by Jessica Powers, The word chakra comes from the Sanskrit language and literally translates to ‘wheel’. Often described as ‘wheels of light’ a chakra is an energy center in the human body aligned with the spine and considered to be an interface between the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of an individual. Though there are many systems detailing the subtle anatomy of humans, some speaking of 12 or even 100s of chakras, the most common tradition is that of seven … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2010
Yoga trippy – an Indian viewpoint of Western Yoga
an essay by guest author Ali Halle Tilley Yoga is an ancient practice, which can bring transformation and liberation to the disillusioned, disenfranchised masses[1] of the Technological Age by combining universal moral codes and postural sequences, with breathing and meditation techniques. One main challenge for yoga practiced in the West, however, is the contagion of consumerism where yoga students and teachers buy into what is currently fashionable and dismiss what is genuine. This … [Read more...]
Everything is stable… until it’s not
by guest author Katie Lane What the Christchurch earthquake is teaching me about stability. Just when I thought I’d found my roots...the ground shook. AGAIN. Tuesday morning, 11.32am. The biggest aftershock I felt since our original 7.1 magnitude earthquake in early September. Compared to the BIG event, this shake was minor. However, a 5.0 on any scale is really no small thing! The woman I was talking with on the phone started to cry and hung up the apologizing that she needed to call her … [Read more...]
So what’s your purpose in life?
by guest author Marianne Elliott, Off the Mat NZ It’s not exactly the kind of question people are likely to ask you at a cocktail party, but increasingly I hear people asking themselves and others: What is your purpose in life? Many of us long for a clear sense of purpose: one coherent story about what we are supposed to be doing with our life. We wish we could feel confident that we are spending our “one wild and precious life” in a way that is meaningful, that is contributing … [Read more...]
Is your yoga fashion destroying the planet?
by guest author Elissa Jordan in honour of Blog Action Day 2010 | Water Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking a global discussion and driving collective action. Everything you do in this life carries with it a weight. The food you eat, the transportation you choose, how well you remember to turn off the lights and even what's in your wardrobe. These are the … [Read more...]
What does it feel like to be in the flow?
by guest author Alys Titchener, author of the poetry blog Squashed Mosquito, in honour of Blog Action Day 2010 | Water Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking a global discussion and driving collective action. What does it feel like to be in the flow? I came across this question on facebook today. Brilliant question! One thing I can point to … [Read more...]
Applying the fifth yama, Aparigraha (non-hoarding), to daily life
by Kara-Leah, Of all the yamas, this is the one which, if kept, would have the most profound effect on our western, consumer, materialistic society. If we all lived in such a way that we were non-possessive, non-accumulative, and non-hoarding... it would totally shift our relationship to stuff, to the earth, to ideas, to ego-identity and to each other. The way we did business would change. The way we manufactured products would change. Our footprint upon the earth would lighten enormously. The … [Read more...]
How to maintain a home yoga practice with a baby (or generally demanding life)
It's something other mothers have been asking me for the last few months - how do I maintain my home yoga practice (crucial as a yoga teacher) when I've got a 9 month old baby boy, and shared custody of a seven year old girl? It's simple really. I make my practice the priority for the day. It's my one must-do every single day. Everything else can wait. In practice, this isn't easy, and requires discipline. But it is simple, and it applies not just to parents with young children, but … [Read more...]
An interview with yoga researcher Brandon Eggleston PhD
Brandon Eggleston is a faculty member at the University of Southern Indiana, USA, who researches yoga practice. He's coming to New Zealand in December to conduct interviews with yoga practitioners to find out why they practice yoga. The research will be done in partnership with a colleague of his who is currently working on her PhD at the University of Auckland. The interviews, which will take between 15 and 20 minutes and can be done by phone, will be conducted between December 26th … [Read more...]