Yoga 101

Yoga 101

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The eight limbs of yoga or also known as ashtanga (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi) is the foundation of yoga. The word yoga itself rooted from a sanskrit word of Yuj means union.

Oh friend, understand: the body is like the ocean, rich with hidden treasures.
Open your innermost chamber and light its lamp…   

                  

                                                            The Essential Mystics, Harper Collins, 1998

The sanskrit root of YOGA is YUJ means to bind, to join, union. As explained in the book Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar, it’s the unity of all the powers of the body, mind and soul to God, disciplining the intellect, the mind, the emotions and the will.  It enables one to look at life in all  aspects evenly.

To start yoga, you don’t need to have the flexibility and concentration.  In fact, anyone, regardless of age, sex, or physical ability can do it. As you practice yoga routinely, your muscles and joints will gain flexibility and you’ll need less effort to come into a pose.  But, if you suffer from any specific medical condition, you should consult with your doctor before practicing.  Ask for their expert advice on the best appropriate number of hours and frequency of yoga practice to specially suit your physical condition.

Some people say that the best time to perform the asanas (postures) is in the morning before you start your daily routine.   Some others think the foremost element is discipline, and allocating time to really practice without any disruption.  Do you really have the time and space for your own practice?

There are EIGHT STEPS OF YOGA (ASHTANGA), the first one that becomes the root of ashtanga is YAMAS – to speak the truth, to refrain from violence and stealing.  And then there is NIYAMAS –the importance for one to keep the purity of the body and mind, to study or gain knowledge, and to surrender the ego.

The next step is ASANAS – literally means comfortable seating or steady poses. There are hundreds of asana (postures) and each one of them has its own benefits to our body. It is globally accepted by doctors that you are as young as your spine, so maintain the flexibility of your spine, where the nervous system channels, by practicing asana.  Asanas work the same way as acupuncture, the different poses put pressure on various points, if you practice them regularly  and correctly you’ll gain the benefit.

Moving on half way, PRANAYAMA – is the control of vital energy through breathing exercise. Here is the big picture of yogic breathing; when you inhale fully, you are supplying an abundance of oxygen – essential to every cell in the body. When you exhale, the waste products are being expelled.   Therefore, you should concentrate on the exhalation and give time to dispel the bad stuff out of your body system.  In the end, the breathing techniques in yoga will also awake potential energy stored inside you and help physical and mental rejuvenation.

The fifth step of ashtanga contains PRATYAHARA – withdrawal of senses or detachment from the worldly desires, follows by DHARANA – concentration of the mind.   DHYANA comes in the 7th step which simply means meditation and SAMADHI, the last step, is about super-conscious state. In Samadhi, you are fully aware of yourself and your mind while at the same time you distribute your soul towards the body.  You do not become empty or thoughtless, your mind stays active.

To do meditation you don’t have to find a quiet corner, it can be performed in asanas. The essence is to control the mind through controlled breathing.  The combined breath and poses leads to movement meditation. It is about combining all the eight limbs of yoga (ashtanga). All in all, it helps develop mental clarity – the essential prerequisite for peace of mind.

Importance of Parallel Lines of the Feet

Importance of Parallel Lines of the Feet

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Why is it important to keep the feet parallel in poses like Tadasana, Sirsasana, Pincha mayurasana and vasisthasana? The links of sacro iliac, lumbar vertebrae and ilio psoas in those poses.

30 years ago, when BKS Iyengar first observed my Tadasana (Standing Mountain Pose) in a Teacher Training class in India, he abruptly stopped the entire class and had all other students gather around closely to observe my feet. Embarrassed but willing to learn, I thought I had an innate ‘body intelligence’ having had 15 years of ballet and modern dance training, and so I thought I was probably standing well enough in my feet. “How can you prepare to teach others when you yourself do not even know the parallel lines of the feet?!” he roared at me.  He then ordered two students to bring a wooden block each and place each on the outside edges of my feet in exactly parallel lines. I was instructed to shift my weight to the outside edges of my feet to feel the blocks. Another block he placed in between my inner thighs and demanded I press into that block. What I thought was parallel was not parallel at all!

