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 father of modern (western) philosophy […]
more >(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 practice that brings together seemingly […]
more >(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 2,500 years ago by Patanjali […]
more >(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 our relationship with it. The […]
more >(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, TKV Desikachar, and also BKS […]
more >(First published 27/7/09) Here are some thoughts about yoga and practice for you to contemplate and explore during the sultry, stormy and changeable summer months. TKV Desikachar, renowned yoga teacher based in Chennai (Madras), India, was asked “Can anyone practice yoga?” He responded: “Anybody who wants to, can practice yoga. Anybody can breathe: therefore anybody can practice yoga. But no […]
more >(First published 7/3/09) Following on from the last chapter of Inside Yoga, about the mind, I want to speak about the heart, not the physical blood engine that sustains us, but the emotional heart. “Chitta also means the heart and dwells in the heart. This is not the physical heart but the central core of deep feeling and profound knowing, […]
more >(First posted 23/2/2009) “The mind is the vital link between the body and the consciousness,” says BKS Iyengar. In my classes, I often refer to the mind, in connection with the breathing and the physical body. But what is the mind? The mind is the collection of our thoughts on one hand, and on the other, it is where our […]
more >(First posted 17/1/09) One of the most important principles of a yoga practice, and specifically, asana yoga practice, is the teaching of “sthira” and “sukha”. In the foremost yoga text, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, he describes an asana (yoga posture) as having two important qualities: sthira and sukha. Sthira is steadiness and alertness. Sukha refers to the ability to remain comfortable […]
more >(First published 10/11/2008) The body is mentioned frequently in yoga, in relation to the breath, and in relation to the mind. There is a vast selection of postures available in yoga, from gentle resting positions to complicated athletic positions that seem impossible to get into. But is it all about the body? It is possibly not surprising to discover that […]
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