Days are shorter. The sun sits lower in the sky. Summer bugs are few, and Buddy's hair has stopped falling out. The cycles of the sun affect our days, our moods and food. The Sun Salutation, a series of yoga asanas that honors its namesake, can be modified to bring the essential elements of ritual thanks and its benefits to the new yoga… Continue

The landscape of a yoga studio varies from school to school. Some places are very sparsely furnished, others are richly ornamented with plants, artwork... and props! Don't be alarmed, they aren't torture devices (usually!). Like toys for adults, these props offer the opportunity to deepen, support and enliven your practice. They are there for you to find the optimal alignment in a pose, to direct and funnel your energy during both your asana, pranayama, and your meditation practices. Some… Continue

When I started doing yoga, to the tune of Rodney Yee videos (yes, VHS! this was a while ago...) I largely ignored the occasional sprinkling of Sanskrit terminology. Mostly, Yee used English translations of the asanas (poses). But as I started to get more involved with yoga, I realized that I had to start talking the talk.



Good teachers don't use Sanskrit names to confuse or impress. They use it because it is the language of yoga, in the way that French is the language of ballet. While… Continue

Just in case you thought that you need to look like the Yoga Journal cover, watch this video of a behind the scenes Yoga Journal Photo shoot.



http://www.yogajournal.com/video/11



It is important to remember that yoga, as we know it today, with such emphasis on Asana, on poses, is relatively a new phenomenon.



Yoga Asana as it has been practiced for thousands of years is mostly about taking a seat in… Continue