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Worapan Chankanjana
A Short History of Yoga by Georg Feuerstein
In Yoga, theory and practice, as well as left brain and right brain, go hand in hand so to speak. Study (svâdhyâya) is in fact an important aspect of many branches and schools of Yoga. This is another way in which Yoga’s balanced approach shows itself. If you want to know where something is going, it is good to know where it came from. “To be ignorant of what happened before one was born,” said Cicero pointedly in his Orator, “is to remain ever a child.” History provides context and meaning, and Yoga is no exception to this rule. If you are fond of history, you’ll enjoy what follows. Many of the facts and ideas presented here have not yet found their way into the textbooks or even into most Yoga books. We put you in touch with the leading edge of knowledge in this area. If you are not a history buff, well, perhaps we can tempt you to suspend your preferences for a few minutes and read on anyway.
The Origin of Yoga Despite more than a century of research, we still don’t know much about the earliest beginnings of Yoga. We do know, though, that it originated in India 5,000 or more years ago. Until recently, many Western scholars thought that Yoga originated much later, maybe around 500 B.C.E., which is the time of Gautama the Buddha, the illustrious founder of Buddhism. But then, in the early 1920s, archeologists surprised the world with the discovery of the so-called Indus civilization—a culture that we now know extended over an area of roughly 300,000 square miles (the size of Texas and Ohio combined). This was in fact the largest civilization in early antiquity. In the ruins of the big cities of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, excavators found depictions engraved on soapstone seals that strongly resemble yogi-like figures. Many other finds show the amazing continuity between that civilization and later Hindu society and culture. There was nothing primitive about what is now called the Indus-Sarasvati civilization, which is named after two great rivers that once flowed in Northern India; today only the Indus River flows through Pakistan. That civilization’s urbane population enjoyed multistory buildings, a sewage system unparalleled in the ancient world until the Roman empire, a huge public bath whose walls were water-proofed with bitumen, geometrically laid out brick roads, and standardized baked bricks for convenient construction. (We are so used to these technological achievements that we sometimes forget they had to be invented.) The Indus-Sarasvati people were a great maritime nation that exported a large variety of goods to Mesopotamia and other parts of the Middle East and Africa. Although only a few pieces of art have survived, some of them show exquisite craftsmanship.
Reconstruction of Harappa For a long time, scholars thought that this magnificent civilization was abruptly destroyed by invaders from the northwest who called themselves Aryans (ârya meaning “noble” in
the Sanskrit language). Some proposed that these warlike nomads invented Yoga, others credited the Indus people with its creation. Yet others took Yoga to be the joint creation of both races. Nowadays researchers increasingly favor a completely different picture of ancient Indian history. They are coming to the conclusion that there never was an Aryan invasion and that the decline of the Indus-Sarasvati cities was due to dramaic changes in climate. These in turn appear to have been caused by a major tectonic catastrophe changing the course of rivers. In particular, it led to the drying up of what was once India’s largest river, the Sarasvati, along whose banks flourished numerous towns and villages (some 2500 sites have been identified thus far). Today the dry river bed runs through the vast Thar Desert. If it were not for satellite photography, we would not have learned about those many settlements buried under the sand. The drying up of the Sarasvati River, which was complete by around 1900 B.C.E., had far-reaching consequences. Just imagine the waters of the Mississippi running dry instead of flooding constantly. What havoc this would cause! The death of the Sarasvati River forced the population to migrate to more fertile parts of the country, especially east toward the Ganges (Ganga) River and south into Central India and Tamilnadu.
Great Bath in Mohenjo Daro Why is this important for the history of Yoga, you might ask? The Sarasvati River happens to be the most celebrated river in the Rig-Veda, which is the oldest known text in any Indo-European language. It is composed in an archaic (and difficult) form of Sanskrit and was transmitted by word of mouth for numerous generations. Sanskrit is the language in which most Yoga scriptures are written. It is related to languages like Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, and not least English. You can see this family relationship on the example of the word yoga itself, which corresponds to zugos, iugum, joug, Joch, yugo, and yoke in these languages. Sanskrit is like an older brother to the other Indo-European languages. Now, if the Sarasvati River dried up around or before 1900 B.C.E., the Rig-Veda must be earlier than that benchmark date. If that is so, then the composers of this collection of hymns must have been contemporaneous with the people of the Indus civilization, which flourished between circa 3000-1900 B.C.E. Indeed, astronomical references in the Rig-Veda suggest that at least some of its 1,028 hymns were composed in the third or even fourth millennium B.C.E. Thus, the Sanskrit-speaking Aryans, who created the Rig-Veda, did not come from outside India to destroy the Indus-Sarasvati civilization. They had been there all along. What, then, was their relationship with the Indus-Sarasvati people? Here opinions still differ, but there is a growing understanding that the Aryans and the Indus-Sarasvati people were one and the same. There is nothing in the Rig-Veda to suggest otherwise.
In fact, the Rig-Veda and the other archaic Sanskrit texts appear to be the “missing” literature of the Indus civilization. Conversely, the archeological artifacts of the Indus valley and adjoining areas give us the “missing” material base of the early Sanskrit literature—an elegant solution to a problem that has long vexed researchers.
Yoga and the Indus-Sarasvati Civilization This means that Yoga is the product of a mature civilization that was unparalleled in the ancient world. Think of it! As a Yoga practitioner you are part of an ancient and honorable stream of tradition, which makes you a descendant of that civilization at least at the level of the heart. Many of the inventions credited to Sumer rightfully belong to what is now known as the Indus-Sarasvati civilization, which evolved out of a cultural tradition that has reliably been dated back to the seventh millennium B.C.E. In turn it gave rise to the great religious and cultural tradition of Hinduism, but indirectly also to Buddhism and Jainism. India’s civilization can claim to be the oldest enduring civilization in the world. Its present-day problems should not blind us to its glorious past and the lessons we can learn from it. Yoga practitioners in particular can benefit from India’s protracted experimentation with life, especially its explorations of the mysteries of the mind. The Indian civilization has produced great philosophical and spiritual geniuses who between them have covered every conceivable answer to the big questions, which are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.
The Big Questions Traditional Yoga seeks to provide plausible answers to such profound questions as, “Who am I?”, “Whence do I come?”, “Whither do I go?,” and “What must I do?” These are the sorts of questions that, sooner or later, we all end up asking ourselves. Or at least, we have our own implicit answers to them, though may not get round to consciously formulating them. Deep down, we all are philosophers, because we all need to make sense of our life. Some of us postpone thinking about these questions, but they don’t ever go away. We quickly learn this when we lose a loved one or face a serious health crisis. So, we might as well ponder these questions while we are in good shape. And don’t think you have to feel morose to do so. Yoga doesn’t champion dark moods, but it is definitely
in favor of awareness in all its forms, including self-awareness. If we know the stuff we are made of, we can function a lot better in the world. At the very least, our self-knowledge will give us the opportunity to make conscious and better choices.
The History of Yoga I can provide here only the merest thumbnail sketch and, if you wish to inform yourself more about the long history of Yoga, recommend that you study my book The Yoga Tradition. This is the most comprehensive historical overview available anywhere. But be prepared for challenging reading and a fairly large tome. The history of Yoga can conveniently be divided into the following four broad categories: • Vedic Yoga • Preclassical Yoga • Classical Yoga * Postclassical Yoga. These categories are like static snapshots of something that is in actuality in continuous motion—the “march of history.”
