Writings: Bandha

Wise Void Minded Yogi

Wise Void Minded Yogi

In yoga we have an opposite notion or a contrary image about how wisdom takes form within the human mind.  Instead of thinking that attaining knowledge is about filling up our minds with learning, facts, information, viewpoints, stances, opinions and such—the yogi aspires to empty out of all thoughts and become ‘void minded’.
Taste the Dirt of Yoga

Taste the Dirt of Yoga

Yes, the road behind me is strewn with my failures and as painful as all these mistakes were, and are, at least I can say I took on my darkness.
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.
Asana and Sadhana as Prayer

Asana and Sadhana as Prayer

I used to hear my teacher Sri Pattabhi Jois during conferences go out of his way to remind us that beginning practice with Surya Namaskara was an act of devotion and not a warm up.
Whose posture are you imagining?

Whose posture are you imagining?

Learning to exert even a tiny bit of conscious control over the largely unconscious process of image formation will greatly increase your understanding of asana theory and practice.
Do we need the beautiful Yoga photo?

Do we need the beautiful Yoga photo?

Your efforts in practice are meant to feed the ideal images that you are shaping within your mind and body, and this maturation takes place nearly imperceptibly, little by little, day by day. Part of establishing yourself in the discipline, is learning to
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
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.

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