Yoga Phylosophy - 5 Yamas

1. Non-Harming (Ahimsa)

In Sanskrit the prefix A means “not,” while himsa means “harming, injuring, killing, or doing violence.”   Ahimsa, the first of the yamas and the highest ranking among them, is the practice of non-harming or non-violence. This is the key, the sages tell us, to maintaining both harmonious relationships in the world and a tranquil inner life.

At a deeper level, ahimsa is less a conscious process than a natural consequence of yoga practice. As our journey unfolds, it leads to awareness of the peaceful and enduring core that is our true nature; the desire to prevent harm is a spontaneous expression of that awareness. We begin to realize that the inner self in others is identical to our own inner self, and we wish no harm to come to any being.

Try to practise being more kind, accepting, and forgiving of yourself and others. According to the sages, when ahimsa is fully embraced, an inner confidence emerges that is deep seated and surprisingly powerful.

2. Truthfulness (Satya)

The word sat, in Sanskrit, means “that which exists, that which is.” Satya, in turn, means “truthfulness”—seeing and reporting things as they are rather than the way we would like them to be.

To practice Inwardly learn to recognize the cascade of fears and other negative emotions that prompt you to twist reality. Once you have understood and processed these fears, your thoughts, speech, and actions can be realigned with the truth, even as you look more deeply into your needs and desires. Outwardly, refrain from telling lies and speak with kindness, compassion, and clarity.


3. Non-Stealing (Asteya)

The word steya means “stealing.” When it is combined with the prefix a, it yields the third yama, asteya: non-stealing. We are most likely to associate stealing with tangible objects, but intangibles, such as information and emotional favors, are more likely to be the objects stolen in our world.

Try to practice to observe the urge to steal that arises from a sense of unhappiness, incompleteness, and envy, the solution is to practice giving any chance you get. Give food; give money; give time. Since wealth is ultimately a state of mind, you will feel increasingly wealthy; and through selfless giving, your sense of inner wealth may bring you outer wealth.The practice of non-possessiveness helps us to examine our assumptions and guides us back to healthy relationships with others.

4. Moderating the Senses (Brahmacharya)

The literal translation of brahmacharya is “walking in God-consciousness.” Practically speaking, this means that brahmacharya turns the mind inward, balancing and supervising the senses, and leads to freedom from dependencies and cravings. And the sages tell us that when the mind is freed from domination by the senses, sensual pleasures are replaced by inner joy.

Practice by making wise choices about the books and magazines you read, the movies you see, and the company you keep will help you conserve energy and keep your mind focused and dynamic. Being moderate in all sensual activities so that you don’t dwell on them, staying committed and faithful to one partner in a relationship that is mutually supportive—this is the middle path of brahmacharya.

5. Non-Possessiveness (Aparigraha)

Graha means “to grasp” and pari means “things”: aparigraha means “not grasping things,” or non-possessiveness. It helps us achieve a balanced relationship with the things that we each call “mine.”
A yogic way is to say, “All the things of the world are yours to use, but not to own.” That is the essence of aparigraha. Whenever we become possessive, we are in turn possessed, anxiously holding onto our things and grasping for more. But when we make good use of the possessions that come to us and enjoy them without becoming emotionally dependent on them, then they neither wield power over us nor lead to false identities and expectations.

To practice examine your own tendencies toward possessiveness. Do you take better care of an object in your possession than one belonging to someone else? Do you acquire more of something than you can use? Do you depend too much on others, give more in a relationship than is healthy for you, replace mutual give-and-take with the need for tight-fisted control, or attempt to increase your self-esteem by gaining someone else’s love?  The practice of non-possessiveness helps us to examine our assumptions and guides us back to healthy relationships with others.

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga was born in India over 5000 years ago. And it was much different than what we have today.It was adpted by the yogis to the time and place and thats why we have so man Yoga styles and techniques.
Ultimately in the big picture, there is only one YOGA.And there are many approaches to it, or many paths, that leading to the same mountain.To Translate word Yoga from Sanskrit, the old ancient Indian language it means to Unite to Yoke.The goal of Yoga is to harmonize and bring a sense of union to your spirit , mind , and body at the same time. This ancient practice combines postures with breathing techniques ,meditation, philosophy, diet, medicine , way of thinking and the way of living.Yoga is known to restore energy, health, balance, and life attitude. It is considered to be the most powerful  overall health and well-being system ever existed on the planet. 

