Last weekend I was mugged. Sorry to alarm you. Rest assured, I am fine – with the exception of some anxiety around the ‘hood, a maxed-out adrenal system from the stress, a sore shoulder from wrestling with the mugger, a cut and bruised finger (see photo of fingers) from my purse being yanked out of my…
Category: Pranayama
Focus: The Yoga Sutras – Love & Murder
Each morning when I rise, I try to spend about 30 minutes praying, meditating and doing some Pranayama. When I do, my soul feels infinitely more peaceful throughout whatever the day tosses my way. For me, this is the point of yoga. From what I’ve learned, this was also the point of yoga for the…
January Focus: Back to Basics
Luscious. That’s how I would describe, in one word, the yoga class I just took with veteran Asana teacher Sandy Kavalier up the street from my apartment at Yoga Chai (http://www.yogachai.com/). Breathing emphasis and mechanical cues. Nothing more, nothing less. My hips feel heavenly, my arms stronger, my shoulders intact, my lungs larger. My entire…
In the OM Zone
You can hear the OM sound everywhere. It vibrates every cell in your body. It brings such a nice feeling of peace. – Swami Satchidananda There are times, at the end of a yoga class, when the closing OM is so sweet I have cried. And there are times when it is so cacophonous that…
Focus Wrap Up: Yoga In Action
To wind up our September/October class focus of “Yoga In Action,” we are expressing appreciation for noble acts of service through Pranayama and Asana. Whether your service occurs within your family, your workplace, your community or otherwise, please take some time to breath deeply into your beautiful, generous heart center and celebrate your efforts. Lift…
Focus: Yoga In Action – Surrender
I like the peace in the backseat, I don’t have to drive, I don’t have to speak, I can watch the country side, I can fall asleep. I’ve been learning to drive my whole life. – Arcade Fire, “In the Backseat” A few weeks ago, I completely unplugged for five days – no phone, no…
Focus: Why Yoga? – Resilience
Today a friend is having a lumpectomy to remove cancer in her breast. This friend is a strong, solution-oriented, resilient woman. After reading my news about the betrayal, breakup and decompression process, she wrote to encourage me to join her in a ritual of surrender. Instead of asking friends to pray for her well-being, she…
Wine & Kirtan
I just got home from “The Chant Super Tour” concert with Kirtan musician Krishna Das and spiritual singer Deva Premal. Although I like her lullaby-like versions of Santeria chants for Yemaya and Oshun, and I don’t mind hearing her music in yoga classes, Deva’s work is a little too soft for me. Tonight I enjoyed…
My Heart’s Desire
“Sunrise in the sky of the heart is the most blessed sight.” Swami Nityananda In this second half of our Bi-Monthly Focus of HEART, we’re shifting from an anatomical awareness of the neck, collar-bone, shoulder and rib area (see “Let Your Heart Bloom Open” for fine-tuning tips) to a more psychological or conceptual exploration of…
Let Your Heart Bloom Open
Hunched and hidden hearts, don’t let the cold weather shut you down! Our Bi-Monthly Focus for January/February yoga classes is HEART. For the 1st month, we’ll focus on the Anatomy & Physiology of opening the heart center despite our tendency to scrunch up during the winter. For the 2nd month, we’ll explore and perhaps counteract…
The Urban Yoga Den 