In Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar the King of all asanas is Salamba Sirsasana known as Fully Supported Head Pose (also known informally as head balance). There are several different variations of headstand depicted in Light on Yoga. This yoga posture requires knowledge on how to achieve correct muscular skeletal alignment in the yoga …
Let the solar eclipse happening April 8th, 2024 inspire your yoga practice. In Light on Yoga Sutras by B.K.S. Iyengar there are two yoga sutras on the sun and moon. Sutra III.28 ” By samyama on the moon, the yogi will know the position and system of the stars.” and Sutra III.27 ” By samyama …
Are you a creature of habit? Do you typically eat the same foods at home and order your particular favorite dishes at restaurants? Or do you like try a wide range of flavors and spices and willing to take risks not just in the kitchen but in other areas of your life? Becoming too attached …
When we practice Iyengar Yoga we are giving our embodiment a yoga bath. This yogic cleanse helps us nourish our cells. The first niyama is called sauca meaning cleanliness and purity. In Light on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali B.K.S. Iyengar translates sutra II.41 to mean “When the body is cleansed, the mind purified and the …
Tonight there will be a full moon in the sky. Since it is April this celestial orb is known as a Pink Moon. In the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit the word for moon is candra. In Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali B.K.S. Iyengar translates sutra III. 28 as “By samyama (integration) on …
To experience the essence of yoga or as B.K.S. Iyengar expressed, “sip the nectar of yoga” one must practice yoga often. There are no shortcuts on maintaining a daily yoga practice. Many newcomers to yoga begin as casual students. Some yoga participants may be sporadic yoga class goers or occasionally use yoga videos online. With …
Are you a student of yoga? Many people are intrigued by yoga because of its bountiful health benefits. When I first read Light on Yoga I was attracted to reading the “Effects” section of all the yoga pose descriptions. It was not until many years later that I learned to read and re-read the method …
Corpse pose known as śavāsana in Sanskrit is typically done at the end of an āsana class. Laying down on one’s back with the limbs outstretched is the basic architecture of the pose. We withdraw our senses from outside stimuli and retreat inward. By doing so we relax and restore our being. This state is …
How do we let go of judgements and come closer to acceptance? When can we move past self-comparison with others and reach self-understanding? Can we recall a time when we attempted a yoga pose that felt impossible? We did it and our posture did not look like the demonstration? What was the reaction? Sometimes those …
Daṇḍāsana known as staff pose in english is a basic seated posture. The legs are to be “poker stiff” according to B.K.S. Iyengar. Key fundamental actions needed for many yoga poses are introduced in this posture. Props are often used in ways to give height under the buttocks. One can bring the back to the …