"Without continuous change, it would be impossible to grow." In wrapping up my philosophy discussion on aparigraha (the fifth yama) with my George Washington University yoga class last week, I concluded with the following reading from Charlotte Bell's Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life - a simple, down-to-earth book on the 8 limbs of yoga. After class a couple students asked me to share the reading. So here it is: "Freedom does not come from acquisition. It comes from letting go. In the same way … [Read more...]
Moderation is Key
At least twice a year I recommit to stop buying books on Amazon.com and instead read one of the many I already own (and this is one of those times!). Regardless of this commitment, almost daily I pick up one of my many versions of either The Yoga Sutras or The Bhagavad Gita - both are key if you wish to delve deep into the philosophical heart of yoga. So while the rain poured and poured outside this morning, I huddled reading a few slokas (aka verses) of my favorite version of The Bhagavad … [Read more...]
A Lesson from Ants
Tapas may be one of the easiest Niyamas (ethical observances) to understand yet the hardest to follow. Tapas is Sanskrit for discipline. As the 3rd Niyama listed in Patanjali’s eight-limbs of yoga, I often think Tapas should be the first. To fully experience Saucha (cleanliness) and Santosha (contentment), which are the first two Niyamas, mindfulness and full-attention are required. True discipline (tapas) commands that we are attentive in the moment. Many times discipline takes months, … [Read more...]
How to Om: the best read I’ve seen on Om
Since 2008 I've written a few posts on chanting Om which is the oldest chant in India. I've answered questions such as why Om, what is Om and how to Om. My last writing/blog post on Om even included a brief discussion of the yoga sutras that cover the topic of Om (see OM, OM, OM). Om, considered to be an all-pervading sound in the universe, connects us to everything around us and within us. Comprised of three syllables –A, U, M – Om is pronounced AhhOohMmm. At least one of these … [Read more...]
Kindness All Ways, Always
We are taught as children to be always be kind to others. Play nice always. Share your toys and snacks always. Always help others in need. Yet somewhere along the way to adulthood, many of us fall off the kindness track. Expressions such as "please" and "thank you" are no longer the norm, they seem to be the exception. Why is that? Maybe it's in the drive to succeed in life, to get ahead, that we forget (or elect to forget) the manners of "kindness all ways, always" that our parents, … [Read more...]
Sh*t Happens, So Be In It
For those of you that know me, this blog post title is probably a surprise. For those of you that don't know me well, let me state upfront I don't curse (well at least not 99.9% of the time). Thanks to my parents & grandparents, I'm just not a fan of it. Though I'm sure we can all admit every now and then it's appropriate because every now and then sh*t happens! Stuff happens all the time, right? You've made it through airport security and you find out your flight is delayed 3 hours, … [Read more...]
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