    

Thus began my awareness of my feet being “turned out”, and my weak inner thighs from too many years of forced external rotation due to ballet training. I had been externally rotating from the hip joints for so long that I had little sense of an inward rotation from the hip joints. New muscles began to ache as I held these parallel lines for minutes that seemed like hours. The problem with forced external rotation (as in ballet training) is that then the pelvis tilts forward so that the lumbar is over-arched causing lordosis, and the lower floating ribs at the front body protrude forward causing the “proud stance” of a dancer. Over time this creates compression of the lumbar spine, compression in the sacro-iliac joint, stresses the knee joint into hyper-extension, and weakens the deep in ilio-psoas muscles. And I thought I had good posture!

             

The complex knee joint – little did I know how I was weakening my knee joints by standing, walking, squatting, etc. with the feet turned out and the knees taking the stress!  Many dancers, over time, begin to suffer knee pain and I now began to understand why. In the Iyengar yoga method of practicing asanas – we start in Tadasana and align the feet and knees and hips parallel. Starting from the feet and working up – the knees are strengthened in parallel lines – this is extremely important for the knee joint. The knee joint supports the weight of the body. The center of gravity in the erect position passes through the femoral condyles at the knee joint. The knee joint acts as a fulcrum for two of the longest bones of the body (femur - thigh bone, and tibia – bone of lower leg).  The ligaments attaching the inner and outer knee joint are strengthened equally as we consciously stand in Tadasana lifting the kneecaps as a result of lifting the toes. Try this simple but effective practice to align and strengthen the knees – Stand in Tadasana with both feet exactly parallel. Observe the weight in the feet in a ‘tripod’ triangle base – 3 points: mound of the big toe, mound of the little toe, and the heel. Lift everything else up – lift the toes, left the arches of the feet, and feel how the kneecaps also lift. This simple practice will engage the large muscles of the front of the thighs (quadriceps) and strengthen the lateral (outer) and medial (inner) connective tissue of the knees.

There is a major muscle of the thigh that had been ignored in my dance training and was re-ignited in the above example of squeezing the block between my inner thighs. The sartorius muscle runs diagonally from the outer hip joint to just below the inner knee at the tibia (lower leg bone). This is the strong, long muscle that is strengthened in all standing poses in parallel lines. It is also engaged in asanas such as Setu Bandhasana where the knees are bent and the weight of the pelvis is lifted up from the floor keeping the knees directly over the toes. The action of keeping the knees directly over the toes in standing bent-knee poses will protect the inner and outer knee connective tissue. When the feet are not parallel and the knees are bent slightly pronating, (falling inward) there is tremendous stress on the knee joints and injuries can happen – whether in standing poses, reclining bent knee poses or sports activities. Being conscious of the feet and how the weight is placed in the feet – right through the center of the feet – will automatically transfer up to strengthen the knees, the strong quadriceps and sartorius muscles of the thighs and help to stabilize the pelvis.

As we travel up the body – standing in Tadasana – the next important postural muscle group is the Ilio-psoas. The consciousness of the parallel lines of the feet, the knees, and the hips will then anchor the pelvis so that the front and back waist can be equally stretched.  In the case of lordosis (over arching lumbar vertebrae due to external rotation of the hips, pronating the weight in the feet and other misalignments of the feet), the ilio-psoas becomes over-extended and weak. This deep-in muscle group that forms the principal flexors of the thighs and supports the lumbar spine as it attaches along the vertebral column is not easily palpated.

In challenging inverted yoga poses such as Sirsanana (Headstand), and Pincha Mayurasana (Elbow Balance) – bringing awareness to the feet – with the feet connected will bring balance and stillness to the practice as the body seeks the midline. This midline will transfer into the deep-in ilio-psoas allowing the torso to be stretched equally front and back, and the lumbar vertebrae to lengthen.

With years of practicing the parallel lines of the feet in Tadasana, the student can bring that awareness, that familiar weight-bearing centered alignment - in the middle of both feet - to poses which challenge balance on one hand, one foot, the elbows, shoulders, and crown of the head.  Vasisthasana, for instance, where the student is balancing only on the outside edge of one foot and one hand – will become steady and strong if the consciousness of the feet parallel in Tadasana is brought to the practice.

