As promised here is the link to the article I read in class from 1/11/16 – 1/17/16. Enjoy!

http://fiveelementhealing.net/winter-the-season-of-water-element/

When I was in California this summer studying with my Yin yoga and Chakra meditation teacher Paul Grilley he alluded to the fact that he had just wrapped up filming a video series for Pranamaya on ‘a functional approach to yoga’. The concept of a functional approach to teaching yoga was not a new one for those of us who, like me, had studied with Paul for many years, but it was still exciting news.

Since that time I have not heard any news of the video, until now. Pranamaya just posted an interview style podcast with Paul about his functional approach to yoga as a teaser for the soon to be released video. I am looking forward to seeing the video and to continuing my studies with Paul and Suzee in 2016 as we delve into Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

If you are curious about finding out what a functional approach to yoga is here’s the link to the podcast: https://www.pranamaya.com/blog/regular-posts/paul-grilley-discusses-the-functional-approach-to-yoga-podcast/

As promised here is the article I read in Yin class the week of 11/16 – 11/22 2015 on WINTER THE SEASON OF WATER by Neil Gumenick.

http://www.5elements.com/docs/elements/water.html

Here is the link to the article I shared in class the week of September 25th – October 1st 2015 called “CYCLES: AUTUMN THE SEASON OF METAL ENERGY” by Neil Gumenick.

The Land of Medicine Buddha is full of paths and trails to run or walk during our break each day.  If you pay attention as you go, it is not uncommon to see interesting statues and iconography along the path.  Sometimes there is something placed before the statue as an ‘offering’, as in the photograph above.  My mother being Japanese, and having trained in Zen, I am most familiar with the Japanese expression of Buddhism where it is customary to burn incense before a statue of the Buddha as an offering.  However, I have never heard of offering cash or trinkets before the Buddha as in the photo above.  This made me curious.  Is this is customary in other branches of Buddhism?  Or, is this simply the spontaneous action of people passing by hoping to garner a little good karma?