Classical Raja Yoga, the basis from which I teach, is a scientific system of building strength and flexibility (mind and body) working on 3 levels: Causal (soul), physical, and subtle levels (7 levels of auric body). An ancient system of healing, dating back to 3000 BC, yoga is known to provide extremely effective therapy to chronic conditions, some of which don’t respond well to conventional medicine.
According to the yoga sutras, written by the great yoga sage Patanjali, approximately 500BCE, Yoga has 8 sub-systems (limbs), each with its own immense benefits:
1. Yama (5 abstentions): a) Ahimsa - compassion for living things; b) Satya - commitment to the truth; c) Asteya - integrity/non-stealing; d) Bramacharya - moderation; e) Aparigraha - non-hoarding/grasping.
2. Niyama (5 observances): A) Shaucha - purification; B) Santosha - contentment; C) Tapas - burning negativity through inner discipline; D) Swadhyaya - self study ; E) Ishwarapranidhana - communion with the divine.
3. Asana (physical postures/poses)
4. Pranayama (strengthening the life force using breath control)
5. Pratyahara (Retreat From Sensory Objects)
6. Dharana (concentration)
7. Dhyana (meditation)
8. Samadhi (liberation, complete freedom from the limitations of the mind)
Living in internal quiet through our yoga practice, both on the mat, and in daily life, uncovers peace of mind, and the external world becomes a non-issue; our inner stillness mirrors outer life; worry and stress can ‘roll off our back’ more effortlessly.
“According to Yoga, at the deepest (or highest) level of our being, we are perfectly free. But this is not our everyday experience. In our ordinary state of consciousness, we are subject to all kinds of limitations and, most significantly, experience great suffering (aka duhkha). Yoga is the means by which we can discover our innate freedom, and this is accomplished through an extensive process of self-purification; the cleansing of the mirror of the mind. So long as the mind is clouded, we believe ourselves to be limited individuals with a unique personal center (the ego or “I”). All our suffering arises from this false egoic identity. When the ego is transcended, we simply abide in and as our true nature, which is superconscious, unconditional, and free from suffering.” -- Georg Feurstein
When we take the time to breathe, and challenge ourselves from the inside out, we are more at ease with ourselves. Our body is stronger, our mind is stronger, and more controlled. Going within teaches us to find peace under any circumstance in our life. It may not happen from the first class, but with continued practice, you will find yourself on an exciting road toward real healthy happiness.
Thank you for visiting. We are looking forward to meeting you on the mat.
Whether or not you choose any of the following reasons to practice yoga, you will yield positive results with regular practice. Did you know that Yoga is a science? Yoga in all its shapes and forms has been practiced for thousands of years with immense benefits to its devotees. Yoga has offered us a roadmap to follow systematically to improve our life. Yoga will not change a person, however it will purify the body and mind, thereby uncovering our true nature. Yoga is a study of the art of living vibrantly; showing the way to a life with more peace, more happiness.
Strengthen and relax your body, open your mind, and open your life to all of the potential that you have - Be vibrant!
“When you function at your full potential, you will always be blissful " - Sadhguru , Isha Foundation
Yoga has been scientifically proven to reduce the physical and emotional effects of stress on the body. By encouraging relaxation, yoga helps to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma, and insomnia.
Studies have demonstrated that practicing yoga asanas (postures), meditation, or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases, hypertension as well as arthritis, back and neck pain, and other chronic conditions. Many yoga practitioners report that even emotional pain, and grief is eased through regular practice of yoga.
Yoga teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function, trigger the body’s natural relaxation response, and increase the amount of oxygen available to the body and brain. On a subtler level, breathing more deeply allows for more spaces between the breaths, thereby creating a more profound depth of inner calm.
Improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains. With regular practice over time, the ligaments, tendons and muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, making deeper poses possible. Yoga also helps to improve body alignment resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems.
Yoga asanas use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. And, while these postures strengthen the body, they also provide an additional benefit of helping to relieve muscular tension. As well, inner strength and discipline can be increased through regular practice.
Yoga (even less vigorous styles) can aid weight control efforts by reducing the cortisol levels as well as by burning excess calories, and reducing stress. Yoga also encourages healthy eating habits through improved mind-body awareness, and provides a heightened sense of well being and self esteem.
Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body’s cells, naturally allowing for better flow of energy in circulatory, endocrine, reproductive, digestive, and all major systems in the body.
Yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.
Yoga helps us to focus on the present, to become more aware of the reality of our world, and to help create mind body health. It opens the way to improved concentration/focus, coordination, reaction time, and memory.
Yoga was originally developed to help the student to reach higher states of consciousness, and spiritual growth, thereby freeing one from the trap of the human monkey mind. The meditative aspects of yoga help many to reach a deeper, happier, more satisfying place in their lives, thereby helping to improve all relationships. Many who begin to practice yoga for other reasons have reported this to be a key reason for it becoming an essential part of their life.
"Yoga is a four-fold awareness: awareness of body, awareness of emotions, awareness of mind, and awareness of awareness. One should start with the awareness of just how unaware one is!"
- Swami Gitananada
Namaste....and Happy Yoga Practice!
Raja Yoga - The Royal Yoga
Yoga is a friend to those who embrace it sincerely and totally. It lifts its practitioners from the clutches of pain and sorrow, and enables them to live fully, taking a delight in life. The practice of yoga helps the lazy body to become active and vibrant. It transforms the mind making it harmonious. Yoga helps to keep one's body and mind in tune with the essence, the soul, so that all three are blended into one.
-B.K.S. Iyengar
