Before diving into this post, I'd like to share some background. My exploration into the intricacies of human movement began around 25 years ago. Since then, my journey has been relentless and rich with experience. I've immersed myself in studies, witnessed dissections, handled real bones, delved into biomechanics, and pursued education at the London School of Osteopathy. My dedication to research has been unwavering, and for the past 9 years, I've been teaching functional yoga anatomy. This path has not been about simply echoing others' findings but about forging my own understanding through ..read more

Our 2023-24 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training is complete. Although a few administrative pieces are left for them to tie up, most of the hard work is done Ten months ago, we welcomed a group of hopeful yogis (above) eager to advance their understanding of all things yoga. It was a privilege to help them grow their yoga knowledge and skills. The students trusted us, the faculty (Zahir, Paul, and Laura), to elevate them physically, spiritually, and intellectually. It was a responsibility that we thrived on, and I was determined to give them real value for their money. While most people we ..read more

Many times you would have seen this pose Aṣṭāvakra-asana; on social media, in publications and perhaps even tried this posture in a class. You may have been told that this pose is dedicated to the Hindu sage Aṣṭāvakra which means "one having eight bends". Aṣṭāvakra was not the sage's real name but the name he was given. So what is the story behind this pose? In order to follow and understand Hindu mythology and its narratives, art and rituals, you must firstly suspend your belief. The first impression of many is that Hindu mythology is often confusing and contradictory. The reality is that t ..read more

A very long time ago, perhaps as much as 15,000 years ago, before anyone had heard of Yoga or the Bhagavad Gita or even Tantra, a unique looking man was seen wandering around the upper region of the Himalayas. No one knew his name. No one knew who he was. No one knew where he had come from. As time passed his legend grew. He was seen very rarely but when he was, he was seen in cremation grounds dancing wildly, or he would be sat completely still, his eyes closed. He would sit motionless for many months at a time. At this time only a few million people lived on earth, so the region of the Indi ..read more

For many people, yoga and Buddhism are virtually synonymous. Those who practice yoga often find themselves drawn towards Buddhist teachings and vice versa. Yoga and Buddhism are sister traditions that evolved in the same spiritual culture of ancient India. Swami Vivekananda, the first prominent figure to bring Yoga to the West, examined the Buddhist Mahayana scriptures (Sutras) and concluded that Buddhist teachings and his own beliefs in traditional Hinduism were in harmony. This blog outlines some of the history of the Life of the Buddha, and how he is perceived from a Hindu and Buddhist per ..read more

In a village nestled between green hills and crystal streams, there lived a wise old monk known for his serene and thoughtful nature. One day, a young man from a distant town visited the monk, seeking enlightenment. He had with him a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, its pages worn from frequent reading and the margins filled with meticulous notes. "Master," the young man began, "I have studied the Gita diligently, seeking the wisdom it holds. I have analyzed each verse, cross-referenced commentaries, and debated its meanings with scholars. Yet, I feel as distant from enlightenment as the day I start ..read more

The Harmonious Balance: Teaching Yoga Beyond Choreography In the world of yoga, the distinction between teaching and choreography represents two sides of the same coin. A yoga teacher is more than a choreographer of movements; they are a conduit of wisdom, a guide for the mind and body, and an effective communicator who reaches beyond the physical postures to touch the soul. The Essence of Teaching At its core, teaching yoga is about communication. It's an art that transcends mere demonstration of poses. B.K.S. Iyengar, a luminary in the yoga world, once said, "The art of teaching is the art o ..read more

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHES OCTOBER 2017 My Yoga journey in Nepal began with a 7-day Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga retreat at the Neydo Buddhist Monastery in Kathmandu, organized by Mahalaya-Nepal. While I was familiar with most poses in the Ashtanga Vinyasa system, the sequence itself was new to me. I had never attended an Ashtanga Vinyasa class before, despite Claire Berghorst's Friday morning sessions at Akram Yoga. Interestingly, Claire, a student of John Scott who led the retreat, is also a disciple of the late Patabhi Jois, yet my Friday mornings were always overloaded with work, keeping me away despit ..read more

As we unfold our mats, we are not just stepping into a physical space, but also embarking on a profound journey of self-discovery. Yoga is more than a practice of the body; it is an exploration of the soul. For those who feel the stirrings of a teacher within, this path beckons with a unique promise: the promise of sharing this exploration with others. Yoga teaching is not merely about mastering the technicalities of asanas or the flow of breath. It's a calling to guide others through the intricacies of their own internal landscapes, to be a beacon as they navigate their personal transformati ..read more

The subsequent insightful article is a section of our Advanced Yoga Teacher training manual. Instead of merely presenting ideas, its primary purpose is to ignite curiosity, the cornerstone of education. Something quite astounding happened around 800,000 years ago. Humans developed the ability to make and later control fire. This enlightening moment made human’s smarter and more curious. This resulted in new expressions, new feelings and heightened emotions. All of this has resulted in the grey matter of our brains tripling in size throughout human evolution. We have evolved economically, soci ..read more