I wrote a book titled Myths of the Asanas. This was before I found out about the real myth of the asanas… that most all of the ones practiced these days are less than 100 years old. Not kidding. I’ve spent nearly half of my entire life studying yoga, and until just a few weeks ago, even I was under the impression that at least some of our beloved asana practice had its roots in at least a centuries-old tradition that used physical practices to incite profound internal transformation.

There is, of course, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which was written around the 15th century, that outlines a scant 15 postures. Fifteen. A friend recently pointed out the shocking point that asana practice is a relatively new development, particularly as it has exploded in Western culture in recent decades. This claim incited a crazy inquisition, which led me to Mark Singleton’s book, Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice, as well as Krishnamacharya’s Yoga Makaranda.

Singleton does a thorough job of researching the history, modernization and rising prominence of asana practice. He even reveals the mystery behind the obscure yogic text, The Yoga Korunta, which is said to have been the origin of the Ashtanga Series taught by revelatory 20th century master, Krishnamacharya, to Pattabhi Jois and other prominent students. Though many (including me) would like to believe the story that Krishnamacharya learned the text from his guru and passed it on to his own students, we must make room for the very real possibility that even luminaries like Krishnamacharya were responding to changing times and creating asanas to meet the demand of a more physical culture — which was developing in India in the early 20th century, and of course remains strong here in the West.

Even if the Yoga Korunta existed, it is rumored to be a 14th century text (not that old), and it is well known that postures have been added, modified and evolved to the supposed structure it presented. For example, the first edition of Yoga Mala, by Pattabhi Jois, didn’t include revolved side angle. That posture wasn’t introduced until later. In fact, when the first western students learned the primary series from Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the 1970s, there were no vinyasa transitions between the Janu Sirsasana variations and the Marichyasana variations. This reveals that there has been a very live, real-time, evolution of even the most venerated yoga practices.

Basically, we’re all just making this shit up. Even in the decade that I’ve been teaching yoga, I’ve seen postures “appear.” Most recently, additions like “falling star,” “reverse warrior,” and “flip the dog,” weren’t around even 10 short years ago. Actually, it feels like they’ve appeared over the past few weeks! We can even take a look at modern yoga schools and realize that most every type of practice we enjoy here in America has a fairly recent history. Beryl Bender Birch was a practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga, who boldly took it into the realm of innovation by creating power yoga, and from there we have most every branch of vinyasa evolving from this singular root. Thank you, Beryl, and Baron, and Brian and other fearless innovators of vinyasa yoga!

Despite the fact that our beloved asana has a relatively new existence, it still remains a powerful practice for about 16 million Americans. None of this news of newness of the tradition of asana is supposed to diminish it’s importance or relevance in our world, but rather to create an awareness that it’s up to us to verify it’s validity. Many (myself included!) regard asana as a deeply spiritual practice, though the traditions of meditation and bhakti (devotional) yoga have far more historical precedent. If we, as Westerners, have developed and placed in prominence the practice of asana, then dammit, it’s up to us to prove that it really works.

Yes, it works as a physical practice, sure. Cirque Du Soleil has done a good job of proving that, as it has gymnastics and aerobics that also feature many of the same shapes. We garner flexibility and strength through asana. Even studies can corroborate asana’s healthful effect on the physical body (though, the infamous recent New York Times article also recounts it’s detrimental effects). Either way, if we are reading more deeply into the traditions of yoga and reflecting on it’s inherent philosophy, then we are revealing the opportunity to show that the way we have revolutionized the practice of asana can actually contribute to the goal of the practice.

It’s no secret that yoga means union. Nearly every yoga book starts with that definition. A little inquiry into the type of union yoga indicates reveals that yoga is an awareness of one’s intimate and inherent connection to a higher power, and practices of yoga help to create the condition for this realization to arise. That’s pretty much it. If we don’t automatically have a sustained experience of yoga — the awareness of ourselves as inherently whole and complete — then, we do certain practices to reveal that experience more readily and in a more sustained way. There are many proven practices that help to create this condition, meditation probably being the most tried-and-true method.

