This past week in our classes here at The Yoga Room, we worked with the seventh limb of yoga, or dhyana. Dhyana is often translated as meditation or contemplation, or the uninterrupted flow of concentration. Although concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana) may appear to be one and the same, a fine line of distinction exists …
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The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Dharana
This week in our classes here at The Yoga Room, we worked the 6th Limb of Yoga: Dharana. “Dhr” means to hold. The essential idea in the concept of dharana is holding the concentration or focus of attention in one direction. An example traditionally used to explain dharana is to imagine a large reservoir of …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Pratyahara
Pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga, means withdrawal of the senses or sensory transcendence. It is during this stage that we make the conscious effort to draw our awareness away from the external world and outside stimuli. Keenly aware of, yet cultivating a detachment from, our senses, we direct our attention internally. The practice of …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Pranayama
Pranayama has several slightly different translations. Broken down, prana means ‘life force energy’ or ‘that which is infinitely everywhere.’ Ayama means ‘to stretch or extend.’ Generally translated as breath control, this fourth limb of yoga consists of techniques designed to gain mastery over the respiratory process while recognizing the connection between the breath, the mind, and …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Asana
Asanas, the postures practiced in yoga, comprise the third limb of yoga. In the yogic view, the body is a temple of spirit, the care of which is an important stage of our spiritual growth. Through the practice of asanas, we develop the habit of discipline and the ability to concentrate, both of which are …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Niyamas
This week in our yoga classes at The Yoga Room we focused on the Niyamas, the second limb of yoga. The Niyamas have to do with the attitude we adopt toward ourself, our sense of self-discipline and spiritual observances. The five niyamas are: Saucha: cleanliness of body, mind, words, thoughts and actions. To put this …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Yamas
Our theme for our May-June class session here at The Yoga Room is the 8 Limbs of Yoga. Taken from the Yoga Sutras, the 8 Limbs basically act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; they direct attention toward one’s …
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 8: Samskaras
For the final week of our Spring Cleaning session here at The Yoga Room, we worked with the yogic concept of Samskaras on our yoga mats. According to Michael Singer in the book The Untethered Soul, Samskara is a Sanskrit word meaning impression, and in the yogic teachings it is considered one of the most …
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 7: Sauca
This past week in our yoga classes here at The Yoga Room we shifted our spring cleaning focus beyond just the physical by working with the concept of sauca–cleanliness and purity. Sauca can have to do with physical cleanliness and purity, and therefore we can cultivate it simply through practicing asana and pranayama that cleanse …
Earth Day Project 2013 – Virginia Park Tree Planting
For our annual Earth Day project this year, 10 hardy Yoga Serves volunteers (plus a toddler and The Yoga Room’s mascot, Annie the dog) came out on a chilly but sunny Sunday morning to help out Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation by planting some native fruit trees at Virginia Park and doing some general clean-up. …
Earth Day Project 2013 – Virginia Park Tree PlantingRead More