Yoga is not just about 60 minutes on a mat. For me, anyway. It’s a lifestyle that follows ancient tenets. Among them, loving-kindness. Act selflessly and be in harmony with the universe. In his book, “Krishnamacharya: His Life and Teachings,” A.C. Mohan says, “if the yamas and the niyamas are practiced, one will have universal […]
Bhakti is big for me. Devotion often expressed through group chanting, or kirtan, is my favorite of the yoga branches. So, my heart’s humming, knowing World Bhakti Festival is coming up. In Dallas. Feb. 28, 29, and March 1. World Bhakti Festival is a yoga and wellness festival. However, it features Bhakti leading lights Sean […]
Cacao: A Treat for the Heart I enjoy cacao as medicine. It’s heart-healthy, and a heart opener. Sunday afternoon. Feb. 23., I’ll be offering cacao as medicine workshops at The Namaste Getaway. Pick from Partner Play, or, First Love Yourself. All will include gluten-free, vegan low-glycemic cacao treats. Made with love. From my heart to […]
Today is Thanksgiving. I don’t celebrate traditional Thanksgiving. Rather, I try to abide by the age-old Yoga Sutras. The lessons of the Yamas and the Niyamas. No stuffing myself on holiday fare. Not interested in Black Friday or CyberMonday. I don’t need anything. Rather than amassing more, I give. Seva (selfless service) is a part […]
One of the newfangled yoga trends is goat yoga. It’s not about a new style of yoga where you imitate goat poses. Rather, you practice your cat/cow or downward dog as baby goats walk around—or on top of— you. If you’re lucky, maybe a goat will cuddle next to you in your savasana. However, on […]
In the Western world, too often, yoga means physical fitness practice. People focus on mastering a pose or hope to work up a sweat in a yoga class. But, that’s not what yoga really is. Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras wrote Sthira Sukham Asanam. To me, that means stillness in your seat or space. Sounds […]
In keeping with the theme of Ahimsa for the planet, people should be mindful of their yoga gear. The vast majority of yoga mats in the U.S. are made out of a toxic, non-biodegradable ingredient that may be a carcinogen. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). As a result, knowingly, or unknowingly, yogis are harming our environment by […]
Ahimsa (non-violence) is at the core of a yogic lifestyle. It may include a vegetarian diet, seva (selfless service or karma yoga) as well as ahimsa for our planet. According to an Earth Day article in the Hindustan Times, half the world’s wetlands have been lost since 1900. Global warming is on steroids, with the […]
When Sat Bir Singh Khalsa told the chairman of the department of physiology that he wanted to focus on yoga for his grad studies, he was met with complete skepticism. That was many years ago. Today, he is one of the nation’s leading researchers on yoga and meditation. Affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Dr. Singh […]
This Yoga for Self-Confidence guest blog is by Devakar Sandhu of Ekam Yogashala in Rishikesh, India Yoga for Self-Confidence: Answers are Within Self-confidence is an attribute that everyone must-have. If someone wants to be truly happy and content in their life, it is important to be confident. It helps in not getting stuck in the […]
The Namaste Counsel is hosting a WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT RETREAT with Sita Devi Dasi, September 21, as well as Community Kirtan on September 22. The retreat will focus on sisterly sangha and soaking up the prana in serene Wimberley. Sita Devi Dasi heads the Women’s Empowerment program at Radhanath Swami’s Govardhan Eco Village. The eco-village is […]
As a child, they kiss your boo boo And it feels better. When your ice cream cone falls to the ground You feel bad. In school, when you score a 100, A big smile, and feeling of pride, fills you up. But, when Johnny calls you “funny face,” you hurt. Your mother’s spaghetti, or your […]