Vedic Yoga Now we are entering somewhat more technical territory, and I will have to use and explain a number of Sanskrit terms. The yogic teachings found in the above-mentioned Rig-Veda and the other three ancient hymnodies are known as Vedic Yoga. The Sanskrit word veda means “knowledge,” while the Sanskrit term rig (from ric) means “praise.” Thus the sacred Rig-Veda is the collection of hymns that are in praise of a higher power. This collection is in fact the fountainhead of Hinduism, which has around one billion adherents today. You could say that the Rig-Veda is to Hinduism what the Book of Genesis is to Christianity. The other three Vedic hymnodies are the Yajur-Veda (“Knowledge of Sacrifice”), Sama-Veda (“Knowledge of Chants”), and Atharva-Veda (“Knowledge of Atharvan”). The first collection contains the sacrificial formulas used by the Vedic priests. The second text contains the chants accompanying the sacrifices. The third hymnody is filled with magical incantations for all occasions but also includes a number of very powerful philosophical hymns. It is connected with Atharvan, a famous fire priest who is remembered as having been a master of magical rituals. These hymnodies can be compared to the various books of the Old Testament. It is clear from what has been said thus far that Vedic Yoga—which could also be called Archaic Yoga—was intimately connected with the ritual life of the ancient Indians. It revolved around the idea of sacrifice as a means of joining the material world with the invisible world of the spirit. In order to perform the exacting rituals successfully, the sacrificers had to be able to focus their mind for a prolonged period of time. Such inner focusing for the sake of transcending the limitations of the ordinary mind is the root of Yoga. When successful, the Vedic yogi was graced with a “vision” or experience of the
transcendental reality. A great master of Vedic Yoga was called a “seer”—in Sanskrit rishi. The Vedic seers were able to see the very fabric of existence, and their hymns speak of their marvelous intuitions, which can still inspire us today.
Preclassical Yoga Sage Yâjnavalkya, a great Yoga master of the preclassical era This category covers an extensive period of approximately 2,000 years until the second century C.E. Preclassical Yoga comes in various forms and guises. The earliest manifestations were still closely associated with the Vedic sacrificial culture, as developed in the Brâhmanas and Âranyakas. The Brâhmanas are Sanskrit texts explaining the Vedic hymns and the rituals behind them. The Âranyakas are ritual texts specific to those who chose to live in seclusion in a forest hermitage. Yoga came into its own with the Upanishads, which are gnostic texts expounding the hidden teaching about the ultimate unity of all things. There are over 200 of these scriptures, though only a handful of them were composed in the period prior to Gautama the Buddha (fifth century B.C.E.). These works can be likened to the New Testament, which rests on the Old Testament but at the same time goes beyond it. One of the most remarkable Yoga scriptures is the Bhag vad-Gîtâ (“Lord’s Song”), of which the great social reformer Mahatma Gandhi spoke as follows: When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad-Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies—and my life has been full of external tragedies—and if they have left no visible, no indelible scar on me, I owe it all to the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita. (Young India, 1925, pp. 1078-79) In its significance, this work of only 700 verses perhaps is to Hindus what Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is to Christians. Its message, however, is not to turn the other cheek but to actively oppose evil in the world. In its present form, the Bhagavad-Gîtâ (Gîtâ for short) was composed around 500 B.C.E. and since then has been a daily inspiration to millions of Hindus. Its central teaching is to the point: To be alive means to be active and, if we want to avoid difficulties for ourselves and others, our actions must be benign and also go beyond the grip of the ego. A simple matter, really, but how difficult to accomplish in daily life! Preclassical Yoga also comprises the many schools whose teachings can be found in India’s two great national epics, the Râmâyana and the Mahâbhârata (in which the Bhagavad-Gîtâ is embedded and which is seven times the size of the Iliad and Odyssey combined). These various preclassical schools developed all kinds of techniques
Maharishi Patanjali is the father of Yoga. He is believed to be the incarnation of Adi Shesha. Adi Shesha is the Transfinite Cosmic Serpent in which the Lord Vishnu rests. Maharishi Patanjali is also the writer of an interpretation on Panini’s Ashtadhyayi which is also known as Mahabhasya. The life history of Guru Patanjali is filled with legends and contradictions. But there are no any reliable records about his birth. According to one source or legend, Patanjali fell down (pata) into the hands (anjali) of a woman, therefore the name ‘Patanjali’ was given to him. As per a legend, Adi Shesha took birth in the form of a human as to preach and teach Yoga. Yoga Sutras are believed to function as the foundation of the yogic procedures and techniques. The Father of Yoga, ‘Maharishi Patanjali’ compiled 195 yoga sutras, which are believed to be the model of integrating Yoga. The exact date of the Yoga Sutras compilation is not clear or not known. Nevertheless, it is strongly considered that these compilations were written somewhere around 200 BC. The goal of Patanjali’s teachings is to show a path, the way to live a healthy life.
for achieving deep meditation through which yogis and yoginis can transcend the body and mind and discover their true nature.
Classical Yoga This label applies to the eightfold Yoga—also known as Râja-Yoga—taught by Patanjali in his Yoga-Sûtra. This Sanskrit text is composed of just under 200 aphoristic statements, which have been commented on over and over again through the centuries. Sooner or later all serious Yoga students discover this work and have to grapple with its terse statements. The word sûtra (which is related to Latin suture) means literally “thread.” Here it conveys a thread of memory, an aid to memorization for students eager to retain Patanjali’s knowledge and wisdom. The Yoga-Sûtra was probably written some time in the second century C.E. The earliest available Sanskrit commentary on it is the Yoga-Bhâshya (“Speech on Yoga”) attributed to Vyâsa. It was authored in the fifth century C.E. and furnishes fundamental explanations of Patanjali’s often cryptic statements. Beyond a few legends nothing is known about either Patanjali or Vyâsa. This is a problem with most ancient Yoga adepts and even with many more recent ones. Often all we have are their teachings, but this is of course more important than any historical information we could dig up about their personal lives. Patanjali, who is by the way often wrongly called the “father of Yoga,” believed that each individual is a composite of matter (prakriti) and spirit (purusha). He understood the process of Yoga to bring about their separation, thereby restoring the spirit in its absolute purity. His formulation is generally characterized as philosophical dualism. This is an important point, because most of India’s philosophical systems favor one or the other kind of nondualism: The countless aspects or forms of the empirical world are in the last analysis the same “thing”—pure formless but conscious existence.
Postclassical Yoga This is again a very comprehensive category, which refers to all those many types and schools of Yoga that have sprung up in the period after Patanjali’s Yoga-Sûtra and that are independent of this seminal work. In contrast to classical Yoga, postclassical Yoga affirms the ultimate unity of everything. This is the core teaching of Vedânta, the philosophical system based on the teachings of the Upanishads. In a way, the dualism of classical Yoga can be seen as a brief but powerful interlude in a stream of nondualist teachings going back to ancient Vedic times. According to these teachings, you, we, and everyone or everything else is an aspect or expression of one and the same reality. In Sanskrit that singular reality is called brahman (meaning “that which has grown expansive”) or âtman (the transcendental Self as opposed to the limited ego-self). A few centuries after Patanjali, the evolution of Yoga took an interesting turn. Now some great adepts were beginning to probe the hidden potential of the body. Previous generations of yogis and yoginis had paid no particular attention to the body. They had been more interested in contemplation to the point where they could exit the body consciously. Their goal had been to leave the world behind and merge with the formless reality, the spirit.
Under the influence of alchemy—the spiritual forerunner of chemistry—the new breed of Yoga masters created a system of practices designed to rejuvenate the body and prolong its life. They regarded the body as a temple of the immortal spirit, not merely as a container to be discarded at the first opportunity. They even explored through advanced yogic techniques the possibility of energizing the physical body to such a degree that its biochemistry is changed and even its basic matter is reorganized to render it immortal. This preoccupation of theirs led to the creation of Hatha-Yoga, an amateur version of which is today widely practiced throughout the world. It also led to the various branches and schools of Tantra-Yoga, of which Hatha-Yoga is just one approach.
Modern Yoga The history of modern Yoga is widely thought to begin with the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. It was at that congress that the young Swami Vivekananda—swami (svâmin) means “master”—made a big and lasting impression on the American public. At the behest of his teacher, the saintly Ramakrishna, he had found his way to the States where he didn’t know a soul. Thanks to some well-wishers who recognized the inner greatness of this adept of Jnâna-Yoga (the Yoga of discernment), he was invited to the Parliament and ended up being its most popular diplomat. In the following years, he traveled widely attracting many students to Yoga and Vedânta. His various books on Yoga are still useful and enjoyable to read. Before Swami Vivekananda a few other Yoga masters had crossed the ocean to visit Europe, but their influence had remained local and ephemeral. Vivekananda’s immense success opened a sluice gate for other adepts from India, and the stream of Eastern gurus has not ceased.
