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basics stretch your calf muscles down toward in the previous variation of the pose, your outer thighs forward and up toward your heels. Lengthen your toes forward your heels should just barely touch the your knees. Lift the front of your shins on the floor and pull your heels back as floor so that you can balance the forward while you lengthen the back of your calves if the bottom of your foot were becom­ extension of your torso and toes with the down. Playing on the edge of sitting and ing longer. Pull on the table, inhale, and backward and downward stretch of your extending, explore the rhythm of balanc­ lift the sides of your rib cage and waist. heels. Keeping the feet together, spread ing the forward stretch of your torso with As your torso rises, move your hips and your knees apart, press your heels down, the rooting of your thighs into your hip buttocks down. Look up toward your and stretch them back toward the wall. sockets as you ground your heels. Simi­ hands and hold this Malasana variation With the bottom of your sacrum rest­ larly, see if you can balance the effort in for 20 seconds. To come out of the pose, ing against the wall, extend your arms, your inner and outer thighs and the front inhale and pull on the table to stand up side ribs, and waist between your legs and and back of your lower legs so that you’re and straighten your legs. away from the wall. Reach forward from not working one area more than another. the bottom of your waist to your hands, You can stay here for 30 to 60 seconds Great Wall and extend your arms and chest parallel to before coming out. When you’re ready, In this variation (see figure 2), a wall sup­ the floor. Notice that the more you reach take your hands to the wall, keep your ports your buttocks, which will help shift forward with your torso, the more you head down as you lift your hips up toward some of your weight into your heels while have to ground your heels back and down. the ceiling, and straighten your legs to you reach forward. To begin, stand with Keep your inner heels down so that the come into Uttanasana (Standing Forward your feet approximately six inches away weight doesn’t fall onto the outside edge Bend). Stay there for a few breaths. from a wall, and your sacrum against it. of your foot. For this variation, look down Bend your knees and slide your buttocks at the floor. Small Wonder down the wall until you’re squatting. If Your knees, of course, separate in a Now you’re ready to try the final pose. your heels don’t reach the floor, step your squat, but don’t spread your legs so wide Start in Uttanasana with your feet to ­ feet a little farther away from the wall. that they lose contact with your torso. gether and your hands on the floor a few If you find that your buttocks touch the Move your inner thighs back and down inches in front of your feet; then bend floor, come a little closer to the wall. As toward your hip sockets while you bring your knees into a squat. If your heels don’t MULTIVITAMIN FORMULA More Than A Multiple ™ is an energy rich, whole food multivitamin containing more than 50 high-potency vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, herbs and amino acids. Our whole food concentrate formula supplies your body with naturally occurring nutrients found within fruits, vegetables and whole foods — like bioflavonoids and antioxidants. An exclusive 8-hour timed-release delivery system provides both immediate and extended nutritional support, so you feel good throughout the day.* ™ More Than A Multiple provides all the nutritional completeness you need for optimum health. * Digestive Skin Bones Cardio Circulatory Cognitive Energy Metabolism Eyes Hair Immune Joints Nails Nervous System 1-800-445-7137 • www.AmericanHealthUS.com ©2010, American Health, Inc. 107309cg Also available in Men’s, Women’s, and Iron Free/Vegetarian Formulas * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. at health food, vitamin and specialty stores. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 50 yoGajournal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

reach the floor, place a rolled blanket un ­ around the outside edges of your ankles if they are being pulled out of your hips. derneath them so they have something and catch hold of your heels. As you do Take a few smooth breaths to work on the to press into. this, don’t let the sides of your waist rhythmic balance of rooting and extend­ With your feet touching and your shrink or retract. In this position, with ing, spreading and lengthening. Soften heels down, spread your knees apart as your shoulders underneath your knees, your throat and allow the entire back of you reach forward between your legs you can see how the pose got its name: your body—from tailbone to head—to with your arms. Bring your chest par­ The arms are said to resemble a garland release into this full forward bend. allel to the floor. Push your inner heels hanging around the neck. Now pull on To come out of the pose, release your down, lengthen the sides of your waist your heels and exhale to take your head ankles, place your hands on the floor in away from your hips, and pull your chest toward the floor. front of your toes, inhale, and straighten forward. Move your inner thigh muscles Observe your feet. Is one foot tilt­ your legs into Uttanasana. Extend the back toward your pelvis. Now see if you ing toward its outer edge? Are your feet backs of your legs as you release your can relax the very top inner thighs at your moving away from each other? Press both head and neck down. If you practice the groin to give you the freedom to pull your inner heels down evenly and stretch your compact and soothing forward bend of torso away from your legs. As your hips toes forward. Pull the tops of your thighs Malasana regularly, you’ll learn the art and inner thighs move back, they’ll act as and hips back, and if your buttocks lift of squatting with ease. It’s a skill that a counterbalance to your torso. slightly, consciously take your buttocks you’ll find useful throughout your life— Exhale and bend your elbows with your down as you bring your head a little closer whether you are trying to improve your arms still between your legs and place to the floor. If you can, place your fore­ posture, getting close to a heavy object to your palms on the floor. Reach your hands head on the floor near your toes. If that lift it safely without straining your back, isn’t possible for you, just allow the back or creating your own restful seat when MORE ONLINE Want more of your neck to release down without there are no chairs available. ✤ in-depth instruction for other tightening your throat. poses? Go to our website, Even though you are drawn into a Marla Apt (visit yoganga.com) is a certi fied yogajournal.com, and click on compact ball in this pose, continue to Iyengar Yoga teacher. She teaches and leads “Basics” in the navigation bar. lengthen your waist and ribs forward as teacher trainings in Los Angeles and abroad. Finally, the next generation in digestive health. ™ ® Introducing American Health Probiotic CD and American Health Enzyme Probiotic Complex ® With the aid of probiotics to promote intestinal health and enzymes to help relieve occasional digestive discomfort, you and your food can stop feeling like enemies and start being true friends. * Probiotic CD ™ Enzyme Probiotic Complex ^ 12 Billion Bio-Active Microorganisms – 9 Clinically Researched Enzymes Once Daily Formula Plus 2 Billion Bio-Active Probiotics ^ Controlled Delivery – Helps Relieve Occasional Discomforts: Intestinal Release System Constipation, Gas & Bloating * ◊ Stomach Acid Protected – Multi-Level Dual Action Benefits All Day Support In One Convenient Formula 100% Vegetarian; Non-GMO 100% Vegetarian; Non-GMO Available at fine health and natural food stores. * These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. ◊ ^ At time of manufacture Intestinal microflora imbalance may lead to digestive irregularities such as occasional constipation, gas and bloating. Bio-tract ® is a registered trademark of Nutraceutix, Inc. ©2010 American Health, Inc. 101609cg 1-800-445-7137 • www.AmericanHealthUS.com feBruary 2010 yOgajOuRNaL.cOM 51 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

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essence of yoga by Rod Stryker positively prana ( make you feel so good? ) Why does yoga There are a dizzying number of styles and approaches to yoga these days. Some involve resting in simple supported postures in quiet, candlelit rooms. Others push students to the edge of their physical capacity or are done to the beat of loud, rhythmic music. Some fo cus on physical alignment, while others offer a heart-centered ap proach. There is so much variety that describing them all is impossible. Different in tone and substance as the various styles might be, they share one quality that inspires people to prac- tice them: They work. Put simply, you feel better when you walk out of class than when you walked in. The question is, why? Better yet, how does yoga work? As you’ve probably heard, one reason asana leaves you feeling so good is that it activates your parasympathetic nervous system, thanks to to hold poses longer, as you would in restor- two elements that almost all asana practices have in common–– ative yoga, and dedicate longer periods of time the lengthening and strengthening of musculature and calm, even to developing slow and complete breathing. breathing. The parasympathetic is the part of your nervous system Vigorous vinyasa, backbends, handstands, and that slows you down—it’s responsible for telling your muscles to arm balances are powerful and beneficial, but relax, improving your digestion and assimilation, boosting immu- they don’t stimulate your parasympathetic ner- nity, and helping you sleep better. It also normalizes your blood vous system as much as the practices listed pre- pressure and lowers your heart rate. The parasympathetic nervous viously. So if the positive changes you gain from system counteracts many stress-related symptoms and the negative yoga can’t be entirely credited to its impact on by-products of our modern, fast-paced, high-output lives. your nervous system, what is helping you feel But the truth is that much of the yoga being practiced these days and live better? The answer is life force. Almost doesn’t do as much for the parasympathetic nervous system as you all styles of hatha yoga increase the flow of might think. To build your parasympathetic nervous system, you prana, or life force, in your body. tRina dalziel need to do poses that encourage deep relaxation, such as forward tai chi and qi gong, is based on prana (referred Yoga, like the science of acupuncture, or bends and hip openers; do fewer standing poses; and do more sit- to as chi in the Chinese arts and sciences). These ting, supine, and prone postures as well as inversions. You also need february 2010 yogajournal.com 55 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

essence of yoga disciplines see prana as the essential force that sustains everything. Yogis went a step further, prescribing the intelligent use of prana as the key to facilitating spiritual awakening. “Having known the origin... and the physical existence of prana, one achieves immortality,” says the Prasna Upanishad. In other words, the aim of life (and practice) is realized through the skillful use of prana. the ultimate strength Prana has always played a vital role in hatha yoga. Ancient Tantric texts, like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita, list various techniques to help build, channel, and regulate life force. In these writings, asana is described as the foundation for hatha’s deeper practices because it is so accessible and helps to free life force: The process of holding a pose–– while “breathing through it”––dissolves pranic blockages. Different postures unlock prana in different ways. Forward bends, for example, increase the types of prana that calm, soothe, and ground; backbends unblock pranic forces that are more expansive and revitalizing. A key reason you feel better after class is that the practice has helped move your life force in a way that is more balanced, complete, or suited to your particular mental and physical needs. The principles of how different asanas affect life force are explained in both the hatha tradition and Ayurveda. The more we learn and practice these teachings, the more we know about which poses will help at any particular time. You may notice a particu- lar practice (or style) that used to make you feel great is doing so less and less; that may be a sign that it is time for a change. The more you control and build your storehouse of life force, the more you can achieve through practice. “The control of prana is the ultimate strength,” says the Srimad Bhagavatam, one of India’s revered scriptures. The more you learn to skillfully utilize the power of prana that begins with asana, the closer you come to realizing yoga’s limitless potential. ✤ Rod Stryker, founder of ParaYoga, has taught yoga and meditation for more than 25 years. 56 yogajournal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

