Kate Swift, Inherent Sexism in Language, and the Bhagavad Gita
When I read Kate Swift’s obituary yesterday, it lead me to think more deeply about a recent conversation I had about the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita, not surprisingly, is required reading for most yoga teachers. It is an integral… (READ MORE)
Sometimes
After I have been working and studying intensely, I sometimes find myself called to lie underneath the cats and read fiction. Just because it isn’t hard work, doesn’t mean I won’t find treasures that further my explorations. This bit, for… (READ MORE)
Web Version of May Newsletter–Invitation to the Dance
Dear Friends, One of the most captivating elements of dance as artistic expression for me is that it has the capacity to show the beauty in the full range of emotions. Whether the choreographer is telling a story or sharing… (READ MORE)
A Flash of Abhuta
I contemplate (practice bhavana on) the yoga principle abhuta (wonder) on a fairly consistent basis. When we can find wonder in sheer miraculous diversity of manifestation, we can enter a space of joy whence we can more likely respond in… (READ MORE)
An Obituary and a Quote Being Widely Shared
It is extraordinary to think how one man can have had such significance in so many lives. This quote provides valuable insight and perspective: “I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the… (READ MORE)
Nyaya of the Rosebud and the Rose
As I walked through the neighborhood for the past couple of days, going from one place to another, I have seen hundreds of rosebuds. In enjoying the exquisite form of the buds before they open, I thought about the teaching… (READ MORE)
In Which I Learn a New Acronym While Away on Meditation Intensive
On our last day of the intensive, many of us ended up talking about different upcoming events and opportunities for study, practice, and exploration. We all had many things that we would love to do. I do not think that… (READ MORE)
Balance of Stability and Freedom
Last night, we were talking about the parameters of cultivating a steady and fruitful meditation practice, and Paul Muller-Ortega suggested that it was about the balance of stability and flexibility. He had learned the principle from a different source, but… (READ MORE)
Artha, Kama, Dharma, Moksha (and Politics)
Last night, Paul Muller-Ortega, as part of the introductory talk for the meditation intensive, spoke at some length about the principles of ardha, kama, dharma, moksha. As I have written about before, in the classical yoga view, it is the… (READ MORE)