What is Yoga?

History of Yoga

The science and practice of yoga is over 6,000 years old, but it was only in the last 50 years or so that Yoga found its away across the continents to take root in American culture. The practice of Yoga was first introduced to the United States by several Yogi Masters around the turn of the last century, but Yoga as we know it today has its seeds of origin within the Yoga Sutras written by Patanjali about 800 BC. Though Patanjali identified eight limbs of yoga, most people are initially drawn to the physical aspect of yoga known as Asanas or physical postures. If these postures are practiced with integrity, grace, and balance, the seeds of the remaining seven limbs of yoga will take root and begin to sprout spontaneously in the student's life. Yoga means unity Complete harmony of body mind and soul. It is about “doing” and feeling what you do, concentration and awareness.Practice begins with “sitting” and pranayama (breathing excercises), which is the essential “fuel” for every movement of the human body.Beginners learn the basic postures,like standing poses, twistings, simple backbends, forwardbends, shoulder balance and resting poses.Using the principles of gravity, alignment of bones and muscles and correct posture, combined with the breathing will enable the student to perform the asanas (yoga postures) with ease and beauty.The main accent lies on the development of inner strength, suppleness, balance, intelligence, concentration and attention.This vital concept of Hatha Yoga (Hatha yoga is the physical practice of yoga) combined with the knowledge of human anatomy and physiology will build a strong balanced and healthy body.

Yogi Masters
Early Masters instrumental in introducing Yoga to the United States include Swami Vivekananda, Yogendra Mastramani, Paramahansa Yogananda, Indra Devi, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, BKS Iyengar and Yogi Bhajan.

The Eight Limbs of Asthanga Yoga also named Kriya Yoga
Yama: Morals or principles of right-living
Niyama: Personal attitudes and practices that purify the mind and body
Asana: Physical posture
Pranayama: Breath consciousness or Breath Control
Pratyahara: Sublimation of senses of perception and organs of action.
Dharana: One-pointed concentration, sublimation of the mind.
Dhyana: Sublimation of consciousness. Meditation
Samadhi: Diffusion of the soul. Absorption

Styles of Yoga
Styles of Hatha Yoga come in many variations with the same basic 'seed-postures' as a common link. Differences arise from variations on breath, sequence, motion, alignment and overall form. At One Yoga classes offer many different types of Hatha Yoga with the overall emphasis of integrating a serene mind, harmonious Spirit and powerfully healthy body.

Popular Styles of Yoga

Anusara
Anusara means "flowing with grace". Started by John Friend, Anusara yoga is a heart-oriented, spiritually inspiring, biomechanically integrated approach to self-discovery.

Ashtanga
Started by Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga Integrates all eight limbs of yoga through the practice of six sequential series. Emphasizes ujjayi breathing and yogic locks or "bandhas" into a flowing vinyasa style to create a purifying internal heat. The first series called Yoga Chikitsa or Yoga Therapy emphasizes forward bends. The second series emphasizes backbends. Both are designed to strengthen and align the gross muscular and skeletal system, heal glands and organs and balance the flow of energy in the body. BKS Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois each had Krishamachacharya as their original yoga teacher.

Bikram
Started by Bikram Choudury, a series of 26 deep asanas chosen to strengthen and heal the entire body. Practiced in a heated room.

Kundalini
Emphasizing breath (Pranayama) and Mantra (sound or chanting), focuses on raising consciousness and energy (Kundalini) up from the base of the spine through Susumna, the central energy channel upon which all seven Chakras are aligned. Often uses Breath of Fire and different Drishtis or gazing points to elevate prana and merge with the infinite creator. Very effective for balancing glands and organs and healing the physical/emotional body.

Iyengar
Started by BKS Iyengar, a form of Hatha yoga emphasizing but not limited to form and alignment. Iyengar Yoga is extremely effective for realignment and healing of the skeletal system and creating clarity of thought and precision of action. BKS Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois each had J. Krishnamurthi as their original yoga teacher.

Power Yoga
Power yoga is an integration of many styles of yoga. Like Ashtanga, it emphasizes breath and a vinyasa flow to build internal heat. Like Iyengar Yoga, it can also emphasize form and alignment. Popularized by Bryan Kest and Beryl Bender Birch and Tom Birch.