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home practice with john Schumacher ( core strength and flexibility in your torso. ) Take a playful approach to building values Arm balances require more than Popeye’s strength. Just ask senior Iyengar teacher John Schumacher. “Hardly anyone can muscle their way into arm balances,” he says. Schumacher describes some of his students as men who are strong enough to do 100 Sun Salutations but who can’t do an arm balance because they lack the flexibil- ity to get their arms and legs into position. He also teaches a lot of flexible people who need to develop more strength. Schumacher came up with the se quence on the follow- ing pages to help you increase both strength and flexibility. The sequence will definitely work your abdominal muscles and build core strength, even in your spinal muscles. Once you’ve toned your core, you’ll put it to the test in the arm balances. You’ll need to use your strength and flexibility for a key action you’ll do in the last PHoToS: CHRiS AnDRe; MoDeL: DAViD neLSon; STyLiST: Lyn HeineKen; HAiR/MAKeuP: VeRoniCA Sjoen/ARTiST unTieD; ToP: unDeR ARMouR; SHoRTS: SHAKTi ACTiVeweAR four poses: tucking your abdominals up and in toward your spine. Yoga students are often instructed to lengthen the spine, but here Schumacher wants you to move your sacrum away from your lumbar spine and “tuck” inward to begin as you round or curl. Visualize wrapping your- self around a beachball, he advises. Set an intention Sit to finish Even when practicing taxing po ses, Schum- in Virasana (Hero Pose) and acher encourages having a playful, adventur- become clear about your Unfold Practice ous attitude. “Kids will try to stand on their intention. This is a challeng- Adho Mukha Svanasana heads, laugh, and have fun—not get mad—and ing practice, but resolve to ( Down ward-Facing Dog Pose) try again,” he says. Infuse your practice with be more interested in learn- and a few simple backbends ing about yourself than in this spirit of playfulness and realize that you to balance the spine. Lie in “getting” the pose. Keep a might not get a pose right away. “But try to learn Supta Baddha Konasana playful nature in mind and about yourself as you play,” Schumacher says. (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) enjoy yourself. “See if you can maintain equanimity as you dis- to soften the groin and abdo- men. Then stretch your legs cover what your response is to a difficult situa- into Savasana (Corpse Pose). tion.” DiAne AnDeRSon febrUAry 2010 yogajournal.com 59 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

home practice with John Schumacher 2 1 1 Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Stand with the inner edges of your feet touching each other. Spread the balls of your feet, press your heels firmly into the floor, and lengthen your inner ankles upward. Draw your tailbone down and forward into the pelvis and move your groins back. Reach toward the floor with your arms. Stay for 1 minute. together. Tilt your knees to the right. When you feel your left waist begin to lift, revolve your abdomen back to the left 2 Utkatasana (Chair Pose) and lower your left waist toward the floor. Go as far to the From Tadasana, lift your arms overhead. Bend your knees right as you can, continuing to revolve the abdomen and to so your thighs are as nearly parallel to the floor as possible. lower the left waist. Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Come to Keep your heels heavy and continue to move your tailbone center and change sides. Repeat 3 times. down and forward. Lift your abdomen and chest away from the inner groins and reach up through your arms. Stay for 5 Supta Padangusthasana 30 seconds to a minute. (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose) Lie on your back. Keep your left leg on the floor and raise 3 Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (Leg Lifts) your right leg. With your right hand, catch your big toe, or Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the place a strap around the ball of your foot, and stretch the leg floor. Stretch your arms overhead and place the backs of straight up to the sky. Place your left hand on your left thigh. your hands on the floor. Raise your knees to your chest Pull your straight right leg toward your head. Slide your left and stretch your legs up perpendicular to the ceiling (90 hand down your left thigh toward your knee and lift your degrees). Press the sides of your waist toward the floor. chest and head toward your right leg. Stay for 1 to 2 minutes. Lower your legs halfway to the floor (45 degrees) while Come down and change sides. moving your tailbone away from your lower back and press- ing your low back into the floor. Hold for 3 breaths then 6 Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat Pose) raise your legs back to 90 degrees. Keep the sides of Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose), with your hands on the floor by the waist down to avoid back strain. Repeat 3 to 10 times. your hips. Stretch your legs straight on the floor. Lean back As you get stronger, you can lower the legs from 45 degrees and raise your straight legs until your feet are at eye level. all the way to just above the floor. Balance just behind your sitting bones and raise your arms to shoulder level, with your palms facing each other. Lift your 4 Jathara Parivartanasana chest and hold for as long as you can (up to 1 minute). (Revolved Abdomen Pose) Lying on your back, stretch your arms out to your sides with 7 Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose) your palms up. Bend your knees and lift them to your chest. Sit in Dandasana and interlock your fingers behind your Keep both shoulder blades on the floor and your knees head. Tilt your pelvis back, lower your sacrum halfway to the floor, and move your tailbone toward your heels. Lift your side ribs and move your sternum toward your feet. Your spine 10 9 60 yogAJoUrNAl.com FeBRuARy 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

3 4 will fl ex in this pose. Hold for 30 seconds. Keeping your legs straight, lift your feet to chest level, keeping your lower back slightly rounded. 8 Lolasana (Pendant Pose) Sit in Dandasana with hands pressed to the fl oor. Lift your buttocks, bend your right knee, and sit on your right foot. Lean back, lift your right knee, bend your left knee, and 5 tuck your left calf under your right shin with your feet as close together as possible and your toes pointed back. Lean forward and lift the side of your waist toward the ceiling. Press your palms down, stretch your arms, and lift your legs up from the fl oor toward your chest. Engage your core by lifting your navel to your spine. Hold as long as you can and repeat a few times. 9 Malasana (Garland Pose) Stand in Tadasana. Bend your knees and squat, keeping your feet together but separating your knees. Lean for- ward and lower your waist between your thighs. Wrap your arms around your shins, press your upper shins into your armpits, and grasp your ankles. Pull your head toward your feet and roll your tailbone toward your heels. Hold for 6 30 seconds to 1 minute. 10 Bakasana (Crane Pose) Come into a squat. Lift your heels, lean forward, and bring the backs of your armpits onto your shins near your knees. Place your palms shoulder-width apart, lean farther for- ward, and lift your feet up off the fl oor. Pull your heels toward your buttocks and roll your tailbone toward your heels. Lift your upper back toward the ceiling and stretch your arms. Breathe here for as long as you’re able. Hold 7 for as long as you can and do a couple of repetitions. 8 cut out ✄ and save! FEBRUARY 2010 YOGAJOURNAL.COM 61 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

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Seek balance and happiness each day this year as you set your sights on yoga’s four aims of life. By Hillari DowDle us to a successful, satisfying, balanced existence in the world. Working with them can help you create a satisfyingly balanced The new year is the tradi- life at the deepest and most holis- and are interwoven with yogic tional time to stop and ask yourself tic level. (See “Fine-Tune Your Life,” philosophy at the deepest levels. an important question: Am I lead- on page 64.) But they have their roots in the ing a well-balanced life? “We all have a desire for a Rig Veda, the most ancient and It’s easy to get bogged down meaningful life. The purusharthas revered of Hindu scriptures. in the details, in setting goals are the means that can help us “What the Rig Veda suggests is that relate to how you think you achieve it,” says ParaYoga founder that the purusharthas are the want to look, or act, or be in this Rod Stryker, who is working on inherent values of the universe,” world. But consider bypassing a book about the purusharthas explains Douglas Brooks, a all the particulars—the numbers that’s called The Four Desires. Tantric scholar and professor of on the scale, the bank account “They are, in a larger sense, what religious studies at the University balance, the starting or stopping practice is really all about,” he of Rochester. “The cosmos is of habits—in favor of a deeper says, adding that the purusharthas considered a living being, and the approach that can reshape your offer a yogic perspective on how issues of law, prosperity, desire, whole life in a positive way. to engage skillfully in the world. and freedom belong to it. These The yoga tradition offers are not just human concerns or a paradigm for such deep self- cosmic clues psychological concepts. When we examination: the purusharthas, or The purusharthas are elaborated engage them as human beings, we four aims of life. They are dharma upon extensively in the Mahab- are aligning the microcosm with (duty, ethics), artha (prosperity, harata, the epic Indian poem the macrocosm. The cosmos is all wealth), kama (pleasure, sensual that contains the Bhagavad Gita, laid out for you; your job is to get gratification), and moksha (the with the program.” pursuit of liberation). The purush- To fully grasp the purushar- arthas are the blueprint for human illustrations by thas, Stryker says, it pays to parse fulfillment, signposts that point Aimee Sicuro the meaning of the word itself. februAry 2010 yogajournal.com 63 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

