Focus of the Month
Hopeful Notes and Music for the End Times
By Patricia Blanchet
In these turbulent times, I’ve found refuge on my yoga mat, and I’ve found real joy in listening to music, making daily space for deep listening sessions to soothe my troubled soul. I hope you all have been doing the same because it’s incredibly helpful. One artist whose music I’ve played a lot lately is the visionary Alice Coltrane, especially her beautiful piece entitled “Turiya and Ramakrishna”…
Archives
Hopeful Notes and Music for the End Times
By Patricia Blanchet
In these turbulent times, I’ve found refuge on my yoga mat, and I’ve found real joy in listening to music, making daily space for deep listening sessions to soothe my troubled soul. I hope you all have been doing the same because it’s incredibly helpfu …
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Hopeful Notes and Music for the End Times
By Patricia Blanchet
July, 2020
Cherish Yoga
By Larry Haag
Cherish, more than a word. I cherish my existence on this planet and the life that this universe has bestowed upon me. This wasn’t always my mantra. In 2005, Susan, my wife, coaxed me into my first yoga class as a means for achieving some physical acti …
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Cherish Yoga
By Larry Haag
March, 2020
Abhyasa, Vairagya My Ass
By Susan Orem
That was just to get your attention. And it was indeed my intention to write a funny/snarky essay about not being rewarded for my good deeds. Which I still may do. I started practicing in 1990 at Crunch (it was a gym) when my knees couldn’t take bench …
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Abhyasa, Vairagya My Ass
By Susan Orem
February, 2020
An Artist’s Vision of Yoga
By Nicholas Howey
Having spent decades in the New York art world, moving my tent to Bridgehampton ten years ago was a lengthy transition. I decided to investigate yoga as an exercise and a way of evolving and changing my life. Yoga Shanti felt like home as soon as I re …
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An Artist’s Vision of Yoga
By Nicholas Howey
January, 2020
Family
By Theresa Caruso
Over coffee, a friend recently put it to me quite clearly: “Holidays are all about family!” So it has always been in my house. The Holiday Season was a magical time of year of which I have so many fond memories…watching Rudolph and the Grinch on TV, s …
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Family
By Theresa Caruso
December, 2019
Intimacy with Fear and Moving Closer to Your Truth: Salutations for the Remover of Obstacles
By Ashley McGee
A significant part of my personal journey in becoming a yoga teacher has stemmed from my intimacy with fear and my desire to move closer to my truth. Since university, I found myself fighting personal fears and obstacles – fighting for respect as a you …
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Intimacy with Fear and Moving Closer to Your Truth: Salutations for the Remover of Obstacles
By Ashley McGee
November, 2019
Life After Deaths
By Stella Sands
Remember those kids’ bounce-back inflatable toys—the ones you hit, they go down, then magically pop back up again, unscathed and poised for the next round? In one, Bozo the Clown’s inane smile remains unflappable and unflinching, in spite of blow-afte …
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Life After Deaths
By Stella Sands
October, 2019
Into The Light
By Susan Haag
When I was in the tenth grade, my best friend and I went to the New England Tennis Camp in Groton, Massachusetts. After lessons, we were instructed to select an evening activity: Pottery, Dance, Creative Writing, Painting or Yoga. YOGA – What was this …
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Into The Light
By Susan Haag
September, 2019
Outside to Inside
By Katie Plumb
When I first started my yoga practice with Yoga Shanti in October 2005, I was completely driven by the outside world. I gave you authority over my life. I adjusted what I did or said based on what I thought you wanted. If you needed me or wanted me for …
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Outside to Inside
By Katie Plumb
August, 2019
Desert Island
By Hilary Offenberg
A couple of years ago, one of my favorite and most generous yoga teachers, Heidi Fokine, randomly asked which three poses we would take with us if we were stranded on a desert island. I often think about that very question when I can’t fall asleep at n …
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Desert Island
By Hilary Offenberg
July, 2019
The Space Between
By Sharon Cardel
Spring is here. Now that we are squarely set in the season, I can admit that I have difficulty with the time just before spring. A time with little definition that stays for far too long after the cold of winter ends. It is that waiting time between se …
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The Space Between
By Sharon Cardel
June, 2019
On Being Asked to Write the Focus of the Month
By Margie Bono
As of this month, Yoga Shanti has opened up the writing of the focus of the month our students as well as our teachers. Margie Bono is one of our regulars at the Sag Harbor studio. Thoughts of anxiety and trepidation, reminiscent of school day assignme …
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On Being Asked to Write the Focus of the Month
By Margie Bono
May, 2019
Free Will
By Karen M. Meyer
Free Will… Is it a blessing or a curse? It is said that inherent in being human, setting us apart from other living creatures, is a phenomenon called “free will”. And so I question how free are we? And, if indeed we are free, is this freedom a blessing …
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Free Will
By Karen M. Meyer
April, 2019
Gratitude Stacking
By Mia Fasanella
“We can’t choose what happens to us, but we can change how we choose to receive our experience.” This quote resonates with me because it serves as a reminder that we have the power to shift our attitude. Even from difficult situations, we can learn som …
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Gratitude Stacking
By Mia Fasanella
March, 2019
#nothingisordinary: A Love Letter to Asana
By Linda Cassidy
#nothingisordinary: I’ve been using this hashtag a lot lately in my Instagram account. I like it because it speaks to a central experience of awareness: every living thing is absolutely unique. There is not and never can be a single exception to this r …
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#nothingisordinary: A Love Letter to Asana
By Linda Cassidy
February, 2019
The Teachings, Not the Teacher
By Iris Cohen
We gathered shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle, the constellation of the Costa Rican sky above, the sand under our feet, a burning fire before us. The shaman instructed us to blow on a wooden stick and toss it into the fire as an offering to burn our te …
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The Teachings, Not the Teacher
By Iris Cohen
January, 2019
Light
By Geoffrey Nimmer
I got to spend Thanksgiving with my goddaughter, her husband and their 3-month old baby. At the end of the weekend, they were talking about how excited they were to go Christmas tree shopping. A huge part of their excitement was recognizing how mesmeri …
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Light
By Geoffrey Nimmer
December, 2018
Attitude of Gratitude
By Theresa Caruso
If you had told me a year ago that I would be writing the Focus of the Month for the Yoga Shanti newsletter, my response would have been, “Get outta town!” Yet, here I am, doing just that. No, I cannot quote yoga sutras and give you words of wisdom, b …
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Attitude of Gratitude
By Theresa Caruso
November, 2018
Mindfulness
By Eric Pettigrew
Do you ever find yourself feeling that there is too much going on in your life? You are caught up in trying to accomplish all you need to do, while still adding more to your “to do” list? It’s easy to slip into that mode, especially in the fall season, …
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Mindfulness
By Eric Pettigrew
October, 2018
Openness/Overcoming Fear
By Alexandria Rae Brzenk
I recently encouraged a student to try an arm balance. She was hesitant. When I asked her why, she said, “I’m afraid to try it.” The posture—visvamitrasana—requires stability and openness, and is complex in the type of preparation that is required for …
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Openness/Overcoming Fear
By Alexandria Rae Brzenk
September, 2018
Puzzle Pieces
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
It’s been hard for me to write this focus. I’m not sure why. It’s been hard to find the focus. Most times when I sit down to write blogs, which I do often, I ask for inspiration. What am I meant to communicate today? What is the message that wants to c …
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Puzzle Pieces
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
August, 2018
Atha yoga anushasanam. (Now, yoga.)