Doing Yoga asanas on a routine basis enhances brain wave coherence that further helps to improve brain functions, such as memory, cognitive and intellect. It creates new neural pathways and reduces dysfunctional thinking and depressive attitude. Yoga has a great impact on several hormones within the body. It reduces stress by lowering the stress-related hormones (cortisol) in the body. It tunes your body and mind for greater efficiency and performance. It also increases the levels of serotonin in the body, which further helps in increasing happiness and emotional stability. 

Yoga teaches you to focus on breathing while you hold the poses. This helps you to quiet your mind, so that you can focus your energy wherever you want. It brings a state of mental calmness and joy where you feel satisfaction with your life. Those who practice yoga and meditation have decreased irritability, moodiness, crankiness and feelings of depression. With less stress and anxiety and more confidence, you feel more energetic and rejuvenated, which in turn enhances your efficiency.

Restorative Yoga

In restorative yoga, props are used for support the body so that you can hold poses for longer, allowing you to open your body through passive stretching. The postures are usually adapted from supine or seated yoga poses with the addition of blocks, bolsters, and blankets to eliminate unnecessary straining. For instance, a seated forward bend (paschimottanasana) can be done with a bolster or several folded blankets on top of the legs so that your forward bend is fully supported with the entire torso resting on your props. Legs up the wall (viparita karani) is a classic restorative, with the wall used as a prop to support the legs.

What to Expect
Restorative classes are usually very relaxing and are a good complement to more active practices. The teacher will arrange for the necessary props to be available to you. The lights may be dimmed and if it is chilly, you may be covered with a blanket since you will not be warming up the body the way you would be in a regular class. After you are set up in a pose with all your props, you will hold the pose for an extended period, often up to ten to twenty minutes. Although you are supported, you will definitely still feel the stretch. It's a relaxing style of practice that leaves you feeling open and refreshed.

By - Ann Pizer

Benefits

Restorative poses help relieve the effects of chronic stress in several ways. First, the use of props as described in this book provides a completely supportive environment for total relaxation.

Second, each restorative sequence is designed to move the spine in all directions. These movements illustrate the age-old wisdom of yoga that teaches well-being is enhanced by a healthy spine. Some of the restorative poses are backbends, while others are forward bends. Additional poses gently twist the column both left and right.

Third, a well-sequenced restorative practice also includes an inverted pose, which reverses the effects of gravity. This can be as simple as putting the legs on a bolster or pillow, but the effects are quite dramatic. Because we stand or sit most of the day, blood and lymph fluid accumulate in the lower extremities. By changing the relationship of the legs to gravity, fluids are returned to the upper body and heart function is enhanced.

Inverted poses  dramatically alter hormone levels, thus reducing brain arousal, blood pressure, and fluid retention. also benefits aere like slowing of the heart rate and dilation of the blood vessels in the upper body that comes from reversing the effects of gravity.

Fourth, restorative yoga alternately stimulates and soothes the organs. For example, by closing the abdomen with a forward bend and then opening it with a backbend, the abdominal organs are squeezed, forcing the blood out, and then opened, so that fresh blood returns to soak the organs. With this movement of blood comes the enhanced exchange of oxygen and waste products across the cell membrane.

Finally, yoga teaches that the body is permeated with energy. Prana, the masculine energy, resides above the diaphragm, moves upward, and controls respiration and heart rate. Apana, the feminine energy, resides below the diaphragm, moves downward, and controls the function of the abdominal organs. Restorative yoga balances these two aspects of energy so that the practitioner is neither overstimulated nor depleted.

by Judith Hanson

Agni, the Fire of Life

What happens within this movement of prāṇa and apāna? According to yoga we have a fire, agni, in the body, situated in the vicinity of the navel, between the prāṇa-vāyu and the apāna-vāyu. The flame itself is constantly changing direction: on inhalation the breath moves toward the belly, causing a draft that directs the flame downward, just like in a fireplace; during exhalation the draft moves the flame in the opposite direction, bringing with it the just-burned waste matter. It is not enough to burn the rubbish; we must also rid the body of it. A breathing pattern where the exhalation is twice as long as the inhalation is aimed at providing more time during exhalation for freeing the body of its blockages. Everything we do to reduce the rubbish in the body is a step in the direction of releasing our blockages. With the next inhalation we bring the flame back to the apāna. If all the previously burned waste has not left the body, the flame will lose some of its power.
Certain physical positions are beneficial for the meeting of fire and rubbish. In all inverted postures, the agni is directed toward the apāna. This is the reason yoga attributes so much significance to the cleansing effects of inverted postures. Cleansing is intensified when we combine inverted postures with prāṇāyāma techniques.


