There's a new blogger over at Yoga Journal and already I'm loving her posts. She's fairly new to yoga and will be blogging about her experiences as a beginner. So far her posts are funny ("I don't know a hootkatassana from a pranayama") and genuinely reflective of the concerns beginners have when they start taking yoga classes. My favorite line: "What if I'm dying half way through the class, and I have to spend 45 minutes in Child's Pose? What if my pants won't stay up and my shirt won't stay down?"
If you're new to yoga (or can remember a time when you were new to yoga!) you'll enjoy Kristin's insight. And maybe you'll take solace in the fact that other people also worry about their feet/stamina/clothing/flexibility, etc., etc!
Showing posts with label Yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yoga. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Vanity Fair Yoga Slideshow
I've been sharing a lot of links lately...here's another :) This is a slideshow of photos that Vanity Fair put together in 2007 (that's old, I know - I just came across it). It includes photos of many of yoga's well-known teachers and practitioners. Since we often talk about Iyengar, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and T. Krishnamacharya it may be nice to know who they are! We talk less about Sting and Trudie Styler...but it's nice to see them doing yoga too ;)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Studentship
As you know, I spent last week studying Anusara yoga with Barrie Risman. It was so revitalizing to be a student again! During our week-long session we touched on the importance of studentship - what it means to be a good student and how important that is to our practice and our teaching.
Yoga is a tradition that for thousands of years was passed orally from teacher to student. What we know of yoga today is the result of years and years of dedicated studentship. Individuals interested in the yoga teachings often had to prove themselves to the Guru (teacher) before he would accept them as students, ensuring that each student had the discipline and will to study seriously.
Today of course, we don't have to prove to our teachers that we're "serious students". The modern practice of yoga means many different things to many different people. Some of us are "serious students" and some of us are not - and where you fall in that categorization totally depends on your definition of "serious".
For me, the study of yoga has taught me a lot about being a student. It teaches me over and over that this path is not black and white. That there are different ways of doing things - different perspectives on the same practices - and that no way is right or wrong. It's all yoga. My study has shown me that things I thought were impossible actually become available to me with dedication and commitment (headstand, handstand and hundreds of other poses - i'm talking about you!). The study of yoga has shown me that to be a good student you must listen, decipher and respect the person doing the talking even if you disagree with him or her.
When you break that list down it's easy to see that what I've learned is relevant outside of yoga too. Understanding, dedication and respect are traits that this yoga has cultivated within me and that I am deeply appreciative for.
So the next time you find yourself in the position of "student", take a moment to consider how that studentship is affecting you at the deepest layers of the Self. For me this contemplation makes me hungry for more learning, more teachers, more moments in the role of student because I know that in the end, being a student makes me a better person and teacher.
With thanks to my many teachers (and with gratitude for the opportunity to study),
Meaghan
Yoga is a tradition that for thousands of years was passed orally from teacher to student. What we know of yoga today is the result of years and years of dedicated studentship. Individuals interested in the yoga teachings often had to prove themselves to the Guru (teacher) before he would accept them as students, ensuring that each student had the discipline and will to study seriously.
Today of course, we don't have to prove to our teachers that we're "serious students". The modern practice of yoga means many different things to many different people. Some of us are "serious students" and some of us are not - and where you fall in that categorization totally depends on your definition of "serious".
For me, the study of yoga has taught me a lot about being a student. It teaches me over and over that this path is not black and white. That there are different ways of doing things - different perspectives on the same practices - and that no way is right or wrong. It's all yoga. My study has shown me that things I thought were impossible actually become available to me with dedication and commitment (headstand, handstand and hundreds of other poses - i'm talking about you!). The study of yoga has shown me that to be a good student you must listen, decipher and respect the person doing the talking even if you disagree with him or her.
When you break that list down it's easy to see that what I've learned is relevant outside of yoga too. Understanding, dedication and respect are traits that this yoga has cultivated within me and that I am deeply appreciative for.
So the next time you find yourself in the position of "student", take a moment to consider how that studentship is affecting you at the deepest layers of the Self. For me this contemplation makes me hungry for more learning, more teachers, more moments in the role of student because I know that in the end, being a student makes me a better person and teacher.
With thanks to my many teachers (and with gratitude for the opportunity to study),
Meaghan
Monday, December 14, 2009
Yoga is Union
Most people in the West are introduced to yoga by way of yoga asana, or physical postures. But the practice of yoga is much more diverse than that. In fact, yoga is actually a lifestyle more so than a 'thing you do' - it's philosophy is something that permeates the lives of dedicated practitioners.
One of the magical things about yoga is that this permeation begins in trickles. Just a few yoga classes are enough to stir up your soul and create open space for the teachings of yoga to seep into. The philosophy of yoga is accepting of this slow absorption; there is no expectation that students dive into the practice and adopt the teachings immediately. For most yogis the practice means different things at different times in their lives. And some teachings will be more relevant to one person than another. In yoga, this is ok; it's all part of one's life journey.
To begin learning more about the path of yoga we must first explore the meaning of the word.
The English translation of yoga is "union". Since the ultimate goal of yoga is enlightenment, union refers to uniting the physical, worldly self with the True Self, the Absolute or a Collective Consciousness.
The concept of union also makes it's way into other, more literal parts of yoga. You may hear a teacher asking you to unite the body, breath and mind in triputi. Or you may hear reference to the fact that "we are all one", i.e. we are united with those around us. For the most part, people who practice yoga in the West, do so as householders. Meaning, they incorporate the teachings of yoga into their lifestyle while working and living their lives as usual. In this common scenario each of us seeks a type of union between the modern world we live in and the ancient, yet still relevant, teachings of yoga philosophy.
Perhaps the next time you sit for meditation or asana practice you can ponder the word yoga, union. What type of union are you seeking? What type of union do you experience through yoga? This contemplation on the meaning of yoga may leave you with more questions than answers but that curiosity is, afterall, the reason you're on this path...
Namaste
Meaghan :)
One of the magical things about yoga is that this permeation begins in trickles. Just a few yoga classes are enough to stir up your soul and create open space for the teachings of yoga to seep into. The philosophy of yoga is accepting of this slow absorption; there is no expectation that students dive into the practice and adopt the teachings immediately. For most yogis the practice means different things at different times in their lives. And some teachings will be more relevant to one person than another. In yoga, this is ok; it's all part of one's life journey.
To begin learning more about the path of yoga we must first explore the meaning of the word.
The English translation of yoga is "union". Since the ultimate goal of yoga is enlightenment, union refers to uniting the physical, worldly self with the True Self, the Absolute or a Collective Consciousness.
The concept of union also makes it's way into other, more literal parts of yoga. You may hear a teacher asking you to unite the body, breath and mind in triputi. Or you may hear reference to the fact that "we are all one", i.e. we are united with those around us. For the most part, people who practice yoga in the West, do so as householders. Meaning, they incorporate the teachings of yoga into their lifestyle while working and living their lives as usual. In this common scenario each of us seeks a type of union between the modern world we live in and the ancient, yet still relevant, teachings of yoga philosophy.
Perhaps the next time you sit for meditation or asana practice you can ponder the word yoga, union. What type of union are you seeking? What type of union do you experience through yoga? This contemplation on the meaning of yoga may leave you with more questions than answers but that curiosity is, afterall, the reason you're on this path...
Namaste
Meaghan :)
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