Why do Yoga?
Four Reasons to do Yoga
* To heal injury or disease
* To re-shape your body or gain strength, flexibility and balance
* To transform stress into harmony
* To further your Spiritual Journey

Humans are made up of more than just biceps or quads, pectorals or lats. We've got ankles and wrists, discs and toes that need stretching and movement to avoid the arthritis that thrives on atrophied muscles and a spine compressed by years of stress and bad posture.
Most people enter the path of yoga because they have reached a point where they are ready to heal themselves physically and bring more peace into their lives. Since yoga reaches every part of the physical being including the glands, organs, muscles, nervous system and skeletal system, many come to class to heal or literally rebuild themselves and release old physical injuries or ailments.

To re-shape your body or gain strength, flexibility and balance
Others enter a yoga class to become physically stronger, to lose weight or to become a better athlete.
Yoga provides a balanced approach to exercise that often counteracts the repetitive stressful actions of training specific muscle groups over and over for a particular sport. Since a good Yoga class works you out on every level without isolating a certain muscle group, greater balance and flexibility is achieved by strengthening the entire person. Athletes stick with yoga for the mental benefits and centering skills that become available both in and out of competition.

To transform stress into harmony
Hatha yoga retrains the body to transform stress on a cellular level. With patience and compassion, the musculo-skeletal system adjusts and realigns itself by releasing held patterns of tension or stiffness caused by negative thoughts, judgments, criticism, fear and doubt. The practice of asanas allows us to become more aware of our mental, emotional and physical patterns and to release those patterns that do not serve our highest good and greatest joy.

To further your Spiritual Journey
Still others attend class as a part of their spiritual path to cultivate Unity, Enlightenment, Devotion and Love. The physical Asanas provide a unique way to integrate thought into action. Encountering Yoga’s physical challenges with an open heart allows the student to know such Spiritual attributes as Grace, Courage and Compassion on a cellular level.

Example Yoga Postures

The physical postures are just one of the eight limbs that embrace the complete path of Yoga. Feel free to use these postures as a key to freedom. Lets check out some basic yoga postures together, the practice is about to begin

Viparita Karani : Inverted Leg Stretch

"Let go of past and future struggles. Experience your life in the present moment. There's nowhere else to be."

Here is the great mother of all restorative postures. It combines the benefits of corpse pose with the gifts of a gentle inversion. This posture promotes resting in the heart of loving kindness. It gently lengthens the hamstrings. The floor provides a valuable feedback loop allowing the spine to lengthen and stretch with maximum support. The sacrum is flattened to complete a graceful full-spinal extension while the lungs are freed to empty and fill with ease. Specially folded blankets may be used beneath the sacrum or under the length of the spine to enhance a deeper union with the breath.

Posture Points
Hands remain open to remind your heart to be open.
Spine gently "flattens" while preserving natural curves.
Perineum moves towards wall.
Heels gently lengthen to sky; tops of thighs spin gently inward.
Head rests gently on the floor with eyes closed.
Always maintain a calm and even breath.

Viparita Karani: Heels lengthening to sky with legs together.

Did you Know? The gluteus muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings move massive amounts of blood as the largest muscle groups in the body. A restful inversion like Viparita Karani aids venous blood flow, relieves tension and "decompresses" cell membranes, allowing full relaxation of muscle fibers.

* Disclaimer Hatha Yoga requires your complete attention. You are responsible for your own practice and knowing what is right for you in the present moment. It is a good idea to practice with the guidance of a teacher you trust before trying more challenging postures on your own.

Savasana The Corpse Pose

"A corpse has no worries, so let your troubles go."

Thought by many to be the easiest pose, Savasana is actually recognized by advanced practitioners as one of the most challenging asanas in all of yoga. To close the eyes without letting the mind drift into sleep, to let go of the familiar struggles of the mind, to trust enough and allow yourself to totally relax. These are just the beginnings, the first blessings of a deep Savasana.
Posture Points
Shoulder blades relaxed under lungs.
Heels lengthening away from hips.
Legs and feet let go.
Hands and heart open.
Always maintain a calm and even breath.

Corpse Pose: Chest releases, hands open, feet relax out to sides

Did you Know? Corpse pose may have originated thousands of years ago with nomadic tribes in the East. After walking vast distances travelers would go completely limp and fall to the ground in utter stillness, creating the effects of a full night's sleep in less than an hour.