All aspects of prāṇāyāma work together to rid the body of apāna so that prāṇa can find more room within. In the moment when waste is released, prāṇa fills the space in the body where it really belongs. Prāṇa has its own movement; it cannot be controlled. What we can do is create the conditions in which prāṇa may enter the body and permeate it.
The Yoga Sūtra describes the flow of prāṇa with this lovely image: If a farmer wants to water his terraced fields, he does not have to carry the water in buckets to the various parts of his fields; he has only to open the retaining wall at the top. If he has laid out his terraces well and nothing blocks the flow of the water, it will be able to reach the last field and the furthest blade of grass without help from the farmer.3 In prāṇāyāma we work with the breath to remove blockages in the body. The prāṇa, following the breath, flows by itself into the cleared spaces. In this way we use the breath to make possible the flow of prāṇa.
Understanding prāṇa as an expression of puruṣa, we have as little possibility for working directly on prāṇa as we have of influencing our puruṣa directly. The way to influence prāṇa is via the breath and mind. By working with these through prāṇāyāma, we create optimal conditions for the prāṇa to flow freely within.

TKV Desikachar

Developing Your Personal Yoga Practice

Almost any Yoga teachers will often refer to "your practice," which means your individual experience with yoga as it develops over time. Yoga, first and foremost, must be approached in accordance to your comfort zone. No pose, technique, or instructor behavior will instill any benefit if you are at all uncomfortable.

Because yoga is so diverse, there is plenty of room for interpretation from one person to the next, even within the same classroom. You need to work at your own pace; not mine, not the neighbor's, not even your own of a week ago.


Don't ever let anyone physically push your body into a position beyond that which you are able to assume by yourself; don't let anyone coax you to go further than you wish to go.
This is your practice; only you have the wisdom to dictate where your practice goes. Although the poses themselves do not change, your relationship to them will.
Anyone can start a yoga practice, even if you don't feel like you are very flexible or very strong. These things will develop over time.
Another great thing about thinking of yoga as "your practice" is that it encourages the noncompetitive spirit of yoga. One of the most difficult, but ultimately most liberating things about yoga is letting go of the ego and accepting that no one is better than anyone else.
Everyone is just doing their best on any given day. The amazing thing about yoga is that your practice is always evolving and changing so it never gets boring.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - 8 Limbs Of Yoga

In Hindu philosophy, yoga is the name of one of the six orthodox (which accept the testimony of Vedas) philosophical schools. founded by Patanjali. Karel Werner, author of Yoga And Indian Philosophy, believes that the process of systematization of yoga which began in the middle and Yoga Upanishads culminated with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.Scholars also note the influence of Samkhyan and Buddhist ideas on the Yoga Sutras.The yoga school accepts the samkhya psychology and metaphysics, but is more theistic than the samkhya, as evidenced by the addition of a divine entity to the samkhya's twenty-five elements of reality.The parallels between yoga and samkhya were so close that Max Müller says that "the two philosophies were in popular parlance distinguished from each other as Samkhya with and Samkhya without a Lord...."The intimate relationship between samkhya and yoga is explained by Heinrich Zimmer:
These two are regarded in India as twins, the two aspects of a single discipline. Sāṅkhya provides a basic theoretical exposition of human nature, enumerating and defining its elements, analyzing their manner of co-operation in a state of bondage ("bandha"), and describing their state of disentanglement or separation in release ("mokṣa"), while yoga treats specifically of the dynamics of the process for the disentanglement, and outlines practical techniques for the gaining of release, or "isolation-integration" ("kaivalya").
—[78]
Patanjali is widely regarded as the compiler of the formal yoga philosophy.The verses of Yoga Sutras are terse and are therefore read together with the Vyasa Bhashya (c. 350–450 CE), a commentary on the Yoga Sutras.Patanjali's yoga is known as Raja yoga, which is a system for control of the mind. Patanjali defines the word "yoga" in his second sutra, which is the definitional sutra for his entire work:
yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
- Yoga Sutras 1.2

This terse definition hinges on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms. I. K. Taimni translates it as "Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)".The use of the word nirodhaḥ in the opening definition of yoga is an example of the important role that Buddhist technical terminology and concepts play in the Yoga Sutras; this role suggests that Patanjali was aware of Buddhist ideas and wove them into his system. Swami Vivekananda translates the sutra as "Yoga is restraining the mind-stuff (Citta) from taking various forms (Vrittis).
Patanjali's writing also became the basis for a system referred to as "Ashtanga Yoga" ("Eight-Limbed Yoga"). This eight-limbed concept derived from the 29th Sutra of the 2nd book, and is a core characteristic of practically every Raja yoga variation taught today. The Eight Limbs are:

