The yoga of happiness, called Rasa Yoga, is a practice that doesn’t require a mat, a block, or even a downward dog. It’s a Tantric discipline based on the nine rasas (or families) of emotions. These emotional states of being include both positive and negative attributes. Rasa Sadhana is the practice of emotional fasting, or for a fixed period of time, eliminating some of the negative rasas. Here’s a video on the topic:

The Sound of Yoga

Kirtan (or devotional chanting) is a wonderful complement to any yoga practice. Krishna Das is one of the more well-known Kirtan artists but the practice is gaining popularity with yoga studios offering Kirtan concerts. David Newman, owner of Philadelphia-based “Yoga on Main” has been touring the world sharing his love of the musical form with yogis everywhere. Kirtan shows are an interactive experience between the artist and the audience. Learn more here.

More Yoga Goodies

Looking for new yoga props? After you’ve tried your local yoga studio or Whole Foods, try this comprehensive list of online stores to buy that new mat, bolster, or DVD. Go here.

One Asana At a Time

Can that backbend (Urdhva Dhanurasana) or crane pose (Bakasana) be the reason you end up visiting your doctor? It can be, according to Dr. Johnny Benjamin, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at the Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Florida. He sees a great deal of yoga-related injuries because of people (mostly women) who are determined to contort into asanas that are beyond the level they have studied. “People will start at a level that is not appropriate for them,” Dr. Benjamin says. “A lady might go to a yoga class with a friend who’s been practicing yoga for some time, and try to do what she does, and her body isn’t ready for it.” Read more about this issue here.