Inside Yoga 42 (11/9/11) During the summer in the UK some of our cities experienced riots and looting. The debates ever since have focussed on why this happened, and to some extent, many voices highlighted that many of the rioters were simply looters driven by greed and the desire to have certain goods. I have [...]
Category Archives: Philosophy
You cannot “do meditation”!
Inside Yoga 40 (9/7/11) How do we know if we are meditating? In our yoga classes, we sit in meditation, but are we really meditating? There are some useful tips for meditation. One states that you cannot do meditation. The word, “do” being the key to this. Another guidelines states, “If you think you are [...]
Living in the present
Inside Yoga 38 (30/5/11) “The past is history, the future is a mystery, and today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” This is often quoted sentence highlights one of the most important teachings within yoga, Buddhism and most spiritual traditions. This was the theme of my classes last week. In [...]
Meet my other half!
Inside Yoga 36 (9/5/2011) On April 29 an estimated 2billion people watched the royal wedding… almost 30 per cent of the world population. Leaving aside Republican and Royalist views, the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton was a celebration of love and partnership – an important part of human ceremonial life that dates back [...]
What is happiness?
And where is it? Inside Yoga 34 (14/4/11) This week it was reported that the “the world’s first membership organisation dedicated solely to spreading happiness has been launched in London.” “Action for Happiness” was launched on April 12 and it is a campaign calling for positive action to promote happiness at home, at work or [...]
Inside Yoga 33
Who am I? What is the mind? Is it my mind? And is my body really my body? When one answers these questions from the viewpoint of yoga, the answers can change the way we, in the West, see things. Especially as Western philosophy takes the view, as Descartes – seen by some as the [...]
Inside Yoga 31
(First published 23/6/2010) There is one word in yoga that can be described as a summary of all we seek in a yoga practice. It covers all points in one word – or to be precise in its three words that come together to make one; which in itself is a metaphor for yoga, a [...]
Inside Yoga 29
(First published 21/3/2010) As some of you might recall, during last week’s classes I mentioned one of the verses from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – one of the major source texts of yoga, and many say, the principle text for yoga. TKV Desikachar puts it simply: “Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is the heart of yoga.” Written about [...]
Inside Yoga 25
(First published 5/10/09) In the second chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, called Sadhanapada, the yoga master describes the “qualities necessary to change the mind effectively and gradually from a state of distraction to one of attention.” Patanjali’s short aphoristic sentences are designed to guide the student, to stimulate reflection and inquiry into the practice and [...]
Inside Yoga 24
(First published 16/9/09) “Asana will make the body light, Pranayama strengthens prana, Dharana purifies the intellect, Dhyana purifies the mind.” These words were written by T. Krishnamacharya, a renowned and influential yoga teacher, who lived for 100 years – dying just a few days short of his 101st birthday in 1989. He taught his son, [...]
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