Monthly Archives: August 2011
July 2008 – What are the eight limbs of yoga and how can you practice them in your daily life?
What are the eight limbs of yoga and how can you practice them in your daily life? This is a question from last month, since it is a big question I thought I would make it this month’s topic. The … Continue reading
August 2008 – Notes from Nancy’s Workshop
Notes from Nancy’s Workshop Practitioners Clinic at BeFit Body & Mind Yoga August 1-4, 2008 Nancy on Fear A big part of this practice is overcoming fear. There are two types of fear; fear that protects us (like be fearful … Continue reading
September 2008 – Alignment and Awareness
Alignment and Awareness A benefit of our yoga practice is to learn correct body mechanics, many times throughout our days we have postures and movement patterns that cause pain. Being aware of how you move your body and correct alignments … Continue reading
October 2008 – The Closing Sequence of Ashtanga Yoga
The Closing Sequence of Ashtanga Yoga Each series of Ashtanga Yoga has “bookends”, meaning each series starts with sun salutes and ends with closing series, what is in between (standing and seated poses) changes depending on which series you are … Continue reading
November 2008 – Breath and Connections
Breath and Connections Just coming back from Maui everyone expects me to have something new and exciting to share . . . which I usually do . . . however this trip was mostly about me learning 3rd series, and … Continue reading
December 2008 – Ashtanga Yoga Benefits
Ashtanga Yoga Benefits Muscular Skeletal System Digestive System Circulatory System – Blood and Lymph Nervous System Too often in our yoga practice we forget the purpose of the postures and mis-direct our effort to attaining the form. This month we … Continue reading
January 2007 – Tapas
TAPAS Fiery discipline Tapas is a niyama, niyama means an observance and it is the second limb of Ashtanga Yoga (the Ashtanga Yoga we practice was named after the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, but when we refer to asana … Continue reading
February 2007 – You Are What You Eat
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Yoga and the practice of eating Last month while discussing Tapas, I came across Pattabhi Jois’s description of the highest form of discipline: “food regulation in accordance with the lunar cycles” This disciplines the body … Continue reading
March 2007 – Putting More Yoga Into Your Yoga
PUTTING MORE YOGA INTO YOUR YOGA Practicing more than just asana Yoga is not about asana, really. Yoga is about finding that true nature within ourselves and everyone, that place of inner peace, of being comfortable with who we are, … Continue reading
April 2007 – The Ashtanga Yoga Invocation & The Closing Chant
Click here to download audio for this topic *MP3 Format – 564 KB THE ASHTANGA YOGA INVOCATION Honoring something bigger At the beginning of many Ashtanga yoga classes the teacher will lead students in chanting a few lines of Sanskrit. … Continue reading
May 2007 – Ashtanga Yoga’s Lineage
ASHTANGA YOGA’S LINEAGE Pattabhi Jois his family and students These are our Gurus of Ashtanga Yoga and people you should know of, since we practice Ashtanga Yoga here in Central PA and do not always have access to its origins, … Continue reading
June 2007 – Abhyasa and Vairagya
Abhyasa and Vairagya Practice and detachment Cultivated effort over a long period of time, this is the definition in the Yoga Sutras of Practice (YS 1:13). And what should we do if we struggle with this? The following verse (YS … Continue reading
July 2007 – Living Your Yoga
Living Your Yoga Yoga off the mat Yoga is not a series of postures, really! Somehow in the West we have come to know yoga by its physical form. The physical forms of yoga are about keeping the body, mind, … Continue reading
August 2007 – Green
Green Being “green” has become a big “buzz” word lately. I am no expert on this topic but have naturally lived this way long before it was a buzz word, and am continuing to learn more and live simpler. What … Continue reading
September 2007 – 2nd series of Ashtanga Yoga
pointing this to a pdf now . . . 2nd Series of Ashtanga Yoga Nadi Shodhana Since I just got back from a 2nd series adjustment clinic and we have been practicing 2nd series regularly here I thought I would … Continue reading
October 2007 – Breathing
Breathing Your breath should be free, loud, and steady; these are the three elements Pattabhi Jois teaches about breathing. Nancy says that Pattabhi Jois does not use the term ujjayi (the name given to the breath we use during class), … Continue reading
November 2007 – Inversions
Inversions Turning our body upside down Inversions are potent asanas! Shoulderstand and headstand are known as the Queen and King of yoga poses, their profound nature is due to the dramatic effect on both our physiological and psychological bodies. Physiologically … Continue reading
December 2007 – Notes from Maui
Notes from Maui And other interesting comments from Nancy Since I am here in Maui from December 1 – 21, I thought I would send back some notes and comments from Nancy—some of the comments are taken from various workshops … Continue reading
January 2006 – Obstacles to Yoga
Obstacles to Yoga Below are Obstacles not only to yoga but to any goal or resolution you have for the new year, as outlined in the sutras (sutra 1:30-31). They are common sense, being aware that you are “flirting” with … Continue reading
February 2006/September 2011 – Vinyasa
Newly revised!