In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that if sufficient time and practice of Tadasana – the awareness of the parallel lines of the feet in Tadasana – is brought to each and every asana – that student’s practice will be more confident, steady and strong, and rewarding as a result of paying attention to the small details of the feet.

Menopause: The Alchemy of Life

Menopause: The Alchemy of Life

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Menopause can happen anytime, these days women are getting it faster than ever, as early as in their mid 30s. Understand and embrace the signs of 'life-changing' transformation.

Many years ago, I went out for a walk and simply couldn't breathe. My chest suddenly felt like it was closing in on my heart and my ribs were like strings pulling a corset tighter. It was an ache, a frozen heaviness, a strange sensation that my ribcage was suffocating me. I stopped and stared at the horizon, unable to move. In a moment of sheer terror, I became very still and all of a sudden, I noticed everything. It wasn't a heart attack, but it seemed to feel like one. It wasn't a panic attack, but it darn near became one. It was nothing and everything. This is one of many visceral experiences women endure and move through during menopause. Unexplainable yet very real.

We all go through ups and downs, through stress and life challenges. But when "the change" just happens, it can be quite overwhelming. Like a hormone roller coaster, some women living a normal life suddenly have their world turned upside down. For it seems menopause is a que for a complete surrender. For those who choose to carry on as they always have, menopause without support could turn into a nomad journey into a barren desert of nothingness.

Menopause is naturally a force of nature and one must look to nature and the nature of things during this phase of a woman’s life. Thus begins a look at her life tapestry and what she has woven. In one sense menopause seems like the end of being ‘female’, the entering of infertility, a time to retreat. But in a traditional sense, it is the time to birth her core wisdom, her instinct and authentic self.

I did not expect, realize or even consider that I had already entered menopause around the age of 36. Some experts tell us that menopause is occurring the day we are born such that we already in a state of declines as each year go by. A woman under stress such as having a sudden accident, divorce or family death may spark an onset. However, living as a woman in modern society, statistics don’t seem to help or serve when a relatively young, healthy active woman all of a sudden for no reason cannot remember where she parked her car, has no recollection of what she drove into town for, is silently rebelling against anything that does not include staying in bed or being alone and is trying to cope with the fact that her body albeit everything she is doing refuses to cooperate.

Ways that worked before to lighten spirit may suddenly seem not to work anymore. As the months progress, body temperature begins to change, sleep patterns become disturbed while hair, skin and nails change. A gust of hormones are leaving, so say goodbye to oestrogen and welcome a new world, a new mind, a new body, a new you. The Change of Life is truly happening. I was truly blown away by the change. I had to ask, will I become traumatized or will I listen, learn and transform? It was time to choose.

To remain caged in your own body and heart unwilling to accept the changes occurring or begin to consider this as a meaningful transition would be un-wise and un-useful. When the change occurs, a change must occur. Listening, feeling, observing and becoming very aware of oneself is the beginning of a healthy transformation.

Yoga is a start. With simple, restorative and gentle yoga, a woman is soothed in her own bones. The health benefits are subtle but often profound. Relaxation, gentle exercise, weight bearing postures, core stability and joint mobility all serve to benefit the female body through this tremendous process. With yoga, joints, digestive and skeletal systems are strengthened. Awareness of breath, movement and tension provide daily doses of de-stressing.

Woman’s yoga is designed to offer all the elements that support the continuous and naturally changing landscape of a woman's body, mind and spirit. She will make her way to the other side. A yoga practice nurtures a woman and allows her to feel. Menopause is truly a woman’s time. It is her opportunity to tap into her own second wind.

Tailored to help each woman explore her unique requirements, yoga at this time is not about physical fitness, or getting ‘into shape’. Yoga for the mature woman is about developing a new core foundation, to be flexible in adversity and to reap the reservoirs of earned stillness.

