About Yoga

What Is Yoga? Yoga translated means "to yoke, unite, or merge the body, breath and mind together in union." Within the practice of Hatha Yoga (yoga using movement or physical yoga) emphasis is put on coordinating, synchronizing and uniting our breath with our movements. Hatha is understood as a conjunct of "ha," (sun) and "tha," (moon), so hatha yoga can refer to the union of opposites, such as the sun and moon, masculine and feminine, hard and soft, mind and body, right and left, passive and aggressive, known and unknown. Yoga means union or uniting and hatha yoga means union or uniting of opposites. Yoga reunites all polarities, reconciles opposites and recreates a state of oneness and connectedness with where we originated. Yoga is the joining of the absolute and relative, unlimited and limited, whole and part, infinite and finite, light and dark, stillness and movement, expansion and contraction, masculine and feminine, and being and doing. Yoga creates a state of balance. While practicing hatha yoga we are open to the flow of divine love and we are in the flow of grace. The breath (prana) should flow through the body deeply and without strain.

The breath is used as a direct feedback to the practitioner. The breath is a tool to work with the mind. The quality of the breath is used as a guide or barometer as to whether we are straining or calm.

Yogis long ago discovered that the breath controls the mind and the mind controls the body. The breath happens to be a direct reflection of the state of our mind: if the breath is bearing calmness, the mind is calm and quiet. The body is a direct manifestation of the mind. The thoughts we have and the experiences we have gone, or are going, through are held and stored in the body in the form of tension. When practicing hatha yoga we look to place ourselves in the now, wholly present with the flow of breath. This not only creates a state of deep relaxation, but also allows us to release past experiences, emotions and blockages stored in the body. While in the practice of yoga, we practice breath control (pranayama: a regulated, even flow of breath) and sense withdrawal or, as described in the eight limbs of yoga, pratyahara. To control the senses we fix the eyes on a set point, called a gaze or dristi. These two techniques done together are medicine to your nervous system. Your nervous system will receive fewer messages and will become restored, relaxed and calm. Using a regulated breath and remaining consciously aware of the flow of it, while funneling your energy inward by controlling and relaxing the eyes, will build focus and concentration (dharana) and will help to place the mind into a present state (a state of "now"). The moment is pure. This is the technique of yoga: to continue to bring ourselves into the moment, back to the breath, where no tension occurs.

In the present moment we are able to experience the truth of who we are which is loving vibration. This is where healing begins to take place. Important to remember while practicing The practice of yoga has no goals. The only goal is the journey, the process. The beautiful thing about yoga as in life, is that it happens to be a journey, an exploration, not a destination. Yoga has no goals, there is no destination. Neither is yoga a competition, sport nor performance, so we are free to express ourselves in our own unique way. Hatha yoga is a vehicle flowing with grace along this pathway that is infinitely wide and this pathway is the process of self-discovery, self-realization and total oneness with the self (spirituality).

Yoga teaches us about ourselves and about kindness. Yoga teaches us how to become involved and present in our lives, to increase our awareness, broaden our consciousness, eliminate fear and become kinder, happier, more stress-free human beings. And above all else, yoga is highly enjoyable. Yoga calms and controls the senses (i.e. the nervous system) and enhances your appreciation of all life. Yoga will enhance the quality of your life if you let it. It is fun and exhilarating. Yoga helps you rise to the challenge of living. It keeps you from being ground down by circumstance. Yoga is known to bring freedom to the body and clarity to the mind and leads the student to balance and wisdom. Yoga is rich in benefits for the body and mind, and it is no surprise that people in the West are now discovering that it makes a lot of sense to practice yoga for peace and longevity. - Namaste.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga or "flow yoga" arises from the tree of Krishnamacharya's lineage of Ashtanga, Iyengar and Viniyoga. Vinyasa integrates the precision, attention to alignment and the body awareness of Iyengar yoga, and the wise sequencing based on individual needs of the student that comes from the Viniyoga background. The Vinyasa system is a system of breath and movement. The breath, or "prana", is connected and linked together with the movements in a progressive nature which ultimately heats, lengthens, strengthens, tones, purifies and stimulates every muscle and organ in the body. Vinyasa yoga is a practice of wisdom in action where the practitioners learn to move without forcing upon themselves and begin to listen intuitively to the body, going with it rather than against it.

Avoiding all effort and strain, the practitioners center their attention on that very delicate sensation, the flowing breath. Within the conscious movements we learn to dance and flow spontaneously, open to grace. Most exercise is either isometric (lifting or pushing against a heavy object) that builds strength, or aerobic (running, spinning, swimming, etc.) which gets the heart pumping. Flow yoga combines the two for a complete workout. You will stretch the muscles while strengthening them. The practice of Vinyasa Yoga is one of meditation in motion that creates stability and freedom within our bodies. The yoga poses, called "asanas," should be performed with faith and trust and a willingness to surrender. The movements are the song of the body, bending forward, backward, to the side, twisting and elongating. These movements are the natural movements of our spine and doing these postures will fulfill you and leave you feeling incredibly open, free and cleansed.

Vinyasa yoga will not only make you stronger and more fit, it will also make you supple. Class sequencing is creative and intelligent, challenging and thorough, with the balance of posing and counterposing throughout. There are no prerequisite conditions to practice yoga. There is something in it for everyone. The path of yoga often requires patience, courage and humor to light the way for transformation in our lives. Through asana practice we have the opportunity to use our bodies, minds and spirit as expressions of our vitality and devotion to the journey within. As doubt and fear release from our hearts, space is made to embrace the limitless potential for health, clarity, peace and love. It is a divine ritual that awakens our spirit and deepens our connection to the sacredness of all life.