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by Kelly Golden
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
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Will Muslims be Banned from Yoga?
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Yet again, there is controversy over the practice of Yoga. This time it is in Malaysia, where a professor of Islamic studies has called for a ban on the practice of yoga. In Islam, this ban is known as a Fatwa, and the professor, Zakaria Stapa, opposes its practices because of its origins in Hinduism and the possibility it may cause some Muslims to deviate from the teachings of Islam.
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by Kelly Golden
Monday, November 10, 2008
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Does Hot Yoga Warm Your Heart?
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Interestingly, recent scientific studies have shown that physical warmth supports a more open, warm emotional response to the world. The study showed that participants who were presented with physical experiences of warmth (i.e. warm coffee and heating pads) showed a greater affinity towards generosity and openness to others than those who experienced physical sensations of cold (iced coffee and ice packs).
If this study proves true, then the practice of “hot yoga” may have found some unexpected support. Moving your body within a space of physical warmth (the typical “Hot” yoga class heats the room to around 90° F), is not only conducive to opening tight hamstrings, but may also be supportive the opening of your heart. When we feel “warm and fuzzy” on the outside, the study shows, it affects us on an emotional level as well. This inner warmth then manifests as tenderness towards others in our thoughts and actions.
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by Timothy Burgin
Friday, November 07, 2008
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Yoga Lesson: Humility
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Humility (Vinaya) is a deceptively cloaked virtue that when present gives one true greatness while eliminating the perils of pride and arrogance. At its core, humility is the fundamental respect towards all living beings, and the acknowledgment that in our essence we are all divine beings with the inherent capacity for greatness. Practicing humility dispels our egoic mind, purifies our soul and produces true knowledge and wisdom.
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by Timothy Burgin
Friday, October 31, 2008
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Heart Full of Soul by Krishna Das
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 On Krishna Das’s latest live 2-disk CD, he revisits many recorded favorites and includes a few new ones, including the lively gospel song “Jesus on the Mainline”. While this recording has a similar vibe to his first live CD, Live on Earth, it has more of a spacious feel to it, with more overall reverb and a larger sounding chorus. It is also interesting to compare the two recordings to see how Krishna Das has subtly changed over the 9 years between them.
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by Timothy Burgin
Monday, October 27, 2008
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New Writer on Board: Marlysa Sullivan
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 I am proud to announce and welcome Marlysa Sullivan to the YogaBasics.com team. Marlysa is a physical therapist, yoga instructor and yoga therapist working in Atlanta, Ga. She will share her extensive knowledge of the neuromusculoskeletal system with the philosophy and practice of yoga. For more info on Marlysa’s work, you can visit her website at www.anatomyofyoga.com.
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by Kelly Golden
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
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Spiritual Leaders for Obama
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General Colin Powell, former Bush Administration cabinet member announced his support for Presidential Candidate, Barak Obama on Sunday October 19th. This announcement is thought to have a noticeable impact on the presidential campaign for those who are “on the fence.” But for those whose political connection is interwoven with their spiritual path, there is another group of supporters that is worth noting. Spiritual Leaders Vote for Obama is a group of today’s leading yogis and meditators who are backing the Democratic presidential nominee.
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by Timothy Burgin
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
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A.M. and P.M. Yoga for Beginners
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 This top-quality yoga for beginners DVD contains two 30-minute programs: an energizing morning yoga practice and a calming evening practice. Elena uses her soothing voice to give straightforward yet detailed instructions and sage advice at a relaxed pace. She gives options for different levels of intensity and challenge throughout the programs, making the DVD work with multiple levels of abilities and giving beginning students room to grow with the practices.
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by Kelly Golden
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
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Gandhi Honored on his 139th Birthday
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Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi otherwise known as the Mahatma (or Great Soul) was one of the most influential yogis of the twentieth century. His acts of civil disobedience and strong belief in Ahimsa (nonviolence) created a legacy of peace and inspiration throughout the world. Today, sixty years after his death his message of employing peace to instigate great change continues to resonate strongly in the world. On the 2nd of October, the 139th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth was celebrated, and in India it included even the youngest peacemakers. In Siliguri, India young admirers of the Mahatma gathered together to pay homage in the most flattering way, imitation.
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by Kelly Golden
Friday, October 10, 2008
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Students Turn to Meditation
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For stress, focus, health and spirit, you name it and meditation addresses it. Now the collegiate population all over the country is turning to the practice of meditation to aid in dealing with the ever-mounting pressures of higher education coupled with life in today’s world. And it seems to be working.
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Dispassion. It's a word we'd been hearing for days now, and, at the slightest mention, made some of us cringe. For many, the word presented one of the few gripes about Yogic philosophy, implying a nonchalant attitude that leads to a passionless life and loveless friendships. How could the Yoga way, so intriguing for its sense of compassion, now neglect love and passion on its way to "higher realms"? Dispassion is defined as "the state or quality of being unemotional or emotionally uninvolved." No -- something about it didn't stick. I had, myself, some vague notion of understanding; having gone through a radical teenage phase in which I was prepared to eat only fruit that fell from trees, and disown my lovely family for buying Crest instead of the cruelty-free, eco-alternative. In this instance, dispassion could have been useful, creating space to care less for extreme values and accept one's own and other's shortcomings. At the time, this was my notion of dispassion: a letting go of extremes to maintain balance. It wasn't until this recent Yoga Teacher Training program, I came to see how dispassion could be so much more.
