Yoga On Walnut

09/08/2026

SUTRA 2:2
The objective of yoga
is to induce samadhi
and attenuate
the afflictions.

yoga leads to samadhi and attenuates the
kleshas, the afflictions that are the subtlest cause of sorrow. Samadhi is a perfectly still, pristine state of mind. In samadhi we
gain the direct experience of our essential nature and become
aware of the fullness of our being. We are free from the mental
conditioning of our mind—there are no boundaries around our
consciousness. In this consummate state, we experience our oneness with the highest divinity, Ishvara.

09/03/2026

Two years ago, I had a profound epiphany: three specific points in the brain and body, mapped by ta***ic practitioners thousands of years before anyone had a brain scanner, correlate to what modern neuroscience calls the default mode network — the machinery behind every looping thought and repeate...

08/28/2026

Yoga can help us cultivate the steadiness to be present with whatever arises. As Luke says, “The more stable you are, the more contentment, peacefulness, happiness, calmness, balance you can contain.”

That steadiness can serve us in moments of joy and ease, as well as frustration, uncertainty, sadness, and change.

In the Yoga Sutra, sthira (steadiness) is paired with sukha (ease). Together, they point toward the capacity to meet what arises without losing our sense of ground.

Explore this quality of steadiness through breath and movement in Luke’s Clear, Happy, Calm. The practice moves from gentle seated and kneeling poses into strong standing shapes, all anchored by steady breath.

Enjoy a steady practice with Luke here:
https://yogainternational.com/class/clear-happy-calm/

08/25/2026

Yoga Sutra 2.1
Yoga in action is composed
of austerity, self-study, and
trustful surrender to Ishvara.

08/10/2026

Small gesture, powerful practice:

Indu Arora describes a mudra as “a non-verbal mode of communication and self-expression, consisting of hands, face, and body postures…an external expression of inner resolve.”

With this, Indu shares a hand mudra (hasta mudra) she considers especially supportive.

In Indu Arora’s words:

“If I could recommend just one hand mudra for supporting well-being and doshic balance, it would be apāna vāyu mudra.”

This tri-doshic mudra pacifies vata, pitta, and kapha. It also supports circadian rhythm, including healthy sleep-wake cycles, hunger-satiation cycles, and hormonal balance. It is one of my favorite mudras for travel, when the body-mind-breath need extra support.

How to practice:

Hold apāna vāyu mudra in one or both hands. Bring awareness to the spine, and gently move your attention up and down the spine, as if the gaze were ascending and descending along it. Let the breath be natural. There is no need to force a special breath pattern. The mudra helps guide the breath into a smooth, easy, quiet, and unbroken flow.

Hold for 2–5 minutes at a time. You may also combine it with pranayama and meditation to deepen the effects.

Traditionally associated benefits include:
❤ Pacifies vata dosha
❤ Supports the upward movement of prana
❤ Supports the downward flow of apana
❤ Helps establish healthy digestive fire
❤ Facilitates deep breathing
❤ Recalibrates the circadian clock
❤ Deepens meditation

You can practice it while reading, watching something, walking, traveling or resting, though an upright seated posture is best.

One mudra a day helps keep the doshas away.
—Indu Arora

_ _ _

Curious about other traditional practices for balancing the doshas? Go beyond asana with Indu Arora and explore six yogic kriyas that support focus, internal balance, and preparation for meditation in “The Shat Kriyas: Pre-Practices for Asana” on Yoga International.

https://yogainternational.com/ecourse/player/the-shat-kriyas-pre-practices-for-asana/

08/05/2026

The purpose of a yoga pose isn't the pose itself. It’s about preparing your body for stillness.⁠
⁠
In the classical tradition, āsana was a means of creating the physical stability and ease needed for seated meditation. Why?⁠
⁠
When the body settles, the breath slows. When the breath slows, the mind has space to quiet. And in that quiet, you begin to notice—your thoughts, patterns, sensations, and the deeper layers of your experience. You begin to witness the inextricable link between them.⁠
⁠
This is the essence of yoga—the path of union. Cultivating awareness, not just in movement, but in stillness. From that place, you can build a profound sense of inner peace, resilience, and clarity.

07/29/2026

Yoga is one of the world's oldest living traditions because, generation after generation, its teachings have been passed from teacher to student.

Guru Purnima is a day to honor the teachers and lineages that have helped preserve and share these teachings. It's a tradition of expressing gratitude to the teachers who've guided us on the path of yoga—not only in our practice, but in the way we live.

Whether someone introduced you to your first pose, helped you connect with your breath, invited you into the stillness of meditation, or inspired you to bring yoga's teachings into everyday life, today is an opportunity to say thank you.

07/29/2026