Practicing with injuries Yoga’s enhancement of balance and flexibility helps decrease the chance of various injuries. And there is good evidence that yoga strengthens the immune system, helping to protect us from disease. But every active person is occasionally bound to strain, break or wear-out something or fall victim to minor or serious illness. And […]
Yoga and sex. Let me count the ways: Historically (meaning pre-20th century), probably not much of a relationship. At various times there have been undocumented connections made between the origins of postural yoga and the exotic practices of itinerant 19th century saddhus (the often naked, bad boys of India). These accusations more likely originated as […]
We here at Inside/Out desire to do yoga with you in person. There’s something about a live class. The presence of a knowledgeable instructor and other warm bodies seems to powerfully focus the good and godly vibe. It encourages the discipline needed to not only perform an extended and more active routine (of course none […]
WHY DO ASANA? PART 2 I’ve been reading an intriguing book by science writer, Annie Murphy Paul. The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain (2022) gathers and analyzes the recent work of cognitive scientists demonstrating how we “think” and perceive not just with our brains, but also with our entire body (embodied […]
Bound Tree Pose I now have a lot of yoga books. But when I started doing yoga many, many moons ago, there were very few books explaining or illustrating asana practice (and precious fewer discussing pranayama or chakra anatomy). The Vishnudevananda and Iyengar folks put out several seminal works in the 1960s and 1970s […]
OK, let’s get down to yoga’s skillful means of increasing happiness–in this case assistance with the removal of gaseous formations within the digestive tract. Usually the result of a brew of food, consumed liquids and gastric juices (collectively, the great word “chyme”), exacerbated by sedentary behavior, digestive gas can build up in the stomach and/or […]
Fellow pilgrims: How about the “simple” cross-legged pose? If you want to sit comfortably for extended periods, perhaps to work on your pranayama techniques or to practice any of the many forms of meditation, you are faced with the question of what to do with your body. Lying on your back or stomach may work, […]
Hello, yogis, and welcome to the first of many questions. I raise these questions not to provoke doubt about your postural yoga practice, but rather to strengthen your personal resolve based on answers well thought through. You might call them “yogic koans” — questions that you should face and either answer with your entire being, […]
Yoga friends: If you are interested in going a bit deeper in your yoga practice, you may have already picked up the first or second editions of the book, “Yoga Anatomy”. First published in 2007, Yoga Anatomy has become a classic, explaining the breathing process and yoga asanas with words and concepts from traditional anatomy […]
Friday, January 21st, 6:30pm, $25 Prima B. will lead a all levels flow and Deek Beats will provide the live soundtrack. Hip-hop originated from the Bronx as a cry from disenfranchised black communities and beyond. Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice. Both are now mainstream beyond their origins and have become valuable tools for people […]
