Yoga as competition?

So last weekend I drove into Manhattan to meet up with some visiting friends. While leaving my hotel I stumbled upon some sort of yoga happening. Of course, I go inside to check it out. There is something going on in the back of the room which is closed off. When I inquire as to what that is I am told that there is a “yoga competition” in progress.  I cannot enter the room unless I pay the $35 admission fee. I decline, but cannot deny the urge to see this. Since my first yoga class 12 years ago, I have always been told that yoga is non-competitive and we must never compare ourselves to others. I am very puzzled by this yoga competition stuff. To be told that this has been happening in India for decades (although I am aware of this) seems a tad hypocritical to me. I truly enjoy seeing my friends and colleagues excel with their asana practice. I love a gravity defying arm balance myself. However, I always remind my students, friends and myself not to lose the true intention of their practice in the asana. I cannot see where this contest aligns with the yamas and niyamas. I try to keep my mind open, as yoga teaches us that change is inevitable and we must deal with it gracefully. As a yoga teacher and human being, I want to be happy and help others be happy as well. I have learned that the ego is the largest drain of happiness within us. I have worked very hard over the years to be free (at least a little bit!) of it so that I may be happier. I really must exclaim that it has worked! This being said I find that I cannot support “Yoga USA”. I have no judgments on those that do. Live and let live. Be happy :)

Love to all,

Annie 

Yoga…the journey

We come to the mat with deep attachments, lots of emotions, tightness, instability, fears and maybe even the hope of some miracle of healing.  We forget that yoga is a journey of the soul.  It’s like peeling away layers of an onion when we have deep seated emotions and other attachments which we are trying to release.    The outer layer may seem easy; releasing tightness, gaining strength, getting to know the poses, but the inner layer – releasing the deep stuff may take a lot of patience, strength and letting go.

When we recognize the patterns that no longer serve us we begin the process of changing.  We may have deep attachments to thought patterns, pain, situations, past events, etc.  These types of situations are the heart of our practice.  Learning a new way of being…..going down to the core of who we really are.  Our true self.  We need to have faith, trust, a positive outlook on ourselves and the will of letting go.  These issues keep arising until we examine the feelings behind them, accept the feeling and then let go.  It can be a grueling process.  The ego tries its hardest to hold on.  But with the knowledge of realizing we are not out thoughts, bodies or emotions we can begin the process of peeling away the layers of unconscious.  Some of us may first come to the mat with the hopes of gaining strength, flexibility, toning our bodies but we end up with so much more.  Some attachments are really deep and can be tough to overcome but with patience, persistence and a strong will, it can be done.  Non-attachment is needed.  Coming to practice with an intention but not attaching to the outcome.  It is a long journey but one well worth taking.  We come away a bit lighter both physically and mentally and seeing ourselves in a new light.  Persistence……we may fall down in a pose but we always get back up. When we learn to do it without attachment and a big smile, it makes the journey a lot more fun.  I wish you the best of luck on your journey filled with Light, Peace and Love.  Blessings.

Namaste

Carmela

Carmela Danna completed her teacher training in March 2006 at Yoga Works, New York. She has since attended various workshops in continuing education. She left her full time job in Princeton, NJ to pursue her passion of teaching yoga. Yoga has been a big influence in her life and she wants to share her passion of yoga. Aside from a regular asana practice, Carmela enjoys restorative yoga and meditation.

Yoga Plus Herbs, Marlboro Plaza, Intersection of Rte 9 and Rte 520 in Marlboro, NJ 07726, 732-617-2020, http://www.yogaplusherbs.com/, info at yogaplusherbs dot com

Swastha - Established in the Self

 What is health?  For one thing, health is much more than the mere absence of disease.  In fact, it is the most dynamic state of your being, expressed as robust physical energy, mental clarity, joy, and a deep spiritual connection. Ayurveda's calls this state Swastha,  meaning established in the Self.  To be healthy, you must be firmly established in yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  Your doshas (vata, pitta, kapha) must be perfectly balanced, your appetite and digestion(agni) well balanced, your tissues well nourished and functioning properly, and all the different types of waste products and excretory functions must be at optimum.  But, that's not all.  Your mind, senses, even your identity must be firmly established in bliss! 

