Scott Anderson, Ph.D.

I sometimes wonder whether some of the old cars running around Madison support their bumper stickers, or whether the bumper stickers offer a sort of exoskeletal support structure for the cars? Regardless the nature of this symbiotic relationship, there is occasionally wisdom to be found in unlikely places. A decade or so ago, we saw the bumper-sticker no one is free when others are oppressed on many of Madison’s aging Volvos. In this simple statement, we saw a fundamental tenet of yoga revealed. By gently invoking the Yama of Ahimsa (non-violence) this bumper-sticker reminded us of our essential connectedness. As the Yogis understood eons ago – we are interconnected in ways that often elude our perceptions. For the aspiring Yogi(ni), the starting point of yoga practice is an understanding of Ahimsa (non-violence). While many interpret Ahimsa as an imperative toward vegetarianism, violence comes in many forms besides hitting people or eating animals. If we parse violence to its essence...

The notion of one-size-fits-all can be captivating. There's something appealing about erasing our differences, and we'll frequently turn to our physical form to express this desire. Many years ago I worked as a bicycle mechanic. The early 90's weren't such a robust time for budding Yoga teachers, and the day-job provided a modicum of financial stability. (As day jobs go, you could do worse than wrenching bikes.) While fixing another rusty hybrid bicycle, Jason observed that in the bicycle's attempt to do everything, it ended up not doing anything well. It didn't readily go off-road, nor did the hybrid bicycle offer much in terms of on-road performance. The negation of excellence in the pursuit of homogeneity has left us the poorer in more arenas than bicycling. It used to be that clothes billed themselves as one-size-fits-all. In the age of rampant obesity, only the muumuu can now make good on that claim. In response, we're finding clothing that bills itself...

While Homer’s bowling ball is unlikely to enter our vernacular like Occam’s razor or Schrodinger’s cat , there’s still a lesson to be learned from Homer Simpson. In an early Simpsons episode (#7G11), Homer Simpson bought his wife Marge an expensive birthday present – a bowling ball engraved with his name - Homer. Marge was understandably incensed, though Homer tried mightily to rationalize his behavior.
 Homer observed that Marge was unlikely to use the bowling ball, and rather than this beautiful bowling ball sitting unused, Homer thought himself cleverly proactive in monogramming his name on it. Clearly Homer’s gift wasn’t about Marge, but about himself. All too often, we find yoga teachers unconsciously behaving like Homer. Rather than teaching a class suited for the diversity of the students in their class, teachers often stick with techniques they’ve found relevant in their own practice. I’ve heard many teachers state confidently that their classes are based on their personal ex...

For more information, visit www.alignmentyoga.com .

The phrase Form Follows Function is often considered the rallying cry of modernism, and over the past century, has been pivotal in shaping our man-made world. The utensils we use, the buildings we inhabit, and the cars we drive are often based on this design paradigm. This design paradigm isn’t entirely a man-made phenomenon. When we study the natural world, we’re continually reminded that form follows function. While the bright colors of a particular bird or the puzzling bumps found on the femur may appear to be randomly selected, deeper study often reveals how these traits are integrally related to the whole. Generally the question is not if a particular trait has function, but in determining how many functions are served by that trait. As a long-time student of anatomy and physiology, I’m continually amazed at the level of genius contained within our physical form. What may at first appear accidental or random is often found to contain a remarkable depth of function. Yoga has ser...

As I mentioned in the previous blog entry, breathing is one of the least understood aspects of Yoga. True, we have many images and techniques regarding breathing techniques, though at the end of the day, the incidence of incorrect breathing is epidemic. Perhaps you’ve heard teachers suggest belly breathing , filling the collarbones , b reathing into the side ribs , filling the armpit-chest or other secondary instructions. While each of these carries an element of truth, in isolation, they’re often misleading. These instructions are all based on the assumption that the diaphragm is moving properly. In our 21st century world, this assumption doesn’t carry much weight. Perhaps proper diaphragm movement was commonplace at some other time and place, but today it’s become exceedingly rare. Why do we care about the movement of the diaphragm? The diaphragm signals the brain whether to be content, or ready-for-the-worst. If the diaphragm is moving improperly, the sympathetic nervous sys...

In the era before the iPod, it was rare to see adults riding their bikes down the street belting out songs. Such boundless enthusiasm is a wonderful and rare experience, and my first glimpse of Ashtanga Yoga inspired such a feeling. I enthusiastically described this first practice as though I felt like I’d been shot out of a cannon, and I imagine there are still mothers in South Minneapolis using hushed tones to warn their children of the daft man on a blue bicycle. It didn’t take very long before my dedicated Iyengar practice became a dedicated Ashtanga practice. As a fairly experienced yoga student, I quickly integrated the practices of first and second series into my routine. If sufficiently motivated, I’d chip away at third series every now and then. In the process, I quickly became stronger and more flexible than ever before. The only challenge with this practice, as many of you may have experienced, was working it into my daily routine. In 1991 I was a graduate student in the ...