Ayurveda has been practiced in the US 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 have suffered the past couple years with acid reflux. I have been [...]
Q & A With Global Healers In Print & Online It’s early afternoon; the sun sparkles on waves crashing on the beach below the bluffs. Deva Premal and Miten are in repose in Malibu sitting in the expanse of a large tastefully appointed living room bathed in a reflected glow. They’re light-hearted. They’re laughing a [...]
The Divine Power Of The Senses “I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it,” says Shug in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. God wants to “share a good thing.” It is clear that we have been given a great capacity to share in [...]
Yab-Yum Images In Tibetan Buddhist Art One of the most provocative features of Tibetan Buddhist sacred art is the frequent depiction of male and female spiritual beings locked in intimate sexual embrace – referred to in the Tibetan language as “yab-yum” or “father-mother” aspect. Whether shown seated together in meditative equipose or standing in dynamic [...]
Can Ancient Ritual Heal Modern Separation Anxiety? Two hours after sunset in the mountains outside of Ojai on the Winter Solstice, the longest, darkest night of the year, I lost signal on my GPS. Even though I am a country girl at heart, I still felt disconcerted blindly navigating a landscape without streetlamps, without gas [...]
Seeking Ecstasy, Bliss And Equanimity Through Tantra My mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda, was fond of his whisky. I was fond of his drinking, for when he drank (usually Scotch) his already profound ability to speak meaningfully and insightfully on spiritual subjects would dramatically expand. Whenever we would imbibe together, he would encourage me [...]
Sinister Yogis David Gordon White University of Chicago Press What is a yogi? This is the question behind David Gordon White's new book, the last in a series which began with The Alchemical Body and continued with Kiss of the Yogini. Unlike most academic studies in this area, the book's main object of inquiry is [...]
Ayurveda has been practiced in the US 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 recently informed that applying onion juice to the scalp can sometimes [...]
Sacred and intuitive artist Rassouli often quotes Hafiz, Rumi or other mystic poets when he speaks, teaches and writes. At a painting retreat, he recently told a story that to welcome in the New Year, he approached Rumi’s verse as he would an oracle, randomly choosing words from the beloved poet to uncover [...]
At a recent Yoga retreat two questions were raised: “What do you want to gain from your Yoga practice?” and “What has Yoga done for you?” The answers, suffused with “I” and “me,” implied that Yoga tends to be an egocentric practice that endeavors to improve the sense of self. That being said, an often [...]