Towards scientific values
The presence of science and technology at the dawn of the 20th century was already too pervasive to be ignored by yoga proponents. In this Episode we discuss how each modern yoga Guru had to take a stand in respect to scientific values.
Is Yoga a science? - Part 2
Science, pseudoscience, scientific evidence or hearsay, statistically significant results, double blind studies, placebo effect and representative sample. Science speaks to us, with its language and method developed during its history... in this episode we explain the key moments of the meeting between yoga and science.
Seasonality: the climate outside and the climate inside us
Transformation, ‘seasonality’, is a fundamental principle to be taken into consideration in personal yoga practice. Every day our embodiment experiences bio-chemical changes in order to adapt to external stimuli, generating an internal response and continuous transformation. In other words, every day we find ourselves dealing with a ‘climate outside’ and with a ‘climate inside’ us. In this series of four sequences I address this fascinating topic by proposing a practice for each climate season: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.
Is Yoga a science? - Part 1
You have probably already heard the expressions “Yoga is a Science” or “The Science of Yoga”. Indeed, both are pretty common sayings in mainstream yoga circles which seasoned practitioners, teachers and insiders just take for granted. But, is it actually so?
A 'virtuous evolution of the yoga market.
The spread of yoga in recent years has seen an astonishing acceleration, both nationally and internationally, culminating, emblematically, in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 69/31.
Breathing de-automatization: proper timing and proper results
"The body, the limbs, the psyche, the organs of action and sensory ones are very 'ours'.
Breathing is not as much "ours". However, breathing is more than anything else 'for us'."
Prashant Iyengar, "Pranayama: a Classical and Traditional Approach"
Movement, action and mirrow neurons
“Action is movement with intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is more conscious movement, more action.” B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga is an open architecture
Precision in Iyengar yoga practice must not be confused for dogmatism. In fact, we find exact the opposite is true: Iyengar yoga, and yoga in general, is an open architecture.