It’s so easy to forget the roots of yoga; that what we practice today evolved out of a contemplative tradition, one based on an intimate relationship between student and teacher, and an impressive level of discipline and devotion. Postures (what of them there were) and breathing exercises were practiced in the service of — as preparatory to — meditation. And …
Yoga and the Tension of Opposites
A fully embodied yoga practice is an ideal laboratory to observe a variety of psychological responses to internal or external conditions. I was listening recently to Antonio Dimasio, the USC neuroscientist, talking on a podcast about homeostasis, correcting a common misunderstanding that posits it as “balance” when in fact homeostasis is a more “active force regulating life within a range …