Yoga+ Magazine

In fourth grade, I decided to deliberately fragment my focus. As an ardent member of the original MTV generation, I surmised that allocating my attention across multiple tasks at the same time was a vital survival skill. So I practiced doing my homework alongside a boom box blaring pop FM radio. First I mastered the art of math with Madonna, then I moved on to reading with the Beastie Boys. I’ve since learned the consequences of a scattered mind outweigh the rewards of multitasking, but unraveling those well-entrenched habits of distraction continues to pose a challenge (must resist urge to YouTube “Like a Prayer”).

Of course, I’m not alone. The age of hyper-connectivity and information overload has inspired many a pundit, psychologist, and productivity coach to decry our collective crisis of attention. And every year, more and more parents face the dilemma of whether or not to medicate their child for ADHD. It seems we’re all paying a little more attention to our (in)ability to pay attention.

Luckily, with the help of mindfulness practices, I can work towards channeling my frenetic, parallel streams of mental activity into a one-pointed focus—whether I’m meditating on a mantra, editing an article, or appreciating the food on my plate. Though it often feels like an uphill battle, there’s hope: Dr. Timothy McCall tells us neuroscience research is now proving what the yogis have known for millennia: the brain is capable of rewiring itself when new habits replace the old.

Ultimately this is what yoga—and Yoga+—is all about: exploring how to be skillfully attentive in every aspect of life. Pandit Rajmani Tigunait shows us how simple breathing practices can boost concentration and Dr. Carrie Demers offers an ayurvedic approach to treating ADHD. A tantric scholar reminds us that divine consciousness permeates everything—we just need to pause and take notice. And if we all paid attention to the earth’s shrinking forests the way that “Godfather of Green” Allen Hershkowitz does, none of us would buy toilet paper made from virgin fiber again.

But we at Yoga+ are not above engaging with the technologies of distraction…for the sake of fostering community, that is. Go ahead, follow us on Twitter (http://twitter/Yoga_Plus), send us your comments on Facebook, or email the neti pot article to a friend (http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/yogaplus/article.aspx?id=3421 ). After all, we are living in the 21st century.

These days yoga is popping up everywhere I look—from the family-friendly Easter yoga session the Obamas hosted on the White House lawn, to the rhapsodic rendition of the Gayatri mantra in the opening theme of Battlestar Galactica. But something is happening beyond the fitness craze and the occasional nod to yoga’s spiritual core. For many of us, the economic downturn, like other periods of personal and collective hardship, is spurring a deeper engagement with spirituality—a search for inner guidance, a probing of philosophical truths.

While the media outlets play the blame game and air endless speculation about the future of the economy—who’s responsible for this mess? how long will the recession last? what are the long-term implications?—many of us are pondering the complexities of cause and effect in our own lives. The term “karma” has been fashionable for decades, but how much do we understand about the ways karmic laws shape our everyday experience? How does karma originate and where is it stored? How does the karma we’ve created influence our present and our future? How much of our life is predetermined and how much is in our hands? Pandit Rajmani Tigunait examines these questions through the scriptural lens of the Yoga Sutras, while Linda Johnsen sheds light on the intersection of fate and free will in her feature on the ancient science of Vedic astrology.

Confronted with layoffs and crumbling retirement savings, as yoga aspirants we contemplate the underlying goal of life, count our blessings, and extend our compassion to others. The shyly sweet Cambodian girl on the cover is one of hundreds of destitute children living and toiling on a toxic garbage dump in Phnom Penh. Shannon Sexton’s feature, “To Cambodia, With Love,” chronicles the plight of these kids, and the efforts of a millionaire Hollywood executive helping them forge a new destiny. For me, the children’s spirited tenacity in the face of suffering and injustice was deeply inspiring; the realization that our wasteful consumption habits have such dire consequences, galvanizing.

In addition to bringing you this summer issue full of practical wisdom, Yoga+ is constantly upgrading its reader services. We have expanded the interactive content on yogaplus.org, adding new instructional videos by Sandra Anderson, the first installment of our cooking show, and much more. And now you can connect with us on Facebook—search for “Yoga+ magazine” to stop by our page, meet readers and practitioners from around the world, and tell us how we’re doing.•

Natalya Podgorny, Editor
editor@yogaplus.org


Yoga + Joyful Living
Issue 106
Summer 2009

President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters will host their first White House Easter festivities today, April 13, 2009.

This child and family focused event is part of the 131-year-old tradition of White House Easter Egg Roll. This year’s theme, ‘Let’s go play’, encourages America’s youth to lead healthy and active lives. The White House will open the South Lawn to children age ten and under, along with their families, to enjoy a variety of activities including the traditional Easter egg roll.

Anne Marie Kramer, owner of Zuda Yoga in Northern California, along with five other Zuda teachers will be joined by teachers from M Body Yoga in Florida, Down Dog Yoga in Washington DC, Dancing Mind Yoga in Virginia and Cleveland Yoga in Ohio.

The teaching team from Zuda Yoga will lead a series of yoga practices on the South Lawn of the White House for children and their families. About 30,000 people--mostly children--are expected to attend.

“We are delighted to be bringing the modern expression of a 5,000 year old way of healthy, whole living to the White House for the first time. We look forward to sharing the many gifts of yoga--strength, concentration and balance--with the thousands of families and their young children during this traditional Easter weekend celebration,” says Ms. Kramer.

The first Easter Egg Roll took place in 1878. Traditionally, the White House Easter festivities have been geared toward young children. This year’s event will focus on healthy lifestyle choices, green living and fitness.