Recently I’ve been a bit obsessed with why I’m doing this whole Ashtanga thing. Everyone who practices Ashtanga has moments of wondering why and even how. Like…it’s really difficult, no matter how you look at it. Some people might think a dedicated Ashtanga practice is extreme. Nevermind. I already know some people who think it’s…
What is Real Yoga?
“Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.” – Patanjali Millions of folks around the globe practice yoga, and probably half of those people have no idea what real yoga is. Sometimes this annoys me. I guess it’s because I don’t want to be pigeon-holed myself by anything that I don’t identify with….
Ode to Dharmavrata
When I envision the sage Marichi, I imagine a hard-headed, scowling man, very much unlike the man painted above, with his nonchalant gaze and pretty blue alien sheen. I envision a man that values not our ability to expand, but our ability to shrink. The poses named after him are twisted and bound. Ones that require you…
Kirtan Kriya
“What is meditation? When you empty yourself and let the universe come to you.” – Yogi Bhajan Once out of curiosity, I took a beginners series in Kundalini Yoga, having absolutely no idea what Kundalini consisted of and, more importantly, what it would feel like. Kundalini — the Yoga of Awareness — is a really fascinating…
Releasing Emotions with Ashtanga
Current medical research doesn’t offer much of an explanation as to how and why we store emotions — often times of the repressed variety — in our bodies. There is, however, overwhelming evidence that yoga has the power to alleviate (and likely cure) depression and anxiety, among numerous physical ailments. Reason enough to practice yoga, I…
Yoga and Eating
Ashtanga teaches you how to eat and drink all over again. It’s a bit of a tough process and the logic behind it difficult for others to understand, so I’ve formulated some key talking points. Don’t worry so much about eating breakfast. People are consistently taught to never miss their first big meal of the…
Yoga as Cure
PRESCRIPTION Ashtanga Yoga Taken 6 days a week Cures: Depression Ennui Laziness Low immunity Anxiety Stress And most physical ailments!
Beginnings
From high school until I was about to turn 30, I practiced yoga off and on at various studios, purely because I considered yoga a form of exercise. I wanted to be in shape, but have never been a sporty person. Yoga was, simply put, accessible to me. So let me set the stage for…
LET GO.
Each day, I acknowledge and respect how difficult it is to be a student of Ashtanga Yoga. There are a few key reasons it is hard for me to show up every day on my mat: Early to rise Early to bed The allure of extra cuddle time in-between These are baseline struggles, though they sometimes sink…
The Boredom Diaries 