Aren’t We Forgetting Something?
January 25th, 2009
Submitted by: Jenna Healy
We’re traveling to China and India to study business, it’s wonderful- but India is calling my name for another reason. It’s the home of yoga, where the ancient roots began to grow. So I thought I’d give a glimpse into what yoga is and why it’s so important. I’m going to focus on the Eastern version of yoga as opposed to the Westernized (commercial gym) form of yoga.
What is yoga? Yoga is bliss. It’s union with God or the Divine Self. Yoga is self-exploration and spiritual enlightenment. It goes beyond our five senses. It is amazing. An Indian philosopher, Patanjali, wrote it’s manual thousands of years ago, although he did not invent the practice.
Hinduism is the India-based religion yoga helps to teach. It includes: Vegetarianism, the Law of Karma, Reincarnation and freedom from all suffering. It incorporates all religions, it’s universal, it values what works for you. Sanskrit is the spoken and written language of Hinduism and yoga; most of the ancient texts are in Sanskrit.
“Yoga is your true nature: union with the divine self. Yoga practices such as asana (postures) enable us to feel there is something animating our physical form. Yoga practice of meditation enable us to watch our minds think, to realize that we must be more than the mind, if we can sit back and watch it generate thoughts.” (Jivamukti Yoga, 2002)
If that makes no sense, it takes time. To me, yoga is my faith, and it’s my connection to the spirit world and to my self. Each time I step onto my mat, I learn more about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses, my internal layers of emotion, fear, guilt. I learn about the stress stored in the cells of my body. I grow stronger, more alive, more aware. It’s my therapy, my freedom from suffering. And this amazing life-changing practice originated in India-where we’re headed! Are we grasping the importance yet?
Three of the oldest and foundational books for yoga are Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, written over 5,000 years ago.
The 5 obstacles yoga helps you to overcome or Kleshas are:
1. Avidya: ignorance
2. Asmita: egoism
3. Raga: excessive attachment to pleasurable things
4. Dvesa: excessive aversion, hatred
5. Abhinivesha: fear of death
We rid ourselves of the Kleshas by practicing Patanjali’s 8 limbs:
1. Yama: restraint
2. Niyama: observance
3. Asana: postures
4. Pranayama: breath work or control of the life force
5. Pratyahara: withdrawl of the senses
6. Dharana: concentration
7. Dhyana: meditation
8. Samadhi: bliss, union with the divine
Seem simple enough? In Patanjali’s second sutra, he defines yoga (translated), ‘yoga is realized when identification with the fluctuations of the mind ceases.’ Make sense? When our minds relax and find peace; when we give up resisting life.
The body is also comprised of 5 koshas or bodies, experienced with the practice of yoga. They are, starting from the outside and moving in:
1. Annamaya kosha: the physical body
2. Pranamaya kosha: the vital body or breath body
3. Manomaya kosha: emotional body
4. Vijnanamaya kosha: intellectual body
5. Anandamaya kosha: the bliss body
What happens in yoga class?
-You show up, no shoes, with a mat
-Your teacher leads you through meditation before practicing
-You move through asanas (postures) using pranayama (breath work)
-Usually standing postures first, then inversions and backbends, followed by floor practice. There are many forms of yoga so each class varies
-End class in savasana or corpse pose
-In corpse pose, the final meditation (10-25 minutes) you feel your body alive, you feel the koshas or layers to your being; you feel alive; you feel high, at peace, at ease.
For the scientists in the group, look at Dr. Len Kravitz’s (no not the singer, the award winning professor and researcher) article on the science of breathing. This will give you scientific research behind pranayama.
Yoga is a way to experience higher states of consciousness. Excited yet? Maybe we can visit an ashram on our trip as a cultural experience?
I’ve studied the human body and spirit for over a decade. I’ve helped people heal in a number of ways: physical therapy, structural integration, emotional healing, nutrition, dance, and the most effective modality of healing I’ve found? You guessed it. Yoga.
Entry Filed under: China, India, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pre-Departure
17 Comments Add your own
1. Emily Schaapveld | December 28th, 2009 at 8:03 am
I enjoy yoga and have realized many of its benefits. I will admit though, that I have failed to learn more about it and my practice is scattered. I appreciate the roots of yoga, but sometimes question it’s pratice in the U.S because of how commercialized it has become. Many classes focus simply on stretching the physical body, with little or no emphasis on the other four koshas, much less educating the class on overcoming the Kleshas. I have learned more in your short blog post than I have in my last six years of attending yoga classes. Furthermore, the cost of instruction keeps rising, making it unaffordable to majority of the population.
