Archive for the ‘Guest Authors’ Category

By Samantha Grayson, CYT

Many Yoga certification courses outside of India omit the Eight Limbs of Yoga in their training. Some of these graduates may not learn anything about meditation, yama, niyama, pranayama or Patanjali. You may learn 20 to 30 asanas and become a Yoga teacher.

After spending a lot of money with one yoga teacher training facility, I learned just 28 postures and nothing else. To skip by pranayama and meditation is not Yoga. It is a stretch exercise class only.

About Pranayama: When we are born we breathe deeply naturally, but as we grow into adults our breathing becomes shallow and we cannot purify our body through breath. Breathing is one of the ways the body receives prana and cleans the body. Small shallow breaths don’t allow the body to receive and store prana or remove toxins from the body.

The four stages of breathing are Inhalation or puraka, Pause in breathing called kumbhaka, exhalation or rechaka and again a pause in breathing with empty lungs, bahya kumbhaka. All stages should be continuous and evenly controlled. Special attention should be made during rechaka to be sure all the air is expelled form the body during exhalation.

If old air is left in the body the ability to take in new air during puraka is severely hampered. Pranayama is a method for using these four stages in controlling your breathing to a rhythm, instead of working on autopilot. Control is the key to learning to make manual breathing slow, comfortable and receive the maximum benefit. In time, with practice breathing with four parts can calm the nervous system free a person from anxiety, fear and negative emotions. This tranquility can be carried in yoga poses and also into daily life.

According to Dr. Behanan: The chief purpose of yogic breathing is – to increase the consumption of oxygen with the minimum of physical exertion, under conditions probably favorable for the storage of oxygen. James Hewitt, the author of “The Complete Yoga Book,” found this explanation so important that he used italics to emphasize his point. Breathing in Yoga varies from other forms of exercise in that it increases consumption of oxygen and therefore creates energy without large amounts of physical exercise or use of that energy.

Pranayama can also be practiced for healing. Much like a battery that has been depleted, the body running on little, or no, energy cannot renew cells, or fight disease. A body that is a fully charged can renew itself better and disease doesn’t have a chance to take root. Also a fully charged body in an experienced yogi can transfer some of their prana to another in need. This allows the Yoga practitioner to recover more quickly and heal faster.

Samantha Grayson is a certified Yoga teacher.

By Mahadeva Ishaya

www.essential-yoga-for-men.com 

It has often been said that “we are what we eat”. With the widespread rise in obesity, and the persistence of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, then it would seem that something is not right in the diet of the population at large.

What I would like to explore in this essay is if the ancient teachings of yoga have anything relevant to say to modern men and women with regards to diet and correct eating.

I intend to do this by looking at some of the key principles of a Yogic Diet.

The aim of yoga is to unit the individual self with the Universal Being. To the yogi every action is determined by its relationship with this goal. “If I do this, or that, does it take me closer or further away from what I truly want?”, becomes the question when faced with a choice. This is also the case when it comes to diet.

The yogi eats to nourish his physical body and only consumes foodstuffs that s/he considers to be consistent with good health and spiritual aspirations.

Prana

Prana is the name given to the Life-Force, that energy which animates all living things and forms. The greater the level of prana in food the higher the health and spiritual benefits that particular food offers.

Foods that are high in prana help bring mental clarity and inner peace as well as helping the physical body systems operate optimally.

Modern nutritional thought typically looks at food as a collection of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. The Yogic approach is to look at food in its potential to promote life and consciousness, in other words it’s Vital Essence (prana). This is the key consideration of a Yogi with regards to food.

The Gunas

To a Yogi, Creation is the interplay of three fundamental forces, named the gunas. These are;

Sattva guna which is the embodiment of the pure, creative force;

Tamas guna which is the embodiment of the destructive force;

And Rajas guna which maintains the balance between these two fundamental forces, and is the active principle.

With relation to food then the Yogi will find himself naturally drawn to foods which are primarily Sattvic in nature. Sattvic foods are easily digested and leave the body nourished, calmn and feeling light and supple. They also help quieten the mind and maintain equilibrium between the mind and body. Fruit, vegetables, grains, milk and butter are amongst those foods considered sattvic.

Eating food slowly is also considered sattvic.

Tamasic foods such as meat, or stale foods create heaviness in the body and lethargy in the mind, and help produce emotions such as anger and greed. They are best avoided.

Rajasic foods are foods which are stimulating such as eggs, fish, tea and coffee They over-excite the body and produce a busy and restless mind. It is best to minimise the intake of rajasic foods. Eating quickly is considered rajasic.

Vegetarianism

One of the foundations of the yogic life (listed as one of the 5 Yamas (observances) by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras) is the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence). Hence most yogis traditionally follow a lacto-vegetarian diet. This does not involve the killing of any animal yet allows the diet to be varied enough to receive the benefits of consuming milk and cheese, etc.

Eating meat is also considered to be inefficient as most life-force (prana) is contained within plants or fruits. These have a direct relationship with the earth and with the sun, receiving the energy from both. Most of the animals that humans eat are themselves non-meat eaters. They receive the pranic benefits from their herbivorous diets and utilise most of this within the time-frame of their own lives. When an animal is killed then there is very little, if any, energetic vitality in its dead flesh. Animal flesh contains a number of toxins and acids many of which have been shown to contribute to conditions such as arthritis.

The human system closely resembles that of non meat-eating animals, particularly primates, and the teeth and intestines are not designed to efficiently deal with meat.

There is also considerable cruelty involved in the production of meat, particularly on the industrial scale of production that we have nowadays. Animals are housed and grown purely for yield of meat, with little consideration for their welfare, are filled with dangerous hormones and chemicals (dangerous not only for the animal, but for those who consume their flesh or drink their milk), they are transported under conditions of extreme stress, and are slaughtered in a production line method that often does not provide them with adequate anaesthetic at the point of death or dismemberment.

In response to public concern about this process there has been a move to organic or kinder methods of rearing animals but even this can involve stress for the animals.

On a personal note I remember being in Kathmandu, Nepal, and walking back to my hotel late at night and seeing a cow and a calf tied up outside a butcher shop (which was closed). The calf was obviously scared by the strange environment and was tucking itself under the cow as people and motorcycles and cars whizzed past.

The following morning we were up early to catch a bus and walked past the butcher’s shop, which had now begun its daily activities. The cow was no longer standing there. It’s head lay on the ground whilst it’s body was being chopped and hacked into the cuts of meat that would be sold to the customers. The calf was still tied up, almost stiff with tension, barely able to breath, eyes wide open, staring at the scene before it, a pool of urine below where it stood.

That fear, and the karmic consequence, would according to the Yogic viewpoint be within the flesh that would later be eaten. A yogi, aiming to transcend suffering and exist from a place of pure love, would not wish to “nourish” themselves with something which was the result of suffering.

Eat according to the needs of the body

Another principle of yogic diet is eating only when hungry and not consuming too much for the digestive system to handle.

Modern men and women have lost the link between hunger and eating. Typically s/he puts food in the mouth at all times of the day, regardless of the condition of the body and digestive system. Our meals are ordered by the clock, by time – breakfast time, lunch time, dinner time, late night supper time, and a constant supply of snacks and drinks in between those times. This is too much for the digestive system to handle and it also covers up our awareness of what and when our body is actually asking us for nourishment.

The yogic way is to eat in response to the signs of natural hunger. Most modern people have lost the ability to recognise this, but it can quickly be re-established with sufficient discipline and commitment.

According to Indian legend, God allocates a certain amount of nourishment to each individual person to last the duration of their lifetime. If that is consumed quickly, we die sooner. If that is consumed sparingly, the longer we live. Many spiritual traditions have similar guidance about the wisdom of avoiding over-indulgence.

Eat with attention

A yogi eats food with awareness. It is the one thing s/he is doing at the time of eating, experiencing the textures of the food, noticing the flavours and savouring the lingering tastes in the mouth. Contrast this where modern men and women eat whilst watching the TV news, driving a car, reading a newspaper, or a multitude of other activities.

Most people are unaware of the food they eat simple because they pay little attention to it. This is the same with most of our daily activities as generally people have their attention in the past or the future. Yoga and meditation helps one become more “mindful” and present in the moment.

It is also important in the Yogic tradition to acknowledge and be appreciative of the food we eat. This vibration is transferred to the food and boosts its health-giving properties. In many traditions saying “Grace” before a meal is an important ritual.

An important consideration is to ensure that we are in a positive emotional state when eating. We are literally feeding our emotions, and if we eat when angry or upset then we are fuelling these emotions within ourselves. Many people in modern society eat as a way of dealing with difficult emotions. The Yogis would ask them to cultivate an experience of awareness of these emotions and not to consume food or drink until such time as they have passed. Meditation practice is a great aid to this.

Chew food properly

Chewing food properly is a key principle of Yogic eating. The Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi once said, “one should drink one’s food, and chew one’s juice.” This is an indicator to chew one’s food until such time as it becomes liquid in nature. There are a number of reasons why this is important.

The delicate walls of the stomach cannot impact enough force to break down large portions of food. In order to do this it needs to produce large amounts of gastric juices and stomach acids. This can lead to health problems.

Also undigested food lying in the stomach and the digestive tract can begin to ferment causing long term health problems and adds toxins to the internal systems.

Proper chewing not only helps break down food into smaller and smaller pieces it also helps prepare food for its journey to the stomach. There are enzymes released from within certain foods (particularly uncooked natural foods) that help break down the food to best release its nutrient potential. There are also specific enzymes contained within saliva that help this process also, but they need to be given enough time to begin to act. If food leaves the mouth and heads to the stomach before these enzymes have the opportunity to begin to function then we set ourselves up for potential health problems and don’t receive all of the nutrition we could otherwise get from the foods we consume.

Interestingly those who chew food properly tend to eat less and put on less weight. In part this is because it takes some time for the message that the stomach has received enough to get to the conscious mind, so the slower we eat the less chance we will overeat. Also because we release more of the pranic, vitamin and mineral content of the foods we consume then our body receives what it requires from less volume of food. So, for those who are overweight, chewing thoroughly and eating slowly may provide a simple solution to reducing some of it.

Another benefit of properly chewing is that it stimulates dental health. Chewing stimulates blood flow to the gums and roots of the teeth. Many yogis recommend taking time to chew on the left side, then the right side of the mouth to ensure stimulation across the gums and teeth.

Natural and simple diet

The traditional Yogic diet is has an emphasis on plant-based foods, as well as items such as milk and honey. It is a very simple diet that also is very efficient in that much moisture and prana is contained within it. The sun and the elements directly act to produce vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and pulses, and as such this energy is directly received by the yogi when s/he consumes these foods. Nuts also provide a rich source of oils and fats, as does milk.

(Side note: The milk we commonly consume in the Western world has been processed to the point it has seriously compromised nutritional value. The yogis of old would have consumed raw milk which contains enzymes which help the human system break down lactose and other components – absent in modern, pasteurised milk. Therefore, the modern yogi should seek out a source of organic, raw milk).

Fasting

Giving the digestive system time to catch up with the food we have consumed and to give it a rest are an important part of the Yogic tradition. Fasting has a place in most spiritual traditions as a means of purifying the body and allowing energy to be directed to the spiritual quest.

Many Yogis will undertake periods of fasting, particularly at auspicious periods in the calendar, to celebrate particular festivals, or astrological phenomena. For the modern Yogi with householder responsibilities it may be more challenging, but many find that taking one day per week is a manageable discipline. This aids health, and frees up considerable time and internal energy for yoga and meditative or philosophical pursuits.

Conclusion

Einstein is reputed to have said that a problem cannot be solved by the same level of consciousness which created it. With this in mind it is clear to me that the current eating habits of the majority of people in the developed world are contributing to an epidemic of ill health and unhappiness. Pharmaceutical or surgical solutions to these problems do not address the causes of this or offer a solution which provides physical, emotional or spiritual wellbeing. Yoga does.

The yogic principles have stood the test of time and have produced many individuals who are testimony to its effectiveness. However for many people it may be a challenge to know where to begin making changes or to find support for doing so. Fortunately in this internet age information is more freely available and there is increasing awareness of the need to find a healthier relationship with food and eating.

