How many people wake up to discover that their body is no longer the body they remembered when they could remember their body? After more than thirty years of practicing and teaching yoga, I have heard countless new students say with sincere surprise, “I used to be so flexible,” or “I always had such good posture, when did this happen?” …
A Testimonial of Gratitude
I have been a student of Shelley’s for five years. That in itself is a testimony to her excellence in that I would not miss my two classes a week unless it was an absolute necessity. Her uncompromising style and complete body knowledge made each session unique and stimulating. My endurance, understanding of the asanas in their more aligned form, correct…
Food for the soul
I found yoga somewhat late in life….in my early 40’s. I had no idea how much my body needed it or would benefit from it. I couldn’t even touch my toes while standing! I have much more body awareness than I thought possible and strength that I wouldn’t be able to attain by any other means. It’s a deeper,…
A Twist A Day Keeps the Winter Sniffles Away
It is almost winter and even in Los Angeles it can get cold and wet. People begin to get colds and sore throats starting around the Christmas holidays continuing till March. During the cold months I love to do Spinal Twists. Twists not only open the chest and therefore increase breathing capacity, they directly stretch and open up the Lung Meridian. Meridians…
The Urban Monastery
When we take the posture of meditation and practice our sitting we expect a blissful response in our lives. It also happens, but is not as usual when people begin to do Hatha Yoga. You start gradually wanting to keep in shape or find a means to calm the stress in your life. As the effects and benefits from yoga can be…
Dear Body, This is Me.
BKS Iyengar writes in his book Light on Life “it is better to do a good pose minimum than a bad pose maximum”. In your yoga class do you ask something of yourself in your asana practice without even knowing where you are in the moment, quickly growing frustrated and impatient before giving yourself a chance to discover just where…
The Self-important Mind
The Kuasitaki Upanisad says: ‘It is the breathing spirit alone, the intelligence-self that seizes hold of this body and makes it rise up. This is the all obtaining in the breathing spirit. What is the breathing spirit, that is the intelligence-self. What is intelligence-self, that is the breathing spirit, for together they live in this body and together they go…
My Body Is a Stranger to Me
“My body is a stranger to me.” This was a comment from a dear friend when we approached looking for a simple yoga pose that she could be comfortable with. Dear Friend has been suffering with many physical problems due to being overweight for years. She told me all that I needed to know with that one spontaneous…
Meditation
Meditation will help you to observe your thoughts rather than be your thoughts. We think all the time and therefore are in a perpetual state of imagination. “Standing back” and looking at one’s thoughts frees us from compulsively living out the content of the mind. We need to learn to live from the inspiring Light that illumines thoughts and images…
Taking It To The Streets
Spiritual teachings have become as available in the cities of the USA as fast food. Anyone can learn yoga, tai chi, chi-kung, or study the teachings of any master from Jesus to space aliens without a blink of an eye from anyone. One can travel to “spiritual camps, retreats, schools anywhere inside the USA…If you wanted to live in a…