After Swami Vivekananda, the most popular teac er in the early years of the Western Yoga movement was Paramahansa Yogananda, who arrived in Boston in 1920. Five years later, he established the Self-Realizaton Fellowship, which still has its headquarters in Los Angeles. Although he left his body (as yogins call it) in 1952 at the age of fifty-nine, he continues to have a worldwide following. His Autobiography of a Yogi makes for fascinating reading, but be prepared to suspend any materialistic bias you may have! As with some other yogis and Christian or Muslim saints, after his death Yogananda’s body showed no signs of decay for a full twenty days. Of more limited appeal was Swami Rama Tirtha, a former mathematics teacher who preferred spiritual life to academia and who came to the United States in 1902 and founded a retreat center on Mount Shasta in California. He stayed for only two years and drowned in the Ganges (Ganga) River in 1906 at the young age of thirty-three. Some of his inspirational talks were gathered into the five volumes of In Woods of God-Realization, which are still worth dipping into. In 1919, Yogendra Mastamani arrived in Long Island and for nearly three years demonstrated to astounded Americans the power and elegance of Hatha Yoga. Before returning to India, he founded the American branch of Kaivalyadhama, an Indian
It is customary to begin Iyengar yoga classes with the Invocation to Patanjali. Printed below is the transliteration of the Sanskrit followed by a translation. This invocation acknowledges Patanjali, a legendary master of yoga, medicine, and Sanskrit grammar, who may have lived sometime between 500 and 200 B.C. Patanjali composed the Yoga Sutras - the authoritative, deep, comprehensive, yet wondrously concise description of yoga. The invocation explicitly honors Patanjali’s great contributions, and implicitly, the sages, yogis, and yoginis who preceded us, as well as the teachers in our lives, whose dedicated efforts have given us the blessing of yoga. With this invocation we humble ourselves before the teachings of yoga and dedicate a period of time to the practice of yoga.
Invocation to Patanjali Yogena chittasya padena vajam Malam sharirasya ja vaidyakena Yopa karot tam pravaram muninam Patanjalim pranjalir anato smi Abahu purushakaram Shanka chakrasi dharinam Sahasra shirasam shvetam Pranamami Patanjalim To the noblest of sages, Patanjali, Who gave Yoga for serenity of mind, Grammar for purity of speech, and Medicine for perfection of the body, I bow. I prostrate before Patanjali, Whose upper body has a human form, Whose arms hold a conch and disc, Who is crowned by a thousand-headed cobra, O incarnation of Adisesa, my salutations to thee.
organization created by the late Swami Kuvalayananda, which has contributed greatly to the scientific study of Yoga. A very popular figure for several decades after the 1920s was Ramacharaka, whose books can still be found in used bookstores. What few readers know, however, is that this Ramacharaka was apparently not an actual person. The name was the pseudonym of two people—William Walker Atkinson, who had left his law practice in Chicago to practice Yoga, and his teacher Baba Bharata. Paul Brunton, a former journalist and editor, burst on the scene of Yoga in 1934 with his book A Search in Secret India, which introduced the great sage Ramana Maharshi to Western seekers. Many more works flowed from his pen over the following eighteen years, until the publication of The Spiritual Crisis of Man. Then, in the 1980s, his notebooks were published posthumously in sixteen volumes—a treasure-trove for serious Yoga students. Since the early 1930s until his death in 1986, Jiddu Krishnamurti delighted or perplexed thousands of philosophically minded Westerners with his eloquent talks. He had been groomed by the Theosophical Society as the coming world leader but had rejected this mission, which surely is too big and burdensome for any one person, however great. He demonstrated the wisdom of Jnana-Yoga (the Yoga of discernment), and drew large crowds of listeners and readers. Among his close circle of friends were the likes of Aldous Huxley, Christopher Isherwood, Charles Chaplin, and Greta Garbo. Bernard Shaw described Krishnamurti as the most beautiful human being he ever saw. Yoga, in the form of Hatha-Yoga, entered mainstream America when the Russian-born yoginî Indra Devi, who has been called the “First Lady of Yoga,” opened her Yoga studio in Hollywood in 1947. She taught stars like Gloria Swanson, Jennifer Jones, and Robert Ryan, and trained hundreds of teachers. Now in her nineties and living in Buenos Aires, she is still an influential voice for Yoga. In the 1950s, one of the most prominent Yoga teacher was Selvarajan Yesudian whose book Sport and Yoga has been translated into fourteen or so languages, with more than 500,000 copies sold. Today, as we mentioned before, many athletes have adopted yogic exercises into their training program because . . . it works. Among them are the Chicago Bulls. Just picture these champion basket ball players stretching out on extra-long Yoga mats under the watchful eye of Yoga teacher Paula Kout! In the early 1950s, Shri Yogendra of the Yoga Institute of Santa Cruz in India, visited the United States. He pioneered medical research on Yoga as early as 1918, and his son Jayadev Yogendra is continuing his valuable work, which demonstrates the efficacy of Yoga as a therapeutic tool. In 1961, Richard Hittleman brought Hatha-Yoga to American television, and his book The Twenty-Eight-Day Yoga Plan sold millions of copies. In the mid-1960s, the Western Yoga movement received a big boost through Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, largely because of his brief association with the Beatles. He popularized yogic contemplation in the form of Transcendental Meditation (TM), which still has tens of thousands of practitioners around the world. TM practitioners also introduced meditation and Yoga into the corporate world. It, moreover, stimulated medical research on Yoga at various American universities. In 1965, the then sixty-nine-year-old Shrila Prabhupada arrived in New York with a suitcase full of books and $8.00 in his pockets. Six years later he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), and by the time of his death in 1977, he had created a worldwide spiritual movement based on Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of devotion). Also in the 1960s and 1970s, many swamis trained by the Himalayan master Swami Sivananda, a former physician who became a doctor of the soul, opened their schools in
Europe and the two Americas. Most of them are still active today, and among them are Swami Vishnudevananda (author of the widely read Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga), Swami Satchitananda (well-known to Woodstock participants), Swami Sivananda Radha (a woman-swami who pioneered the link between Yoga spirituality and psychology), Swami Satyananda (about whom we will say more shortly), and Swami Chidananda (a saintly figure who directed the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, India). The last-mentioned master’s best known American student is the gentle Lilias Folan, made famous by her PBS television series Lilias, Yoga & You, broadcast between 1970 and 1979. In 1969, Yogi Bhajan caused an uproar among the traditional Sikh community (an offshoot of Hinduism) when he broke with tradition and began to teach Kundalini Yoga to his Western students. Today his Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization—better known as 3HO— has more than 200 centers around the world. A more controversial but wildly popular guru in the 1970 and 1980s was Bhagavan Rajneesh (now known as Osho), whose followers constantly made the headlines for their sexual orgies and other excesses. Rajneesh, a former philosophy professor, drew his teachings from authentic Yoga sources, mixed with his own personal experiences. His numerous books line the shelves of many second-hand bookstores. Rajneesh allowed his students to act out their repressed fantasies, notably of the sexual variety, in the hope that this would free them up for the deeper processes of Yoga. Many of them, however, got trapped in a mystically tinged hedonism, which proves the common-sense rule that too much of a good thing can be bad for you. Even though many of his disciples felt bitterly disappointed by him and the sad events surrounding his organization in the years immediately preceding his death in 1990, just as many still regard him as a genuine Yoga master. His life illustrates that Yoga adepts come in all shapes and sizes and that, to coin a phrase, one person’s guru is another person’s uru. (The Sanskrit word uru denotes “empty space.”) Another maxim that applies here is caveat emptor, “buyer beware.” Other renowned modern Yoga adepts of Indian origin are Sri Aurobindo (the father of Integral Yoga), Ramana Maharshi (an unparalleled master of Jnana-Yoga), Papa Ramdas (who lived and breathed Mantra-Yoga, the Yoga of transformative sound), Swami Nityananda (a miracle-working master of Siddha-Yoga), and his disciple Swami Muktananda (a powerful yogi who put Siddha-Yoga, which is a Tantric Yoga, on the map for Western seekers). All these teachers are no longer among us. B. K. S. Iyengar The great exponent in modern times of Hatha-Yoga was Sri Krishnamacharya, who died in 1989 at the ripe old age of 101. He practiced and taught the Viniyoga system of Hatha-Yoga until his last days. His son T. K. V. Desikachar continues his saintly father’s teachings and taught Yoga, among others, to the famous Jiddu Krishnamurti. Another well-known student of Sri Krishnamacharya and a master in his own right is Desikachar’s brother-in-law B. K. S. Iyengar, who has taught tens of thousands of students, including the world-famous violinist Jehudi Menuhin. Mention must also be made of Pattabhi Jois and Indra Devi, both of whom studied with Krishnamacharya in their early years and have since then inspired thousands of Westerners. Swami Satyananda Sarasvati of living Yoga masters from India, I can mention Sri Chinmoy, Sathya Sai Baba (a “man of miracles” who has a following of millions), and Swami Satyananda (a Tantra master who established the well-known Bihar School of Yoga, has