{ practice } Fine-tune your life ➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤ the four aims are the pillars of a fulfilling life. In the following self-inquiry practice by Sally Kemp- ton, you’ll consider where your current priorities Purusha means, roughly, “soul”— Which of these areas am lie and how you need to shift them to create a the essential Self that is unchang- I emphasizing too much? deeply satisfying life. don’t worry about getting your whole life in order at once—do the exercise ing, that isn’t born and doesn’t Am I having a good time each week, and you’ll become more in tune with die, but belongs to the universe. but not being as ethi- yourself, more present with the world around you. Artha means “the ability” or “for cal as I could be? Am I a Here’s how: the purpose of.” Taken together, great yogi but haven’t yet Stryker explains, purushartha figured out how to make a living? ➤ Find 30 minutes in which you means “for the purpose of the Am I incredibly ethical but still at can be alone and undisturbed. Create a cozy space, and settle soul,” and the very concept asks the mercy of every passing feeling into it with a journal, a pen, a that you take the broadest view or thought? Am I so rigid in my candle, and a comfortable seat (a of your life. Are you managing practice that if I can’t do 90 min- meditation cushion or a chair). the day-to-day in such a way as utes, my day is ruined? Anything ➤ Light the candle to signify to support your inner work? you don’t deal with will come back that you are in a sacred space. Each one of the purusharthas to bite you later.” “A candle symbolizes the flame has many scriptures dedicated to Put simply, the purusharthas of the inner witness,” Kempton it (the Kama Sutra, the Dharma can offer a way for evaluating says. Breathe deeply, close your Shastras, and the Artha Shastras, your life, making good decisions, eyes, and relax for a few minutes. among others). To truly under- and contemplating pragmatic ➤ Begin to think back over your stand all four would require a dilemmas—like whether to spend activities of the preceding week. lifetime of study. Still, learning the time with your young child, or Consider all of the things you did fundamentals is useful, especially go back to work to save for her related to your dHArmA. How did you serve your family, your to the contemporary practitioner college education—in a way that community, and yourself? What who’s simply looking to find more honors the highest ideals of life. were your obligations? did you joy and meaning in life. “At the end of your life, you will meet them with ease? What ethi- Here, we provide a guide for ask yourself, ‘Did I live this life cal tests did you face, and how working with the four aims— well?’ ” Kempton suggests. “And in did you deal with them? record dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. my view, you will feel good about the answers in your journal. Once you have an understanding it to the degree that you balanced ➤ When you’ve exhausted your of the individual components of the purusharthas.” thoughts about dharma, con- each of the purusharthas, you can sider ArtHA. What did you do assess the role they play in your 1) this week for the sake of your life by contemplating the ques- dHArmA I duty livelihood? What did you do to maintain your health? What did tions related to each one. You can Let’s just say it up front: dharma is you need to support yourself? then begin to analyze how well a big word. It’s translated to mean did you get it? Write the answers balanced they are in your life. “duty,” “ethics,” “righteousness,” in your journal; note your con- “The purusharthas are a sophis- “work,” “law,” “truth,” “responsi- cerns and anxieties. ticated way of living in balance,” bility,” and even the spiritual ➤ Next, think deeply about says spiritual teacher and Yo g a teachings related to all the above KAmA. What actions did you Journal columnist Sally Kempton. (as in the Buddha dharma or the take solely for the purpose of “But they demand reflection. You Hindu dharma). The meaning of creating more joy in your life and in the world? What were your have to constantly ask yourself, the word is synonymous with your very purpose in life—with having the strength to get up each day and do what needs to be done. continued on page 104 64 yogajournal.com FeBruAry 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

something like, “This week, I worked hard to meet my obliga- tions, but I felt burdened. I took the most pleasure from my friendships. I didn’t find time to work toward liberation.” ➤ Finally, formulate an intention for the coming week. You might set an intention related to each of the purusharthas, or you could focus on one or two that need more of your attention. Record the intention in your journal. Then say it to yourself— first out loud, then inwardly. Close your journal, blow out the candle, and ease back into your day with a new understanding of your soul’s priorities. ➤ ➤ Taking time each week to think about the purusharthas will enable you to see how your life’s priorities are constantly shifting and let you do some trouble- shooting whenever unease and unhappiness arise. “Yoga is one of the great tools humans have for recognizing meaning, and the purusharthas let you see greatest pleasures? What were ➤ When you’ve gone through whether you are living a good your strongest desires? Were each purushartha individually, life,” kempton says. “If you are you able to realize them? Write analyze the balance between not finding joy in your practice, down your thoughts. them. Looking at what you’ve there is something wrong with written, see where your empha- your practice. If you aren’t able ➤ Then, record the activities sis was in the past week. Which to operate ethically, you’ll know you engaged in for the sake of parts of your life were unat- that changes are needed.” moksha. These might include tended to? are you working too yoga, meditation, prayer, chant- hard in one area? Not hard ing, spiritual reading, or self- enough? What are the conse- inquiry. Did you find a feeling quences of your priorities? For- of freedom? Which areas of mulate a simple statement about your life feel constricted or the way the purusharthas mani- burdened? What do you need fested themselves in your life, to do to liberate yourself? Write down the answers. FebRuaRY 2010 yogajournal.com 65 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

c e l ebra t e g o d t i e s o m Part workshop, part yoga party, a yoga festival is just the place to enjoy practice, community, and fun. by Neal Pollack go to a yoga festival this year, and you might find yourself trying to hold a wobbly Tree Pose on a slackline strung between two trees. Maybe you’ll cross paths with clowns on stilts, juggling torches. You might go for a rig- orous morning Ashtanga practice followed by a soothing vipassana meditation, or run from a rock ’n’ roll vinyasa flow to a meditative Yin Yoga session—all before lunch. A Trance Dance photos (clockwise from top right): nancy dionne/courtesy of wanderlust festival, amir magal, ryan salm/courtesy of wanderlust festival, adria ellis could be in the offing, or your postyoga glow could be enhanced by an outdoor concert. You might find yourself swaying and chanting kirtan in the desert, taking a ski gondola 8,000 feet up a mountain to do asana with the best view ever, or locking arms with a stranger for support in an eyes-closed balancing pose. No matter where you live or where you’re planning to travel, a sweet yoga circus is probably nearby. The era of the yoga festival has arrived. Across the country, in venues small and large, people are gathering to practice. The festivals are as varied as the styles of yoga practiced, but they collectively cement yoga’s reputation as a permanent American cultural force. “Yoga festivals are really great for people who are 66 yogajournal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

THE PHOTOS ON PAGES 66–71 WERE TAKEN AT A VARIETY OF FESTIVALS, INCLUDING WANDERLUST, BHAKTI FEST, YOGA ROCKS MOUNTAIN FEST, TELLURIDE YOGA FESTIVAL, AND SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE. www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

Kristine Pauls of Aus- tin, Texas, went to her first yoga festival last year—Wanderlust, in Lake Tahoe, California. “There were types of yoga I’d never experi- enced,” she says. “Unless you live in California, you get your hatha and your Bikram, but you don’t get other creative forms from people who are energizing the yoga culture.” She found herself inspired by San Francisco teacher Rusty Wells. “Even though he newer to yoga or who want to try different kinds did ridiculous chanting, I was like, ‘All right, I’m of styles,” says Jenny Sauer-Klein, co-founder for it.’ I chanted, and I don’t chant. If you can of AcroYoga (who is pictured “flying” upside down do yoga to Led Zeppelin, then I’m for you.” in Baddha Konasana on page 69). The inner quiet of daily practice is replaced Yoga, for the most part, is a serious, personal, at festivals with a community buzz. “You know introspective activity, a centering oasis of san- how, after a yoga class, you feel that yoga high, ity amid the chaos of life. But, says Sauer-Klein, that yoga bliss? Well, you spend a whole week- “Festivals give you more of a chance to play end feeling that way,” says 26-year-old Ashley outdoors in the sunshine—and celebrate and Lowe, who’s been enjoy and have a more ecstatic experience. going to the Ojai There’s more freedom and spontaneity.” Yoga Crib festival Festivals allow you to put aside your reflective for several years. practice for a few days and enjoy your yoga like At festivals, yoga a party. You hang out with like-minded people, practice becomes a photos (clockwise from top right): nancy dionne/coUrtesy of wanderlUst festiVal, listen to music, make new friends, and share social experience, dinner and laughter after a day of hard-core with limitless pos- asana. Often you’re learning something new in sibilities for good a low-stress atmosphere, and sometimes you’re conversation and giggling on your mat—amazed by the communal fun. “Everyone’s vibe, the rocking music, the great instructors, energy resonates. merrick chase, adria ellis, amir magal and an awesome view. It’s easier to connect with people,” adds Lowe. “You don’t feel anxiety. You just feel 68 yogajournal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

more full. I remember laughing really hard with friends after it was all over. We got a burrito, and things were just funny.” photos (clockwise from top right): adria ellis, amir magal, nancy dionne/coUrtesy of wanderlUst Yoga festivals are popping up all over the The inaugral Bhakti Fest country. For a sampling of the fun, read on. drew 2,500 people, most of whom camped in the desert. Sing Out LOud: Bhakti feSt The festival offered inexpen- The deserts of California echoed with sive packages starting at $100 kirtan for 58 consecutive hours during the for the whole weekend, and first Bhakti Fest, held in September 2009 then donated half the proceeds on the grounds of the Joshua Tree Retreat to charities such as Embracing Center in Joshua Tree National Park. The the World, Oxfam, the Seva main organizer, Sridhar Silberfein (who Foundation, and the Love says he arranged for Swami Satchidananda Serve Remember Foundation festiVal, ryan salm/coUrtesy of wanderlUst festiVal Uttal as well as yoga teachers like Sara Silberfein says. “Certainly not (run by Ram Dass). “The driving to give the invocation at Woodstock), force of the festival is dedication, booked dozens of kirtan musicians such as service, and helping people out,” Wade Morissette, Dave Stringer and Jai money. That’s way down the list.” Ivanhoe, Saul David Raye, Shiva Rea, and more. Neither in 100-degree noontime heat, “These festivals are really nor at 3 a.m., did the chanting stop for a introducing people to that cre- ative conscious energy that we moment. Yoga classes, in a variety of styles, try to home in on when we teach went on from dawn to dusk in a separate tent. yoga classes,” says Kasey Luber, teacher of Kundalini Yoga classes continued on page 98 february 2010 director of yogamates.com and yOgajOurnaL.cOm 69 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