I am curious how commercial practice in the U.S. compares to that in India. What are your feelings about the yoga “industry” in the U.S? After reading your post, I am even more excited to go to India and experience yoga straight from it roots.
2. Jenna Healy | January 16th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
It’s definitely different. Yoga is a way of life in India. You’re in or your out; you don’t just do yoga, you live yoga. Asana (posture) is not the most important piece of yoga in India, as it is in the U.S. right now.
U.S. yoga students want the focus to be on “stretching” for the most part and giggle their way through the spiritual stuff. There are studios/teachers in the U.S. that find a balance in between, but they are few and far between. We do have a handful in SLO, but ultimately we are all our own teachers.
Although India is one of the poorest countries I’ve been to, the people in India seem to be more centered, more grounded, more balanced, even in poverty. I can’t help but to think yoga and/or Hinduism has a lot to do with it and the nature of ahimsa.
If you get the chance, head to Goa for yoga. From what I hear, it’s the place to be.
3. Jason Silver | January 19th, 2010 at 10:49 am
This post has really opened my eyes up to the world of yoga. I admit that I have not personally tried yoga and have never been to a class. I always believed yoga to be just another form of exercise but I now realize that it is much more than simple stretching, it’s a form of self healing. Yoga is a practice in recognizing one’s own spiritual, mental, and physical being. Yoga has a deeper purpose for its practitioners.
From my own experiences, I can only compare it to one other thing, surfing. Surfing was practiced by ancient islanders for travel, recreation, and for a deeper connection to nature, to the ocean. Although the commercial value of surfing has sky-rocketed in recent years, similar to yoga, the purpose of surfing for myself and many others, has always been about the connection with oneself and the ocean.
The term “soul surfer” has been coined to term people who search for greater meaning on the ocean. People surf because it brings not only physical wellness, but also spiritual and mental clarity. Being on a board, out in the ocean, with nature surrounding you, brings a sense of peace and calm that can be similarly reached through yoga exercises. If you ask around, many surfers will tell you that surfing is more than just a fun experience; it is a way of life.
Being connected to nature, to the ocean, to oneself, is all part of surfing. If I can reach greater peace on a board, there is no reason why I can’t do so on a mat as well. I look forward to trying out yoga and to hopefully finding a similar place of peace and relaxation.
4. Erika Bylund | January 20th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
I have never done yoga. Wait- I take that back. I’m embarrassed to admit that I did it once in a class at the YMCA. I really didn’t enjoy it because I felt that all we were doing was stretching (like you mentioned in the previous comment) and sitting still. I didn’t feel revitalized, strained, or enlightened. But I have never ever heard a person say that she didn’t like yoga. Am I missing something here? I guess I have to take my experience with a grain of salt. After all, it was the Y.
After reading the above link about the benefits of voluntary breathing (a fundamental part of yoga), I think I am a little more motivated to go get a free trial pass for a local studio. Several websites that I have read on the subject speak about what Jenna discussed- alignment of the spirit, mind, and body and a focus on posture. While this sounds easy to me (an observer, not a practitioner), I always see women leaving yoga sessions drenched in sweat. How can that be when all you’re doing is staying still and bending yourself into knots? Hmmmm…this is really intriguing. There must be much more to this than meets the eye, and I’m curious to find out what it is! Got any recommendations for a good beginner’s class at Cal Poly or in the A.G. area?
5. Phil Hamer | January 23rd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
I appreciate your enthusiasm for Yoga. I’m even more embarrassed than Erika to say that I did give it a try. Me and my wife took a class together when we lived in Washington, DC. She loved it. I hated it. My personal philosophy is that you have to try something at least 3 times before you can form an opinion. I went to about 5 classes before I threw in the mat. Every class I just couldn’t wait until it was over. I mean, I loved the peaceful music, the meditation at the end, and the calm voice of the instructor, but I hated the stretching. I found it uncomfortable and awkward. I couldn’t do half of it anyway. I think it was just not for me. I gave it an honest shot and didn’t really get much out of it.
I do think it’s important though that we all have a spiritual side and way to practice and exercise that spirituality. Whether it be prayer, tai chi, yoga, or surfing.
6. Jenna Healy | January 27th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
I refer to yoga as controlled suffering for delayed gratification. I suffer on the mat so other aspects of my life grow stronger. Of course not all yoga is painful, but it certainly can be!
