Yoga texts endlessly communicate the importance of having a teacher. Without one we fall blind to our conditioning and habitual ways of self-sabotage and deceit. The student must seek out a teacher that can patiently penetrate their resistant armour and not simply coddle their insecurities. There must be a connection from the start on both …
Our external environment cyclically brings changes to the elements we are made up of regardless of our unique constitutions. Each Ayurvedic dosha has its natural time of accumulation, vitiation (aggravation) and balance. Kapha (water and earth) accumulates in the winter, is vitiated in the spring and balances in the summer Pitta (fire and water) accumulates …
One of the effects of a yoga practice is the natural reduction in required hours of sleep. We just don’t need as much, we get less fatigued and are faced with more hours in the day to use at will. Not requiring an abundance of hours of sleep and not being able to sleep are …
Wind enters the body and circulates in various directions carving and sculpting pathways. It enters, descends, rises, contracts towards centre and expands away from centre. Known as Prana, Apana, Udana, Samana and Vyana respectively, these Vayus travel through and carve the Nadi network in the anatomy of yoga. They take care of vital functions of …
I discovered my current teacher in 2004 and have been guided by him ever since. He has taught me to have patience and persistence in my practice and to have faith in myself. I am sometimes asked by family or friends that don’t do yoga how long it’s going to take before I get certified …
Many years ago when I had a yoga studio in Vancouver, BC, a 60 year old woman who was shaky balancing on her two feet came up after class and asked when we are going to start doing headstands. Not liking the response, she was kindly referred to the gym across the street. There’s a …
In Sanskrit, when the letter A is placed in front of a word, it negates it. Meaning, not that. As taught and sold today; yoga is for everyone and anyone at any age can do it. Not exactly. yoga is relaxing, stress-free, it will calm you down. Not exactly. yoga is blissful, peaceful, a love-fest. …
“Yoga is a system of education that imparts the secrets of controlling the complex energy fields of the human form. Through the dissolving and merging of these opposing energies into one whole, the body is made fit for the journey of life. It is not a fancy exercise programme dressed in spiritual clothes, as many …
One would think yoga is all about handstands and deep back bending nowadays. However you would be hard pressed to find a yoga text that includes either. Forward bends and seated positions take precedence. This is due to the fact that yoga is meant to take you inwards. Backbends take you outwards, away from centre, …
This is Part One of a 2-part article. There’s this Tampon TV commercial I saw in my teens that left a lasting impression on me. A washboard stomach super-model dressed in a white string bikini was galloping on a white horse across a white sandy beach with her long hair blowing in the wind behind …