2010: a yeaR oF yoGa Great practice opportunities to put on your calendar. june June 3–6 january MIDWEST YOGA CONFERENCE Jan. 23 Bloomingdale, Illinois YOGA DAY USA DETAILS Instruction from top teach- DETAILS Free or nearly free yoga ers and a laid-back Midwest vibe. workshops and events held at many Presenters include Annie Carpenter, studios around the country. Seane Corn, Janet Stone, and Mark yogaalliance.org or yogadayusa.org Whitwell, with musical guests Rara july Avis and Shaman’s Dream. This year’s July 8–11 Jan. 28–Feb. 1 theme is Sacred Activism. TELLURIDE YOGA FESTIVAL YOGA JOURNAL SAN FRANCISCO Telluride, Colorado midwestyoga.com CONFERENCE DETAILS A weekend of yoga in a San Francisco, California picturesque mountain town. Teachers June 18–26 DETAILS From vinyasa yoga to Tantric SUMMER SOLSTICE include Scott Blossom, Richard meditation, more than 100 classes Freeman, Aadil Palkhivala, and many SADHANA CELEBRATION with 40 world-class teachers such Española, New Mexico others. Guests take a complimentary as Seane Corn, Angela Farmer, Ana gondola to and from workshops. DETAILS This White Tantric Yoga Forrest, and David Life. Plus music event offers more than 60 classes Some 25 percent of net proceeds go from Donna De Lory and DJ Dragonfly. toward local environmental causes. featuring Kundalini Yoga, meditation, yjevents.com and lifestyle teachings as taught by tellurideyogafestival.com Yogi Bhajan. Tent, car, and cabin camp- april ing with limited RV space availability July 30–Aug. 1 (no hookups). 3ho.org FLAGSTAFF YOGA FESTIVAL Apr. 6–11 Flagstaff, Arizona YOGA JOURNAL BOSTON DETAILS Nearly 100 workshops, June 21 CONFERENCE classes, and special events, plus body- SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE Boston, Massachusetts work and a wellness marketplace in a New York City DETAILS Six-day conference with gorgeous mountain setting. All guests DETAILS A yogic takeover of the Big daylong intensives as well as regular who visit the yoga gear swap receive Apple, as the intersection of Broadway classes on asana, pranayama, medita- a free Lululemon Athletica tote bag. and 7th Avenue closes between 43rd tion, philosophy, and more. Plus an flagstaffyogafestival.com and 44th streets from dawn to dusk. evening with Deepak Chopra. The Free yoga talks and classes offered all teacher lineup includes Richard July 23–25 day by local teachers. Last year the Freeman, Julie Gudmestad, Desirée WANDERLUST first 1,500 participants received free Rumbaugh, Rodney Yee, and many Lake Tahoe, California yoga mats and gift bags. others. yjevents.com DETAILS Three days of high-energy timessquarenyc.org/about_us/events_ solstice.html yoga, meditation, and wellness events, plus an indie-rock festival, held at the gorgeous Squaw Valley resort. Last year’s lineup included John Friend and Shiva Rea, music by Sharon Jones, and more. wanderlustfestival.com august photos (top): nancy dionne/coURtesy oF WandeRLUst FestiVaL; (bottom): adam pantozzi Aug. 27–29 YOGA ROCKS MOUNTAIN FEST Lyons, Colorado DETAILS A weekend celebration full of live music, yoga, and camping riverside under the stars. Last year’s festival featured 15 musical acts, including Dave Stringer and Donna De Lory as well as yoga with instructors such as Seane Corn, Simon Park, and Darren Rhodes. yogarocks.info www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

Aug. 20–22 BEING YOGA CONFERENCE RETREAT Sept. 9–12 Rhinebeck, New York BHAKTI FEST DETAILS A late-summer weekend Joshua Tree, California at the serene grounds of the Omega DETAILS 24-hour kirtan, plus yoga Institute with teachers such as Beryl instruction. Last year’s performers Bender Birch, Sharon Gannon and included Sean Johnson and the Wild David Life, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, and Lotus Band, Jai Uttal, Wah!, and MC Vinnie Marino. Communal vegetarian Yogi. bhaktifest.com meals, a marketplace, and bodywork. eomega.org/omega/beingyoga Sept. 18th or 19th GLOBAL MALA YOGA FOR PEACE Aug. 20–22 Various locations TBA 2nd ANNUAL PENDLETON DETAILS An event that takes place YOGA ROUND UP at studios around the world, founded Pendleton, Oregon by Shiva Rea to celebrate UN Interna- DETAILS A festival integrating the tional Peace Day and to raise money culture and spirit of the nearby for various charities. Many studios hold Umatilla Indian Reservation, including classes of 108 Sun Salutations. For drum circles and coyote stories. The listings of participating studios, see yoga practices are centered on the website. globalmala.org presence of Amrit Desai, founder of Oct. 11–17 the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. Sept. 19–26 THE SACRED THREAD OF YOGA San Francisco, California YOGA JOURNAL COLORADO pendletonyogaroundup.com photos (top): merrick chase; (bottom): adria ellis Sept. 3–6 sara Grand Gathering with classes by Doane, David Life, and Eddie Modestini. DETAILS A seven-day festival with a CONFERENCE september five-day Iyengar intensive and present- Estes Park, Colorado ers including T. K. V. Desikachar, Nicki DETAILS Early in the week, an Anu- Organized by senior Iyengar Yoga John Friend and key Anusara teachers. EVOLVE FESTIVAL teacher Kofi Busia. sacredthread.net Later in the week, classes in asana, Hidden Valley Club pranayama, meditation, and philosophy Vernon, New Jersey Oct. 22–24 offered by masters of many yoga tradi- DETAILS Four-day celebration during OJAI YOGA CRIB tions. Hiking, rock climbing, and elk National Yoga Month (which is Sep- Ojai, California watching are part of the fun at this tember). Celebration includes more DETAILS A sweet, small festival with Rocky Mountain location. yjevents.com than 70 local jam bands, asana from yoga, meditations, and kirtan. Organiz- local teachers, art, education, and Sept. TBA more. Friendly, communal, low-key Teachers have included Jason Cran- VERMONT YOGA FESTIVAL vibe. evolvefest.org dell, Sarah Powers, and Erich Schiff- Montpelier, Vermont mann. lulubandhas.com/ojaiyogacrib DETAILS Three days of yoga in a ers pick each attendee’s schedule. walkable, bikeable town festival atmo- sphere. Designed to serve the local november community but open to everyone. vermontyogafestival.com Nov. 11–14 YOGA JOURNAL FLORIDA october CONFERENCE Hollywood, Florida Oct. 21–24 DETAILS Yoga and meditation classes WORLD PEACE & YOGA JUBILEE in a beach setting. Combine asana with Loveland, Ohio indulgences like a soak in the infinity DETAILS Yoga classes, lectures, and pool, a massage, or lazing on the activist organizing sessions, dedicated beach. yjevents.com to bringing about world peace. “The best idea of the millennium,” said december David Life of Jivamukti Yoga before the conference’s first year in 2009. Dec. 19–25 worldpeaceyogaconference.com WINTER SOLSTICE SADHANA CELEBRATION Lake Wales, Florida DETAILS Kundalini Yoga and medita- tion as taught by Yogi Bhajan. Tent, car, and cabin camping. 3ho.org FEBRUARY 2010 YOGAJOURNAL.COM 71 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

Inner For a radically different approach to weight loss, start not with diet and exercise, but with connecting to yourself. Gina Kornrumpf had struggled with her weight all her life. The results of her on-again, off-again dieting were discouraging, and only served to fuel her pre - occupation with the numbers on her scale. She led an active life—traveling, bike riding, and exercising—but that didn’t seem to help her shed the extra pounds or get her higher-than-normal blood pressure under control. By the time she topped 207 pounds in 2008, she realized she needed a new plan. “A friend of mine is passionate about yoga, and encouraged me to at least con- Yoga helped Meghan Bowen, a vinyasa Once she stopped trying to lose sider trying it,” Kornrumpf says. yoga teacher in Santa Monica, Califor- weight, Bowen says, it was no nia (pictured modeling the following longer a struggle. “The biggest So she registered at the Kripalu sequence), lose 20 pounds over shift was realizing that it had the course of two years, something to be a moment-to-moment she says she was able to do once she approach, rather than looking Center for Yoga & Health’s In - learned to read her body’s subtle three months out and having a cues about what it really needed. “I goal,” she says. “Yoga teaches tegrative Weight Loss program, had been trying to tell my body what moving away from a desired it needed, instead of letting my body outcome, and moving toward tell me,” she says. “Yoga taught me tuning in to what’s going to by Linda Sparrowe to tune in to my body and my sensory serve my body—what’s going to experience, and to start trusting the feed my body in a healthy way photography by Chris Andre intelligence inside of me.” in this moment.” www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

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get in the flow asana sequence by Ashley Turner This flowing sequence is designed to build physical strength and to tone and engage your core and leg mus- cles. As you move through the poses, notice your inner dialogue and the language you use to describe your body. If you start to scold yourself, see if you can soften a residential immersion program that incorpo- your gaze, smile, and let go of those judgments. rates multiple aspects of healthy living in an inte- Throughout your practice, focus on your breath when diffi- grative approach to weight management. cult emotions or agitated thoughts arise. Even something The program includes twice-daily yoga classes, as simple as noticing how the quality of your breathing pranayama instruction, nutritional counseling changes when you feel anxious or stressed can be illumi- and cooking demonstrations, life coaching, shar- nating. Where do you feel tension in your body? When you ing circles, and mindful-eating exercises, with soften and release that area of the body, does the quality of your breath change? The more you tune in to sensation— yogic philosophy as a foundation for assimilating both on and off the mat—the more you can tell if something the information. Within 18 months of completing enhances you or depletes you, whether it’s getting an the weeklong workshop, Kornrumpf had lost 47 extra hour of sleep or having an extra helping at dinner. pounds. Her blood pressure dropped from 140/90 to a healthy 120/70, and her cholesterol settled to begin within normal ranges. Today, she says, “I feel fit; I Stand tall at the front of your mat in Tadasana (Mountain feel healthy, lighter, happier, and more open.” Pose), with your palms pressed together in Anjali Mudra Yoga may not be the first thing that comes to (Salutation Seal), your eyes closed, and your head bowing mind when you’re formulating a weight loss plan, to your heart. Silently acknowledge your efforts for show- but recent studies linking yoga with mindful eat- ing up. Begin with three to five Sun Salutations to warm ing and weight loss suggest that maybe it should up your entire body. Focus on the quality of your breath and try to distribute it evenly throughout your whole body. be. The combined effects of the self-acceptance, During the sequence, concentrate on transitioning mind- increased body awareness, and inward reflection fully between poses, without holding your breath. that are natural byproducts of a regular yoga practice can increase your ability to achieve and maintain Before you begin any new exercise or dietary a healthy weight, and can have a positive impact, ✳ program, always check with your doctor. whether you’re significantly overweight, just want- ing to lose a few pounds, or struggling with a body- image problem despite being at a healthy weight. “Yoga may not be a glamorous, quick fix to weight loss, but it creates fundamental shifts that lead to lasting change,” says Ashley Turner, a yoga teacher students to approach the body with compassion, and psychotherapist in Los Angeles and New York understanding, and friendship. and the creator of the Element DVD Yoga for “Yoga teaches us that what is in this moment is Weight Loss. Turner says that yoga’s emphasis on perfect,” says Turner. “And it’s possible to maintain stylist: lyn heineken; hair/makeup: tamara brown/artist untied; top: testament; pants: lucy self- acceptance is the key to creating such transfor- that nonjudgment and compassion, even as we strive mation. Unlike traditional methods such as diets for self-improvement.” With this mind-set, her cli- and exercise boot camps, yoga philosophy teaches ents can get on the mat and enjoy the experience of being physical. On an emotional level, practic- ing self-acceptance makes it easier for you to truly observe your habits and get to the root of what has caused the weight gain. “Such an internal process might take longer to see the physical results, but it is a much more effective and sustainable course in the long run,” says Turner. She adds that this slow, 74 yogajournal.com FEBruAry 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

