Rail Gardee

The distance from Trivandrum to Ernakulam is 213 km. In a 2nd class coach this means several stops and a 5 hour-train ride through palm-lined green rice paddies and small villages of Kerala. What could be an uncomfortable journey turned out to be surprisingly cushy. We each had our own berth, which doubled as a [...]

Joy of Sugarcane Juice

One of Jasprit’s favorite memories from summer days of childhood was enjoying a glass of sugar cane juice, squeezed directly from the stalk. On an open trolley sits a large grinding wheel. Ten-foot long stalks are deftly sliced into 2-foot lengths with a sickle. With one hand the vendor pushes the reddish-green stalks of sugar [...]

Sardar Pugri House

Jasprit ‘s relationship developed with Jaspreet, owner of Sardar Pugri House in Amritsar, while he was searching for quality pugree (turban) cloth for the doras that we use in our yoga classes. Jasprit incorporated fabric to go beyond traditional yoga poses, thus enhancing strength and flexibility. Unlike rubber bands or thick belts used in other [...]

Park Balluchi

Unique Cuisine Amid the Green Our driver had never been to India’s most awarded restaurant; Park Balluchi, located in Haus Khaz, inside the beautiful Deer Park. After circumnavigated the neighborhood a bit he let us off at the end of the street where we then walked down the lush lane to this hidden gem of [...]

New-Old Nowld

Nowldindia India boasts many of the the oldest structures in the world. It’s one country where the traditional dress not only continues to be worn in daily life, but its style influences modern fashion worldwide. Every other person is connected to their smartphone, ipad, or ipod: on the train, on the street, in buses, in [...]

Unlocking Inertia

Inertia impedes our ability to make change. Inertia can arise from our physical limitations: our individual strength, flexibility, balance, weight, etc. But the largest influence on inertia comes from our brain. We each have our own schedules, eating habits, sleeping habits, study habits, conversational habits, etc. Recognizing our need to change our nutrition or our [...]

Enjoy the Fruits of Your Journeys

Self-Reflection Tool: Just as the negative residue of a journey should be mindfully released, the positive nourishment from the journey should be enjoyed. Enjoyment creates the positive feedback needed so that satisfying journeys can be repeated (in the same or perhaps other forms). In the previous discussion of release we mentioned how constipation can be [...]

What Does Yoga Mean to You?

Is perfecting yoga postures an end to itself? Is yoga also a set of tools to be used in life? Why was yoga traditionally only practiced by men? Is yoga now primarily for women?  Is authentic yoga only practiced by Brahmins? Does one have to become Hindu to practice yoga? Can you be a good Muslim and practice yoga [...]

What is Obesity?

When we hear the word “obesity” it conjures up an image of a heavy person, shuffling slowly through life, unable to freely move, burdened with health problems. Obesity has become an Epidemic; and not just in the U.S. Physical obesity is driven by factors, like overeating, lack of exercise, using food as a tool to [...]

Read our Collection of Wellness Essays!

Looking for some good articles to help you dive deeper into RussaYog® and your personal practice? RY Founders Jasprit and Teresa Singh continuously add to their amazing collection of Wellness Essays covering a variety of yoga and personal well-being topics. Several RY teachers and students have written blog articles about their experiences as well. Be [...]