I am constantly seeing advertisements for “secrets to weight loss”, “fat burning tricks”, “slim down”, or whatever with a supplement. To me all this is pretty silly, because weight loss isn’t really a secret. It takes a little time, discipline, and willingness to just ignore everyone else about it. Everyone wants to feel secure in … Read more
The ankle is the base and primary support structure for the lower body to rest upon. Ankles allow for agile mobility, massive weight support, and the repeated pressure of walking and jogging. The primary bones and major support structures of the joint are: the tibia, the primary bone that connects the inside of the leg … Read more
It’s interesting how hard it is to sit still nowadays. People will almost certainly look at you funny in public, and it seems like people feel weird doing it alone at home. We are addicted to being busy, or at least seeming to be. People check their cell phone to avoid talking to each other, … Read more
I got a chance to practice for a couple of days in Santa Monica while I was down there (from Sacramento) visiting my younger sibling. I was able to sneak in a two-hour class on Sunday and hour and a half class on Monday at Power Yoga. Brian Kest was the teacher. It was really … Read more
The human shoulder is a powerful and large anatomical structure. The hinging ball and socket joint allows for vast gains in momentum over short periods of time and is relatively versatile. The shoulder anatomy allows for many types of throwing, fine motor movement down to typing, powerful grasping, hefting objects, climbing, combat, quadruped movement, etc. The shoulder also has a large range of motion; however, this makes the shoulder prone to injury.
The concept of consciousness is extremely elusive, there are no concrete operation definitions and despite the enormous amounts of research on the subject throughout history. Many aspects of what would be considered conscious perception are constructive; the mind seems to create parts of the environment, just as it perceives the environment. These constructive processes of … Read more
Chanting is powerful, especially in Sanskrit. But I don’t like chanting without knowing the meaning of the words I am saying. Here is a translation of the opening Ashtanga chant: I pray to the lotus feet of the supreme guruWho teaches the good knowledge, showing the wayTo knowing the self-awakening great happiness,Beyond better is the … Read more
I practice Ashtanga by myself sometimes. It can be liberating in ways that a studio can’t fulfill. Every time I complete the primary series, I feel so empowered and at peace. I learned the primary series from an instructor in Boston that I forget, but ever since then have felt like I have permission to … Read more
Samsara is the idea of past lives, of reincarnation. This idea comes from the earliest spiritual traditions: Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, and Hinduism all share in the belief of past lives that are influenced by Karma, or actions one takes during the course of a lifetime. Even the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, one of the first … Read more