Music is the language of the Universe. By creating good and harmonious sound-vibrations, we should, therefore, extend and expand our mental horizons even while sitting quietly in our home instead of wasting time on cheap entertainment like cinema and T …

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This sutra is how Patanjali defines Yoga: when you cease to identify with your thoughts, fluctuations of mind, then there is Yoga-identity with Self, which is samadhi, happiness, bliss and ecstasy. Wow, what a concept! And it is from this simply stated …

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My first real spiritual teacher was an alchemist. By “real spiritual teacher” I mean that he consciously gave me teachings and practices to help me understand the spiritual principles underlying all of existence. By “alchemy” I mean the ancient practic …

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When I first went to India, I was eager to look at Indian miniature paintings from the sixteenth century. I had seen many of them in museums in the West, and I assumed that in India I would find the best collections. But the museums in India are poorly …

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Valmiki is the author of the epic story, The Ramayana. But before he was a best selling author, he was a thief and, as legend has it, a very good one. Once, as he was about to steal a gold pot from the home of a yogi, the yogi appeared. The yogi did no …

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Progress in all forms of yoga is directly related to how persistent and regular one practices. Asana is no exception. To obtain the most benefit, one should practice every day. Beginners should develop a daily practice from the start. Like brushing tee …

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Forward bending is the most ingrained of all movements. We will always bend forward to pick something up, even if we could bend backwards, and we sit on chairs at work, at home, at the movies and elsewhere. We rarely think much about bending forward in …

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Standing asanas-also referred to as standing poses or standing seats-are the building blocks of a yoga asana practice. They represent our ability to be grounded, to stand on our own feet. This is essential to the attainment of Yoga-enlightenment, etern …

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