It seems that every six months or so a flutter of press activity erupts over Christian Yoga. Typically, the press reduces this complex and juicy issue into two opposing sides. In one corner we usually meet one of a growing handful of Christian yoga “innovators”, who have stripped yoga of its popular Hindu roots and iconography and grafted Christian elements therein. In the other corner, we typically meet Subhas Tiwari, professor of yoga philosophy and meditation at the Hindu University of America in Florida, whose famous line is “Yoga is Hinduism.” He stresses how you can't separate yoga from Hinduism because they are one and the same.

Gwyneth Paltrow is scheduled to teach what is probably the most expensive yoga lesson ever taught. In an auction for Prince Charles’ charity, a fan paid $50,000.00 (no, we didn’t add three extra zeros…) for a private session with Gwyneth. "Someone has spent a great deal of money on it so I’m going to have to really come up with an excellent plan. Unfortunately, I can’t do it in the nude or anything to make it really exceptional…" Paltrow said. She went on to assure the bidder that she would do everything within her power to not make the lesson any more awkward than she just did.

Shri Dharma Mittra is an elder statesman of yoga in America, a revered master—67 years old on May 14th—who has been mentor, guru, and spiritual guide for countless students and teachers. Born in Brazil, he came to New York in 1964 and studied for many years as a disciple of Swami Kailashananda, also known as Yogi Gupta. Mittra is well-known as the artist and yogi behind the Master Yoga Chart of 908 Asanas, the seminal poster that shows him demonstrating a stunning lexicon of poses. He continues to teach from his Manhattan studio, Dharma Yoga Center, and travels throughout the country and abroad to share yoga teachings and philosophy.

If you’ve been putting off trying inverted yoga poses or are just too afraid to go upside-down, you might try a new yoga hybrid that blends acrobatics and Thai massage with more familiar asanas such as back and forward bends. Called AcroYoga, this little-known partner-based practice emphasizes deep stretching, balance, playfulness, and courage.

It's stressful being a mom, even when you're mothering adult kids who never call. Once you give birth (I wouldn't know, but so I hear) a switch is flipped that never allows the thought of your child(ren) to be far from your mind — and heart. So this Mother's day you can treat the woman who brought you into this world with the same old one-two combination: brunch and jewelry or lunch and flowers, but why not make this year different? Help your mom help herself with a gift that's all about health, healing, and much-needed relaxation.

Last week the Guardian UK debuted images of a highly anticipated new work: a bronze sculpture cryptically titled Sphinx by Young British Artist Marc Quinn. It depicts a woman of ubiquitous beauty, supermodel Kate Moss, slithering hauntingly into yogic posture (specifically, Dwi Pada Sirsasana).

A confession: I own an iPod but don't have a clear conscience about it. Call me an elitist curmudgeon with an unseemly nostalgia for vinyl, but the sheer ubiquity of the devices-as well as the general obliviousness of iPod listeners -is cause for concern in my book. For me, the iPod fits into that category of mass media devices (TV, PC, cell phone) that are more likely than not to distract us from the essential.

The natural world in springtime endures obvious, drastic changes: first rain and gloom, then a mood-swing to sunshine and flowers. Parallel swings occur in our bodies and minds, but often, we're too preoccupied to notice. Emotions and mental states can run the gamut as days grow longer, and physical conditions ranging from aggravated allergies and colds to leftover flab and lethargy from winter can frustrate the renewal that has been the season's focus across cultures and throughout centuries.

Every so often, about midway through the month, it happens. The sun goes down, the full moon glows a bright bluish white in a dark, endless sky, and millions of Americans plant their butts by the TV. Not me. I'm thinking about getting my heart rate up, maybe somewhere outdoors, and believe it or not, I'm not alone. Outdoor activities and fitness of all kinds take place every month under a full moon, suiting unrepentant night owls like me just fine.

Treatment for cancer can be energy-draining, to say the least, and challenging in physical, spiritual, and emotional ways. While medical science continues to have breakthroughs, many doctors will tell you that recovery from any serious medical condition, including cancer, is intimately linked with the patient's ability to remain hopeful and believe that healing will occur.

In this light, GreatYoga.com “Life Goes Om” program seems quite appealing. This relatively new altruistic venture aims to help cancer patients maintain hope during the recovery process by practicing yoga. The way it works is simple: participating yoga studios agree to allow anyone currently undergoing cancer treatment to take classes for free. By practicing yoga, cancer patients can nurture a peaceful mind and cultivate the emotional and spiritual strength to see recovery through to its end.