But, let’s be honest. How many Americans are ready to sit their asses down and meditate? For, like, a long time? We are not even a culture who can sit on the floor in relative comfort. However, we love working hard on our bodies. Sometimes to the point that it becomes an obsession. Given these proclivities, it seems natural to develop a means of practice that utilizes and initially emphasizes the body as an entry point into the deeper awareness of yoga. Hail asana. Honestly, let’s not knock it or diminish it, even though it is the baby of the modern yoga culture and the brainchild of yoga innovators of recent decades. Why wouldn’t it work?

There’s no proof it can’t… but the onus is on us to prove that it can, that yoga asana practice is a valid and effective means for aligning the energetic body in such a way to allow for a sustained experience of the natural state of yoga. Otherwise, it will remain in the realm of gymnastics and aerobics. Gymnastics and aerobics are great forms of physical exercise, but what makes them different from a true yogic practice is that their focus is only on the body. What makes a true yogic practice unique is that it’s focus is on a sustained feeling of freedom and wholeness. This sustained feeling has the very exciting potential to be brought about by new shapes like “airplane pose.”

Really, who ever thought that was a millennia old asana? Anyway, we’re all just making it up… hopefully with humbled intelligence and a deep understanding of the biology of the body and the philosophy of the practice in mind. Now, in order to make our beloved asana practices ready to sustain the test of time, we have to make it relevant by using these practices to create sustained freedom and joy… just as the history of yoga has intended.

I wrote a book titled Myths of the Asanas. This was before I found out about the real myth of the asanas… that most all of the ones practiced these days are less than 100 years old. Not kidding. I’ve spent nearly half of my entire life studying yoga, and until just a few weeks ago, even I was under the impression that at least some of our beloved asana practice had its roots in at least a centuries-old tradition that used physical practices to incite profound internal transformation.

There is, of course, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which was written around the 15th century, that outlines a scant 15 postures. Fifteen. A friend recently pointed out the shocking point that asana practice is a relatively new development, particularly as it has exploded in Western culture in recent decades. This claim incited a crazy inquisition, which led me to Mark Singleton’s book, Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice, as well as Krishnamacharya’s Yoga Makaranda.

Singleton does a thorough job of researching the history, modernization and rising prominence of asana practice. He even reveals the mystery behind the obscure yogic text, The Yoga Korunta, which is said to have been the origin of the Ashtanga Series taught by revelatory 20th century master, Krishnamacharya, to Pattabhi Jois and other prominent students. Though many (including me) would like to believe the story that Krishnamacharya learned the text from his guru and passed it on to his own students, we must make room for the very real possibility that even luminaries like Krishnamacharya were responding to changing times and creating asanas to meet the demand of a more physical culture — which was developing in India in the early 20th century, and of course remains strong here in the West.

Even if the Yoga Korunta existed, it is rumored to be a 14th century text (not that old), and it is well known that postures have been added, modified and evolved to the supposed structure it presented. For example, the first edition of Yoga Mala, by Pattabhi Jois, didn’t include revolved side angle. That posture wasn’t introduced until later. In fact, when the first western students learned the primary series from Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the 1970s, there were no vinyasa transitions between the Janu Sirsasana variations and the Marichyasana variations. This reveals that there has been a very live, real-time, evolution of even the most venerated yoga practices.

Basically, we’re all just making this shit up. Even in the decade that I’ve been teaching yoga, I’ve seen postures “appear.” Most recently, additions like “falling star,” “reverse warrior,” and “flip the dog,” weren’t around even 10 short years ago. Actually, it feels like they’ve appeared over the past few weeks! We can even take a look at modern yoga schools and realize that most every type of practice we enjoy here in America has a fairly recent history. Beryl Bender Birch was a practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga, who boldly took it into the realm of innovation by creating power yoga, and from there we have most every branch of vinyasa evolving from this singular root. Thank you, Beryl, and Baron, and Brian and other fearless innovators of vinyasa yoga!

