a bit more about yoga...

a morning piece…

Administrator — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:52:52 +0000

Considering that in life which is genuine and uncontrived.
Connections, Comradeship, Cores.
All that is a not fantastical task,
like transforming the overstuffed, white city pigeon into spotless snow-colored dove.
All that never begs of molding, meddling, manipulating;
like the constantly unsatisfied who reshapes, reshapes, exhausts the same lump of clay.
All that is so pure it exceeds the best imaginable thing,
like the realization of inherent vitality on an apparently dead winter day.
All that never beckons for or demands an embrace,
like the individual who kneads and kneads, working the offered hand to a pulp.
All that my arms have already encircled,
so natural - without hesitation, without false perception.
All that never dictates evaluation of worth.
All that my arms have already encircled,
All that nurturingly embraces back.
All that is genuinely pure,
All that is purely uncontrived.
Beyond explicable gratitude.

Misperception.

Administrator — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:36:36 +0000

Below is a little piece, inspired by misperception.
After developing it, one of the 196 Yoga Sutras came to mind.

Yoga Sutra 1.8

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Wall Street Journal on Yoga

Administrator — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:52:43 +0000

There is an interesting article about yoga on the cover page of today’s Wall Street Journal.

If you’d like to read Yoga Bears: It’s No Stretch to Say Traders Are Taking Deep Breaths, visit their site.

Jal Netic, revisited

Administrator — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:59:51 +0000

Because I love Jal Neti and recently bought a new ceramic neti pot, I’ve decided to rerun a post from a few months back.
Please enjoy reading about this wonderful shat karma.

Here I am, setting up to do jal neti in Chamrajanagar, Karnataka, India.

Jal neti, or nasal irrigation, is a beautiful cleansing process that removes excess mucus and pollutants from the nasal passage and sinuses. (more…)

Experiments in Macrobiotics Part II (well overdue)

Administrator — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:37:05 +0000

Weeks ago, I resolved to elaborate on my experiments with Macrobiotics. First, I apologize for not doing so sooner.
Allow me to preface this entry by stating:
Macrobiotics certainly did not fail me. I most likely failed to accurately pursue macrobiotics. It might have been more beneficial had I more thoroughly researched this diet/lifestyle beforehand, instead of during my investigation.

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Some Interesting Questions

Administrator — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:11:38 +0000

Here is something a friend of mine recently passed along. I thought I’d share it.

Clarity Statements

1. These are the ways my childhood affected me.

2. These are the problems that I cause myself.

3. This is how I work on myself.

4. This is who I am.

5. This is what I want to add to my life.

Each statement is an essential building block to the one following it.

Photography Show in Brooklyn

Administrator — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:12:32 +0000

I am happy to announce the opening of my photography exhibit at Stain in Brooklyn! The show, which features 41 images from India, officially opened last night. The opening party will be this Thursday, July 10th, starting at 7pm! Stay after 9 and here live jazz music by The Tom Blatt Project. See below for directions.

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a New York article.

Administrator — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:18:56 +0000

If you’re in the United States, I hope you’ve had an enjoyable long weekend. I spent a bit of time on the North Fork of Long Island with my family, which was lovely.

Before leaving the city on Friday, I taught a morning class at East Yoga in Alphabet City. En route there on the Q train, I came across an article in the New York Times Metro section that was particularly moving… or maybe it’s just particularly New York.
You can read A New York Slice of America, July 3: 128 Riders United by clicking the title.

Respecting your Limits.

Administrator — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:07:46 +0000

“Without firm foundations a house cannot stand. Without the practice of the principles of yama and niyama (social and self discipline), which lay down firm foundations for building character, there cannot be an integrated personality. Practice of asanas without the backing of yama and niyama is mere acrobatics.”
- B.K.S. Iyengar, the 1st Requisites of Yogasanas, Light on Yoga

Finding balance in sari. Tamil Nadu, December 2007

While we were out for a drive the other day, my mother mentioned that her physical therapist friend has been treating a rising number of patients with yoga related injuries. This brought to mind something a very wise teacher of mine once said. It was something along the lines of, “Yoga has and can never hurt me. I have only hurt myself by misusing (misunderstanding) yoga.”

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Positivity, Light, Wellness, and Warm Sundays

Administrator — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:24:12 +0000

Enjoying the heat of a steamy New York Sunday morning. The humidity is actually ideal practicing yogasana and I look forward to a somewhat gentle self-practice before teaching in Park Slope this afternoon. My experiments in Macrobiotics have been going well and I apologize for not providing more information over the past few days. (more…)