“When we are not sure, we are alive.” — Graham Greene Fascinating article in Scientific American Mind this month: The Willpower Paradox. Turns out that resolving to do something is not nearly as effective as wondering if you will do it. …Those primed with the interrogative phrase “Will I?” expressed a much greater commitment to [...]

For the past few weeks, I’ve been working on clearing my mind more often during the day. The natural tendency for a busy mind is to work ever harder to crack a problem or find an innovative solution. The yogic belief is that a clear, unburdened, relaxed mind is actually a more creative, efficient problem solver. And now that belief has a boost from hardcore science.

This felt great. For posterity: Kundalini Warmup (seated, all with Breath of Fire) Low Back Flexes (hands on knees) Mid Back Flexes (hands on ankles) Spinal Twists (hands on shoulders) Upper Back Flexes (hands on shoulders) Shoulder Shrugs (hands on thighs) Shoulder Seesaws (hands clasped) Shoulder Stretch (hands clasped in front of heart and pull, [...]

Crazy week last week, but I kept up a daily practice, a MORNING practice no less, for the length of it. Why? I got off on a good foot last weekend (a blissful hiking/yoga retreat with some Russian friends)… and my morning practice is 15 minutes short! 3-5 sun salutations, left and right sides 100 [...]

This sounds super fun: PURE BLISS: Brunch & Yoga w/ The Discerning Brute & Barefoot Tiger Saturday, May 30th, 2009 10:30am Yoga 12:00pm Brunch What could be better than mixing a spring Saturday, a yummy vinyasa flow yoga class with Kendra of Barefoot Tiger, and a scrumptious vegan brunch by the Discerning Brute himself, Joshua Katcher? [...]

The last couple days, I’ve returned to Sun Salutations. They are a perfect practice in and of themselves. I used to hate them. Always forced myself through them, knowing I needed the warm up. Finally I realized: if you hate a pose in yoga, you’re doing it wrong. There is some other alignment, variation, or [...]

This morning I went to a free class at Om Factory, schlepping over to the Garment District at 10am. (Still better than the 7am call time when I used to teach there.) I was puffy-eyed and groggy from some gluttony the day before, but knew that three hours before breakfast wouldn’t work for me, so [...]

Two-score days ago I started a little New Year’s Resolution, and guess what? Today is day 40! I did it! “It” was a simple daily practice of Navel Lock with breath retention for 10–40 seconds. In most cases it was about twenty or twenty-five seconds; I’ve always had trouble with retentions on exhales more than [...]

OK, random post because I am really excited about my breakfast. I have never been a smoothie person, I am not satisfied with breakfast until I get to chew something like Thai food or brussels sprouts, but this one is GREAT. It has about 25 grams of protein, which is right about a third of [...]

I just came back from yoga brunch. Best. idea. ever. We had a fabulous class with Aarona Pichinson, then a delicious brunch afterwards. I looked up and it was 1:15 — I’d been there since 10am. Om Factory is such a cozy place I could stay there all day. (Full disclosure: I used to teach [...]