authored numerous books, and has disciples around the world). There are of course many other great Yoga adepts, both well known and more hidden, who represent Yoga in one form or another, but I leave it up to you to discover them. Until modern times, the overwhelming majority of Yoga practitioners have been men, yogins. But there have also always been great female adepts, yoginîs. Happily, in recent years, a few woman saints—representing Bhakti-Yoga (Yoga of devotion)—have come to the West to bring their gospel of love to open-hearted seekers. Yoga embraces so many diverse approaches that anyone can find a home in it. An exceptional woman teacher from India who fits none of the yogic stereotypes is Meera Ma (“Mother Meera”). She doesn’t teach in words but communicates in silence through her simple presence. Of all places, she has made her home in the middle of a quaint German village in the Black Forest, and every year is attracting thousands of people from all over the world. Since Yoga is not restricted to Hinduism, we may also mention here the Dalai Lama, champion of nonviolence and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. He is unquestionably one of the truly great yogis of modern Tibet, who, above all, demonstrates that the principles of Yoga can fruitfully be brought not only into a busy daily life but also into the arena of politics. Today Tibetan Buddhism (which is a form of Tantra-Yoga) is extremely popular among Westerners, and there are many lamas (spiritual teacher) who are willing to share with sincere seekers the secrets of their hitherto well-guarded tradition. If you are curious about Westerners who have made a name for themselves as teachers in the modern Yoga movement (understood in the broadest terms), you may want to consult the encyclopedic work The Book of Enlightened Masters by Andrew Rawlinson. His book includes both genuine masters (like the Bulgarian teacher Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov) and a galaxy of would-be masters. © Copyright ©2006 by Georg Feuerstein. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form requires prior permission from Traditional Yoga Studies www.traditionalyogastudies.com
10 Reasons Why I Love Yoga Worapan C.
Before I begin, I just have to say: I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, athletic. I was introduced to yoga by a a class at Yoga Studio 3 years ago and I fell in love. Here is why: 1. Yoga is for all people. There is a pose for everybody and every pose can be modified for every body. 2. Yoga is not a competition. 3. Yoga is listening to your body and working with it. 4. Yoga opens you up to going somewhere you didn’t think you were allowed to go. 5. Yoga introduced me to my triceps. It took us several months to meet, but we’re becoming very good friends. 6. Yoga is a service project, as one instructor told me. I believe him. Yoga releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. You are nicer to people when you are happy. 7. Yoga is personal in an immeasurable way. I meet myself on my mat and learn something new every time. 8. Yoga invites your spirit to talk and the world to be quiet. 9. Yoga strengthens. 10. Yoga is never demanding. It challenges, pushes for more, but never demands you to obey it.
So You Want to Become a Yoga Teacher: Thoughts to Consider Worapan C.
I would like to open the air with a discussion regarding Yoga Teacher Trainings. This is certainly something that requires much research, patience and the absolute feeling that you as the individual are ready to commit to things such as lifestyle, yoga style, on-going learning & teaching’s, etc. Just as it is important to look into your own teacher and their background, Yoga Teacher Trainings are no different. I have had the pleasure of having many friends old and new go through the wheels of becoming a certified or registered yoga teacher. More than often I hear stories of an amazing and life altering experience but on occasion I hear just the opposite. Some questions and topics to consider when searching for an adequate and efficient training that fits you are: Is it the style of yoga that you feel you have connected with? (body, mind and spirit)
Is it an “intensive”? i.e. 7 days, 9 days, 14 days. Is the program registered with the Yoga Alliance and can you qualify to get certified if that is important to you? Who are the teachers, gurus, swamis? What are there backgrounds? How many trainees do they allow? What feedback have other participants given of the training? Are they competent yoga teachers and do they recommend the teacher? Can you speak to graduates of their program? Is it residential or commuter friendly? What does price include? Does it include your stay with accomodations? Does it include books and reading materials? What are hidden costs involved? Are there any special preparations relating to health if this training is outside of your own country? If an airline is involved, do or will they provide a car service? Do they follow an exact itinerary as the one they provide you with before hand? As for food and preparation, find out all that is involved. If nothing is provided, is there a grocery store nearby? And most importantly, does the program provide consenting trainees contact info, so you may hear their take on the experience.
All of the above and then some are so important since this is dealing with your passion and goals to become something you believe in and love. Look into these and be honest with yourself to see what works in your heart. If one you desire seems to be the “one for you” then do what it takes to give it your all.
We thank yoga teacher Kru Jimmy who provides great private lessons for us. You are a Great Teacher.
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When you inhale, you are taking the strength from God. When you exhale, it represents the service you are giving to the world. ~B.K.S. Iyengar
Cow Posture GOMUKHASANA
Looking at it from above, this posture resembles the face of a cow, with the feet making the horns and the knees making the mouth. Many find they need practice to bring the feet in a symmetrical position to look like a cow and not a unicorn! This posture limbers the hips and legs, as well as the shoulders. 1. Many people benefit by first warming up the hips with Ankle to Knee Pose. Sit cross-legged with the left leg in front. Pick up the left leg and place the left ankle on top of the right ankle. Position the lower leg so the right ankle is on the floor underneath the left knee and the shinbones will form a triangle with the thighs. Flex the heels of both feet, activating the inner thigh and calf muscles. Let gravity help the left knee release down. To increase the hip opening, lean forward and slide the hands along the floor. Stay for one minute, then change sides. 2. Sit on the floor with the feet apart and the knees slightly bent. Bring the right foot under the left knee and place the heel close to the left hip. Have the toes pointing left. Then bring the left foot close to the right hip, toes pointing to the right, The left knee should now be over the right knee. If it doesn’t approach this. Work on hip openers, such as preparation for Cow Posture and Half Bound Lotus Forward Bend (Page 146). Keep the weight equally distributed between the sitting bones. Press the left knee down with both hands to bring the knees together. 3. Extend your left arm out to the side, and rotate the shoulder inward so the palm faces back and thumb points down. Bend the elbow and bring the left hand behind the back, palm facing outward. Stretch the right arm from the shoulder so that the thumb points backward, then bend the elbow to clasp the hands behind the back. Move the right elbow back and more to the center lind behind the head and lift the chest. Front view, back view. Release the hands,, then the legs, and repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE: Upward BUILD-UP POSES: Easy Seated Pose, Forward Bend, Half Lotus Pose, Cow Face Forward Fold. COUNTER POSES: Hero Pose, Extended Child Pose, Seated Staff Posture. LIGHTEN: a) Sit on a block or folded blanket. b) Hold a belt between the hands and inch the hands together. EFFECT: Centering.
