Iyengar Yoga Joke

Q. How many Iyengar yogis does it take to replace a light bulb?
A. Only one !

BUT, they will need:
a sticky mat
a backless chair
two blocks
five blankets
a bolster
six ropes
two belts
six assorted benches
a bandage
a slant board
two quarter rounds
three weights
one wooden horse
a certificate

Adorned By Moonlight: Prayer of the Great Bliss Queen

subdue the vagaries of mind. excellent.

Question and Answer

Question (from c):
Just wondering from other peoples experiences.... is it good/bad to use yoga as a vice?
I think its what I might have been doing last month (though there was also a 30 day challenge going on at the studio) and things were great! I was feeling so good.
but I'm taking some time away from the studio this month with work/school/moving and my life seems to be falling apart.

Short answer:
We call it a daily practice. It is no more a vice than brushing your teeth. Try not brushing your teeth for a month, and see what happens.

Longer Answer:

This is where the buddhists really seem to have some insight that isn't felt as fully in the yoga community.
For the buddhists, the purpose of practice is the relieve the individual, and all beings everywhere of the suffering caused by the neurotic, conditioned mind. That is pretty much the whole deal. there is no promise of a 'yoga butt', no promise of a stronger back, or more flexible hips. It focuses on the fact that we are tortured by our minds, all of us, and the only way out is through consistent practice. The mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you don't take serious time to train it, it will probably be the latter.

Patanjali says something similar too, in Yoga Sutra 1.14

When yoga practice is done for a long time, without a break, and with sincere devotion, then the practice becomes a firmly rooted, stable and solid foundation.
(sah tu dirgha kala nairantaira satkara asevitah dridha bhumih)

If you can't go to class, i suggest taking 10 minutes and doing just a little bit on your own. nothing extreme, just a warm up, a sun salutation or two, just to keep it loose.

music video with scorpion pose!

this truly bizarre music video by "The Avalances" features a girl doing scorpion pose. in the background, you can also see her in Urvha Dhanurasana. Enjoy!

Happy Independence Day!

Spider-Ganesha

link

june theme of the month, 14 hugs

14 Hugs Every Day!

This month's theme is simple and pure! More Hugging!
In four parts:

1) When we were at our retreat in the Poconos, in April, there was a lovely Ayurvedic Phychologist, teaching another group of students. One of the teachings she was offering, was that 14 hugs per day was the recommended amount for best mental and emotional health. (I tried googling this to find a source, but to no avail!)

2) Amma is now in America, hugging up all of the Americans! Amma (pictured above) pours love into all who come to her, wrapping her arms around folks, and filling them up with kindness and understanding. This is something that we can all practice. Easy!

3) In "Peace is Every Step" Thich Naht Hahn says

"Hugging is a beautiful Western custom, and we from the East would like to contribute the practice of conscious breathing to it. When you hold a child in your arms, or hug your mother, or your husband, or your friend, if you breathe in and out three times, your happiness will be multiplied at least tenfold." (source)

4) Feel free to start by practicing with me!



picture courtesy gothamayurveda.com