Vinyasa is the way to go
So jump on back and feel the flow
Upward dog and downward too
Pick yourself up and jump on through
March 2006 – The Yoga of Sound – NADA YOGA
The Yoga of Sound – NADA YOGA To the yogi, the world is a quivering, vibrating ball of energy. This energy or vibration is sound. The very first sound is the sound of OM, known as “anahata nadam” or the … Continue reading
April 2006 – Yoga and Nutrition
Yoga and Nutrition Yoga poses detoxify our body, reducing our risk of illness and developing diseases. Asanas do this by squeezing and soaking the organs in the body while in a pose. Poses can squeeze out stale blood and toxins, … Continue reading
May 2006 – The Bandhas
It’s only been a little over a year since I last had bandhas as the topic. Through my yogic life the bandhas keep changing for me — in the beginning they were very physical and I put a lot more … Continue reading
June 2006 – Free Breathing
Free Breathing My teacher, Nancy Gilgoff says Pattabhi Jois emphasizes three elements of the breath, free breathing, loud breathing, and steady breathing. Free Breathing Breathe as if your life depends on it! Free breathing is one of the most fundamental … Continue reading
July 2006 – Jumping (taking flight)
now points to a custom url JUMPING (taking flight) Jumping back, jumping forward, picking up and jumping through Jumping in yoga?? Who would have ‘thunk’ we would be jumping in yoga! Actually the jumps serve a purpose; they produce agility … Continue reading
August 2006 – Monkey Mind
Monkey Mind Don’t feed the Monkeys The phrase “monkey mind” comes from a Buddhist description of the mind of a person who is not in the present moment. The mind of such a person is said to be likened to … Continue reading
September 2006 – Namaste
NAMASTE The word Namaste is a Hindi/Sanskrit word that originated in India. In India it is used when both hello and goodbye would be used in English, except its meaning is quite different however. In Sanskrit, namah means to bow, … Continue reading
October 2006 – Practice
PRACTICE When we talk of our yoga, we tend to refer to it as “practice”. Practice? What are we practicing for? When and where is the real game?? The real game is when we walk off the mat! The real … Continue reading
November 2006 – Nasal Breathing
NASAL BREATHING As infants we are born obligate nose breathers, infants will try to breathe through their noses even when congested, when they can not inhale enough oxygen through their nose (putting the body in a fight or flight response) … Continue reading
December 2006 – Yoga Chikitsa
YOGA CHIKITSA The primary series of Ashtanga Yoga is called Yoga Chikitsa, which means Yoga therapy. The entire practice is put together to cleanse and purify the body on many different levels. The practice of postures works primarily on keeping … Continue reading
January 2005 – Giving Love
GIVING LOVE Giving love, even when it is not given to us, is true love. It must not matter whether it is returned to us or not. If I give love only to get a response on my terms, my … Continue reading
February 2005 – Prana
PRANA Prana is our life force or energy that flows through the channels or nadis in our electromagnetic body (referred to as chi in martial arts). Where there is life (human, animal, plant) there is prana, all that vibrates in … Continue reading
March 2005 – Chakras
TOPIC OF THE MONTH MARCH 2005 & JUNE 2012 CHAKRAS Chakra means “wheel” or “circle” (like chakrasana 😉 and is used in this term to mean “wheel of light”. The chakra system is an Indian philosophy that we have 7 … Continue reading
April 2005 – OM
OM The very first vibration which became sound was the sound of OM. Creation itself was set in motion by the vibration of OM. The vibration produced by chanting Om in the physical universe corresponds to the original vibration that … Continue reading
May 2005 – Drishti
Drishti Gazing points The Sanskrit word drishti means to “gaze” or “view”. Drishti comes from the root drsh which means “to see”, “to understand” or “to perceive”. . . so drishti is not just our sight, but our perceptions and … Continue reading
June 2005 – Being Present
Being Present Live in the present moment, most people when they think of this relate to noticing the flowers or the bunny hopping past. That is part of living in the present moment, even though that may not be simple; … Continue reading
