Welcome!

I've been thinking about creating a website for some time now -- what content I might include, and what I would name it. I chose the name YogaGreen for a number of its connotations that resonate deeply with me and my intention for this blog.

First, and perhaps most obviously (depending on who you ask), is the association of 'green' with environmental sustainability. I believe that global climate change and the depletion of natural resources are defining issues of our time. Aside from teaching and studying yoga, much of my work has focused on sustainable business and clean technologies. I have been somewhat surprised to find that the environment is not a more overt topic in many yoga communities. One of my hopes for this website is to bring together yoga and environmental sustainability in a more explicit way, and to highlight the work that others are doing to raise awareness.

In his essay, "The Practice of Eco-Yoga," preeminent yoga scholar Georg Feuerstein writes: "Yoga is intrinsically ecological... As the Bhagavad Gita (II.48) puts it, yoga is balance... when we are inwardly balanced, we are also balanced in our relationship to the environment."

The second relevant meaning of 'green' for me, is in the sense of "a space to gather," as in the campus green or village green. When I was in college, students often came together "on the green" -- the main campus lawn surrounded by the University Center and academic buildings. "The Green" was a gathering place for friends, impromptu games, celebrations, vigils, and protests -- a space to build community. Similarly, my intention for this website is to create a space to gather, a place for building community, a forum for sharing, connecting, and growth.

Third is the association of the color green with the Heart (Anahata) Chakra. Anahata Chakra is the fourth of seven chakras from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. As such, it is the central point of the chakra system, uniting spirit from the chakras above it, with matter from the chakras below. The chakras provide a map for our personal evolution. They have also been said to map to our collective evolution, according to which, we, as a society, have evolved to the third chakra--the seat of power, action, and will. Anahata Chakra inspires us to live life from the heart with love, compassion, self-acceptance, and healthy relationships.

Finally, having recently moved from Colorado to Vermont, the concept of 'green' seemed especially appropriate. Vermont is the Green Mountain State -- a state green in color with grass and trees, and green in awareness with a particularly environmentally minded populace.

Over time, I hope to develop a site that offers regular entries on yoga and environmental news, articles, and trends, green tips and resources, photos, videos, themes and sequences, inspiring quotes, orginal poetry, useful links, information on yoga and running (another passion of mine), and insights into the connections between health, wellness, and the environment.

You will also find information about me, the classes I am teaching, and other opportunities and special events as they arise.

Thank you for joining me here. Om Shanti. Namaste.