An interview with Kausthub Desikachar, son of TKV Desikachar, grandson of Krishnamacharya

Kausthub Desikachar

If you live in or close to Wellington, and are a serious student of yoga, there's a seminar coming up that you won't want to miss. Kausthub Desikachar, son and student of TKV Desikachar,  grandson of the great Yogi, T. Krishnamacharya is coming to Wellington to deliver the fourth in a series of in-depth seminars on the Yoga Sutras. This series is highly recommended for Yoga teachers of all levels and lineages, as well as anyone interested in pursuing the philosophy of Yoga in their personal … [Read more...]

Can you name all the yamas and niyamas from Patanjali’s Eight Limbs?

Ghandi's life was all about the first yogic yama - Ahimsa

I've been contemplating a few things lately, both while on my mat and off my mat. Things like how yoga and business mix, what it means to be a yoga student, what it means to be a yogi, how our shadow sides present themselves and affect both us and the people around us, and what life is really all about. I know, big stuff. Something that's mean tying it together for me, over and over and over again, is that how we choose to behave when the pressure is on reveals how mature we are, or how far … [Read more...]

Taking yoga off the mat, into the world

Off The Mat founders Seane,

by guest author Marianne Elliot My path to yoga came via a decade as a human rights advocate, an activist and a humanitarian worker. Amongst other things, I needed to learn the lessons of yoga in order to make my activism more compassionate and sustainable. These days I see no separation between my yoga and my activism. In both I peel away the layers I’ve built up between my heart and all beings. In both I learn patience, acceptance and the transformative power of compassionate clarity. … [Read more...]

Auckland Yoga Teacher Barbara Coley

Auckland Yoga Teacher Barbara Coley

Once a financial controller, now owner of a yoga studio, Barbara Coley makes time in her life to visit India as often as she can to continue her studies with A.G. and Indra Mohan, both of whom were long-time personal students of Krishnamacharya. While she never dreamed that she would ever open a yoga studio, earlier this year she even hosted the Mohans here in New Zealand for a Yoga Sutras seminar. Barbara's hoping to bring them out again in 2011. Her personal interest is yoga psychology, … [Read more...]

What if yoga is like religion?

Is yoga a religion?

by guest author Melissa Billington, from MYOGA For years I’ve seen the fear people have around Yoga, some claiming it’s a cult or a religion and refusing to take part because they would be seen by the upholders of their own religion as hypocritical or blasphemous.  Many yoga styles and schools are based in a religion and there is even Christian yoga.  While many more styles and schools stick to their claim that yoga is an art, a philosophy, and a science, but not a religion. The word … [Read more...]

Top ten yoga books in my library, Part 1

A tale of fantastical happenings

A few weeks ago I published an article listing my Top Ten best yoga websites and articles on the web. People loved it - and they wanted more, so this is a follow-up. Again, in no particular order, these are my top ten yoga books. I own every one of these books, and refer to them again and again. … [Read more...]