Despite the fact that our beloved asana has a relatively new existence, it still remains a powerful practice for about 16 million Americans. None of this news of newness of the tradition of asana is supposed to diminish it’s importance or relevance in our world, but rather to create an awareness that it’s up to us to verify it’s validity. Many (myself included!) regard asana as a deeply spiritual practice, though the traditions of meditation and bhakti (devotional) yoga have far more historical precedent. If we, as Westerners, have developed and placed in prominence the practice of asana, then dammit, it’s up to us to prove that it really works.

Yes, it works as a physical practice, sure. Cirque Du Soleil has done a good job of proving that, as it has gymnastics and aerobics that also feature many of the same shapes. We garner flexibility and strength through asana. Even studies can corroborate asana’s healthful effect on the physical body (though, the infamous recent New York Times article also recounts it’s detrimental effects). Either way, if we are reading more deeply into the traditions of yoga and reflecting on it’s inherent philosophy, then we are revealing the opportunity to show that the way we have revolutionized the practice of asana can actually contribute to the goal of the practice.

It’s no secret that yoga means union. Nearly every yoga book starts with that definition. A little inquiry into the type of union yoga indicates reveals that yoga is an awareness of one’s intimate and inherent connection to a higher power, and practices of yoga help to create the condition for this realization to arise. That’s pretty much it. If we don’t automatically have a sustained experience of yoga — the awareness of ourselves as inherently whole and complete — then, we do certain practices to reveal that experience more readily and in a more sustained way. There are many proven practices that help to create this condition, meditation probably being the most tried-and-true method.

But, let’s be honest. How many Americans are ready to sit their asses down and meditate? For, like, a long time? We are not even a culture who can sit on the floor in relative comfort. However, we love working hard on our bodies. Sometimes to the point that it becomes an obsession. Given these proclivities, it seems natural to develop a means of practice that utilizes and initially emphasizes the body as an entry point into the deeper awareness of yoga. Hail asana. Honestly, let’s not knock it or diminish it, even though it is the baby of the modern yoga culture and the brainchild of yoga innovators of recent decades. Why wouldn’t it work?

There’s no proof it can’t… but the onus is on us to prove that it can, that yoga asana practice is a valid and effective means for aligning the energetic body in such a way to allow for a sustained experience of the natural state of yoga. Otherwise, it will remain in the realm of gymnastics and aerobics. Gymnastics and aerobics are great forms of physical exercise, but what makes them different from a true yogic practice is that their focus is only on the body. What makes a true yogic practice unique is that it’s focus is on a sustained feeling of freedom and wholeness. This sustained feeling has the very exciting potential to be brought about by new shapes like “airplane pose.”

Really, who ever thought that was a millennia old asana? Anyway, we’re all just making it up… hopefully with humbled intelligence and a deep understanding of the biology of the body and the philosophy of the practice in mind. Now, in order to make our beloved asana practices ready to sustain the test of time, we have to make it relevant by using these practices to create sustained freedom and joy… just as the history of yoga has intended.

the meaning of truthfulness & satya in yoga

During an election year, there’s always a lot of convincing and haggling going on. Dinner tables are split amongst those on one side and those on another, but this happens regularly regarding other subjects as well. We all have our opinions and things we believe strongly about, and we often feel compelled to try and win people to our way of thinking. When has that ever really worked? When has someone who has been swindled and strong-armed into another way of thinking ever really felt more empowered at the end of an experience? Never. Even if we are compelled to join the other side after a long argument, we still feel a sense of defeat.

Diminishing another’s sense of pride is rarely our end goal in these arguments. We seek to elevate our own understanding of the world in order to assert our “rightness” and affirm our understanding of life and our existence. This is what we might refer to as our “personal truth.” However, in this process there develops a winner and a loser, in effect creating a hierarchy within relationships that are meant to be based on equality. This is a bummer, as no one likes to feel less than another human being, particularly amongst friends.

