by Michelle Hegmon I am high on the East Ridge of Mt. Logan in Canada. I have crampons on my feet, ice tools in my hands, and a pack on my back. I am having fun. We are at the narrow Knife Edge Ridge, which drops thousands of feet on both sides to the glacier below. Everything is snow and …
Yoga’s History
A Brief Overview of Yoga By Jeff Martens Yoga is the ancient practice of Unity with early branches extending into Jainism, Buddhism and the Hindu Tradition. It is one of the oldest traditions on the planet emphasizing Divine unity. The ancient Yogi ascetics initially practiced asana to further their ability to meditate and develop psychic powers as well as to …
“Ultimate Yoga Practice”
Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga by Jeff Martens Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the definitive classical yoga teaching written sometime around 300-250 BC, outlines eight limbs of yoga as a way of life. According to patanjali and many other Masters, we suffer because we have forgotten our Spiritual identity. Yet Yoga is not a religion; it embraces all religions or Spiritual beliefs, …
“The Student, the Master and the Rock”
Practice and Letting Go abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodaha Yoga Sutra 1.12 “Effort and surrender cease the fluctuations of consciousness.” With practice and letting go we achieve the state of yoga… Once there was a seeker who went from master to master searching for the key to enlightenment. Every master he went to appeared to give him something different. The first master …
“The Frog and the Well”
Even Frogs Can Gather Honey by Jeff Martens Once upon a time there was a frog that lived his whole life in a cool, shaded well. One day a beautiful white bird landed at the well, enormous wings folding over legs that were tall and straight. “Who are you?” asked the frog. “I am a crane. I eat pearls at …
Suryanamaskara: Saluting the Sun
by Jeff Martens The physical source of all energy on the earth comes from the sun. Light energy from the sun becomes stored energy in plants, algae and simple organisms which are then consumed by beings further along the food chain. The sun also provides the warmth and light necessary to live our daily lives. In Sanskrit, Surya signifies the Sun from …
“Perfect Yoga Posture”
The Perfect Posture by Jeff Martens Praiyatna-saithilyananta-samapattibhyam YS 2.47 praiyatna = effort saithilya = relaxation ananta = endless, boundless samapattibhyam = integrated coalescense, unified contemplation “Perfected posture is relaxation of struggle and meditation on the Infinite.” Out of all the verses in the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali has just three sutras on asana or (meditation) posture. Essentially, they state: 1) Posture should be steady/grounded and feel …
Yoga and the Guru Question
Yoga and the Guru Question By Jeff Martens (excerpted from “How We Live Our Yoga” – Beacon Press, 2002) Long ago a farmer in desperate need of water for his crops started digging a well. When he had dug deep enough to cover his head without finding water, the farmer would climb out of the hole and trudge his way …
“Freedom From Stress”
Freedom from Stress Jeff Martens To believe that we are free is a very popular notion in today’s Western society, yet at times it seems this freedom of choice only leads us to experience deeper levels of stress, distraction, judgement and anxiety. Spiritual Masters from many disciplines define true freedom as the ability to choose our attitude in any situation. …
Be In The Moment
by Peggy The room at the ASU Student Center is huge, and cold, and filled with young students. I am 50 and at my first yoga class. Its hard. I cant fold or balance. Even sitting with my legs crossed is hard to do for 5 minutes. I think, “How can I do any of this if I cant even …