PARIGHASANA (par-ee-GOSS-ah-nuh) parigha = an iron bar or beam used for locking or shutting a gate. Also (depending on context): a line of cloud crossing the sun at sunrise or sunset; two birds flying on each side of a traveller (regarded as an omen); a virtuous person. This pose is commonly known as the […]
I’m guessing if you’re reading this, you love your yoga class! It’s something you count on and look forward to every week, knowing that you’ll not only learn something about your body or how to nail that perfect pose, but also that you’ll feel so much better after your class and spending time with […]
I love my garden. I love my garden so much. When I first planted it I watered diligently and watched closely to see how each plant was doing. I swear I went out to look at it about 10 times a day, maybe more. Many plants survived, some did not. That’s life and death in […]
ASANA BREAKDOWN: VĪRABHADRĀSANA 3 (veera-bah-DRAS-anna) by Richard Rosen vira = brave person, hero bhadra = blessed, auspicious, prosperous, happy, etc. Popularly known as Warrior Pose, 3rd variation (abbreviated below as V3) Virabhadra’s Pose, often called Warrior (variation 3). This pose is usually entered from Virabhadrasana I. Here we’ll move into the pose from a straight […]
Movement is inexorable, essential. There is no energy without movement. Form cannot differentiate without movement. Without movement we would be stuck in the formless void of the thermodynamic death of the Universe, pretty grim right? Thankfully there is energy and form available to be the contents of our consciousness. This brings me to the […]
This month You and The Mat invited me to create the blog post for the month of May. The topic to write on was to be “what moves and inspires you?” In this opportunity life seemed to be gifting me a question that needed exploration… What really inspires me, how do I embody my yoga? […]
VĪRABHADRĀSANA I (veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna) vīra = a brave or eminent person, hero, chief bhadra = blessed, auspicious, fortunate, prosperous, happy; good, gracious, friendly, kind; excellent, fair, beautiful, lovely, pleasant, dear; skillful in; great VIRABHADRA’S POSE, FIRST VARIATION aka Warrior Pose I There are three related Virabhadrasana poses (VB hereafter), numbered 1, 2, and 3 (or I, […]
“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” ~John Muir Has this ever happened to you? …Maybe while you were walking on the beach… or through the Redwoods… or in the Marin headlands… that you felt a deep […]
VĪRABHADRĀSANA 2 (veera-bah-DRAS-anna) vira = brave person, hero bhadra = blessed, auspicious, prosperous, happy, etc. Popularly known as Warrior Pose, 2nd variation (abbreviated below as V2) Although he was certainly war-like, I’m not sure that “Warrior” describes Virabhadra accurately; rather, he was a monstrous emanation of the deity Shiva, the patron saint of Hatha […]
A dear friend and teacher shared this quote in her class recently and it has stayed with me: “True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.” I used to think self-care meant loads of alone time, preferably […]
There doesn’t seem to be any agreement on a Sanskrit name for this pose. The most common name is Ashva Sanchalanasana, literally “to move about on a horse,” and so called the Horse Rider’s Pose. I suppose the legs here represent the “horse”–maybe we can visualize the long back leg as the horse’s “tail–the […]
By Mary Paffard Yes, I know it’s common parlance in many pilates and yoga classes. This term is used as a kind of blanket command that will get the deeper abdominal area engaged. But does it? Most folks respond by activating an area of the upper abdomen, sometimes hardening around the diaphragm, and rarely glimpsing […]
Uttanasana is one of the most commonly performed of all the standing poses. It’s also one of the most useful, IF performed properly. In many classes it serves as a “rest period” between the poses of the standing sequence. It’s extension, ardha uttanasana, is also extremely important. Too often, we move into the standing […]
In the northern hemisphere, we’ve moved into winter. Plants are dormant, animals are in hibernation, lakes and rivers are freezing over. Yet, we feel the need to rush around. The temptation to live outside of ourselves is strong. Our ego is gluttonous, feasting on expectation, judgment, and comparison. As we are pulled in all directions, […]
TADASANA (tah-DAH-suh-nuh) tāda = mountain (PRONUNCIATION NOTE: the “d” in this word is what’s called a retroflex. If it were properly transliterated from Sanskrit to Roman characters, it would have a small under-dot [the word processor used for this column can’t create that]. It’s not possible to describe in words what the “d” should sound […]
The practice of Yoga, while it works to mature the mind, can also reveal the mind as a young, persistent child. Just like the other day, when I saw a mother walk out of the store. She prompted her young son to follow alongside of her, and he confidently demanded to know, “Why?”. Our […]
URDHVA MUKHA SHVANĀSANA (erd-vah moo-kah shvun-AHS-uh-nuh) urdhva mukha = face upward (urdhva = upward; mukha = face) śhvana = dog (SPELLING/PRONUNCIATION NOTES: 1) There are three sibilants in Sanskrit. The simple “s” is pronounced exactly like the Roman “s”; say “so.” The second sibilant is called a palatal “s,” it’s marked with what the French […]
We are just too busy, too occupied, too distracted, too over-scheduled. We try so many strategies: new calendars, to-do lists, New Year’s resolutions, and endless promises to ourselves to do less. But we don’t. So do these three things instead. 1. First, commit to practicing a 20 minute-long relaxation once a day. Lie down, set a timer, […]
Mula Bandha In the yoga world, there is a parallel to Kegels, and this concept is often conveyed in an equally murky way. It’s called mula bandha. The history of mula bandha is a checkered one. Sri K. Patthabi Jois, an Indian yogi credited with introducing ashtanga vinyasa yoga to the western world, claimed […]
CHATURANGA DANDASANA (chah-tur-ANG-ah dun-DAHS-anna) chaturanga = four limbs (chatur = four; anga = limb) (SPELLING NOTE: The Sanskrit “c” is pronounced like the “ch” in “church.” Properly then, “chatur” should be spelled “catur.” The “h” has been added to make the pronunciation easier for non-Sanskritists). danda = staff (refers to the spine, the central “staff” […]