Curious Poses: 30 Yoga Postures and the Stories They Tell by Lucy Greeves introduces readers to the monks and maharajas, gods and gymnasts who shaped Hatha Yoga as we know it. Have you ever wondered why Yoga postures look the way they do, or how they got their names?...
Integral Yoga teacher Zac Parker leads a short meditative and relaxing experience that you can do to begin or end your day. It's also the perfect length to take a moment out of a stressful day or utilize during a work break, to drop into essence-nature and the peace...
As someone who enjoys crafting, the advertisement for the “Original Magic Mat” (a die-cutting crafting aid), suddenly took on an entirely new meaning after experiencing Yoga teacher training. I’ve seen this ad before, but I’ve never thought about anything more than...
Saci Murphy, E-RYT 500 will lead a weekend workshop (July 28-30, 2023) that includes the practice of the elements of Integral Yoga Hatha. Hatha Yoga transforms the physical body—our tool for all our goals, activities, and endeavors—by optimizing function and...
Independence implies a freedom from being controlled or unduly influenced by an outside source. Spiritual independence suggests the freedom to live in harmony with the spiritual truth at the heart of our being. It implies freedom from depending on any outside source...
A meditation teacher of mine once quoted a Burmese teacher as saying “When everything that can go is gone, what’s left is the truth.” That sentence resonated with me. I heard it maybe 20 years ago and I still reference it and repeat it a lot. And I think that’s...
In grief and loss, the mind is powerfully affected. The way we think is changed. The content of our thoughts is altered. Particularly in early and traumatic grief, we forget things, we lose things, we are distracted and inattentive. Alternatively, we can be utterly...
Introduction I was inspired to write this article after reading Tracy Cooley’s excellent Integral Yoga Magazine article. She describes running a 108 kilometer distance. Certainly, an incredible accomplishment, particularly as a Yoga meditation. I love to swim....
In this Integral Yoga Hatha Yoga class taught by master teacher Swami Asokananda, and hosted by Yoga Alliance, the focus is on meditative awareness and allowing time for the body to release more fully. It's about getting in touch with prana, the vital force, that lies...
Yoga is effective for reducing shoulder pain, reducing stress, boosting immunity, improving circulation and mental focus, and increasing vitality. I know this to be true. A long time ago (2004) in a far-away land (New York City) I had a vision that teaching Yoga would...
A common scenario I see is people who started a meditation practice, found it beneficial, and then for whatever reason they stop. When they try to return to a daily practice, they hit resistance. They ask: I know I feel great when I meditate, but why can’t I get...
We’ve come to the final yama (in the five yamas of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) and the last occurrence of Patanjali’s “via negativa” approach. Aparigraha, commonly referred to as “non-grasping,” is composed of graha (seizing) with two prefixes attached: a (not) and...
My teacher, Sri Dharma Mittra, includes savasana in the category of the eight essential poses in Yoga. He is well-known throughout the world for being a master teacher and having created the asana chart, which hangs on many studios’ walls, featuring Dharma in 908...
Keep it simple,” said the Dalai Lama. “There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; our philosophy is kindness.” Meditation, or contemplation, is the seventh limb of Yoga in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras....
Integral Yogi Kalyani Verma shares some wonderful stretches and relaxation techniques in this 10 minute video. Kalyani lives in the UK and is the daughter of Siva and Gnanam Pillai, longtime devotees of Swami Satchidananda. Her parents first met Sri Swamiji in Sri...
My time on the mat began with a few sporadic classes to balance out a new fitness regime. I was in my early thirties and began noticing my high metabolism was not all I could rely on to stay healthy. Group classes motivated me to go to the gym, and I mixed up my...