We’ve all been there. You are “zen-ed out” in yoga class, and your teacher calls out a word that jerks you out of your zone and into “whaaaa??” Don’t be alarmed. It is just Sanskrit - the ancient and international language of yoga. What is Sanskrit? Sanskrit is...
Yoga Nidra is a state of conscious sleeping and is considered as a meditation technique. Individuals experience complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. It is a powerful and important practice of self inquiry within the ancient science of yoga, it has been...
Many folks think of yoga as a physical exercise or a way to move consciously to help de-stress (see "When I say yoga I mean..."). These are parts of yoga, yes, but the foundation of yoga practice is to clear dysfunctional habit patterns (samskara). Our habits of...
Our emotions are in a constant state of flux, but sometimes we don't take the time to process them. Ever feel like you’re moving at high speed through life, running to keep up with the endless demand of information, social commitments, family, work, text messages,...
Marcia Ford's Yoga Journey My yoga journey began several years ago when classes on VCR tapes and DVD’s were popular for exercise. That’s how I looked at yoga, as a workout, just physical movement and a way to stay in shape. I’ve always had a good amount of flexibility...
*UPDATED - August 10, 2022* In the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, sutra 2.46 is “sthira-sukham asanam”. This sutra is commonly understood as “yoga postures should be stable, and the body be at ease.” This Yoga Sutra focuses the practice of yoga postures and movements....
Here's how a simple comment from a student taught me a lesson in self-love. Before yoga class this morning my students were talking about what they wanted to work on in class. Several of them had lower back issues. Another confided to me that she’s trying to gain...
Not everything we do in yoga class is comfortable. That’s a little weird, maybe, since the goal of yoga is to open the body up so that people can be comfortable while they sit still to meditate. But getting comfortable with discomfort is part of the value of a yoga...
Abhyasa/practice and Vairagya/non-attachment (Sutra 1.12-1.16) The practice of yoga includes deep awareness of habit patterns (samskara). These habits of thinking, feeling, and reacting affect our capacity for joy. The unconscious habit patterns create filters over...
When I started yoga classes, I thought a lot about the phrase “just for fun”. The yoga-nition of “fun” seemed to be “damn near impossible”, based on what was generally demonstrated when that “f-word” was invoked in class. I would wonder what that woman (always in...
