Manisha Mehta 4/8/14 Manisha Mehta 4/8/14

Jnana in Asana

"Jnana" means knowledge. "Asana" means yoga posture.

Patanjli's, Yoga Sutra, written in 2nd century BC states- "Where there is Asana, there should be Dhyana. Where there is Dhyana, there should be Asana".

Yoga is union of body (by asanas) and mind (by meditation/Dhyana). Yoga is not merely a physical exercise. In fact, practice in such a way that the mind, intelligence and consciousness are continuously in touch with the movements of the body. There has to be a homogeneous approach which involves body, mind and self to find an even balance of attention , extension and expansion in the body, mind and Self. Such a complete practice is called Sadhana.

Sadhna is a key concept. It implies effort, but actually the sense of effort goes beyond it. It demands an examining but a disassociated mind. When the effortful efforts transform into an effortless state then one experiences the calm and steadiness in a pose. This ultimate experience of union of body and mind should be the goal of everyone who practice yoga and is achieved after years of disciplined practice. This is Dhyana in Asana.

Furthermore, it is impossible to meditate (Dhyana) without taking a correct position and staying still and comfortable in that position. This is Asana in Dhyana.

Every asana has three movements- Going into position, stabilizing and staying in the asana and coming out of the position. In this way, an asana mentally expresses the three parts of the mantra "Aum", without actually uttering it. ! We all start by doing asanas from the gross body(physical body) and eventually move to through to the subtle body (physiological body) to the causal body (spiritual body). Once there, the practice becomes mediation in action.

Perform the asanas without any expression of physical ego and without seeking comfort and ease. Do not let your mind surrender to the dictating body and become its slave. Instead the asanas must be done using the body as an instrument to explore the hidden weaknesses of the body and mind.

So, remove any misconception that dhyana is spiritual yoga and asana is physical yoga. They both go together and are part of a whole, which is YOU.

Manisha Mehta 4/1/14 Manisha Mehta 4/1/14

Basic Yoga Asanas & their purpose

Yoga asanas cover the basic positions in the following sequence: inversions, lying down, sitting, back bends, twists and standing. Given below are the basic asanas. Variations can be added as students advance in their practice. For complete physical, mental and spiritual benefits, these asanas must be practiced in physical coordination with awareness and sincerity.

Inversions: Head stand (Sirsasana) is the king of all poses. Shoulder stand (Salamb Sarvangasana). Plough pose(Halasana).

Inversions bring a rejuvenating supply of blood to the brain. Regular practice of inversions widens your spiritual horizons as it enhances clarity of thought, increases concentration and memory. Inversions help those who get mentally exhausted easily.

Lying down: Fish (Matsyaasana). Bridge (Setubandhasana)

They reverse the stretch of shoulderstand by stretching the thoracic and lumbar regions of spine in opposite direction. Liver and spleen are regulated. Pituitary and pineal glands in brain are stimulated. Wide open chest in these poses increases lung capacity and relieves asthma.

Sitting: Forward Bend (Paschimotanasana). Hero Pose(Virasana).

Sitting poses improve digestion by massaging all abdominal viscera. The entire nervous system is invigorated. Spine becomes elastic and hamstrings, lumbar and sacral regions are stretched. As per Hatha Yoga Pradipika, this is the best asanas of all and removes all diseases.

Back bends :Bow (Dhanurasana). Cobra (Bhujangasana). Locust (Salabhasana)

Back bends help correct posture, increase lung capacity (relieves asthma), tone muscles of the back and spine, remove stiffness in shoulders and back. These bends are especially helpful for women as they tone the ovaries and uterus and help relieve menstrual problems.

Twists: Spinal Twist (Ardha Matseyendrasana)

Spinal twists help keep the spine elastic since each vertebra is rotated in both directions. The ligaments attached to nerve receive a rich supply of blood. Sympathetic nervous system is toned which has an aerobic effect on body- speeds up circulation, increase in heart rate and stimulates glucose release from liver.

Standing: Mountain pose (Tadasana). Traingle pose (Trikonasana), Standing forward bend(Pada Hastasana).

Standing poses reduce stress and boost self confidence. Perfect balance of the final posture increases the alertness. These poses activate the spine and hip joint, relieve backache and strengthen hamstrings and knees.

Manisha Mehta 3/21/14 Manisha Mehta 3/21/14

Easy way to de-stress

Frazzled? Fried? Try yoga's most potent anywhere, anytime de-stress

Rx: Legs-up-the-wall Pose- Viparita Karani

There is something wonderful to discover in every pose. But sometimes, when you are too tired, you don't feel like bending forward or back! This simple pose- Viprarita Karani can be done your bed, against any wall at home or office or against a tree in a park.

"Viparita" means "inverted" and "Karani" means "in action".

HOW TO: The wall supports the legs, the folded blanket supports the lower back and hips. Fold the blanket and place it 12 inches from the wall. Sit side saddle on the blanket so that your right side is near the wall. Place the left elbow on the floor and swing your legs up the wall. The rest of your body will naturally go down so that you are lying on the floor. Adjust the position of the blanket so that it is under your low back (not under the sitting bone). Your hamstrings should feel comfortable, not stretched. Rest the heels against the wall with inner edges of your feet touching each other. Keep your abdomen soft. Broaden your collar bones and release the shoulders away from the ears. Soften the throat. Place your arms by your side with palms facing up. Close your eyes and experience the serenity of the posture. Stay in the pose for 3-4 minutes.

BENEFITS: Alleviates exhaustion and stress related headache and migraine. Boosts confidence and energy. Reduces depression. Prevents varicose veins. Relieves indigestion.

CAUTION: Do not practice during menstruation, although at some times this pose soothes menstrual cramps. Make sure that you rest your neck and shoulders firmly on the floor.

Go ahead and try this and feel the effects of your practice. Back in the college days, whenever I complained, my Dad would encourage me to keep up the good work and say "Oh, don't worry so much. Go put your legs up the wall"!!!

Manisha Mehta 3/13/14 Manisha Mehta 3/13/14

The 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga

"Asht" means 8 and "anga" means limbs. Ashtanga Yoga is the path of sytematic analysis and control of the mind. It was compiled by Patanjli Maharishi and is also known as Raja Yoga. These steps purify body and mind.

The 8 limbs are:

1. Yamas- Restraints

Ahimsa( non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Brahmacharya (chastity), Asteya (non-stealing and lack of jealousy) , Aparigraha (non-hoarding or accepting bribes)

2. Niyama- Observances

Saucha (purity-external & internal), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Swadhyaya (study of religious scriptures) , Surrender of ego.

3. Asana -Steady pose

A healthy and strong system is essential for any pursuit in life. Steady and a one pointed mind automatically leads to a steady body or a pose.

4. Pranayama- Control of vital energy

Control the breath/prana to control and balance the mind.

5. Pratyahara- Withdrawal of the senses from objects

6. Dharana- Concentration

Concentrating the mind upon either an external object or an internal idea to exclude all thoughts.

7. Dhyana- Meditation

Meditation is an unbroken flow of thought to exclude all sensual perception.

8. Samadhi- Super-conscious state

Samadhi transcends all ordinary, sensory experience as well as time and space. This final step happens effortlessly and is beyond all the usual states of waking, dreaming and sleeping.