By Charu Ramesh धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च भरतर्षभ । यदि इहस्ति तदन्यत्र यन नेहस्ति न तद् क्वचित् ॥ O King, that which is found here [in The Mahabharata] on dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire) and moksha (salvation), can be found elsewhere; but if it is not here, it cannot be found anywhere … Continue reading The Path of Life
by Vaishali Iyer The eight limbs of yoga described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are often taught as a step-by-step ascent, or a process of deepening interiorization which culminates with samadhi in formal sitting meditation. Many times we approach this framework sequentially, beginning with our action in the world, moving through asana and pranayama and only … Continue reading Dharana & Dhyana: A Somatic Perspective
By Charu Ramesh When I ask you to listen and you start giving advice, you have not done what I have asked. When I ask you to listen and you start telling me why I shouldn't feel the way I do, you are invalidating my feelings. When I ask you to listen and you start trying … Continue reading On Listening
By Charu Ramesh Have you ever wondered why Yoga poses have such esoteric names? Why should it be Hanumanasana and not just the splits? What is the value addition in calling a low lunge Anjaneyasana? And why can’t it be a simple forward bend rather than Paschimottanasana? It all comes back to the purpose of … Continue reading Yoga Stories
by Vaishali Iyer This is the third and final in my series of posts on yin yoga. In this last post, I want to talk about how yin yoga helps us access the body’s natural healing capabilities. We have already seen how yin yoga is a way of consciously re-entering the natural cycles of life; … Continue reading Why Yin? (Part III)
BY VAISHALI IYER This is the second in a series of posts about the magic of yin yoga. In my first post, I spoke of the way yin practice helps us slow down and enter a different sense of time as we feel the body more and more deeply. Giving ourselves this ‘yin time’ clears … Continue reading Why Yin? (Part II)
by Vaishali Iyer Lately I’ve been teaching more yin yoga – and reflecting on the amazing benefits that a regular yin practice can bring. While most of us are probably familiar with active (“yang”) forms of yoga, yin yoga is still somewhat unknown, somewhat in the shadows of the yoga world. The world of yin … Continue reading Why Yin?
by Charu Ramesh Mulla Nasrudin is with his friends drinking coffee. They are discussing death: "When you are in your casket and friends and family are mourning you, what you would like to hear them say about you?" One man says, "I would like to hear them say that I was a great doctor of my … Continue reading The Wisdom of Death
by Vaishali Iyer This month I’m co-teaching a course on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. In preparation, I’ve been exploring some of the text’s key themes in my regular weekly classes. I’ve taught about staying focused and stilling the mind through somatic awareness (citta vritti nirodha); learning to honour the truth (satya) of your body and your … Continue reading Practising with Integrity: Thoughts on Sthira-Sukham Asanam
by Charu Ramesh There are many myths surrounding the birth of the sage Patanjali. In one of the myths, his mother was a skilled yogini who desired a son to whom she could pass on her wisdom and knowledge. One morning she was praying at the river, with her hands placed in anjali mudra filled … Continue reading Lessons from Patanjali: Receiving the Divine Offering
The Wise Body 