From Adho Mukha Svana- sana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose), step your right foot forward between your hands and bring your left heel to the ground at a 45-degree angle. See that your right knee is directly over your foot, and dis- tribute your weight evenly across both feet. Inhale and rise up into Warrior Pose II, with yours arms reaching out to the sides. Exhale, pause, and straighten your front leg. Check your stance by looking down to see that your ankles are under your wrists. Then exhale and bend your right knee again and come into Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose), placing your right fingertips to the outside of your right foot (or on a block) and extending your left arm over your left ear. On an inhalation, draw your navel in and engage your core as you rise back up to Warrior II. Repeat 2 to 4 more times on the right side to build strength and heat. Switch sides by turn- ing your right foot in and your left foot out. Repeat 3 to 5 times on the left side. Flow between Warrior Pose II and Extended Side Angle Pose FEbRUARy 2010 yogajournal.com 75 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

Flow between Goddess Pose steady, consistent approach is, in fact, crucial for diets encourage people to ask the ‘should’ ques- keeping the weight off. “The Yoga Sutra of Patan- tions. How long should I work out? How many calo- jali outlines how lasting change is only possible ries should I eat every day?” he says. Yoga, on the from focused, inner work,” she says. other hand, suggests kinder and ultimately more transformative questions like, How do I feel in my body right now? What choices can I make that are begin with the healthier for my whole being? first step Liz Dunn, a massage therapist in Cheshire, Con- Turner, whose approach combines asana with necticut, lost 125 pounds over a year and a half and nutritional and psychological counseling, notices says that the self-acceptance she learned through that her clients and students are bombarded with yoga was a crucial part of her weight loss journey. media messages about what a beautiful body looks “When you’re that size, your thoughts are domi- like, messages that tell us to look outside ourselves nated by things like ‘I can’t sit in that chair,’ and for validation and acceptance. But trying to live up ‘I can’t do this or that.’ But yoga taught me that to an ideal that is unrealistic and often unhealthy I’m OK where I am today. Yoga was like a warm, is likely to backfire, Turner says, especially when welcoming embrace saying, ‘Let’s find you and take used as a motivator for weight loss. John Bagnulo, time to just be here, now.’ ” This, Dunn says, is what PhD, nutritionist for Kripalu’s weight loss pro- enabled her to get past the plateaus that invari- gram agrees, adding that people often develop a ably accompany significant weight loss over a long false sense of what their body should look like, and period of time. “I never set weight loss goals; I just yoga can help them work through that. “Western integrated yoga into my view of how I was physi- cally in the world,” she says. “That made it OK when I hit those plateaus and wouldn’t lose any weight for weeks, which is when a lot of people give up.” 76 yogajournal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

and Temple Pose From Warrior II on the left side, exhale and straighten your left leg. Bring your hands to your hips and turn both feet out 45 degrees (stepping the feet a little closer to each other if needed). Roll your weight to the outside edges of your feet and engage your core. On an exhalation, lower your hips until your knees are bent as close to a 90-degree angle as possible, and directly over your ankles. Draw your tailbone down toward your heels, and draw your hip points up. Inhale and reach your arms out to the sides. Exhale and bring your left forearm to your left thigh or, if you are able, your left fingertips to the floor. Inhale deeply and come back up to center, using your core. Exhale and bring your right forearm to the right thigh, or your right fingertips to the floor. Repeat 2 to 3 more Turner finds that self-acceptance gives students person there,” she says. “In fact, times on each side, breathing deeply. When you’re finished, the courage to inquire within about what is at the you probably could have added straighten your legs, turn root of their struggle with weight, and identify the the two people on the mats next to your feet forward, and bring underlying thoughts or emotional stirrings that me together, and I still would have your hands to your hips. cause them discomfort and contribute to actions weighed more.” After she went to Come to a seated position that aren’t serving their weight loss goals. class regularly for several months, on your mat. When you feel the urge to overeat, Turner sug- Althoff’s focus subtly shifted from gets asking yourself questions like “What am I the other students in the class to her own experi- really hungry for?” and “What is truly causing me ence. “I didn’t realize this was happening until stress, and what do I really need in this moment?” one day after class a student told me I had a Maybe it’s a walk around the block, or a phone lovely practice,” she says. “I was shocked to real- call with a friend. The ability to observe your feel- ize that I couldn’t return the compliment. I had ings without judgment becomes a tool that helps absolutely no idea what her practice looked like, you figure out what you need from moment to because I may as well have been in that room by moment, says Turner. Then, instead of automati- myself. It had become my own practice.” cally reacting to a stressful situation with estab- Althoff, who today teaches yoga at her office lished patterns like reaching for comfort food, you and is enrolled in the Integrated Science of can learn to recognize the moment of choice. “We Hatha, Tantra, and Ayurveda (ISHTA) teacher can simply notice that we can choose to eat more training program in New York City, says this shift or not. Either way, there is no judgment,” she says. was a turning point in the way she felt about her Wendy Althoff, an actuary in New York City weight. “In class, when you stop worrying about who had been overweight all her life, expected continued on page 110; asana continued on next page to feel out of place when she took her first yoga class in 2005. “Sure enough, I was the largest FEBRuaRy 2010 yogajournal.com 77 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

Flow between Table Pose and Boat Pose Sit with your legs in front of you, knees bent, feet parallel and hip-width apart. Place your hands behind you, shoulder-distance apart, with your fingers pointed in toward yourself. (If that creates too much strain in your shoulders, point your hands away from yourself.) Roll your shoulder blades down your back and lift up through your chest. Push through your hands and feet equally and, on an inhalation, lift your hips and come into Table Pose. Look down and see that your inner thighs are parallel. As you inhale, press through all four corners of your feet and lift your hips a little higher, moving your tailbone toward your knees. If it’s comfortable for your neck, slowly let your head release back. Feel free to stay for 2 to 3 breaths if you have the strength. On an exhalation, slowly release into sitting position. Bring your fingertips to the back of your legs. On an inhalation, lift your chest and sternum. On an exhalation, relax your shoulders and lean back onto the top of your sitting bones. On an inhalation, lift your feet off the floor, knees bent, so that the thighs are angled about 45 degrees relative to the floor. Reach your arms forward, and, if you can, straighten your legs. Inhale and lift your chest and thighs a little higher, drawing your navel in toward your spine. Release your feet to the floor as you exhale. Repeat moving from Table Pose to Boat Pose 3 to 4 more times. 78 yogajournal.com FeBRuARy 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

Single Leg Raises Lie down on your back. Extend both legs up at a 90-degree angle (or, for an easier variation, bend the knees), feet hip-width apart. Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing the floor. Press through the balls of your feet, spreading your toes. On an inhalation, draw your navel toward your spine (there will be a natural curve in your lower back). On an exhalation, slowly lower your right foot until it hovers 6 inches above the floor. Inhale and pause, bringing the navel to the spine. Exhale and lift your right leg as your left leg descends. Inhale and pause, flexing your feet and spreading your toes. Repeat 3 to 5 more times. On an exhalation, bring both knees to your chest. Close your eyes, wrap your arms around your knees, and breathe into your lower back. To finish Take a simple twist to each side. Start by draw- ing your knees into your chest. Then drop both knees over to the right, keeping the spine aligned. Keep your left knee di rectly over your right knee. Place your right hand on the left knee to keep the legs down. Extend your left arm out to the left and look over your left shoulder. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths, feeling the breath sweep up and down the spine. Bring your legs back to the midline and twist to the other side. Come into Savasana (Corpse Pose). Relax for 5 to 15 minutes. Slowly return to a simple cross- legged position. Sit tall with your hands in Anjali Mudra. Close your eyes and bow inward, acknowl- edging your efforts. fEBRuARy 2010 yogajournal.com 79 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

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master class with Barbara Benagh turn up the torque the back seat of your car, ( Rev up your Revolved Triangle ) Every time you walk photos: david martinez; model: coral brown; stylist: lyn heineken; hair/makeup: france pierson/artist untied; top: fila; leggings: danskin; mat: yoga accessories across a room, reach into Pose by keeping your pelvis or pass a dish at dinner, neutral and turning your trunk. you rotate your spine. You probably take such movements for granted most of the time, but imagine being unable to do them. If you’ve ever had back spasms or a crick in your neck, you know how debil- itating it is when you can’t turn sideways. Without access to the full range of mo tion in your spine, your life becomes very limited, but when your spine is strong and supple, you radiate well-being. Twisting poses— whether seated, supine, or inverted—can maintain and even enhance your ability to rotate your spine. When you do twists, the muscles on the left and right sides of the torso work together to produce enough torque to turn the spine. This tones the muscles of the torso, restoring mobility and balance on both sides of your spine, which fEBruary 2010 yogajournal.com 81 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

master class with Barbara Benagh 1 Simple Reclining Twist Beginning this sequence on your back will make it easy to isolate and explore the mechanics of spinal rotation. Lie down and drop your knees to the floor at hip level. In this twist, your shoul- ders stay fixed and your hips and legs 1 screw. Notice the areas along your rotate around your spine like a cork- back and shoulders where you feel tension, and use your breath to help release those areas. 2 Supta Parivrtta Garudasana (Reclining Revolved Eagle Pose) This pose provides an opportunity to feel the strong muscular resistance that often comes up in spinal twists. Intertwin- ing your legs fixes the pelvis, which will likely help bring the twist into your upper back. Approach the pose with curiosity and internal awareness by breathing consciously, with your mouth closed and with similar length and tone in both inhalation and exhalation. Keeping your 2 top knee on the floor or on your block, deepen the twist by reaching out strongly to the sides. 3 Janu Sirsasana 3 Pose), variation (Head-of-the-Knee In this seated position, you keep your pelvis relatively fixed again. Use this pose to create an imprint of this action; it will inform your Parivrtta Trikonasana. Hold your extended- leg foot with your hand or a strap. Actively reach your other arm behind you to initiate strong rotation in the upper spine. Notice if any tension releases in the upper back as you come out of this pose. Delicious! 82 yoGaJouRnal.com fEBRuaRy 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