Revolved Head to Knee Pose PARIVRTTA JANU SIRSASANA
Most of our day-to-day movements involve forward bending. This lateral stretch works into the tiny muscles between the side ribs while giving the torso a welcome twist. 1. Sit on the floor in Seated Staff Posture. Follow the steps for Head Beyond the Knee Pose to bend and position the right leg. Raise the right arm out to the side and spiral from the shoulder to bring your palm to face backward. Turning from the lower abdomen, rotate your trunk to the right and wrap your arm behind your back to grasp your inner left thigh. 2. Reach your left arm in the air, extend from left hip to left armpit, and reach forward to grasp the inner left foot. Lengthen your side ribs along the left thigh. Move your right shoulder up and back to help fully open the chest toward the right. 3. Once you have sufficient flexibility, the left shoulder will press against the inner left knee. In the beginning, be satisfied to bring the elbow to the floor while holding the foot. Curve the left side ribs and make the spine more of a “C� shape. 4. To continue the second stage, turn the fingers and thumb of the left hand to face upward, still grasping the foot. Release the right hand from the thigh and take it overhead to hold the left toes. Move the right shoulder back so it is directly over the left shoulder. Bend the left elbow to bring your left shoulder closer to the floor. Press out through the right side of the trunk (so you can curve it and the spine away from the floor) to stretch the little muscles in between the right side ribs. Look up under the upper arm. Hold five to ten breaths, then repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE: Upward. BUILD-UP POSES: Standing Side Stretch, Revolved Easy Pose Twist, Gate Pose, Seated Gate Pose. COUNTER POSES: East Stretch Posture, Double Leg Forward Stretch LIGHTEN: a) Take the right hand to the sacrum or the floor behind. b) Take the left hand to grasp the thigh or shin c) Use a belt to hold the extended foot. EFFECT: Centering
Double Toe Hold UBHAYA PADANGUSTHASANA
This pose has effected similar to those of Double Leg Forward Stretch (Page 118), with the additional challenge of balancing 1. Sit in Seated Staff Posture with the legs extended. Bend the knees and bring the heels close to the buttocks. Hold each big toe between the thumb and forefinger. On an exhalation, straighten the legs upward, so you are balancing on the buttocks, Press the sitting bones into the floor and draw the public abdomen in toward the spine. Avoid collapsing the ribs into the belly – move the lower back in and lift the chest toward the knees as you lengthen the spine. Keep the back of the legs long, extending through the heels. Move your face toward the sky, maintain the length in the back of the neck. 2. If you are comfortable there, this pose can be extended just as in Double Leg Forward Stretch by interlacing the fingers around the soles of the feet. Stay here for several breaths before coming out of the posture. 3. A further extension of this pose is Upward Facing Forward Balance. From a seated position, raise the legs up. Bend the knees so the shins are parallel to the floor. Place your forearms along the calves, fingers cupping heels. Keep your abdomen and thighs snugly close. On an exhalation, straighten the legs while pulling back on the heels with the fingers. Close the gap between your chest and thighs. Draw your face toward your shins. Open the backs of your knees to straighten them fully. This pose can also become a mudra, the Seal of Thunderbolt. To evolve this position to a mudra practice The Great Lock. On an exhalation, release the hands and legs back to the floor to lie resting in Corpse Pose.
INFORMATION GAZE :Third eye BUILD-UP POSES: Boat Pose, Double Leg Forward Stretch, Heron Posture, Half Lotus Heron Pose. COUNTER POSES: Corpse Pose, East Stretch Posture LIGHTEN: a) Keep the knees bent, with the forearms folded behind them. b) Use a strap around the balls of the feet. c) Grasp heels instead of toes and pull back firmly on them as you straighten the legs and torso. D) Practice with your back or toes against a wall. EFFECT: Focusing
Half Lotus Heron Pose ARDHA PADMA KROUNCHASANA
This pose gives an intense stretch to the back of the legs in an upright, seated position, with the added bonus of working the abdominal muscles strongly. This pose is very similar in form to Half Bound Lotus Forward Bend, just in a different relationship to gravity. 1. Sit on the floor with both legs extended in Seated Staff Posture. Bend the right knee out to the side and bring the right ankle on top of the left thigh. To avoid straining ligaments place the outer right ankle, rather than the side of the foot against the thigh. To avoid placing undue strain on the knee, the hips need to be ready for this position. For hip opening preparations to help achieve this position, see Cow Posture and Half Bound Lotus Forward Bend. 2. Bend the left knee in toward the chest and grasp the left heel with both hands. Keep pulling back on the heel as you straighten the leg up in the air. Lift the upper body and the extended leg more to vertical. Bring the leg closer to your face. Press down into the sitting bone and draw in the lumbar spine in toward the navel to avoid rounding the lower back. Keep your shoulders relaxed as you stretch open the back of the extended leg. 3. After several breaths here, next firm the abdominal muscles in anticipation of releasing the leg. Draw the leg closer in, release your grip and stretch the arms out parallel to the floor, Keep the leg up high. Hold for five breaths. Then exhale and move the leg down to the floor. Repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE: Tip of nose BUILD-UP POSES: Preparations from Cow Posture and Half Bound Lotus Forward Bend, Half Bound Lotus Forward Bend, Half Bound Lotus Stretch, Boat Pose. COUNTER POSES: Hero Pose, East Stretch Posture. LIGHTEN: a) Keep raised leg bent. b) Use a strap around the foot of raised leg. c) Hold calf muscle or thigh of raised leg instead of heel. d) Place the sole or side of the foot of the bent leg on the floor. EFFECT: Strengthening
Complete Lord of the Fish Poses PARIPURNA MATSYENDRASANA
The pressure of thigh against abdomen massages the internal organs and promotes their healthy functioning. 1. From Seated Staff Posture, bend both knees and place the feet on the floor. Bend the left knee and take the foot back toward the right buttock. Have the heel directly in front of the right sitting bone. 2. Take the right leg up and over the left thigh so the foot comes near the left knee. Press both sitting bones down toward the floor. Draw the lower back slightly in and up, releasing the spine up toward the crown of the head. While the right fingertips press to the floor, inhale and stretch the left arm upward, extending through the fingers. 3. Exhale and turn the abdomen and chest toward the right. Without losing the length in the torso, bring your left elbow to the outer right thigh. Push against the thigh while resisting with it to assist in twisting to the right. 4. Move the left elbow to the outside of the right knee, without shortening the left side of the waist. Bring the left armpit as close to the knee as possible, maintaining the extension of the spine. Straighten the left arm and reach the hand to the front of the right foot. Wrap your right hand around the back of your body or put the hand on the floor. Gaze over your right shoulder. 5. Breathe here, gently squeezing the lower abdomen in toward the spine on the exhalation and lifting the chest and lengthening the spine on the exhalation to deepen the twist. 6. Release on an inhalation, letting go of the hands and returning the chest to the center. Unfold the legs, rest in Seated Staff Posture, and repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION FOCUS: Over the back shoulder. BUILD-UP POSES: Revolved Easy Pose, Bound Sage Pose. COUNTER POSES: East Stretch Posture, Double Leg Forward Stretch LIGHTEN: a) Hug the front knee with the opposite arm while pressing the torso to thigh. b) If you are unable to clasp the hands, allow the back hand to rest on the floor and have the front elbow bent 90O fingers pointing toward the sky. c) An intermediate option is to put the right arm through the “window” under the knee to grasp the left hand. EFFECT: Balancing–both invigorating and calming.
