Headstand at 70? Why not?
JoAnn came to her private yoga class last week with a copy of “Father William,” Lewis Carroll’s poem in which an obnoxious young man attempts to guide his father in age-appropriate behavior. “Do you know it?” she asked. Do I know it? My mother loved it, and often quoted the first lines. I’ve used it […]
Are some yoga poses lemons?
On reflection, I’d say no. There are poses that can cause harm if they are badly done. And there are poses so likely to be badly done that careful teachers rarely teach them – or more precisely, they rarely teach the final pose. That doesn’t make these poses lemons, just poses to approach with care. […]
Are you ready to commit to a daily practice?
I once heard a story about a senior Iyengar teacher whose non-negotiable daily commitment to her practice was to do her headstand and shoulder stand at 5 p.m. local time. I no longer remember who it was – if you can fill me in, please do. But since she was an international teacher, who travelled […]
Sadhana starts tomorrow: here’s the first day’s practice
I’ll be laying out my clothes tonight, hanging them on the hook in the bathroom in reverse order of putting them on. I’ll set my alarm clock, and then, if tradition holds, wake myself up three or four times during the night. It’s Sadhana preparation. Wouldn’t have it any other way. This year’s practice is […]
Five-minute yoga challenge: extend, don’t grip in headstand
“You are old, Father William,” the young man said, “And your hair has become very white; “And yet you incessantly stand on your head – “Do you think, at your age, it is right?” Who can blame the inquisitive young man for asking? Anywhere outside yoga culture, headstand is an odd thing to do. Certainly […]
Five-Minute Yoga Challenge: half a headstand with 3 blocks and a wall
The Five-Minute Yoga Challenge started as a response to two of Gretchen Rubin’s Rules for Adulthood: “What you do EVERY DAY matters more than what you do ONCE IN A WHILE,” and “By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished.” That, in a nutshell, is the philosophy of My Five […]