“The whole system that we live in drills into us that we’re powerless, that we’re weak, that our society is evil, that it’s fraudulent, and so forth. It’s all a big fat lie. We are powerful, beautiful, extraordinary. There is no reason why we cannot understand who we truly are, where we are going. There [...]

Dharma Mittra, the inimitable (or eminently imitable) senior teacher, just emailed these tips for the new year: Spend time Meditating. Meditation is unbroken concentration and the most effective type is self-reflection. Spend at least 15 minutes meditating every morning. Get serious about your practice! One must get serious and simply attending class is not enough. [...]

Today was a really interesting day in Yoga Anatomy. We learned anatomy of the mouth as it relates to breathing, aka Sanskrit. Did you know it’s the only language that is 100% consistent in rules of grammar, pronunciation, and spelling? Artificial intelligence translations used it as their base language for that reason. Anyways, the point [...]

When I first started meditating, it was not what you’d call meditation. I’d sit down, close my eyes, try to focus, and promptly have a panic attack about all the things I should be doing besides SITTING ON THE FLOOR DOING NOTHING. Gradually, I learned that there is some actual technique to this hobby. Yes, [...]

From the Iyengar Institute: Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar The classic guide to yoga. All yoga students should have this book. In addition to detailed instructions on over 200 asanas (postures), there is a comprehensive explanation of yoga philosophy. Yoga in Action: Preliminary Course by Geeta Iyengar Specifically geared towards students who are participating [...]

Yesterday I finally made it to the Intro class at the Iyengar Institute. Before you take any classes there, you must take a 90-minute intro class covering the basics. They only hold it once a month, and last time it was sold out. I forgot to bring my camera, so I’ve included some Flickr photos [...]

Whew! I headed to a 60-minute pilates class at Greenhouse that turned out to be a 90-minute vinyasa class with 20-second holds on most poses. It was “basics”, but I left with wobbly legs and a happy head. Leigh taught this class, and I was really impressed with its arrangement. First of all, she had [...]

Yesterday I took Julianna’s 10am class at Greenhouse, and only three people showed up. It was probably the fewest students I’d ever seen in a popular teacher’s class; her Monday night class is always completely full. The vibe was completely different. It was not as warm or energized, but it felt so personal, since she [...]

Last week I vacationed w/family in the Outer Banks. A big shady deck with an ocean view might just be my dream yoga spot, and I don’t even like the beach. I have not felt so motivated to get up and practice in a while. Morning practice was easy, and daily! My aunt and sister [...]

This morning I got up early (9:15) and went to J.Brown’s class at Abhyasa. It’s the new studio on Metropolitan and Leonard. I really liked the essays he posted on the studio’s site; like me, he’s looking for something more than just acrobatics and athletic achievement of poses. (I should say for me, in addition [...]