Learning from contradictions

Learning from contradictions

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So you are a confirmed “yogaholic”: you spend three to four times a week attending different classes and you are a regular face in various weekend workshops. But as your knowledge grows and your practice improves, you begin to realize not all the information you have gathered complement each other. In fact, some of what you learn seems to counter what others have told you previously.

You may learn from one style of yoga, for example, to relax your belly in the poses to maintain a deep diaphragmatic breathing, but are told in another class to keep your lower abdomen engaged to protect your back and seal your energy center. Some schools will tell you to flex your toes to stay balance in certain inverted positions, while others say pointing or even “flointing” (the combination of flexing and pointing) work best. Even in styles with fix sequences such as Ashtanga vinyasa, different teachers may bring different interpretations to the teaching.

Honestly, if you take everything to heart, you’re bound to get confused.

But this diversity – sometime correlated, other times conflicting – is what is wonderful about yoga.
You should always keep in mind that yoga – even the physical practice of Hatha yoga - is a very vast discipline encompassing numerous schools of thoughts, each with emphasis that ranges from the very esoteric, to the mystical to the very physical. Yoga, like its Indian cousin the Ayurveda, is also often referred to as a “living science” because it keeps evolving and changing, embracing new findings and new thinking within the age-old tradition. This is, after all, how it survives over 3,000 years of civilizations and stays relevant to this days and age.

Conflicting technical instructions from different teachers often underlie the different philosophies of the yoga schools, from the more classical yoga philosophy to Vedanta and Tantra. Some yoga schools have the intention to get the physical body in good condition, while others want to cultivate the spirit. These foundational philosophies can make a huge difference in the attitude and focus that the teacher expresses in her postural instructions.

Anusara yoga founder John Friends says there are “3 A’s” - attitudes, alignments, and actions - in yoga poses that differentiate the various yoga styles and schools. Some types of yoga focus on discipline and strong self-effort, while others on relaxing, softening and playfulness. Some classes are very rigorous, up-tempo and structured, others are more explorative and better done slowly. Some styles have precise anatomical alignment, others emphasize on inner feeling and the breath. You can actually gain something from each of these aspects to improve your practice physically, emotionally or spiritually. And even if you prefer one style, you can use what you learn in other styles to help you grow and improve in that favorite style.

But ultimately, what you bring home for your own self-practice will reflect the quality of mind and heart that you want to cultivate. This is when you probably come to a point when you have to determine which style (or styles) is compatible with that intention. Also important is the quality of your “student-hood”. Are you willing to learn without judgment and expectations? Do you trust your teachers to guide you deeper into your practice? Because of this, I find that more important than the style or school of yoga is the quality and intention of the teacher. A good teacher will always foster her or his students to cultivate mindfulness and will not push them to harm themselves.  

Good teachers also don’t judge; they inspire you. I have learned this the hard way. 

 A few years back - still green in the world of yoga - I took a workshop with a prominent overseas teacher whose style was different than my practice. In the beginning, she asked around what type of yoga we were practicing. Then later she asked me to come up to the stage to demonstrate sun salutation. After I did, she snickered and called what I just did an “aerobic yoga” to the laughter of the class. Later, when I asked several teachers of different styles of yoga, they all agreed that it was inappropriate for any teacher to pick on a student like that.

No one has the right to belittle you and your practice. If you find your teacher doing it, perhaps it’s time to walk away. Yoga is about acceptance not cynicism, it should be encouraging not demoralizing. There are many more teachers who will guide you in a more positive way, drawing from their knowledge and personal experience. More than any physical objective or technical knowledge, you should always view your practice this way: a personal journey where, just like in life, you will encounter and overcome confusions, personal biases and unmet expectations with grace and open heart.

And that, in short, is the ultimate yogic path. Namaste.

Importance of Parallel Lines of the Feet

Importance of Parallel Lines of the Feet

widido   Comment  

Why is it important to keep the feet parallel in poses like Tadasana, Sirsasana, Pincha mayurasana and vasisthasana? The links of sacro iliac, lumbar vertebrae and ilio psoas in those poses.