4 Parivrtta Utthita 4 (Revolved Extended Hand Hasta Padasana and Foot Pose) This pose introduces the challenge of keeping your pelvis stable and your feet grounded while you twist the spine. Stand with your feet wide apart and par- allel. Lift your arms to shoulder height. Keep your hips level as you twist your torso to the right. Reach your arms away from each other to spread the chest and be sure to keep your pelvis square. ( benefits ) Improves balance Strengthens the feet and legs Increases hip mobility and stability 5 Parivrtta Trikonasana Squeezes spinal joints (Revolved Triangle Pose) to promote nourishment of tissues Maintaining a well-grounded pose is key to discovering the joy of this 5 Massages and tones the internal organs standing twist. Avoid turning your back foot in too much, and keep Restores and maintains spinal flexibility it firmly grounded. Throughout this sequence you have felt how keep- ing the pelvis stable enhances the ( contraindications ) twist in the upper spine; stay true Herniated spinal disk to this now. With the hips fairly level and the head aligned over the front Positional vertigo foot, spread your arms like wings, Injured hamstrings allowing the upper body to blos- som. From your stable base you can, over time, “turn the screw” of the upper spine more deeply, releasing stress and bringing nour- ishment to the upper back. FEbRuaRy 2010 yogajoUrnal.com 83 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

master class may improve your gait and boost the pose. The key to feeling grounded is to Though Revolved Triangle is typically power of your limbs when performing root strongly through your feet. Keeping practiced as part of a standing sequence, everyday tasks that involve pushing, pull- your pelvis stable and square toward the coming to it from a series of gradually ing, or turning. floor (with the hip bones horizontally and deepening twists will help imprint muscle When you twist, you also compress and vertically even) will help you do this. memory of the two varieties of rotation, squeeze the spinal disks, which improves Keeping the pelvis stable is not easy, which will help you demystify this asana. circulation and nourishes tissues that are and it’s a detail that is often passed over After warming up with a few Sun Saluta- critical to having a supple spine. Clearly, in Revolved Triangle. You may have tions, lie down and begin your exploration twisting poses play a key role in gaining learned to initiate the twist from the pel- with two supine poses. and maintaining spinal health, but the vis by dropping your back hip toward the most gratifying benefit may be the simple ground. When you do the pose this way, Simple Reclining TwiST sigh of relief they can evoke after coaxing you may feel as though you’re getting a Take a minute or two tension from your back muscles. deeper twist, because it enables you to to recline on your When you deconstruct the architec- turn the torso more. But turning the torso back, relaxing your ture of spinal twists, you can see that they further doesn’t mean that you are rotating muscles, your breath, typically come in two varieties: You either each individual vertebra more. and your mind. Don’t keep your shoulders fixed while the pelvis Even if you’re accustomed to drop- underestimate the power of moments rotates the spine, or vice versa—you keep ping your back hip, try keeping your like these to create an atmosphere of the pelvis fixed and use your shoulders to pelvis fixed and observe the difference in openness, curiosity, and flexibility. Move help you turn the spine. the way your body feels. You might find into constructive rest by bending your In Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Tri- that a stable pelvis gives you more lever- knees and placing your feet flat on the angle Pose), your pelvis stays neutral while age and actually increases the degree of floor. Relax your arms along the floor at your shoulders rotate. But the effort it rotation in your spine. I’ve noticed that shoulder level. Keeping your shoulders takes to rotate the spine often uproots the keeping my pelvis square has reduced the on the mat, exhale and let your knees fall back leg, which can throw you off balance sacroiliac strain I used to feel after doing to your right. Allow your knees to drop and create anxiety about exploring the Revolved Triangle. loosely, taking your hips and lower torso 84 yogajouRnal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

take a winter Get away for a few days and immerse yourself in a topic of interest— you’ll discover deep inner resources for renewal and return home ready for whatever the world brings. Rodney Yee • Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa • Tara Bennett-Goleman and Daniel Goleman Joan Borysenko • Swami Nirmalananda • Dharma Mittra • Rajashree Choudhury Alex and Allyson Grey • Sudha Carolyn Lundeen • Ubaka Hill • Beryl Bender Birch Joe Dispenza • Kofi Busia • Natasha Rizopoulos • Jack Kornfield John Douillard • Amy Weintraub • Ann Greene • Todd Norian Dan Millman • Anodea Judith • Sierra Bender • Zhi Gang Sha David Swenson • Robert E. Svoboda • Yoganand Michael Carroll Julia Cameron • Bessel van der Kolk • Krishna Das • Kali Ray Stockbridge, Massachusetts 800.741.7353 kripalu.org www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

master class with them into a simple spinal twist. Supta parivrtta GarudaSana With your left knee on the floor or on a Notice how your shoulders stay on the (Reclining Revolved Eagle Pose) block, reach toward the ceiling with your floor while the movement of your hips The basic shape of left arm. Exhale as you slowly lower your and legs rotates the spine, much like turn- this pose is similar left arm to the floor, placing your hand in ing a corkscrew. Stay for a minute to feel to Simple Reclining line with your shoulder. Keep your pelvis and observe your back muscles. Are they Twist, but the way fixed, and this time feel how the shoulders tight? Do your shoulders rest comfortably you enter the twist create the torque, like a corkscrew. on the mat? Try to consciously release any makes it different. In Simple Reclining Your body may twist easily, letting you stiffness you feel in your back muscles by Twist, your shoulders stay fixed as your bring your shoulder to the mat, or you allowing your spine to settle into the floor. pelvis rotates around the spine. In this may barely turn. Take your time and keep Next, bring your attention to your pose, it’s just the opposite: The left knee your left arm active, even if it’s hovering breath. Twists squeeze the diaphragm, on the floor keeps the pelvis fixed while above the floor. Be curious and patient which can make your breath feel strained. your left arm reaches toward the left to with the process. If your knee moves up, To help release tension, use each inhala- create spinal rotation. away from the floor or block, or your tion to create space in your abdomen and Begin again in constructive rest. Shift breathing becomes labored, it means each exhalation to coax your muscles to your hips a few inches to the left before that you’re rushing the pose and inviting adapt to the twist. crossing your legs as in Eagle Pose, left strain. Whether you get your shoulder to When the spine rotates in more chal- thigh over right. If you can hook your the floor is unimportant; this is a strong lenging twists such as Supta Parivrtta foot behind your right leg, do so, but twist regardless. Garudasana (Reclining Revolved Eagle don’t worry if you can’t. Draw your knees Once your upper back is at its maxi- Pose), your muscles will resist and rebel. toward your chest and, exhaling, turn onto mum, turn your head toward the left, but Take the time now, when the pose is sim- your right side, pinning your left knee to be mindful. The neck, or cervical spine, is ple, to use it as a primer for exploring how the floor. If this creates pain in your knees the most flexible part of the spine. If your to adjust to the muscular resistance. Stay or lower back, modify your position by upper back is tight, you might try to over- for another minute, then bring your legs unhooking the left foot and elevating the compensate for it by turning your neck back to center and switch sides. left knee on a block or blanket. more extremely. That’s why it’s important 86 yoGajournal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

step out to wait until your thoracic rotation is at If your breath is unrestrained and you its maximum before turning your head. feel as though you can deepen the twist With your pelvis stabilized in this pose, straight back, rotating your skull to gaze of your further, exhale and stretch your right arm you may feel much more of the turn com­ ing from your upper back. That’s because over your right shoulder at your hand. But keeping your pelvis fixed limits the ro ­ remember, if your upper back is tight and routine tation in your lower spine. If you tend to feels stuck, you may be tempted to initiate be a flexible person, this is a good thing. the twist from your head and compress It’s relatively easy for flexible people to your neck. You may also unconsciously and into your retreat overdo it and stretch the lumbar joints be ­ swing your upper body laterally, moving yond their natural capacity without even your head and shoulders to the outside knowing it, which can eventually strain of your leg. Sidebending like this creates the lower back. poor alignment and can make the twist Stay in the pose for about a minute. If unsafe. Avoid these common mistakes by you feel as though your body naturally keeping your gaze on your right foot until wants to go deeper, exhale and move your the last breath or two in the pose, then left shoulder toward the floor. Notice how gently turn your head to look over your this action turns your chest while leaving right shoulder. Keeping an image of the the lumbar region undisturbed. A more spine spinning on its axis will also help. subtle way to do this is to visualize each Open your chest by actively expanding thoracic vertebra spinning, like a bead on its core to create a dynamic sense of space a string, into the rotation. that both deepens the twist and wrings Stay in the twist for another minute, out tension from the upper back. Hold for then change the cross of your legs and about five breaths, then exhale to release twist to the other side. the twist. Fold forward into the classic forward­bend version of Janu Sirsanana Kripalu Retreat and Renewal Janu SirSaSana for a minute before switching sides. offers you much-needed personal time (Head-of-the-Knee Pose), variation When you practice Parivrtta utthita and space, away from the demands of Janu Sir sasana as haSta PadaSana everyday life. These flexible, affordable a twist rather than (Revolved Extended Hand and Foot Pose) retreats take the stress out of your a forward bend, it Stand with your days—and your can further educate arms outstretched body. With self-care you about the mechanics of rotation. Sit at shoulder level. It was so satisfying with the soles of your feet together and Adjust your stance workshops led to disconnect from your knees apart in Baddha Konasana so your feet are par­ by expert health everyday life and (Bound Angle Pose). If you find it difficult allel and directly just relax. I also and wellness to sit with an upright pelvis and straight underneath your learned a lot of new professionals, yoga back, sit on a folded blanket. Keep your wrists, or closer if your legs are strained. All things to take into left knee in place and extend your right standing poses need to be grounded, espe­ classes, comfortable my home practice. leg, centering your weight on the back of cially twists. Take a moment to balance the accommodations, the heel. Hold the outer edge of your right weight between your feet, firmly ground­ — Julie Lindstrom, editor, Newton, Massachusetts delicious all-natural leg or foot with your left hand, and place ing them evenly across the ball and heel of meals, evening your right hand on the back of your right each foot. Pull your inner thighs toward events, and more, you can do as much or hip. Keep your gaze on your right foot, your hips and steady your abdomen. and with an exhalation, lift your ribs and Stand tall as you exhale, and turn your as little as you like. Come drop deeper shift your lower abdomen to the right to upper body to the right to begin a spi­ into who you really are—you’ll return align the midline, or axis, of your torso nal twist. Did your hips come along for home energized and inspired. with the right leg. You may already feel a the ride? That is not necessarily a bad twist; now turn it up a notch by broaden­ thing. In fact, the stretch probably feels ing your chest and pulling your right col­ good, so enjoy it for a few breaths. But visit our website to find larbone and shoulder back. As in Supta then, try it with your pelvis fixed and see out more kripalu.org Parivrtta Garudasana, keep your hips if your spinal rotation becomes deeper. or call to register. fixed and strongly turn your upper spine. Keeping your upper body rotated to the february 2010 Stockbridge, MA 800.741.7353 kripalu.org www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