-Yama (The five "abstentions"): Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (Truth, non-lying), Asteya (non-covetousness), Brahmacharya (non-sensuality, celibacy), and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
-Niyama (The five "observances"): Shaucha(purity), Santosha(contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study of the Vedic scriptures to know about God and the soul), and Ishvara-Pranidhana (surrender to God).
-Asana: Literally means "seat", and in Patanjali's Sutras 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.
-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.
-Samadhi ("Liberation"): merging consciousness with the object of meditation.

In the view of this school, the highest attainment does not reveal the experienced diversity of the world to be illusion. The everyday world is real. Furthermore, the highest attainment is the event of one of many individual selves discovering itself; there is no single universal self shared by all persons.

The Forms of Prāṇa

There are five forms of prāṇa, all having different names according to the bodily functions with which they correspond. These forms of prāṇa are:
*udāna-vāyu, corresponding to the throat region and the function of speech
*prāṇa-vāyu, corresponding to the chest region
*samāna-vāyu, corresponding to the central region of the body and the function of digestion
*apāna-vāyu, corresponding to the region of the lower abdomen and the function of elimination
*vyāna-vāyu, corresponding to the distribution of energy into all areas of the body

We will concern ourselves with two forms: prāṇa-vāyu and apāna-vāyu.
That which enters the body is called prāṇa and that which leaves it is called apāna. The term apāna also refers to the region of the lower abdomen and all the activities that take place there. Apāna describes that part of prāṇa that has the function of elimination and provides the energy for it, and it also refers to the lower belly and the rubbish that collects there when the power of prāṇa is not in a state of equilibrium. When a person is slow and heavy we sometimes say that he has too much apāna. Apāna as prāṇic energy is something we need, but apāna as refuse left from activating this energy actually prevents prāṇa from developing within. All forms of prāṇa are necessary, but to be effective they must be in a state of balance with each other. If someone has a lot of rubbish in the region of the lower abdomen then he or she consumes too much energy there, and this imbalance should be addressed. The goal is to reduce apāna to an efficient minimum.
Apāna as waste matter accumulates because of many factors, some of which lie within our control. The practice of yoga aims to reduce these impurities. People who are short of breath, cannot hold their breath, or cannot exhale slowly are seen as having more apāna, whereas those who have good breath control are considered to have less apāna. An overabundance of apāna leads to problems in all areas of the body. We have to reduce the apāna so that we can bring more prāṇa into the body.
When we inhale, prāṇa from outside the body is brought within. During inhalation, prāṇa meets apāna. During exhalation, the apāna within the body moves toward the prāṇa. Prāṇāyāma is the movement of the prāṇa toward the apāna and the movement of the apāna toward the prāṇa. Similarly, holding the breath after inhalation moves the prāṇa toward the apāna and holds it there. Holding the breath after exhalation moves the apāna toward the prāṇa.

TKV Desikachar - The Heart of Yoga

32 Unusual yoga quotes

Asana

1.       Body is not stiff, mind is stiff.   Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

2.       You go too fast, don’t do that. Eddie Stern

3.       No coffee no prana. Sharath Rangaswamy

4.       Yoga is learning to never say I can’t. Claudia Azula

5.       Anybody can breathe. Therefore anybody can practice yoga. T.K.V. Desikachar

6.       Before you've practiced, the theory is useless. After you've practiced, the theory is obvious. David Williams

7.       Turn on the lights of the pose. Richard Freeman

Life as a yogi

8.       Laughter drives shouting away. Indra Devi

9.       Let your speech be true and sweet. Shri T. Krishnamacharya

10.   Never be in debt. Never reside near enemies. Never trap your body through disease. Never forget the Lord with his consort who resides in the heart. Shri T. Krishnamacharya

11.   Bien predica quien bien vive. Don Quijote de la Mancha (Preaches well who lives well)

Meditation

12.   Meditation results in marvels. Shri T. Krishnamacharya

13.   Don’t just do something, sit there! Unknown

Relationships

14.   If you want to attract the coolest man in the world become the coolest woman in the world.  Marianne Williamson

Age

15.   Yoga is the fountain of youth. You're only as young as your spine is flexible. Bob Harper

16.   As women gather in years aim toward living in ways that are sure to horrify the few and inspire the many - Clarisa Pinkola Estes

