Writings: Bandhas

Crazy for Tapas

Every act of prayer contains an element of emptying yourself, a relinquishment of volition, will and ego. 
Gestures and Doubt

Gestures and Doubt

Sansaya (doubt) is one of the 9 obstacles that clouds the mind and thwarts practice. Skepticism, cynicism, jadedness, lack of trust, fear of trust, worry, anxiety, anticipating the worst, finding the worst, all of these are reflective of doubt.
Solutide is Key for Home and Group Practitioners

Solutide is Key for Home and Group Practitioners

I’m a bit of a nut when it comes to practicing in solitude. I imagine at times this can be hard on my practice partner but she also knows how thankful I am for her and our practice time. 
The Asana Practice, a Teacher of Breath

The Asana Practice, a Teacher of Breath

Breathing is the key to opening your body. There is obviously a genetic component to flexibility, but breathing helps you to open up to that.
How do I practice or cultivate devotion in my asanas?

How do I practice or cultivate devotion in my asanas?

I’m going to tell you a secret about myself. I started practicing Yoga for sport. To stretch my muscles out from running. I taught myself how to practice for devotion.
Ashtanga Yoga: Practice is the Reward

Ashtanga Yoga: Practice is the Reward

The hatha yogi uses his body to create an inward, symbolic sand mandala each morning, and thus he mounts to a similar pinnacle of devotion, a turning away from the pull of materiality in favor of turning towards the sublime spiritual realms within. In ma
Maximize the hip opening benefits of Baddha Konasana

Maximize the hip opening benefits of Baddha Konasana

Baddhakonasana, Bound Angle Pose, is an important hip opening seated posture that is found in the primary series. In this blog post I provide instruction for the upright phase and the two forward bending phases...
What is your vinyasa end position?

What is your vinyasa end position?

I recently posted about the importance of spinal positioning in asana study, and also how the asana allies can help you to position your spine in the center of your asana. When I say asana ally, I mean that in response to the mind’s tendency to be turned o
The Yogi’s Map of Imagery or “Help me. I still don’t understand Mula Bandha.”

The Yogi’s Map of Imagery or “Help me. I still don’t understand Mula Bandha.”

One of the most important maps is visualization or imagery. So that rather than being physical first, you approach practice from a place of imagery or visualization. This is one of the most fascinating aspects to the work.
Sharath’s Conference: January 16th, 2011

Sharath’s Conference: January 16th, 2011

Sharath spoke about each of the 6 classic yogic cleansing practices and concluded that Ashtanga practice achieves the same benefits and thus largely replaces these practices.

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