*Disclaimer Hatha Yoga requires your complete attention. You are responsible for your own practice and knowing what is right for you in the present moment. It is a good idea to practice with the guidance of a teacher you trust before trying more challenging postures on your own.

Adho Mukha Svanasana : Downward Facing Dog

"Create space with your breath. Space between your joints, space between your thoughts."

Recognized as one of the oldest known yoga asanas, Downward Facing Dog or Downward Dog is also one of the most beneficial. This asana strengthens and realigns the entire body with emphasis of the spine and torso while resting heart and lungs. Drawing lines of energy upward from hands and feet develops powerful groins and abdominals. The gaze or drishti is rooted into the navel-point and has a calming, restorative effect.

Posture Points
Keep shoulder blades wide on the back, and drawing towards kidneys.
Avoid collapsing in the stomach by drawing the navel-point inward.
Avoid chest collapse by rotating outsides of armpits slightly wider and down towards the floor.
If spine rounds push tops of thighs back and lengthen inside of spine behind stomach.
Draw shoulder blades and knees towards tailbone.
Tops of thighs spin inward; Preserve arches by drawing them up as heels sink low.
Triceps and biceps hug the arm bone. Inner elbows shine towards each other.
Roots of all fingers press into the floor, especially space between thumb and pointer.

Adho Mukha Svanasana: Navel-point in with spine long and inner elbows straight.

Did you Know?Downward-facing dog is an ancient posture depicted in Egyptian Art that is thousands of years old. It teaches us on a cellular level how everything is connected; how our heels are linked to our shoulders, how fingers influence heart, how our elbow placement effects the spine.

Disclaimer Hatha Yoga requires your complete attention. You are responsible for your own practice and knowing what is right for you in the present moment. It is a good idea to practice with the guidance of a teacher you trust before trying more challenging postures on your own.

Virabhadrasana II : The Warrior

"A true warrior is fearless! Have the courage to open from your core…"

Warrior 'B' teaches us that we don't have to cut someone else's head off top make ourselves seem taller. It is a fearless asana emphasizing physical openness to create a corresponding Grace on the emotional, mental and spiritual plane. This posture tones legs, heart, hips and spine. Opening the pelvis, heart and shoulders creates healing space to unfold, strengthen, and re-align.

Posture Points
Trailing hip opens towards wall behind back.
Tailbone lengthens and curls slightly in the direction of the heart.
Navel point draws slightly inward to spine.
Leading shin is perpendicular to the floor; knee is directly behind or over foot.
Thigh-tops externally rotate.
Insides of elbows face sky, active palm faces floor without popping stomach forward.
Allow the heart to shine through the sternum and between the scapula.
Always maintain a calm and even breath.

Virabhadrasana II: Hips, shoulders and heart open.

Did you Know? The warrior postures probably emerged as asanas from ancient martial art fighting techniques to create strength and hone co-ordination. As yogis today we use these postures as warriors of light, choosing to act from a place of love rather than fear.DisclaimerHatha Yoga requires your complete attention. You are responsible for your own practice and knowing what is right for you in the present moment. It is a good idea to practice with the guidance of a teacher you trust before trying more challenging postures on your own.

Padmasana : Cross Legged Lotus

"Yoga means yolk or union, to unite with your source and destination. Do not forget your intention."

Lotus and its more accessible counterpart, Easy Pose, helps to keep the body alert in meditation. It straightens posture by building the spine upon the solid foundation of the "sitz" bones. The posture lines up all the vertebra and spinal Chakras or energy centers while helping the heart to remain open.

Posture Points
Engage Uddiyana Bandha and Mula Bandha.
Gently lengthen the back of the neck without removing the cervical curve.
Relax ears, jaw and eyes. Let the head float on the stalk of the spine.
Gaze with nearly closed lids towards the heart center, tip of nose or between the brows. Allow the heart to shine through the sternum and between

Padmasana: Lower back extends, spine lengthens.
Did You Know? Originally yogis practiced asana or postures for the sole purpose of being able to sit in lotus in silent meditation for many hours without movement.

Sirsasana : Headstand

''Yoga is not about standing on your head. It is about learning to stand on your own two feet."