17.   Age considers; youth ventures. Rabindranath Tagore

Love

18.   If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete. Jack Kornfield

19.   Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Marianne Williamson

Strength

20.   No army can withstand the strength of an idea whose time has come. Victor Hugo

21.   My life is my message. Gandhi

22.   Silence is not silent. Silence speaks. It speaks most eloquently. Silence is not still. Silence leads. It leads most perfectly. Sri Chinmoy

23.   When one experiences truth, the madness of finding fault with others disappears. S.N.Goenka

24.   All that we are is the result of what we have thought. Buddha

25.   You’ve got to work with your mistakes until they look intended. Raymon Carver

Respecting our Gunas  (innate psychological tendencies)

26.   Chancho limpio nunca engorda, (clean pig never gets fat) Spanish proverb unknown author

Adventure

27.   Speak a new language so that the world will be a new world. Rumi

28.   Si de algo soy rico es de perplejidades y no de certezas. Jose Luis Borges

29.   A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool. William Shakespeare

Wealth

30.   The first wealth is health. Ralph Waldo Emerson

31.   To one established in non-stealing all wealth comes. Patanjali

Results

32.   Mastery of yoga is really measured by how it influences our day-to-day living, how it enhances our relationships, how it promotes clarity and peace of mind. T.K.V. Desikachar

Article writen by Claudia Azula, author of 'book 21 Things to Know Before Starting an Ashtanga Yoga Practice'

Negative States of Mind & Yoga

In order to release past impressions from our minds which negatively influence our behaviour, is it enough to simply witness them in meditation, or is it necessary to re-experience the pain and emotion that go along with them?

Past experiences in yogic terminology are known as samskara and, if you are aware of them you can get rid of them by simply witnessing them. If some samskaras come up to the level of the conscious mind during meditation and you re-live the pain and emotion, it is possible to get rid of it completely. The problem lies in knowing what our samskaras are, because generally we believe that our desires, ambitions, likes and dislikes are samskaras when actually they are not. They are patterns or modifications of mind- vrittis.

Samskaras go much deeper than that. They belong to the realm of the unconscious mind and construct the human personality. Without samskaras we would not be classified as human beings. If we try to understand personality in general, we will find that even animals have personalities. They have samskaras which go beyond the instinctive aspect of animal consciousness. Even trees and plants have samskaras, but that goes beyond the state of consciousness in which they live and survive.

The literal meaning of samskara is 'uniform personality', 'akara' meaning 'form', 'shape' or 'personality', and 'sam' meaning 'the totality of'. We relate intellectually to everything we perceive in the world as a form or object. That is the external experience, but when we talk about the aspect of consciousness, energy and personality in each object or being, we are talking about the samskara. So, even this tape recorder has a samskara, although it is a mechanical object. It can be classified as an object having a samskara, identity or uniform consciousness. Matter contains energy, energy has movement and within that movement there is some underlying awareness which maintains it in its gravitational field. That is actually what we call samskara.

When we say, 'Oh, I have this samskara in me' meaning 'I like this or that' or 'I want to achieve this but can't due to my samskara', that is only a modification of mind. Samskara are related to karma also. Consciousness was there before you were given birth and it will be there after you die. This consciousness has been given certain impressions which we can call experiences of the deeper self. We become aware of these impressions when we practise deep meditation, not superficial meditation. When we transcend the conscious, subconscious and unconscious experiences of personality it is possible that initially we become aware of certain traumas that have taken place in our early childhood, and of which we did not have any conscious recollection. I will give you an example.

One lady came here some time ago who used to suffer tremendous headaches since very early childhood for no apparent reason. No amount of medication or meditation had helped her. Then one day as she was meditating she had this splitting headache and suddenly she had a vision of herself as a miner in a coal mine in Wales, United Kingdom. The whole mine collapsed on her head and she died. Since re-experiencing that event she did not have a single attack of headache.

Now, this can be classified as a samskara, an impression which the consciousness has carried through several or more lives and the physical manifestation took the form of a headache. We can infer from this that her consciousness had undergone the experience in some previous life, but because of its traumatic effect on her personality, it remained within the folds of consciousness. Then, when that consciousness re-manifested in another body, the same trauma was again expressed by it. So, a human being is not a totally different entity than its experiences in its previous lives.

We can also term many other experiences which we may have had in childhood and about which we have entirely forgotten, as samskaras which have left a very deep impression on our personality. Children whose parents are drug-addicts or who have been divorced very early on have a different mentality because of this samskara.

