Speaking with Mother Maya about spiritual practice, mothers, food and Mother Earth The life of Swamini Mayatitananda (formerly known as Bri Maya Tiwari), and often referred to respectfully as Mother Maya, is a testament to the role of nourishment, and of sustained sadhana (spiritual practice). She embarked on the path of Ayurveda with an Earth-centered [...]
In Memorium: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917 - 2008) The first time I met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was in Malibu, on the beach. It was a typical summer day in Southern California. Not much was happening. There was a south swell. From time to time a sun worshiper atop a towel would flip over, [...]
Lao Tzu said: “Muddy water, let stand – becomes clear.” Sthira sukha asana. Posture should be steady and comfortable, as Patanjali states in the Yoga Sutra. No matter which school of meditation you choose to practice, the physical ability to sit comfortably and steadily affects the ability of the mind to stay focused during meditation. [...]
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened onto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. —Matthew 7:7-8 Every true religion leads to God,” Paramahansa of Jesus, “but some paths take [...]
Ayurveda has been practiced in the U.S. for only about 30 years, yet it is a 5,000 year old Indian system of medicine and yoga’s sister science. Readers are invited to submit questions for “Ayurveda Q & A” to ayurveda@layogamagazine.com Dr. Parla Jayagopal Q: I’ve seen recommendations for panchakarma. How do I know if I [...]
Fueling the Flame Tibet and its people have withstood almost 50 years of repression, religious intolerance, the criminalization of reverence to their leader, a Chinese population boom and the appropriation by the Chinese government of their most sacred rite of identifying the next reincarnation of a Tibetan Lama. This began when the Chinese invaded Tibet [...]
We may think of meditation as a seated, static practice, but it can reflect the dynamic nature of life, its organic seasons and rhythms. The five categories of Taoist yoga meditation teach us how to draw our actions into consciousness. In Taoist meditation we move energy artfully, connecting breath with movement and rest, so that [...]
May 2008: Volume 7 / No. 5 Reflects On Thirty Years Traveling with Tibet’s Exiled Leader Well-traveled writer Pico Iyer’s newest book, The Open Road, shares an intimate glimpse of the Dalai Lama at a time when the global monk is in a bright spotlight on the world stage. For the past thirty years, [...]
For people espousing progressive values, many November election results brought cheers. The passing of Proposition 8, on the other hand, which amends the California constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, brought sadness, anger and protests. Perry Hoffman and Doug Smith exchanged rings on the momentous date of June [...]
Ayurveda has been practiced in the U.S. for only about 30 years, yet it is one of the systems of medicine native to India and is thousands of years old. Readers are invited to submit questions for “Ayurveda Q & A” to ayurveda@layogamagazine.com. Q: I was on birth control for six years (beginning at age fifteen). When [...]