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 Paths of Yoga  “O Arjuna! In Whatever way people are devoted to Me, in that measure I manifest Myself to them. All men, in every manner of seeking Me, pursue a path to Me.” ~ Bhagavad Gita 4:11   There are different branches or paths of yoga for different types of people. For a yoga student, understanding the different paths helps to orient oneself in better alignment with their individual dharma.  For a yoga teacher, knowing the different paths of yoga, how they manifest in various practices and where they show up in different styles or areas of life can help you to better understand and orient your student for their own unique predispositions. There is a path for everyone, and masters of each path. Your personal goals and interests may change throughout your life.  I myself began yoga with a very Hatha focus, and after many years incorporated more Bhakti and Kundalini yoga. This may be the case for you as well: as your practice and understanding of yoga and y...

 What is Yoga  Yoga is the ”integration and harmony between thought, feeling and deed, or integration between head, heart and hand”. That is to say, if you are thinking one thing and saying another you are not in the state of Yoga. If our work or our actions are not in harmony with our deeply held intuitions and beliefs, this fundamental disconnect will cause a sense of dis-ease, often eventually manifesting in the body. As human beings, we have access to a sense of inner knowing, a sense of our dharma (our ultimate purpose; what we are meant to be doing on this planet in this lifetime).  The path of Yoga is a process of getting in touch with our higher Self, recognizing that this Witness consciousness, this higher knowing, is our ever-present true nature, and is the essence of the body/mind. Living in a state of Yoga is to integrate this knowledge into daily life.  In the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ Krishna describes yoga as ‘balance’ and ‘skill in action’; the end of attachmen...

Savikalpa Samādh   Savikalpa Samādhi is a meditative state in yogic and Hindu philosophical traditions, particularly in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras . It represents a form of samādhi (deep meditative absorption or union) that is "with support" or "with differentiation." Etymology Sa = with Vikalpa = thought, imagination, differentiation, or mental modification Samādhi = complete concentration, absorption, or equanimity of mind It is also known as Samprajñāta Samādhi (cognitive or supported samādhi) or Sabīja Samādhi (samādhi with seed). Key Characteristics In Savikalpa Samādhi : The mind remains somewhat active and focused on an object of meditation (a deity, mantra, light, the breath, or a concept like "I am Brahman"). There is still a subtle sense of duality — a meditator experiencing the meditation. Bliss, peace, and expanded awareness arise, but "seeds" of desire, ego, or mental impressions ( saṃskāras ) persist. The pract...

  Nirvikalpa Samādhi (Samādhi without Distinctions)  Nirvikalpa Samādhi (Samādhi without distinctions or without mental modifications) is a profound meditative state described in yogic and Vedantic traditions as the highest form of absorption, where the mind becomes completely still, all dualistic thoughts, concepts, and mental fluctuations (vṛttis) cease, and consciousness rests in pure, non-dual awareness. Etymology  Meaning Nir  = without, beyond. Vikalpa  = distinction, differentiation, thought-construction, imagination, or mental modification. Samādhi  = complete absorption, integration, or union (from sam + ā + dhā, "to put together completely"). In this state, the usual division between knower, known, and knowing collapses. There is no subject-object duality, no egoic "I," no perception of the world or body as separate, and often no recording of the experience in ordinary memory (similar to deep sleep but with full awareness of pure existence/consci...

आदि शंकराचार्य द्वारा रचित आनन्द-लहरी   आनन्द-लहरी आदि शंकराचार्य द्वारा रचित एक प्रसिद्ध स्तोत्र है। यह सौन्दर्य-लहरी का प्रथम भाग माना जाता है, जिसमें माँ भवानि (पार्वती/त्रिपुरसुन्दरी) के सौन्दर्य, महिमा और कृपा का वर्णन है। इसमें लगभग १८-२० श्लोक हैं (कुछ संस्करणों में थोड़ा भिन्नता हो सकती है)। यह स्तोत्र भक्ति, सौन्दर्य-वर्णन और आध्यात्मिक लाभ के लिए जाना जाता है। श्लोक १ संस्कृत: भवानि स्तोतुं त्वां प्रभवति चतुर्भिर्न वदनैः प्रजानामीशानस्त्रिपुरमथनः पञ्चभिरपि । न षड्भिः सेनानीर्दशशतमुखैरप्यहिपतिस्तदान्येषां केषां कथय कथमस्मिन्नवसरः ॥१॥ हिंदी अनुवाद: हे भवानि! प्रजापति ब्रह्माजी अपने चार मुखों से भी तुम्हारी स्तुति करने में समर्थ नहीं हैं। त्रिपुरविनाशक महादेव (शिव) पाँच मुखों से भी तुम्हारा स्तवन नहीं कर सकते। कार्तिकेय छः मुखों के साथ भी असमर्थ हैं। नागराज शेष हजार मुखों से भी तुम्हारा गुणगान नहीं कर पाते। फिर अन्य लोगों की तो बात ही क्या? तुम्हीं बताओ, इनकी यह दशा है तो दूसरे किसी को तुम्हारी स्तुति का अवसर कैसे मिल सकता है? ॥१॥ श्लोक २ संस्कृत: घृतक्षीरद्रा...

  Ananda Lahari (The Wave of Bliss) Lord Shiva is one of the principal deities in Hinduism, known as the Destroyer in the Holy Trinity of Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. He is revered for his role in destruction and transformation, which paves the way for new creation. Lord Shiva is often depicted as an ascetic yogi, embodying both fierce and benevolent aspects. The Ananda Lahari is a devotional hymn that praises the divine qualities and beauty of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. The verses express the inadequacy of even the most eloquent beings, such as the four-faced Lord Brahma, the five-faced Lord Shiva, and the six-faced Lord Muruga, in fully capturing the essence of the Goddess.  The hymn highlights the indescribable sweetness and beauty of the Goddess, which surpasses all worldly descriptions. The imagery used in the verses includes the adornments of the Goddess, such as betel leaves in her mouth, kohl in her eyes, and a pearl necklace around her neck, e...