One of my fondest memories about having Sri Anandi Ma, an enlightened saint from India, visit my home in the summer of 2003, while doing public programs, was that I had the privilege to massage her feet almost every evening. Once I started rubbing her feet, my mind would immediately quiet down, and all I could hear was the mantra…
Tag: yoga
Ashtanga Yoga: Eight Limb Yoga
Yoga means “union” in the sense of union with the Divine. In this sense, yoga is the path and goal of all human existence, that is, the realization of the Self as our true, inner nature. In the West, yoga has come to mean only hatha yoga or yoga postures (asanas). In fact, this is only one aspect of the…
The Five Body Layers or Koshas
The body-mind complex is influenced by the impressions of the world that we receive through the senses and motor organs, but its ability to receive and process impressions goes beyond them. Our perception of the world does not stop with the physical senses…
It All Comes Down to Samskara…
Yoga philosophy has a concept that I consider one of the most—if not the most—important to understand not only the system of yoga itself, but also all the choices we make and who we are on an emotional, mental, and spiritual level. Yet it is not a concept we hear much about, probably because it is not that easy to truly comprehend.
Body, Mind & Consciousness: The Body-Mind Connection
Ayurveda is India’s 5000-year old science of life, health, and longevity. According to Ayurveda, there is no separation between body, mind, and consciousness. Therefore, the concepts of health and disease must address all of these aspects. The mind is organically related to the physical body. Any imbalance of the doshas (psycho-physiological principles, or humors) will create signs and symptoms at…