So ( Read more... )

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika starts, after the obligatory mention of previous teachers, with a very detailed description of what the Yogi's dwelling must be like. From the well in the garden to the country in which this garden is placed in. Since this should be placed in a "virtuous, well-ruled kingdom" I think most of us would have to either ignore at ( Read more... )

 Warning: The following is highly technical and is likely to cause a severe headache to anyone who is not a yoga lover :)

I've promised feministyogini to write about my practice with the Vayus, and since I've promised myself, when I've just started writing not so long ago, that whatever I write about yoga would always be based on my practice and my experiences, I ( Read more... )

Today I've been in an AcroYoga (Synergy) workshop. Although the word yoga is there it's definitely not only for yoga lovers but if you are totally alienated with your body maybe that's not the place to start the acquaintance. AcroYoga is based on Acrobalance,   (Hatha) yoga and Thai massage and I'm not an expert (my second time in a three hours ( Read more... )

 "Pain, depression, trembling of the limbs, [heavy] inhalation and exhalation accompany the distractions"  -Patanjali's Yoga Sutra I.31

Today I had a difficult practice. There really isn't anything good saying about it but since my yoga practice is all about reflection (meditation) I decided to try and describe carefully how it was. I'm sure I'm not ( Read more... )

 A couple of days ago I read a book (part psychology, part evolution, part business kind of mix-up you see lately which I can't even say why I read or what I've learned from). Anyhow, the author describes the famous experiment by Milgram. In Short, Milgram told college students that he is conducting an experiment on learning and encouraged them to ( Read more... )

Yesterday in class I did Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana) unsupported with both legs twice. I think that qualifies me as knowing how to do it :). So, here are some scenes of me doing Forearm Stand over the years.

The beginning
Forearm stand is actually a relief. I stand with my forearms and knees on the ground and try to straighten my legs. Then, as ( Read more... )

In the daily practice, Thursdays are dedicated to back-bends but on Thursdays I have my weekly Yoga lesson that I can't do without. This is a three hours lesson where we have time to sit in meditation (30 min), breath (30 min) and practice Asanas (2 hours). It's a lot of fun. Especially for me, since I'm usually very slow. I worm up slowly, breath ( Read more... )

 14.3.11
Shortly, today was "hand balances" day which for some reason I think of as difficult although I do quite a lot of them tolerably good.
I started always in "just sitting" but couldn't quiet my mind and didn't feel like doing Pranayama. So instead, I decided to switch the order and start with the Asanas. That worked great. When I was ( Read more... )

Today (being Sunday) I did the "standing poses" practice.
It occurred to me, while doing Virabhadrasana I, that standing is really a very determined action. I always think of the hands in Virabhadrasana as expressing that determination. It made me think of infants, just learning to stand, and the amount of repeated determination and effort they ( Read more... )