Discipline as a Structure for Freedom As I mentioned in my previous blog Freedom Found in Yogic Rituals, as a child, I had an intense thirst for soul understanding. As…

Soul Inquiry When I was young I was introduced to the concept of the soul. I was told, “The soul is the most sacred part of you. It is the…

In classical Sanskrit, the word “kavi” generally translates as poet. However, during the Vedik period, kavi held a more mystical significance. In the Vedas, a kavi is referred to as…

The word “Rishi” means seer or sage. Rishis are those beings who have perfected their understanding and vision of all things spiritual through intense tapas, or yogic practice. Rishis are…

As a young kid, I knew nothing about almonds except, of course, that I liked eating them. My grandma always had a dish laid out on her coffee table with…

The Largess Over the past 20 years of teaching Sanskrit, I have discovered two distinct ways that people engage the language. Either people study Sanskrit and become more arrogant as…

Yoganonymous chatted with Manorama about what it means to be a “knower of the field,” a phrase that appears in Chapter 8 of Bhagavad Gita. Q: It is mentioned in…

In the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 69, Shri Krishna instructs Arjuna by telling him: What is the night for ordinary beings, the yogi is awake to and conversely what…

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches Arjuna to stand in his dharma as the greatest warrior. Arjuna’s fight is our fight. It is an inner battle, and on a yogic…

Good Sanskrit Pronunciation vs Chanting from Your Heart Questioner: Dear Manorama, We met in January 2015, for a Sanskrit workshop. I am teaching an “introduction to yoga” class in which…

My Rebellion When I was a teenager, I’m sure my parents would tell you that I took rebellious to a whole new level. I was the classic youngest of three…

I recently looked over some homework assignments from a class. The work that came in was lovely. In nearly all of the homework submissions, students talked about how they worked…

Prana means breath, life force, energy, and soul. But to truly understand prana requires that we make some clear distinctions. Prana: Sanskrit & Its Yogic Origins  The word prana derives…

In the Luminous Soul Method, we begin by asking the student to get curious about What is prana? Simply put prana means breath, life force and energy. But understanding prana…

You are beautiful. You are powerful. You are free. You are a Luminous Soul. ~ Manorama Once when I was working with a private student in NYC I noticed that she…

The Conversation is a quaterly blog series devoted to the dialog between Yogis & Artists By Manorama An interview with my brother, Artist, Carl D’Alvia, acclaimed sculptor, & Rome prize winner on Art…

There are many amazing things about Sanskrit. One beautiful aspect of the language is how many of her sounds are what is called soft. Hard and soft refer to how…

Many students ask me, “How can I work with Mantra Yoga and Nadam in my practice?” Mantra Yoga and Nadam is such a vast, huge, rich subject. It is the…

When I first heard about meditation, I liked the idea of it. “Feel at peace through all of your experiences” was the promise echoed on almost every flier in every…

We live in this fast world with demands on us all the time. The Yoga Sutra by Lord Patanjali teaches us how to awaken our connection to our own reverent core….