation, or maybe chanting, but definitely the word yoga which means “unity” is something more than a 60-minute class, it is something more than the ability to stand on your hands, twist and sweat. So, what do I do …
In sutra 1.29 it is said that the repetition of mantras prevents all the obstacles(antarayas). Chanting is a beautiful tool and practice that activates the Vagus Nerve which is connected with the parasympathetic system, the vagus nerve branches out to smaller nerves located in the brain, the tongue, the heart, the lunges and the stomach. In moments of stress or discomfort …