The medulla oblongata is the lower part of the brain stem that connects the brain and spinal chord. It controls involuntary functions of the body like breathing, sneezing, heart rate, blood pressure and swallowing. Within yoga philosophy, the ego is considered to be centered at the medulla… View Full Term
Trending Terms
Yogapedia Terms
Connect with us
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
By clicking sign up, you agree to receive emails from Yogapedia and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Shakti is the creative force of the universe. Here's why you need more of this divine feminine energy in your life and four ways to get it glowing.
The words we repeat to ourselves everyday become a sort of mantra; so, make sure they are positive ones by learning more about the traditional meaning of mantras and why these sacred syllables matter to you!
The true meaning of yoga is union with universal consciousness. Learn how the various limbs of yoga, pranayama, asana, and meditation, all work together to bring us closer to this Divine union.
Learn the benefits of meditation most applicable to leaders with intense demands on their time, and a simple meditation practice to weave into busy schedules.
Further understand what grace is, how it comes through a relationship with a guru and all the benefits this brings.
Many of us see our own vulnerability as a weakness, but, if understood, it can be one of our greatest strengths. Learn how to unlock the courage to be willingly vulnerable and the power it brings.
Learn a variety of approaches to prayer and why communication with the Divine must be a two-way street.
Judgment and guilt are just a couple of signs that our ego has taken over. Learn how to confront your ego and take back control of your life.
Learn how to connect to love within your own being and how to choose love as the guiding force for your life.
By practicing perspective-taking of others' struggles instead of just our own, we can cultivate understanding about them and ourselves. This empathy, in turn, is essential to our well-being and here's more on why.
Born this day in 1893, Paramahansa Yogananda would go on to popularize India's ancient wisdom, including Kriya yoga, in the West. Also founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship, learn why his teachings are still so powerful to this day.
Jennie Lee shares with us an excerpt from her new book, Breathing Love: Meditation in Action, about a meditation on love.
Most are familiar with the asana (posture practice) 'limb'; however, it is the intertwining practice of all eight that leads us to the realization of our divine nature.
Svadhyaya, the lifetime of studying one's self, is part of the spiritual path to deepening your yoga practice.
If you are like most people beginning a meditation practice, all manner of discomfort and distraction will show up when you stop and try to get still. Learn why you should let go of results and practice trust in meditation.
Many well-intentioned people fall prey to the passions of false gurus. Learn the characteristics of a true guru and how to spot a fake.
Yoga therapist and author, Jennie Lee, clears up the misunderstanding that pranayama is only about breath control and explains how you can master your energy in three more ways every day.
Disciplined meditation can be tough, especially if you don't think you're doing it right. Here are three tips to help, including a few signs you're on the right track.
Every choice is directed by one of two states of consciousness – love or fear. Learn how to change your consciousness away from fear and toward love in order to improve your overall experience of life.
Jennie Lee, author of 'True Yoga,' shares her exploration with attachment and offers a daily practice to help achieve mindful non-attachment.
With all the distractions that we have today, some intentional preparation is needed to enter silence. Make a date with silence and mark on your calendar. Begin your time in stillness by letting family or colleagues know...
The length of our daily practice of meditation will vary according to one's level of experience. For those just getting started, the most important thing is to establish the routine, or habit of meditation in the same way...
It is natural to want to feel seen, heard and valued. However, there is a cultural obsession these days with the self that goes far beyond these basic human desires. The question of what we want, expect or feel we deserve...
Fulfillment comes from connecting to the love in your heart and living it continuously and consciously, no matter what anyone else is doing around you. Fulfillment definitely does not come from following all your desires, in...
After my daily meditation, I always take time to pray. Prayers of gratitude are my number one way of practicing appreciation for all the blessings in my life, as well as the challenges. From the yoga teaching of santosha, I...
The Gita is one of the most widely read spiritual texts in the world. Its universal message continues to ring true in every age, especially when we are faced, as we are today, with inexplicable atrocities of evil in the...
Guru is a Sanskrit word that means “dispeller of darkness,” from gu, meaning "darkness," and ru, meaning "that which dispels." Although used in modern dialogue to indicate an expert at something, a true guru is one who has...
Anyone beginning meditation knows that it is challenging. There are no quick results and that is why many people give up on it quickly. You have to enter a meditation practice as a long-term investment into your health and...
Meditation should be a daily practice, even if it is just for a few minutes each day. What is most important is to get into the habit of meditation, like you are in the habit of brushing your teeth or showering. The mind can...
Ideally, we should carve out a sacred place and time for daily meditation. Having a special spot where you set up a comfortable seat and some inspirational items helps to create a foundation for your practice. You will find...