One group who are very important in this are yoga teachers. Through classes and by their example they have the ability to inspire, support and encourage people to investigate the ancient Yogic knowledge which can make such a difference for modern men and women.

Om Shanti

Mahadeva Ishaya is a certified Yoga teacher. He teaches Yoga classes in Edinburgh, UK. His web site can be found at: www.essential-yoga-for-men.com

By Katerina Nicodemus

Yoga is a very complex science of health and can have a profound effect on over all health and well being. Yoga means union, its mission is to unite body, mind and spirit. Even if people are skeptical towards the mystical concept, the value of bodily exercise and meditative techniques makes thousands of people to practice Yoga on a daily basis. The principal yogis have understood for ages that proper exercise is designed not to develop muscles and exhaust us, but gently stretch and tone the body and mainly to stimulate circulation in every cell of our body so that full health can be restored. Many people are attracted to Yoga as a way to keep their bodies fit and therefore looking good. Others practice Yoga for specific health issue like tension or backache. Some people are just looking to get more out of their lives. Whatever reason, Yoga can be an instrument to give people what they came for, and more. To be able to understand what Yoga can do, people need to experience it for themselves.

Yoga is an eye opener about ourselves, our feelings, values and of course our health. With regular practice people will suddenly start noticing changes not only how toned and relaxed their bodies became, but also a way of calming the mind and need for searching their inner peace because it is our true nature. It is the self-realization people are looking for whereas they are consciously aware of it or not. Self-realization leads people toward indentifying what their health problem can possibly be, not the medical observation. The body is our instrument and nobody knows it better than we do, once we learn to read it, Yoga can restore and maintain our health.

In such a hectic and high paced living, we do not even realize that we might have a health issues. We are too busy to pay any attention to our body signals which are trying to tell us there is something wrong. We do not admit or allow ourselves to be unwell because it feels like it becomes a sign of weakness which can slow us down in our materialism orientated life style. So many people suffer these days with tension headaches, anxiety, digestive disorders, insomnia, which all these conditions I believe can be fixed simply just by stepping back and taking a deep breath. What is worse, that even children are starting to have similar problems from very young age. So many studies have shown that relaxation in the Corps Pose can help relieve, for instance high blood pressure, and that regular practice of Yoga can help with arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions.

Depression right now is incredibly on the rise because of an economic situation as so many people are loosing their jobs and therefore have no money to pay their monthly bills. Yoga practice can be a way to help people to deal with depression. Most commonly suggested treatment by doctors for depression is intake of antidepressants. From yogic perspective, antidepressants are simply tools, not good, not bad. What is crucial is to use them wisely in times of need and stay away from them if not needed. There are people who are depressed without knowing it. Both men and women may even avoid treatment because of embarrassment, seeing themselves as weak individuals or believing that not much can be done to help them. Since stress is a huge contributor to depression, part of yoga’s effectiveness is its proven ability to alleviate tension, lift mood and help to lower cortisol levels /cortisol-stress hormone/. Something as simple as a proper posture and deep breathing can affect your mood immediately. Yogis also believe that letting go of muscular tension; can counteract feelings of stress and depression as having another beneficial effects. It is well acknowledged that some depression may have mainly biological basis, yogis often ask: What can be learned from depression? Not only modulating our response to stress, which yoga does very well, but trying to go deeper and searching whether there are other areas of our life – relationships, work, ability to set aside time for ourselves- that need to be addressed. For people who choose yoga as a path out of depression, having faith, being patient and committed to the practice becomes crucial. Faith in yoga is about seeing that what you are doing appears to be working. Certain postures like backbends seem to be therapeutically for people suffering from depression, because the energy required to move into a backbend often overpowers the agitation of the mind, and can bring a feeling of calm. To name a few postures, Supported Downward-Facing Dog Pose is very grounding, stabilizing pose for the emotions and using head support to counteract the fatigue that often comes with depression. From a yogic perspective, active inversions like Headstands and Shoulderstands and restorative inversions like Legs-Up-the-Wall pose are helpful to cultivate emotional stability. It is thought by yogis that regular practice of inversions, especially if done for months or years can have enormous effect, calming and quieting the mind and stabilizing moods. One of the ideas of B.K.S. Iyenger for students with depression was that they hold the tension in the outer portion of their eyes. He would sometimes ask these students to try to, as he puts it, “move the edge of the eyes toward the temple and ears”, while doing a challenging pose. Chanting also is a wonderful practice for people with depression. But as with anything, because we are all unique everything needs an individual approach. What works for one person might not work at all for another.

Many times we have all heard the statement, we are what we eat. This is true of course, because food is necessary for our physical well-being. The yogic diet is quite simply the most nature. It is based on fresh, light, nutritional food such as fruits, grains and vegetables. It’s reason is to keep the body lean and limber and the mind clear and sharp in order to get the most out of yoga practice. Yogis advocate a vegetarian diet because it comes first hand to us and is purely produced by nature. For yogis meat, fish or poultry is considered second hand food, where animal flesh is full of toxins and tends to cause diseases. Most Indian Yogins are lacto-vegetarians, which means, they do not eat meat, but do eat milk and milk products. Many studies are showing that a balanced vegetarian diet is extremely healthy and provides all the essential nutrients a body needs.

Statistically, vegetarians have a lower incident of heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease, and cancer and they are less likely to suffer from obesity. Being a vegetarian is a personal choice which is entirely up to us, but maybe just as a first step try to eat less meat. Try to go for more nature wholesome foods, include more fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds into our diet. Stay away from processed foods, like white flour, hydrogenated fats, sugary sweets, chemical sweeteners, too much coffee, tea, alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs. Becoming a vegetarian is not about stopping to eat meat but finding a new way of life. Personally, the ideal diet is the one which makes you feeling and being truly healthy, being comfortable and stable in body and mind, experiencing normal bodily functions, and having the strength and endurance to engage in vigorous exercise and the demands of everyday life.

What attracts me most about yoga is its versatility and simplicity at the same time. You can do as little as you want or push yourself as far as you feel like and it is still going to make you feel good. Yoga can be done by anybody, regardless of their age. There are yoga classes for children, pregnant women, elderly, people with injuries and they all can do yoga. To do yoga during pregnancy is one of the best thing a women can do for themselves. Yoga will help them get through pregnancy and delivery, whatever their health or circumstances, and provide a positive environment for the growing child, right from the start. Yoga can be a great source of strength and help women to be more loving and giving mothers. Likewise starting yoga when young gives children the best foundation in life. All children are naturally flexible and have a sense of balance. They are adventurous and love to mimic others, especially when it comes to make different animal poses. Meditation from an early age can help tremendously with children’s concentration.

For elderly, it is never too late to take up yoga. We are only as old as we feel. Our bodies have incredible regenerative powers and even after short yoga practice people will start sleeping better, be more energetic and have more positive outlook on life.

What yoga did for me? As a mother of three little children, I can get pretty stressed out and tired with no time to do anything for me what so ever. Since practicing yoga, every day, I will get up before anybody else and do 40 minutes of yoga exercise and 15 min. of relaxation or breathing. I have always been into exercising, but never realized how much it can really mean to me and how great it can make me feel. If I do not do my yoga in the morning I will always try to squeeze a little time for it during the day. Even If it’s a 5 min. headstand and 5 minute shoulderstand with my youngest daughter who will keep poking into my belly button and think I am being silly. Some days I will feel really tired and upset for what- ever reason. I will close my eyes and take a few deep breaths in our garden and life will suddenly look brighter. As a big bonus, I developed my muscles on my body which I could have never have done before and managed to loose all my baby weight. Whenever I feel stiff, I love doing Sun-Salutation to stretch my spine and feel the energy flowing in my body. I am surprised at myself, what poses I can actually do and how flexible my body has become. I am also lot more aware of my posture and breathing in connection to stress and tiredness. I find myself a lot calmer, rounder, happier and mostly content and fulfilled with what I do. I would be lying if I say I do not have bad days and do not get stressed out, but, most importantly I found tools to help me to deal with it. Lots of my relationships have changed because I started to see people differently. I became even more connected to nature and simplified my life. I do not spend money anymore on things which I thought are making me feel better. I do not need fancy clothes to look and feel good. I finally found myself and realize who I really am. Apart from being a dedicated mother, loving wife, daughter who unconditionally loves her parents, I am a girls who fell in love with yoga and realized that yoga is what I was always meant to be doing. I really wish to become a good yoga teacher. So I can make people happy, healthy and feeling good about themselves.

My case is just an example, how far can Yoga take you if you truly believe in it. If a lot more people could start practicing Yoga, the Earth would become a happier and healthier place to be.

Namaste – light within me, solutes light with in you.

Katerina Nicodemus is a certified Yoga Teacher.

By Katalin Zsiros-Szabo

Yoga is like music: The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.

I would like to start my essay with a few words about myself. I was born in 1974.  I am practicing bhakti yoga since 1991 and I am an initiated member of the Hare Krishna movement since 1996. My spiritual name is Kalindi devi dasi. I am vegetarian since then as well. I lived in the brahmacarini ashram for 12 years and practiced the Hare Krishna mantra meditation and devotional service every day. I am now in the grihasta ashrama and still practicing bhakti yoga with my husband. I have been practicing hatha yoga since May 2007 and in the future I would like to open my own yoga studio when we move back to Hungary.

In the first part of my essay I would like to share my experience with my first yoga teacher. I have enrolled to an 8 weeks yoga course in 2008.

I work irregular hours. Sometimes I work from 10 am to 10 pm sometimes only from10 am to 6 pm but we have to fill shops in when someone calls sick so I never know which part of the city I am going to end up working. I was very delighted when I learned that a yoga course started in a college close to my apartment. I was already practicing yoga at home using books and DVDs and YouTube but I wanted to meet people who are also practicing yoga and I wanted to get help from a teacher with my postures. It turned out to be a big disappointment. I was completely dissatisfied with my teacher. She was a nice young Canadian lady who has been practicing yoga for 12 years but was always very distant and “cold”. It felt strange because in my experience those on the spiritual way generally more open and friendlier.

I think it is very important that you have a friendly relationship with your students. We had a small group only 8 students and sometimes only 4 or 5 of us turned up for the class only. Actually I was the only one who never missed a class. Still my teacher couldn’t manage to remember our names when the 8 weeks course was finished. It felt very impersonal and cold. I feel that the yoga teacher should fill you up with warm and loving feelings and show that you are welcome in the class.

At the first class she asked us to introduce ourselves and if we practiced yoga before. Half of the group has never practiced yoga before. Our teacher should have explained the basic principles of practicing yoga for example that one should not eat before the class (three hours for a meal two hours for a snack). There were only women in my course and she should have made us aware that it is not recommended to perform any inverted postures during the menstrual period and try to have the bowels and bladder empty if possible etc. I think that she should have made us aware that there are certain postures which are not recommended to people with heart condition, spinal weakness or high blood pressure. She never mentioned any of these principles.

The second point which I feel is very important that the teacher must leave time for questions after the class. It is nice if the students can come together at the end of the session and have a little chat, share some thoughts about the class or just have a cup of tea (nice organic green tea or herb tea) together. In our case we were rushed with our relaxation at the end of the class and we had to grab our staff dress up quickly because the college was closing up.

Thirdly the yoga teacher should be sensitive enough to see if someone is more advanced than the other students and instruct them differently. Tell the student how to improve that posture guide them through and offer more advanced options and assistance. She never ever assisted with any posture to anyone. She was just sitting in front of us and watching us.

I was surprised that all of us were doing all the postures perfectly.

Another point is that the teacher should seek feedback from the students about the class. Ask the students how they feel about the class anything they would like to add or if they are satisfied with the session.

There was a class when our teacher asked us if we had any special requests or some postures we wanted to practise with her. There were a good few requests but she decided to practise only one of those. I felt we should have practised all those requested postures as we had sufficient time for more then one.

My last point is that she would go through her notes between postures and sometimes we had to wait a good few minutes until she told us what to do. That was very upsetting and very surprising.

I feel that was a very good experience how someone should not teach yoga.

