North Shore Yoga Blog

January Monthly Theme: Meditation

2011-12-28T07:11:00.000-08:00

In Samkhya philosophy there are three major guṇas which serve as the fundamental operating principles or "tendencies" of prakrti (universal nature) which are called: sattva guṇa, and rajas guṇa, tamas guṇa. The three primary gunas are generally accepted to be associated with creation (satva), preservation (rajas), and destruction (tamas). The entire creation and its process

October Monthly Theme: Bandhas

2011-10-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Bandhas are interior body locks used in yoga. There are three bandhas - Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jhalandara Bandha. Each bandha is a lock, meaning a closing off of part of the interior body. These locks are used in various pranayama and asana practices to tone, cleanse and energize the interior body and organs. When all three bandhas are activated at the same time, it is called Maha

September Monthly Theme: The Koshas

2011-09-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

A Kosha usually rendered "sheath", is one of five coverings of the Atman, or Self according to Vedantic philosophy. They are often visualised like the layers of an onion. Belling states: According to the Kosha system in Yogic philosophy, the nature of being human encompasses physical and psychological aspects that function as one holistic system. The Kosha system refers to

August Monthly Theme: The Guru

2011-08-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

The August Montly Theme is the idea of Guru or that which takes you from Darkness into the Light! The Guru – Excerpt from Chapter 5, Jivamukti Yoga "Gu" means ignorance; that which obscures Truth. "Ru" means that which removes. The Guru is the agent that removes ignorance, so that the Truth is revealed. The aim of yoga is to realize that we are all connected. We share

July Monthly Theme: Karma and Samskara

2011-06-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

The concept of Karma and Samskara is from Jivamukti Yoga, by David Life and Sharon Gannon, they state:This essence of Karma Yoga is selfless service. This practical method for reducing suffering in the world is the foundation of all yoga practice. When we are suffering from self-pity and loneliness, a surefire cure is to care more for others and the reduction of their

June Monthly Theme: Klesas

2011-05-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

The April theme of the month highlights the Klesas, or the obstacles that get in the way of us reaching Samadhi, or enlightenment. The idea is to minimize the five Klesas. They are with us always but we want to weaken them. The Five Klesas are: avidya—ignorance or better yet… lack of awareness asmita—the feeling of individuality which limits a person and distinguishes

May Monthly Theme: Chakra System

2011-05-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

Anodea Judith, author of Eastern Body, Western Mind, says: A chakra is a center of activity that receives, assimilates, and expresses life force energy. The word chakra literally translates as wheel or disk and refers to a spinning sphere of bioenergetic activity emanating from the major nerve ganglia branching forward from the spinal column. There are six of these wheels

April Monthly Theme: Ayurveda

2011-03-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ayurveda, which literally means the knowledge and wisdom of life, is the traditional healing system of India. Often called the mother of all healing, it originated in India over 5000 years ago. Ayurveda views health and disease as the end result of how we interact with the world, in terms of our beliefs, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings, which then ultimately determine

March Monthly Theme: Bandhas

2011-03-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Bandhas are interior body locks used in yoga. There are three bandhas–Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jhalandara Bandha. Each bandha is a lock, meaning a closing off of part of the interior body. These locks are used in various pranayama and asana practices to tone, cleanse and energize the interior body and organs. When all three bandhas are activated at the same time, it is called Maha Bandha,

February Monthly Theme: Drishti

2011-02-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

The increasing popularity and influence of the Ashtanga Vinyasa method of yoga, taught for more than 60 years by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, have introduced drishti to thousands of practitioners. On a simple level, drishti technique uses a specific gazing direction for the eyes to control attention. In every asana in Ashtanga, students are taught to direct their gaze to one of nine specific points.The

January Monthly Theme: Om

2011-01-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

According to the Mandukya Upanishad,"Om is the one eternal syllable of which all that exists is but the development. The past, the present, and the future are all included in this one sound, and all that exists beyond the three forms of time is also implied in it". Om is not a word but rather an intonation, which, like music, transcends the barriers of age, race, culture

December Monthly Theme: Niyama

2010-12-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

The monthly theme for December is Niyama or Observances. This relates to the yogi's behavior towards himself and a way to create self-discipline.1. SAUCHA: Purity, cleanlinessSaucha is the practice of cleaning the body. We want to be pure in every way. This includes bathing, brushing the teeth and the practice of kriyas, as well as maintaining a clean house, a clean mind..

