The Feathered Pipe has been blessed to host many of the foremost teachers, guides and wisdom holders within the realm of yoga, meditation, spirituality, health and wellness during our four-plus decades of existence. The Feathered Pipe Blog offers you the opportunity to explore more deeply their thoughts and insights for opening to experience a more healthful and fulfilling life.
Iyengar yoga is sometimes called the yoga of alignment, but it’s about more than muscles and bones. Iyengar Yoga teacher Marla Apt designed this particular sequence to address the stuffy noses, swollen sinuses, and headaches associated with colds and seasonal allergies. Read More
If you watch people arrive at the Feathered Pipe Ranch for any retreat, any program, any teacher, any year—you’ll notice something curious. Within moments of stepping out of their cars or our Metta Magic transport van, shoulders drop a full inch. Eyes soften. The jaw unclenches. Read More
It’s not uncommon for each day to come with its own lineup of small troubles—an ache in your back, a careless comment from someone, a mistake you wish you could undo, a bit of unsettling news. These moments are real, and they sting. But they can also take on a life far bigger than they deserve. Read More
All suffering begins in the mind and…so does all healing. Journaling is a tool that helps you sift and sort through the FACTS – THOUGHTS – AND FEELINGS, to understand your suffering, and begin to make positive changes. Read More
The root cause of excessive tension often lies in our inability to manage our thoughts. Rather than guiding the mind, we let it control us—allowing it to dictate our emotions, reactions, and overall state of being. Read More
Surrender selfish acts and replace them with the desire to give. When we truly practice "sustained subservience", our actions become "actionless acts", leaving no negative imprints, because they are no longer acting, but it is the Self acting through them. Read More
We are a society of over-doers. We are programmed to "do" a lot — it keeps us engaged and makes us feel productive and in control. Even when most of us “try” to relax, we go about it in a zealous, goal-oriented way. Read More
Within the art of Ayurveda, there will never be one remedy or one sequence that brings everyone or their dosha back into alignment. The response to every inquiry about your health is that “It depends,” as my teacher, Dr. Robert Svoboda, was so fond of saying. Read More
Take a moment to remember the last time you felt happy…and I’m not talking about “top of the world happy,” just that simple kind of happy that involves having an inner smile, a sense of peace and contentment, and a freedom from most worries and concerns. That’s the type of happiness most of us are wanting. Read More
Imagine practicing the same sequence for a lifetime. Senior level Iyengar Yoga instructor Marla Apt was asked to suggest one set of poses you could do for decades, with modifications to honor the changes in energy and ability you’ll encounter at different times. It is assumed you have a basic knowledge of the poses presented. Read More
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes the true yogi as one who "keeps tranquility of mind in the face of dualistic extremes: heat and cold, success and failure, pain and pleasure, evil and good. She remains calm and composed through the ups and downs of life." Read More
Your immune system is made up of many components including the tonsils, thymus gland, lymphatic and circulatory systems, digestive tract, and bone marrow. Each of these systems (or parts of the body) plays a unique role in helping your body fight against foreign invaders like bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Read More