A Little Bit of Yoga History #3 – Astanga: The Eight Limbs
Yoga Body
A Little Bit of Yoga History #3 – Astanga: The Eight Limbs
(Image by Coby Jones) So what exactly does the word “astanga” mean? In accordance with Patanjali’s yoga sutras, the definition of the sanskrit word “astanga” is “eight limbs” and Astanga-Yoga consists of eight components. Patajanli is sometimes described as “The Father of Modern Yoga (you can read my short piece about him here). According to Patanjali the eight limbs of yoga are: Yama…
Read MoreA Little Bit of Yoga History, Part 2
The harder and more intense the physical challenge, the higher the standard – and I am not just referring to yoga practise here -the more time and effort is required to maintain it. Hence, in my experience, many high level Astanga-vinyasa practitioners and teachers seem either to be men or women without children. In fact, it’s fair to say I’ve met many along the way who probably had some kind of family income as they didn’t seem to have to earn a living.
Read MoreA Little Bit of Yoga History, Part 1
Understanding yoga #1 This term began with quite a few newer yogis but even though many had done some yoga before, I realised there was still a lack of understanding about the history of yoga – stuff I often (mistakenly perhaps) believe lots of people just know! I guess sometimes that is what happens when…
Read MoreConnections: Balance is Essential for Your Brain, Not Just Your Body
If you practise yoga or any kind of exercise that involves balance, you’ll notice that sometimes it’s harder than others. There are loads of reasons of course and some may not be as obvious as others. It is fair to say though, that when we have lots on our mind or are not in a…
Read MoreThe Essence of Yoga & Ayurvedic Health Science
If you have never heard of the term ayurveda, or you have, but are not sure what it is exactly, you might be interested to understand a little of the philosophy and thought behind yogic health and ayurveda, its sister science. Just as Traditional Chinese Medicine offers natural alternatives towards better health outcomes, ayurveda is the ancient…
Read MoreHow do we get More Oxygen into our Blood?
Healthy blood cells contain more oxygen, but how do we get more oxygen into our cells? You might imagine that we just simply breathe more – as in we tend to be aware that we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. But inhalation has very little to do with storing or “holding on” (to) oxygen…
Read MoreHow Yoga Quietly Strengthens Your Core (No Sit-Ups Required)
It’s a bit of a mouthful – Niralamba badha ardha chandrasana – or “Unsupported bound half-moon pose”, but it’s one of my all-time faves because it’s very accessible and there is loads going on here. For example, you might be surprised to know that unsupported balance poses like these are a far better way to…
Read MoreWhat is Meditation Really?
All health seekers understand that meditation is good for us, but what image do we conjure up in our brain when we consider what it means? I had a conversation with someone last night who suggested that it was good, sometimes, to be “forced” into stillness if you were an otherwise “busy” person. In other…
Read MorePractising or Teaching Yoga? Ahimsa Must Prevail; Do No Harm…
One of my longterm students asked me last night in class why we hadn’t practised shoulder stands for a long time. I think of these things often, but for a few years now, my philosophy in a group class has been to teach something reasonably dynamic and doable that the most amount of people in…
Read MoreWhat is the Best Way to Plank?
What’s the best way to plank? I think it’s important to realise that there are no rights or wrongs, but what is important is what FEELS better and what offers the most amount of benefit for the least amount of effort and stress….
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