By Lindsay Buehler Tyson
I sit to write this in the midst of Summer Solstice: the longest, lightest day of the year, which also happens to be International Yoga Day. Summer feels like a season of abundance—lots of vacation, lots of yoga, lots of watermelon and guacamole and Ap …
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Atha yoga anushasanam. (Now, yoga.)
By Lindsay Buehler Tyson
July, 2018
Containment
By Sylvia Channing
Moving into summer, the yoga practice should shift towards containment and purification of the expansive, creative spring energies of April and May. In June, berries take the place of blossoms and the trees send their energy to be stored in sweet fruit …
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Containment
By Sylvia Channing
June, 2018
Hope
By Rodney Yee
So, you feel like the bad weather is following you around and you just can’t get a ray of the sun. It’s time to check your horoscope and see a Shaman and get active in shaking the shadows or maybe it is time to hide and wait out the storm. Are these le …
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Hope
By Rodney Yee
May, 2018
Baggage
By Jamie Lugo
My husband and I recently returned from a six-month sabbatical. We quit our jobs, moved out of our apartment, then left our families and dogs behind. Off to travel the world, we were going places we’d never been and seeing things we’d never seen. As al …
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Baggage
By Jamie Lugo
April, 2018
Why Read The Bhagavad Gita Now?
By Linda Cassidy
The story of The Bhagavad Gita is set in a society that’s being torn apart by conflict. There are two distinct sides that hold opposing views, and each one firmly believes they’re right. Contempt, hostility and mutual mistrust are the only threads that …
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Why Read The Bhagavad Gita Now?
By Linda Cassidy
March, 2018
Start Now
By Sarah Halweil
For the most part, I love my life. Sure, I go back and forth on what could have been or what might be. But incessant worrying about past decisions can lead to feelings of hopelessness and depression, and excess worry about the future can cause havoc. P …
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Start Now
By Sarah Halweil
February, 2018
Forms of Freedom
By Keely Rakushin Garfield
A while ago, I went to the zendo where I regularly practice meditation and, donning my robes and grabbing a cushion, headed into the meditation hall to sit. Instead of being greeted by the familiar neat rows of cushions and fellow practitioners sitting …
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Forms of Freedom
By Keely Rakushin Garfield
December, 2017
Springsteen & Yoga
By Patty McCormick
The first time Bruce Springsteen heard the studio recording of his album Born To Run, he was so unhappy with it, he threw the record in a nearby swimming pool. All he could hear was what was wrong with it. Fortunately, his manager had a different persp …
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Springsteen & Yoga
By Patty McCormick
December, 2017
Dropping Into Our Roots
By Geoffrey Nimmer
I am so grateful to live in a place where I can feel so connected to my environment. Recognizing my connection to the world around me is a way I practice yoga off the mat. And a big part of that connection is through light: We are so lucky to live in a …
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Dropping Into Our Roots
By Geoffrey Nimmer
November, 2017
Creating A Happy Kitchen
By Kendra Peterson
Happy, joyful, centered, mindful—these are some of my favorite words. They guide me through my days and help me keep my head on straight! They’re also words that weave their way into the fabric of two important aspects of my life: food and yoga. In my …
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Creating A Happy Kitchen
By Kendra Peterson
November, 2017
The Trusted Friend
By Nikki Costello
Recently, Yoga Shanti teachers and staff members gathered for a meeting in preparation for the new fall schedule. We welcomed new teachers, introduced ourselves, and engaged in a discussion about our shared purpose as teachers at Yoga Shanti. I asked t …
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The Trusted Friend
By Nikki Costello
October, 2017
Opening Up to the Gifts of the Universe
By Guillerma Moreno
September literally stormed in, forcing us to get into fall mode, quick. I like to set professional goals in September. I answer questions like: What can I do this year to evolve as a teacher? What can I focus on to help grow my business? And a new one …
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Opening Up to the Gifts of the Universe
By Guillerma Moreno
September, 2017
Life is What Happens to You While You’re Busy Making Other Plans
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
John Lennon Said It Best; “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I did my first teacher training at Yoga Shanti fifteen years ago. That was back when the studio was on Main Street next to Kites of the Harbor. If you’ve been …
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Life is What Happens to You While You’re Busy Making Other Plans
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
September, 2017
The Gift of Surrender
By YSNY Teachers
In June, I signed on to do a 10-day yoga retreat in Ladakh, India, led by Nikki Costello. This was to be my very first retreat, and the days leading up to it were fraught: I hadn’t been away from my three daughters for more than a couple of nights sinc …
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The Gift of Surrender
By YSNY Teachers
August, 2017
Found and Lost
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
I hate losing things. I still mourn the loss of a white sundress that went missing on my honeymoon, and a pair of pink Gucci sunglasses that the ocean swallowed one Fourth of July weekend. Two months ago, I was at a pharmacy on the upper east side pick …
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Found and Lost
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
August, 2017
Pause and Reflect
By Liz Ilgenfritz
I recently read the book, Thank you for Being Late: An Optimists Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations, by Thomas Friedman, the New York Times Op-Ed columnist. His take on the world in which we live today inspired me to consider how yoga transl …
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Pause and Reflect
By Liz Ilgenfritz
June, 2017
Align, Flow, and Inquire
By Joyce Englander Levy
Yoga Shanti’s aim is “to offer the perfect combination of alignment, flow, and Inquiry.” In the spirit of inquiry, I often find myself reconsidering what this phrase means. I can best speak to “flow.” For me, a good flow class is poetry. It’s as enjoya …
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Align, Flow, and Inquire
By Joyce Englander Levy
June, 2017
Groundlessness
By Jamie Lugo
Kinetic molecular theory (also known as particle theory) states that all matter is made up of particles and these particles are always in motion. Guess what? WE are made of particles, and so WE are always in motion. If you’ve been to my class you have …
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Groundlessness
By Jamie Lugo
May, 2017
Enjoying The Process
By Peggy Leder
As of now, I’ve taught seven classes here at Yoga Shanti. I like teaching, but I’ve also been flooded with feelings of inadequacy. The truth is, I don’t feel good enough. I’m just not there yet. But what does being “there” mean? As if “there” were some …
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Enjoying The Process
By Peggy Leder
May, 2017
Healing Comes From Letting There Be Room
By Lindsay Buehler Tyson
People who know me and love me and view me with kind eyes would call me a control freak. I like things the way that I like things. When those things go awry, I lose my yoga cool, and I lose it fast. Perhaps because of this, years ago a beloved teacher …
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Healing Comes From Letting There Be Room
By Lindsay Buehler Tyson
April, 2017
Building The Wall
By Lillian Grajeda
To Whom it May Concern, I rather think of myself as a master in masonry. I have been erecting walls (and other dividers) as far back as I can remember. My expertise knows no boundaries. I am well versed in any size, shape, or dimension. I am so skilled …
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Building The Wall
By Lillian Grajeda
March, 2017
The Best ‘Tude
By Ally Bogard
Research has shown that cultivating a feeling of gratitude creates happier, healthier states of being. If you’re looking for a quick and effective way to generate more appreciation, begin incorporating gratitude practices throughout your day. You’re at …
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The Best ‘Tude
By Ally Bogard
March, 2017
Love Is All There Is
By Heidi Michel Fokine
Dear Yoga, How long have we been at it, you and me? I’m not really sure. Let’s say forever. I remember thinking how weird you were before we actually met. You looked kinda creepy. When we started hanging out together, the first thing I thought was “you …
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Love Is All There Is
By Heidi Michel Fokine
February, 2017
Aparigraha
By Carrie Schneider
But when you turn poses like triangle and revolved triangle on their ear—when you parivritta them, in asana speak…
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Aparigraha
By Carrie Schneider
February, 2017
Groundwork
By Sylvia Channing
It’s the New Year. 2017 C.E., the Year of the Rooster, the Year of the Sun, the dawning of a new epoch in American politics… The coming of the New Year could already mean a lot of things to you. Often times, the weeks leading up to year’s end can be a heavy mix of reunions, celebrations, and deep periods of reflection.
