Wabi-sabi, is that the green paste that lurks in my sushi box It is not Japanese horseradish but a Japanese art form that is compatible with the two great philosophies of Taoism & Zen Buddhism and it sits beautifully with how I see Yoga. The word wabi used to mean poverty but post 14th century it became connected not with the absence of material possession but non dependence on it; not unlike the yoga principles of detachment and equanimity. If…
I love these infographics. Yoga is Preventative Medicine. Anything that involves us actively taking time out for ourselves is preventative medicine. We know what is bad for us and we know what is good whether we’re listening or not. I know that it is sometimes hard to stop, to reflect because some of the things that are underlying we don’t want to come up. That is why they are underlying. Could these underlying feelings (samskaras) be described as…
“If there was a drug that could mimic the effects of yoga, it would probably be the world’s best-selling drug.” In an interview on the CBS show This Morning, P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.D., professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Duke University said that studies have shown yoga practice to produce a relaxation response that mimics the best anti-anxiety drugs on the market today, and that it can also help people with mild depression, insomnia, and ADHD. “Studies have shown that yoga affects…
Last night we rolled ourselves out and as we lay supine we lovingly rocked around the edges of our heart shape bone from North to South and East to West; we drew the sweetness of the inhale from crown to tail and the lightness of the exhale from muladahara to sahaswara. We flowed like light and gave love, gave our hearts away (to the sound of McYogi). We placed our hands under our hearts, yielded to the softness of the…
The more we practice yoga the more parts of ourselves we discover. The physical body with it’s muscles, bones, ligaments and joints acts as a map that leads us to understand how the interrelations between these structures helps us to optimally align. Optimal alignment connects our postures in a fluid way. Knowing there is a stable base we can extend out and explore new edges and layers (kosha) of ourselves. We follow the current, diving deeper into the vastness of…
Thinking of you and your journey. Be gentle with yourself. Have a great week, Matt:)
