Finding Ashtanga Yoga helped teacher Erika Halweil tap the power of tapas and a daily practice.
THE GENERALLY EFFORTLESS RHYTHM of my life—and my yoga practice—began to shift in my late 20s. When I was 29 years old, going through a painful divorce, I was forced to make a new home for myself and my 18-month-old daughter (our home was in foreclosure, as I was one of the many affected by the big mortgage crisis of 2008). I no longer felt supported by my daily asana and pranayama practices. For the first time, my senses seemed clouded and dulled. Instead of coming to the mat care- and painfree, I found myself overwhelmed by the activity in my mind and the discouragement in my heart—and I was distracted by an unfamiliar fatigue and achiness.
Fortunately, fate guided me right back to my mat. I had already been teaching yoga for nearly a decade at this point, and I had been exposed to Ashtanga Yoga on several occasions. But after I had been strongly influenced against it by one of my most beloved teachers, I had reacted to it with aversion and judgment. Yet, at this particular moment in my life, this practice felt like home. I appreciated the quiet. I was soothed by the even rhythm. I felt supported by the detailed structure.
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Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av Yoga Journal.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Learning to Hear the Voice of Self-Care
How to discern what really matters.
Inclusive Yoga for All
A Down syndrome diagnosis set this family on a path to make yoga accessible to everyone.
For the Joy of Practice
Doing yoga without attachment to the outcome can bring unexpected gifts.
Be Kind to Your Spine
Your vertebral column is a series of complex, interconnecting parts that support your every movement. Here's how to keep it safe.
A Skeptic of Chakra Balancing
The experience helped me make peace with things that can't be explained.
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Bring play back into your practice with three styles of yoga that can get you out of your head and bring a smile to your face.
12 Ways to Use Blocks You've Probably Never Tried Before
The beauty of blocks? They not only meet you where you are in your practice, they take you beyond where you ever thought you could go.
THE SCIENCE OF AWE
THOSE MOMENTS IN LIFE THAT STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS IN ASTONISHMENT? RESEARCH SAYS EXPERIENCING MORE OF THEM CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
What Your Doshas Say About Your Dharma
Ayurveda can explain so much more than what's out of balance.
The Future of Yoga
Yoga has been evolving for thousands of yearsfrom a mind-and-body spiritual practice to a billion-dollar "lifestyle" practice. What's next? We asked futurists, teachers, and thinkers what to expect in the next decade and beyond.
