"Happiness is when what you
think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." ~Ganhdi
Yoga
is a deep spiritual practice that originated in ancient India. Yoga
aims to unify the body,
mind and soul with an awareness of the divinity that surrounds us. "Yoga" translates to "union" in Sankrit and "reunion" in Tibetan. This ancient
practice guides us closer to our higher selves.
The calm and compassion cultivated on the mat is taken
out into our every interaction and relationship. Yoga is more than
flexibility. While practice does lead to greater bendiness, it also improves strength,
balance, and focus. The yogic lifestyle greatly reduces the tension
which manifests as pain and stress by incorporating
mindfulness, deep and conscious breathing, selfless service, vegetarianism, hatha yoga practice, devotion and wisdom through experience.
 You are as
young as your spine is flexible.
Hatha yoga is involves stretching,
breathing and meditating.
"Ha" means sun in Sanskrit; "tha"
means moon. Hatha yoga represents opposing energies: yin and yang, hot
and cold, male and female, positive and negative.
Hatha yoga balances the mind and
body via physical postures (asanas), purification practices, controlled
breathing, relaxation, and meditation.
Asanas are practiced to improve the
body's physical health and clear the mind in preparation for
meditation. Different asanas are
recommended by practitioners to cure or prevent problems ranging from
constipation to cancer. Hatha yoga is known to reduce stress and other
mental worries.
frequently
asked questions
what
is yoga? a
profound system of holistic health that originated in India over 6000
years ago. In the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, yoga is defined as having 8
limbs:
- Yama (The five abstentions): non-violence, non-lying,
non-covetousness, non-sensuality, and non-possessiveness
- Niyama (The five observances): purity, contentment,
austerity, study, and surrender
- Asana: Literally means seat; refers to the seated position
used for meditation.
- Pranayama (Suspending Breath): Prāna, breath, "āyāma", to restrain or stop. Also
interpreted as control of the life force, prana.
- Pratyahara (Abstraction): Withdrawal of the sense organs from
external objects.
- Dharana (Concentration): Fixing the attention on a single
object.
- Dhyana (Meditation): Intense contemplation of the nature of
the object of meditation.
- Samādhi (Liberation): merging consciousness with the object of
meditation
what
if i'm not flexible?
Despite what is sometimes taught in the west, the goal
of yoga is not to do the perfect pose but to quiet the
distractions of the mind. Some bodies are naturally more flexible than others. For everyone, flexibility comes with sustained practice. We benefit from practicing poses that fit
our individual, day-to-day needs based on ever-changing physical and mental conditions.
 why
practice yoga?
stress reduction. improved
circulation. flexibility. strength. balance. focus. an increase in vitality and overall sense of well-being. these benefits do
not occur overnight but the results are lasting.
will it hurt?
No! However, if you select the wrong level of difficulty in a large
group class and have some physical limitations, you could have some
problems. Be sure you are in the right class and inform the instructor
of any potential problems.
where
do i start?Google
your nearest yoga studio. Or, you don't have to go to a class -- you
can also learn by book or video. It is helpful to learn from a teacher
in person. Yoga is like any sport or skill (though it is so much more) -
the more you practice, the better. It depends on your individual needs
and goals. It is important to practice at home too!
what do i wear?
Anything comfortable, stretchy and light. Yoga is ideally done barefoot
and on an empty stomach.
simply stated, totally embodying the present
moment. there are thousands of techniques, but they all have this
singular goal: Be Here Now.
what
does meditation have to do with "visualization" or "manifestation"?
Visualization is one of the
thousands of meditation techniques out there. It is as natural and
automatic as daydreaming. However, mandatory positive thinking that
shuns all negativity and seeks materialistic goals, as seen in the
popular 2006 book/DVD, The Secret, is harmful because along with it come
two nasty side effects: egoism and
self-hate. All the pressure is on YOU and your own thoughts. Many books
and teachers have you visualize what you
want to be, do and have. If you achieve your dreams, you get the
infinite joy and abundance of the universe. If, however, you fail to
reach your goals, you alone are to blame.
what
are chakras?
"Chakra"
translates as "wheel"
in Sanskrit. There are seven main chakras at points
along the spine and hundreds of others throughout the body. When the
chakras are balanced and in alignment, energy is flowing, and you are
healthy. If your chakras are blocked due to mental, emotional or
spiritual disease, you may feel the effects as a physical ailment.
[The body never lies.
~Martha Graham]
located at the base of the
spine
related to survival instincts
and sense of grounding and
connection to our bodies and the physical plane.
When balanced, we feel secure
and safe. When blocked, we
may feel unstable or anxious.
2nd
Chakra
[Sex is emotion in motion.
~Mae West]
located
in the lower abdominal
related to emotions and
sexuality.
Ideally this chakra brings us
fluidity and grace, depth of
feeling, sexual fulfillment and the ability to accept change. If out of
balance, problems with sex drive and performance may occur.
3rd
Chakra
[Life shrinks or expands in
proportion to one's courage.
~Anaïs Nin]
located
in the solar plexus, the area in the hollow of your rib cage
rules our personal power,
will and autonomy, as well as our
metabolism.
When balanced, digestion and
self-discipline are strong.
Otherwise, stomach problems and weakness of will are possible.
4th
Chakra
[Love all, trust a few, do
wrong to none. ~William
Shakespeare]
located in the heart center
allows us to love deeply,
feel compassion and have a deep
sense of peace and centeredness when healthy. When out of balance, this
chakra leads to bitterness, greed and thoughtlessness.
[If you tell the truth you
don't have to remember
anything. ~Mark Twain]
located
in the throat
related to communication and
creativity.
A balanced throat chakra
leads to clear, easy
communication, both verbal and non-verbal. Blockages in this area can
lead to problems with the throat and sinuses.
6th
Chakra
[Trust yourself. You know
more than you think you do.
~Benjamin Spock]
located at the third eye
point, between the eyebrows)
governs the act of seeing, both physically and intuitively. When it is
out of balance, one feels disconnected from their intuition or "gut"
feelings.
[Before enlightenment - chop
wood, carry water. After
enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Proverb]
located at the
crown of the head
when developed brings us
knowledge, wisdom, understanding,
spiritual connection and bliss
The lower
chakras have to do with grounding, physicalilty and stability. The upper
chakras deal with expansion, compassion and insight. The heart center,
at the center of the seven, is the connection between the upper and
lower chakras.
What if my joints pop during yoga?
Many of us hear lots of snaps, crackles and pops in
our toes, ankles, knees, hips, spine, neck, shoulders, elbows, fingers
and wrists during yoga practice and throughout the day. Is this a
problem? Maybe.
The popping, cracking joints you hear while practicing yoga may be
problematic or not, depending on the cause. Cracking and popping noises can be attributed to a few different
phenomena. One explanation is that when a joint is pushed into or out of
its normal position (which could be done during a yoga pose) gases are displaced and escape from the synovial fluid
inside the joint, causing a popping sound. Or the noise could come from a tendon moving across a joint or from
arthritic changes that have already occurred in the joint. If this popping occurs naturally during yoga practice, or in daily
life, for that matter, there is not a problem.
However, continually popping one's joints tends to create hypermobility and can lead to instability
in the joint. This instability can cause the surrounding musculature to
tighten up a bit to support the joint and thus the urge to pop will
arise again.
If there is pain associated with a popping or cracking noise,
seek the counsel of a qualified health professional.
|
