Ashram Yoga Statues

The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwanthari Ashram in India has the coolest thing—twelve life-like sculptures that line a serene lake near the ashram. Uli Loskot, of the Baltimore City Paper, says the statues represent the twelve basic Sivananda Yoga postures. Its benefits are many, including help with circulation, detoxification, and strength. His recent article briefly discusses the poses and offers a link to a photo gallery of the twelve “live” asanas. They’re beautiful and inspiring, although he doesn’t say what they’re made of (my best guess is wood or metal.) Each one has its Sanskrit name written on it. Take a look at citypaper.com.

Being Certified

If you’ve gotten to the point in your practice where you feel ready to begin teaching, congratulations! Even though the saying is that there are about as many lawyers on the planet as there are students in law school, the same is nearly holding true for yoga teachers. If despite this, you still feel called to take your profession to the mat, then you should. The first step is to find out what your options are to get certified. This blogger talks about this subject and also warns would-be yoga students to be aware of their teachers’ qualifications. Yoga certifications are now available on the Internet without even having to prove that the applicant has ever stepped on a mat. This isn’t to say that there aren’t qualified teachers who are not officially certified, but peace of mind can go a long way. See myyogaexercises.wordpress.com.

Fitness in a Small Space

Laurie Searle lived for a long time in a small New York City apartment (are there any other kinds?) Being a fitness guru, she was forced to learn how to employ a ton of different props in a small space, without feeling crunched. She managed to use a yoga mat, a jump rope, resistance bands, workout ball, foam roll, and even an old-fashioned aerobic step, all in a very small space. This fantastic video shows her with all her workout goodies and how she uses each one without even hitting a wall. She offers hope and inspiration to those of us working in cramped spaces who don’t want to compromise our practices. Go to youtube.com.