This month’s giveaway is a free copy of Visvamitrasana: Volume 1 of the Sage Series, by Inflextion Publishing. This one-of-a-kind ebook contains a full audio/video class built around the pose Visvamitrasana, as well as a section on Sanskrit terminology, a chapter on the legend of the sage Visvamitra, and a few other goodies. As an …
As part of my attempt to “go beyond asana” this year, I’ve been trying to practice and learn more about pranayama (yogic breathing exercises). Luckily for me, one of my teachers is also into pranayama and he’s been incorporating about five minutes of breathwork into most of his classes lately. Of course, if you practice …
We’re about a month and a half into 2013, and I’m already hearing grumblings about aches and pains from the new students at the studio where I’ve been practicing. Some discomfort after yoga is perfectly normal, and it may even be a sign that you’re getting stronger and more open. But some of those pain …
Over the past several months, I’ve reviewed some popular yoga books here on Om Shanti. These reviews were fairly conventional in their style and format — i.e., I provided a basic overview of the book, without revealing too much, and mentioned a few things about each book that I liked. The next book on my reading list, …
The other night, I attended a yoga class that was filled with an unusual number of sneezing, sniffling yogis. At one point, I turned around to grab my Yogitoes from the back of my mat, only to find it surrounded by a little mound of someone else’s used tissues. Normally, I’m not too much of …
Yesterday morning, I started off 2013 in the best way possible — yoga! Along with twenty people or so, I sweated, stretched, and backbended my way into the new year. Throughout the class, the teacher encouraged us to think about the upcoming year and what we’d like to manifest in our yoga practices. He provided …
Yoga for a World Out of Balance – Chapter 7: Asteya CHAPTER SUMMARY The third principle of Yama is asteya, or nonstealing. At first glance, this may seem like a straightforward ethical principle or dictate, one that we’ve all understood since we were toddlers. As Stone argues, however, asteya is much broader in meaning than, say, “thou … Continue reading »
As an addendum to last Tuesday’s post, Can You Actually Make a Living as a Yoga Teacher?, I thought it might be useful to say a few things about how yoga teachers get paid. More specifically, I’m going to talk about how teachers are typically compensated for teaching classes at a studio or gym. Of … Continue reading »
There are a lot of people out there trying to make it as yoga teachers. I guess this was inevitable. Teacher training programs are churning out new yoga teachers like they’re the latest iPhone. With so many teachers competing for a limited number of jobs, is it even possible for a person to make a … Continue reading »
This month on Om Shanti: A Yoga Blog, we’re giving away the latest offering by yogitoes: The Maya rSkidless Yoga Towel. This is a limited edition product, and is available now at select yoga studios or directly from yogitoes’ website. Or you can win one right here! The Maya is made from 50% recycled content (eight … Continue reading »
Yoga for a World Out of Balance, by Michael Stone Chapter 6: Satya Summary Michael Stone begins Chapter 6 by stating, “Satya, as a term and practice, is the most straightforward of the yamas.” Unfortunately, the author’s subsequent discussion of satya is anything but straightforward. The chapter meanders quite a bit, and much of what … Continue reading »
When I first started doing yoga, I had to use a lot of props — blocks, straps, wedges, bolsters, etc. As I became more flexible, though, my use of props decreased, until I eventually stopped using yoga props altogether. Now, more than ten years after I started doing vinyasa flow yoga, I’m using props all … Continue reading »
I just learned of a new yoga studio opening here in Chicago. It’s called Eb & Flow Yoga Studio, and they’re having their grand opening Feb. 15. All their classes and workshops are free during their opening weekend, so I’m definitely going to check it out! This studio seems to be something like a reincarnation … Continue reading »
