The Magic of Sun Salutations, or what I learned on my summer vacation
I had three months off teaching this summer, mostly because I spent June in India, studying at the Iyengar yoga institute in Pune. Anyone who has studied at RIMYI knows that a month there doesn’t really qualify as a holiday. Not with a two-hour class and a three-hour practice six days a week, along with […]
Taking off and landing: how poses are like airplanes
Taking flight? Here’s to an unhurried takeoff and a safe landing. I spent two years of my 20s working as a flight attendant. Time long ago erased any memory of where to find the first aid kit on a Boeing 737 and which planes need the girt bar stowed so the emergency slide won’t deploy […]
Take a Seat in Utkatasana, the Yoga Chair: Five-Minute Yoga Challenge
Ever felt like a bottom-heavy Daruma doll when you were squatting? Utkatasana can help.I disliked Utkatasana the first time I tried it. Wende’s demonstration made it look simple enough: raise your arms, bend your knees and sit back. Simple yes. Easy, no. I was shocked by how hard it was, and how at sea I […]
What would happen if? A new look at New Year’s resolutions
No, it’s usually not this bad, but sometimes it is. For as long as I can remember I’ve been a sucker for New Year’s resolutions. I always want to improve myself, to trade this very imperfect human being for a new and improved model. This year, not so much. I’m happy with my good habits […]
Shoulder stand preparation on a little plastic stool: Five-minute Yoga Challenge
caption= “So lovely. All it needs is an ‘I heart little plastic stools’ bumper sticker. It is unlikely that little plastic stools will ever take on the iconic status that’s afforded to chairs in Iyengar yoga. You need only look at Eyal Shifroni’s amazing new book, A Complete Guide to Iyengar Yoga Practice with a […]
Sparks of Divinity: words that could change your life
Have you ever read words that changed your life? Here are some that recently changed mine: “If doubt arises in your discipline, let it come. You do your work, and let doubt go about its work. Let’s see which one gives up first.” I still hear the same negative chatter that accompanies any move toward […]