Samskara has nothing to do with our intellect or buddhi. If we could rationalize our experience and try to clear the mind of it we would not give birth to that samskara again. Clearing the mind is important. If something comes up and you remember it or see it in the form of a vision, that is clearing the samskara. For example you may realize 'I know I have a lot of emotional problems. Previously I was not like this. I know the cause. I had a fight with my wife and we got divorced. Intellectually we cleared things up but emotionally we were not able to clear that experience from our mind'. So this emotional frustration later takes on the form of a samskara and transforms our personality.

If you know the cause of your present malady then you should also try to make sure that your mind is clear in all respects, not only intellectually but also emotionally and psychically. A spiritual aspirant must have this kind of awareness. We should not look at things only from the intellectual standpoint but from the aspect of the total personality. This is what meditation actually teaches.

Although we do begin the meditational practices with technique of self-observation, of observing our thoughts and what we are feeling, these techniques are not limited to this superficial awareness of personality. They go much deeper than that and whenever we meditate we should try lo keep the idea or concept in mind, that it deals with the total personality and the purification of an event which has already taken place.

How can we remove negative tendencies such as fear?

According to yogic, Eastern and Western psychology, negative tendencies are a part of our individual personality which must express itself whether we like it or not. So negative states of mind cannot be eradicated completely. The modern psychologist has defined fear in many different ways and there are many different types of tear. Children are afraid of the dark; some people are afraid to travel by aeroplane although it is the safest way of travelling in the world, because they think it can fall down from the sky or be hijacked.
Fear can be caused by insecurity also, or by certain dislike, or our inability to cope with life's difficult situations You may have a boss of whom you are afraid. As soon as you hear that he is calling you, you begin to sweat, your heart begins to palpitate, your blood pressure goes up and you begin to tremble without any real reason. So many types of fear we have to face, but it is possible to develop the state of mind of observing our mental reactions and physiological reactions, and controlling the symptoms. By controlling the symptoms, eventually the tendency can also be controlled. This is where pratyahara comes in.

First of all we must develop the attitude of witnessing everything taking place within us and around us. After we have been able to develop this attitude of witness, observer or 'seer', we can observe how a mental tendency influences our actions, behaviour, and our emotional and intellectual patterns. Then we try to find a rational way of dealing with this disturbance in our personality.

There is one practice called antar mouna which involves observing the thoughts, the emotions, creating them, removing them, developing attention, developing awareness - and this is one of the most effective means of combating any type of destructive disturbance in our personality. And this applies to fear, haired, jealousy, anger, frustration, depression or any negative state of mind.

by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

Three Gunas - modes of nature

1. TAMAS
Symbolised by the colours black or dark-blue Tamas is a quality of awareness reflecting the realm of latent, murky, obscured or ‘occult’ knowledge and power. In physical nature it finds expression as gravity and inertial mass. In human nature it is felt essentially as a downward-pulling sense of inertia and heaviness. If and when it dominates the individual however, it may be experienced somatically as ‘fatigue’, ‘lethargy’ or ‘lack of energy’, experienced mentally and emotionally as ‘dullness’ of mind, ‘negativity’ or ‘depression’, expressed outwardly as ‘laziness’ or ‘sloth’, or embodied as physical weight or obesity. It finds positive expression as dignified ‘gravitas’ or ‘groundedness’, as depth or ‘weightiness’ of character, the ability to ‘bear’, ‘support’ or ‘pull’ weight and to sink one’s awareness down meditatively into the depths of one’s body and being. Essentially it is potential action and awareness experienced darkly or obscurely. Theologically it iis associated with the primordial darkness and power of the primordial
mother goddess known as ‘The Great Black One’ (Maha-Kali). Temperamentally it is the Guna uniting the ‘phlegmatic’ with the ‘black bile’ of the ‘melancholic’. Anatomically and medically it is associated with the bowels, abdomen and womb. Psychiatrically it is labelled as mild or severe depression. Sociologically it can find negative expression as the destructive potential of spiritual ignorance, generalised political apathy, the dullness of routinised work, lack of empathy and lifeless personal relationships. People search to compensate for Tamasic existence either though Rajas - hyperactivity and busyness, revelry in drugs and consumerism or mindless entertainment or through bland Sattvic states of spiritual harmony, peace and calm.

