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Five States of the Mind

The first sutra of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali states (sutra 1.1):

अथ योगानुशासनम्॥१॥ Atha yogAnushAsanaM

"Here, now (I present to you) the exposition of Yoga"

Vyasa, who is the most revered commentator of the sutras, defines the word yoga as being in the state of samadhi. It comes from the root word "yuj" which […]

Pranayama/Meditation Intensive, April 25-May 6, 2012

I am pleased to announce the next pranayama/meditation intensive:

12-day Pranayama/Meditation Intensive

Come and join me for this life-transforming experience where you will learn two of the most important aspects of a complete, integrated yoga practice – pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation. In this program I will introduce you to many of the breathing techniques […]

Tapas (Austerity or Asceticism)

Defining and Understanding Tapas

Tapas is listed as the third of the five Niyamas in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The word Tapas (तपः) means heat or fire. As a verb (from the root तप् – ‘tap’) it can also mean to cause pain or suffering or to heat something up. Some of the common […]

Niyama #2: Santosha (Contentment)

Santosha (संतोष) is the second of the five niyamas given in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The word santosha is derived from the Sanskrit root word ‘tush’ which means "to be satisfied, pleased, or delighted,” as well as “become quiet or calm.” We can find the meaning of tush â€œin any pleasurable situation – pleasure, joy, gladness, satisfaction, […]

Shaucha (Cleanliness)

After discussing the five Yamas over the last several posts, let us now shift our attention to the five Niyamas – shaucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (austerity), svadhyaya (study of scriptures) and Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to Ishvara, the supreme, perfect being). In today’s post I will be focusing on the first of five niyamas, Shaucha […]

Yoga Retreat with Subhash – Spring 2012

I would like to invite you for a Spring yoga retreat in the beautiful rural setting in Mebane, NC. At this retreat you will be able to slow down and experience yourself at a deeper level, nourished and supported by the beauty of natural surroundings. You will be able to deepen your personal […]

Aparigraha (Non-hoarding)

Defining Aparigraha

The word ‘aparigraha’ (अपरिग्रहः) is derived from the root word ‘grah’ which means to hold or grab something. Adding the prefix ‘pari’ alters the meaning only slightly to mean ‘hold onto something’. Adding the second prefix ‘a’ negates the meaning of the word and thus ‘aparigraha’ is variously translated as ‘non-hoarding’ or ‘non-possessiveness’, […]

Brahmacharya (Austerity)

Brahmacharya is perhaps one of the more difficult of the yamas to understand as well as to discuss and explain. In a very traditional sense, brahmacharya means strict sexual control or total celibacy. In India, when a person takes a vow to never get married, he is referred to as a "brahmachari".

The well-known […]

Asteya (Non-stealing)

In today’s discussion, I will be talking about the third of the five yamas – asteya (non-stealing).

Defining Asteya

The word Asteya (अस्तेय) is derived from the Sanskrit root word "steyn" which means ‘to steal’ to ‘to rob’. The word for a thief is "steynaH". "Steyam" is the word for theft. By adding the prefix […]

Satya (Truthfulness)

Let us continue our discussion of the five yamas. In the last article I talked about Ahimsa (non-violence). In this post, I would like to discuss the yama of Satya (truthfulness).

Defining Satya

Sage Vyasa defines Satya as "speech and mind conforming to reality as seen, inferred or heard". In this statement, "seen, […]