by Youngbear Roth

In the same breath that we speak of Yoga, we speak of meditation. Whether that Yoga meditation school is Buddhist, Hindu, Islam, Taoist, Jain, Vedanta, Tantric, Integral, Transcendental, and the list continues evolving new schools and styles, these are all expressions of Yoga meditation philosophy; a mystic understanding of the infinite, an acceptance of ourselves as finite aspects of light and integral dynamic elements of an infinite light.

Yoga philosophy is a broad, deeply layered subject. In respect to our focus for this article – breathing and meditation – we may only touch lightly on Yoga philosophy and say that the goal of Yoga philosophy, and therefore, the goal of all schools of Yoga meditation is mystic liberation – to die to the human condition of suffering. Just as Yoga meditation has been called by many names, mystic liberation has been called by many names from self-realization and enlightenment in the West to ananda and samadhi in the East.

READ MORE

When I was a child, my mother took me to the Ice Capades at the Providence Civic Center.    Until today, I never gave much thought what children in India for fun with ice.  Then I read an article in  The Hindu.    After some of the back bends  these kids are doing, I think they are gonna need more ice!

Ed and Deb Shapirio recently wrote a great piece on the benefits of mediation for Care2.com

We can’t imagine what life would be like without meditation. It has seen us through tough times and many life changes, keeping us sane and grounded and real. Life is challenging enough; we can never know what will arise next and only when our minds are clear and focused can we make the best decisions.

How are you able to deal with the madness and chaos that occurs daily? How do you deal with the challenges of life? Meditation is highly misunderstood and often under-rated yet is perhaps what it takes to be a truly sane person. How does meditation affect us? How does it shift our priorities, enable us to make friends with ourselves, to find answers to our questions?

READ MORE

Excerpted from CBS NEWS

The average American adult now spends 8-1/2 hours a day staring into Researchers at the University of California San Francisco found that, when the brain is constantly stimulated, you hamper the learning process. And while many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multi-taskers actually have more trouble focusing, are more distracted and, researchers say, experience more stress. People think they’re refreshing themselves by filling in small bits of time with games, emails, texts etc, but the researchers say it’s actually fatiguing and making people less creative. Some neuroscientists go even further, saying our brains can become addicted to the digital stimulation.

Research done last year by UCLA scientist Dr. Gary Small, published in a book called “iBrain,” shows daily doses of technology may be altering the way the brain functions, particularly regarding social skills. He suggests all that screen time may weaken the brain circuits involved in face-to-face interactions. He is concerned that fundamental social skills, such as reading facial expressions during a conversation, are being compromised.

To prevent brain drain, you want to take a daily break from your devices. Turn off your devices — or at least, try to lower the times you check your e-mail. Try to use that time to engage in face-to-face conversation, or do a lap or two around the block.

Also, get an appropriate amount of sleep — don’t skimp! Sleep can give the brain rest and a chance to repair itself. REM sleep stimulates the brain regions used in learning. Go for a Zen moment — try meditating for a younger, healthier brain. Research suggests meditation preserves various regions of the brain. One technique, called integrative body-mind training, has been studied for boosting efficiency and connectivity in the brain. It’s a Chinese technique and focuses on a “state of restful alertness” via posture, relaxation and balanced breathing with a coach.

Read the Entire Article

From the Washington Post

More than 30 million Americans practice some sort of yoga in an ever-expanding industry generating an estimated $6 billion in the United States alone.

But in the birthplace of yoga, an Indian government agency is fighting what it calls “yoga theft” after several U.S. companies said they wanted to copyright or patent their versions. Yoga is a part of humanity’s shared knowledge, the agency says, and any business claiming the postures as its own is violating the very spirit of the ancient practice.

READ MORE

The book, “Yoga in America” is a compilation of essays from yogis around the country, including yours truly, reflecting on various aspects of yoga and how it is changing lives and influencing American culture.

The book is an amazing read and I highly recommed it.  Best of all it is not available in two formats.

FREE PDF Download

Paperback

A beautiful chorus of wisdom and inspiration that is sure to excite yogis across this country and around the world.
—Darren Main, Author of Yoga and thePath of the Urban Mystic.

by Portia Nelson
From the book There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery

Chapter I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit … but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter V
I walk down another street.