  Obviously, health is multi-dimensional.  It is also dynamic.  Dynamic means that to be and stay healthy we must seamlessly create a new equilibrium with our environment whenever it changes.  The environment has several components: physical (seasons, etc.), societal, mental, emotional, and spiritual.  Furthermore, these various environments are in constant flux. Being healthy, established in one's self, allows you to easily adapt to all the changes you face day-by-day and moment-to-moment.  Reciprocally, by adapting you stay healthy.  You could say that health allows one to "roll with the punches." 

  Most importantly, a true definition of health indicates the inseparable link between the microcosm and the macrocosm.  All the forces of nature that are "outside" are also within each individual.  Health is intimately interwoven with and inseparable from this greater universal intelligence.  Ayurveda's definition of health reflects and expresses the fundamental and underlying universal order governing all of life.

James L. Pace is an Ayurvedic practitioner, educator, and author. Involved in the practice of Ayurveda for over 20 years, he is a graduate of New Mexico's Ayurvedic Institute and its advanced program, in Pune, India. For the past seven years, he has trained in the SVA tradition under the personal guidance of its living custodian...the world-renowned Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra.

JMr. Pace offers the following health services at Yoga + Herbs:

• The Transdermal Marma System (TMS) for Health & Relief of Imbalances
• The Blissful Beauty Ayurvedic Marma Facelift for Inner, Outer, and Lasting Beauty
• Vibrational Cleansing Package (VCP balances the negative effects of EMFs)

Yoga Plus Herbs, Marlboro Plaza, Intersection of Rte 9 and Rte 520 in Marlboro, NJ 07726, 732-617-2020, http://www.yogaplusherbs.com/, info at yogaplusherbs dot com

Yoga: A Living Tradition

Modern man is more psychologically abnormal than the prescientific age. The crisis in the world today is more mental than the material. The age of reductionism and the age of anxiety as the world is known today has divided every aspect of human life manifested in the problems of existence and reflected in conflicts, tension, war, competition, jealousy, envy, violence and widespread dis-satisfaction. The disintegration of man, his bankruptcy in the inner space and abundance in the outer space is in fact a world problem. Because everything that happens in the world today grows out of what is happening to the individual and so the individual problem is the world problem. The science of man is wonderful and unparalleled but his psychology is deplorable. But the individual problem is the problem of existence with body, life and mind as manifested carrier and something beyond that is unmanifest. Man has traveled too far from himself while discovering and revealing the secrets of nature. He has scattered, divided himself where there is no place for values, feelings, unity and integration. He has to look within, gather his mental consciousness scattered outside, discover what he is in Reality, realize his essential nature and constantly live in “that” is the whole assertion of Yoga. Sri Aurobindo rightly said that self-conscious finding is yoga and this self-conscious finding in the midst of living breaks the prison of body and senses which allows only a distorted perception of reality, evolves mind beyond reasoning mentality and gradually shifts the center of individual from self-limited, cultural hypnosis of ego to universal and transcendental self. That makes yoga a living tradition as it aims at reality which is eternal, infinite, and blissful and beyond change, finite and afflictions.

     The object of yoga is not the denial of life of material existence i.e. body, life and mind but using these as instruments consciously to reveal the basis of Material Existence. Yoga is more concentrated to discover who is in body than the body itself, which is in the life than the life itself, which is in the mind than the mind itself. This makes yoga “a methodized effort towards self-perfection by the expression of potentialities latent in the being and a union of the human individual with the universal and transcendent” says Sri Aurobindo. To dwell in infinity, bliss, delight, love, harmony, compassion in the mist of all activities is the solution to all problems of existence but this kind of life is eternal which makes yoga a living tradition. Yoga is not only a living tradition but eternal too as it discovers one’s essential nature (Dharma) through meditation. Meditation resolves all discords of problems of existence and brings a creative realization of himself in which there is only room for harmony, love, integration, compassion, bliss and constant awareness of reality.

