Constantina holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and is a professor of Religion at Hunter College of the City University of New York. She is a translator of Sanskrit poetry; author of several books and dozens of articles on Hindu mysticism, kundalini yoga, and goddess worship; and a featured expert on BeliefNet.com. Her latest book, Invoking Lakshmi: The Goddess of Wealth in Song and Ceremony, addresses the powerful and unique ways that women can connect with this goddess. A longtime practitioner of yoga and meditation, Constantina conducts meditation classes as well as experiential workshops on the goddess Lakshmi.

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So why did they come up with yoga? People today and people 10,000 years ago, we all have a tendency to lose our centre, we have a tendency to worry, to get agitated to fall into what we call negative emotions and negative states of mind. Many times we realize these aren’t good for us and we want to experience happiness and peace and contentment but just saying that isn’t enough. Yoga is a method to follow to help your body and your breath and your mind move into, that peaceful state.