We can differentiate three types of breathing. 1.Clavicle breathing is the most shallow and worst possible type of breathing. The shoulders and collarbone are raised while the abdomen is contracted during inhalation. Maximum effort is made, but a minimum amount of air is obtained. 2.Thoracic breathing is done with the rib muscles expanding the rib … Read more
I started studying yoga about eight years ago. At the time my breath was often shallowly, my shoulders were hunched and I had a painful tension in the upper part of the back and neck. Yoga practise helped me to learn how to expand my ribcage, how to use the lungs to their maximum capacity … Read more
‘Tasmin sati åvâsa-praåvâsayor gati-vicchedaï prâñâyâmaï’ (YS 2.49) ‘The asana having been done, pranayama is the cessation of the movement of inhalation and exhalation” The fourth limb of Ashtanga yoga is pranayama. Georg Feuerstein explains this sutra as following: “When the posture is mastered, the breath control can start. Breath controls is not mere rhythmic … Read more
Yesterday was the last day of the Ashtanga Yoga Mysore Week with Luke Jordan. After practice we had breakfast with the group of students. I spoke with Luke about the content of my blog yesterday; which talks about YS 2.46 Sthira-Sukham Âsanam: Asana is a steady and comfortable posture. In addition, Luke recited YS 2.47 and … Read more
YS 2.46 Sthira-Sukham Âsanam Asana is a steady and comfortable posture On the first day of this Ashtanga Mysore week I received my first verbal adjustment after doing the sunset invitations A & B and some standing positions. Luke recited Yoga Sutra 2.46; which is Sthira-Sukham-Asanam. He told me he sees a lot of “Sukham” … Read more
Mysore week with Luke Jordan This week I am attending a 6 day Ashtanga Mysore workshop under guidance of Luke Jordan. I wake up at 4.30 am in Utrecht, the Netherlands, where I am currently living. After a bike drive in half sleepy state, I reunite at 5.15 am with colleague yoga teachers. We drive … Read more
THE BHAGAVAD GITA: KARMA YOGA #3 Written by Estella Vall The Bhagavad Gita’s yoga is something nearly every human participates in, to one degree or another, in one form or another. But people just don’t know it. These are the characterizations Krishna gives to yoga in the Bhagavad Gita: Clear, discerning, totally voluntary, dynamic … Read more
THE BHAGAVAD GITA: KARMA YOGA #2 Written by Estella Vall Simply put, one doesn’t get emotionally involved in the action being performed, becoming overly excited, upset or angry when the result of an action is not as expected. Gita also talks about “Meta-Karma Yoga”, which means not getting irritated, annoyed or unhappy when one gets … Read more
THE BHAGAVAD GITA: KARMA YOGA #1 Written by Estella Vall The Bhagavad Gita is one of the world-scriptures today. It guides the lives of people all around the world. Mahatma Gandhi regarded it as the “Mother”, to whom the humanity turned when in distress. The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as simply the Gita, is a 700-verse sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism part … Read more
Meditation for health benefits #2 Written by Estella Vall Below, we talk about meditation health benefits mentioning different studies that have come out in the last few years to show that meditation produces measurable changes in our brain: A study from UCLA found that long-term meditators had better-preserved brains than those who don’t meditate as they … Read more