A research study at The Expanding Light Retreat that looked at the effects of a comprehensive, 4-month Ananda Yoga program was recently published in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy. 24 people with MS participated in an intensive Ananda Yoga training, followed by 17 weeks of home practice that included Energization Exercises, Ananda Yoga postures, affirmations, pranayama, deep relaxation, and … Read More
Part 1 of this article covered some of the basics of Ayurveda, including sketches of the three doshas, how they are related to the five elements, and how the doshas manifest in us. Now we will begin to explore the Ayurvedic constitution and the connections between Ayurveda and Ananda Yoga: Prakruti (Constitution) A person’s Ayurvedic constitution may be dominated by … Read More
Start by sitting against a wall with legs extended in front, and with a blanket or sticky mat rolled up under the knees. The roll under the knees is very important as it prevents hyper-extension while contracting the quadriceps muscles, and is helpful in initially locating the vastus medialis (VM). Place your fingertips about one inch above your knee caps, … Read More
Question: Is it time for me to learn more about Ayurveda? How would it enhance my teaching of Ananda Yoga to do so? Answer: Yes! By learning the basics of Ayurveda as it relates to the practice of hatha yoga and meditation, you can help yourself and your students achieve greater balance and harmony in your lives and asana practice, … Read More
Ask anyone — even a doctor — to put their hands on their hips, and chances are that all hands will go to their waists. Ask new yoga students to stand with their feet hip-joint distance apart, and you’ll see the legs widen beyond the typical, anatomically correct distance of 3 – 4 inches. Sadly, you’ll see some (yes, mostly … Read More
A Tutorial for Yoga Teachers Have you ever had a student come to your class, having recently had a total hip replacement, and tell you her doctor gave her no restrictions in movement whatsoever, encouraging her to do whatever she likes? It can and does happen — and you’re right if you’re suspicious as to whether the doctor is giving … Read More
Question: We’ve been told not to stretch ligaments, lest we compromise their vital skeletal support function. Haven’t you said that sometimes it is desirable to stretch them? Craig: This is tricky. We have to remember that as flexibility increases, stability decreases — the two are in a direct inverse relationship. Over-stretching and creating a joint that moves too much — … Read More
What is “therapeutic yoga”? Is it just the latest yoga marketing hype? After all, isn’t all yoga therapeutic by nature? I was asked to write about this for two reasons: First, many people want to know more about the Therapeutic Yoga and Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training programs that I’m teaching at The Expanding Light. Second, the whole subject of yoga therapy has become a … Read More
In When Does Flexible Start to Mean Harmful?, Lorraine Kreahling asks, Does too much stretching cause injuries? Ten to twenty years ago, when I was teaching yoga in San Francisco, one rarely heard of people being injured from practicing yoga. During this time I worked both as a chiropractic assistant and in sports medicine research. To the extent that we saw yoga … Read More
Yogananda often said, “A bent spine is the enemy of Self-realization.” Patanjali stated in his Yoga Sutras, “The fruit of right poise is the strength to resist the shocks of infatuation or sorrow.” In The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, Swami Kriyananda wrote, “Right posture is vitally important to the yogi.” And one of the first known written books on Hatha Yoga, … Read More