30 years ago, when BKS Iyengar first observed my Tadasana (Standing Mountain Pose) in a Teacher Training class in India, he abruptly stopped the entire class and had all other students gather around closely to observe my feet. Embarrassed but willing to learn, I thought I had an innate ‘body intelligence’ having had 15 years of ballet and modern dance training, and so I thought I was probably standing well enough in my feet. “How can you prepare to teach others when you yourself do not even know the parallel lines of the feet?!” he roared at me.  He then ordered two students to bring a wooden block each and place each on the outside edges of my feet in exactly parallel lines. I was instructed to shift my weight to the outside edges of my feet to feel the blocks. Another block he placed in between my inner thighs and demanded I press into that block. What I thought was parallel was not parallel at all!

    

Thus began my awareness of my feet being “turned out”, and my weak inner thighs from too many years of forced external rotation due to ballet training. I had been externally rotating from the hip joints for so long that I had little sense of an inward rotation from the hip joints. New muscles began to ache as I held these parallel lines for minutes that seemed like hours. The problem with forced external rotation (as in ballet training) is that then the pelvis tilts forward so that the lumbar is over-arched causing lordosis, and the lower floating ribs at the front body protrude forward causing the “proud stance” of a dancer. Over time this creates compression of the lumbar spine, compression in the sacro-iliac joint, stresses the knee joint into hyper-extension, and weakens the deep in ilio-psoas muscles. And I thought I had good posture!

             

The complex knee joint – little did I know how I was weakening my knee joints by standing, walking, squatting, etc. with the feet turned out and the knees taking the stress!  Many dancers, over time, begin to suffer knee pain and I now began to understand why. In the Iyengar yoga method of practicing asanas – we start in Tadasana and align the feet and knees and hips parallel. Starting from the feet and working up – the knees are strengthened in parallel lines – this is extremely important for the knee joint. The knee joint supports the weight of the body. The center of gravity in the erect position passes through the femoral condyles at the knee joint. The knee joint acts as a fulcrum for two of the longest bones of the body (femur - thigh bone, and tibia – bone of lower leg).  The ligaments attaching the inner and outer knee joint are strengthened equally as we consciously stand in Tadasana lifting the kneecaps as a result of lifting the toes. Try this simple but effective practice to align and strengthen the knees – Stand in Tadasana with both feet exactly parallel. Observe the weight in the feet in a ‘tripod’ triangle base – 3 points: mound of the big toe, mound of the little toe, and the heel. Lift everything else up – lift the toes, left the arches of the feet, and feel how the kneecaps also lift. This simple practice will engage the large muscles of the front of the thighs (quadriceps) and strengthen the lateral (outer) and medial (inner) connective tissue of the knees.

There is a major muscle of the thigh that had been ignored in my dance training and was re-ignited in the above example of squeezing the block between my inner thighs. The sartorius muscle runs diagonally from the outer hip joint to just below the inner knee at the tibia (lower leg bone). This is the strong, long muscle that is strengthened in all standing poses in parallel lines. It is also engaged in asanas such as Setu Bandhasana where the knees are bent and the weight of the pelvis is lifted up from the floor keeping the knees directly over the toes. The action of keeping the knees directly over the toes in standing bent-knee poses will protect the inner and outer knee connective tissue. When the feet are not parallel and the knees are bent slightly pronating, (falling inward) there is tremendous stress on the knee joints and injuries can happen – whether in standing poses, reclining bent knee poses or sports activities. Being conscious of the feet and how the weight is placed in the feet – right through the center of the feet – will automatically transfer up to strengthen the knees, the strong quadriceps and sartorius muscles of the thighs and help to stabilize the pelvis.

As we travel up the body – standing in Tadasana – the next important postural muscle group is the Ilio-psoas. The consciousness of the parallel lines of the feet, the knees, and the hips will then anchor the pelvis so that the front and back waist can be equally stretched.  In the case of lordosis (over arching lumbar vertebrae due to external rotation of the hips, pronating the weight in the feet and other misalignments of the feet), the ilio-psoas becomes over-extended and weak. This deep-in muscle group that forms the principal flexors of the thighs and supports the lumbar spine as it attaches along the vertebral column is not easily palpated.

