Pratyahara - The Isolation Station

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the fifth limb, Pratyahara, where we to find a way to pay less attention to the sights, sounds, smells, feelings and thoughts which feed our ‘monkey mind’. 

I explain the science behind it, and some ways to start practicing pratyahara.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Pranayama - The Silken Thread

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the fourth limb, Pranayama, often described as breath control. This is not quite the full story though. There is far more to learn about pranayama, and about the benefits to be gained.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Asana - A Steady and Comfortable Seat

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the third limb, Asana, the physical postures we see in a yoga practice.

Asana is only 'the tip of the iceberg', as I explain in this article.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Practicing yoga with arthritis?

One of the things I love about yoga is that it can be practiced by almost anyone, and can accommodate most ailments or injuries people may be practicing with. 

If you're suffering from an ailment or injury, it takes a little knowledge and confidence to practice safely, and I wrote this article specifically for people with arthritis. This is also for teachers who need some information about the presentation of the disease so they can help their students.

Check out this article I wrote for Zen Monkey on this topic.

Intentions Are Good...

... but ACTION is best!

I'm writing this post about yoga, but really it can be applied to any area of life.

Are you wondering how it relates to this picture? Well, I drew it after many weeks of avoiding a 'crazy' desire I had to draw something. I bought a sketch book and pastels, and yet found every excuse to avoid it.

The blank pages stared back at me for weeks, mocking me. The excuses ranged from being tired, to not having enough time, to not having enough space to do it. Eventually I made a deal with myself to draw three pictures, and accept whatever happened. No judgement.

So it's not the best pic in the world, but I DID IT (it's a peacock feather by the way). I loved doing it, learnt something, and it paved the way to some more interesting doodles... And it's so therapeutic! More than anything, I don't have this creeping uncomfortable feeling that I'm missing out on something anymore.

I meet so many people who say "I would like to start yoga, but ...
... I'm not flexible enough"
... I'm self-conscious"
... I'm too short / fat / thin / old"
... I don't have time"
... I'm too tired"
... I haven't exercised for years"

All I can say is - try anyway. The worst that can happen is you don't like it and you don't do it again. The best that can happen is you love it and it's the beginning of something really positive in your life. Either way, you've learnt something, and you can say you've tried.

Can you find a place within yourself where you
... give it a bash anyway?
... don't let laziness win?
... listen to desire rather than fear, just for one evening?
... trust yourself to make the decision and stick with it?
... trust someone else to show you something new?
... learn about yourself?
... quit the excuses?

It might turn out to be great! Maybe not. Either way, you learn. Here's to all the 'tryers' out there...

Come to a class!

Find our what you can expect from a typical yoga class, check out FAQs, and if you're a guy - find out if yoga is just for chicks. 

Savasana - Corpse Pose

This is just a bit of fun I had doodling some notes on Savasana, the corpse pose.

You can expect to be doing Savasana at the end of most yoga classes you go to. It's the simplest posture of all - but often the most difficult - as the requirement will be to lie absolutely still and just let go for a few minutes.

Teachers will often tell you that this is where you will reap all the benefits of the class you have been through.

Find out more here about what else to expect in a typical yoga class.

<<< In the meantime, here's a kind-of silly cheat-sheet for all you need to remember (or forget) to do Savasana right... if there is such a thing as doing it 'right'.

The Paths of Yoga

In a previous post I described asana, the physical practice of postures, one of the eight limbs of yoga. In this post, I explain some of the paths of yoga, with some emphasis on Hatha Yoga, the yoga of effort.

The word yoga comes from a Sanskrit term, which means to 'yoke'. In other words, it refers to union, integration or wholeness. So while we usually think in terms of doing yoga, you can also say that you can achieve yoga, a state when the mind, body and spirit work together.

Traditionally, the paths are identified as:

1. Raja Yoga - yoga of the mind, as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
2. Jnana Yoga - yoga of knowledge or knowing
3. Bhakti Yoga - yoga of devotion
4. Karma Yoga - yoga of action

Then depending on which texts you read, you might find the following:

5. Hatha Yoga - yoga of forceful action / physical practice / effort

6. Mantra Yoga - yoga of sound 

7. Tantra Yoga - yoga of technology or technique

So when we're thinking about the paths of yoga, it's important to remember that they all lead to this sense of unity or wholeness.

The paths overlap and cross-over, so they should not be seen to exist in isolation. In addition, different scholars or commentators use different definitions so its possible to find contradictions. The point is, the paths developed to suit different temperaments or strengths, for example Jnana Yoga is best suited to someone with an intellectual temperament, and Karma Yoga may be best for someone who more action-oriented.

Hatha Yoga refers to the physical postures (asanas) which are designed to align the body and mind. This word is often used to describe yoga classes, and it usually refers to a static or relaxing style of yoga. Technically speaking though, all physical yoga can be categorised as Hatha. In some explanations Hatha may also include Kundalini yoga.

Hatha can be translated as ha meaning 'sun' and tha meaning 'moon'. This refers to the balance of masculine qualities (eg. active, hot, projective) and feminine qualities (eg. receptive, cool, receptive) which exist in all of us. Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites, creating a balance between strength and flexibility, between effort and surrender, thereby helping us to be more present in every moment.