Wrapping up this journey, I view my whole being from the Katonah Magic Square perspective. I access my implicit third nature through my explicit first and second nature. In Nevine’s glyph, the right profile of 2,7 and 6 shows 2 as the vision of reflection, 7 as the hand of skill and 6 as the […]
Carlos Lu
Carlos Lu is a devoted yogi and yoga teacher who seeks to inspire others to live a joyful, easeful and graceful life. He has trained extensively with Nevine Michaan, Kia Miller and Abbie Galvin. He obtained his certification in Radiant Body Yoga with Kia Miller in Rishikesh, India. He is grateful to Elena Brower for her teaching mentorship and is studying Tai Ji with Master Chungliang Huang. He teaches at Katonah Yoga Center in Bedford Hills, NY.
Journey through Katonah Yoga – Ninth in a Series: Vision
“Having a higher vision is to see the big picture, know the terrain and discern choices. When you have options, you become powerful! Show up at the right place at the right time and find joy.” – Nevine Michaan Rooms 2, 9 and 4 is shown in the glyph above with its fractals: From the […]
Journey Through Katonah Yoga, Eighth in a Series: Ability
“When faced with a challenging task or circumstance, the difference between joy and terror is technique. Skilled surfers celebrate a giant wave; novices are stricken with fear!” – Nevine Michaan. 7 is my right hand, my instrument to accomplish and explore the explicit. It is my hand of skill and training. A well-developed hand can […]
Journey Through Katonah Yoga, Seventh in a Series: Stability
First nature is what I inherit in the form of my body, my heart that beats, and my lungs that breathe… Second nature is what I learn and eventually master through practice, such as reading, riding a bicycle, driving a car, doing asana… In Nevine’s Magic Square, the left eye (4), left hand (3) and […]
Journey through Katonah Yoga, Sixth in a Series: The Archetype of Numbers
Archetypes are universal. They are the same to everyone, everywhere and in every era. By understanding the archetypes of numbers, I read the book of nature. The numbers from one to ten and the shapes that represent them express the cosmic calligraphy: a circle, line, triangle and square express a consistent comprehensible language. They are […]
Journey through Katonah Yoga, Fifth in a Series: The Golden Thread
The Golden Thread, also known as sutra atman, is material in the astral plane, it is mythic and archetypal. My imagination, my thoughts and ideas weave my story; and with it, I skillfully use the narrative to unravel the knot. In the story of Ariadne’s Thread, it is with the help of her string ball […]
Journey through Katonah Yoga, Fourth in a Series: The Katonah Magic Square
The Katonah Magic Square is a map with 9 rooms (see glyph). I use this image bank to orient and situate myself in time and space. Each room is assigned a coded number. All polarities add up to 10 and all trinities add up to 15. BOTTOM – stability, primal 6: Right Foot – risk […]
Journey through Katonah Yoga, Third in a Series: The Katonah Yoga Chakras
Using a musical scale: DO – reproductive/endocrine glands RE – adrenal glands MI – spleen/ pancreas Primal Realm: Sex, Money, Food; relates to Fire, Earth, Water FA – thyroid SO – thymus LA – pituitary Communal Realm: Ventilating/articulating system, steering and mirrors; my mirrors have 3 angles of perception: acute, right angle, obtuse TI – […]
Journey through Katonah Yoga, Second in a Series: My Body as My Vehicle
My body is my vehicle, my breath is my fuel, and my vision gives me the ability to read maps to have a transcendental experience. Starting my vehicle with my key in the ignition is a metaphor for lighting my pilot light, my reproductive glands. Hearing an alarm when I get on my seat is […]
Journey through Katonah Yoga, First in a Series: Introduction
Nevine Michaan developed her yoga through 40 years of practice and teaching. When I joined her class for the first time, I quickly felt as if she knew me. She set me up in Bound Angle Pose and assessed my body, reading where I was oriented and what I needed to do to get what […]
Finding Center
Much negativity has arisen this election year and I find the call of practice even more. As I practice, my breath eases, my body warms and slowly, I find THAT calm place, my center. Much like being in the eye of a storm. It is a moving, but still, center. There are many paths to […]
Deepening Joy
I grew up a very motivated, driven person; achieving work success relatively early from humble beginnings. But I felt empty. I was going so fast that I was never present in my interactions. My mind was always somewhere else. Does this sound familiar to you? Through yoga, I learned to slow down, reconnect with myself […]
Finding Joy
If we live with presence, dropping our attachment to a specific outcome and truly allow the moments in our life to unfold organically, we can find joy. Joy is always there! The teachings of the wisdom traditions are always available to us. It is up to us to access joy with our breath, body and […]
Vibrating our Hero’s Journey
Practicing yoga daily, no matter how long, allows a level of mastery. Through time, the gift of vibration with our true nature starts to manifest. And when we do find this, it is an experience to cherish. For joy is in tuning to the frequency of this vibration! Dance with this, be spacious and grounded […]
Balancing Grace and Effort
In the Katonah Yoga practice, we are asked to use structure rather than muscle. “Form informs flow, and flow deepens form. So what is naturally deformed in nature can be reformed and eventually transformed.” -Nevine Michaan This seemingly simple concept has allowed me to open in poses instead of muscling to hold them. Yoga becomes […]