Yoga
Yoga is the 5-6000 year old exercise system for mind, body and spirit which developed mainly in India and used in Dharmic practice extensively (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikkism). In the West it is known more as a fitness regime although, taken as a whole, Yoga's spiritual elements mean it is far more than that.
There are actually 8 "limbs" of Yoga, whichare:
(1) Yama (The five "abstentions"): violence, lying, theft, (illicit) sex, and possessions
(2) Niyama (The five "observances"): purity, contentment, austerities, study, and surrender to god
(3) Asana: Literally means "seat", and in Patanjali's Sutras refers to seated positions used for meditation. Later, with the rise of Hatha yoga, asana came to refer to all the "postures"
(4) Pranayama ("Life Force Control"): Control of prāna, life force, or vital energy
(5) Pratyahara ("Abstraction"): Reversal of the sense organs
(6) Dharana ("Concentration"): Fixing the attention on a single object
(7) Dhyana ("Meditation"): Intense contemplation of the true nature of reality
(8) Samadhi ("Liberation"): Super-conscious state of enlightenment
There are web sites galore which can explain these principles mre easily than I can. For most of us in the West, Yoga is most useful as a fitness regime, Yoga has entered into almost all sports as stretching practices. As stand alone fitness system, Yoga is non competitive and can be as gentle or strenuous as your fitness and body situation allow. Obviously, with some body issues from horses and from driving computers all day, I can get pretty sore if I do not keep moving. My favourite workout for those times is Basic Yoga for Dummies, which is a workout anyone can do. Every asana can be modified for me to do when I am not well or very sore and Sara demonstrates the modifications really well.
I find that time spent in practice not only worked bone, muscle and sinew as gently or as hard as the day's stresses allow, but also calms mind, body and spirit, puts the crap into perspective and I usually finish up feeling pretty good.
Iyengar Yoga
The form I like most is generally as gentle and controlled as . Yogacharya, BKS Iyengar, popularised yoga without sacrificing it's purity as a philosophy, art and science. He has shown the benefits of yoga as a therapy for people just like me and I was introduced to his method by a physiotherapist. I'm not real good at maintaining my practice for long periods but, certainly, I find Iyengar Yoga very suitable has so many benefits. BKS Iyengar is reknowned for not simply popularising yoga, but also for exploring and imparting it's therapeutic benefits to medical professionals. BKS Iyengar has taught many celebrities, but bringing yoga to ordinary people like me and improving their lot in life just a little is seen as his greatest achievment.
Please note: My practice began under a physiotherapist's instruction when I was 17 years old (wow, working out how long ago I started just made me feel old!) Anyone intending to start any exercise program with health hassles should check with their doctor before they start and should take note at all times of where their body is uncomfortable. If you feel pain during a yoga practice you are TOO DEEP into the asana. Ease your position until you are comfortable. In yoga, you gradually ease into the asanas and you may be tired but you should never be in pain.
Mythbusting
Myth: You have to be able to twist into pretzel poses to do yoga.
Bust: All asanas (poses) can be modified to accept the limitations of the practitioner.
Myth: You need special gear and clothes to for yoga.
Bust: I am the barefoot, trakky dak and t-shirt Queen. In summer I use bike shorts, in winter my trakky daks, plus a t-shirt. No expensive gym shoes - yoga is perfect for a barefooter like me. A good mat is essential, though plus a couple of thick towels and a belt or strap and a kitchen chair. Doing the splits because your feet slipped on carpet is not always painless! Oh, and I have a nice little lycra long top with a flicky skirt for the belly dancing. *grin* It will do until I buy a hip scarf.
Myth: You can't get fit with yoga.
Bust: Yoga is designed to stretch and gently work the body but advances through harder and harder poses so depending on how hard you work, with consistent practice you can get fit. Fitness, as any horsey person will tell you, depends on fitness for what discipline. For example, if you want to do triathlon you will still need to put in the hard yards on running, biking and swimming, yoga will assist you in getting overall fitness and suppleness for another sport but will not make you fit FOR that sport.
Myth: Yoga is a religion.