July 2005 – Meditation
this post now points to its own URL Meditation (Dhyana – limb 7 of the Asthtanga Yoga 8 limbs of Yoga as taught in the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali) Being present (last months topic) is learned through meditation. Meditation … Continue reading
August 2005 – Tristana
Tristana Tristana means three places of attention or action. The union of these three places of attention is the practice of ashtanga yoga. The three places of attention are: Breath and Movement Synchronicity (vinyasa and asana) Bandhas Drishti These three … Continue reading
September 2005 – Pranayama
Pranayama Yogic Breathing Exercises Yoga Sutra II:49 states: When asana is perfected, inspiration and expiration can be controlled. Pranayama is the fourth limb (following asana) of Ashtanga Yoga as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The following verses state: … Continue reading
October 2005 – Ayurveda
THIS PAGE NOW POINTS TO A CUSTOM URL Ayurveda The Science of Life Ayurveda (pronounced eye-yer-vay-duh) is the art of healthy living that enables you to create harmony in daily life by applying self- knowledge and self-care. The word, Ayurveda, … Continue reading
November 2005 – Bhavana – Intension
Bhavana – Intension The practice of yoga, as a whole, is a profound science of internal purification which leads the practitioner very gradually to the realization that “all is one”. For this to occur, a proper intention and direction of … Continue reading
December 2005 – What is Yoga?
What is Yoga? As defined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras (YS 1:2) Yoga chitta vritta nirodhah. Yoga is cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. Yoga is mind control, not stopping thinking. Yoga is not meditation, meditation is a … Continue reading
January 2004 – Belly Breath, Thoraco-Diaphragmatic Breath, Chest Breath
BELLY BREATH, THORACO-DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATH, CHEST BREATH Free breathing is one of the most fundamental aspects of practice. Free breathing means that there is a sense of ease expressed in the breath — that the transitions between inhalation and exhalation are … Continue reading
February 2004 – Ujjayi Breath
UJJAYI BREATH Ujjayi literally means “victoriously uprising” or “victory from expansion”, which refers to the upward movement of prana. Ujjayi breathing has two distinctive characteristics: 1. An action at the throat to produce the Ujjayi sound 2. An evenness of … Continue reading
March 2004 – The Full Yogic Breath
THE FULL YOGIC BREATH The Full Yogic Breath includes breathing consciously into all three parts of the torso: Belly Mid Chest or Ribs Top Chest This helps in “filling your body with your breath”. 1. Belly: Breathe into your diaphragm … Continue reading
April 2004 – YS II:46 Sthira-Sukham Asanam
YS II:46 STHIRA-SUKHAM ASANAM Patanjali, an ancient sage who wrote the Sutras over 5000 years ago. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is the oldest textbook of the Yoga school. It is four chapters of approx. 200 verses teaching us how … Continue reading
May 2004 – Yoga Sutra I:33
Yoga Sutra I:33 Methods to keep mindstuff peaceful and happy: By cultivation of feelings of friendship and fellowship toward those who are happy, by great compassion and love toward those who are unhappy and suffering, by joy and entertainment toward … Continue reading
June 2004 – Yoga Sutra II:29
this page now points to a custom url. YOGA SUTRA II:29 Eight accessories to Yoga are described. (Tools to help you access Yoga.) Let’s Demystify what Yoga means: Eight limbs of Yoga are designed to give us tools … Continue reading
July 2004 – Yoga Sutra II:29 – Eight accessories to Yoga continued…
this page now points to a custom url Yoga Sutra II:29 – Eight accessories to Yoga continued… Yamas and NiYamas YS II:30 – 45 Yamas = InterPersonal Relationships Yamas create peace and happiness with those around us “Be the … Continue reading
August 2004 – The Bandhas
It’s only been a little over a year since I last had bandhas as the topic. Through my yogic life the bandhas keep changing for me — in the beginning they were very physical and I put a lot more … Continue reading