Ganga, Yamuna, & Saraswati The images of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna (Jamuna in Hindi) often flank the entrances of Hindu temples.[1] Just as the sacred Ganges River flows from its source in the Himalayas to irrigate its plains, so has Mother Ganga descended from Heaven to give life to the dead and purify the […]
iyengar yoga
Provenance — Where Does Yoga Asana Come From?
Some Western scholars have contended that modern asana practice is not rooted in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (2nd c. B.C.E.), and that claiming so is a false, self-justifying, claim of provenance. I know the arguments well: only eleven asanas are described in Vyasa’s fifth century commentary on Patanjali (half of which are sitting asanas for meditation), […]
Samkhya Cosmogeny in Asana
Introduction to Samkhya Metaphysics India is a land of diverse opinions and divergent viewpoints. Its culture has been described as a “salad bowl” (as opposed to our “melting pot”) containing many ingredients that remain uniquely distinct within the whole. At the core of this diversity are the six different schools of Indian philosophy. One of […]
Prana & Prajna in the Yogic Path
Paraphrase of BKS Iyengar 2013 Guru Purnima Address — 22 July 2013 Transcribed by Bruce M. Roger +6.45 Yoga practice conquers weakness.. The purpose of yoga practice is to purge the citta by conquering the weaknesses of greed, anger, and delusion: vitarkah himsadayah… pratipaksha-bhavanam [PYS II.34].[1] Yoga is a discipline that builds up from the […]
Sadhaka: the yoga of B.K.S. Iyengar [film]
This is a long trailer for a feature documentary film about the life and teaching of BKS Iyengar. It is a deeply moving story of how BKS Iyengar Yoga has touched a master sculptor, an addict, and an orphan in India. Their suffering, says BKS Iyengar, has guided them, like a thorn in the side, to […]
Top