The important points for us teachers to remember:

- be personal make the students feel welcome in our ashram / yoga studio

- be open minded listen to the students and ask for feedback

- leave time for discussion after the class or just for a little chat or set up a specific

time when the students can come forward and ask questions

- give different variations for someone who is ready to take it further

- ask the students if they need help with the postures and give assistance

- be aware of any possible health conditions of your students and instruct them

accordingly

- the most important point is that we must love what we are doing

You might ask yourself then why I didn’t leave the class. Because I really hoped that I will learn more in a next class and I was kind of waiting for something to happen at the next time. I hoped that I can make friends with my classmates and we can practice together outside of the class also. The main reason was that actually I couldn’t find any other classes which fit with my work schedule / circumstances.

I would like to share my very recent experience. On my day off I felt that I really wanted to go and practice yoga with a teacher and to see how others teach yoga. I looked up two studios in our neighbourhood. Both are about 30-40 minutes walking distance from our place. I love to walk anyway and it would take more than an hour to reach any of those yoga studios by bus. It was required that anyone who is interested to drop in the classes had to call them first to make sure that the class is not already full. I called the teacher four times and left a message. My calls were never returned.

I was very disappointed. It was mentioned on the website that the teacher has studied yoga for over ten years under Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Richard Freeman and Shiva Rea among others. I was really looking forward to meet her.

As she never called me back I called the second studio. I was able to speak with the teacher. He mentioned that the classes are held only if there are four students at least in the class. There was no way to know if there will be four people present on the class or not until the last minute therefore I decided that I will practice at home by myself.

This experience made me think about the importance of being reliable. We should be eager to return phone calls reply to emails because we can loose potential students.

I would teach yoga even if only one student would show up at my class. If someone makes the effort to come to my studio I would never let them down. I think it would be a nice opportunity to learn more about my student.

Now I would like to talk about some common mistakes the student can make.

As students we should not fall into the trap of trying too hard when performing asanas. A practice that is too rajasic applies too much effort will detract from your creative expression. We shouldn’t try to force our body into a posture that is not yet capable of achieving or that causes discomfort or pain. Instead a student should try to let go of any attachment to the result of postures. Be it as a flat stomach or the desire to achieve the “final pose”. By removing expectations and assumptions the students open themselves to new ways of connecting different parts of the body and fresh ways of thinking. It becomes a heartfelt playful practice. It is also a good model for how to approach life in general: living fully in each moment. Progressing along the yoga path at our own pace will be much more rewarding than racing to the end.

Yoga is not a competition. This point is very important. When the student begins yoga classes and displays competitive tendencies that may suppress his or her creativity. The yogic way is to be inspired not by those around you but by your own body and mind as they are today which will be different from any other day and from any other yogi.

About beginner’s mind: avoid anxieties about “being good at” asanas and treat every yoga class as your first. This allows yoga to remain creative rather then being another pressure in your life. If you practice asanas without worrying about trying to achieve perfection you may glimpse the blissful awareness of the present moments that awaits all Yogis.

Too much repetition of the same physical exercise can isolate and stress the muscles and joints rather then liberating them or allowing them to work in harmony. While it is important to find an approach to yoga that you find inspiring and that benefits you as much as possible it is also key not to get too stuck in any one groove-variety is the spice of life and of Yoga.

Points to remember when practicing Yoga.

IF THE PRACTICE OF TODAY DAMAGES THE PRACTICE OF TOMORROW,

IT IS NOT THE CORRECT PRACTICE.

Practicing yoga should be a pleasure and not a duty.

As you undergo the postures try to make them exercises and concentration at the same time. Tune into your body, what you are feeling where you are stuck, where you move easily. Try not to allow your mind to wonder. Of course it will but become aware that this is happening and bring yourself back into a full involvement with what you are doing.

Don’t neglect warm up exercises too loosen joints and muscles. Warming up prepares the nervous system, heightens mental awareness and alertness, and loosens up joints and muscles to make them less prone to injuries. Warm ups jump start the fluid located in the joints, minimizing the risk for wear and tear of the muscles. It gives the heart a suitable period to adjust and pump up blood and nutrients into muscles.

It is very important to learn the basics correctly. It is like a good foundation when you build a house. If you are confident in the basic poses you will get more benefit than attempting some poses which are beyond your body’s current capacity which could cause also injuries. Always remember yoga is a pathway of discovery about both your body and mind.

At the end of yoga practice you should feel refreshed and re-energized. Don’t practice until you feel exhausted drained fatigued. Don’t skip svavasana at the end. Some students tend to skip the relaxing part but it is very important for your body to relax after your practice.

Make sure you have balance in everything. So always counter a forward bend with a backward bend and similarly if you do stretches or twists to the right it should be followed by the same movement to the left for the same length of time.

Be aware of your mental attitude to the practice whether you try to hard whether you give up too soon whether you are put into negative frame of mind because of the difficulties whether you see them as challenging or overwhelming. The challenge of yoga is to go beyond our limitations-within reason.

Don’t rush yourself into postures because of lack of time. It is much better to practice a fewer asanas correctly than to practice many more but quickly or hastily. You are looking for injuries if you rush.

Each practice will be different. Your body could be sluggish or responsive and your mind fresh or burdened. Simply be aware of all this without judging it. You must do the asana with your soul. Many people try to think their way into an asana but you must instead feel your way into it through love and devotion.

Physically the exercise should certainly provide you with a stretch but do stop at any sign of strain.

The more you can relax into the posture pushing just so much but not enough to create new stresses the better your practice will become. Yoga is always about finding balance. So don’t try to force your body into a posture that is not yet capable of achieving or that causes discomfort or pain. Progress along the yoga path at your own pace.

The time you spend holding a posture will vary according to your own fitness and needs. If you are a complete beginner and not very fit hold each posture for just one breath. As you become stronger and more adept increase the number of breaths you take.

In the last part of my essay I would like to highlight of the benefits of practicing yoga.

Benefits of practicing yoga:

It stretches the muscles

Yoga postures involve deep stretching movements-even muscles we didn’t know we had are involved. But unlike other forms of exercise the muscles are given a gentle controlled stretch without any strain and once your muscles gain flexibility they become stronger and better toned.

It delays the aging process and prevents illness.

Regular practice delays the aging process by keeping the muscles and ligaments moving. Although someone may experience muscular aches and pains after yoga these will soon wear off leaving that person refreshed. Yoga should never leave anyone feeling jumpy or exhausted.

It loosens and strengthens the spine.

As the muscles loosen and stretch so do the ligaments which hold the spine in place. Instead of being held rigidly the bones become free to move back into a more natural alignment. This is especially true of the spinal vertebrae as many of the yoga postures work directly on the spinal column. The postures are also preventive and help guard against slipped discs.

It improves circulation.

The circulatory system improves through regular deep breathing. With practicing yoga we become more aware of our breath and will start to use more of our lungs. Oxygenated blood is pumped more effectively to all organs revitalizing them and carrying away toxins. The inverted postures help blood circulation reversing the blood flow and also improve lymph drainage.

It helps digestion.

The digestive system is helped by the internal massaging action which some of the postures perform on the organs. Twisting postures and those which involve the back bending forwards and backwards will help stimulate the digestive organs. The improved circulatory process allows cleansing blood supply to reach the stomach and intestines.

It calms the nerves relax and rejuvenate the mind.

The nervous and endocrine systems are also affected. Yoga’s concentration on the spine through which the major nerve pathways flow helps to control the nervous energy. Regular yoga practice is well-known for reducing anxiety and panic states.

It balances hormones and emotions.

It helps to prevent menstrual cramps. It is my personal experience that since I am practicing yoga I don’t have any premenstrual cramps or cramps under my period. I am extremely happy because I had suffered a lot of painful periods and now it has stopped. Hyperactivity and lethargy can be overcome and emotions become more stable through doing yoga.

Somebody who is practicing yoga for a while will also find changes which are taking places on a quite subtle level. The person will begin to notice improvements in his/her health energy and mental state, feeling calmer and more detached from the worries of the everyday life. They feel clearer more directed and more purposeful.

Yoga helps to give up bad habits.

Yoga helps to develop a growing awareness and sensitivity. When the inner harmony starts to grow it is much easier to give up bad habits like smoking. When you are more in touch with your inner self it is easier to see that smoking, drinking or drugs are bad for you and you won’t be craving for it.

Yoga also helps to develop disciplines patience and intelligence. Yoga helps your body use oxygen and nutrients more efficiently.

Your vision will become clear when you look into your heart.

“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens” (Carl Jung)

“Learn to let go. This is the key to happiness” (The Buddha)

“Life is a bridge. Cross over it, but build no house on it” Indian proverb

Namaste

Katalin

References:

BKS Iyengar: Light on Yoga

BKS Iyengar: Light on Pranayama

BKS Iyengar: Light on the Yoga sutras of Patanjali.

BKS Iyengar: Light on Life

Stephanie Pappas: Yoga posture adjustments and assisting

Nicolai Bachman: The language of Yoga

Michael Alter: Sport stretch

Michael Alter: The science of flexibility

Dr. David Frawley: Yoga and Ayurveda

Dr. David Frawley: Ayurveda and the Mind

Rodney Yee with Nina Zolotow: Moving towards balance.

The human body- an essential guide how the human body works

Liz Lark: 1001 Pearls of Yoga wisdom

Marylin Barnett: Hot Yoga

Mukunda Stiles: Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy

Thich Nhat Hanh: The miracle of mindfulness

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Bhagavad Gita as it is

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Srimad Bhagavatam I-XII

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta

Sri Isopanishad

Yogananda Paramahansa: Autobiography of a Yogi

Navin Chawla: Mother Theresa

DVDs

Desi Bartlett Yoga for beginners

A.M. and P.M yoga with Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden

My favourite youtube teachers:

Sadie Nardini

Esther Ekhart

My favourite sites:

Aurawellnesscenter.com

Thesecretofyoga.com

Abc-of-yoga.com

Yogajournal.com

Yogatic.com

Other inspirational books which I have read:

Dale Carnegie: How to stop worrying and start living

How to win friends and influence people

How to enjoy life and your job

Norman Vincent Pale: The power of positive thinking

The positive principle today

Enthusiasm makes the difference

Napoleon Hill: Success

Think and grow rich

Anthony Robbins: Awaken the giant within

Unlimited Power

Richard Carlson: Don’t sweat the small stuff…and it is all small stuff

Daniel Coleman: Emotional intelligence

Deepak Chopra: Grow younger live longer

Quantum healing

Perfect health

Ageless body timeless mind

Life after death

How to know God

Brian Tracy: Maximum achievement

Self-made millionare

Stephen Covey: 7 Habits of highly effective people

Rhonda Byrne: Secret

Wayne W. Dyer: Change your thoughts, change your life

Susan Jefferson: Feel the fear and do it anyway

Health related books:

T. Colin Campbell: China Study

Dr. David Frawley: Ayurvedic Healing

Ayurveda’s Nature Medicine

Dr. Vasant Lad: Ayurvedic Home remedies

Dr. Frawley and Dr. Lad: Yoga of Herbs

Laura Normann: The reflexology handbook

Katalin Zsiros-Szabo is a certified Yoga teacher. She teaches Yoga classes in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.

By Dr. Rita Khanna

Holi, called the festival of colors, is a popular Hindu Spring Festival observed in India. Holi, as a festival, started several centuries before Christ, as can be inferred from its mentions in the religious works of Jaimini’s Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutra. It is referred to in a seventh century Sanskrit play as the cupid festival. It is the second most important festival of India, after Diwali, and is celebrated in most of the states of India. Different states celebrate it according to their own customs. The festival mainly started to welcome the spring season, and win the blessings of Gods, for good harvests and fertility of the land.

It is celebrated at the end of the winter season, on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March), according to the Hindu calendar. Phalgun Purnima usually falls in the later part of February or early March. The previous day of Holi is called, “Holika Dahan” or “Choti Holi”, where people burn logs of wood at night, observe Holi Pooja, and everywhere, one hears shouts of “Holi-ho! Holi-ho!” and people take a little fire from this bonfire to their homes. They believe that their homes will be rendered pure, and their bodies free from disease. This year Holi (Dhulandi) was on March 1 and Holika Dahan on Feb. 28.

HOW IS HOLI CELEBRATED?