Afterward your body feels amazingly more balanced, along with the mental strength - probably because of the pain aspect.
I have a strong belief that those who dislike running, run too fast. Those that dislike yoga, push too hard.
A big part of yoga is detaching from the ego involved - the “not being good at it” part. But I agree, it’s not for everyone, and a spiritual connection can be many things to many people.
7. William Ary | February 21st, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Yoga and I have had a troubled relationship. I have vivid memories of waking up to my mom groaning as her private teacher moved her through the different poses and laughing through my cereal at her inability to perform even the simplest moves. She constantly extolled its benefits, saying that it relieved pains aches and arthritis from which she constantly suffers. Despite this, I thought it was a sissy practice for people who were really out of shape or really into pseudo-religious yuppie spirituality. Not anymore.
Ironically, my first serious yoga experience came from my investigation of “non-sissy” workouts. I was borrowing my college room mate’s P 90X workout DVDs and trying out all of the workouts when I came across a yoga one. I tried it and within 5 minutes sweat was pouring off of me and I realized I wasn’t even coming close to doing the moves right. After an hour and a half, my body was rocked, my clothes were soaked and I had fallen out of awkward half-poses countless times. I didn’t realize how much yoga can take out of you! I was also shocked by the flexibility and strength of the woman who demonstrated the nigh impossible “advanced” versions of the poses. I finished my workout able to reach about 3-5 inches further in every stretch than before the workout. The concentrated focus on nothing but the motions reminded me of my very best experience rowing and swimming. Moral of the story: yoga is as powerful as you want it to be so put in a lot and you’ll get a lot out.
8. Tim Lynds | March 3rd, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Yoga and other eastern spirituality practices have intrigued me for quite a while because of their spiritual components. While I have only tried yoga twice and did not really like it (partly because it was Bikram or hot yoga and partly because I was out of shape), I know there is something real to it. As evident above, many people really get into yoga and experience true benefits beyond the physical. Sometimes I wish I had the time, the patience, and the motivation to really push myself into a practice like this and experience what these people are experiencing. Maybe one day I will try again.
9. John Barry | March 4th, 2010 at 12:11 am
It seems to me like Yoga is just a painful way to practice Zazen - Zen meditation. Without flexibility Yoga is actually not the most pleasurable experience. The one thing that Yoga obviously has going for it is the practice of deep meditative breaths. At its core, Zen Buddhism is really about one thing above all others and that is focusing one’s attention on one’s breathing. I credit Zen with helping me to adjust to some of life’s unforeseen downturns more than anything or anyone else. Clearly, Yoga has proven influential in many lives, much the same way Zen was in mine. Just one more case for the innate wisdom in eastern philosophy.
10. Jordan Wente | March 4th, 2010 at 11:23 pm
It was really interesting to read a little bit more about yoga and its history. I agree yoga is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. The euphoric feeling you get when you walk out of a good yoga class is hard to match. It gives you such an alive feeling as if your body is in complete harmony. On my previous trip to India I had the opportunity to visit an ashram. I have also had the chance to practice yoga while I was in India. It was quite a different experience than taking a class in the western world. Not only did I leave feeling wonderful it was also one of the best cultural experiences I have ever had. I recommend you seize the opportunity if ever you have the chance.
11. Danielle Steussy | March 6th, 2010 at 11:39 am
I know a little bit about the roots and origins, and yes, I have taken a couple yoga classes. I loved the breathing and I felt completely relaxed by the time class ended. It was the perfect ending of a stressful day.
Although I understand the purpose of yoga from Jenna’s perspective and the way it is taught in India, I have never really seen it practiced that way in the United States. To me, I have always felt like yoga was just another exercise class in which I could stretch and breath a certain way for an hour. Furthermore, as Emily stated quite well above, it has absolutely been commercialized in the United States. It’s been a fad and has been exploited. Just watch any chick flick these days and you’ll most likely see a crucial scene to the movie taking place on yoga mats.
Furthermore, yoga has been capitalized is has been used to make exorbitant amounts of money. Yoga classes are extremely expensive and thus unaffordable and inaccessible to many people.
All of this seems to contradict the original intention of the way yoga was supposed to be practiced. I’m sure that many people could say that statement is a bit exaggerated, particularly for people who practice it religiously by themselves. However, it is difficult for me to take yoga seriously given the portrayal and my exposure to it in the United States. I’ll be interested in seeing the differences in how the culture impacts the practice of yoga when we visit India.
