The Yoga Multimedia Buffet

Recently I was talking to a friend of mine who teaches yoga at a local gym. She studied yoga back in the 70's when, as she says, you were considered a total hippie if you practiced yoga. She had a teacher (who wore robes incidentally) and she would practice with him. No frills. No fancy yoga clothes. She went to the teacher not the other way around.

Well, yogis, we're not in the 70s anymore. Now all we have to do is boot up our computers and jump online and viola -- a virtual yoga buffet. First came sites that offered yoga MP3s for download then videos and now the sky is the limit. I like to soak it all in. I still like the fact that I have a teacher but I can't complain about the fact that there's an enormous amount of yoga out in cyberspace. You just have to discern the good from the bad. Here's just a sampling of the latest...

Yoga Journal has launched their new venture -- Yoga Journal TV. Hmmmm...it's not like any TV that I've ever seen -- I actually want to WATCH these channels. It's no wonder when the channels cover yoga practice, author interviews and talks by prominent Buddhist teachers. Yoga Journal has been making a concerted effort over these past few years to utilize every form of media available -- blogs, podcasts, and now video. I'll take it over regular ole TV any day.

Entertainment isn't the only purpose served online. There's also education. Russill Paul, author of The Yoga of Sound (great book, by the way), just recently opened Mystic Heart: School of Transformation. This multimedia distance learning course offers three tracks: 1. Mantra; 2. Music and 3. Meditation. The first program begins in July and is perfect for anyone that wants to deepen their practice or just learn more about either/all of these wonderful forms of practice. The opening module is mantra with the music module following in the fall and the meditation module following shortly after. My only problem with this course is indecision -- I don't know which module to take! I've never delved deep into mantra or music although I love both, so I might end up taking two tracks. If you're like me and you're having trouble deciding, you can read more about each track and watch a video preview here.

The final multimedia experience (and it is a true experience) for the day comes in the form of a funny. Mike Myers upcoming (it'll be in theaters in June) movie, The Love Guru, has -- what else -- a yoga spin. Sometimes I get a bit too serious about my yoga study and practice, so it's always fun to lighten things up. Who better to offer light (and hysterical) than Myers?!?! I don't think we need an excuse to laugh but it is Monday after all, so it's as good a time as any to practice a little laughter yoga. Here's a little taste of the absurdity from Myers' character, Guru Pitka.

If you'd like another dose of the guffaws, you can get more here.

From the amusing to the helpful to the silly -- it's all out there. All you have to do is belly on up to the yoga buffet and indulge.

Namaste!

Comments

[Diane Cesa]

I hear you Ryan -- it made me laugh out loud too. That's Mike Myers for you. Glad you got a good guffaw out of it!

[Ryan]

That Mike Meyers widget is freaking hilarious. I've been waiting for this movie to come out for ages. When I first landed on your blog, I heard some voice playing in the background and I thought it might have actually been some sort of ad or something. Then I scrolled down the page to see The Love Guru blabbering away.

Two thumbs up!

[Diane Cesa]

You're welcome gitasan. I'm glad that you're finding the site useful. Enjoy!

[gitasan]

thanks for so much info in 1 place! just started yoga and great site for info!!!!