A little French inspiration for your summer reading and viewing pleasure.

millenia of indigenous wisdom can’t be wrong…

how does goal-setting align with the yogic principle of nonattachment, aparigraha? as usual, it helps to view this practice from a decolonized perspective…

Practical, experiential tools for your asana (yoga poses or ‘postural yoga’) practice, building on our discussion of how nonduality - a belief in the inextricable oneness of the physical and the spiritual/divine - shows up in practice.

August is a crucial time for nourishing and rebalancing our systems before September’s headlong plunge into autumn. It can also be a time to slow down after summer’s crest, returning to the routines that nourish us. Ayurveda, Yoga’s sister science, has a wealth of practices and insights to support balance in bodymind and spirit.

for the space between where you are and where you want to go. 

Community, study and practice are daily reminders - sticky-notes on the mirror of your consciousness - that you are connected, supported, and whole. Sangha puts these three elements together, so that you can learn and grow in your own practice in a supportive environment. 

You don’t need to be more fit, flexible or knowledgeable before you start. You don’t need fancy leggings, or even a sticky mat. Your body and your breath are enough. Promise.

none of this will make me rich but it will make (y)our lives better… a note from michelle, {pyc} leader

If you asked me a year ago if I wanted to go on a yoga retreat, you would have been met with a resounding “not a chance!” … a note from Charis, chef extraordinaire, {pyc} retreats

 In a culture that demands overnight results and hails the meteoric rise, the slow churn of incremental progress can feel more like stagnation.  Samana vayu (“equalizing wind”) reminds us the value of churn, and the deep, fiery work of being in process.

There’s no shortage of voices extolling the benefits of yoga āsana (the physical postures). There are even plenty arguing for the practice of āsana as exercise, to the exclusion of all other aspects of yoga. So if you’re already practicing āsana, why should you learn the philosophy of yoga? 

There are truths that live at the root of you, at the root of everything. Putting them into words seems nearly impossible and also unnecessary, they are so ingrained and integral to your being. But without words, they have faded into the background of your awareness.

the traveler sees what there is to see; the tourist sees only what he came to see.

however the world may seem to swirl and shift around you, there is steadiness available to you. contemplative practice will help you remember where it lives.

What is true? What is needed? How can I be of service? What do I need to be nourished? This is a practice of asking the wisdom within - before you react, acquiesce, recoil, or re-tweet - and listening deeply.