12. Catherine Kristensen | March 8th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
I was so excited to hear at our last India meeting that we will be visiting a Yoga Ashram while we are in Delhi. That had initially been mentioned as a “maybe” activity and I am glad to hear it has made it to our official itinerary. I am sure some of us will love it and and some will not, but I think it will be great exposure to the spiritual side that is so lacking in Western practices.
Danielle - your comment about the chick flick prevalence was too true! I had to laugh when a friend recently told me about a classmate TEXTING during Yoga class. Wrong venue! Yoga has almost become this buzz-word - like it’s a new posh thing to do. There seems to be so much emphasis on what studio you go to, what you wear, who you see, who sees you, etc instead of the focus being on how you feel afterwards and how your poses improve over time. Very few people practice individually, which shows you how much of a social activity this is, rather than the reflective activity it should be.
I admit to being someone who was initially drawn to Yoga because of its emphasis on flexibility. I studied ballet from age 3-22 and Yoga was a great way for me to continue to maintain the flexibility I had developed over the decades. As I have been exposed to different teachers with different methods and emphases, I see how varied the yoga realm is. I have grown and now see the value in both the physical strength as well as the psychological/emotional calm it can bring.
13. Jeff | March 18th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
So Jenna,
As an MBA student, have you figured a way to make money from your love and practice of Yoga?
If you do, then have you found Patanjali’s Eight Limbs or are you suffering Asmita and Raga?
I say this in jest because I have relatives and friends who practice as well, but I don’t think they have ever learned it to the depths that you have. They like many respondents on this blog have been subjected to the physical side with the stretching, the music, the soothing voice, but not the spiritual side.
I too look forward to visiting a Yoga Ashram when we visit India.
14. Jeff | March 18th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Here’s what we should all be striving for:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2482/3592960452_16bbf96918_o.png
15. Matthew Perez | March 19th, 2010 at 1:26 am
As one of the few guys who have practiced yoga on numerous occasions, I have to say that I did enjoy it. The controlling of one’s breath and the combination of strength and balance required in it always seemed so calming to me. After reading this blog, though, I had no idea how similar Patanjali’s 8 limbs are to the tenets of martial arts. In Taekwondo, I was taught that the most important thing in martial arts is control. Learning to show restraint, be observant of one’s surroundings, withdraws the senses, and concentrate were essential to improving. These improvements were made through postures, the control of energy, and meditation.
Ultimately, yoga and Taekwondo are similar in that they both emphasize becoming a better person through a combination of philosophy and exercise. Although I admit that I took yoga as simply a way to improve my flexibility, it is interesting to know that the two are more deeply connected than I realized.
16. Leslie Mann | March 19th, 2010 at 5:30 am
I have always wanted to try yoga but have never actually taken the opportunity to do so. I too am looking forward to visiting a Yoga Ashram while in India and attempting first-hand the poses and breathing it involves. Meditation can be a tricky thing for many people, especially those with short attention spans. Relaxing the mind, body and ultimately the soul is a much more intense and challenging feat than it sounds. For many, concentration in pure silence, with only breathing to focus on sounds like torture but it can be a truly rewarding experience if you let it. “Yoga is realized when identification with the fluctuations of the mind ceases.” I think for many people, ceasing the fluctuations of the mind is a daunting task and even impossible for some to ever do. Like Jenna commented, it’s certainly not for everyone, but certainly something everyone should try at least once in their life. I doubt I will ever realize the type of relaxation and peace that Jenna has with Yoga but I am definitely ready and willing to give it my best shot.
17. Kirk Story | March 19th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
I took a yoga class in the winter term of my senior year at Oregon State. Being bombarded with engineering courses, I figured yoga would be a great way to meet women. Wrong!
I have practiced Buddhist meditation and have studied with a well known Buddhist scholar who had taught courses at Princeton, Stanford, and eventually- the University of Montana. I have sincere appreciation for eastern philosoph, so I should have know better than to take a yoga class to meet good-looking, flexible women.
So, for the guys out there. If you try to go down the same path as me, here are a few pointers. Don’t let tight yoga pants fool you, I’ve found that the ladies attend yoga to relax and search for inner peace. Don’t make eye contact with people when your doing the poses. Also, don’t expect small talk after the class. When the session is over, you’ll be lucky if the instructor is still in the room by the time you’re finished tying your shoelaces.
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