breath work
The Eight Limbs of Yoga: Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi
Yoga Sutra 3.3 “tad eva artha matra nirbhasam svarupa shunyam iva samadhih” Last month we explored the fifth limb: Pratyahara. This month, we move on to the last three limbs: Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi. We bucket the last three limbs together into one,…
The Eight Limbs of Yoga: Pratyahara
Yoga Sutra 2.55 “tatah parama vashyata indriyanam“ Last month we explored the fourth limb: Pranayama. This month, we move on to the fifth limb: Pratyahara. Pratyahara is the action of turning in, and simultaneously mastering the quieting of the mind. By reducing…
The Eight Limbs of Yoga: Pranayama
Yoga Sutra 2.49 “tasmin sati shvasa prashvsayoh gati vichchhedah pranayamah” Last month we explored the third limb: Asana. This month, we move on to the fourth limb: Pranayama. Pranayama is breath work. It is said that engaging in Pranayama allows us to clear…
Bring it Back to the Breath
Benefits of yoga breathing on mind and body One fundamental aspect of yoga and meditation is maintaining focus on the breath. Yoga breathing, or pranayama, is an ancient, 3,000 year old traditional Eastern practice that has many applications to today’s…