by Manmohan Singh, The debate about whether yoga is a science or an art has been going on for a long time. However, if you really know what is science and what is art, then you probably don’t need any explanation to decide what yoga is. Let’s look at the definition of science first: The systematic study of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.Systemized knowledge of a specific subject.A specific branch of knowledge.Knowledge gained through systematic … [Read more...]
The videos and articles in this section explore the basis of what yoga really is, and describe ways of how to go about practicing it yourself.
How to Claim Back the Freedom of your Body with Interoceptive Awareness
By Sonya Simpson, Interoception, sometimes considered the 8th sense, is the felt sense or mindfulness of the body, and Interoceptive awareness is the ability to process the signals you receive from your body. Some examples of this are; levels of energy and how to respond, pain and what to do with it, and sickness and its interpretation. Well-developed interoception has been shown to increase resilience [1], help with emotional regulation [2], improve health and wellbeing [3], support pain … [Read more...]
How Patanjali’s ‘Atha’ Applies to Everyday Life
by Heather Robinson, In that moment. In that moment something holds me – here on my yoga mat, here I stand ready for practice, here I am connecting …. Then it happens - Did I switch my phone off? Do I need to check?..... Now I follow my breath with its gentle rhythm, compelling and calming me, now I’m connecting…… Or am I?? I forgot to make that phone call, will I remember later? Is my phone off? Sound familiar? You’re not alone! Thankfully, there is guidance and incentive. Millennia ago the … [Read more...]
Why The 3 Bandhas Are Not Optional in Yoga
by Daniel Fow All of the muscles in the body need to be exercised, stretched and worked with. Most of us know this, and we do yoga, go to the gym, walk, hike, run, or do some sort of work with our skeletal muscles. But these muscles are all generally on the outside surface of the body, either on top of our skeleton or immediately beneath. What we often tend to forget about is the importance of muscles that exist on the inside of the body. The pelvic diaphragm and the respiratory diaphragm are … [Read more...]
Is It Good to Go Deeper in a Yoga Pose?
by Lucinda Staniland For all the years I’ve been practicing yoga, I’ve always strived to ‘go deeper’ into the poses. In fact, I thought this was the point of asana. In the name of depth, I’ve pursued an ‘open heart’, and ‘release’ in the hips. Whatever the pose—lunges, backbends, twists—I’ve had an image in my mind of precisely how the pose should look, and the depth that I need to reach to achieve the perfect alignment. I’ve stretched my hands to my toes in standing forward bends, sunk deep … [Read more...]
The Dark Side of Essential Oils: Are They Really Safe to Use in Your Yoga Practice?
by Lucinda Staniland Essential Oils seem to be everywhere in the Yoga world these days: whether via a diffuser, massage or taken internally. That old favourite, incense, has been kicked to the curb and essential oils are riding high as they also offer a myriad of health benefits in addition to the delicious olfactory experience. But are Essential Oils really all that they're cracked up to be? Recently I've started hearing whisperings that Essential Oils may be more problematic, or at least … [Read more...]
How The 8 Limbs of Yoga Help Us to Touch the Deepest Self
by Meera Watts, Siddhi Yoga Yoga has become a mainstream activity in all parts of the world. The discipline has a lot to teach us but we are failing the practice itself. It’s great that we’ve all been introduced to this phenomenal multi-faceted means of helping ourselves, but to take it apart and use what we’re comfortable with isn’t exactly the point of yoga. One can master poses and look the part but when yoga doesn’t capture your soul, teach you how to be still, or alter how you live your … [Read more...]
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Yoga
by Lucinda Staniland Most of us come to yoga with a whole lot of misconceptions about what yoga is. I was no different. Here are some of the mistakes that I made, and lessons that I learnt, as a new yoga student. 1. Asana does not equal yoga. When I started doing yoga I was awed by the strength and grace of the physical practice I saw my fellow students doing. I couldn't wait for the day when I too would move with such beauty. I fell in love with asana. But asana (physical postures) is not … [Read more...]
The Real Meaning of Aum and Why We Chant It
by Kara-Leah Grant An extract from 'The No-More-Excuses Guide to Yoga' The number one thing that freaks out new yoga students is the thought of opening their mouth and making a vowel sound followed by a consonant in a room full of strangers. Yes, the simple sound of OM makes people want to run screaming from the room. There are a few reasons for this - one is that Aum (as it's correctly written) has a bad rap. It's weird, strange and the butt of all kinds of jokes. Plus, making a sound like … [Read more...]
The True Meaning of Yoga and Why It’s Not About Asana
by Kara-Leah Grant Let's get technical, technical, I wanna get technical... Let me hear your ego rock... OK fellow yoga students. Here's the deal. The word 'Yoga' gets bandied about all over the place, but it's rarely defined. We assume that we all know what we're talking about, but often we're talking about different things. First up, physical postures are not Yoga. They are called 'asana'. When you go to what is commonly called 'a yoga class', you are likely attending an asana class. You … [Read more...]