Anyone remember the groundhog's prediction? On 02-02-2020 (a palindrome), Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his den at 7:25 a.m. to predict an early spring as the marmot did not see his shadow. This 134th prediction came on the same day as the presidential proclamation on suspension of persons posing a risk of transmitting the virus COVID-19 …
ÓM in Ancient Writings
I hadn’t planned on writing a series on ÓM. Sometimes you get caught up in the moment, right? So, here is a naïve attempt to bring out the essence of the wisdom of ÓM in the earliest writings in the next few paragraphs. As a longtime yogini (that is, one who only does āsanas and …
Deciphering ÓM
If you think this title is a bold move, you are absolutely right. But you must agree that there is something magnificent about the sound ÓM that is waiting to be explored. Have you noticed students after chanting a chorus of ÓM in their yógāsana class fall out of the room energized and at the …
Aparigraha – Non Hoarding
"Freedom does not come from acquisition. It comes from letting go." Sogyal Rinpoche In the Bhagavad Gita it is said, "The yogi is quite happy with what comes unsought"; but here Patanajli goes further and says, "Stop receiving even that" (Svāmi Venkateśananda). Meaning, a person practicing Asteya (non-stealing) may not steal, but if something …
Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya is much more than the popular notion of celibacy. While celibacy is a must for those choosing the life of monk and svāmihood, the rest who partake the sensory world, will certainly appreciate a simpler explanation of Brahmacharya. Living in a society permeated with pleasure, the principle of Brahmacharya presents a ground rule towards …
Astèya – Non-Stealing
Growing up in India, wastefulness was looked down upon. A bucket of tepid water for a bath, old newspaper to cover school books, soaking dirty dishes and soiled clothes before washing, resusing plastic bags were just a few habits automatically passed down through generations. Did I do them mindfully? Not always. Was I being reminded …
Satya – truthfulness
Practice of yoga is an opportunity to see clearly, like it or not, what patterns we habitually nurture in our lives. In the chaotic process of living, it is easy to cruise along on auto pilot, mindlessly filtering our thoughts, speech and action through well-established habits of behavior. This is where the practice of Satya, impeccable …
Ahimsā- Non-Harming
The introduction to the first two limbs of Rāja Yoga, Yama and Niyama, lists the five restraints and five observances which make up the ten ethical principles that operate on every action, word and thought. We begin our study with the first restraint, Ahimsā. Ahimsā, non-harming, appears in the second chapter, Sādhana Pāda, of the Yoga Sūtras …
Yama and Niyama
What constitutes, Raja Yoga, is listed in the second chapter, Sādhana Pāda in the YogaSutra. Sādhana Pāda means laying out the practical hints so a seeker can actually practice to make any progress on the yogic path. यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि॥२.२९ Yama-niyama-āsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayo'ṣṭāvaṅgāni||29||According to this sutra the eight limbs, aṣṭāṅga are: Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prānayāma, Pratyāhāra, Dhārana, Dhyāna and Samādhi. This post is only an introduction …
performing āsana
Many websites and books provide detailed instructions on how each pose is done; how to begin, where to place the foot and the hands, which muscles to contract or stretch, when to rotate the hip, how long should you hold a pose, what should be the breathing pattern, and so on. For a beginner clear …
