Yoga Connections

Discover the connections between yoga and the traditions expressed in Himalayan art.

Yoga is a system of philosophy and practice that seeks to help people align their body and mind in order to transform their experience. One translation of yoga is “yoke,” the tool used to connect an ox to a plough. Like yoga, the art objects in our collection, intended for ritual purposes as well as aesthetic ones, seek to link the worldly and the transcendent.

This month, a Rubin Museum docent will be joined by Marlie McGovern to discuss a work of art that will inspire a conversation about yoga, its philosophies, and its visual representations. A breathing exercise will allow participants to internalize the discussed concepts.

About the Speaker

Marlie McGovern, E-RYT, RPYT, MA, teaches meditative and somatic practices from the contemplative traditions of yoga and Buddhism, informed by contemporary insights from Western psychology.

With an educational background in cultural anthropology and psychology, McGovern explores how we experience ourselves and others in the world. She specializes in restorative yoga, a deep and nuanced practice of fully supported asana that stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and facilitates exploration of the subtle limbs of yoga.

McGovern is the Administrative Director of the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, Program Director for the Institute’s Yoga Psychology Training Program, and a graduate of the Institute’s Certificate Program in Contemplative Psychotherapy.