Religion provides the big story that allows people to make sense of their often chaotic lives. And universality has been the goal of nearly all religions since the start of recorded human history. The core message of Christianity, universalist in tone, proclaims love and forgiveness as the means to create heaven on earth. Through God’s [...]
Exploring the tastes of addiction through understanding the doshas In the not-too-distant past, people struggling with addictions would likely be sent to an asylum or subjected to an exorcism, taken to a priest or seen as having a character flaw. But from the perspective of Ayurveda, an addiction is a disease in which a person [...]
For five decades, the Tibetan people have suffered greatly under China's brutal rule. The Chinese government has done everything in its power to destroy Tibetan culture, religion and institutions. In March, 2008, thousands of monks, nuns, and lay Tibetans put their lives on the line by protesting against Chinese rule in Tibet. Hundreds [...]
Max Simon and the Self-Centered Tour How do you inspire one million young people to meditate? Make it sexy. Make it cool. Tall order? Maybe. But such is the clear intention of Max Simon, founder of the selfcentered tour and son of Julia Simon, Transcendental Meditation teacher and Vedic astrologer, and Dr. David Simon, co-founder [...]
talkin' ‘bout sports medicine, herbs for young people and healing the earth David Crow, author of In Search of the Medicine Buddha, is an acupuncturist and herbalist who travels the world supporting a vision of grassroots healthcare, sustainable use of botanical medicine and restoration of global ecology through indigenous systems of healing including Chinese medicine and [...]
How yogic principles can be applied to play with children. When our hearts feel joyful, the practice of yoga and meditation can themselves be playful. The lessons we learn in this path: equanimity, focus, stability, resilience, perseverance, union, connection and balance translate well into the language and practice of play and it is possible to [...]
Pregnancy and Practice I hated being pregnant. By the end, I could no longer fit into my maternity pants and had to wear an old pair of drawstring sweatpants every day. My arms were swollen and pink. They flapped back and forth, like the belly of a pig, when I washed the dishes. My butt [...]
A simple sentence grabbed our attention: “Sometimes our most profound, life-changing experiences happen far away from home.” This was the introduction for Billy and Patti Asad’s YogaWorks Couples Retreat at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort. Under the Couple’s empathetic guidance, the program offered four yoga sessions interspersed with socializing, hiking, cycling and hot-tubbing. Sycamore [...]
Playing With Flight. Making the Sacred Fun When Brett and I arrived at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort after four days camping in Yosemite, we were covered in dust and nursing tired, cold bodies from miles of hiking. I was not only excited about my first yoga retreat, but also having a decent shower. [...]
Remembering To Breathe. Two hurdles prevent my giving yoga the consideration it deserves: time and my brain. In juggling work and deadlines, my personal time often suffers. As a result, the Wednesday night and Saturday morning yoga sessions my friend teaches never quite eventuate. So my LA YOGA editor and partner Natalie joined forces to [...]