Half Bound Lotus Twist BHARADVAHASANA II
This simple seated twist releases stiffness in the upper back and shoulders. While the twist might be less intense than in Sage Twist, the position of the legs makes it more of a challenge for those with tight hips. 1. From Seated Staff Posture, bend the left knee and take the foot beside the left thigh. Have the top of the foot on the floor and the toes pointing back. Bend up your right leg. Lift it up high and bring the right ankle high up the left thigh. Let the knee release down in the floor. 2. Draw the abdominal muscles gently in toward the spine as you lengthen the tailbone down toward the floor. Lean backward slightly and press the sitting bones down. 3. Inhale, raise the right arm in the air. Moving from your lower abdomen, twist to your right. Lengthen as you rotate from your navel toward your right shoulder, then extend from the shoulder through to the fingertips of the right hand. Internally rotate the shoulder, bend the elbow, and bring the arm behind the waist to hold the toes of the right foot. 4. Still twisting, take the left hand across the body and wrap it under the right thigh. Have the inner wrist facing outward and press as much of the palm to the floor as possible. Spiraling upward from the lower abdomen, revolve the torso farther right and gaze over the shoulder. Involve your eyeballs so they look as far around as possible. On each inhalation, lengthen up through the spine, and on each exhalation, twist more. 5. Release on an exhalation. Come back to Seated Staff Posture and repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE: To the side. BUILD-UP POSES: Sage Twist, Seated Half Spinal Twist, Cow Posture, Half Lotus Pose preparations. COUNTER POSES: East Stretch Posture, Double Leg Forward Stretch, Boat Pose, Downward Facing Dog Pose. LIGHTEN: a) Press the right hand to the floor behind you. b) Grasp a belt looped around the right ankle. c) Place the left hand on top of the right knee. EFFECT: Centering
Royal Pigeon Posture EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA
This beautiful-looking posture stretches the shoulders and vertebral column strongly. It also helps regulate the hormonal secretions, particularly those from the thyroid. 1. Perform Downward Facing Dog Pose. Step the left leg forward to place the foot behind the right hand so the left knee is behind the left hand. Slide the right leg straight back behind you as you lower both hips close to the floor. Stretch the toes of the right foot back. Your buttock and outer left thigh will be resting on the floor. Decompress the lower back by lifting up through the chest. Let the front of the left thigh lengthen as the hips descend further. Breathe here, consolidating your position. 2. Bend the right leg and bring the right foot as close as possible to the head. Turn the foot so that the toes are pointing to the right. Using your left hand for balance reach back with the right hand to take hold of the toes. Pull the right leg toward you as you rotate the arm upward and outward. Take a few breaths here. 3. Lift the left hand off the floor and reach back behind the head. Holding the raised foot with both hands, allow the head to learn back while the right foot comes forward so that the crown of the head or the forehead rests in the arch of the foot. Hold for five to ten breaths. 4. Exhale, release the hands one by one to the floor. Gently lift back into Downward Facing Dog Pose, then repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE: Third eye. BUILD-UP POSES: Crescent Moon Pose, Frog Pose, Monkey God Posture, Pigeon Posture. COUNTER POSES: Downward Facing Dog Pose, Head Beyond the Knee Pose, Double Leg Forward Stretch. LIGHTEN: a) Sit higher by placing a rolled blanket under the perineum. b) Grasp a belt looped around the raised foot. EFFECT: Energizing.
Seated Leg Behind the Head Posture EKA PADA SIRSASANA
This posture works into the hips and stimulates blood flow to the pelvic and abdominal regions. This extreme forward bend puts a lot of pressure in the lower back and neck and should be approached with caution. 1. Sit in Seated Staff Posture. Draw the right knee up and catch the right foot with the left hand. Place the right hand on the floor beside the right hip, with the arm inside the right knee. 2. Bring the right knee back and straighten the right leg, gradually bringing the right hand back and the knee as far behind the right shoulder as possible. The right knee must be behind the shoulder to continue to the next step. 3. Exhale, catch the calf with the right hand, pressing the whole leg farther back, and with the help of both hands, lift the right foot behind the head. Keep the left leg straight, with the toes pointing up. Straighten the back and neck as much as possible and lift the chin to look forward. Bring the hands together in prayer position in front of the chest. 4. Gradually lie back, keeping the left foot in the floor. This posture is called Bhairava Pose, named after Bhairava, an aspect of the Hindu god Shiva. Inhale, rock back to sitting, release the right leg and straighten it out. Repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE: Tip of nose. BUILD-UP POSES: Tortoise Posture and Sleeping Tortoise Posture, One Hand Over Arm Balance. COUNTER POSES: Corpse Pose, East Stretch Posture, Camel Posture. LIGHTEN: a) Do not bring the foot behind the head. b) Support the chin with both hands to help straighten the neck in the final upright position. c) Do not go to the final (reclining) stage. EFFECT: Calming.
One Leg Over Head Sitting Forward Bend SKANDASANA
The back of the body is given an intense stretch as the top half of the body folds over the bottom half. With the head tucked in, this pose offers an opportunity to reconnect deeply with our inner being. 1. Sit in Seated Staff Posture with palms or fingertips on the floor beside the hips. Tilt the pelvis anteriorly to tip your weight more onto the front edge of the sitting bones. The sitting bones anchor to the floor as you inhale and float the arms above the head. Let the heart lift and lengthen the spine up toward the crown of the head. 2. On an exhalation, gently draw the public abdomen in toward the spine as you fold the upper body forward, extending the arms along the legs to hold the big toes or sides of the feet, or grasp one wrist around the balls of the feet. 3. Keeping the chest open, rather than rounding the upper back down, will help free up the breathing. On an inhalation, look forward, lift the heart center, and move the floating ribs away from the hips and toward the knees. This forward movement originates from the pelvic abdomen and lumbar spine rather than from the head and shoulders. 4. If you reach the feet easily, bend the elbows and exhale farther into the pose, bringing the forehead to the knees then move your shoulders away from your ears. 5. From sitting, take the right foot behind the head and hands in namaste during an exhale. Inhale, place hands on the floor, straighten the left leg so you’re in a foot-behind the-head. Gaze up. Exhale and fold forward for 5 breaths.
INFORMATION GAZE: Toes or third eye BUILD-UP POSES: Seated Staff Posture, Cross Legged Forward Stretch, Deep Forward Fold, Head Beyond the Knee Pose. COUNTER POSES: Reclining Bound Angle Pose, East Stretch Posture Pose. LIGHTEN: a) Keep knees bent b) Bend knees and rest chest on thighs. c) Hold thighs or shins rather than feet. EFFECT: Calming
One Hand Over Arm Balance EKA HASTA KHUJASANA
Having one leg extend away creates a heavy weight for the arms to lift. This posture develops strength in the wrists, arms, and shoulders. It also requires a great deal of abdominal strength. 1. Sit Seated Staff Posture. Helped by the right hand, draw the right knee up and catch the right foot with the left hand. Bring the right knee back as far behind the right shoulder as possible, keeping the knee bent so that the right foot is above the left knee. 2. Place the right hand on the floor beside the right hip, with the fingers pointing forward and the arm inside the right knee. Place the left hand on the floor beside the left hip with the fingers pointing straight ahead. The key is to press the right calf strongly down against the arm, as if you were trying to squash the upper arm. With the elbows bent but not locked, press both hands strongly into the floor and lift the whole body up. Keep the left leg straight. Have it parallel to the floor, or, if possible, lift it higher. Press the right leg against the arm to prevent it from slipping down. Then stretch out the toes of both legs. Stay for five breaths or more with even breathing. 3. Exhale, lower the body down to the floor, release the right leg and straighten it, then repeat on the other side for the same length of time.
INFORMARION GAZE: Tip of nose. BUILLD-UP POSES: Downward Facing Dog Pose, Arm Pressure Balance, Boat Pose. COUNTER POSES: Wrist Releases, Mountain Pose 2 (in Hero Pose), Forearm Releasing Forward Fold. LIGHTEN: a) Leave the left foot on the floor, only lifting the buttocks off the floor. b) Place the hands on blocks. EFFECT: Strengthening.
