Reinforce the immune system with asana for the abdomen and brain, and to counteract duality.
Patanjali
Does Viparita Karani Conquer Death?
Viparita Karani is not just an anti-anxiety pose, but an act of meditation, dhyana… the key practice that leads to samadhi.
Three Rivers of the Spine in Dog Pose
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 […]
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 […]