Bust: Nope, it is a mind-body discipline that is utilised by 2 religions and sports people world wide - ever done a lunge as part of a stretch routine? A bend forward from the waist to stretch the hamstrings? To me Yoga is a gentle exercise routine which I enjoy. Buddhism is my belief system. Others who dedicate their lives to Yoga are artisans, scientists and philosophers, but most of the rest of us just do yoga to discipline the mind and body and feel good after a lovely stretch and bit of meditation.
Myth: You have to chant 'Om' while meditating.
Bust: Not this bunny. In my practice I do either breath meditation or loving-kindness meditation. No vocalisations involved, it annoys me and disturbs my meditation when I chant. If you really want to, though, you can go all mystical and mysterious and chant 'Om'. Seriously, chanting 'Om' is actually a mantra that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. It is said to be the sound of the universe. We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell or our own breath. Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves–the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. Many instructors do teach students to chant Om, as it gives students an awareness of this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection. I gain this awareness through Buddhist means rather than Yogic means, by breath meditation, so I don't chant mantras much. HOWEVER, there are mantras which tune your body into it's own electrical system in a form acupressure in the mouth. Depending upon what your teacher is using the mantra for, you dshould not close your mind to their use. The mantra 'Om namo guru dev namo' chanted by Kundalinis at the beginning of practice is one of these sorts of mantras where the pnemonics and the position of the toungue within the mouthe acts as a form of acupressure.
Myth: Yoga is not fun.
Bust: Ha! Try Vrkasana (Tree Pose) for 30 seconds and while you wobble around trying to balance yourself wondering what torturer came up with this one, you should realise how ridiculous you must look and have a bit of a giggle at yourself. If you're lucky you will do Vrkasana before Adho Mukha Savasana (Downward Facing Dog pose). Then, of course, whocan forget Lion Pose? *grin* tongue stuck out, eyes wild, all of that. Kids love that one! LOL!
Myth: You have to attend classes.
Bust: Nope, I have learned from books and love my DVD's. I would love to attend classes in Iyengar Yoga but I get by. If you are able to attend classes then utilise them as you will have help on hand but if not the 2 DVD's with Sara Ivanhoe in the 'Dummies' series are terrific. Originally and for the first 15 years of practice all I had was a 10 week program from a book recommended to me by a physiotherapist.
Myth: You have to do the asanas (poses) perfectly.
Bust: If you did, I would never get anywhere. It is called a yoga practice because no one does the asanas perfectly. You just do the best you can and bring along your sense of humour.
Myth: Vinyasa is some weird word that I will never figure out.
Bust: All vinyasa is is the way you combine your breathing to assist you into and out of the asanas. Pilates and other exercise programs also use it.
Myth: You have to have candles and incense.
Bust: I like my scented candles and don't mind the incence, but having developed occupational asthma at work and living with asthmatics incense is not the best idea. I just meditate in a peaceful spot. Being a very practical person, I don't believe that much in aromatherapy, so, no, candles are not an essential part of my practice either, they just smell nice.
Myth: You have to sweat to do yoga.
Bust: Only if you want to. There are forms of yoga where rooms are heated and sweat is the order of the day but you don't have to do that form of Yoga. Mostly I don't sweat much. I save that for for the days I want a punch out session with Billy Blanks and his Tae Bo.
Myth: You have to be skinny to do yoga.
Bust: I have not done 'skinny' since 1995 yet still do just fine. There are routines that help you lose weight but mostly I just want my back to be fine. I tend to walk to keep my weight under some control. Unfortunately sitting at computers instead of being out in the field was pretty fatal for my figure.
Myth: Yoga is an anytime thing.
Bust: Only certain aspects, like meditation, but, hey, you can meditate on washing your hands or walking, meditation is hardly exclusive to Yoga. If you really want to throw up, eat a full meal then do an hour's practice! Ideally, you should not eat for a few hours as Yoga does encourage stretching, twisting, and inverted exercises. If you are in dire need of a snack, try a juice about half an hour before the practice. As with any exercise session, always have some water handy and drink some water afterwards. Even if you do not think you need it, your body is likely to appreciate a glass of water post practice.
