It starts in third grade, those formal lessons in mathematics: the counting of negative numbers. -1, -2, -3, and on and on and on. The counting of things that are not there. If you’re like me – which is to say, human – then you’ve no trouble at all counting deep into the abyss: the [...]
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. Question: Are there any Ayurvedic dietary or herbal recommendations for a chronic and [...]
As director of YogaActivist.org in Washington, D.C., Jasmine Chehrazi already has an impressive resume at the age of 29. She has opened studios in and taught in outreach programs in poor neighborhoods, created a database of hundreds of Yoga teachers working with alternative populations and devised a technique of teaching Yoga to those who suffer [...]
Be Here, Be Love, Be Now with Ram Dass To even attempt to put words to the impact Ram Dass’ grace and presence has had over the past forty-plus years would be a task, indeed. In 1967, one young Dr. Richard Alpert, former Harvard psychologist, made a foray to India in 1967, where he met [...]
If you ask a yogi or yogini what keeps him or her coming back to the mat, the answer usually boils down to, “It works.” The question now gaining prominence is not, “Does it work?” but rather, “How does it work?” Dr. Susan Smalley, Founder and Director of UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC), and [...]
Feature Film About Shaman, Yogi And Artist Heyoka Merrified Premieres In Ojai The burning sweet grass smoke wafting from the Earth and Sky Temple (honoring the sacred masculine and feminine spirits) begins Heyoka Merrifield’s day. He lights his peace pipe (based on the tradition brought by White Buffalo Woman) which he hand-carved from pipestone from by [...]
Jnani Chapman is a master at speaking to the body; she’s skilled at the sweet-talking compassion that expresses the type of love that we may be lucky to experience in this lifetime. Yet if we’re really lucky, we cross paths with someone like Jnani who believes that this love happens not just because of luck [...]
Spiritual Haiku Eradicating Fear fails. Substituting love for fear is lovely. Tech support. Household help. Roadside assistance. Life – don’t try it alone. Fear keeps me awake. Gratitude puts me to sleep. Love says good morning. I'm a spiral girl living in a linear world. Sometimes passing. Haikus by Beth Lapides, from [...]
Being A Yogi On The Edge Thanks to Sara Ivanhoe, we announced an essay contest in the October issue of LA YOGA asking readers to write about the difference between doing Yoga and being a yogi. Thanks to everyone for their thoughtful submissions and we hope you enjoy copies of Sara’s gorgeous DVD Yoga on [...]
Ayurvedic Suggestions to Support Balance Even though the winter in LA is mild compared to other areas of the world, it’s still winter for us. The wind picks up, the days are shorter, and with the holiday season upon us, there are so many things to get done, so many places to go. Our [...]