During Holi, people clean their houses and remove clutter, thereby ensuring the flow of positive energy. Disease-breeding bacteria are thereby destroyed. The sanitary condition of the locality is improved. People smear each other’s faces with colored powder known as ‘Gulal’ and ‘Abeer’, and throw colored water or ‘Rang’ on each other joyfully. People play practical jokes with passers-by. They take out processions on streets that feature folk songs and dances. Food preparations begin many days in advance, with assemblage of gujia, papads, kanji, and various kinds of snack items, including malpuas, mathri, puran poli, and dahi badas, which are served to Holi guests. The ‘Bhaang’ (opium) drinks are very popular among people, and it is the favorite festival drink. During this festival, different waves of radiance traverse the universe, thereby creating various colours that nourish and complement the function of respective elements in the atmosphere.

HOLI LEGENEDS

Like all Indian and Hindu festivals, there are many interesting legends attached to Holi: The Holika-Hiranyakashipu-Prahlad legend, Radha-Krishna legend, Lord Shiva’s killing of Kamadeva, and the story of the ogress Dhundhi.

THE LEGEND OF PRAHLAD-HOILKA

This is the main Holi legend. Holika was a female demon, and the sister of Hiranyakashyap, the demon king. Hiranyakashyap considered himself ruler of the Universe, and higher than all the Gods. He despised Lord Vishnu. Prahalad was the king’s son. He was a pious boy. His father hated him because Prahalad was a faithful devotee of the God Vishnu. One day, the king asked him “Who is the greatest, God or I?” “God is,” said the son, “you are only a king.” The king was furious and decided to kill his son; but the king’s attempts at murder didn’t work very well. Prahalad survived being thrown over a cliff, being trampled by elephants, bitten by snakes, and attacked by soldiers. Each time, Prahlada was protected by Lord Vishnu.

So, the king asked his sister, Holika, to kill the boy. Holika seized Prahalad and sat in the middle of a fire with the boy on her lap. Holika had been given a magic power by the Gods that made her immune to fire, so she thought this was a pretty good plan, and Prahalad would burn to death while she remained unharmed.

But it’s never wise to take Gods’ gifts for granted! Since Holika was using her gift to do something evil, her power vanished and she was burned to ashes. Prahalad stayed true to his God, Vishnu, and sat praying in the lap of his demon aunt. Vishnu protected him, and Prahalad survived.

Later, Lord Vishnu emerged from the pillar, in the incarnation of a dreadful creature, half-man-half-lion, called Narasimha (the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Nara means man, Simha means lion. Narasimha killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside), by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth), and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra). Through penance, Hiranyakashipu had obtained the boon from Brahma ( Hindu God of creation) that he could neither be killed by man nor by beast, neither by day nor by night, neither indoors nor when outdoors, and neither by hand nor by weapon.

This legend has a strong association with the festival of Holi; and even today, there is a practice of hurling cow dung into the fire and shouting obscenities at it – as if at Holika. In many parts of India, a dummy of Holika is burned on the fire. The moral of the story is that good always wins over evil, and those who seek to torment the faithful will be destroyed.

THE LEGEND OF RADHA AND LORD KRISHNA

Another legend, which tells us the use of colors, in Holi, is that of Lord Krishna and Radha. The story goes that the young Krishna (Indian God) would complain to his mother Yashoda about why Radha (His soul mate) was so fair and he so dark. To make young Krishna happy, Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha’s face and see how her complexion would change according to his choice. Playful and mischievous Krishna appreciated the idea and implemented it. This lovable prank of throwing colored powder and watercolors using ‘pichkaris’(shaped like giant syringes or squirt guns) soon gained favor with the people; it evolved into the tradition of Holi, and later, it turned out to be a full fledged festival.

The birthplace of the Lord Krishna, Brajbhoomi, is made up of the two cities – Mathura and Vrindavan. The festivities commence in this region one week earlier than in other cities, and last for 16 vibrant days. It begins with ‘Holi Milan’ or Baithaks, musical soirees, where songs related to the festival and the epic love story of Radha Krishna are sung; especially various types of folk songs, known as “Hori” are sung, as well. Some classical ones, like Aaj biraj mein Holi re rasiya, have been present in the folklore for many generations. The village of Barsana, a short distance from Mathura, has its own unique ritual. Radha was from Barsana. To date, lovers desire to colour and be coloured by their mates. The application of colours has, in a way, become an expression of love.

Throughout the festivities and fun of Holi, there are plenty of opportunities for young people in India to flirt with one another with more ease than usual. In fact, on the days of Holi, you can get away with almost anything by saying, “Don’t mind, it’s Holi!” (Bura na mano, Holi hai.)

THE KAMADEVA LEGEND

Kamadeva is the Hindu God of love and He is represented as a handsome, winged young man who wields a bow and arrow. Legend has it that the bow is made of sugarcane, with a string of honeybees, while his arrows are said to be decorated with five different kinds of flowers. Kamadeva is accompanied by a cuckoo, a parrot, humming bees, the spring season, and a soft and tender breeze.

According to a legend, Goddess Sati, the daughter of Daksha Prajapati, one of the first sons of Lord Brahma, married Lord Shiva against the wishes of her father. Thus, Daksha did not invite her and her husband to a grand Yagya arranged by him. When Sati came to know about the event in her father’s house, she thought it to be a slip of mind, and proceeded to participate in the event, despite the warnings of her husband. But once she reached there, she realized her fault and was infuriated by the insult of her husband. As a penance for her disobedience, she entered the fire. When Lord Shiva came to know of her sudden demise, he was furious. Even after he controlled his anger, he started a severe meditation and renounced all work.

The world’s balance soon crumbled in his absence, and Sati took rebirth as Goddess Parvati to try and win Lord Shiva’s heart and wake him up from his trance. She tried all ways to get the attention of Shiva. When she had exhausted all her feminine ways, she invoked the help of Kamadava, the Indian cupid-god, who agreed to help her in the cause of the world, despite the risks involved. He shot his love-arrow on Shiva’s heart. Disturbed in his trance, Lord Shiva opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful – that Kama’s body was reduced to ashes.

Now, with Kamadeva’s destruction, the world became barren and infertile, for he had been the God of desire and love. Shiva and Parvati went on to get married. But when Parvati, and the other Gods, including Rati, Kamdeva’s wife pleaded with Shiva to resurrect Kamadeva, Shiva relented. He brought Kamadeva to ‘life,’ thereby restoring the fertile cycles of nature. However, Kamadeva was resurrected purely as a mental image, so that he represented the emotional and mental state of love, rather than pure physical lust.

It is said – that it was on the day of Holi that Kamadeva had sacrificed himself for the good of all beings. It is believed that Holi, the festival of colors, and the traditional bonfire that is lit on that day, commemorate this legend. So, many people worship Kamadeva on Holi-day, with the simple offering of a mixture of mango blossoms and sandalwood paste, to cool off the pain of his fatal burns. Songs are also sung in which Rati’s sorrow is depicted.

LEGEND OF DHUNDHI

During the reign of Prithu, there was a terrible ogress, called Dhundhi, who loved to devour innocent children. She had performed severe penances and had won several boons from the deities – that made her almost invincible. However, due to a curse of Lord Shiva, she was not as immune to the pranks and abuses of young boys as she was to weapons and arrows. One day, the courageous boys of the village decided to get rid of her forever and chase her away from the village. They got intoxicated on bhaang and then followed Dhundi to the limits of the village, beating drums, making loud noise, shouting obscenities, and hurling insults at her – and continued doing this until she left the village for good. This is the reason that even today, young boys are allowed to indulge themselves in rowdiness, using rude words, and intoxication on Holi.

These various mythological tales have led to a deep faith and respect towards the celebration of the festival, as Indians strongly believe in mythology. The moral behind all these stories is victory of good over evil, which is a lesson for the human race. The tales instill the faith of man into the ultimate power of God and his mercy over his devotees. Holi festival is the medium through which people are inspired to lead a virtuous life.

SIGNIFICANCE OF HOLI FESTIVAL

• Being an agricultural country, India’s two big festivals, Holi & Baisakhi, come at the time when the harvest is at full bloom, giving people an opportunity to rejoice and relieve their emotional burdens and frustrations. Holi provides a wonderful opportunity to let loose all the tension and de-stress the mind. In a way, Holi has positive benefits for the individual, and the society, as a whole. The dance performances, and the music played during the festival, rejuvenate the mind and soul.

• Holi colors have their own values. These are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi (Turmeric), Bilva, Red Sandlowood powder, and other medicinal herbs. Traditionally, the dry colors, used in Holi, were prepared from Tesu or Palash flowers. Legends say Lords Krishna use to play Holi with Tesu flower colors. The color, especially Abeer, penetrates the body and strengthens the ions, improving health and beauty.

• As per the custom and tradition, people pay visits to their friends and relatives, to give them wishes, as well as to strengthen their bonds and forgiving their hard feelings for others. The festival brings the nation together, as it is not just celebrated by Hindus, but also by the Sikhs, Christians, and Jains. Everyone is then able to cast off the filthy rags, and begin the year with a heart as fresh and spotless as the white clothes worn on New Year’s Day.

• In India, spring season (during which the weather changes) induces the growth of bacteria in the atmosphere, as well as in the body. During the tradition of Holika Dahan, when people perform Parikrima (circumambulation or going around) around the fire, temperature rises to about 145 degrees Fahrenheit; the heat from the fire kills the bacteria in the body – thus, cleansing it. Since the season is going through a change – from winter to summer, it is the period when people feel lethargic and drowsy. Holi provides them the opportunity to wear off their laziness, by enjoying themselves thoroughly.

• The Holi festival consists of the worship of Lord Krishna. In some places, it is also called the Dol Yatra. The word, Dol, literally means “a swing.” An image of Sri Krishna, as a babe, is placed in a little swing-cradle and decorated with flowers and painted with coloured powders. The pure, innocent frolics of little Krishna, with the merry milkmaids—the Gopis of Brindavan—are commemorated. Devotees chant the Name of Sri Krishna and sing Holi-songs relating to the frolics of little Krishna with the Gopis. They perform Satsangs, Havan, and Kirtan of the Lord’s Names. Visiting holy places, and bathing in sacred waters, are considered most auspicious. Abundant charity should be done to the poor.

CONCLUSION

Holi festival is, indeed, the symptom of colors of happiness. The festival symbolizes victory of good over evil. The festival of Holi teaches us “sacrifice”. Burn all the impurities of the mind, such as egoism, vanity and lust – through the fire of devotion and knowledge. Ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity, selflessness, truthfulness, and purity, through the fire of Yogic practice. This is the real spirit of Holi. Rise from the mire of stupidity and absurdity, and dive deep into the ocean of divinity.

HAPPY HOLI!

Om Shanti

If you feel inspired by this article, feel free to publish it in your Newsletter or on your Website. Our humble request is to please include the Resource as follows: Courtesy: Dr. Rita Khanna’s Yogashaastra Studio. A popular studio that helps you find natural solutions for complete health.

Mobile: + 919849772485

Ph:-91-40-65173344

Email: yogashaastra@gmail.com

Website: www.yogashaastra.in

Dr. Rita Khanna

Dr. Rita Khanna is a well-known name in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. She was initiated into this discipline over 25 years ago by world famous Swami Adyatmananda of Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh (India).

She believes firmly that Yoga is a scientific process, which helps us to lead a healthy and disease-free life. She is also actively involved in practicing alternative medicines like Naturopathy. Over the years, she has been successfully practicing these therapies and providing succour to several chronic and terminally ill patients through Yoga, Diet and Naturopathy. She is also imparting Yoga Teachers Training.

At present, Dr. Rita Khanna is running a Yoga Studio in Secunderabad (Hyderabad, India).

By Carol Martin

I have been guiding students in Chair Yoga within senior living facilities for almost three years.  The blessings have been beyond measure.  I have made so many friends, the administrative staffs, aides, and of course, forged strong bonds with my lovely students.  I feel very blessed that they show up for class, week after week, to strengthen their bodies and minds. 

My first visit to a facility is complimentary.  I want to make sure that my students feel comfortable with me so they can relax in class.  It is also a good way for the activity director to make the determination if they want me to continue with the facility.  Due to the current recession and the budgets of some facilities in my area, I found that a complimentary visit is a win-win situation.  Most directors have me come back, some weekly, some twice a month, and a couple only monthly due to budget constraints.