 Meditation: A Journey Modern Science to Spirituality (Comparative View)

     Modern science insisting matter as Reality while yoga insisting on Pure Self as reality appears to have divided the perception of the world into divergent, often opposing & contrary to each other but only for the sake: of discovering the reality underlying the universe. The Indian life since beginning has been a life of spirituality which revealed a life of egoless, a self-illuminating, self-existent truth pervading the whole cosmos while the western life has been a life of relative world of matter which realized life fulfilled only with material possessions, power and authority. It is important to understand clearly the basis of life and existence before resolving the problems related to them. Its both divergent views are concerned about life; therefore, it is essential to perceive the unity behind their conclusions, interpretations, basis which would enable the human being to realize the truth beyond change as well as in the midst of change.

     The concept of ultimate cause or the absolute truth, in modern science, is assumed to be within the range of physical laws of nature governing matter. This assumption lays the foundation that life can also be fully understood in terms of atoms, molecules and their interactions. As life is considered as manifestation of matter, originated by chance and from random combination of molecules interacting under the influence of blind natural laws over a period of many years. Then, is life mere pushes and pulls of these chemicals. Szent – Gyorgyi, the Nobel Laureate and a chemist said”….. In my search for the secret of life, I ended up with atoms & electrons which have no life at all. Somewhere, along the line, life has run out through my fingers…” In fact, a gene or DNA molecule is not life and collection of this molecule is not life. A life of feeling, meaning, purpose, love, compassion has been reduced to the life of dead matter, atoms, electrons and their interactions. “It is premature to reduce the vital process to the quite insufficiently developed conception of 19th and 20th century Chemistry & Physics says a French Physicist. It is difficult to explain, morality, honesty, humility, self-control, tolerance, ego in terms of molecular mechanisms. It is far from correct the laws governing matter are also the laws governing life. Yoga says that consciousness is the ultimate cause or absolute truth which is all pervading, all knowing, self-existent, blissful all powerful and infinite. It creates the world of name & form known as the material world and enters into every creation. The body, life, mind are its manifestations and original manifestation is known as Prakriti. When this consciousness is fully involved in lowest manifestations it begins the ascending process of evolution. The human being has fully evolved physical body, energy body, mental body as Prakriti and the self as Ultimate Consciousness (Purusha). The conscious journey to separate oneself from the manifestations and abiding in self is the aim of meditation. The approach of modern science is objective, experimental and reductionist, which begins with division and ends with an idea of holism. The reasoning mind divides and perception of reality. The spirit of inquiry to realize the self or the truth also follows in yoga almost in a similar fashion but only in the beginning and gradually awakens to knowledge that reasoning mind cannot perceive the truth wholly and integrally. So, effort is made in this process to perceive independently from senses which leads to total and united perception. Life is realized as a natural movement of the ultimate consciousness and in tune with Manifested world and Unmanifest. A Yoga aspirant feels no utility of objective experimentation in controlled conditions as everything concluded from the rational mind may help in eliminating the errors of perceptions but cannot understand its creator the ultimate truth.

     Modern Science considers mind and consciousness either as same or unable to explain in clear terms. It heavily depends on turning the mind outward in the field of known together information, facts related to matter, and mechanisms through senses and offers an indirect knowledge. Philosophy is the term lightly used as all principles of science and technology heavily relies on the science of logic. Mind is considered an instrument of knowledge tries to fathom the secrets of universe analytically, logically and concludes the life as a machine or in terms of mechanisms. Reasoning mind always moves in time that gives only a reference about truth but not the truth as it is. Mind is considered in yoga an instrument of consciousness and organizer of knowledge not as an instrument of knowledge. It is used in a similar fashion on yoga as Modern Science uses it but for keeping instruments fit and proper to receive the truth that too only in the beginning. But gradually synthetic, intuitional, multidimensional, creative aspect of mind are utilized to break the distorted perception built out of one’s conditionings habits, sensual perception unlike modern science where it is strengthened. Further mind is gathered inward so that mind begins studying the mind in the absence of any concept, pre-knowledge, image, imagination etc. And gradually mental self-awareness disappears and one realizes the absolute truth.

