The Yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh is all set to host the International Yoga festival from the 1st – 7th March, 2017. The festival is organised by Parmarth Niketan ashram along with The Ministry of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), GMVN, and The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board. Held annually, this…
Read MoreRemembering Iyengar on his birth anniversary
With much fondness, reverence and gratitude we remember Yogacharya Sri BKS Iyengar on the occasion of his 98th birth anniversary. In fact we found just the perfect jewel from our archives to share on this very special occasion as we reminiscence about the energy of Guruji. While working on our book – Yoga in India: A Journey…
Read MoreLessons from the Mat – A Mysore Yoga Experience
BY YARANG MICHI Taking a long break from teaching and becoming a student once again really helps me to find the essence of yoga, which is “balance”. At the end of the day the skill of balance is what yoga really is all about, either on or off the mat. In Mysore, I’m beginning again into…
Read MoreWhat are the Bandhas?
BY JESSICA BROOKES Carl G. Jung the eminent Swiss psychologist, described yoga as ‘one of the greatest things the human mind has ever created.’ The Yoga Sutra defines Yoga as: yoga chitta-vritti-nirodah, which may be translated as: “Yoga is the cessation of agitation of the consciousness.” The word yoga is derived from the root yuj, which means to yoke,…
Read MoreT. Krishnamacharya – The Father of Modern Yoga
BY ADITHI MATHEWS “Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God.” – T. Krishnamacharya For the modern practitioner, Yoga translates to purely Asana or the physical limb of the entire 8 steps which, leads to the state of Samadhi.…
Read MoreMysore Style Ashtanga Yoga – an introduction
BY ADITHI MATHEWS Among the many forms of traditional Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga Mysore Style is known as a dynamic practice which weaves the movement of asana together with breath. This style of Yoga was founded by Sri K Pattabi Jois in Mysore, a city in Southern India.
Read More5 Popular Yoga and Meditation Retreats in India
BY ROHIT AGARWAL Though yoga originated in India, it is no longer just confined to the country. Today, it has thousands of followers all over the world and many yoga centres and ashrams in every country. With the United Nations declaring June 21 as the International Yoga Day, it has acquired more prominence. In today’s hectic…
Read MoreTorchbearers of Traditional Yoga – Atmavikasa Center of Yogic Sciences
BY ADITHI MATHEWS Enrolling in a Teacher Training Program in India is on the list of most Yoga aspirants. Many spend years just preparing by saving up financially, and thoroughly researching the perfect Indian Yoga school. Upon arrival in India and a week into their training program, that dream slowly starts to lose steam. They find themselves…
Read MoreYoga for Everyone – Sivananda Yoga
BY ADITHI MATHEWS There is an inspiring story about the guru-disciple relationship. As a young man Swami Vishnudevananda (disciple) was in the army and accidentally stumbled upon a booklet with a quote by Swami Sivananda (guru). The quote read, ‘An ounce of practice is worth tons in theory.’ Swami Vishnudevananda was so inspired by the…
Read More6 common expectations from an Intensive 200 Hr-Yoga Teacher Training.
BY SUZANA ALTERO Choosing the right teacher training is a daunting task. And if you are doing it abroad, it can be even harder. It’s usually an intensive course, where we have probably never met the teachers or even someone who has really attended it! There are great articles giving tips on how to better…
Read MorePoetry through meditations
BY ADITHI MATHEWS The ‘self’ as the object of absolute existential interest and inner fulfilment as the final destination of life form the central focus of Erkin Bek’s book ‘All Here’. The book which features 34 poems around the theme of existence, yoga and meditation is also illustrated with brush paintings by Korean master Jungwoong…
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