When I first started, I realized a great fear for the elderly was that if they fell, they wouldn’t be able to get up.  As a matter of fact, that’s how they had arrived at an assisted living facility, they had fallen in their home and couldn’t get up.  Although they were now in a controlled environment, they were still very concerned about falling.  I stressed remaining calm and I began to show them the proper way to move after a fall, after assessing if they had injured themselves, of course, and how to get to a chair or object to help them up or to a call button.  So we worked on upper body strength and the muscles in their legs that would address the movements involved with moving along the floor or getting up.  I have had students tell me that they were successfully able to get up or get to a call button without panic because of our practice.  Actually, because of these incidents, and the students not being able to reach a call button once they had traveled to it, finding that it was too high on the wall to use it, the facility changed its standards for height on the wall for their assist buttons.  After several months, a few students in the class felt comfortable enough with getting down on the floor for Sivasana at the end of class, with the confidence that they would be able to get back up.  The feeling of liberation is empowering for the student.  I would like to add here, it is facility policy that they always call a nurse after a fall, even if they can get up by themselves and are not injured.  Of course, not all my facilities will allow them to get on the floor or even do any standing exercises at all and I respect that.  These things are discussed with the director before my first visit.

So many times in a senior facility, the only exercise they have is to watch someone on a DVD.  They just follow along with no interaction with the instructor. They can’t ask questions and don’t know why they are doing the exercises.  They are just parked there.  I feel it is so beneficial to get together for a class, have some conversation with the instructor, and have a few laughs (actually a lot of laughs!).  Once, during one of my explanations for doing a certain pose, one of my students said, let’s just exercise!  Upon reflection that week, I realized that she was used to watching a tape, not going to a class and really learning about her body/mind.  She just wanted to get it done, she didn’t know how to relax.  I feel like the information provided is beneficial for use in between classes.

Unforgettable, is one of the conversations I had with the director of one of the facilities a couple of years ago.  I had been there only a couple of months and it was at a nursing facility, many in wheel chairs.  Apparently, administration had told the director that he had to cut back on spending, so he let me know that I probably would not be able to come back.  About a week later, the director called me and told me that I had to come back.  I asked him if I had misunderstood and he said that no, he had gone past the dining room (where class had been held) and to his astonishment, the room was filled with people waiting for yoga class.  Apparently, because the class was already on the calendar and the residents didn’t know of the cut-back, they assumed I was coming.  Here is the blessing, he told me that in all his years as the activity director at that facility, he had not seen the residents show up to a class of their own volition, usually they have to bring them to an activity.  Needless to say, tears were streaming down my face, I was so honored that I could convey the importance of yoga, and I went back the following week.

Blessings that come from seeing my students progress, even if it is only a change in their color from looking pale to having rosy cheeks when they leave, improved mobility, and improved mood.  Every once in a while, there is one person who is skeptical and appears a bit grumpy but as time goes by, the edge dissolves and their mood improves.  They learn to relax, totally let go.  I had a lady tell me a couple of months ago that she had attained a quarter-inch in height when she was measured at the doctor’s office.  He gave her yoga class the credit.

Many employees of the facilities try, if their time allows, to sit in on yoga class, and of course, family members who are visiting their elder at the time of class.  A grandson of a student, who is to be deployed to Afghanistan later this month, said he was going to take the yoga techniques with him.  Many daughters come to class regularly with their mothers.

Several years ago, my mother was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, with only six months to live.  Of course, there are no words to explain our emotions.  After spending every day with her, except when hospice was there, I would go home with so much tension, fear, and anxiety.  Of course, there were the prayers, counseling, and other things you do to try to relax and then I remembered I had done some yoga mixed into an old exercise tape years before, so I went to a local yoga class.  I was awestruck at the difference it made in my life.  I only wish that I had found it sooner.  I was retired and about a year after my mom passed away, I was trying to find a fulfilling and meaningful purpose for my life.  I was getting out of bed one morning and out of nowhere, a booming voice in my head said “Seniors”.  Now, I had to stop for a moment and think, seniors what?  Then it clicked!  Senior yoga.  I went straight to the phone books, without even having my morning tea, and within forty-five minutes, had three clients!  I did extensive reading and modifying and put a program together.  I had my yoga mentor (yoga teacher trainer) come over to observe my routine to make sure it was safe and effective.  I feel my calling was a huge blessing.

I began a Teachers Training Program at a local studio a year and a half ago because I wanted to receive certification.  I received certificates in Asana 1, Asana 11, Pranayama 1, and Sanskrit.  I felt like I had the information I needed to continue teaching Chair Yoga even though the program didn’t address it and all I lacked was Meditation, which I don’t teach my senior students.  We do a stage-by-stage relaxation at the end of class.  But I wanted to be able to offer my students the best class experience they could get from me.  That is where Aura Yoga comes in.  You have provided me with all the materials to meet my exact needs.  The decision to continue and complete my education with you has been wonderful.   

In conclusion, I have mentioned only a few of the many blessings of Senior Chair Yoga, they are endless.  Although I am guiding the class, my students are my teachers.  I take none of the praise, I give all glory to God.

Carol Martin teaches Yoga classes in St. Ann, Missouri.

By Kelley Pryor Amrein

Aging is the outcome of a long life and it is an outcome most people wish for. After all, the alternative to aging is not being around to grow older and who hopes for that. Many expectations surround the aging process including increased wisdom, greater patience, and comfortable self-confidence after years of pushing, striving, and working to build a career, a family, or both. Another set of expectations creeps in, however, as one begins the aging process and notices that first twinge of arthritis, receives the initial diagnosis of hypertension, accepts the rounding of the tummy or the expansion of the hips, or begins to forget a word or number here and there. Most of us take for granted that we will begin to slowly deteriorate into old age. We believe that robust good health is only for the young and as we get older we must accept the inevitable decline to sedentary pursuits and flabby muscles. Fortunately, we can turn to the practice of yoga to help us maintain physical and mental fitness.

In the book Younger Next Year for Women, co-authors Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, M.D. enthusiastically promote increased exercise for the last third of our lives. Mr. Crowley and Dr. Lodge have also written a book, Younger Next Year, focused on men. They believe passionately that exercise, coupled with good eating habits and positive mental and spiritual focus, can keep both men and women from spiraling into rapid decline during the last 30 years or 1/3 of their lives. As Dr. Lodge says, “Some 70 percent of premature death and aging is lifestyle-related. Heart attacks, strokes, the common cancers, diabetes, brittle bones ,most falls, fractures, and serious injuries and many more illnesses are primarily caused by the way we live.” By living a life filled with challenging activity and social interaction, many of us can grow old gracefully and healthfully.

Practicing yoga can address many of the physical, mental, and social issues that face persons as they age. Yoga begins for many people as a physical practice, the focus being on performing postures or asanas to stretch and tone the body. The body becomes more flexible and stronger through a sustained practice of yoga. “ When you perform the asanas, wherever there are impediments in the body due to lack of circulation, so that you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, liver pain, stomach pain, intestinal pain and so on, the postures irrigate the system, and the impediments are washed away.”

Including yogic breathing practices, called pranayama, helps to cleanse the body and calm the mind, reducing the incidence of disease and occurrence of stress. Practicing pranayama also helps to clear and cleanse the respiratory system. Blood circulates more easily. We feel better and our bodies are healthier. Additionally, breathing consciously stills the mind, quieting the chatter inside our heads, bringing a feeling of peace and relaxation. “The regulation of breath keeps the respiratory gate clean and open, and through an unobstructed, undisturbed circulatory system, the blood will feed each and every part of our body. By allowing the blood to circulate to the areas of the body which are unhealthy, they are nourished, toxins are dissolved and the various ailments and symptoms of physical diseases can come to an end.”

As a yoga student progresses in the practice, he or she might notice a mental shift of focus. Gradually the practice of yoga has increased awareness of the inner self, the inner consciousness. A mental growth has begun and proceeds along with the physical achievements attained. This process makes sense, as the word “yoga” is defined as the yoking or union of the individual soul with the universal spirit. Yoga practitioners begin to see and feel how they are connected with one another and with something greater.

Socially, yoga provides a wonderful setting for forging new connections. As we age these social connections become more important. Our previous lives are changing. Our parents are aging or may be gone. Children are growing up and moving away. Friends may move or may pass on. Marriages or significant relationships may end in divorce or death. For these reasons it is vital that we make social connections to sustain us. Dr. Henry S. Lodge explains that our brains are wired to need social interaction. The ‘limbic’ brain or the creative, social part of our brain draws us to other people. We need these social interactions in order to survive and thrive. “Because of the limbic way we’re made, we are not emotional islands. Simply put, we complete each other. . Therefore we cannot make it alone.” A yoga class can bring people together and create a safe, nurturing environment for social engagement.

While it is easy to say that yoga will provide a form of physical exercise, mental awareness, and social connection for people as they age, it is sometimes difficult to draw individuals to a yoga class because they feel like they cannot participate completely. As people age they often develop physical limitations. A potential student who has osteoarthritis might shy away from a class, concerned about pain or stiffness inhibiting their practice. Another person might suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease and be concerned about injuring themselves in an intense yoga practice. Perhaps someone has developed osteoporosis and is worried that too much exercise might cause a fracture of weakened bones. Another person might be uncomfortable with excess weight brought on by a sedentary lifestyle including too much time at a desk. Many people just feel too stiff to participate in an activity that is often viewed as the province of the young, slender and extremely flexible.

In all of the above scenarios and in many other instances, yoga is accessible and can be very rewarding. It is simply important to proceed with caution as a student and to communicate fully with a teacher about concerns and limitations. Using osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis as examples of potential age-related diseases, it is easy to explore how people with physical limitations can benefit from a yoga practice modified to fit their needs.

In osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, the cartilage that covers the joints and keeps them operating smoothly has been worn away. Many things can cause this wear, including injury to the joint, genetic factors, and, most often, wear and tear to the area. The most commonly affected areas are the weight-bearing joints including the spine, hips, knees and ankles.

Yoga can help to prevent osteoarthritis, alleviate the pain of osteoarthritis, treat the cartilage damaged by osteoarthritis, and provide a way to relieve the stress brought on by the pain of osteoarthritis.

“Yoga is particularly well suited to help prevent or minimize the erosion of cartilage that causes the joint pain of osteoarthritis, and to create greater ease of movement and decrease pain within joint that have already sustained such damage.” Yoga can help to prevent osteoarthritis by causing the joints of the body to move in new and different ways. As the body creates new patterns of movement through yoga practice, flexibility and range of motion are increased. This new movement keeps the joints limber as we age. The movement of the joints in yoga lubricates the joints by distributing synovial fluid, the fluid surrounding the cartilage, thus protecting the joints. The increased movement and range of motion experienced in yoga can contribute to preventing the wear and tear that lead to osteoarthritis.

A Yoga practice can help in the treatment of osteoarthritis in several ways. First, the practice of yoga strengthens the muscles of the body, providing needed support to the joints. Strong muscles help to prevent further wear and tear and pain from osteoarthritis. Exercise and movement are both important parts of the treatment of osteoarthritis and help to increase strength, energy and endurance. The gentle movement of yoga is an effective remedy for the pain of osteoarthritis. Yoga postures increase the movement of the joints and lubricate the joints, helping to alleviate the discomfort of osteoarthritis already present. “One thing yoga does for sure is move the joints into extreme but safe positions, allowing the obscure corners and crevices of each joint to be awash with its lubricating, life-sustaining fluid.” In fact, persons who do not exercise at all can have more joint discomfort than those with an exercise regime.

Finally, Yoga provides an excellent way to reduce the stress brought on by continued pain and stiffness. Holding stress in the painful joints, feeling stress due to a perceived inability to exercise and move, and experiencing isolation as a result, is not good for the body. The breathing exercises in yoga, the yoga postures, and the community of people in a yoga class all aid in reducing stress.

Reducing stress and encouraging physical activity are important goals from anyone who has high blood pressure. High blood pressure is another disease often related to aging. Yoga can provide relief for people with high blood pressure by incorporating asana practice, pranayama practice, and relaxation practice for a total body experience.