Meditation: A Journey from Modern Science to Spirituality-II (Union)

     Modern Science is based philosophic assumptions or world views that change continuously as the new discoveries replaces the old. It aims at understanding the secrets underlying the universe through these basic philosophic assumptions known as paradigms after objective experimentation, analysis, conclusions in controlled conditions. The Newtonian-Cartesian world view which started in the second half of the 17th century still dominating the modern science even when there is clear shift in paradigm after 19th century. This world view considers matter is real and self-dependent cause of evolution; from matter to life-higher species and also to human consciousness. World seen by the senses (indirect perception) is considered real as senses can see material or physical as factual and real. The life appeared by mere change; out of matter and energy and it further evolved into higher and higher species by genetic mutations, unguided and ungoverned struggle for existence. Mind, consciousness even creative intelligence, spirituality, art, ethics are considered the product of brain. This view was heavily supported by objective experimentation, clinical and experimental neurology, which brought knowledge about various physiological or pathological and/or psychological processes and various operations of nature’s functioning in the External world. Further this world view has developed a philosophy of life heavily depends on animal instincts viz money, sex and authority. This kind of life, this perception of world with animal instincts can never help in understanding/entering into the state of meditation. The world view cannot transform the life; bring delight, peace, harmony, compassion.

     Twentieth Century science is revising and discarding this world view in light of accumulation of contradictory data, concerning nature and her secrets. There appears a clear shift of paradigm which has opened a new area of knowledge about Nature, human consciousness and other related areas appears coming closer to the science of yoga and its concepts laid down before us many thousands of years ago by our seers & saints and yogis. Twentieth Century Science has questioned almost every paradigm of Newtonian – Cartesian era.

     The paradigm, of spirit-matter dualism central to classical physics has undergone a radical shift in this century

1. The sub-atomic particles acting as wave and particle both has replaced the world of substance to only process, event and relation. This further means that objective world of time & space no longer exists and what physics calls as facts falls into the category of possibilities.

2. Einstein theory of relatively compels us to realize that universe is not a machine but merely a network of events and relations.

3. Quantum mechanics presents that mere fact of observation alters the observed phenomenon, hence observed and the observed are both a combined event and cannot be regarded as separate.

4. William James in his famous Gifford lectures on natural religion later known as classic “Varieties of Religious” experience said “It is that our normal consciousness, rational consciousness as we call it, is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, these lies potential forms of consciousness entirely different… the presence in the midst of all the humbug, of really supernormal knowledge.”

5. Systems Theory: States why only man be regarded as an individual possessing body, life, mind and ego. But a social system, a family, ecological system, galaxy have peculiar individual attributes. They also are regarded as individual.

6. By Prigogine’s Theory of Dissipative or Non Equilibrium Structures : The old paradigm that thermal death is the ultimate end of all structure (Law of Thermodynamics) have been replaced by the fact that fluctuations can restore an order not only in chemical reactions, but all system from atoms to galaxy, even in society and cultures.   

7. Reality in Paranormal states : David Bohm (Physicist) proved that what we observe by senses is one aspect of reality, another aspect is revealed in episodes of mystical or paranormal states.

8. Space Vortex Theory : The four independent fields of Einstein have now been possibly replaced by one. Dr.D.Tiwari’s theory explains how they can be created, vortices in a mass less dynamic medium, which we call space or vacuum, when its whirling motion reaches the speed of light.

The above theories, concepts of modern science are very near to yogic concepts revealed in meditation to its practitioners.

Conclusions

1. There is neither space, time nor causation, neither beginning nor and…. It is all one – indicates Prakriti.

2. Reasoning mentality through senses cannot perceive the Reality. Mind is the barrier.

3. The whole manifested world is one and only one – Maya

4. Clinical death is myth.

5. One field theory indicates Prakriti.

     If the shift in paradigms opens a new and revolutionary area of knowledge it is also coming closer to the science of yoga and its ancient established concepts. Meditation is the state that discovers these aspects of reality and leads one to holism, integration, globalism, peace, harmony & bliss.

     Prakriti is the source of all manifestations with body; life and mind of human frame are its inclusive manifestations. There is neither space, nor time nor causation in the absolute truth but they are essentially one which indicates experience in meditation that is beyond time, space and causation. It is the mind which divides itself into subjective and objective reality but both observer and observed are essentially one and one has to transcend the very mental structure in meditation to witness the absolute reality. The new scientific paradigms even perceives that sensual perception restricts and limits the individual to objective perceptual reality and objective social self or ego which, in fact, do not exist.