November Monthly Theme: The Other Yamas

2010-11-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

The November theme of the month are the other four Yamas or restraints in Patanjali’s 8 limbed path. These restraints are placed on ourselves willingly in order to focus our efforts in the right direction. It is a disciplined path that allows us to head toward the fulfillment of our dharma, or life purpose. The other four yamas—Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, and Aparigraha

October Monthly Theme: Ahimsa

2010-09-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

In the Yoga Sutras, Pantanjali outlines an 8 limbed path known as, Ashtanga Yoga. This is the means he gives as the way to follow the path of yoga. The first limb is known as Yama or translated as restraint. There are 5 Yamas and they are:1.) Ahimsa:non-violence 2.) Satya: Truthfulness3.) Asteya: non-stealing4.) Brahmacharya: continence5.) Aparigraha: non-greed Ahimsa,

September Monthly Theme: Pranayama

2010-09-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

The September theme of the month is the 4th Limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga—Pranayama.Prana is the vital force that animates the body, enlivening it with motion, intelligence, radiance, transformation and artistry. Though closely associated with the air we breathe in, Prana is subtler than air. Rather, air is the medium through which we absorb Prana into our being.

August Monthly Theme: Savasana

2010-08-02T07:35:00.001-07:00

Savasana is a yoga asana often used to begin or conclude a yoga session. It is a relaxing posture intended to rejuvenate one's body, mind and spirit. In Savasana, our bodies integrate and assimilate what we have just practiced. It is about letting go completely. Proper relaxation is essential for the health of our mind and body and for clarity of thought for making good choices. The obstacles to

July Monthly Theme: Meditation

2010-07-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

Meditation is the art of watching your mind think. According to the science of meditation, the mind is considered the instrument that the Self uses for perception. The mind has four functions or aspects. The lower mind is called, manas. It is the part which collects data. To utilize this information intelligently, two other functions of the mind come into operation. The

June Monthly Theme: Purusharthas–Dharma, Artha, Karma and Moksha

2010-06-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

Purusha means human being and artha means object or objective. Purusharthas means objectives of man. According to Hindu way of life, a man should strive to achieve four chief objectives (Purusharthas) in his life. Of these, the first three belong to the realm of worldly values; the fourth is called the supreme value. The fulfillment of the first three paves the way for Moksha.They are: Dharma (

May Monthly Theme: Hatha Yoga Pradipika

2010-05-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Swami Muktibodhananda states… According to hatha yoga there are six major factors which prevent yoga or union from occurring. In hatha yoga, union means uniting the two energy forces, mental and pranic, in the body. This is the energy flowing in the ida and pingala nadis. Hatha Yoga is the process of balancing the flow of these two alternating forces to bring perfect

April Monthly Theme: Practice & Non-Attachment

2010-04-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

The question arises of how do we arrive at a state of yoga and what should we do and not do? Patanjali states in sutras 1.12-1.16: ABHYASA VAIRAGYABHYAM TANNIRODHAH These mental modifications are restrained by practice and non-attachment TATRA STHITAU YATNO’BHYASAH Of these two effort toward steadiness of mind is practice (effort must be continuous.) SA TU

March Monthly Theme: Kriya Yoga

2010-03-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

The second chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describes the qualities necessary to change the mind effectively and gradually from a state of distraction to one of attention. These are practical hints to be followed in our daily lives. He starts with the explanation of Kriya Yoga:Tapah Svadhayayaesvara Pranidhanani Kriya Yoga:“Accepting pain as help for purification, study of

February Monthly Theme: Samkhya

2010-02-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

January Monthly Theme: Savasana

2009-12-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

December Monthly Theme: Deities

2009-12-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

Hindus declare that there is only one Supreme Being and He is the God of all religions. There is no "other God." Thus the Biblical Commandment "Thou shalt have no other God before me," really means, "Thou shalt not deny the Ultimate Reality or worship any power other than the Ultimate Reality." Hindus view cosmic activity of the Supreme Being as comprised of three tasks:

November Monthly Theme: Bandhas

2009-11-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

Who is the doer in Yoga Asana practice?

