I recently wrote this reflection for an ISHTA Yoga training I am taking through The Table. While here at IDP we are really focused on secular Buddhism, there are definite parallels with Yoga and I know some other folks here practice Yoga, too...
In this article posted in The Guardian, The Mind With Heart Network is described as dedicated to giving children the space to “investigate what happiness, empathy, altruism, and compassion are.” Founded by a group of four educators in the UK in 2010...
As many of you know, I'm neither a Democrat nor a Republican, and don't watch any of the televised political events. When I heard about Seane Corne and her people (including IDP's own Leslie Booker) from Off the Mat Into the World offering...
I’m going to share with you a relaxation exercise that I do after yoga sometimes that can help you relax after yoga or whenever you want.
Lie on your back with your arms at your side, palms facing the ceiling. Relax your hips, neck, back, and the...
Of all human cultures, India long ago foresaw the need for teaching the art of contemplative living not just to spiritual elites but to average people of all inclinations, backgrounds, and walks of life.
How does one actually practice dhamma when faced with hunger pangs? With jealousy, delirium and hunger pangs? With uncertainty as to the state of the world around you -- and jealousy, delirium and hunger pangs?
Greeting love bugs. It's week two of Sharon's 28 Day Meditation Challenge, and this week we're getting into the body - Body scans, walking meditation and body sensation exercises.
Infrequent visitors to the yoga blogosphere may not be aware of the recent kerfuffle surrounding a NY Times article about how yoga will hurt you, but there also has been some mainstream media coverage on the safety of yoga.
The news about neural plasticity, the ability of the human brain to develop new neural pathways through repetition, is quite encouraging. It affirms what the old yogis and meditation masters have been saying about the nature of the mind for...
Despite the plausibility of good intentions, the yoga industries emphasis on transformation around the new year feels a bit too opportunistic. Personal transformation may come as a natural progression in the context of yoga practice but the process...
I am back in New York for a few weeks and noticing my angry thought patterns as I wait for buses in the bone chilling cold, as I stare at passer-by and pout about my to-do list. The truth is, I do this in Seattle to. Sometimes I am just seething and...
Is it just me or did 2011 feel like a complete wash? Nothing particularly horrible or great stands out. The small triumph of not letting daily mundane tribulations get the best of me may not rank high on a scorecard but I am nonetheless...
Flipping through the catalog for a big name yoga and retreat center, I was shocked to notice that they advertised their yoga teacher training programs as “Yoga Alliance Approved.” Misrepresentations like this are the dirty little...
Trolling yoga blogs and the comment threads that ensue reveals a prevailing sentiment of tough love. Sure, there are a few hold-outs from the sixties still hanging around but the new breed of yogi is way too savvy to be fooled by any fluff and...
"...what does your friend who is a yogini, what can she reveal that will help you in your Buddhist practice? Or what does the meditator have that might be enlightening to their friend who studies yoga?..."
Ever heard the one about the Dalai Lama and the hotdog vendor? Make me one with everything. This has always been my favorite joke. Recently, I was made aware of how, like a lot of effective humor, the punchline is based on a not so funny...
Wednesdays I teach Mommy/Baby Yoga class at The 14th Street Y in Manhattan. This particular rainy, wind whipping Wednesday, my core group of devoted moms strolled in with the little ones and we were more philosophical and chatty than usual. I...
Exploitation of yoga in advertising is nothing new. When a product wants to associate with a low-stress or healthy lifestyle, invariably, the commercial features people doing yoga poses. Increasing popularity of yoga makes the marketing...
I have only been in one fight. It was in the third grade. I don’t recall what the impetus was but it ended up in a war of words between me and another boy on the basketball court. I remember deciding to hit him but when I went to strike...
I continually assert that yoga practice encompasses more than physical fitness. As much as I generally try to avoid admitting it, this does implicitly question whether the use of yoga poses for physical fitness alone can even be considered yoga...