In challenging inverted yoga poses such as Sirsanana (Headstand), and Pincha Mayurasana (Elbow Balance) – bringing awareness to the feet – with the feet connected will bring balance and stillness to the practice as the body seeks the midline. This midline will transfer into the deep-in ilio-psoas allowing the torso to be stretched equally front and back, and the lumbar vertebrae to lengthen.

With years of practicing the parallel lines of the feet in Tadasana, the student can bring that awareness, that familiar weight-bearing centered alignment - in the middle of both feet - to poses which challenge balance on one hand, one foot, the elbows, shoulders, and crown of the head.  Vasisthasana, for instance, where the student is balancing only on the outside edge of one foot and one hand – will become steady and strong if the consciousness of the feet parallel in Tadasana is brought to the practice.

In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that if sufficient time and practice of Tadasana – the awareness of the parallel lines of the feet in Tadasana – is brought to each and every asana – that student’s practice will be more confident, steady and strong, and rewarding as a result of paying attention to the small details of the feet.

Emotional Balance through Asana - Meditation

What Is Yoga? Yoga Class

Emotional Balance through Asana - Meditation

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Practicing the right sets of asanas can promote emotional stability. Each pose has its own benefit to keep us well-grounded, to quiet the brain and to gain mental clarity. Expand your practice by learning how standing poses, twists, forward/back bends and inversions can stabilize your emotional condition.

We all know the value of meditation in our busy lives and the serenity and peace of mind that comes after turning inward and becoming very still.  Ideally we come away from meditation feeling emotionally balanced and quiet.

Asanas affect our emotional body as well and when we understand this connection, we know which sets of asanas to practice at certain periods of emotional instability.

The benefit to our emotional body of Standing Poses is that we become more grounded, more centered, less prone to emotional upheavals. The standing poses promote strength and stability in the lower body physically so that the upper body (heart area) can open; this happens emotionally as well. When we are strong and centered, even in times of terrible news or emotional crisis in our lives, somehow we can stay in touch with that source of inner strength.

Headstand, as an inverted pose which brings healthy blood directly to the brain, enlivens us with mental clarity and the ability to make correct decisions in our lives. According to Shri B.K.S. Iyengar, “Regular practice of Sirsasana (Headstand) develops the body, disciplines the mind and widens the horizons of the spirit. One becomes balanced and self-reliant in pain and pleasure, loss and gain, shame and fame, and defeat and victory.”

Backbends and chest-opening poses encourage our hearts to open. We may even feel more gregarious, more open and optimistic as a result of the back bending practice. Stimulating backbends are those where we must use muscular strength to push up into a backbend. This physical effort requires will power and produces will power, physically, and emotionally in our spirits. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) when held alone is tremendously beneficial to our inner strength, and when done as a restorative pose with the use of props is probably the most emotionally balancing pose of all the asanas (it is also called the “Mother Pose”). Restorative chest opening poses are those where we are supported and therefore not exerting muscular effort to open our chest. With the help of a block or chair, or bolster, etc. the heart area is elevated, and the brain is quieted, and placed in a subservient position.  These poses are good to do when we are sad or dealing with loss in our lives.

Twists bring up old anger, according to the ancient Sanskrit scholars. Old anger gets deeply buried in the lumbar spine. Twists, when done correctly, require an elongation of each and every lumbar vertebrae so that the twist can originate from the base of the spine. During the practice of twists, we may remember and feel momentary old anger or sadness as a result of this process.

And finally, Forward Bending poses are inward directed, quieting poses that bring us literally (upper and lower body in contact) in touch with our selves.  They are very quieting for the brain, (unlike Backbends, or Headstand which stimulate the brain) and therefore allow us a chance to explore our inner emotional landscape. If we are agitated, the practice of forward bends would be beneficial to create a state of equipoise.

Asana practice is better than a prescription medication for certain emotional ailments and the more we know and understand the effects of asana practice on our overall well being, the more discriminating we become in choosing which poses to practice at certain times in our lives.