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Groundwork
By Sylvia Channing
January, 2017
Reflections of Winter
By Rodney Yee
Winter is a time when nature loses its fall colors and exposes the bones and highlights the roots. It is a time for hibernation and deep sleep and a different use of energy. The sun rises late and sets early. We are part of this great cycle of seasons …
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Reflections of Winter
By Rodney Yee
December, 2016
6 Steps to Peace
By Grace Dubery
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. — Buddha You know that feeling — where the world around us may seem at times to be whirling out of control. It feels like too much or not enough. The earth quakes as we walk, and the path feels muddied. …
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6 Steps to Peace
By Grace Dubery
December, 2016
Savasana
By Keely Rakushin Garfield
Once upon a time, I went to a party. There were a lot of other yogis in attendance, and after a good amount of apple cider and vegan carrot cake, merriment was at a high point. Someone asked, “What’s the hardest pose?,” and the challenge was on: One by one, the yogis proceeded to demonstrate their definitive answers, showing off really hard stuff — visvamitrasana, vatayasana, and mukta hasta sirsanana. (Look, Ma! No hands!)
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Savasana
By Keely Rakushin Garfield
November, 2016
The Power of Vulnerability
By YSNY Teachers
Boo! This October, we’re inquiring into what scares you? What makes you feel vulnerable? Although we may not like the feeling of being exposed for having weaknesses, it is often the cracks of vulnerability that allow others to fall in love with us. Per …
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The Power of Vulnerability
By YSNY Teachers
October, 2016
It’s Hard To Be A Beginner
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
My two-year-old son, John Michael, was overwhelmed yesterday, during his first day of school. I kept looking around at the environment and seeing so many things that he loves — trucks! A sandbox! paint! a water table! I wanted him to get involved and have fun, but he wouldn’t leave my lap. He spent the first twenty minutes crying that he just wanted to “go home and see Dada.”
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It’s Hard To Be A Beginner
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
September, 2016
The Realm Of The Beginner
By Joyce Englander Levy
“September feels like a beginning—even more so than January,” Jenny Hudak says, smiling. It’s true—it’s a fresh start after a long, hot blast of a summer. In the spirit of that back-to-school feeling, our focus for this month is beginnings. It’s like a …
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The Realm Of The Beginner
By Joyce Englander Levy
September, 2017
We Ride on the Backs of Giants
By Rodney Yee
T.K.V. Desikachar died on Monday, the 8th of August, 2016. He was one of the great influencers of Yoga in the 20th century. Desikachar was the son (and student) of the great yoga master T. Krishnamacharya. Krishnamacharya was also the teacher of Pata …
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We Ride on the Backs of Giants
By Rodney Yee
August, 2016
May the Force Be With You
By YSNY Teachers
Dear Friends, If you’ve been to class with Colleen and Rodney lately, you’ve probably heard them say, “Don’t Force.” What a great instruction to consider for August! The 2016 Summer Olympics are upon us. Consider the rigorous, disciplined schedules and …
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May the Force Be With You
By YSNY Teachers
August, 2016
Falling and Catching
By YSNY Teachers
Dear Friends, We hope your 4th of July weekend was festive, and a break from routine. These moments when we travel, celebrate, and indulge can actually be a key ingredient in a balanced life. But even better than swinging back and forth from extreme he …
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Falling and Catching
By YSNY Teachers
July, 2016
Do It Anyway
By Rachel Saidman
“We have to do our best and at the same time give up all hope of fruition. One piece of advice that Don Juan gave to Carlos Castaneda was to do everything as if it were the only thing in the world that mattered, while all the time knowing that it doesn’t matter at all.” — Pema Chodron This quote by Pema Chodron is analogous to Mother Teresa saying, “What you spend years building could be destroyed in a day — build anyway.”
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Do It Anyway
By Rachel Saidman
July, 2016
Vulnerability
By Jamie Lugo
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blo …
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Vulnerability
By Jamie Lugo
June, 2016
200 Hours
By Rodney Yee
Colleen and I both look back at the first teacher trainings that we took (she at Jivamukti and myself at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco), and remember that we each went in wanting to learn more about yoga with no intentions to teach. A com …
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200 Hours
By Rodney Yee
May, 2016
March Madness
By Leilani Bishop
March Madness is a term you rarely hear in a yoga studio, but one you become quite familiar with when you live with basketball fans. For those of you who aren’t familiar, March is the month that college basketball reaches its peak, and the past year’s …
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March Madness
By Leilani Bishop
March, 2016
Heart Healing
By Padma Borrego
As I have transitioned from massage to Structural Integration, I have been studying anatomy and movement intently for several years. It has strengthened my mind in a new way. I feel the difference in my meditations and my focus is more grounded than i …
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Heart Healing
By Padma Borrego
February, 2016
Cutting Through Doom
By Colleen Saidman Yee
I woke up very early this morning with a sense of doom. Life is always a bit weird, but right now it’s downright bizarre—I can’t seem to calibrate, or make sense of what’s going on. Nothing was really wrong this morning, but all felt strange: the weath …
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Cutting Through Doom
By Colleen Saidman Yee
January, 2016
Balance
By Leah Kinney
When I was six years old, I loved the balance beam. I felt so proud of myself, and brave, when I walked across without falling. One summer, my dad made me a balance beam out of 2 x 4s. I got a ton of splinters that summer, and quite a few bruises, but …
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Balance
By Leah Kinney
December, 2015
Life and Death and the Art of Presence
By Sarah Halweil
Life is passing too quickly and, frankly, it makes me anxious. According to Richard Rosen, one of the age-old purposes of yoga, which predates many of the modern shapes that we take in class, was to live longer. No method has yet been proven to extend life. Perhaps, the stress relieving techniques do help, even though we never really know when our lives will end.
