Posts by Bob Butera, PhD

Breath awareness is one of the most valuable tools Yoga has to offer. Being aware of the breath and learning how to introduce new breathing patterns in practice and life helps us to reduce stress, sleep better, feel healthier, and be our best Self! What causes this phenomenon? The practice of breathing exercises improves our…

Yoga Citta Vritta Nirodha Yoga means stilling waves of the mind-body complex The Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali, Verse 2 As a Yoga teacher and Yoga Therapist promoting the benefits of a holistic Yoga Lifestyle for over 25 years, I have found that of the many definitions of yoga, this simple verse from the Yoga Sutras…

If you use the word yoga in an average conversation today, you are likely to come across different perceptions and definitions of what yoga is or is not. In Western culture Yoga is often conflated with general concepts like health, stretching and exercise. You could say that many of the people in America today are…

HONORING CYCLES: SLEEP AND REST Like food, rest and sleep are nutrition for our whole self. Creating a lifestyle that honors rest and sleep is essential for physical, mental, and emotional health. Without enough rest, the physical systems of our body are affected, as is our mental clarity and ability to balance emotional responses. Interestingly…

Yoga and Archetypes: A Natural Evolution of Observation and Practice An archetype is an original model or type after which other similar things are patterned. Sanskrit, the language in which Yoga was codified, an archetype is known as Purvaja. Purvaja means ahead of all others or firstborn. An archetype may be derived from, but not…

“Attachment is that which follows remembrance of pleasure.” – Yoga Sutras II, 7 In Yoga’s monastic tradition, upon initiation the monk is given a robe and an alms bowl. The acceptance of these objects represents a commitment to a life of simplicity, virtue and piety. These basic virtues seem at odds with a world that…