Acharya Girish Jha took yoga and spirituality to its highest level by teaching it as the science of conscious evolution, a fact that attracted global attention. He taught over 60000 people world wide.  As a Board Certified Professional Counselor, Acharya combines the wisdoms of Yoga, Science and Spirituality based on authentic texts, himalayan tradition, and consciousness approach aims at Health, Harmony & Happiness.  http://www.shreyasyoga.com 

Yoga Plus Herbs, Marlboro Plaza, Intersection of Rte 9 and Rte 520 in Marlboro, NJ 07726, 732-617-2020, http://www.yogaplusherbs.com, info at yogaplusherbs dot com

“A Course in Miracles”

The healing power of willingness and “A Course in Miracles”

The inception of the book, A Course in Miracles began with the remark, “There must be a better way.”  With the response, “I’ll help you find it,” A Course in Miracles began its birth into the world. And yet, its philosophy is anything BUT “of the world.”  

A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is perhaps unlike anything you have read before.  It is a fully developed curriculum for learning to recognize and have removed for us, all of the blocks that we have imposed between Love and our awareness of Love.  The Course helps us remember the Love, peace, and joy that is already within each of us just as the sun remains shining behind the clouds even on a rainy day. We’ve mistakenly chosen to turn away from the peace and joy that is our inheritance.  But love isn’t lost, and we can joyously remember it again.  

The key idea in this process of removing blocks and finding inner peace is WILLINGNESS.

Willingness is the openness to seeing things differently.  And seeing things differently through one’s inner guidance system is ACIM’s definition of a miracle: “a shift in perception.”  As our perception changes, our lives and our world can change as well.  

To witness this process in action, pause and think of an area in your life where you’re struggling or feeling stuck. Got it?

Now get in touch with your willingness.  Are you willing to see this situation differently?  If your answer is YES, you just found your willingness.  If you answer “Heck, no!”, that’s fine but I would ask you, “Are you willing to be willing to see this situation differently?” With a chuckle, you might say, “Sure!” But if the answer is still “No!”, are you willing to be willing to be willing to see it differently?  A-ha! Perhaps there is your willingness.  It may take a bit of digging but it is there. Simply said, if the way you see the situation is not bringing you happiness you may be ready to try something different.

The next step according to ACIM is to give that WILLINGNESS over to your Inner Guide -- the part of your mind that remains connected to your Higher Power, the Universe, or to Oneness (or use whatever term you are comfortable with). This Inner Guide’s job is to take what you give, even a tiny bit of willingness, and give you back a miracle – a shift in perception.  

When I work this process myself, often I’ll feel a sense of release and relief simply when handing over my willingness to my Inner Guide.  That relief might in itself be the miracle because with this shift in perception, I often find my concerns just disappear.  

One of the many powerful statements in ACIM is, “Do you want to be right or happy?”  

When we want to be right, we’re UNwilling.  We think we know how things should be and we’re stubbornly digging in our heels. When we want to be happy, we’re open to a different way of seeing things; our minds are flexible, limber and light. We can feel the difference and it feels good.

Whatever your challenge is, only a tiny amount of willingness is needed to see things differently. The Course tells us that we need but turn every so slightly to our Guide. Be willing to ask for another way of seeing from your Inner Guide and learn how to respond rather than react.  Maybe the picture will change -- maybe it won’t.  But either way, you can be at peace inside and a peaceful mind is no small gift.

Are you a student of “A Course in Miracles” or would you like to learn more?  If so, join me at http://MiracleShare.org – the Social Networking Site for Students and Teachers of “A Course in Miracles.” Membership is free.

Corinne Zupko teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and offers Life Coaching services at Yoga Plus Herbs.  She has earned a B.A. in Psychology, an M.A. in Counseling, and an Ed.S. in Counseling with a specialization in Meditation. She has 10 years of experience working with clients, is a Certified Professional Coach, Adjunct Faculty member at The College of New Jersey, meditation teacher, and has taken extensive trainings in MBSR.

Yoga Plus Herbs, Marlboro Plaza, Intersection of Rte 9 and Rte 520 in Marlboro, NJ 07726, 732-617-2020, http://www.yogaplusherbs.com/, info at yogaplusherbs dot com

Enjoy and live your BEST life in 2012!