Our hearts pump blood throughout our bodies through arteries. It is normal for our blood pressure to rise and fall throughout the day based on our level of activity. When our blood pressure remains elevated regardless of our level of activity, we may have a problem with high blood pressure or hypertension. In this situation, the heart is working harder to pump the blood. Many serious consequences can occur as a result of hypertension including heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and eye problems. There are many reasons why people develop high blood pressure. Weight gain can lead to an increase in blood pressure. Diet may also play a role in causing hypertension as well as genetic factors and the use of certain medications. Stress may play a role in developing high blood pressure and learning to calm the body can often be helpful in reducing blood pressure. Yoga provides a means of strengthening and calming the body which is essential for managing or reducing hypertension.

The practice of yoga can help students with hypertension increase their physical activity. This increase in activity can strengthen the body, increase cardiovascular fitness, and eventually help to reduce blood pressure. It is vital, however, that an individual check with his or her doctor before beginning a yoga program. Certain postures are not appropriate for persons with hypertension. A doctor should also determine what level of cardiovascular exercise is appropriate for an individual. Once the student knows his or her limits, a yoga program can be initiated.

To effectively reach cardiovascular conditioning a vigorous practice of the Sun Salutation series can be introduced. In addition to the Sun Salutations, many standing and seated postures are great for people with hypertension. The main caveat here is to keep the head above the heart in each asana, especially if hypertension is uncontrolled. In inverted postures where the head falls below the heart, the blood rushes to the head causing a rise in blood pressure rather than the intended decrease in pressure.

It is also important to refrain from holding postures for long periods and to continue breathing while in the posture. Long holds or holding the breath can increase the pressure in the body and raise blood pressure. “ . .Any yoga practice, even something as theoretically relaxing as a seated forward bend, can raise your blood pressure if you are uncomfortable or struggling with the pose. Carefully monitoring yourself as you practice is the best way to detect problems. If your breath is smooth and even, and you feel at ease, your blood pressure is likely to be stable.”

In pranayama practice, it is important for the student to practice breathing exercises that do not call for holding the breath. Holding the breath can result in a rise in blood pressure. Practicing abdominal breathing lying down is a relaxing practice which reduces tension and allows plenty of oxygen into the bloodstream. It is an excellent practice for relieving stress and helping to reduce blood pressure. Alternate Nostril Breathing, also called Nadi shodhana or Anuloma Viloma, has many benefits for one with high blood pressure. Alternate nostril breathing is just as the name suggests. The exhale and then the inhale occur on the left side with the right nostril closed. Smoothly, the left nostril is closed so that the exhale and inhale can be taken on the right side. This is practiced for several rounds of breath or up to 10 minutes. James Hewitt, in his book, The Compete Book of Yoga, lists the many benefits of Alternate Nostril breathing, including oxygenating and purifying the blood, toning and soothing the nervous system, and calming and steadying the mind. He suggests that this practice should be used regularly, even if time is limited, and it is especially effective to relax the mind.

Svasana or corpse pose is another excellent way to reduce stress and relax the body. This pose usually follows the asana practice and may be accompanied by a guided relaxation or short meditation. In Svasana the student fully rests the body, allowing for integration of the asana and pranayama practices. Often people are so busy that they neglect relaxation or decide that relaxing is the same as laziness. In fact, taking the time to relax and settle the mind is vital. The body can recharge, creativity can be sparked, excess nervous energy is released and the student emerges both relaxed and energized. “Many important physiological changes are taking place, reducing the body’s energy loss, removing stress, lowering your respiration and pulse rate, and resting the whole system. As you enter deep relaxation, you will feel your mind grow clear and detached.”

Yoga postures, breathing techniques, and relaxation can and should be a vital part of the treatment for high blood pressure. Timothy McCall points to studies that have been done to evaluate the physical response of students with high blood pressure to a practice of asana, pranayama and svasana, and meditation. In one study done in India, the patients who practiced yoga including breathing and relaxation had a higher drop in blood pressure than did students who were treated with drugs. Additionally, the yoga participants lost weight, an outcome which can be helpful to people with high blood pressure. Another study suggests that yoga and relaxation practices lead to more relaxed people and less agitated responses to stimulation keeping blood pressure spikes less drastic. Therefore, yoga should be encouraged as part of a regime to prevent and treat high blood pressure.

Another example of an age-related health issue which can be improved with a yoga practice is Osteoporosis. When we are young, our bones are dense and strong. Beginning a yoga practice when our bones are strong is a great way to maintain the strength and density of our bones as well as to maintain overall strength and flexibility. In an article about osteoporosis on the website Womenfitness.net, the author points to yoga as a wonderful way for women to keep their bones healthy. “The regular practice of weight bearing hatha yoga postures offers women everywhere a safe, scientifically proven way to build bone strength and avoid this debilitating disease” This same weight bearing exercise would also benefit men.

In osteoporosis our bones have lost calcium and minerals. Because bone density has decreased our bones are weaker. Bone density begins to decrease after our twenties and as we age we must be cognizant of the need to protect our bones and keep them strong. Many things can cause our bones to weaken including diet, lack of exercise, inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals, and menopause. Menopause is a crucial time for women. One result of menopause is the decrease in hormone levels which contributes to bone loss.

While engaging in weight-bearing exercises is important for people diagnosed with osteoporosis, it is important to be aware of the risk of fracturing weakened bones. Where an intense yoga practice might have been advantageous when bones were stronger, a more gentle yoga practice is called for now. High impact exercise puts a strain on joints and bones and can cause fractures. So, gentle exercise focused on protecting the bones while healthfully moving the body is the best and safest prescription. “Exercise cannot replace bone that’s already been lost, but it can help maintain strength in the bones. Simple movement can bring softness and agility to the joint. Agility helps us to maintain balance to prevent falling as we age.”

There are many cautions that people with osteoporosis must be aware of when practicing yoga. A qualified yoga teacher who understands the need for modifications is crucial in this situation. Because the most common sites for fractures in osteoporosis are the vertebrae in the spine, the hips and the wrists, it is necessary for a yoga teacher to ensure care when working these areas. Intense forward bends may be contraindicated as they could result in a fracture of the spine. The same is true for twists of the spine, especially forceful twists using the arms to leverage the body. If the wrists are impacted by osteoporosis, the body should not be supported on the hands. Other movements can be substituted to strengthen the arms and gently open the back.

Poses that might be beneficial for osteoporosis include gentle standing poses like trikonasana (triangle) and prasarita padottanasana (wide legged forward bend). These poses can be modified against a wall to provide balance and avoid slips and falls. They require the back to be in a concave position rather than a convex shape. This helps to avoid a fracture of the upper spine. They also promote flexibility and are weight-bearing exercises for the feet and legs.

Gentle backbends, like supported bridge pose, are excellent for strengthening the spine. Seated postures which avoid a strong pull of the spine are best for osteoporosis. Easy seated postures can open the hips, stretch the legs, and gently open the back. Some examples are baddha konasana (cobblers pose) and upavishta konasana (wide angle seated forward bend). The spine should be straight and the pose should be taken slowly and gently to protect the vertebrae. Students and teachers should always be cautious and make use of bolsters, blocks, and blankets to support the back, arms or neck or head in the postures.

Other postures to avoid are ones involving pressure on the neck. The neck should not be hyper extended and care should be taken if the head is tilted back. Bending too far forward can cause fractures in the upper vertebrae. Additionally, poses that place weight on the neck, such as headstand and shoulder stand, should be avoided unless the student is a regular yoga practitioner, or has permission from a doctor. In all cases the student and the instructor must take care to move slowly and gently.

As with osteoarthritis and hypertension, persons with osteoporosis will benefit from a pranayama or breathing practice to calm and cleanse the mind and body. At the end of the practice, the relaxation sequence is always beneficial to calm the system after physical exertion. Because stress has been linked to osteoporosis it is these relaxing practices are as necessary as weight bearing exercise to combat bone loss triggered by high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Finally, the social aspect of yoga will encourage students to attend class and reap the benefits many benefits of the practice.

As we age, we may face health challenges. We may develop osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, osteoporosis or another age related disease. Our health may require that we proceed with caution in exercise, but that caution does not preclude having a sense of fun and adventure. Yoga is fun. It is full of adventure as we master new postures, learn new breathing techniques or find new ways to relax our minds and bodies. As we age, the benefits from yoga may be even more important to our systems. Yoga is a way to gently and lovingly address the physical reality of aging. “As we grow older and our bodies change, so should our relationship to our yoga practice change. Let that relationship allow you to approach your yoga with knowledge, gentleness, and acceptance.”

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1 Crowley, Chris, and Dr. Henry S. Lodge. Younger Next Year For Women. 1. 1. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company Inc., 2007. 31. Print.

2 Iyengar, B.K.S. The Tree of Yoga. 1. 1. New Delhi: HarperCollins India, 1988. 80. Print.

3 Hewitt, James. The Complete Yoga Book. 1. 1. New York: Shocken Books, 1977. 56. Print.

4 Iyengar 81

5 Iyengar 3

6 Crowley, and Lodge 302

7 Ali, Dr. Mosaraf, and Jiwan Brar. Therapeutic Yoga. 1. 1. London: Random House, 2002. 77. Print.

8 McCall, Dr. Timothy. Yoga as Medicine. 1. 1. New York: Bantam Dell, 2007. 152. Print.

9 McCall 154

10 McCall 154

11 Ali, and Brar 77

12 McCall 154

13 McCall 154

14 Fishman, Loren, MD, and Ellen Saltonstall. Yoga for Arthritis. 1. 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2008. 26. Print.

15 Haaz, Steffany, MFA, RYT. “Yoga for People with Arthritis.” Yoga for Arthritis Patients from Johns Hopkins. 6/23/2009. Johns Hopkins, Web. 01/07/10. <http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/patient-corner/disease-management/yoga.html>.

16 Ali, and Brar 127

17 McCall 362, 363

18 McCall 373

19 Mantica, Ana. “Yoga Cures: High Blood Pressure.” YogaLife.com:High Blood Pressure. iYogaLife, Web. 07/Jan/2010. <http://www.iyogalife.com/high-blood-pressure/Yoga_Cures_High_Blood_Pressure.php>.

20 Ali, and Brar 129

21 Hewitt 100

22 The Sivananda Yoga Center, . The Sivananda Companion to Yoga. 1. 1. New York, NY: Fireside, 2000. 24. Print

23 McCall 364

24 McCall 363

25 “Managing Osteoporosis Through Yoga.” WomenFitness. WomenFitness.net, Web. 20 Jan 2010. <http://www.womenfitness.net/yoga_osteo.htm>.

26 Nett, Jaki. “Poses for Osteoporosis.” Yoga Journal. Yoga Journal, Web. 13 Jan 2010. <http://www.yogajournal.com/practice>.

27 Francina, Suza. “Safe Yoga for Osteoporosis.” ELDR.com. ELDR.com, Web. 13 Jan 2010. <http://www.eldr.com/article/fitness/safe-yoga-osteoporosis>.

28 “WomenFitness”

29 Nett

30 Nett

31 Suza

32 McCall 445

33 Nett

Kelley Pryor Amrein is a certified Yoga teacher. She was certified as a Yoga teacher in India and the United States. Kelley teaches Yoga sessions in Amherst, New Hampshire.

By Lissa S. Flores

The history of Yoga is based in the Indus Valley civilization. Archeologists are able to physically trace its existence back to 3000 B.C., although it is widely believed to be as old as civilization itself. The definition of Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root “yuj” meaning to yoke or unite. Yoga is a system through which the body, mind and spirit are integrated, or united, by the balancing of one’s own emotions, actions and intelligence – the union of an individual’s own consciousness with Universal consciousness.

The holistic nature of Yoga allows for a complete healing from the inside out through natural means, unlike modern medicine’s approach of healing from the outside in through conventional medicine and prescription drugs. The practice of Yoga identifies the root of the problem or illness therefore allowing true and lasting healing and health to begin. On the physical plane, one is able to build body strength and stamina through asanas, or poses. On the emotional or mental plane, this strength and vitality thus promotes self esteem, confidence and inner strength. Through pranayama, or breathwork, one is able to then decompress from everyday stressors and anxieties, making the practice of meditation more attainable as one cultivates the ability to calm the body and mind through slow, deep, rhythmic breathing. With continuous meditation one is then able to connect his practical self to the universe, bringing him closer – and eventually – to enlightenment. Life takes on a whole new and much more profound meaning.

