It is said that Nataraja (the Hindu god Shiva in his form as the cosmic dancer) dances the universe into being, sustains it with his rhythm, and eventually dances it into annihilation. When Patanjali, the compiler of yoga’s foundational text, learned to dance, he noticed that the movements could be used to understand the body’s […]
Coping with Stress with Acceptance
Stress is Part of Life Stress is ubiquitous and unavoidable. Some stress is self-imposed due to our beliefs and actions, and some are imposed from outside, often beyond our control. Because yoga originated in India and spread throughout Asia, it shares many Buddhist beliefs and practices. Buddhism maintains that suffering is an inevitable part of […]
Yoga Research with Medical Conditions
Research looking at the effects of various yoga practices have been conducted in the last 15+ years. Below is a sample of some of the research that has been done on a variety of medical and psychological issues. This page is updated as new research becomes available. A Study of the Impact of […]
Hatha Yoga and Mindful Movement
The yoga that most people are familiar with is Hatha yoga. Hatha yoga involves postures or poses referred to as asana in Sanskrit. Asana means both a seat and a posture. Hatha yoga is only one aspect of yoga, however, even a little Hatha Yoga can open a gateway to the larger spiritual tradition. Since […]
Yoga Nidra and Sleep: Resting in the Lap of Mother Earth
Each night during our sleep we re-create the world. Stories and pictures dance through our minds even if we are unaware. We dream roughly every ninety minutes, but the frequency and duration of our dream life vary from night to night. Dream Sleep On a typical night, after falling asleep our first dream cycle of […]