2. RAJAS
Symbolised by the colour red, Rajas has essentially to do with the emergence of the vital impulses to outward action and motion (‘e-motion’) that lay latent, obscured or blocked in Tamas. Rajas finds expression as the very process of ‘emergence’ (Greek ‘Physis’) that is the root meaning of the term ‘physical’, and with ‘energy’ in the root sense of ‘action’ or ‘activity’ (energein). That is why the Rajas Guna is principally associated with red-blooded vitality or passion, with the impulse to act, and also hot-blooded anger and rage – with ‘seeing red’, and with the aggression necessary to release blocked action or communication. Temperamentally it is the Guna uniting the sanguine with the choleric. Anatomically it is associated with the genitals and heart, blood and menstruation, psychiatrically with mania and paranoia. Sociologically it can find negative expression as rapacious
greed and pervades the active realms of sport, politics and business.

3. SATTVA
Symbolised by the colour white, Sattva is a reflection of the clear light of awareness out of which alone truth, clear insight, direction and ‘right
action’ can arise. As a natural quality this Guna is associated with radiance, light and lightness, and thereby also with the expansion and
expansiveness of space. Its root meaning is ‘being’ (Sat). This Guna is favoured by many pseudo-spiritual types - being associated with perfect ‘brightness’ of spirit, ‘balance’ and ‘well-being’. Yet the flip side of the ‘balance’ or ‘well-being’ experienced through the Sattva Guna can be a mere bland emotional equanimity, lack of empathy and blankness of mind – albeit disguised as meditative ‘calm’ and ‘tranquillity’. Alternatively it finds expression as an idealisation of asceticism and ‘spiritual’ transcendence at the expense of full- blooded vitality, embodied presence and depth of soul. Just as ‘black’ is not intrinsically the colour of ‘evil’ so is white not intrinsically the colour of ‘goodness’ and spiritual purity – for it is also the colour of fearful pallor, of ghosts and skeletons - and, in the East, of death itself. Temperamentally the Sattva Guna unites the phlegmatic with the
sanguine. Anatomically it is associated with the lymphatic and immune systems, medically with anaemia and anorexia, and psychiatrically with schizophrenia. Sociologically it is associated with the realm of institutionalised religion and the search for inner peace and harmony through ‘spirituality’. Commercial media advertisers are very keen and clever exploiters of both the Sattva and Raja Gunas – whether it be through emphasising the Rajasic qualities of such commodities as cars or alcoholic drinks, or the Sattvic qualities of ‘well-being’ associated with ‘healthy’ foods, cosmetics, over-the-counter medications etc.

by Peter Wilberg 2007

Shavasana Ajustments

Differend ways to prop up shavasana for increased relaxation and comfort for final relaxation.Yoga Props needed: Rectangular Bolster, Eye Pillows/Cover, Blanket, Relaxing music CD or Yoga-Nidra Audio, low lightning.



You can also use a blanket to cover yourself for added comfort and warmth. Once your body stops moving, the heat generated from the yoga class begins to dissipate.  Most people find that a cold body reacts with muscle tension and resistance.


Gently place an eye pillow over the eyes and temples.  The weight of the eye pillow creates a sense of ease and release in your facial muscles.
For an increased sense of grounding, place an eye pillow in the palm of each hand, or on each wrist depending on your comfort.

Place the bolster under your knees to support the lower back.
Before you settle in relaxing posture, lying on your back, lift your pelvis and slide your tailbone away towards your heels to comfortably spread your lower back.


Keep just a light, natural arch to your lower back. Rest your pelvis on the ground. Lengthen your legs, opening legs hip width apart. Let your legs and feet evenly and naturally roll outwards and feel your groin soften.


Lift your arms and shoulders up enough to spread your shoulder blades and back ribs. Ease your shoulders away from your neck.
Roll shoulders back and down, than lightly slide your shoulder blades more under and down your back to enhance the expansion of the chest and anterior shoulders.
Lift and opend your chest to be able to draw more oxygen into your lungs.


Then,roll your upper arms and forearms out to move your palms of hands towards the ceiling and rest your arms beside the torso at about a 45-degree angle. Place your palms up to encourage your chest and shoulders to open. Image your collarbone and chest spreading as your arms settle.
Lengthen the back of your neck by slightly moving your chin towards the chest.Slightly open your mouth and relax your jaw and your tongue down.


Once comfortable, take a slow deep inhale. As you exhale, let your body relax and sink into the floor. Maintain stillness as you relax and quiet the mind. Picture your whole body rejuvenating and resting. Feel your eyes relax into the sockets. Soften the tongue, lips, jaw and forehead. Let the heart, lungs, and other organs relax.
Continue to gaze inwards watching your body and mind rest. Relaxation can last from 5 to 20 minutes.
To exit, inhale bringing your legs into your chest and exhale gradually hugging your knees into your body and rock side to side several times. End rolling to the right pausing to feel your self mentally centered. Push from the right up to sitting. Take a moment to sit tall and feel the calmness Savasana has created.