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Life and Death and the Art of Presence
By Sarah Halweil
November, 2015
The Still Point
By Mary Paffard
At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless; Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is, But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity, Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement fro …
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The Still Point
By Mary Paffard
October, 2015
Snapshot From the Map of Love
By Heidi Michel Fokine
Son #1 left for a new college last week. Today I’m on the Cross Sound Ferry issuing Son #2 back to school in Maine, where he will complete his senior year of high school (without incident or infraction, pass Spanish, and fully partake in the gifts and …
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Snapshot From the Map of Love
By Heidi Michel Fokine
September, 2015
Bridging The Gap
By Richard Rosen
When Rodney and I were students in the three-year teacher training course at the San Francisco Iyengar Institute in the early 1980s, we learned the backbends include both “babies” and (though the name wasn’t made explicit) “adults.” Among the former ar …
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Bridging The Gap
By Richard Rosen
August, 2015
An Interview with Richard Rosen
By Joyce Englander Levy
What brings you to Yoga Shanti? Well, you invited me. I enjoy coming to Yoga Shanti. It’s a beautiful place. I find the students very receptive, which makes teaching much easier. I’m already looking forward to my upcoming trip. This year you’re going t …
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An Interview with Richard Rosen
By Joyce Englander Levy
August, 2015
An Interview with Patricia Sullivan
By Joyce Englander Levy
I had the privilege of speaking with one of Rodney’s first teachers, Patricia Sullivan, last week while she was still glowing from a recent trip to Hawaii. Patricia is going to be teaching at Yoga Shanti at the end of this month, so I was hoping to get …
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An Interview with Patricia Sullivan
By Joyce Englander Levy
June, 2015
Your Perfect Offering
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
“Turn my sorrow into treasured gold…” – Adele, “Rolling in the Deep” While scrolling through Instagram recently, I found an image of a beautiful pottery bowl. It was the faded green color of the Statue of Liberty with veins of gold running through it. …
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Your Perfect Offering
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
June, 2015
Self-Care Tips For Winter and Spring
By Menna Olvera
Self-care means taking time for yourself so that you can find a sense of wellbeing and balance in your life. There are three basic types of self-care: foundational self-care, which gives meaning to your life; structural self-care, which gives your mind …
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Self-Care Tips For Winter and Spring
By Menna Olvera
March, 2015
Kāmabandha, Bound to Love
By Richard Rosen
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, most of us here in the West will be reminded of Cupid, whose name comes from the Latin cupido, “desire, love.” One dictionary suggests this word is “perhaps” cognate with the Sanskrit kupyati, “bubbles up, becomes a …
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Kāmabandha, Bound to Love
By Richard Rosen
January, 2015
Fall Was Full Of Yoga
By Colleen Saidman Yee
We hope that your fall was full of yoga, and that the upcoming holidays—and the winter as a whole—will continue to find you inspired. We’ve had a hectic schedule this fall, and haven’t had as much face time with you as we would have liked to. Thank you …
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Fall Was Full Of Yoga
By Colleen Saidman Yee
November, 2014
Samskaras
By Geoffrey Nimmer
The word samskara comes from the Sanskrit “sam”- complete or joined together, and “kara”- action, cause, or doing. “All of our thoughts, words, feelings, actions, behaviors and life experiences create impressions on our consciousness that are sort of like scars, or grooves on a record, or etches on a piece of metal” (from the blog Freddie Wyndam Yoga).
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Samskaras
By Geoffrey Nimmer
October, 2014
The Power of Pause
By Laura Berland
The day after Labor Day is known in these parts as Tumbleweed Tuesday. Yes, the traffic calms and you can eat at any restaurant that has the stamina to stay open. But these are just the visible signs of a giant East End exhale—it’s as if those of us st …
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The Power of Pause
By Laura Berland
September, 2014
Yoga Scholars
By Richard Rosen
My old buddy Rod Yee will often tell people that I’m a yoga “scholar,” which is akin to calling the heavily tattooed, long-haired dude who works over at our neighborhood pizza joint a “gourmet chef.” Rodney, bless his heart, knows a ton about yoga, but …
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Yoga Scholars
By Richard Rosen
August, 2014
True Independence: Freedom to Feel
By Kelly Morris
I danced Shiva Rea-style alone in my dark bedroom last night. Sshh, don’t tell anyone. I barely told myself. Dance, poetry, music…yoga—each of these experiences affords us entry into that special, magical kingdom within, from which we are otherwise bar …
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True Independence: Freedom to Feel
By Kelly Morris
July, 2014
Role Models
By Joyce Englander Levy
I went to visit one of my dearest friends in the hospital the other day. (We met the day I moved to NYC. I taught him yoga, and he taught me New York.) We spent the afternoon reminiscing about our friendship and the ways that our lives have changed since we met. He saw the exhaustion in my eyes and said, “Joyce, in the last year you’ve become a wife, a mother, a new business owner—an adult. That’s a lot for one year.”
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Role Models
By Joyce Englander Levy
July, 2014
Pratyahara
By Heidi Michel Fokine
We all use our five senses to experience and navigate through the world around us. But in order to gain “right relationship” with the world and our highest selves, yogis focus on the inner world. We do this through the practice of pratyahara, which means “to draw the senses inward.” (Pratyahara is one of the eight limbs of ashtanga yoga set down by the great sage Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras—so it’s a pretty important thing to look at if you’re interested in yoga.)
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Pratyahara
By Heidi Michel Fokine
June, 2014
You Are Ready
By Heather Lilleston
In December of 1997, a young woman named Julia Hill, climbed into a 180-foot tall, roughly 1500-year-old California Redwood tree for 738 days until December of 1999. Julia lived in the tree, affectionately known as “Luna,” to prevent Pacific Lumber Company loggers from cutting it down.
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You Are Ready
By Heather Lilleston
May, 2014
A Message from Rodney Yee…
By Rodney Yee
New York City, here we are! Just when you had Yoga Shanti neatly tucked away in your Sag Harbor reality… KaBoom! Yoga Shanti NYC! Nestled in the Flat Iron District of New York City, the second incarnation of the gold ceiling has been raised—a yoga pa …
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A Message from Rodney Yee…
By Rodney Yee
April, 2014
The Yoga of Curious George
By Leah Kinney
I have a four-year-old son, so I read a lot of Curious George. Nearly every book begins with the lines, “This is George. George was a good little monkey and always very curious.” As you all know, this curiosity leads George on many exciting adventures. …
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The Yoga of Curious George
By Leah Kinney
February, 2014
Rooting and Uprooting
By Colleen Saidman Yee
When I was eight years old, we moved from Corning, New York—where all of our extended family lived—to Indiana, so that my dad could start a new job. The move was hard on us all, but it was especially hard for my mom: sometimes I would find her looking out the window of our new house with a cup of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other, tears sliding down her face.
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Rooting and Uprooting
By Colleen Saidman Yee
January, 2014
Spontaneous Joy
By Trish Deitch
Usually, our Sunday morning meditation class at Yoga Shanti is just sitting: we come in silently, sit for twenty minutes, walk slowly once around the circumference of Shanti’s beautiful morning-lit room—our attention on the way our feet feel on the floor—and then sit again in silence. Maybe I’ll read something inspiring from Pema Chodron or Trungpa Rinpoche, but nothing long.