The stress of modern society has resulted in modern man’s inability to breathe correctly. When stress kicks in, the body responds in a “fight or flight” mode. Adrenaline, heart rate and blood pressure increase and breathing becomes shallow. All of which catapult the body into further stress. Pranayama encourages correct breathing habits through deep, slow, rhythmic breathwork which instantly calms both body and mind. Through continual practice of pranayama, an individual is more able to control the physiological effects of stress on the body and keep anxieties at bay.

When breathing is done correctly, the body is able to take in more oxygen and expel stale air. The muscles of the body are then able to work more efficiently, and this is essential to performing various asanas in a yoga practice. Through the asanas we are able to stretch and elongate our muscles, strengthen our bones, keep our joints lubricated and massage vital internal organs. We are also able to revitalize energy channels, or chakras, within the body to ensure the unobstructed flow of prana, or life force. For instance, Virbadrasana II, or Warrior II, is a wonderful pose for revitalizing the solar plexus chakra which is responsible for our gut instincts and inner strength. This same pose is also an excellent means to stretch, strengthen and elongate the leg muscles. In Warrior II we are also able to open the hips, which is the largest joint in the body. Opening the joints prevents stiffness and injury which we are all prone to as we grow older. Equally as important, the joints store both physical and emotional toxins; therefore, opening them up allows us to rid our bodies of these poisons.

Through twisting asanas we are able to detox our bodies. Twists are beneficial to opening up the heart and chest, rejuvenating them with fresh blood and oxygen and welcoming positive energy to these areas of the body. Because it is harder to breathe during twisting poses, they can also be considered as “cardio” workout for the lungs, making them stronger. And just as you would wring out all the dirt and grime from a mop, twists allow us to wring out the physical and emotional toxins held deep within.

Backbends and forward bends massage the organs, such as the kidneys and liver, allowing them to work more efficiently in their processes of eliminating waste in the body. Breathing deeply into the lower back when performing forward bends replenishes a fresh supply of blood and oxygen to these organs. Backbends are also amazing at opening the heart and lungs, rejuvenating them and thus enabling them to work more efficiently. On an emotional level, a wonderful backbend like Urdhva Dhanurasana (or Full Wheel), for example, encourages us to open up to deeper trust and love. Yoga poses enable us to experience different states of emotions and thoughts that we may not ordinarily do willingly on our own.

Asanas are also essential to the health and proper functioning of the endocrine system – the pituitary gland, thyroids, adrenals, pancreas, etc. – which is responsible for the aging process, metabolism and hormonal balance. For instance, Balasana, or Child’s Pose, massages the pituitary gland thus promoting hormonal balance within our bodies. With hormonal balance comes stability in our moods, which is one reason Child’s Pose is considered to be restful.

More advanced poses like arm balances and inversions require not just the obvious upper body strength but also core strength. Every movement, whether in yoga practice or in day-to-day physical activity, comes from the core. Various poses can be great tools for reminding us to move with strength through the physical center of our bodies. Poses such as arm balances and inversions invite us to go deeper within ourselves to break through mental blocks of fear and anxiety as we carefully approach their execution.

Performing yoga poses builds physical strength and stamina; rejuvenates and oxygenates every muscle, organ and cell; opens the joints; strengthens the bones; and brings equilibrium to the nervous and endocrine systems. Through breathwork and the movements of our bodies, we are able to cultivate new vitality and vigor. But yoga asanas go well beyond the wonderful physical benefits to the body – they encourage us to be present, to go deeper, to face fears and to remove emotional blocks and open ourselves up to new experiences.

Once we are able to calm the mind and body through pranayama and asanas, we can move into an even deeper realm of consciousness through meditation. Meditation can seem daunting to the novice yogi, especially those who are so overwhelmed by the commotion of modern life. But with practice and patience, meditation can become a very valuable tool at helping us to transcend the physical aspect of our practice in to something that is deeper and more spiritual. Once we have primed the body through breathwork and poses, we move into relaxation and further into meditation. At this stage of one’s practice – or whenever we feel it necessary – meditation liberates us from the physical world. We give ourselves permission to “let go” of anything and everything that is not of the present. We consciously melt tensions away until we reach a point where the only thing that does exist is our connection to the Universe. Through meditation we are able to cultivate our spirituality, oneness with the universe, and better clarity of ourselves and the world around us.

In this day and age, we are bombarded with endless stimulation via the media, and technological advances in electronics keep us connected to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult for modern man to unwind and break away from professional and social pressures. Meditation is a very viable antidote to this problem because it helps us develop our ability to clear our minds and rid ourselves of mental clutter. Since our physical state is directly affected by our state of mind, the ability to gain mental clarity is therefore vital to our overall well-being.

Meditation also helps us develop our ability to focus. The practice of Trataka, or Steady Gazing, for example, requires single-pointed focus. Through meditation we are able to develop the skill to focus and therefore live in the present moment. Mental focus becomes increasingly important with modern day-to-day stresses which numerous research confirms to be a direct link to physical maladies such as heart attacks and emotional conditions such as anxieties and depression. Anxieties are brought on by non-present thoughts – worries about the future, or judgment and regrets from our past. The practice of meditation helps us to control such thoughts so that we can remain – and live – in the present. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body and meditation helps us achieve both.

In conclusion, Yoga, as a holistic means of health and wellness, allows us to transform our mental capacity to one of calm and clarity and, in doing so, our bodies are able to follow suit toward a path of vitality, health and vigor. Every time we step on to our mats, we move deeper inward and come face-to-face with our fears, acknowledging and learning from them so we can move forward in life in a positive manner. With every vinyasa and asana we learn more about our limitations and become more accepting of ourselves. With every introspective meditation, we see ourselves, others and the world with which we are part of more clearly and thus grow ever more spiritually. With every in breath we welcome blessings and with every out breath we rid ourselves of negativity. With every chant and mantra we open ourselves up to experiencing life in the present moment. With every moment of relaxation we offer gratitude for all that has come to be. And with every practice we grow more awareness and are able to actively take part in our own healing, both physical and emotional. The most amazing, beautiful transformation within takes place each and every time we unite our body, mind and spirit – every single time there is a powerful rebirth and we are transformed into better, more beautiful versions of being.

I came to the practice of Yoga just as many Westerners do – out of necessity resulting from the stresses of life. In 2004, I came to a crossroads in my life: my marriage was coming to an inevitable disintegration as a result of my spouse’s drug abuse. My loved one’s addiction had over the years become my affliction and all the while I acted unaware as a means to protect myself from further hurt and pain of what I inherently knew, but tried to deny, was impending. The events of that year shook my world – and life as I knew it – to its very core. Everything seemed to be crumbling around me and I felt as though I was sinking into the muddiest of waters with no way to pull myself and my family out of peril. I had taken up yoga years prior but practiced only infrequently and with no real connection to its powerful benefits. But the more I came to my mat, the more I was able to see things with better clarity. At first, I practiced as a means to keep myself preoccupied. But this very avoidance technique quickly failed me; through my practice I had no choice but to come face-to-face with deep seeded issues and emotions. From that point on, every moment on the mat was met with closer introspect to what ailed me emotionally. The resulting discovery led to a realization of what my body was outwardly manifesting as a result of my emotional state. And every realization led to the reawakening of my spirituality and eventually the renewal and rebirth of my soul. Today I continue on this Yoga path eager to learn and experience more about myself, others and the universe. I have since reconciled with my husband and we are both working toward rebuilding our marriage and our family. Forgiveness, healing, trust and a return to love would not have been possible without my little green, well-used mat. With every fiber of my being I truly believe this awesome transformation was made possible only through my journey with yoga – my experiences and my life now are definite proof that indeed from the muddiest of waters grows a beautiful lotus…Namaste!

Lissa S. Flores is a certified Yoga teacher. She teaches Yoga classes in Guam.  You can visit Lissa’s site at: http://www.beautifulsoulyoga.com/articles.html

By Roberta Bryant

We live in a time where beauty is big business. We are bombarded with superficial images, products and services that promote a distorted concept of real feminine beauty. Western society defines beauty by youth and outer appearance. Consequently, many women believe that they’re just not “enough;” not thin enough, young enough or pretty enough. The pursuit to “be attractive”—whether buying make-up, undergoing cosmetic procedures or talking to a therapist—keeps women uncertain and insecure.

Our culture has become increasingly more superficial. We are constantly being bombarded with images that entice us to abandon our true nature. Through daily sadhana of Yoga, meditation and relaxing, the Yoginis are able to stay connected to their true being. Practicing Yoga helps maintain and sustain not only the body, but one’s true identity as well. The daily sadhana, combined with gratefulness, helps Yoginis maintain a more spiritual view of the body. This helps fight the temptation to view one’s body in both advertising and media terms and helps the Yogini to stay strong in her natural, spiritual image.

In my recent studies and practice of Yoga, I have come to realize a different kind of beauty—natural beauty attained through Yoga practice. This beauty is neither artificial nor temporary. Not driven by the media, not based on superficial ideals; the beauty achieved through Yoga is incomparable.

True, natural beauty is one of the unexpected benefits of Yoga practice. Both natural, captivating and full of grace, this authentic beauty results when the radiance of the soul permeates the outer physical appearance. This is beauty born from a balanced state within. This is the beauty of Yoga.

Yoga Instills Confidence

There is nothing more attractive than a woman with self confidence. Her stature as she enters the room commands attention. Her self-assured smile brightens the room. This confidence is a natural by-product of the Yoga asanas. Tadasana is a perfect example of a posture for learning to stand strong, to feel grounded and to improve posture. In this pose, the body is steady, the weight is evenly distributed and the arms are at the sides. The spine is straightened and the back of the neck is straight. By practicing this pose, one begins to unconsciously stand with a confident posture.

Doing the asanas regularly invokes an inner sense of pride and accomplishment. For example, when one begins Yoga, perhaps they can’t touch their forehead to the floor during Salaam Posture. With consistent practice, the student begins to notice that they can stretch a bit closer to the floor each day, week, or month. Until one day, their forehead makes contact. This gesture promotes a strong sense of a personal achievement. Personal achievement builds confidence. Self confidence, infused with Yogic understanding of ego, is magnetic and attractive.

Yoga Promotes Positive Body Image

One aspect of yoga is that almost anyone can do it. Young, old, fit or out of shape—there are plenty of classes that offer modified poses. Yoga can be intimidating for those who have seen pictures of Yogis doing difficult poses. These photos alone are enough to prevent many from even attempting Yoga. Also, women who are out of shape or overweight have no desire to even step into a Yoga studio. They think they can’t start until they lose weight, not realizing that Yoga is a key way to get the body in shape and to slow the appetite. In fact, people with food issues often find that after a few sessions of yoga, their craving for fatty and other unhealthy food is replaced by the desire to eat fruits and vegetables.

Yoga helps attain ideal body weight and gives way to a proportionate body. Through postures, the body is encouraged to change naturally. Yoga helps remove flab in the right manner to the right extent. Yoga also removes excess fat that surrounds body organs. The abdomen tones with postures such as Urdhva Prasarita Padasana, Ubhaya Padangusthasana and Halasana. The legs are firmed and strengthened with asanas such as Padahastasana and Vrkasana. Each posture trims, tones and massages different areas of the body.

Yoga has a normalizing effect on all systems of the body. Digestion improves from internal massage produced by postures such as Pavanmuktasana and Salaam. The nervous system is toned with postures such as Cat and Salaam. As one continues with regular Yoga practice, the entire body begins to firm, tone and run smoothly.

People who take up Yogic breathing may be surprised to notice excessive fat melting away from the waistline, hips, and other places where it is prone to gather. Pranayama improves metabolic efficiency. The postures break up any fatty deposits and streamline the body.

Yoga Reduces Stress and Calms Emotions

In Western society, everyday life can be challenging. People are pulled in many directions—multitasking, thinking about errands during conversations—distracted and not paying much attention to any one thing. Consequently, women begin to feel fragmented, unfocused and stressed. Hormones fluctuate, often out of balance, causing overreactions and emotional upsets. Women can prevent or overturn out of control emotions and stress overload with breathing exercises taught in Yoga.

Moving through a series of asanas and/or meditation can bring calmness and serenity. Body, mind and breath in rhythmic alignment can dissolve intense stress and calm unrestrained emotions. Less stress leads to better sleeping patterns. Better sleeping patterns leads to waking up filled with energy. Waking up to greet the sun with Surya Namaskars is a fresh and invigorating way to begin the day.