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kripalu master class that benefits standing poses and twists. yoga right and your arms outstretched, slowly start to turn your hips back to the left, If your left hip still hangs back, then turn toward their original position. Pause and your left foot in slightly. Don’t sacrifice teacher notice where you feel your back resisting your roots; distribute the weight across the turn. Rather than bracing yourself the ball of your foot and keep that left training against the resistance, sweet-talk tension heel firmly down. away from the muscles, and you will grad- Place your right hand on your right what does ually be able to return your hips to the hip and extend your left arm up along- your potential original, even alignment you had before side your ear. Breathing in, shift your hips you twisted. toward the rear of your mat and exhale You may notice that keeping your pel- to hinge forward over your leg, pausing look like? vis square forfeits some of the turn of your halfway. Gaze at your right foot as you The best yoga education provides a solid upper body, but now that you understand shift your lower abdomen and then your foundation from which students can grow into the anatomy of twists, you know that ribs to the right to align the midline of their highest potential. Kripalu Yoga Teacher keeping one point fixed is essential. Stay your torso with your right leg. Training prepares people to become successful in the pose for a minute, then rest your Bring your left fingertips to the floor yoga teachers by mastering the essentials of arms before repeating to the left. Fully outside your right toes, keeping the left yoga. How do we do this? Our unique inquiry- explore the relationship between keep- shoulder in line with the leg. If that’s based approach guides you to understand ing the pelvis stable and the spine mobile, not possible, take the left fingertips to the technology and language of yoga on the mat, while learning how to incorporate the since it is very similar to the alignment in the floor or to a block on the inside of the philosophy of yoga into the rest of your life. Revolved Triangle Pose. right foot, keeping your left shoulder in After you’ve completed your second line with your left hand. Continue to look • 200- and 500-hour certification side, take a counter pose such as Prasarita down, keeping your head and gaze in line • trainings each month Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing with your foot to help align the axis of the get online Forward Bend), Uttanasana (Standing torso over the right leg. Forward Bend), or Parsvottanasana (In - Pause at this point to train your focus today. tense Side Stretch) to allow the spinal on the base of the pose. Keep your back dates and details, applications, muscles to return to neutral before prac- leg grounded with the heel down. The testimonials, and more ticing Revolved Triangle Pose. pelvis is level, the belly is stable, and kripalu.org/yogaschool the breath is steady. Initiate the twist by Parivrtta trikonasana pressing into your left hand and lifting (Revolved Triangle Pose) your chest. Pull your right shoulder up Start again with a wide and back to rotate the thoracic spine. Feel stance, rotating your how the rotation here is exactly the same right foot out 90 degrees mechanical process as in the previous two and your left foot in twists; the pelvis is level and stable, and about 40 degrees. Turn the shoulders act as the top of the cork- your hips toward your screw that turns the spine. front foot. The aim is to As the twist winds up, the hips, back have the hips turned all the way to the leg, and heel must stay grounded to resist right so the midline of the torso is aligned being pulled into the turn. Go slowly, with the right leg, as it was in Janu Sirsa- allowing for a little give in the hips; take sana. Expect some resistance from your your time and be careful not to force left hip and leg. the twist. Let yourself be guided by the The fastest way to turn your hips fully somatic memory and actions of the ear- to the right is to turn your left foot in lier poses. When the pose is steady and more and shorten your stance. However, you can enjoy the sensations free from I don’t think that’s the most skillful way. the distractions of your back leg, Parivrtta Instead, recruit the deep abdominal mus- Trikonasana will become a pose you look cles to do the job by shifting your lower forward to doing. belly to the right and pulling your right Power up the twist by extending your hip back. That not only keeps your left right arm up. Make sure your left shoulder leg solid, but it also taps support from stays aligned over your leg or hand, rotate your core, which establishes the stability your head, and gaze at your right hand. If february 2010 Stockbridge, MA 800.741.7353 kripalu.org www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

master class your neck hurts when you turn your head, or if turning your head causes you to lose balance, gaze at the floor and focus on grounding your feet and steadying your belly. Over time, revisit turning the head. Once your chest is free and you’ve estab- lished a strong base, you will be able to rotate your neck and gaze comfortably at your right hand. Keep both arms active to give the upper body a strong surge of energy that may rotate the spine even more. Hold the pose for several steady breaths, keeping the body active and alert. When you feel as though the twist is at its maximum, make a small counterac- tion in the back leg: Exhale, surrender- ing your upper back into the twist while slightly turning your left thigh out. You may find that this small move realigns the pelvis and makes it level, affirms a nicely grounded left heel, and lets the twist give the spine a final hug. Once your body has adjusted to the instruction and principles of the pose, let your focus turn away from the form; accept the pose as it is. Stay aware of it, but use it as a vehicle to turn your atten- tion inward. If you can, create a sense of expansion by letting your awareness drench the pose with space and fullness. Dwell in the sensations; inhabit the form. Stay as long as you have clarity and steadiness, then exhale fully to release the twist. Breathe in as you stand up, then root your legs into the earth with a solid exhalation. Turn your feet parallel again for a few breaths to reestablish stability before practicing the pose to the left. Twists do not come easily to many of us. Because they wind you up so snugly, they can seem more stuck than liberated. However, with patience you will fall in love with twists. They will teach you to appreciate that less is often more. You will find that your effort is well repaid by the final sweet gift that comes as you unwind the spine, sigh deeply, and feel your whole body radiate lightness and well-being. ✤ Based in Boston, Barbara Benagh has shared her passion for hatha yoga for more than 35 years. Information about her workshops, DVDs, recordings, and articles is available at barbarabenagh.com. 90 yogajournal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

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reviews books + music + videos media BOOK THE ABCS OF YOGA DVD YOGA TO THE RESCUE BOOK KUNDALINI RISING: CD DVD DEVA PREMAL & FOR KIDS, by Teresa Anne FOR NECK & SHOULDERS, Exploring the Energy of MITEN IN CONCERT: The Yoga Power; illustrations by Kathleen with Desirée Rumbaugh. Acacia; Awakening, by Gurmukh Kaur of Sacred Song and Chant. Rietz. Stafford House; acacialifestyle.com Khalsa, Andrew Newberg, White Swan Records; abcyogaforkids.com Anusara Yoga teacher Desi- Sivananda Radha, John Selby, whiteswanrecords.com Lots of kids are fascinated by rée Rumbaugh has created a Ken Wilber, et al. Sounds True; The latest release from Deva yoga—probably because they DVD designed to target tight soundstrue.com Premal and Miten beautifully see their parents doing it. The and aching necks and shoul- This anthology of essays captures what has made ABCs of Yoga for Kids appeals ders. She starts with a tutorial contains refl ections on the them famous in concert halls to children’s fun-loving imag- that breaks down a dozen power, mystery, and beauty of and yoga studios across the inations. Neither too simple or so asana-based exercises. kundalini, the potent energy planet: well-articulated, nor too complex, the book With excellent modeling and that yoga can awaken. When melodically based mantras includes more than 50 color- precise instruction, Rum- roused, kundalini generates backed by crystal-clear gui- fully illustrated poses, with baugh gives viewers an a transformation in the con- tars, keyboards, and, thanks instructions in the form of opportunity to experience sciousness of the aspirant— to special guest Manose, short poems. The pose names each pose individually and the state of union with the bansuri fl ute. Manose’s per- used are playful, and the illus- understand its nuts and bolts Divine heralded by Patanjali, formance on “Twameva,” trations invite children to before putting it into play. Rumi, and other seers. With alongside Premal’s softly imagine what it’s like to be a Because of the steady pace informative, evocative, and, intoned devotional praises tree (Vrksasana), boat (Pari- of the sequences that follow at times, even lyrical essays to the beloved, is beautiful. purna Navasana), cobra (Bhu- the tutorial, beginners should by scholars and teachers such Miten’s work on the guitar is jangasana), butterfl y (Purna fi nd this guide especially as Lawrence Edwards, Gopi equally powerful, as are his Titali Asana), or rocking use ful. Since this is a “rescue” Krishna, and Sat Bir Singh English lyrics for “In the horse (Dhanurasana). for neck and shoulders, there Khalsa, Kundalini Rising Light of Love.” Recorded live The author has found a are lots of backbends and offers insight into the raptur- in Australia in February 2008, way to make yoga accessible chest openers. This is a highly ous state of consciousness an accompanying DVD fea- to even the youngest practi- accessible practice that generated through awakened tures the entire concert, tioner without reinventing it, will appeal to a broad audi- kundalini and its effect on as well as an interview with dumbing it down, or “baby- ence of stiff-necked and health and well-being. For Premal and Miten. This is fying” it. This isn’t just yoga tight-shouldered stu- readers interested in the an excellent addition to the for kids; it’s good yoga for dents. RICHARD ROSEN ecstatic dimensions of spiri- expansive Premal and Miten kids. HILLARI DOWDLE tual sadhana (practice), this catalog. DEREK BERES book will be a delight, rich with nectar. JEREMY LEHRER FEBRUARY 2010 YOGAJOURNAL.COM 93 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