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Spontaneous Joy
By Trish Deitch
December, 2013
Helping Hands
By Sarah Halweil
Have you ever practiced yoga in a hospital bed? Yoga teachers in our community—those trained as Urban Zen Integrative Therapists (UZITs), that is—have been helping patients do just this at Southampton Hospital for the last few years. Urban Zen Integrative Therapy is Donna Karan’s brainchild.
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Helping Hands
By Sarah Halweil
November, 2013
Back to Basics: Poses 101
By Rodney Yee
School has started. The new fall clothes are bought—on sale, of course—books purchased, and pencils sharpened (oh, I mean, computers updated with more memory). Yoga Shanti is back to sanity, with no one turned away and mat space to spare. Maybe Colleen and I will get to teach a wall class where everyone gets their very own space around the periphery of the room. As BKS Iyengar said, I have had two teachers—Krishnamacharya and the wall.
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Back to Basics: Poses 101
By Rodney Yee
October, 2013
Autumn Light
By Richard Rosen
I have, hanging in my south-facing office window, four prisms. In the summer, when the sun is high in the sky, no direct light shines through the window, so the prisms hang forlorn, beautifully cut pieces of glass bereft of their true purpose. Come the end of August, though, as the sun swings lower in the sky, then the angle of its light reaches the window and illumines the prisms. Suddenly the small room is filled with rainbows of all different shapes and sizes, and I know autumn is on its way.
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Autumn Light
By Richard Rosen
September, 2013
August Practice
By Joyce Englander Levy
One of the many reasons I have fallen head-over-heels for yoga is that it makes clear for me the relationship between what can be seen and what cannot. It shows me how the obvious and the subtle are actually interpenetrating each other—they’re woven together. We get to witness this phenomenon up close when we show up for a downward dog or two.
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August Practice
By Joyce Englander Levy
August, 2013
Bare Your Soles
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
Last Friday night, I assisted Colleen and Rodney as they taught a yoga class to over 4,000 people in Times Square. Before the big event, lots of logistical emails were exchanged among the assistants. In one email, someone expressed concern over being b …
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Bare Your Soles
By Tracey Toomey McQuade
July, 2013
The Fruit of Tapas
By Erika Halweil
About six years ago, during a very challenging period in my life, I started practicing ashtanga yoga as taught by Pattabhi Jois. I had been a yoga teacher for almost a decade at this point, had been exposed to the practice of ashtanga on several occasions, and often reacted to it with aversion and judgment. But, for some reason, during this particular moment in my life, the practice felt like home.
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The Fruit of Tapas
By Erika Halweil
June, 2013
The Yoga of Motherhood
By Stephanie Livaccari
On our last family vacation, my daughter swam with the dolphins. She was ecstatic, her face beaming bright as these charming and clever creatures pulled her through the water. As you might imagine, dolphin fever took hold at our house in the weeks foll …
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The Yoga of Motherhood
By Stephanie Livaccari
May, 2007
Lie Back and Come Home
By Rodney Yee
Spring comes back to us, and lies down in the bed of winter. There are still flurries of snow in mid-March, but the promise of warm days are airborne. The children come home for their spring break, reminding us that they still long for their original nest; but we also see the independence that is broad across their back. The migration to the East End stretches weekends into months in our reach into the Hamptons’ summer.
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Lie Back and Come Home
By Rodney Yee
April, 2013
Atman. Where Is My Heart?
By Steve Eaton
Recently, I’ve found myself in a confusing place. I used to spend much of my time “listening to my own heart” and “serving my heart”—or what I thought of as my heart. I’d close my eyes and feel my desires, bow my head to the center of my chest and connect with something that felt peaceful, soft, and still. I really felt like I knew where and what my heart was. Now, since my daughter, Harbor, was born just about a year ago, I literally watch my heart crawling around and interacting with the environment from every angle.
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Atman. Where Is My Heart?
By Steve Eaton
March, 2013
The Gift
By Trish Deitch
I have a lot to be happy about: I have a thriving kid, good friends, a fun job, and I live in paradise (that is, Sag Harbor). I do yoga five a days a week, I have the best teachers, I am learning constantly. For the first time in my life, I feel peaceful. But you know how it is sometimes: sometimes you’re just blue or tweaked or crabby for no reason.
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The Gift
By Trish Deitch
February, 2013
Pause and Absorb
By Colleen Saidman Yee
In 2006, Rodney and I had the privilege of taking a few classes with Mr. Iyengar. When it came time for headstand, I informed the yoga master that I didn’t do them—I have a seizure disorder, and I always felt it was aggravated by headstands. He told me, in no uncertain terms, to stand on my head now! And I did. I stayed up, and only came down when he said it was time.
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Pause and Absorb
By Colleen Saidman Yee
January, 2013
Gift
By Heidi Michel Fokine
My mother loved all holidays but she was especially good at making Christmas an extraordinary event. In the nights leading up to the big day, before going to sleep, my sisters and I would place our slippers on the window sill with hopes that St. Nicholas would leave a gift in them.
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Gift
By Heidi Michel Fokine
December, 2012
What Is Grounding?
By Kari Harendorf
Unbeknownst to him, Rodney’s question to the mentors at the beginning of last month’s teacher-training weekend was prophetic: “What is grounding?” I thought about it a lot right after he posed the question, even emailing him a short answer that same day. For me, grounding is not only the feeling of having one’s feet on the ground, and a connection to earth; it is also knowing, feeling, and discovering your place in the world, and feeling comfortable and strong in that.
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What Is Grounding?
By Kari Harendorf
November, 2012
Letting Go, Not Drowning
By Travis Koke
Hurricane season is upon us. Some people may feel a sense of anxiety or fear; others feel excitement, and travel from afar to be near.
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Letting Go, Not Drowning
By Travis Koke
October, 2012
Know Thyself (Svadhyaya)
By Joyce Englander Levy
We ran into Socrates the other day—you know, virtually—and he said, “Know thyself.” Turns out Socrates was a yogi. “Knowing oneself,” or svadhyaya, is one of the foundational practices of yoga. Svadhyaya means the study of ancient texts, as well as the study of oneself: When you delve into the wisdom of the ancients, and bravely dive into the depths of your own soul, an alchemical reaction can occur. And you just might form a lasting friendship in the process.
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Know Thyself (Svadhyaya)
By Joyce Englander Levy
September, 2012
Finding Peace
By Sarah Halweil
Sometimes I am annoyed by much around me. I say things that could be offensive, and then regret it. I wonder why I even left the house. (“I love mankind—” the American cartoonist Charles Schulz said, “it’s people I can’t stand.”)
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Finding Peace
By Sarah Halweil
August, 2012
Are You Enlightened?
By David Swenson
A student once asked me: Are you enlightened? My answer: If I am it is a big disappointment!
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Are You Enlightened?
By David Swenson
July, 2012
Profound Attention
By Leah Kinney
Over the weekend, my husband put in a new kitchen door. The new door is all glass, whereas the old door was only half glass. Now, during the endless cycle of loading and unloading the dishwasher, I am bathed in the warmth of the morning sun, and as I look up to put the plates away, the vibrant green of the outside rushes to me. The extra glass has nudged me out of the deep and myopic rut of routine. My perspective is refreshed.