Once considered to be the poster-child for all yoga postures, headstand is practiced as an occasional finishing posture to help decompress the spine, improve balance and strengthen a healthy neck.
Known as the King of all Yoga Postures, sirsasana rests the heart and improves mental clarity and circulation. It is a potent inversion that reverses the effects of gravity, improves concentration and promotes mental clarity.
Cautions:The fear factor of falling or disorientation may require the use of a wall or partner. In addition there are many nerve endings in the scalp and without padding (hair or blanket) the scalp will try to "grab" the floor and create more tension. A folded blanket to make the crown of the head more comfortable is often recommended. Avoid during menstruation or bouts of hypertension.

Posture Points
Interlace fingers to form a cup with palms. Place forearms and wrists on a folded blanket.
Place crown of head on floor with slight emphasis of weight towards forehead.
Walk feet towards head and lift knees gently upward.
Straight legs extended.
Lengthen both sides of ribcage.
Navel-point in.
Tailbone extends towards heels.
Shoulder blades wide and floating towards kidneys to decompress neck.
Follow with Shoulderstand or Child's pose.
Always maintain a calm and even breath.

Sirsasana: Tailbone lengthens towards heels.

Did you Know? The Tattva Upanishads state that the regular practice of headstand allows the Yogi to conquer time, perhaps by reversing its flow.

Sarvangasana : Shoulder Stand

''Surrender your preconceptions. See the world from a different point of view."

Sarvangasana is best done near the end a full practice. As an inversion it reverses the effects of gravity, decompresses the spine and helps re-align the arms with the shoulders. It also improves energy balance and metabolism by wringing out the thyroid and parathyroid glands in the throat.
A few cautions: Remember that this is a SHOULDER stand and not a neck-stand. Do not turn the head from side to side in the posture. Many teachers highly recommend beginners use folded blankets under the shoulders with the back of the head on the floor to help preserve a curved space beneath the lower neck. Avoid this posture during menstruation or bouts of hypertension.

Posture Points
Elbows shoulder blade-width apart behind back. Use a blanket or maintain a thick pad of muscle and flesh below the shoulders.
Legs together with balls of feet extending straight to ceiling
Spine long and straight.
Triceps and shoulder blades as close together as possible.
Palms flat on kidneys, fingertips towards feet. Work heels of palms towards scapula.
Legs together, draw navel-point in and reach tailbone towards heels.
Always maintain a calm and even breath.

Sarvangasana: Two legs reach up as one, thighs and knees spiraling inward. Reach tailbone to heels.

Did you Know? 20% of the nerves affecting our vision travel through the neck and shoulders. Looking up at the feet in this posture excites the mind and senses and can even strain the neck. The recommnded "drishti" or gaze is down the nose into the chest, promoting a grounded calmness and effortless extension from your core.
DisclaimerHatha Yoga requires your complete attention. You are responsible for your own practice and knowing what is right for you in the present moment. It is a good idea to practice with the guidance of a teacher you trust before trying more challenging postures on your own.

Balasana : The Child's Pose

"Create 'Beginner's Mind.' View the world as a child and let yourself be born anew."
Also known as fetus or baby pose, this is the ultimate resting posture. As a forward bend it promotes the idea of letting go and surrender. It reminds us to cultivate our inner innocence so that we in turn may see the world without judgement or criticism. Balasana gently decompresses the spine and soothes the heart. It is a calming, steadying pose, which grounds the practitioner in a place of ease and gratitude. This posture may be practiced anytime it is necessary to regain your center.
Posture Points
Hands remain open to remind your heart to be open.
Spine gently, passively lengthens.
Seat moves to rest on heels.
Forehead rests gently on the floor.
Always maintain a calm and even breath; breathe in and out through the back of the nose.

Balasana: Resting palms open to sky, forehead on floor.
Did you Know?" Baby" pose gently decompresses the spine after deeper backbends like Camel (Ustrasana) and Pigeon (Kapotasana). It allows the internal organs to soften. With the forehead on the ground the senses are less active and the mind quickly becomes calm.
* Disclaimer Hatha Yoga requires your complete attention. You are responsible for your own practice and knowing what is right for you in the present moment. It is a good idea to practice with the guidance of a teacher you trust before trying more challenging postures on your own.