How can meditation help to change structures in the brain? #4

This article consist of 6 parts. This is part 4. Written by Sophie Nusselder. 10.000 new brains cells a day For a long time scientists thought the brain had a certain number of cells. What is quite new and beautiful information the last few years, is that everybody makes 10.000 new brain cells a day; … Read more

How can meditation help to change structures in the brain? #5

This article consist of 6 parts. This is part 5. Written by Sophie Nusselder. Vipassana: a technique to reset the mind For me yoga works therapeutically. I’m quite an extravert person and love to share time with people. Asana (yoga posture) practise is for me the motor to focus on myself and fill my body with … Read more

What can be technical elements for a children’s yoga class?

      What can be technical elements for a children’s yoga class? Written by Sophie Nusselder Every hosted a children’s yoga class? It can be superfun! In this blog I share a list of “ingredients” – elements that proved to be powerful in children’s yoga classes I hosted the last view years. Hopefully they help you to … Read more

Explore the three “gunas”

Explore the three gunas Have you ever heard of the three gunas? The Samkhya philosophy describes the gunas as the threefold characteristics in it’s nature; in this sense every action, thought and event is created due to the interaction of the three gunas. All gunas are always present in all beings and objects surrounding us by … Read more

Pingala, Ida and Sushumna: the most significant nadis

Nadis In addition to the seven chacras of the subtle body, the scriptures have described a network of subtle channels known as nadis through which the life force (prana) circulates. The Sanskrit word nadi derives from the root nad, which means “flow”, “motion” or “ vibration”. References in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika place the number … Read more

Prana: “life force”!

Prana Let’s talk a bit more about prana. The Sanskrit word prana is a combinatation of two syllables, pra and na and denotes constancy, a force in constant motion. The chhandogya Upanishad (1.11:5) says: “ In prana all moveable and immoveable beings merge during dissolution and rise out of prana (during creation)”. Prana is the … Read more

Kumbhaka: “the yogic trip”

Kumbhaka: the yogic trip Personally I love to perform Kumbhaka. This is the moment when you hold your breath in between the inhalation and the exhalation. I remember, one of my yoga teachers nicknamed the effect of kumbhaka “ the yogic trip”. Why do we keep the breath out? What yogi say is, the period … Read more

What is the key to full yogic breath?

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

What is pranayama?

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

Pranayama: the fourth limb of Ashtanga yoga

  ‘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