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Yoga practice as we know it in the modern world tends to be heavily focused on the physical aspect of yoga. Western practitioners are first intrigued by the asana (postures) and pranayama (breath control) that are taught in yoga studios far and wide, but when we view...
Trikonasana, or Triangle Pose, is a symbol of trinity. Sacred trinities exist in so many forms in yoga. From the practical mind, body, and spirit or birth, life, and death to the more esoteric main energy channels (nadis) of ida, pingala, and sushumna or the three...
"Oh, Aspirant, learn to practice until the last breath of your life." Patanjali The word Sadhana in Sanskrit means spiritual exertion towards an intended goal or the means of accomplishing something. According to Vedic teachings, that something is to live in a state...
If you have been to a yoga class, chances are you have been invited to chant ‘om.’ Whether at the beginning of class as a way to set the space or at the end of class to close the practice, chanting om is a wonderful way to tune back into the present moment and connect...
Yoga is a centuries old practice with a rich philosophy steeped in the ancient language of Sanskrit. A language once rarely spoken by people in everyday life, Sanskrit is being revived in India such that over 14,000 people currently consider it to be their native...
Teacher Appreciation Day By Gwen Burdick "Everything in the world has come out of one Divine Being, the sacred fire. The sages are the direct manifestation of that fire. No one understands them. No one talks to them. No one walks with them. They live in their own...
From an outward perspective, the practice of yoga seems very physical. An often continual progression of movements, yoga is rightly considered to be a physical exercise. But there is one element of the practice that sets it apart from other exercises—the breath. In...
The most familiar form of yoga practiced in the West is Hatha Yoga, which is a combination of physical postures (asana), breath work (pranayama), meditation (dhyana), and relaxation. There are many different styles, or expressions, of Hatha Yoga. In fact, there are so...
The number 108 is considered an auspicious, or sacred, number. For this reason there are 108 beads on a japa mala, or prayer garland. It is why many people do 108 sun salutations on summer and winter solstice. During our chanting for peace at The Yoga Sanctuary this...
The doshas are the three mind-body constitutions. According to Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old sister science to yoga, there are five elements that make up everything in the universe: earth, water, air, fire, and space (or ether). These elements, in different combinations, make up each of the three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha.
Hatha Yoga is the branch of physical yoga. The practice of Hatha Yoga brings about steady posture, health, and lightness of the body, dealing with the physical aspects of the body. Hatha Yoga is the most familiar yoga practice in the West. It is described in the...
Tantra yoga involves the philosophy that explains the creation and existence of the universe and everything in it. While many mistakenly believe that Tantra yoga is the practice of sexual acts in a spiritual manner, Tantra yoga actually involves “a deeper...
Meditation is a practice that brings about a state of mind in which the present moment is fully experienced. It can sound esoteric and even elusive, but meditation is actually very practical. Meditation helps to calm the incessant stream of thoughts flowing through...
Raja Yoga is the royal branch of yoga. It is rooted in meditation, but encompasses all forms of yoga. Also known as Ashtanga Yoga, or the eight limbs of yoga, Raja yoga is a comprehensive practice with an aim of transcending the thoughts of the mind. Raja Yoga is the...
Bhakti Yoga is the branch of devotion. It integrates a spiritual aspect to yoga. That spirituality can take the form of religion or a connection to God, nature, love, or a higher power. At its essence, Bhakti Yoga helps us to realize our connection to all that...
Karma Yoga is the branch of action and selfless service. Karma yoga involves doing, working, and giving of our time without the expectation of anything in return. The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes this form of yoga by saying, “Work alone is your privilege, never the fruits...
By Jennifer French In the Yoga Sutras, one of yoga’s most sacred and oft referenced texts, Patanjali tells us that our “practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and in all earnestness.*” When I think on firmly grounded, I...
Jnana Yoga is the branch of knowledge, wisdom, introspection, and contemplation. The study of classical texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita, Mahabrata, Ramayana, the Vedas, and the Upanishads form the basis of Jnana Yoga. It is important to understand, however, that...
For the majority of Westerners, yoga begins with the physical asana (posture) and pranayama (breathing) practice. For this reason, in the West yoga has come to be loosely defined as primarily a physical practice. But the reality is,...
The last of the five koshas is anandamaya kosha—the bliss sheath. Anandamaya encompasses not the feeling of bliss, but rather, the experience of bliss. In contrast to vijnanamaya kosha, you do not witness the bliss...