media BOOK THE PURE HEART OF YOGA: a new way to be clear, aware, and radi- Ten Essential Steps for Personal cally present in the world. It was, in MOUNT MADONNA INSTITUTE Transformation, by Robert Butera. short, a revolutionary manifesto for Llewellyn Publications; llewellyn.com self-exploration and personal thinking. Whether you are new This revised version reads like a survival to yoga or have already guide for the new world order—a manual worn out a few mats, in on how to live consciously and well in a The Pure Heart of Yoga world that seems to be collapsing around Robert Butera deliv- us. Economies, ecologies, policies, au - ers valuable in struc- thorities, establishments—all these Intro to tion to keep more than Kramer and Alstad use to help us en - just your asana prac- hance self-inquiry (or, in yogic terms, the tice fresh. Butera, the AYURVEDA founder and director of YogaLife Insti- practice of svadhyaya). The authors urge us to ask ourselves life’s most important tute in Wayne, Pennsylvania, dives into questions. But this book is not just a call with Vasant Lad the psychological and spiritual aspects to awareness; it is also a well-reasoned of yoga. Along the way, he guides you exploration of the human condition. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC through self-refl ection exercises and 10 Kramer and Alstad show us that the truth January 29-31, 2010 detailed steps to gain knowledge, joy, and lies within us and that to know it, we must balance in everyday life. not only be open to it but also listening for Starting with uplifting methods to it. At the heart of the authors’ message is develop intention and attitude that that the changes so des perately needed align with yogic principles, Butera illus- in today’s world must necessarily begin trates how to use postures, pranayama within each of us. H.D. (breathwork), chakras, sense withdrawal and concentration, bandhas (locks), and BOOK YOGA FOR A WORLD OUT mudras (sealing gestures), together with OF BALANCE: Teachings on Ethics archetypes, to release psychological and Social Action, by Michael Stone. blocks and ultimately create the opening Shambhala; shambhala.com for personal transformation to occur. He Toronto yoga teacher draws upon traditional texts, including and psychotherapist the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, as well as his Michael Stone’s new own teaching experience. That he’s able book, Yoga for a World Starts Jan 29 to instruct and inspire with a warm heart Out of Balance, is a and skillful direction, without judgment thought-provoking 1 Diploma - Ayurvedic Lifestyle or prejudice about the “style” of your exploration of how Counselor - Bring health to yoga of choice, is good reason to believe the fi ve yamas, yoga’s yourself and those around you. this book will bring life to your practice. ethical teachings, of - 2 Certificate - Ayurvedic JENNIFER RODRIGUE fer a spiritual path that can guide us Practitioner - Make a difference toward mitigating suffering in our lives. through a career in healthcare. BOOK THE PASSIONATE MIND Many writers have traveled a similar road, Includes clinical internship. REVISITED: Expanding Personal but Stone is unusually passionate and and Social Awareness, by Joel Kramer sophisticated in his approach. To start, he 3 Master of Arts - Ayurveda and Diana Alstad. North Atlantic Books; brings an unabashedly historical aware- Includes clinical internship northatlanticbooks.com ness to yoga. We can’t, he writes, simply and thesis. First released in 1974, look to yoga’s past for “a complete set of Faculty includes: RH Singh, The Passionate Mind codes or truths that can, like mathemati- John Douillard, Sarita Shrestha and many others. explored the functions cal equations, tell us what to do in every of the mind and how given situation …The world is too com- Apply Today to divorce per cep tion plex, too nuanced.” Rather, he explains, from cultural condi- yoga is the practice of coming fully in MountMadonnaInstitute.org/yj tioning, memory, and contact with this new moment, over and [email protected] secondhand knowl- over and over again—and this new mo - 408.846.4060 / Watsonville, CA edge. The book showed ment includes us and all of our stuff: our 94 YOGAJOURNAL.COM FEBRUARY 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

problems, cultural conditioning, and psychological baggage. Stone recognizes that while yoga has sometimes been mischaracterized as a retreat from the human world, at its base yoga is, in fact, a radical embrace of all reality. He also suggests that the yamas New YTT 500 Modular Program articulate profound insights into the laws of cause and effect (karma), serve as BEGINS FEBRUARY 17 TH expressions of our inextricable connec- tion with the entirety of creation, and YTT 200 Month-Long provide guidelines for how to recognize, JUNE 18 - JULY 15 TH TH experience, and honor that connection in everything we do. YTT 200 Modular BEGINS SEPTEMBER 17 TH This book needs to be digested slowly, because in it Stone calls on us to change our minds and lives. Fortunately, he not only provides guidance on this 4-day Yoga Retreats path but also inspires us to follow it. Todd Jones Yoga, Service & Community A Residential Program book ESSENCE oF THE UPANISHADS: A key to Indian Spirituality, by Eknath Easwaran. Nilgiri Press; easwaran.org The Katha Upanishad, a 3,000-year-old yogic PROGRAMS MEET YOGA ALLIANCE text, tells the story of a CERTIFICATE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS brave teenager named Nachiketa, who jour- neys to meet the King of Death in search of the secret to immortal- ity. The tale brings into sharp focus questions of existence: Who am I? What is the purpose of life? How am I to live? Death provides answers by tak- ing Nachiketa “through the levels of per- sonality to the final discovery, deep in www.mountmadonna.org/yogajournal consciousness, of a changeless ‘Self ’ beyond time and death,” writes Eknath Easwaran, who passed away in 1999, in his revised translation and commentary. Easwaran, a renowned meditation Located on 335 mountaintop acres of teacher and professor who created pas- redwoods and meadows overlooking sage meditation and founded Blue Moun- tain Center of Meditation in Tomales, Monterey Bay, Mount Madonna California, explains how the Katha Upa- Center is a spiritual community nishad provides a foundation for under- devoted to yoga, selfless service, and standing your Self. self-development. Conference and After years of meditation and prac- 445 Summit Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076 tice “living out” the Katha in the modern retreat facilities for groups from 5 to mountmadonna.org/yogajournal world, Easwaran is intimate in his writ- 500 are also available. 408.846.4064 ing. “I write not as a scholar,” he says, “but as an explorer back from a long, long fEbruary 2010 yogAjoUrNAl.Com 95 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

media voyage, eager to tell what he has found.” Poulsbo, Washington, has done extensive And so, as Easwaran says in his previously research into the various accounts of the unpublished introduction included in this sage Pantanjali’s life, tracing a common edition, the Katha’s answer to the age­ thread through the tales to provide a co ­ old question “Who am I?” is “not an end, hesive story. but a beginning.” It’s a welcoming to the He begins with Patanjali’s prebirth journey inward that anyone is invited to incarnation as the serpent deity Adi She­ explore. ASHLEY HECHT sha, an image that frequently shows him with a human upper body and a serpentine CD PATANJALI IN ETERNITY: lower body. These stories imaginatively The Legend of Shri Patanjali—The Rishi set the stage for his miraculous birth— Sage of Yoga, with Salvatore Zambito. he’s supposed to have fallen from heaven Self-published; yogasutras.net into the open hands of, according to dif­ Along with the ferent versions, either the deity Shiva, the Bha gavad Gita, grammarian Panini, or the yogini Gonika. Patanjali’s Yoga On track 2, Zambito explores the in ­ Sutra is one of the cidents that are related to Patanjali’s most widely stud­ human incarnation and to his role as a ied of the an cient teacher at a Shiva temple that survives to yoga texts. But lit­ this very day. Much of the CD’s material tle is known about its compiler, who lived, is unique: for example, the full explana­ say scholars, sometime be tween 200 BCE tion of Patanjali’s connection with the and 200 CE and also authored treatises on serpent and Shiva, his contribution to grammar and Ayur veda. Here, in Patan- sacrificial ritual, and his role as a teacher jali in Eternity, Sal vatore Zambito, di ­ whose insights continue to inspire yogis rector of the Yoga­Sûtras Institute in today. RICHARD ROSEN ✤ Each DVD o
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complete beginner’s guide WITH VIDEO POSE ENCYCLOPEDIA by Jason Crandell NEVER MISS A DETAIL WHEN YOU LEARN EACH POSE IN 360° VIDEO ENCYCLOPEDIA 35 poses in a 360° view 60 MINUTE essential practice 15 MINUTE awakening practice 15 MINUTE quieting practice TO ORDER the complete 2-disc set visit shopyj.com or call (800) I-DO-YOGA (463-9642) www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com

celebrate good times continued from page 69 at the festival. “When we can get that many people together for yoga, then we’re doing good. It was really amazing to have that many people chanting and doing yoga. People were up all night; it was beautiful,” she says. Yoga Rocks: EvolvE Yoga festivals can happen anywhere and don’t need to be pegged to “rock star” in ­ struction. Inspired by a small yoga class that he’d taken in the early­morning mud at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Ten­ nessee, Dave Bryson, a yoga teacher in New Jersey, started the Evolve Music & Yoga Festival in 2007, with the goal of raising $5,000 for a local rural organiza­ tion called Kids Camp, which provides environmental education and free health screening for low­income kids. The first Evolve event featured 30 bands from the Northeast jam­band and bar circuit. Bryson also scheduled a few yoga classes, but much to his surprise, nearly a thou­ sand people showed up who were just as interested in doing asana as rocking out. A full­on yoga festival broke out. “People were doing partner yoga out in the fields,” he says. “There were people meditating and doing yoga on the docks.” In 2009, the festival’s third year, Bryson said the music and the yoga were equally important. He booked 70 bands and 16 yoga instructors, and says it all worked together brilliantly. “The festival’s focus is on self­improvement and health, as opposed to other music festivals, where the focus is on partying and getting wasted,” he says. “But I also had some good hard­rockin’ bands, with a real focus on bringing music that’s danceable. I want to encourage yoga people to come out and lighten up and loosen up and dance.” cRadlE of lovE: ThE cRib Kira Ryder, who runs a yoga studio in Ojai, California, was several years ahead of the spinal curve. In 2003 she started a festival called the Ojai Yoga Crib, and seven years later, it’s still running. “When your livelihood is yoga,” she says, “it be ­ comes a really neat practice to invite a few hundred of your best friends to come 98 YogajouRnal.com february 2010 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com