A Little Bit of Yoga History #3 – Astanga: The Eight Limbs
Yoga Philosophy
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 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 MoreHealthier Mind Habits
In yoga philosophy one of the main principles yogis are advised to work towards when it comes to the pursuit of happiness is non-attachment. But what does mean?
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 MoreDo Chakras Really Exist?
Do chakras exist and what does it mean to “balance” , “open” or “activate” them? Let’s face it, it’s unlikely the chakras exist the way they are depicted in most images but if we can suspend our disbelief for one moment, we could accept that many ancient cultures were incredibly sage. It appears they managed to work out…
Read MoreWhat is the Surprising Difference Between Yoga & Meditation?
…for many years, I practised the physical part of my yoga as if I was training for Olympic gold! At the end of the class, like lots of others, I would gratefully flop down into Savasana for a rest, often with twitchy muscles because I had completely over-stimulated my nervous system.
Read MoreYoga, Gut Health & What the Ancients Knew…
Being Human The best – and perhaps the worst – thing about being a human being is our brain and sense of consciousness. We can think, we have ideas, we imagine, discover, create and evolve. The downside is that human consciousness is at the source of ego. And it’s our ego combined with our imagination that often totally gets the…
Read MoreDo We Truly Understand The Deeper Dimensions of Actual “Yoga”?
I’ve been pondering this question since I got back from my recent annual “pilgrimage” to Sydney, where I got to hang out with many similar souls – people excited by all that is yoga; body, mind and spiritual health – and, of course, my teacher, modern-day “Guruji”, Simon Borg-Olivier. It’s fair to say that Simon has one…
Read MoreHappy 2017: The Importance of “Satsang”
The word “satsang” is a sanskrit word that means something along the lines of community gathering. Satya is the yogic yama meaning truthfulness or honesty and “sanga” means community. Along with the laughs, what I realised after my week in Bellingen, was the importance of community and connection and how the creative arts – and indeed all group activity – is so important on a deep level.
Read More