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Profound Attention
By Leah Kinney
June, 2012
Equanimity
By Aaron Teich
“Watch where you’re going!” That was the immediate, angry response I received after I accidentally bumped into a stranger on the street the other day. I felt a strong surge of emotion arise inside of me, and it required conscious effort to reign in the urge to shout back in my own defense.
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Equanimity
By Aaron Teich
May, 2012
Poetic Justice
By Kari Harendorf
If I had to sum up my world in five words or less, “Dogs” would make the list. They are my love, my work, and my passion. When I lost my dog Charlie last spring, I was beyond devastated. I was truly and utterly heartbroken. It was as if, overnight, the world had changed. For me it had.
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Poetic Justice
By Kari Harendorf
April, 2012
Open Heart
By Stephanie Livaccari
In yoga class we often talk about the benefits of having an “open heart” —in fact, there is an entire category of postures called “heart openers” to help us achieve this goal. We lift into setu bandha, twist in uttitha parsakonasana, and drop back into …
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Open Heart
By Stephanie Livaccari
March, 2012
Oh Vivid Love
By Heidi Michel Fokine
Can you fall headlong into your beingness? What would it take today and everyday to look again and again at what you are? Go deep into the fabric of your humanness and you’ll find connection to the world. Exciting. Breathtaking (you know you don’t own that breath—there’s no holding it. But sometimes we do to keep the desired inside and the undesired out).
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Oh Vivid Love
By Heidi Michel Fokine
February, 2012
Making Peace with Meditation
By Sian Gordon
No one likes to meditate. Certainly not in the beginning. Maybe if you’ve been living in a Himalayan cave for the last twenty years without a modern mind that flips and dips and cries out: “Laundry!” “Have to call her back!” “I don’t like his sweaters.” “I want new sweaters!” Then I can see the ease in meditating.
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Making Peace with Meditation
By Sian Gordon
January, 2012
Spiritual Bypassing
By Jennifer Frasher
Not long ago, I was given an article to read — well, an interview — in which the primary focus was the so called “pitfalls” of long-term spiritual practice. This caught my attention, for we, as yogis, take such pride in our spiritual practice, and rarely speak of the potential downfalls it may have. We see our practice — whether it’s yoga, meditation, or chanting — as a tool to open ourselves, to expand our consciousness, to let go, surrender, witness, observe, find enlightenment, and, overall, be a kind, compassionate, happy person. But what if we are using our spiritual practice as just another distraction?
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Spiritual Bypassing
By Jennifer Frasher
December, 2011
Thanksgiving and Gratitude
By Padma Borrego
Close to the Thanksgiving holiday, the idea of gratitude often comes up. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because of that. Maybe because I am not a “glass half full” person, I have to work at gratitude. I have to put aside time to reflect on what it means to me—how appreciation of the many beautiful and challenging things in my life helps me acknowledge that I am making a choice in how I look at the circumstances that I am in, or the people who I am looking at.
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Thanksgiving and Gratitude
By Padma Borrego
November, 2011
This Is It
By Trish Deitch
The first time I ever meditated was in the early 1990s, at a three-day workshop given at the place where I was studying yoga in Santa Monica. The first morning, I was told to sit up straight and cross-legged, to lay my palms on my thighs, to gaze down at the floor two or three or four feet in front of me, and to put about twenty-five percent of my attention on my breath going in and out.
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This Is It
By Trish Deitch
September, 2011
In Praise of Suffering —And How to Do it Well
By Eve Eliot
Human consciousness is deepening. It is doing so because it needs to during the alarming changes being demanded of so many of us, not only due to an accumulation of sudden, catastrophic developments with our climate, but in emotional climates as well. Our relationships with other people and with our own integrity seem also to need to be renovated. People understandably feel out of balance and “up in the air” and it’s not comfy.
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In Praise of Suffering —And How to Do it Well
By Eve Eliot
August, 2011
Santosha
By Kate Rabinowitz
Two days ago, on my email, I received what I thought was a spam for bogus financial help. It read, “Dear Kate, I am Habib and I am very sorry to tell you I have lost everything when Earthquake and Tsunami happened here in Japan. I am in a very very hard condition. I have no job, no food, and no money. Please help me all of you as much as can.
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Santosha
By Kate Rabinowitz
June, 2011
Art of Attention
By Elena Brower
Consistent practitioner or not, your yoga can provide you with access to your most valuable creative potential: your ability to pay attention.
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Art of Attention
By Elena Brower
June, 2011
Energy and Bandhas
By Rodney Yee
Energy is the subject of many concerns such as efficiency, sustainability, renewability, production, storage and safety. In our own bodies we have many of the same thoughts, problems and experiments. As I am aging, I find that I want to conserve my energy for desired interest.
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Energy and Bandhas
By Rodney Yee
May, 2011
Friendship
By Robyn Moreno
don’t know whether its the underlying melancholy of this never-ending winter, some weird cosmic misalignment, or just because life happens, but it seems like I’ve been giving an awful lot of pep talks lately. I have several dear friends who are experiencing deep relationship trouble ranging from “taking a break” from a partner to full-on to divorce.
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Friendship
By Robyn Moreno
April, 2011
Setting the Foundation
By Emily Weitz
Life is full of new beginnings. Every day, when the sun rises, a new chance. The best way to start anything is to set a strong foundation. When I walked in to Yoga Shanti’s gorgeous Lakshmi studio to teach my first class there last week, I had to go back to the beginning. Even though I’ve been teaching at other studios for four years now, my story at Yoga Shanti is yet to be written. So I came to the mat. I sat down. And I grounded down into the foundation.
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Setting the Foundation
By Emily Weitz
March, 2011
The Gold
By Kari Harendorf
I have been spending a lot of time thinking about your text. No need for shovels. I am beyond blessed and surrounded by gold everywhere I turn in my life.
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The Gold
By Kari Harendorf
February, 2011
The Perfect Light
By Steve Eaton
Farming a piece of land is an incredible illustration of living in harmony with the natural cycles of the earth. The land is now in a state of dormancy. The hard frosts and freezes of the past month have brought all growth to a halt and the soil to solid cement. Every last root and tuber has been pulled from the earth and every last cabbage cut.
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The Perfect Light
By Steve Eaton
January, 2011
Perception
By Rodney Yee
One November wind, in the dark of the night, blew the yellow leaves to the ground. The next morning we woke to bared, naked trees, able to see our neighbors house as if it had landed in our back yard. No longer were we cloaked in fall colors, no longer did we have the illusion of separateness.
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Perception
By Rodney Yee
December, 2010
Gratitude
By Julie Wolfe
The space between the breath… That pause that allows, brings expansive peace and love, a moment to go AH-HA. A moment to gaze at my sleeping son, smell the autumn air, notice the colors, details, the smiles.
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Gratitude
By Julie Wolfe
November, 2010
Discernment
By Robyn Moreno
“On the path of the tiger, we begin to look at our lives with an eye to what to cultivate and what to discard.” ~ Sakyong Mipham. When I was younger, my family used to call me “friend of the friendless” because I would befriend almost anyone. You name it: misfits, nutsos, ex-cons.
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Discernment
By Robyn Moreno
October, 2010
Groundlessness
By Stephanie Livaccari
“This is where tenderness comes in. When things are shaky and nothing is working, we might realize that we are on the verge of something. We might realize this is a very vulnerable and tender place, and that tenderness can go either way. We can shut down and feel resentful or we can touch in on that throbbing quality. There is definitely something tender and throbbing about groundlessness.”