Monkey God Posture HANUMANASANA
This Challenging yet graceful posture, which resembles the splits performed by ballet dancers and gymnasts, strongly stretches the muscles of the front and back thighs. It is named after Hanaman, the monkey of god. It refers to the fantastic leaps this popular deity took in service to his master Rama. 1. Kneel on the floor and step the right leg to the front. Bring the hands to the floor on either side of the body. Straighten the right leg and slide the right heel forward until the calf muscles touch the floor. 2. At the same time, slide the left knee and foot back, with the toes pointing straight back, until the front of the left thigh touches the floor. Press the legs and hips down. Adjust the hips. Bring the left hip forward so the hips are squared off to the front. Ensure the front leg points straight ahead. Have the kneecap facing straight up so the leg is not turned out to the side. 3. Once the legs are straight, sit on the floor and bring the hands together in a prayer position in front of the chest or else raise to prayer position with arms straight up in the air. Stay in this position for ten breaths or more. Then fold forward on an exhalation, and hold the left wrist with the right hand beyond the foot, resting the head on the right shin. 4. To come out of the posture, place the hands back down on either side of the body and lift the body up. After this strong release, take care to support with hands as you bring your legs closer together. Alternate the legs to repeat on the other side, holding for the same length of time. Often people find one side easier. In this case, hold the stiffer side for longer.
INFORMATION GAZE Tip of nose BUILD-UP POSES Lunges, Head Beyond the Knee Pose, Single Leg Forward Bend, Single Leg Swan Balance, Reeling Half Hero Pose, Frog Pose, Crescent Moon Pose. COUNTER POSES Hero Pose, Corpse Pose. LIGHTEN a) Keep hands on the floor. b) Use blocks to support under the perineum or the hands. c) Do not go to the forward bending position. EFFECT Calming.
Open Angle Seated Forward UPAVISTA KONASANA
This pose stretches the inner thighs, tones the legs, opens the hips, and stimulates the blood flow in the pelvic region. It is one of the most useful for gynecological problems because it regulates the menstrual flow and ovarian function. It is a good pose to practice during menstruation and pregnancy. 1. Sit in Seated Staff Posture. Spread the legs wide apart. Press the back to the knees into the floor to energize the legs and ensure the knees and toes face straight up, rather than rolling in or out. Place the hands on the floor beside the hips. Stretch the heels away from the hips to straighten and lengthen the back of the legs. Lift up the chest and roll the pelvis forward to increase the inward curve of the lower back. Hold for a few breaths. 2. Exhale, lean forward, and catch the big toes with index and middle fingers, arm straight. While it is easy to feel how the back of the torso lengthens in this position, the challenge of this posture is to keep lengthening the front of the torso. Pull the navel in toward the spine on each inhalation and avoid rounding the back. Pull up strongly with the muscles of the front thighs. Hold for a few breaths. 3. Exhale and extend the chest farther forward as you lower it down. Rest the forehead, or if possible, the chin and the chest on the floor. Stretch the hands away to broaden the chest. Keep the toes and knees pointing upward. Breathe softly and steadily and be patient as you surrender deeper into the posture. To come out of the pose, use your hands to support under your knees as you bring the legs back together.
INFORMATION GAZE Forward and up BUILD-UP POSES Head Beyond the Knee Pose, Double Leg Forward Stretch, Wide Leg Forward Bend. COUNTER POSES Cobbler’s Pose, Cow Posture, East Stretch Posture LIGHTEN a) Do not go to the final stage. b) Use belts around the feet, or grasp higher up the legs. c) Sit on a folded blanket and/or have your back against a wall. EFFECT Calming.
Deep Forward Fold UTTANASANA
Folding forward from the hips gives the hamstrings and lumbar spine an intense, intentional stretch. Hanging upside down even for a few moments brings fresh blood to the brain and gives a refreshed sense of well-being. 1. Stand in Mountain Pose. Inhale as you open your arms wide, bringing the palms together above your head. 2. Hinge at the hips to fold forward with arms lengthening forward and away from the tailbone. If your back is strong, keep the legs straight as you fold forward. Bring the hands to the floor beside your feet. If you can’t reach, have the knees slightly bent, allowing them to gently lengthen with each breath. 3. If you touch the floor easily, walk your hands back and press more of your palms to the floor. Allow the back of your neck to be long, chin tucked in slightly toward the throat. Remain here for several long breaths, visualizing the spine as a waterfall, cascading forward over the rim of the pelvis as gravity lets the crown of your head gently move toward the earth. 4. Firm the lower abdomen and move the hips forward to inhale upward. Maintain the length in the spine as you lift the trunk upright to standing.
INFORMATION GAZE Eyes closed or gaze softly at knees. BUILD-UP POSES Head Beyond the Knee Pose, Double Leg Forward Stretch COUNTER POSES Locust Pose, Cobra Pose LIGHTEN a) To practice (Restful) Deep Forward Fold, take the feet hip width apart, bend your knees to rest your chest on the thighs and let your arms dangle. EFFECT Re-centering.
Upward Facing Dog Pose URDVAH MUKHA SVANASANA
Start by laying face down on your mat, legs should be long with a feeling of extension through the length of the toes and spread hips-width apart. Bend your elbows and place your palms flat to the ground, fingers spread, hands completely plugged into the floor and have your finger tips along side your chest. Your wrist joints should be parallel to the front edge of the mat, with your wrists and elbows at a 90-degree angle. Elbows should stay tight to your sides. From here, press down through the top of the feet; the top of all 10 toes should press into the floor. Press the palms down and gently lift your body off the floor. The ONLY parts of your body touching the ground should be the tops of the feet and the whole hand. Once your arms are fully extended, double-check that your wrist joint is still under your shoulder-- aligning the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints together. (This positioning is critical and ensures a safe, less stressed lower back.) The most common mistake in this pose is having your hands too far out in front of you, creating tremendous low back pressure.
INFORMATION GAZE Third eye or tip of nose. BUILD-UP POSES Locust pose, Cobra pose COUNTER POSES Downward Facing Dog pose, Double Leg Forward Stretch LIGHTEN a) Bend the knees slightly and rest them on the floor, b) Lift the hips higher if you have lower back pain EFFECT Opening, rejuvenating
Downward Facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Svanasana
This pose has the look and feel of a dog having a good stretch. The spine, hamstrings, and shoulders are all stretched vigorously and the inversion provides additional blood flow to the head. 1. Stand in Mountain Pose. Inhale as you raise the arms over the head. Exhale and fold forward from the hips into Deep Forward Fold, hands beside the feet. Inhale and look forward, raising the chest away from the thighs. On an exhalation, step the right foot and then the left foot back (or jump them lightly back together). Have the feet and hands at least 3 feet (90 centimeters) apart. 2. Place your feet hip width apart with the legs straight and strong. Ensure your middle fingers point forward and that you are not taking the weight only on the little finger side of the hands. Press the palms evenly into the floor and move your chest closer toward your thighs as you press the sitting bones of the buttocks upward, lengthening the spine. Move your hips back and up, away from the wrists. 3. Once you have reached maximum upward extension of the spine, focus on opening the backs of the legs. Press down through the heels and fully straighten the knees, without locking them. If the soles of the feet come fully to the floor, step your feet farther back to give yourself more of a challenge, 4. Rotate your shoulder externally so that the upper arms move away from the ears. Let the crown of the head come closer to the floor so that the back of the neck is long. Tuck your chin in and look toward the navel. 5. Stay here for ten to thirty breaths, breathing smoothly and deeply to enliven the whole body. Release on an inhalation, by looking forward as you step or jump the feet forward between the hands. Exhale into Deep Forward Fold, head toward the knees, then inhale and raise the arms and upper body back up to stand in Mountain Pose.
INFORMATION GAZE Navel. BUILD-UP POSES Deep Forward Fold, Cow Posture (shoulders), Plank Pose, Wide Leg Forward Bend (wrists). COUNTER POSES Mountain Pose, Wrist Release, Standing Half Bow Balance LIGHTEN a) Bend the knees in toward the chest. b) Take knees to the floor, buttocks high in the air, and stretch arms forward. EFFECT Strengthening, invigorating.
