The value of knowing what you don’t know
Last night after class, I asked a student how her home practice was going. A few weeks earlier, we’d met privately to work out a routine that was specific to her: something short and simple that would address the tight shoulders, hips and hamstrings that were restricting her in the poses. It turned out she […]
How do you end a practice break?
It’s time to come inside now. Your mat is waiting for you.Surely one of the most unfair parts of being human is that good habits are hard to form and easy to lose, while bad habits rub against your ankles like cats who’ve just heard a can opener. I could blame renovations, house guests who […]
Looking back on a year of yoga
A heap of jewel-bright Iyengar bracelets.It was cookie night last night, by which I know that it’s officially Christmas time, and year’s end. We made Cappuccino Shortbreads, Peppermint Patties, Gingerbreads, Clove Snaps (a clove-and-citrus take on Ginger Snaps), Lemon-Lime Butter Wafers, Kris Kringle chocolate cookies that you roll in either cocoa or icing sugar before […]
Every breath you take
If you are a fan of heavy-metal clothing brand Affliction – admittedly not really likely if you’ve found yourself on this page – then you might believe that affliction is “the passion that drives us to reach for greatness,” or something that “makes you build when others buy.” Well no. Since at least Roman times, […]
Let two chairs be your umbrella on a rainy, rainy day
When you come back up, even a dark, gray day looks brighter.Here on the wet West Coast, where winter closes in with endless clouds, rain, and steadily diminishing daylight, we take seasonal depression seriously. I have a “happy light” glowing on my desk as I write this. So there’s nothing I’d like to recommend more […]
Forget about the Borg: resistance is utile
The Borg is quite possibly the most thought-provoking alien species ever to populate science fiction. “Born into a collective consciousness, they are collectively aware, but not aware of themselves as individuals,” as the article on the StarTrek.com database tells us. They’re never alone, always in the company of thousands of voices; deep in a […]