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Groundlessness
By Stephanie Livaccari
September, 2010
Connect and Disconnect
By Sarah Halweil
I recently heard an interview with author, William Powers, about his new book Hamlet’s Blackberry. He researched historical innovations such as the printing press that disseminated information and connected people but at the same time lessoned the amount of time spent in introspection, reflection and thought. The most recent innovations in this category—the Internet and smart phones.
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Connect and Disconnect
By Sarah Halweil
August, 2010
Balance
By April Martucci
Balance: in harmony or proportion. This is the Goal. It has been said in many scriptures that the goal of yoga is to reach Enlightenment. A person who is ‘enlightened’ is a being who is at One with all other beings, and is ALWAYS present. We work towards this, but we know and discover over and over how challenging this is, especially in today’s world where we are ‘plugged in’—often to a fault.
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Balance
By April Martucci
July, 2010
Concentration. Absorption. Happiness.
By Heather Lilleston
One of the main goals of the yoga practice is to develop ones concentration, known in Sanskrit as dharana. Through a keen narrowing in on a single point of focus, the fluctuating ripples of the mind are lassoed into one giant wave. As all the desires spiraling around in our consciousness weave together, anchoring lightly on one object, we enter the sweet state of dharana
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Concentration. Absorption. Happiness.
By Heather Lilleston
June, 2010
Authenticity
By Heidi Michel Fokine
Being is relaxed. Our deepest self, highest self, essential self, however you want to say it, is relaxed. Not collapsed. Relaxed, open, flowing with life force. All the benefits of yoga practice come by aligning with this essential beingness.
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Authenticity
By Heidi Michel Fokine
April, 2010
And Now, Yoga
By Geoffrey Nimmer
The very first line in the first book of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is “Atha-Yoganusasanum”, which translates as “Now the discipline of Yoga is explained.” The first word of the Sutra, “Atha” means “now.” Another way of interpreting this verse is that Yoga IS now. In other words, Yoga is the practice of being in the present moment.
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And Now, Yoga
By Geoffrey Nimmer
March, 2010
Bhakti Yoga
By Leah Kinney
At first glance, the loftiness of bhakti can seem overwhelming. However, at its base, bhakti is simply devotion initiated by and steeped in love. Bhakti’s loved fueled devotion is steadfast, engaged, mindful and compassionate. This love is modeled after relationships within our realm of understanding and experience.
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Bhakti Yoga
By Leah Kinney
February, 2010
Reflection
By Colleen Saidman Yee
Happy New Year fellow yogis! As 2009 comes to a close, I am remembering what Pema Chodron says, and that is: “At the beginning of every day, reflect on the day ahead and aspire to use it to keep a wide-open heart and mind. At the end of the day before going to sleep, think over what you have done. If you fulfilled your aspiration even once, rejoice in that. If you went against your aspiration, rejoice that you are able to see what you did and are no longer living in ignorance. This way you will be inspired to go forward with increasing clarity, confidence and compassion in the days that follow.”
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Reflection
By Colleen Saidman Yee
January, 2010
Seva (Service)
By Kate Rabinowitz
Today I received a gift of service. My guinea pig Butterscotch just had a major surgery (I am not kidding) and I didn’t know how to care for him when leaving on a trip. Just today, my neighbor who cleans the house was here. She is also an EMT and helped when my son got into an accident. However, I never ask anything extra from her, as she works for three hours, does the same thing every week and then gets onto her other jobs. I never dare disturb her routine.
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Seva (Service)
By Kate Rabinowitz
December, 2009
Attitude of Grattitude
By Jenna Minardi
It is essential in life to notice the abundance all around you for it is your awareness of and gratitude for this abundance that attracts more of the same. I remember when the economy “crashed” last year and the fear whirling about it was palpable.
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Attitude of Grattitude
By Jenna Minardi
November, 2009
Listening
By Steve Eaton
being in music is like being in love or riding a wave or seeing a field of sunflowers disappear into Montauk mist on a mid September morning where all that’s left is a feeling
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Listening
By Steve Eaton
October, 2009
Thoughts on Transitions
By Mitten Wainwright
Life is constant transitions as we flow with Grace and live our lives to the fullest. We are born as our first transition into this body and leave it as our last.
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Thoughts on Transitions
By Mitten Wainwright
September, 2009
Tapas—Riding The Heat
By Lois Nesbitt
Tapas, like most Sanskrit words, means many things to many people. Most simply, tapas is heat, specifically the kind of heat generated by certain yogic practices, or a certain approach to yogic practice.
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Tapas—Riding The Heat
By Lois Nesbitt
August, 2009
Growth
By Kari Harendorf
Karma and I planted a root garden. I bought a kit where we plant a carrot, a radish and a green onion in glass tubes that are held in a wooden frame so you can see not only the shoots coming up, but the roots growing down into the soil. She is almost 4 and was so excited when she woke up the next day to run down into the kitchen and check on her garden. Until she saw it.
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Growth
By Kari Harendorf
July, 2009
Homage to Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois
By Rodney Yee
I have always scratched my head in wonder at the mystery of how strongly my father affected me in every decision I have ever made without having an everyday contact with him.
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Homage to Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois
By Rodney Yee
June, 2009
Embracing Impermanence
By Heather Lilleston
Impermanence is something we usually prefer to avoid facing. We like when things are settled and dependable. We like to know that when we come home it is how we left it, that when we fall in love, we will stay in love; we like the security of knowing who we are and what’s next.
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Embracing Impermanence
By Heather Lilleston
June, 2009
Choosing Happiness
By Colleen Saidman Yee
We heard this great line from a comedian named Louis CK. If you get a chance, check him out on YouTube. It is a wake up call put in a very funny package. I don’t know about you, but I am sick of complaining. We do live in an amazing time, but there seems to be a lack of gratitude. There are so many vehicles for communication, but what is being said?
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Choosing Happiness
By Colleen Saidman Yee
May, 2009
Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
By Heidi Michel Fokine
Tadasana, mountain pose, the primary standing posture. Stand tall, legs together, spine erect, arms at your sides. That’s it. Tadasana may not seem super challenging, but understanding its essence is vital to mastering other poses. In this foundation posture we aim to cultivate steadiness within ourselves and in relation to the world around us.
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Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
By Heidi Michel Fokine
April, 2009
Something to Nothing, The Yogic Journey
By Manorama
In Yoga philosophy, the word nothing is loaded with rich meaning. It is not like in English where the word nothing is synonymous with something one throws out. The English dictionary defines nothing as something of no importance or concern. Yogic teachings, however, place primary importance on the idea of nothing.
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Something to Nothing, The Yogic Journey
By Manorama
March, 2009
What Is Yoga?
By Jennifer Frasher
I don’t think I know a single person who hasn’t heard of Yoga. Being a yoga teacher I get a lot of questions and comments about what exactly you do in yoga class. It is assumed that yoga is stretching and breathing and by practicing it you will become healthier, calmer and generally a better person. That is all very true but what does Yoga really mean? Where did yoga come from? And what exactly are we doing when we say “oh yeah, I do yoga.”