Article writen by Kreg Weiss, B HKin

Shavanasa

Savasana (Corpse Pose) is the easiest of all Yoga postures to perform physically, yet is sometimes neglected as being the most important asana within the Hatha Yoga practice.

Savasana is a crucial closing of the physical practice where prana, life-energy, has a moment to become grounded, purposeful and collected. As one practices yoga flows, the yoga postures and breathing saturate the energy channels with prana. To exit a yoga practice (especially an extended one) without Savasana, this powerful energy may leave one with sense of disconnection. With this settling of prana in Savasana, an additional practice of internalizing, connecting and meditative observance can be explored.Practise of Yoga-Nidra here is complementing relaxation and isvery beneficial.


The process of conscious relaxation acts as a deep healing for the nervous system, thus can be helpful in reducing stress, tension headaches, and anxiety. Though simple in its application, Savasana can be an uncomfortable Yoga pose to perform for some. The basic position of lying on the back can pose as a challenge and, without being completely comfortable, achieving a state of full relaxation and beneficial healing is diminished.

Tight Hip Flexors and Low Back Tension When you lay flat on the back, the extension of the legs creates a lengthening of the hip flexors (the hip flexors begin at the proximal region of the thigh bone and come across the hip bone to attach at the inner hip crest region and partially at the lower lumbar vertebrae). When the legs lay heavy and the hip flexors are lengthened, a pulling motion is transmitted onto the pelvis and spine. If the hip flexors are tight, a large enough pull can occur on the spine such that the lumbar vertebrae experience a minute, but uncomfortable back-arch effect. This pulling motion on the spine can create an echo of back tension and send negative stimuli into the nervous system.


To reduce the effect of the hip flexors pulling on the lumbar vertebrae and pelvis, simply place a bolster, thick pillows, or a rolled up blanket under the knees. As the legs settle on the support, open the legs wide as well. The opening of the legs and the bend maintained in the knees creates a light outwards rotation of the thighs and reduces the lengthening of the hip flexors. You then basically reduce the distance between the origin and insertion of the hip flexor muscles, thus reducing the muscles' tension acting on the pelvis and spine.


Article writen by Kreg Weiss, B HKin

Sun Salutation or Surya - Namaskar

Sun Salutations, or Surya Namaskar, are traditionally performed in the morning to greet the new day. The sequence of 8 postures can be a complete practice in itself, or can prepare you for a longer asana routine. Sun Salutes are often performed in sets of 5, but if you are new to the practice it's wise to begin with 2 or 3. Each time you flow through this sequence, synchronize your breath with the movements of your body.
1. To begin, stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Distribute your weight evenly over both feet. Establish a slow, steady rhythm for your breath. Find your center.
2. Next, inhale and stretch your arms out to the side and overhead into Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute). Reach your heart and arms to the heavens, sending your greeting to the sun.
3. As you exhale, hollow out your belly and fold into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend), connecting down into the earth. Keep your legs firmly engaged.
4. Inhale and lengthen your spine forward into Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend). In this pose, the gaze is lifted, the spine is extended, and the fingertips can stay on the floor or rise to the shins.
5. Exhale and step or lightly hop your feet back behind you into Plank Pose. Your wrists should be flat on the floor, shoulder-distance apart, and your feet should be at hip distance. Take a full breath in as you lengthen through your spine.
6. Exhale and lower into Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose), keeping your legs straight and pushing back into your heels or bringing your knees to the floor. Build heat in the center of your body as you hold this challenging posture.
7. Inhale and carve your chest forward into Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog), directing that energy out from your heart. Pull your shoulders back and open your collarbones. Engage your legs but relax your gluteal muscles.
8. Exhale and roll over the toes, coming into Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose). Ground down through your hands and feet as you lengthen your spine. Remain here for five breaths.
9. On your fifth exhale, bend your knees and look between your hands. Then inhale and step or lightly hop your feet between your hands, returning to Ardha Uttanasana.
10. Exhale back to Uttanasana, surrendering into the fold.
11. Inhale, reaching your arms out wide to your sides and coming to stand through a flat back. Feel a renewed sense of energy as you draw your arms overhead into Urdhva Hastasana.
12. Exhale and return to Tadasana, your home base. Remain here for a few breaths, feeling the movement of energy through your body, or continue on to your next salute.


By Leila Easa