In our industry of yoga, there is such an emphasis on speaking our truth. But, it’s worth wondering if there might be some finessing of the way that we do it in order to enhance our relationships rather than detract from them. The wisdom of yoga involves the practice of Satya - or truthfulness. There has been a misunderstanding of this practice as simply a voicing of what one believes, where actually, the practice involves communicating thetruth.

The difference between our truth and the truth is that our truth is fully true, in its entirety, only to us. The truth includes things that are universally true for everyone. While we may find that there are others whose personal truths come very close to matching our own, no one’s will ever match ours exactly. When personal truths are separate, we find discrepancies and potential for argument, judgment and discrimination.

As a real world example, Gandhi’s main practice was satya, and he used this practice as a means for leading folks to freedom. Freedom is desired by every living being. It is true for everyone, and so it became natural that Gandhi would develop a large following around this particular truth…because it’s universal. People rallied to his cause because they saw benefit in his cause gaining momentum – and power. This kind of power comes from creating a new way of thinking or a new way of life – rather than fighting against or resisting the old. It is very compelling, especially because this kind of power sets people on equal footing and common ground.

As yogis, we seek to empower and incite change – both personal and social. This concept is an important one because it can be the difference between polarization and unification. Whether it’s in reference to the microcosm of harmony at the dinner table or the macrocosm of a political movement, when we are driven by universal truths in the pursuit of harmonizing and equalizing people, we can only end up with “winners.” In these situations, people leave feeling acknowledged, validated and supported. A wise woman told me once that every human being longs to be heard. Listening is a big part of this concept because if we are holding too tightly on to what we believe and stand in opposition to another, then we will never be receptive and open enough to truly hear their side of the tale. In this case, how are we to ever reach common ground? It is said that the truth is what the two sides have in common. Universal truths are common to everyone, and when we stand on that ground then everyone’s position becomes important and valid.

The point isn’t to diminish what we believe, but rather to find a way to voice those beliefs in a universal manner so that they can be easily heard, acknowledged and serve to be an additive force for change, rather than a conflicting, negative force. In this case, articulation involves artistry and discernment. As we refine our ability to articulate and communicate in this elevated way, it will work on both a large and small scale. As yogis, we’re used to starting small: on our 72″ x 24″ mats. We can start refining our ability to communicate with others by becoming honest with ourselves.

Our practice is designed to show us where we are still harboring resistance. Any time it arises, it is worth examining in such a way to allow it to dissipate and then create space for more freedom. The resistance can be in our hamstrings, our judgments of a posture, the yoga teacher, or even a fellow yogi. Anytime we internally struggle with negative thoughts and judgments, we engage in an internal battle where a part of us will always be left feeling diminished.

Try instead in these circumstances to look at the resistance head on and see in what aspect of that struggle the truth or freedom lies. There is a clever saying that “there is what happened, and then there is the story we tell ourselves about what happened.” Much of what we tell ourselves is just the story. If we can drop the story, we can then see the reality – that the pose is devoid of quality and our hamstrings just need time to loosen, the yoga teacher is doing the best she can, and that yogi has only just started his practice and so we can give him or her credit for beginning the journey.

When we start refining our ability to drop the story and find the universal truths that lie within, it will be far easier to communicate in a similar additive and supportive fashion with those that we love.

And, who doesn’t want to hang out with someone like this! Everyone does. This is how we change the world – or the dinner table – people want to hang out with us, and then they want to listen to us, because they know they’ll be heard in return. This is how we come to a common understanding of truth in which we can all come together and work toward what benefits our communities both large and small. We create situations that empower people, and without arguing, we gain the confidence of people who at the end of a conversation all feel as if they’ve “won” …or at least gained something. Talk about win/win!

 The quintessential yoga posture is lotus pose, orpadmasana. We see grand images of yogis in lotus on book covers and in magazines, but the reality is that few of us can successfully do this posture. Why is that?

