Posts by Karyn Bristol

Question:  I really like starting class singing Om, but what does it mean? Answer: Om or Aum is a Sanskrit word meaning omnipresence, all-encompassing. It is said to be the sound of the universe, being the basic sound of the world – the word that contains all other sounds. Aum is spoken as three sounds ah–ohh—um–and is…

Question:  I really enjoy your new Wednesday night restorative yoga class, but besides being restful, how do these postures affect my health? Answer: The postures we do in the class are adaptations of classic yoga postures, except you are supported by props such as chairs, blankets, blocks and the wall. When you are supported you do not…

Question: Have you ever heard these phrases? “He shoulders the world’s problems” or ” I had to shoulder my way into the company.” Answer: The shoulders show our tension, sadness, depression, weariness and failures and for some, a hard life. When our shoulders are in alignments, away from the ears and chest lifted, we usually feel happier and…

Question:  This is my first yoga class and I love it, but I want to do more than just come to a class once a week. What’s the best way for me to start practicing yoga at home? Answer: It’s terrific that you are feeling the benefits of yoga and that wanting to integrate it more into your…

Question:  The last time I visited the LA Iyengar Institute, I bought a T-shirt with a sutra printed on it. I have been asked by my students to explain the sutra. Answer: A sutra is a short writing that is packed with information, ideas, suggestions, wisdom and is a guiding light to self- realization. The sutras…

Question:  I’m a Level 1 student. How do I know when I’m ready to move on to a Level 2-3 class? What’s the difference between the two levels? Answer: In the beginning level classes, students experience yoga primarily as a form of exercise or stretching. The asanas are often difficult and tiring for the beginner and beginners…

Question: When will I feel the great inner peace that yoga is supposed to give us? Answer: Many yoga students are drawn to yoga in a quest to find inner peace. Yet that sense of calm and equanimity is not easy to attain. After years of standing, seated and inverted poses, you may find yourself wondering just…

Question:  I have incredibly stiff quads and hamstrings and cannot touch my toes. I hate downward dog. Can yoga really help me? Answer: Adho Mukha Svanasana or dog pose is a challenging yoga posture. This pose requires a complete body awareness and all-around strength and flexibility. It may be that you cannot do the pose fully for…

Question:  Why do you often have us do twists at the end of class? Answers: Twists are an important to our practice because twists are a force that will help us balance physically and energetically. By the end of a yoga class you have bent, turned, twisted, extended, contracted and rotated your spine in many ways. Doing a…

Question:  A student recently asked, “I love a restorative yoga class because I like to have the space to relax, but how does the restorative class fit into the rest of what you are teaching?” Answers: This is a great question for me to consider because of my own relationship with restorative yoga. For years, I avoided restorative…