Standing Splits
URDHVA PRASARITA EKA PADASANA This pose stretches the back of the legs and improves the circulation in the abdominal organs. As an inverted forward bending posture it requires flexibility, focus, and a steady anchoring. 1. Stand in Mountain Pose. Inhale and as you press the soles of the feet firmly into the floor, feel the spine lengthen upward from the tip of the tailbone to the crown of the head. 2. Exhale and fold forward from the hips, keeping the length in the spine and bringing the palms to the floor under your shoulders, knees bent if necessary. 3. Slowly shift the weight of the body into the left foot. Keep the right palm of fingertips on the floor, and move your left hand and forearm to the left calf, elbow pointing back behind the knee. Press your front ribs to your left thigh. Step the right foot back slightly, keeping the big toe on the floor for balance. 4. As you inhale, raise the right leg to its maximum height. Keep the ribs as close as possible to the right thigh. Straighten both legs and stretch both heels away from each other. Bring the forehead closer to the left shin, Walk your right hand closer to your left toes. Stay here for five breaths, extending the top leg farther away with each exhalation. 5. Returning the right foot gracefully to the floor behind you, step the feet together and place both hands on the floor under the shoulders. From this folded forward position repeat in the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE Tip of nose BUILD-UP POSES Deep Forward Fold (or any forward bend), Revolved Half Moon Pose, Raised Leg Downward Facing Dog Pose. COUNTER POSES Mountain Pose, Standing Half Bow Balance LIGHTEN a) Keep the left big toe lightly touched to the floor behind you if your balance is unsteady. b) Bend the supporting leg. c) Keep both hands on the floor, well in front of your right foot. EFFECT Centering
Standing Half Bow Balance UTTHITA ARDHA DHANURASANA
This standing balance backbend enhances the elasticity of the spine while toning the abdominal organs and strengthening the legs. The balance aspect is a reminder that strength and grace are possible at the same time. 1. Stand in Mountain Pose. Inhale deeply onto the full length of your body. Gradually transfer your weight onto the left foot, and take your right foot back to place the big toe on the floor behind you. With hands on hips, lift out of your lower back and arch your back into a long backbend. 2. Bend the right knee and lift the heel high in the air. Stay in this backbend for a few breaths to strengthen the back muscles. 3. Bring the heel toward the right buttock, reach back with the right hand, and grasp the outer ankle with the right hand. Press the right foot back while you pull the ankle forward with your right hand to create as big an arch in your “bow� as possible. Lift the right leg backward to bring the thigh more parallel to the floor and your shin more vertical, sole of the foot facing upward. Press your right hip and right side ribs forward to square your torso to the front. 4. Bend the supporting leg and lean forward as you raise the left arm parallel to the floor, palm facing up. Bring the tips of the index finger and thumb together. With eyes soft, gaze at the point of union between the finger and thumb. Breathe smoothly and evenly, balancing with ease and grace on the left leg as the right foot continues to push backward and upward. Focus on allowing the curve of the spine to flow up behind the heart as you push the chest open and keep the shoulders even. 5. Release the right foot as you exhale. Return to stand evenly in Mountain Pose. Repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE Fingertips. BUILD-UP POSES Warrior Pose 3, Bow Pose, Single Leg Swan Balance LIGHTEN a) Do not go to the final stage. b) Practice near a wall for balance EFFECT Focusing
Standing Side Stretch PARSVAKONASANA
This pose engages the thigh muscles and awakens the inner leg from the groin right down to the ankles. Many of our day-to-day movements are simple forward and backward movements and we stretch sideways less often. Use lateral stretching to encourage lateral thinking. 1. Stand in Mountain Pose. Step the feet wide apart. Place both hands on the hips. Square the hips to the front. 2. Bend the right knee to 90Ëš so the thighbone is parallel to the floor. Make sure the knee is directly above, not in front of, the hinge of the ankle. 3. Exhale and side bend the upper body to bring the right side ribs on top of the right thigh. Place the palm of the right hand on the floor beside the little toe. Press the outer right knee against your right arm and rotate the abdomen and chest toward the sky. At the same time, press your right knee back against your arm to maintain maximum width across the front of the hips. 4. Reestablish your firm foundation by reinforcing the working of the legs. Press strongly into the outer edge of the left foot. Keep the right sitting bone moving back toward the left heel. Even while the right knee remains strongly bent, let the pelvis float (not sink) and take the minimum possible weight through on the right hand. 5. Extend the inner upper left arm over the left ear, palm facing the floor. Now push through the left side ribs so they curve up to the sky and awaken the stretch all the way along the left side of the body. Repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE The top hand. BUILD-UP POSE Warrior Pose 2, Triangle Pose. COUNTER POSES Mountain Pose, Deep Forward Fold. LIGHTEN a) Instead of bringing the hand to the floor, rest the elbow on top of the knee. b) Keep the back of the left hand on the base of the spine. EFFECT Grounding, opening.
Pose Dedicated to Visvamitrasana VISVAMITRASANA
Visvamitrasana is something to save for the peak of your yoga practice. It’s important that you thoroughly warm up your hamstrings, hips, shoulders, and side waist before going into the pose. Try a warm-up sequence that includes the following: Sun Salutations, Trikonasana (Triangle), Parsvakonasana (Side Angle Pose), Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose II), Malasana (Garland Pose), and Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend). Prepare for the arm balance with Tolasana (Scale Pose) and Bhujapidasana (Shoulder-Pressing Pose). Supta Visvamitrasana In this variation, you’ll experience the shape of the pose without the heat and challenge of the arm balance. I discovered it while practicing at home with my cat Choochie nearby, and I will never forget the feline relaxation I felt. But before you begin, consider yourself forewarned: This asana requires you to move in ways that may cause you to feel like a pretzel. Be patient and allow yourself to develop the mind-body awareness you need to do it. The pose will also give you feedback on the range of motion in your hamstrings, hips, and torso, so move slowly and respectfully as those areas warm up. 1. Lie on your back and lengthen your spine by moving your feet and the crown of your head away from each other. Reach through you left heel as you bend your right knee and pull it up toward your chest. 2. Slowly extend your right leg up toward the sky in Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose). If your hamstrings feel tight, bend your knee slightly and stay here at the first stage of this pose.
GAZE The top hand. BUILD-UP POSE Warrior Pose 2, Triangle Pose, Chair Pose, COUNTER POSES Deep Forward Fold, Single Leg Forward Bend LIGHTEN a) Instead of bringing the hand to the floor, rest the elbow on top of the knee. b) Keep the back of the left hand on the base of the spine. EFFECT Grounding, opening.
Warrior Pose VIRABHADRASANA
This pose engages strengthens our connection with the grounding energy of the earth. This variation has an emphasis on establishing a firm and grounded foundation in the legs while fearlessly lifting and expanding the chest. As such, it is great for integrating the upper and lower halves of the body. 1. Stand in Mountain Pose. Step the feet wide apart, and bring your hands to your hips. Turn the whole right leg and foot out at 90O so that the heel intersects the inner arch of the left foot. Turn the left foot and leg in about 45O. 2. Turn the chest toward the right and square your hips by pressing your left hip well forward. On an inhalation, raise your arm above the head, brining the palms together. 3. Exhale as you bend the left knee, sinking down into the right thing and sitting bone. With your knee bent to 90O, it will be directly over the ankle hinge. 4. It’s easy to focus all your thoughts on what is visible in front of you. Spread your awareness to the back side of the body. From your front leg, take your weight equally into the back leg. Press into the left leg heel, feeling the stretch along the back of the right leg. 5. Let the tailbone drop down toward the floor to help in opening the front of the hips, the pelvic abdomen, and front right thing. This will also create space in the lumbar spine and help lengthen the lower back. Lift your head back and gaze upward. Once again, spread your mind to that which you can’t see. Move from the back of the waist to develop your backbend as you strentch upward through the middle back and arms, even while you maintain your connection with the legs and feet. 6. Inhale as you straighten the left leg, exhale and bend forward, bringing the forehead toward the floor. Repeat on the other side.
INFORMATION GAZE Tips of nose. BUILD-UP POSE Mountain Pose, Chair Pose, Warrior COUNTER POSES Single Leg forward Bend, Restful Deep Forward Fold, Mountain Pose LIGHTEN a) Place the hands on the hips. b) Bend the front knee lee. c) Have the front leg straight. Lift the back heel. EFFECT Strengthening, focusing.