By Robert Frager — 2002
My Sufi master taught that the goal of Sufism is to develop hearts that can pray.
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CLEAR ALL
Like a majestic peak that dominates the countryside around it near and far, the figure of Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī, that supreme Sufi poet of the Persian language, dominates the whole of the later Sufi tradition in the eastern lands of Islam.
A few weeks ago, a Baptist minister in Texas started a rumble, or at least a small brouhaha, when he declared that yoga is not suitable for Christians. His point was that using the body for spiritual practice contradicts basic Christian principles.
Every day, we have to do the impossible. We have to submit to the magic reboot of sleep and then get up and line up all our selves into a unified being and get on with it. Nearly every day, new qualities of our selves come online to join in with all the others. This is a creative act.
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Certain types of yoga can produce a natural “high” that can help those recovering from addiction. For Troy Jackson, yoga proved to be such a powerful recovery tool that he’s now a yoga teacher.
The black box is awkward at best and excruciating at worst. But it’s where change happens.
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The definition of emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, differentiate, and manage our emotions and the emotions of others. The notion of emotions being important in our lives goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks.
Yoga is challenging (I struggle with the breathing), but it is a great option for Black men. We encounter daily obstacles including racism, physical and mental health challenges that require an outlet.
Lately during my yoga classes, I find myself feeling very emotional. Several times I have felt my eyes fill up with tears during a pose. This has happened even on good days. Why is this, and is it normal?
In describing the qualities of asana with the adjectives “sthira” and “sukha,” Patanjali uses language very skillfully. Sthira means steady and alert–to embody sthira, the pose must be strong and active.
You've tried everything else to ease your tension. Maybe it's time to opt for simple stretches that draw on contemporary science as well as thousands of years of traditional Chinese medicine.