2009-11-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

When we do asana we have a concept as to what we are to achieve from the practice--health, flexibility, pride in accomplishment, the yoga butt! Action, though is not the ultimate reality. But we superimpose the energy to perform action (Kriya Sakti) on ourselves through the ego. Consider a flower. When the sun shines the flower blooms. Who is responsible? Blooming is occuring in the presence of

October Monthly Theme: Kosha

2009-10-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

September Monthly Theme: Pranayama

2009-09-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

Prana is the vital force that animates the body, enlivening it with motion, intelligence, radiance, transformation and artistry. Though closely associated with the air we breathe in, Prana is subtler than air. Rather, air is the medium through which we absorb Prana into our being. This Prana is introduced into our being through breath, and upon entering our being it

August Monthly Theme: The Guru

2009-07-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 5, Jivamukti Yoga “Gu” means ignorance; that which obscures Truth. “Ru” means that which removes. The Guru is the agent that removes ignorance, so that the Truth is revealed.The aim of yoga is to realize that we are all connected. We share one heart, one consciousness, and one Divine Source. Yoga’s method is to provide us with

July Monthly Theme: Karma and Samskara

2009-07-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

From Jivamukti Yoga, by David Life and Sharon Gannon, they state:This essence of Karma Yoga is selfless service. This practical method for reducing suffering in the world is the foundation of all yoga practice. When we are suffering from self-pity and loneliness, a surefire cure is to care more for others and the reduction of their suffering. When we shift our thoughts away from our own suffering

Yoga and Ayurveda--Same Goal

2009-06-14T05:10:00.000-07:00

Yoga has taken America by storm. Yoga teaching has become one of the fastest growing professions in North America. As many as 30 million people practice yoga in the United States alone. NAMASTA, the North American Studio Alliance, the organization for mind-body professionals, nowestimates that there are 70,000 yoga teachers in North America. Most fitness clubs offer yoga classes, and yoga is the

June Monthly Theme: Ayurveda

2009-06-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

May Monthly Theme: Chakra System

2009-04-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

Anodea Judith, author of Eastern Body, Western Mind, says:A chakra is a center of activity that receives, assimilates, and expresses life force energy. The word chakra literally translates as wheel or disk and refers to a spinning sphere of bioenergetic activity emanating from the major nerve ganglia branching forward from the spinal column. There are six of these wheels stacked in a column of

Practicing Life

2009-04-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

When we practice asana we often focus on telling our body what to do. We then carry this mindset into our days and do the same with others. The result--conflict in our lives and on our yoga mats. Have we really acheived Yoga? The next time you practice asana, try to let go of desire to force your body to do something or to attain some kind of idealized shape. Listen to your body, embrace the

April Monthly Theme: Klesas

2009-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

The April theme of the month highlights the Klesas, or the obstacles that get in the way of us reaching Samadhi, or enlightenment. The idea is to minimize the five Klesas. They are with us always but we want to weaken them.The Five Klesas are:Avidya – Ignorance or better yet… lack of awarenessAsmita – The feeling of individuality which limits a person and distinguishes him from a group and

An Introduction toSeasonal Detox and Cleansing

2009-03-05T12:34:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone needs to detoxify and rest their body from time to time. Some of us need to cleanse more frequently or work more continually to rebalance our body. There are many types of cleanses that restore the body by eliminating toxins, thereby improving our ability to absorb nutrients. After cleansing, people usually find their digestion improves, resulting in clear skin, more energy and a

March Monthly Theme:Dhyana & Samadhi

2009-03-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

The monthly theme for March brings us to the last two limbs of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, Dhyana and Samadhi.From the previous limb or Dharana, we learned the importance of single pointed concentration. It is the foundation for the next limb, Dhyana, or meditation. It is at this point that there is uninterrupted flow of concentration. It is a fine distinction but at this point the mind has

February Monthly Theme:Pratyahara and Dharana

2009-02-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

The February theme of the month moves us to the first two internal limbs of Patanjali's Eight Fold Path: Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) and Dharana (concentration on a single point).Pratyahara, the fifth limb, is the bridge between the four external limbs and movement toward the internal limbs of Patanjali's Yoga. In Prayahara (sense withdrawal) we draw our awareness away from the external world