I'm honored to be the first one to "blog" in 2012.  The New Year ushers in a plethora of emotions and feelings!  Certainly inspiring thoughts and asanas of new beginnings and starting over.  Perhaps in your daily practice now, focus on postures that open the heart and promote feelings of openness to new ways of being in the world. 

And it's never too late!  Each year, month, week, day, hour, minute, second we have an opportunity to regroup and set our intention.  We do that every time we practice yoga.   I love these words . . . so appropriate at this time of year.   Enjoy and live your BEST life in 2012! 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Marianne Williamson

Sheri L. Glick, NCMT, RYT, has been an ACE/AFFA personal and group fitness instructor and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist for over 20 years. She is also a Level 4 Reiki Master, and Certified in Neuromuscular Therapy. 

Yoga Plus Herbs, Marlboro Plaza, Intersection of Rte 9 and Rte 520 in Marlboro, NJ 07726, 732-617-2020, http://www.yogaplusherbs.com/, info at yogaplusherbs dot com

Kindly Leave Your Baggage/Ego at the Door

It took exactly 24 hours to manifest what I intended yesterday.

 “Ask and it is given” is something that I like to recite in my yoga classes.  We stand there, mountain pose, arms held high and wide, to make the letter V, “as in vessel,” I say. Not a ship, but a vase or a jar.  I wait a few breaths to allow our jars to be filled, to allow our intentions to manifest.

I have a great spiritual support group that I attend every Wednesday.  Just yesterday we did a manifesting meditation.  Just today, what I intended yesterday comes to fruition.

My intention of easy financial stability came to me in visions of singing, music and kirtan (call-and-response chanting). “Do what ?” I posted on my FB page.  And for the next half day, I couldn’t wrap my head around how kirtan was going to manifest financial stability.  “More guidance” I asked out loud.  I wrote it on a scrap paper and slammed it to my fridge.  I was nervous.  That’s too hard.  How? And mostly, why me? I went to bed feeling like I was receiving mixed messages.  I couldn’t tell if it was my ego busting through or was it really my higher self urging me on.  

  

A little secret about me is that I love to sing.  I have grand visions of singing for people. It comes up over and over. Always I have some excuse to ignore it and just wish instead.  I drive by voice studios and think “yeah, I’d like to get into that”.  Open mic nights always tweak my interest.  I never miss a chance to chant at the end of a yoga class. And karaoke? Bullah! I’m in.

I have plans tonight to go to Belmar at the Turnstile Coffee Bar where the New Jersey Friends of Clearwater hold a monthly sing along.  A friend who has been before told me that participants are invited to share a song or music. “Oh no!” I screamed into the phone. “I can’t go.”  I will be obligating myself to sing.

Here’s the scary part: Ask and it is given. I asked for it and fear will stop me? It’s not only the scary part but the tricky part as well. Sing in front of people no way, not me. Sing for people, well yeah maybe.

“Well,” my friend said. ”You’ll just have to leave your ego at the door.”  I picture an old vintage suitcase, the kind that you see at garage sales and abandoned curbside on garbage night with three black letters on the  side : EGO.

    

If I let my ego get in the way of what I asked to receive, I will be ignoring my higher power.  So I’m going to trust this one.  I will be nervous.  I will try and bow out.  I will be bringing my EGO suitcase with me. I will be dropping my EGO suitcase at the door.

I don’t know what this singing will have to do with financial stability.  That part I’ll be leaving in the suitcase with the ego.  I don’t need to know.  I will be sitting back later and watching how it all plays out.  Afterall, I asked and it is a gift that is in the process of being hand to me right at this moment.  All that’s left to do is say thank you.  Thank You.  

Nadine Poveromo trained at the Integral Yoga Institute in NYC, and is certified as a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner from the Phoenix Rising Center in Stockbridge, Mass. Nadine helps students achieve the elusive art of living in the moment.

The key to her instruction is cultivating your ability to pay attention to every subtle nuance of your body … from emotions to thoughts to body sensations.

Yoga Plus Herbs, Marlboro Plaza, Intersection of Rte 9 and Rte 520 in Marlboro, NJ 07726, 732-617-2020, http://www.yogaplusherbs.com/, info at yogaplusherbs dot com