Regular Yoga practice brings a deep connection to self. One begins to find new perspectives when regularly sitting in meditation. Self knowledge becomes self love. Self love brings contentment. This contentment becomes evident on the face as a natural and radiant beauty that is unparalleled.

All Yogic practice counters stress. So, for example, Savasana is specifically intended for relaxation. Usually included at the end of asana practice, this deep relaxation asana should be done every day.

In the United States, stress is considered to be a major killer—being related to many diseases including heart problems, cancer and immunity issues. Yoga can diffuse stress through asanas and pranayama. Even in a moment of high stress, taking a moment to do some deep breathing can redirect the stressful energy. The more relaxed one is the less stress can demand on the body.

Yoga and Anti-Aging

Yoga meditation promotes emotional-physical poise and a quiet mind. Thus, it protects against the pressures of daily living. Our ever increasing daily stress destroys health and happiness. The regular yoga practitioner remains young and active longer than those who don’t practice Yoga. There are many asanas that uses anti-gravity postures to reverse the effect of gravity and use it to our advantage.

For example, padhastasana, not only increases suppleness, tones the nervous system, stretches the spine, massages the abdominal muscles and keeps the legs firm and toned; it also add an additional supply of blood to the facial tissues and scalp, nourishing them both. The results include firmer facial muscles. This leads to reduction of wrinkles and gives a natural face-lift. Savangasana enables the venous blood to flow to the heart without battling gravity. Blood flows to the brain, the scalp and the facial tissues. It also is considered to be a rejuvenator.

Uttanasana brings fresh blood to the brain; oxygenating and rejuvenating the mind. It also revitalizes the facial tissue, is excellent for anti-aging and brings harmony and balance to the entire system. By having one’s head lowered and torso tilted, any stress on the musculature and organs of the torso is reduced. This brings balance and efficient functioning of all the bodily systems, creating inner radiance.

The authors of “A Woman’s Book of Yoga” offer the following suggestions to help a woman experience her inner radiance and natural beauty.

1) Begin a daily sadhana. Daily attention to body, mind and spirit helps develop a positive self-image.

2) Begin a practice of daily self-massage. Use oil scented to uplift the spirit. Self massage is healthy for the body, relaxes the mind and helps create acceptance for the natural changes in a woman’s body. A sense of beauty begins with self-acceptance.

3) Sit in front of a mirror and meditate on your own image. When you see yourself as an elevated soul, you can strengthen your resolve in achieving your dreams and be content in the present moment.

4) Create time in your day to enjoy an invigorating shower followed by asanas. Create space in your home to meditate, relax and unwind. Dedicating time and space for yourself helps create a more positive relationship with your body and self-image.

5) Practice smiling. Say less and smile more. Your stress level will lower, and you will receive smiles from others. Smiling brings radiance and beauty.

Regular practice of a variety of asanas and pranayama keeps one feeling well and gives the body an over-all glow. This inner glow has more to do with beauty than being pretty, handsome or young. Classic beauty may lack kindness or vitality. Good looks can hide a selfish or mean-spirited personality. An unhappy person is rarely as attractive as someone who is happy regardless of looks. While outer beauty may initially attract, what ultimately keeps us interested in a woman is her inner beauty. What we see in her eyes. What we feel from her spirit.

The goal of yoga is not to achieve physical beauty, but to realize inner contentment and a deep connection of one’s Atman with the Brahman (or higher power.) This union shines through the eyes, the expressions and the attitude toward others; it’s what makes a woman truly attractive.

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1 Yoga For Weight Loss—Losing Weight With Yoga; Yoga and Beauty Tips; Julie Denham; www.theyogasanctuary.com.

2 Yoga The Way to Natural Beauty; www.yoga.iloveindia.co.

3 Yoga For Weight Loss—Losing Weight With Yoga; Yoga and Beauty Tips; Julie Denham; www.theyogasanctuary.com.

4 Feeling Good Is Looking Good; Yoga and Beauty Tips; Cathy Keenan; www.theyogasanctuary.com.

5 The Woman’s Book Of Yoga; Seibel, Michelle M. MD and Khalsa, Hari Kaur; Avery Books, 2002

6 Inner Beauty Shines Through; Healthy Lifestyle Tips at Wai Lana Yoga; www.wailana.com

Roberta Bryant is a published author from Santa Rosa, California.  She is training to become a Yoga teacher.

By Brittany Mott

The phone is ringing; coworkers are waiting at her desk with questions and paperwork; her to-do list is a million items long; no matter what she does she feels as though she will never be able to make a dent or any difference at all; she begins feeling as though she is suffocating in the 4×4 cubical; the phone is still ringing. Before she faces just one more thing that could possibly send her over the edge into a panic attack, she closes her eyes and indulges in a long inhalation…1…2…3…4…exhalation…1…2…3…4. A much calmer office worker suddenly feels as though she can take on the world.

What happened in this scenario? What caused this sudden change of attitude and emotion from the brink of a panic attack to the confidence and strength to take on more? The purpose of this paper is to delve into the following topics that will explain a powerful circle: 1) The effect of the mind on the body 2) The effect of the body on the mind and 3) Yoga: a healthy mind and body.

The first perspective we will look at is the effect of the mind on the body. You might say, “This is obvious. The mind makes our muscles move, which makes our bodies do what we want them to do.” But it goes much deeper than that. The mind has so many tools at its command that most people take for granted. How often does a person consider that each breath taken into the lungs carries oxygen to the bloodstream which in turn circulates the precious oxygen to each necessary part of the body including billions of cells and then expels the unwanted carbon dioxide when they exhale? It is time to realize that our minds have the ability to take control of powerful tools, such as breath for example. Our minds have the ability to ease pain in any part of the body by simply thinking about that part of the body. A simple test to prove this is to place a hand on a table and sit very still. Concentrate fully on the thumb and within a few moments, you will begin to feel it throbbing. Imagine the combination of thinking of a pained body part and sending healing breath to it at the same time?

The human mind has the ability to do this. However, this ability can be crippled by the mind itself. Negativity can invade, blocking impulses from being properly transmitted between the central-nervous system and the brain. When this happens, there are a number of consequences as a result. The brain cannot interpret impulses correctly, and this affects the functioning of the brain and body, leaving a person susceptible to disease and emotional distress. On the other hand, positivity can take over and have the opposite effect, enriching life with an increased life span, freedom from depression, greater resistance to the common cold, better psychological and physical well-being, reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and better coping skills during hardships and times of stress.

Study after study has proven the effects of negative and positive thinking on the body. A prime example is a person who is in a good mood, feeling perfectly healthy and someone comes up to them and gives them devastating news. The immediate reaction after shock could be a number of things: nausea, lightheadedness, weakness, pain, etc. An example of the other side of the coin is a person who is feeling sick or down and out and someone comes up and tells them something happy or funny. It will make the person laugh and that person will without a doubt feel some relief. One can easily see the effect of the mind on the body. One of the healthiest first steps that a person can take is using the mind to decide that he or she will think positively, opening the doors to health.

Yoga offers the opportunity to allow a person to step away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, to sit quietly, to move thoughtfully through a series of asanas, allowing the mind to use the tools it has been given to cleanse and revitalize the body. In twisting, one can literally wring tension from the center of the body, massaging the internal organs and promoting their healthy function of digestion and elimination. In balancing, one can regain confidence, develop strength, increase stamina and unite the mind and body working together to hold the body in place. In backbends, one can warm the system, rebelling against the constant forward activity that the body undergoes day in and day out for hours at a time, opening the chest to allow for better breathing. In inversions, one can defy the usual gravitational force, increasing the blood supply to organs that do not usually partake in the supply that lower extremities enjoy most of the time.

The second perspective to discuss is the effect of the body on the mind. It takes only a few moments to look around at those around us and see for ourselves. Those who take care of their bodies are healthier. And those that are healthier are happier. Virgil, a Roman Poet said, “The greatest wealth is health.” It does not matter how much money and how many possessions a person may have, if that person is not healthy, that person is not truly happy because they cannot fully enjoy the greatest material gift given to a human: life. Disease causes physical pain and as a result, causes emotional pain. Thoughts of “Why me?” and “I will never be able to do what I once could” and “never” and “quit” bombard the mind. One can easily see how the physical health can affect the mental health. But what steps can be taken to move toward a healthy body?

The first step to a healthy body is to start feeding it healthful foods, foods that do not hinder the bodily functions, but rather fuel them. Have you ever eaten a bag of chips, pure grease and salt, and felt like a zombie afterward? You don’t want to do anything, think anything, and everything just annoys you? The Sivananda Companion to Yoga states that “We are what we eat….Food is of course necessary for our physical well-being. But as well as this it also has a subtle effect on our minds, since the essence of food forms the mind.” How can the mind function properly when the body is drowned with tamasic (impure) food? The purest foods that can feed the body are the sattvic foods such as cereals, wholegrain breads, fresh fruits and vegetables, pure fruit juices, milk, butter and cheese, legumes, nuts, seeds, honey and herb teas (listed from the Sivananda Companion to Yoga). This is the diet of a yogi.

The second step to a healthy body, leading to a healthier mind, is to work the muscles and joints. Every part of the anatomy is intricately connected and if they are not worked now and then, connections fail, nerves are damaged, etc. Think of a broken leg. After 6 weeks of being trapped and useless inside a cast. Upon the removal of the cast, the muscles in the leg are almost comical in their diminished size. But after a few short days, the muscles are restored after light use. And then after much time, the muscles are as good, if not stronger, than they were before.

The same concept can be applied to yoga practice. Starting out as a somewhat broken structure, with consistent attention, care and practice, the body can be brought to a healthiness incomparable with what it was before. Yoga is the perfect solution for working each and every portion of the body by its innumerable combinations of postures and series. And in final relaxation, the yogi can feel a balance and peace of body as well as the mind. There is no other exercise in this age that allows more opportunity in one hour or even in fifteen minutes of sun salutations to work and lubricate every particle of the body.

The final perspective to look at is Yoga: a healthy mind and body. Yogis can hurt themselves with imbalance. Yogis that are trying to prove something to everyone but themselves prove nothing and hurt themselves. They want to see who can twist the most or bend the furthest. Their minds are in the wrong place. This will result only in a dissatisfied feeling after practice. The other extreme is when the yogis are not paying attention and let their minds wander, resulting in zero mastery of the body and possibly injury from pushing too far without realizing, or not pushing their edges enough.

There are many different types of yoga. Some of the types focus primarily on the mind, such as Raja, in which meditation is the bulk or all of the practice. Some types focus primarily on the body, such at Hatha, in which the bulk of the practice is in holding postures in order to build strength. No matter what type of yoga a person may choose, it is important that there be a balance between mental and physical work and mastery. Is that not what yoga is all about? The word yoga means “unity”. All of the yogas intertwine in one way or another. For instance, Hatha yoga requires the mastery of the body. But how do we master the body, but by our minds willing us to hold a posture? And how would Raja yoga be possible if the body were not trained to remain still, which is a work of the body itself, just a different fashion?

Returning to the scenario of the office worker, we now see what happened when the deep breath was taken. It was a connection of the mind and body. The mind telling the body, “You need to calm down.” And the body responding with a deep inhalation of oxygen, shooting energy straight to the brain, empowering the worker to take on more. The more a person practices yoga, the more natural it will become to take the yoga “off the the mat” and into the world to face challenges. If practiced correctly, yoga will naturally increase the yogi’s desire to treat the body more healthfully by feeding it with wholesome foods and moving it with purpose.

In conclusion, Healthy Mind=Healthy Body. Healthy Body=Healthy Mind. One cannot be without the other, so both must have care and attention. The perfect solution to giving special care and attention to both is Yoga: Healthy Mind and Body.

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organization, 1948).

A nursery rhyme said it well:

The best six doctors anywhere

And no one can deny it

Are sunshine, water, rest, and air

Exercise and diet.

These six will gladly you attend

If only you are willing

Your mind they’ll ease

Your will they’ll mend

And charge you not a shilling.

Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990

Brittany Mott is a certified Yoga teacher. She teaches Yoga classes in the Clinton Township, Michigan area.