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by Kelly Golden
Thursday, October 02, 2008
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Yoga Improves Your Sex Life
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It improves everything else, why not this? Fox News has reported nine ways how yoga improves your sex life. Geez. Ok, it’s true. Just like a disciplined practice of yoga improves your life as a whole, yoga has the effect of improving all of the individual components as well. You’ll eat healthier, you will feel happier, you will be stronger and more flexible, you will manage stress more effectively, and yes you will see a noticeable improvement in your intimate relationships.
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by Kelly Golden
Monday, September 29, 2008
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The Nine nights of the Goddess
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 The 29th of September 2008 marks the beginning of the Hindu festival of the Goddess. Navaratri is celebrated in the Hindu month of Ashvina (September/October) for nine nights and ends on the tenth day, Vijayadashami the day of victory. It is one of the most celebrated festivals in Hinduism though its variations are as colorful and unique as the Hindu religion itself.
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by Kelly Golden
Thursday, September 25, 2008
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Yoga for India's Motormen
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How do you deal with the stress of driving a train in Mumbai, India, where rail travel is the “lifeline” of the city? Well, the nationally funded Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute thinks yoga can help. Through a three-month course in yoga, the Institute will monitor the effects of yoga on the stress levels of 80 motormen. For a rail system that transports over 6.1 million commuters on a daily basis, it would seem that stress management is imperative. These men drive trains, which are often overcrowded with close to 5000 passengers packed into a 1700 passenger space, which definitely puts the two grumpy little one’s in the back seat of my air conditioned station wagon into perspective.
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by Timothy Burgin
Monday, September 22, 2008
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Yoga Lesson: Mindfulness
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Mindfulness (Smriti) is a practice of turning your awareness and focus to what is happening in the present moment. This is a very useful tool to incorporate during yoga poses, as well as to use throughout your day-to-day activities. A mindful yoga practice creates a sense of centeredness and inner focus, giving your yoga practice more depth and tranquility. Practicing mindfulness within a yoga pose can also give the pose more power, both physically and energetically.
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by Kelly Golden
Thursday, September 18, 2008
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Yoga: The Greater Tradition
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 There are so many books on yoga on the market now that at times a newcomer can feel like they are drowning in choices. Most of the books for beginners are extremely similar, defining yoga, pranayama, and asana in basic accessible, physical terms. But there are a few books that lead the beginner closer to a path of understanding of the vast scope of yoga and all that it encompasses. The new book Yoga: The Greater Tradition does just that. One of the present day authorities in the classical traditions of Yoga, Tantra and Ayurveda, David Frawley, offers a beginners book of Yoga that spans the philosophical and traditional aspects of the practice without feeling overwhelming or archaic.
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by Kelly Golden
Monday, September 15, 2008
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Yoga is Ageless
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Yoga is for all ages. From babies to children from adults to elderly, the practice of yoga appeals to all ages and all shapes and sizes. Though commonly thought of as a fad for the 20-40 set, the practice of yoga covers all ends of the spectrum.
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by Timothy Burgin
Friday, September 12, 2008
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Ishumar by Toumast
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 The mesmerizing bluesy sound of the African played electric guitar shines prominently in the music of the dessert dwelling Touareg people. Toumast founder Moussa Ag currently lives in exile in France which explains the Western influence of jazz and funk into these exotic songs as well as the Western instruments of saxophone, viola and cello.
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by Maya Koenig
Friday, September 05, 2008
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From Seed to Sapling
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I'm not sure it's possible to innumerate, in so many words, the powerful process of a Yoga teacher training. But, if forced to choose three to describe my experience at Mount Madonna's YTT 2008 they would be rigorous, inspirational, and life transformational. The courses were thorough and authentic, covering all aspects of Yoga from Shat Karma to "Yoga and Social Activism". From 5:30 in the morning to 8:30 at night, we practiced Asana, taught Asana, purified our bodies and redirected our minds. Like new-born-babes, we yoga-teachers-to-be had the opportunity to relearn from the Yogic perspective how to move, breathe, and reconsider our preconceptions of reality.
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by Kelly Golden
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
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The Great Yoga Escape
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 The popularity of the Yoga retreat has exploded recently, and though retreats are part of the yogic tradition, they have evolved from the original intent of self imposed exile into a much more alluring commodity. Yogis of old were expected upon reaching a certain age, to walk away from family, friends, business and home to retreat into the forest, practice austerities, and find realization. In this era, they were not expected ever to return. Conversely, today not only are we expected to come back, but to come back refreshed, realigned, and ready to hit the ground running. So can it be done? Can we leave our lives to uncover the presence of consciousness beneath our everyday experiences, and retain this knowledge upon our return? If you believe the answer is yes, or if you are looking only to “get away” without the pretense of self-discovery, then there are a plethora of options from which to choose.
