By Kara-Leah Grant, The short answer is... YES. The more interesting answer is that as you practice yoga, your perception and understanding of what a "great body" is will change. And even more interesting... the concept that happiness is reliant upon creating specific circumstances (i.e. when I lose weight I'll be happy, when I win the lotto I'll be happy, when I find my perfect partner I'll be happy...)... is revealed to be an illusion. What this means is that whether or not your body is … [Read more...]
What do you mean ‘We are all One’?
In his book, The Elements of Yoga, Godfrey Devereux uses physics to explain how our perspective can limit our understanding of 'reality' He says: While we perceive a tree as solid, if we change our frame of reference and perceive a tree from the viewpoint of an electron, a neutrino or any of the elusive sub-atomic particles which populate the Universe of quantum physicists, it melts into a vortex of dancing, scintillating energy. ... Material objects, viewed as fields of energy, do not … [Read more...]
An interview with Hillary Rubin – coming to terms with Multiple Sclerosis
Part of the reason for this website is to gather stories and inspiration of the way that yoga has helped people to manage or heal health issues. My hope is that by sharing these stories and increasing our awareness and knowledge of the power of yoga, more people will be inspired to turn to yoga in times of trouble. Our world currently works on a scientific model - our rational minds want to know that something will work before we commit to a change. By gathering stories from people who's lives … [Read more...]
How do I squeeze yoga and meditation into my jam-packed day?
It’s the end of the week and while you managed to make it to two yoga classes, you haven’t unrolled your yoga mat at home once. Family, work, & household commitments make finding a 90-minute slot during the day next to impossible. Short of getting up at 5am, or re-prioritizing your life to ditch other commitments, there are other ways to regularly practice yoga. After all, home practice is where the deeper rewards of yoga blossom. So how do you manage to fit regular yoga and meditation … [Read more...]
How practicing yoga can pierce the veil of Maya
by Kara-Leah, Maya is a Hindu, or Vedic concept - the word refers to the illusion of physical and mental reality that we operate under. Piercing the veil refers to seeing or perceiving past this illusion to glimpse the transcendent truth. It means waking up, becoming enlightened, becoming conscious. So what does this have to do with us in our every day lives and how can we use it? We all live our lives with the expectation that the reality we perceive and experience is True. Yet this reality … [Read more...]
How do I begin to meditate?
By Guest Author James Bryan, of Knoff Yoga For those of us who practice Hatha Yoga (asana, pranayama and meditation), when we are pressed for time, meditation often gets set aside – we want to do it, but how to fit it in our busy day? To get the full benefit of what Hatha Yoga offers, we do need to meditate and in this article, we will look at a few reasons for setting up a daily routine to include it. … [Read more...]
What plank pose can teach us about transformative power
by Kara-Leah Grant In the novel I have just finished reading (and highly recommend) - People of the Weeping Eye by W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear, one of the main characters is a "Contrary". She goes by the name of Two Petals, and ever since her mother died, has had trouble staying grounded in reality. She hears voices, sees visions, and is overwhelmed in crowds because she connects with every single person's soul. What makes Two Petals a Contrary is that everything is also … [Read more...]
How a yoga practice can manage Multiple Sclerosis – Hillary Rubin’s story
Meet Hillary Rubin. That's her there, practicing yoga. She's was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1996, and decided that it was the perfect opportunity to transform her life from the inside out. Over the last twelve years she's used a combination of yoga, meditation, and lifestyle to manage her MS. "I believe that our challenges are our greatest gifts," is Hillary's mantra. "When we embrace what we wish we could get rid of then we heal on a deeper level." She goes on to say … [Read more...]
The wise do not waste time on meditation
Do not think that because you take an hour a day to sit and meditate that you have arrived. You have not arrived. Because when you get up off your mat All full of pride That you can stop your thoughts and focus your attention for an hour YOU Have not arrived The wise man does not meditate … [Read more...]
On moving toward a world with no moral codes, rules or regulations
There is no authority that exists, or need exist externally from our Selves. We need no moral code. We need no rules. We need no regulations. All we need is be completely honest with ourselves (conscious!) and understand the implications of our actions. All we need is to understand and know that we are a part of the Whole, and anything we do to another we do to ourselves because we are all One. … [Read more...]