Oh Yoga! I Know That Change Is Gonna Come

Posted: 02/23/2012 5:29 pm

We are witnessing a revolution. Or, rather, a necessary evolution in yoga. The events of the past few weeks have caused such a stir and a ruckus in the yoga community that even members of other yoga disciplines are starting to wonder about the efficacy of having only one or two leaders at the helm. Yoga seems to have built into it the idea that there should be one end-all-be-all person (a guru) that gives us everything we need to develop into perfect yogis. It just doesn’t work that way.

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Disharmony Between Yoga Teachers and Students: Why Students Must Eventually Leave the Teacher

Posted: 02/ 9/2012 8:00 pm

What do you do when it’s time to leave your teacher?

At some point, every student must leave their teacher. It’s a built-in principle of yoga. Parents raise children to be able to survive on their own at some point; its the same concept between teachers and students of yoga. Lately, there have been several exoduses of notable teachers from notable lineages. From the outside, and maybe with some of the rawness, it seems like a tragic occurrence, but really, it’s a natural evolution of this process.

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3 Qualifications of a Yoga Teacher

Posted: 01/31/2012 3:35 pm

Krishnamacharya has three qualifications for a yoga teacher. As the source of much of modern day yoga, and the teacher of luminaries like B. K. S. Iyengar and Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, this guy clearly knew what it took to possess the wealth of wisdom that yoga embodies. Of course, there is one primary qualification of being a yoga teacher — enlightenment — but in lieu of that ultimate spiritual experience, Krishnamacharya offered three other qualifications for those who assume the post of teacher.

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Perfect Yoga Body? Not a Chance

Posted: 01/25/2012 4:31 pm

This beautiful video came out recently featuring a gorgeous yogini in nearly nothing doing advanced asana in a New York City loft:

It’s been all over Facebook and YouTube and more than a million interested viewers have watched it. The production is gorgeous, and the featured yogini has clearly honed her practice. My first reaction to this video was: That’s never gonna be me.

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Can Yoga Wreck Your Body? Absolutely! It Can Also Save Your Life

Posted: 01/19/2012 1:10 pm

I once heard a fantastic quote by William Shakespeare: “Even the devil can cite scripture for his purpose.” There’s been a ton of hullabaloo in recent days over the article in the New York Times that talks about the potential dangers of asana. Yoga teachers have reacted, yoga students are wondering if it’s true. It’s almost as if the rug has been ripped out of a blissful state of yoga perfection.

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Forget Resolutions and Be Happy Anyway

Posted: 01/09/12 07:24 PM ET

Resolutions are lame. There, I said it. Everyone is making them and trying to aspire to healthier, happier living, but do they ever really work out? After a while, the resolutions we make tend to dissolve into sources of guilt or consternation. So, why make them at all? There is a way to avoid the resolutions all together and still be happy. How? Simply by laying the groundwork for those changes to occur naturally, with less suffering, guilt and worry. What will then arise is just plain happiness. Happiness with our lives, with ourselves and with our relationships. Not bad.

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How Does a Yogi Unwind?

Posted: 10/08/09 04:06 PM ET

A bunch of friends asked me recently if I would join them on a three day yoga adventure. I politely declined.

Yoga is my life. I live it. Breathe it. Eat it. Sleep it. When I get up in the morning, if I’m not doing yoga, I’m emailing about it. Then, I may stop to read about it. If I meet a friend for lunch, we’re inevitably going to talk about it. So when I go on vacation, the last thing I want it to do is yoga.

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When The Going Gets Tough, The Yogi Knows Where To Go

Posted: 08/26/09 03:28 PM ET

At the end of a teacher training in Bali, Indonesia, a student approached me wanting to have a talk about her life moving forward. We sat in a hippie-influenced cafe in the yogic center of the island, and after sipping her chai latte, she leaned forward and revealed to me that as soon as she arrived home, she was planning on quitting her job and getting a divorce. I took a deep breath, and said, “Well, I’m not surprised.”

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