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by Timothy Burgin
Monday, September 01, 2008
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New Writer on Board: Maya Koenig
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 I am proud to announce and welcome Maya Koenig to the YogaBasics.com team. Maya is a recent recipient of our Yoga Scholarship program and will be sharing her journey of going through a yoga teacher training program, and her experiences of becoming a new yoga teacher in the world. Currently Maya is a Sophomore at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.
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by Timothy Burgin
Friday, August 29, 2008
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Yoga Lesson: One-Pointedness
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We often find our mind in a state of all-pointedness, focusing on countless different directions, distractions and thoughts. The yogis tell us that this state of all-pointedness scatters our awareness while dissipating and draining our energy. Conversely, creating a steady, one-pointed focus of our mind concentrates and conserves our energy and personal power. A fundamental teaching of yoga is the practice of cultivating one-pointedness (ekagrata), which in turn develops the focus and concentration needed for holding yoga poses and meditating for extended periods of time.
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by Kelly Golden
Monday, August 25, 2008
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Gurus Going Green for the Ganges
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 For Millennia the river Ganges in India has been the most revered river in the world. Hindus who worship the river as the goddess Ganga consider it to be sacred, and believe that bathing in Ganges will purify the body and the spirit. As death approaches it is believed that drinking water from the Ganges with the last breath will ensure that the soul attains freedom, and upon death, cremations by the tens of thousands are performed every year at its banks on funeral pyres made of wood set fire and sent into the river taking the soul of the deceased straight to god. But today, as India becomes on of the most industrialized nations in the world, the holy river Ganges is suffering. Pollution levels in the river are at an all time high, and rising exponentially is the number of worshipers. Now, in response to what is quickly becoming a dire situation, Gurus and spiritual leaders are rallying together in an attempt to improve the conditions of this ancient and venerated river.
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by Timothy Burgin
Thursday, August 21, 2008
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The Yoga Practice Guide
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 An excellent resource for the sequencing of yoga postures, this large-format spiral-bound book is divided into 5 levels of sequences: beginner, intermediate, intermediate/advanced, advanced and restorative. Each of the sequences have an easy to follow format of simple black and white drawings in long rows, which are beautifully illustrated.
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by Kelly Golden
Sunday, August 17, 2008
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Athletes find Support in Asana
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Watching the Olympics this past week has led me to wonder how professional athletes find balance. There, on the television screen, are a plethora of young, determined athletes with a solitary focus, to win. Their bodies show the commitment to their sport with powerfully strong muscles in sometimes disproportionate bulk. Some have worked their whole lives for this experience of competing in the hopes that there hard work will lead to reward. In the Olympics it is a medal, Gold specifically, although there are a couple of others we don’t hear much about, and in other professional sports it’s the championship, the title, the ring that drive these athletes to push beyond their perceived limits mentally and physically and reach for the victory. In order to help these athletes find equanimity, both physically and mentally, many coaches and trainers are looking toward inclusion of yoga in the routine of the professional athlete.
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by Timothy Burgin
Thursday, August 07, 2008
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New Kirtan and Chanting Books
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 Kirtan (call-and-response Sanskrit chanting), is becoming increasingly popular in the West. Three recent books aim to describe this practice to newcomers and experienced chanters alike. If you are interested in learning about the practice of Kirtan and about the popular Kirtan wallhas (performers) then one or more of these books will definitely appeal to you.
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by Timothy Burgin
Thursday, July 31, 2008
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Yoga Lesson: Slowing
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Yoga is a process towards looking inward to develop insight, awareness and understanding. To do this, we must practice Shani-- the slowing down between impulse and reaction. This slowing down naturally facilitates mindfulness and introspection and gives us the choice on how to respond rather than impulsively reacting to situations and events.
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by Timothy Burgin
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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Sri
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 Beautifully produced, performed and recorded, this chanting CD is a magical journey and exploration of Sanskrit, English and Hebrew mantras and chants. Heather Wertheimer’s sweet and soothing vocals ebb and flow through elaborate and diverse compositions of world music instruments. Benjy Wertheimer leads the music on a variety of instruments, including esraj, tabla, djembe, congas, frame drum, keyboards, and harmonium, and provides backup vocals with his deep resonate voice.
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by Kelly Golden
Friday, July 25, 2008
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Yogic Transformation Put to the Test
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If you have ever met a dyed in the wool, dedicated yoga practitioner, chances are they truly believe that the path and practice of yoga has the potential to transform everybody. In the yoga circles of which I am a part, I often hear the phrase, “yoga can change the world.” A pretty bold statement, most would say, but for those of us who believe it, one would be hard pressed to convince us otherwise. In the new movie Enlighten Up, filmmaker Kate Churchill puts this theory to the test.
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by Kelly Golden
Monday, July 21, 2008
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Yoga Month for the Masses?
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Riding the wave of yoga’s popularity, the Yoga Health Foundation’s founder Johannes R. Fisslinger conceived of a yearlong campaign to inspire a healthy lifestyle and promote education about the benefits of yoga culminating in a single month of festivals aimed at creating awareness. It’s called Yoga Month 09.2008 and it is drawing some of the biggest names in the yoga world to its side while leaving many behind.
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