Stay Strong For the past seven years, David Newman (also known as Durga Das) has been traveling the world with his wife Mira and other band members (including beloved LA-based musician Philippo Franchini) sharing the art of kirtan (call-and-response devotional singing) live and with albums like Lotus Feet and his newest, titled To Be Home. [...]
Question: Are there any Ayurvedic dietary or herbal recommendations for a chronic and sometimes acute condition involving a healed ulcer and erythema (area of intense inflammation) in the stomach? Foods that significantly aggravate my pain are: coffee, concentrated tomato products (such as salsa and spaghetti sauce) and alcohol. I have eliminated these foods from my [...]
According to Ayurveda, lunch is the most important meal of the day. The pitta dosha (fire element), which governs the transformation of food into the tissues of the body, is at its highest level in the daytime from 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. Twelve noon is thus the best time to enjoy our main meal [...]
Philosophy Bites is a collection of short conversations with twenty-five prominent philosophers ranging over topics from animal rights, to philosophy, multiculturalism, architecture and atheism. Of particular interest is John Cottingham on what constitutes a meaningful life. He claims that a life worth living is one motivated by our individual goals and projects, but also modulated [...]
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 [...]