Savasana ? The Corpse Pose ?The most difficult and most beneficial of all asanas

Savasana ? The Corpse Pose ?The most difficult and most beneficial of all asanas

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Savasana always come at the last of yoga session and many people misunderstood the ideas behind this relaxing pose and skip it to resume their routine. Ann Barros shares her views around the importance and the benefit of the pose.

In his book, “Light On Yoga”, B.K.S. Iyengar considers Savasana the most difficult pose.  When first hearing this, many of us long-time practitioners of yoga may disagree. To most of us, Savasana is a well-deserved rest after a challenging class. It is a chance for the body to release all the effort after a strenuous yoga session.  Many of us are happy to go into a deep state of relaxation.  But is this really Savasana?  Just relaxing deeply, or possibly going to sleep?

According to Mr. Iyengar, Savasana is about “shedding” – letting go – “like a snake shedding its skin to emerge glossy and resplendent in its renewed colors.”  We have many skins, sheaths, thoughts, judgments, ideas, prejudices, and projects for the future.  Savasana is a shedding – a letting go – “of all these sheaths to see how glossy and gorgeous, serene and aware is the beautiful rainbow-colored snake who lies within.  We even lie on the ground as a snake does, with the maximum possible surface of our bodies in contact with the earth.”

     

Deep relaxation is actually not that easy.  Oh, it may be an eager dropping of the weight of our body into the floor after having exerted muscularly for two hours of asana practice, but soon after, the mind interferes with many thoughts and tension - which distract us from savoring our quiet inner body, our Self, our Spirit.  Tension prevents relaxation, and keeps us bound to our earthly identity – our responsibilities, our family, our loss, our pains, our gains.  To be free of tension means to be free of all these identities and attachments.

What is tension? Tension manifests in various parts of the body.  Tired, sore muscles, aching joints, a feeling of “heaviness” in the body are all signs of stored-up tension in the body.  And what does tension do to the brain?  Headaches, hyper-anxiety, and an ill-temper are all signs of tension keeping the brain in a tightly locked, protective state.   When the brain is over-active with worry and concern, depression or fear, one feels terrible, simply put.  We are all aware of the mind – body – spirit as one, as this is at the core of the practice of yoga asanas.  So when the brain is tight, the body is also tight and the spirit within cannot be set free.

Meditation allows our inner spirit to be set free.  This freedom is the goal of our yoga practice. It is just being in the moment, an ego-less being in the present moment, not stuck in the past or future- formless and free.  Savasana prepares us for meditation.  In the practice of Savasana, like a corpse, we allow our body to lie on the floor and release all muscular, skeletal effort.  The mind then immediately also relaxes as we consciously let go of every effort still lingering in the body.  Yoga teachers guide their students through imagery into a relaxed, but aware state in the practice of Savasana.  With practice, the student learns to quiet the brain, to still the noises of anxious thoughts.  Once the brain has become quiet, tension leaves the body and mind naturally like a fog clearing as the morning sun rises.

Mr. Iyengar further adds: “By all means, relax, go to sleep even; we are all human, but in Savasana you are on the edge of a great mystery, and if Savasana is the most difficult of all postures, at least it has the saving grace that we can all lie on the floor as we attempt it.”

So be easy on yourself in the practice of Savasana.  If you fall asleep, your body and mind probably need the rest.   Do not judge yourself harshly for this. If you become frustrated with tumultuous thoughts preventing you from experiencing that state of formless inner bliss, practice letting go of one thought at a time, even the frustrating thought.  Slowly but surely, over time, with consistent practice of Savasana, we will begin to shed our outer layers and experience peace within. Savasana is, therefore, the greatest gift that we can give to our Self.

What Is Yoga?

What Is Yoga?

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What is Yoga?

Developed in India, Yoga is a philosophical discipline with roots going back about 5,000 years. Today, most Yoga practices in the West focuses on the physical postures called "asanas," breathing exercises called "pranayama," and meditation. However, there's more to it than that, and the deeper you go the richer and more diverse the tradition becomes. The word "Yoga" means union. Linguistically, it is related to the Old English "yoke." Traditionally, the goal of Yoga is union with the Absolute, known as Brahman, or with Atman, the true self. These days the focus is often on the more down-to-earth benefits of Yoga, including improved physical fitness, mental clarity, greater self-understanding, stress control and general well-being. Spirituality, however, is a strong underlying theme to most practices. The beauty of Yoga is in its versatility, allowing practitioners to focus on the physical, psychological or spiritual, or a combination of all three.

