by guest author Laura Green What if there were a world where everyone practiced yoga? Human beings, being imperfect as they are, would probably still manage to mess things up. But, on the whole, life would be far better. Anger Management Violence, wars, envy, hatred, greed – they would all be reduced if everyone practiced yoga. Wouldn't it be great if we lived on a planet where, every time someone started feeling these urges, they practiced yoga? Some anger empowers us, urging us on to … [Read more...]
The Unbearable Lightness of Being: Yoga, weight, body image and weightlessness
By guest author Nanditha Ram, author of Blissful Mom, Blissful Baby I have borrowed the title of one of my favourite novels to serve as title of this article. It's a post modern philosophical product of the 1980s, The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. I've borrowed it because it brought to my mind, in a round-about sort of way, a connection with yoga and weight... and our modern day crisis of how we view the self. Yoga is a great weight busting practice. A truly reliable way to … [Read more...]
How Yoga helped me… to see my body in a different light.
by guest author Anna Coventry, Anna Coventry Yoga When you look in the mirror, what do you see? A unique and beautiful person inside and out? Or someone who needs to lose weight, tone up and get some more sleep? A lot of women - and more guys than you would think - suffer from body image issues. It’s unfortunately very common and it is very destructive to a person’s wellbeing and happiness. For a long time I suffered from poor body image that led me to see myself in a distorted and … [Read more...]
Don’t look at my ass in asana
There are times I fully embrace and enjoy in the relatively hype-free existence of yoga in New Zealand. Coming from Seattle - granola metropolis, yoga studio a stone’s throw in any direction - the lack of flash, and preoccupation with being seen as a yoga practitioner is a relief. How can I worry if I’m wearing the wrong brand name practice pants when there are no brand name practice pants to be bought? In comparison, the American online community - primed by yoga ‘rebels’, issues … [Read more...]
Is regular yoga practice a good way to lose weight? Part II
by guest author Jude Mahood, nutritionist and yoga teacher The first part of this article described the way yoga practice is thought to result in weight loss. In summary, weight loss may be the direct result of vigorous regular practice or it may be indirectly related to the cultivation of mindfulness. An important point to reiterate is that successful weight loss is more likely to happen if yoga practice is combined with sound weight loss strategies. I have to be very clear at the … [Read more...]
Am I a bad yogi because I want to eat steak?
Last week I received a comment from a reader prompted by the article they'd been reading, Will yoga give me a great body? I have recently started yoga, been almost a month & I love it. I have been doing "The Paleo Diet" - Lean Meats, Fruits, Vegs, No breads or Grains, Beans etc. I am eating more of what a cave man would/could eat and with that & yoga I am losing weight. I have to be honest with you, I kinda feel bad. I feel that I can't love yoga & be a yogi if I eat meat, which … [Read more...]
How to stay young forever with yoga
by Kara-Leah, It's the Holy Grail of Modern Life, the never-ending quest for the elusive fountain of youth. That potion or procedure or diet that will keep one looking and feeling young forever. Pity the poor celebrity, faced with growing older in the glaring light of public scrutiny, forever surrounded by images of themselves as a younger, brighter star. But it's not just celebrities that fight the ever-advanced march of time. Regular citizens like you and I pour millions of dollars into … [Read more...]
Will Yoga Give Me a Great Body?
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...]
How yoga will give you a body you LOVE
by Kara-Leah Grant, Common wisdom holds that if you are unhappy about your body, the only recourse is to lose weight via exercise, or dieting, or pills, or some combination of all three. But there is another way. It doesn't involve starving yourself, forcing yourself into an activity you hate or risking your health with dodgy chemicals. Instead of focusing on changing the external - i.e. your body - focus on changing the internal, i.e. your PERCEPTION of your body. Stop the hating and the … [Read more...]