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What Is Yoga?
By Jennifer Frasher
February, 2009
Shifting Your Perspective (Incessantly Talking Woman)
By Geoffrey Nimmer
A few years back, I went into Manhattan to take a few Yoga classes. In one of the classes the teacher presented the Yoga Sutra 2-33, “Vitarka Badhane Pratipaksha Bhavana.”
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Shifting Your Perspective (Incessantly Talking Woman)
By Geoffrey Nimmer
January, 2009
Santosa (Contentment)
By Colleen Saidman Yee
Holidays! Uggghhh. How do we navigate this season of so many mixed emotions? What is the key to our sanity when all is so chaotic? How can we keep our perspective in check in the midst of the hurricane?
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Santosa (Contentment)
By Colleen Saidman Yee
December, 2008
Ahimsa and Mindful Eating
By Sarah Halweil
The argument for nonviolent eating often gets simplified into 2 categories: “vegetarian” and “meat eater”. But, as I have learned through 18 years of being a vegetarian and now what I might call a mindful meat eater, the task of putting a meal on a plate is multi-faceted and quite complicated.
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Ahimsa and Mindful Eating
By Sarah Halweil
November, 2008
Identity, Sheaths of Being, And Truth (Kosas)
By Leah Kinney
In preparation for writing this month’s focus, I made a list. I wrote down all of my identities, the different roles that I play and identifying characteristics. It was a really long list. A list filled with general personal facts, specific personality traits, accomplishments, possessions, relationships, joys, sorrows, fears and other tidbits that make up “my story.”
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Identity, Sheaths of Being, And Truth (Kosas)
By Leah Kinney
October, 2008
Abhyasa (Practice)
By Jessica Bellofatto
As Labor Day comes and goes, and I (finally) stop procrastinating and sit down to write the September focus, a lot comes to mind. These past few weeks have been extremely difficult ones. We have experienced tragedy very close to home in this Yoga community, and it becomes for so many of us a kind of “wake-up” call. We have these practices of Yoga; these practices of asana, pranayama, meditation; these practices of cultivating mindfulness, cultivating attention.
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Abhyasa (Practice)
By Jessica Bellofatto
September, 2008
Meditate!
By Nikki Costello
I am sitting in a room with many others and we are meditating. At the end of this hour-long session, chimes ring to call us gently back from this space of silent absorption. Our teacher observes us as we all open our eyes and start to move. At first she says nothing. Then moments later she shares her observations. As I listen, I realize that she has seen me.
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Meditate!
By Nikki Costello
August, 2008
Sustaining; Maintaining Your Seat (Asana)
By Sarah Halweil
The Yoga Sutras define asana as the posture that brings comfort and steadiness. Sounds simple enough, right? The only problem is the challenges of everyday life, both physical and emotional, make it difficult to maintain this comfort and steadiness.
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Sustaining; Maintaining Your Seat (Asana)
By Sarah Halweil
July, 2008
Moving in Transition
By Subhadra Fleming
As the sun burns brighter in the sky, as it warms our days more thoroughly, we’re called to move – to walk, to garden, to ride bikes, to get out in the water – to be outside and mobile. I read that Martha Graham used to quote her father, a psychologist, as saying, “movement never lies.”
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Moving in Transition
By Subhadra Fleming
June, 2008
The Balance of Being
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
I find myself mesmerized by the snapshots that I see: friends lunching together on the benches in Washington Square Park, bodies strewn in wild shapes all over Sheep’s Meadow in celebration of the fences finally opening, the vibrant shades of Green Market offerings in Union Square, lovers entangled everywhere, children clamoring for more time on the jungle gym, and the trees proudly showcasing their latest vivid designs.
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The Balance of Being
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
May, 2008
Our Natural Breath
By Rodney Yee
We spend years in pranayama trying to free up the breath. It is slippery business. So many times we end up with a manipulated breath from concepts given to us by teachers, books, videos, and countless other influences. This manipulated breath often just covers up our habitual breath, which is a deeply ingrained breath pattern that has been imprinted off our ancestors. What is the breath inside the breath inside the breath? How in our yogic studies are we going to carefully dig out this priceless treasure?
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Our Natural Breath
By Rodney Yee
April, 2008
Grounding—Standing Firm Upon the Earth
By Leah Kinney
Somewhere between San Francisco and Chicago I lean over my sleeping neighbor, crane my neck and peer out of the window hoping to catch a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. I am very much an East Coast girl who gravitates toward sun and sand so the awesome rise of the Rockies never ceases to amaze me.
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Grounding—Standing Firm Upon the Earth
By Leah Kinney
March, 2008
One Love
By Colleen Saidman Yee
We have moments of clarity. We have moments where nothing is missing. We have moments where we are void of competition and fear. We have moments where we are not torn between us and them. They are the moments where we abide in our true state: ONE LOVE.
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One Love
By Colleen Saidman Yee
February, 2008
Inversions
By Sarah Halweil
Winter is a time of old growth passing so that new growth can take form. Trees shed leaves and gardens have ripened most of their fruit. Corn stalks and potato vines that remain in the field decompose and slowly become soil so that their parts can give life to new crops the next year. In the face of the natural cycle of endings and beginnings, it is also a time of looking at the past and future, contemplating regrets and making resolutions.
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Inversions
By Sarah Halweil
January, 2008
Honoring Simplicity in Life
By Erika Halweil
If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”—Albert Einstein. This quote reminds me of how Jessica’s son, Jack, once described Vrksasana (tree pose). He advised all eager practitioners to “bring one foot up and keep the other one on the ground.”
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Honoring Simplicity in Life
By Erika Halweil
December, 2007
Gratitude
By Alexandra McLaughlin
The November Focus of the Month is ‘Gratitude,’ and is defined in the dictionary as ‘an appreciative awareness and thankfulness, as for kindness shown or something received.’
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Gratitude
By Alexandra McLaughlin
November, 2007
Practice (Abhyasa)
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
I took a class with Genevieve Kapuler this morning and was humbled by the precision and the poetry of her instruction. The insightfulness of her teaching inspired me to remain present. There was no escaping.
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Practice (Abhyasa)
By Shana Kuhn-Siegel
October, 2007
Transitions
By Geoffrey Nimmer
Ah September, my favorite time of year. As a gardener and someone who works outside most of the time, I realize that I think that about each season. In the spring, I am preparing the beds and planting. The sowing of seeds and ideas is so exciting.
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Transitions
By Geoffrey Nimmer
September, 2007
Meditation
By Subhadra Fleming
According to Swami Satchidananda, yoga and meditation are one and the same, practiced with the goal of calming the mind. That’s why it can be said that all of yoga is based on the second sutra of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: “yogas chitta vritti nirodhah” Which means, the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.
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Meditation
By Subhadra Fleming
June, 2007
Karma
By Kari Harendorf
In order to bring a sense of continuity and cohesiveness to all of our classes and give teachers a theme to inspire and inform their teaching, Yoga Shanti is introducing a “Focus of the Month.” Jessica and Colleen chose to begin with the concept of “karma” and thought that I should be the person to write something about the topic since Karma is the name I chose for my daughter.
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Karma
By Kari Harendorf
May, 2007