Am I Well?

What does wellness mean? How do I know if I am well? We each have our unique sense of wellness. An Olympic athlete has a different expectation of wellness than does an office worker. A mother taking daily care of a young child has a different expectation from a surfer who is chasing the next [...]

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 [...]

Biology and Chemistry of Breathing

Pranayam is vital to yoga practice. Considering that how we breathe is linked to our overall health, why not use this free gift to maximize our wellness? Some of the most common illnesses in modern societies (high blood pressure and related coronary problems like heart failure and stroke) are related to poor breathing habits. The [...]

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 [...]

Release: Self-Reflection Tools

Following up the thoughts from the “Our Abilities”: Self-Reflection Tools” post from October. Any journey leaves some negative or unwanted residue. After enjoying a delicious feast, we need to remove particles through flossing and brushing our teeth. Later we expel unneeded residue through a bowel movement. Exercise is a healthy way to remove unwanted calories from overindulging. [...]

Our Abilities: Self-Reflection Tool

Following up the thoughts from the “Our Desires” post from August. To make your desires come true need to take the journey. Before beginning your pursuit, ask yourself: What do I need to satisfy my desire? Do I have the ability? If not, how do I develop the ability? What are the tools I am using to [...]

Action Tools for Wellness

“Action” is not a word normally associated with yoga, but the practice of mastering the “mind-body-spirit” requires active participation. These action tools of yoga serves us during our journey to wellness. The breath-awareness focus of yoga, similar to the Chinese practice of Qigong, create mindfulness as we perform any action. Russayog practice tools have three [...]

Fill the Mind with Mindfulness

Most if us realize that wellness is not simply dependent on our physical body. Our mind also has to be well. Without mindfulness we will be unwell regardless of how great our body is. Imagine driving a car which has no visible gauges for fuel, battery, speed or temperature. If the car starts to sputter [...]

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 [...]

Growing Our Wellness

In this age of science, technology, and civil society, vast arrays of opportunities are available to many of us. From new careers to new travel venues to new foods to sample to new friends from around the world—each offer choices that were unheard of a generation ago. Undoubtedly, the modern age has seen a greatly [...]