Is Yoga a religion?

No... although there is a debate of it. It depends on how you define "religion" and how the Yoga practitioner approaches his or her practice. The physical and psychological benefits of Yoga are real and don't discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, political persuasion or any other way people like (or dislike) to categorize themselves. Yoga has a strong philosophical base that provides a code of conduct for society. On the spiritual side, most mystical traditions -- East or West -- draw similar maps of the spiritual path. So in that respect, Yoga is mainstream. Like Shakespeare said, "A rose by any name would smell as sweet." For these reasons, many people feel they can practice Yoga without conflict with their religious beliefs. However, Yoga is connected to the Hindu tradition and draws on many Hindu beliefs -- karma, dharma, reincarnation, Atman, etc.

YOGA PATHS

There are four paths of Yoga: 1)Jnana, the path of knowledge or wisdom; 2)Bhakti, the path of devotion; 3) Karma, the path of action; and 4) Raja, the path of self control. Hatha Yoga, which includes postures and breathing, and is the form most popular in the West, is actually part of Raja Yoga, the path of self control. The path most followed in India is thought to be Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion. Within Hatha Yoga there are many styles, such as Iyengar, Ashtanga, Integral, Kripalu and Jiva Mukti, to name a few. These Yogas all share a common lineage back to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a text outlining the basic philosophy and practices of Classical Yoga. It was written sometime between the second century B.C. and the first century A.D.

Hatha Yoga

This is by far the most popular type of Yoga today. It comprises the third and fourth limbs of Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga), i.e., the physical work of postures (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranayama). Most, not all, Hatha Yoga classes will include other limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, such as sense withdrawal (Pratyahara), concentration (Dharana) and meditation (Dhyana). The physical postures/movement, breathing techniques, cleansing practices (Kriyas), locks (Bandhas), hand gestures (Mudras) as we know them today were only systematized by the Nath yogis in the 13th century, and later recorded in just a handful of manuals such as the Hathayogapradipika, the Gerandha Samhita, and the Siva Samhita. The many excellent Yoga publications and popular styles of Hatha Yoga practiced today are all based on these and just a few other manuals. Today there are about 84 classical postures of which many are rarely used. About 12 postures are more commonly used; many yogis use less in their regular practice. The original postures cannot be improved upon, but they may and, in fact, should be modified to suit a person's individual needs. The postures are so adaptable that the elderly and even persons with severe physical impairments may practice Hatha Yoga.

Bhakti Yoga

Practitioners of Bhakti Yoga seek realization through the celebration of love and devotion in a religious and philosophical sense using songs, dance and offerings. It is the Yoga of the heart widely practiced in India.

Jnana Yoga

This is the Yoga of knowledge. It needs to be supported by wisdom which we acquire from life experience, and the study of science and inspirational literature and, of course, meditation..

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga is the Yoga of action. It is for people who like to live their lives energetically, without necessarily expecting a reward. Karma Yoga helps us to influence our lives positively. It is based on the premise that every action has a consequence, and what happens in our present and future lives is very much our own responsibility.
 

Raja Yoga

This is called the Royal Yoga and is the subject of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It deals with Samyama, the three more inner stages of Ashtanga Yoga, the Eight Limbs of Yoga. Dharana, concentration, is the first step. In Dharana, the mind still wanders and has to be continually brought back to the object of concentration. This is followed by Dhyana, meditation. Dhyana manifests itself spontaneously through the regular practice of concentration and leads to Samadhi, enlightened consciousness. The knowledge gained in this state is stronger and more certain than that obtained through our senses. There are four stages in Samadhi; once these are traversed, one reaches the highest possible state of consciousness, which is the goal of Yoga.

Courtesy of Ming Lee, the Chairman of Yoga Society of Hong Kong,
www.yogawithming.com