The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal • January through April 2022 • Page 77
of the brain that is related to sensory information and helps form our sense of self. Research by Shimada, Hiraki, and Oda suggests “the superior portion of the parietal lobe is essential for maintaining one’s own body image.” It stands to hypothesize, if the parietal shuts down during deeper meditation, it would explain why the sense of self dissipates. Thus, the question becomes similar to the chicken and the egg conundrum. Undoubtedly, it is safer to be stationary while merging with Divinity; however, I propose the early spiritual leaders (consciously or subconsciously) had one’s full health in mind while offering moving meditation and prayer forms as another method of Divine connection. Hindi Yoga Background
and body flexibility, builds muscle strength, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life. A 2021 article in Yoga Journal additionally noted that yoga builds muscle strength, prevents cartilage breakdown, increases blood flow and bone health, drains the lymph nodes, boosts the immune system, decreases pain, and improves emotional balance. The Most Known Yoga Flow An ancient practice was the Sandhya-upasana, or the dawn and twilight sun salutations. This flow (taught as part of a typical vinyasa flow class today) “strings together (sutra) body, breath, mind, and soul with the healing and nurturing forces of the sun, and infuses life with serenity and inner awakening” wrote Pandit Rajmani Tigunait and Sandra Anderson in an article for Yoga International.
Four cycles of the sun salutation are common and, Tigunait and Anderson claim, doing so “fans your digestive fire, energizes the nervous system, balances your pranic flow [internal energy flow], activates both the lower and upper extremities, and influences your moods.” Four cycles of the sun salutation is common and doing so “fans your digestive fire, energizes the nervous system, balances your pranic flow [internal energy flow], activates both the lower and upper extremities, and influences your moods.” The asanas traditionally associated with the salutation consist of mountain/ namaste, overhead stretch, standing forward fold, lunge, plank pose, eight-point pose, cobra pose, downward facing dog, lunge, standing forward fold, overhead stretch/mountain, and namaste. For the full spiritual minded yoga practitioner, there are mantras associated with each asana of the sun salutation. See the side bar for the list of Mantras provided by MedIndia on page 79. Local Yoga Practitioner Perspective
The first reference to yogic principles appears to be in the “Upanishad,” or last chapters of the Veda (circa 1300-900 BCE). It is a synthesis of over 200 Hindu scriptures detailing meditation techniques to help someone attune to his or her true Self or Atman. Modern yoga talks about eight limbs or principles: 1. Yama (restraint) covers non-violence, truthfulness, non-covetousness, continence/chastity, and declining gifts/favors. 2. Niyama (observance/discipline) studies cleanliness, contentment, austerity, and study of sacred texts, and surrendering all fruits to the Divine. 3. Asana (posture) explores the various stretches, postures, and flows for physical health. 4. Pranayama (breath control) 5. Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses from their objects) 6. Dharana (concentration) 7. Dhyana (meditation) moves from through stupefied, restless, distracted, to concentrated and suspended states. 8. Samadhi (contemplation/absorption) is when the mind merges with the object of meditation.
As one can see, the principles cover more than just the physical asanas demonstrated in many westernized studios. However, yoga—similar to martial arts—maintains that in order to control the mind, we must control the body and the senses. Asanas are often practiced prior to meditation to help raise prana (energy) to the crown and quiet the mind.
However, yoga — similar to martial arts — maintains that in order to control the mind, we must control the body and the senses. Asanas are often practiced prior to meditation to help raise prana (energy) to the crown and quiet the mind. B.K.S. Iyengar is considered one of the foremost yoga gurus of the modern world (b. 1918, d. 2014 in India). In his 2001 manual Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health, he wrote “When there is perfect harmony between body and mind, we achieve selfrealization… Spiritual awareness flows into the student during phases... One moves from the physical practice (arambhavastha) through merging phases to reach the fourth phase of nishpattyavastha — the state of perfection where “I” ceases to exist. (Remember what I said earlier about goals of meditation?) “The ultimate goal of yoga is the union of the individual self (jivatma) with the universal self (paramatma). Self-realization is Samadhi. Samadhi involves jnana marg (path to knowledge—what is real vs. unreal), karmamarg (selfless service), bhakti marg (love and devotion), and yoga marg (path to whole mind and actions brought under control).” Physical Benefits In a 2011 review published in the International Journal of Yoga, Catherine Woodyard summarized the numerous studies which found significant physical gains from practicing yoga. They included that yogic practices enhance muscular strength
Elisabeth Sötebeer, yoga teacher at the Rudolf Steiner School and Sequoia Senior center in Ann Arbor, agreed to share more on the physical, energetic, and spiritual aspects of yoga. In teaching classic hatha yoga, “we follow the lineage of ancient wisdom with a pure form of yoga. We begin with relaxation, visualization, special breathing techniques (pranayama), poses, and gradual stretching so we warm up before deeply stretching. Through breathing we relax into the poses.” She continued, “Depending upon the group, I may introduce the eight branches of instruction. However, I use Elisabeth Sötebeer gentle terms on how we incorporate it. I may discuss meditation, relaxation, good deeds, nature, and how yoga postures open the chakra centers (energy portals) and inner gateways named nadis. Of the 72,000 nadis in the body, we focus on the opening up of the major ones along the spine so the wheels [chakras] can spin in the right direction to move the incoming energy upward from the base of the spine toward the head.”
I may discuss meditation, relaxation, good deeds, nature, and how yoga postures open the chakra centers (energy portals) and inner gateways named nadis. — Yoga instructor Elisabeth Sötebeer “When we offer yoga, we focus on asanas (postures) which focus on positivity. We use affirmations to raise the energy [from feet to] above the head. “At the lower energy centers, we work out releasing feelings of greed, resentment, anger. At the heart we feel it begin to open with joy, expression, enthusiasm, wanting to give. When we move to the throat, we open up channels for creativity and speech. As we move up to the forehead, Anja chakra, we connect with peace within, a quietness of mind. By the time we have raised the energy to the crown, there is the feeling of “I am just the way I am”—no attachment to anything from the outside. It is a beautiful place to be—to radiate calm, peace, and joy at the Crown chakra, Sahasrara.” Does all yoga always bring the energy flow all the way through the crown? Sötebeer laughed. “Are we always there? No—that would be enlightenment. We have moments. We can remember these spaces of bliss, recognize, and desire to return. It urges one to put in the effort and move forward. Yoga helps to have a life of meditation, more moments in the day you notice you are improving, more calm, more aware of what you are doing, mindfulness, the connection with the Higher Self and Universe. When you tune in to that, it flows. You know when you are restless, you are holding things. When you offer yoga—you release points which you are holding.” When asked about specific poses that may assist chakra opening or heightened states of transcendence, Sötebeer explained Child’s Pose helps connect the third eye to earth in the bowing down to your higher self, and you release and open. Resting
