Yoga

Niyama = 2 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

1. Saucha (Purification)
2. Santosa (Contentment)
3. Tapas (Asceticism)
4. Svadhyaya (Study)
5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Dedication to God/Master)

Niyama = 2 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

1. Saucha (Purification)
2. Santosa (Contentment)
3. Tapas (Asceticism)
4. Svadhyaya (Study)
5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Dedication to God/Master)

Purification of the body and mind are specified in the Yoga Sutras as a necessary step in detaching from the physical world in preparation for meditation. For us, this might mean identifying and releasing thought patterns that have the ability to distract us from our purposes. If we can clear away thoughts that dwell on negativity or meanness toward ourselves or others then there’s less clutter up there when it comes time for inner focus.

Niyama = 2 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

1. Saucha (Purification)
2. Santosa (Contentment)
3. Tapas (Asceticism)
4. Svadhyaya (Study)
5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Dedication to God/Master)

Contentment is a real challenge for many people so it’s well worth examining why it’s so damn hard to feel happy with ourselves. The culture of always wanting more, of status, of constant striving to out-do is so pervasive that it actually takes a bit of effort to realise that it’s not compulsory. Existing in a state of constant dissatisfaction and comparison isn’t the only way. A practice of expressing gratitude can help us feel better about the good things we do (already) have in our lives.

Niyama = 2 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

1. Saucha (Purification)
2. Santosa (Contentment)
3. Tapas (Asceticism)
4. Svadhyaya (Study)
5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Dedication to God/Master)

One of the translations of tapas is heat, so it is often interpreted as encouraging practices that stoke our inner fire. Miller explains that asceticism was though to produce the heat of tapas. Purification through self-discipline is described in Patanjali’s work. In contemporary yoga, tapas might be observed through the daily practice of postures or meditation which require self-control to maintain.

Niyama = 2 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

1. Saucha (Purification)
2. Santosa (Contentment)
3. Tapas (Asceticism)
4. Svadhyaya (Study)
5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Dedication to God/Master)

Svadhyaya is sometimes translated as self-study, which implies that it means introspection, however, that doesn’t seem to be the original intent. Rather, it meant the study, memorization, and repetition of sacred prayers and mantras, which was and continues to be a common practice in Hinduism. In modern times, we may choose to interpret this as an exhortation to be diligent students of the world, whether through formal or personal education.

Niyama = 2 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

1. Saucha (Purification)
2. Santosa (Contentment)
3. Tapas (Asceticism)
4. Svadhyaya (Study)
5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Dedication to God/Master)

This can be a tricky one since many modern practitioners bridle at the suggestion that God is a prescribed part of our practice. It’s interesting to note that the meaning of Ishvara in the original text is also open to interpretation. It could have meant a master, a teacher, or an unspecified god. Submission to a teacher is in line with the guru-student relationship that was an established tradition within yoga in India. However, surrender to a guru doesn’t sit that well with many Western students. For our purposes, we can perhaps think of it as a necessity to acknowledge that yoga is a spiritual practice. It affects the whole person, whose constituent parts are mind, body, and spirit.

5 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

(Withdrawal of the senses)

Isolating consciousness from the distractions offered by engagement with the senses is the final physical preparation for the meditation practices outlined in the final three limbs. This can be in itself a form of what we would call mindfulness in which sensory input such as sounds, sights, or smells are noticed as external and then allowed to pass without capturing our attention.

6 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

(Concentration)

Dharana is the first stage in the inner journey toward freedom from suffering. During this type of meditation, practitioners concentrate all of their attention on a single point of focus such as the navel or on an image in their mind.

7 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

(Meditation)

In this stage, the practitioner meditates on a single object of their attention to the exclusion of all others. While we are accustomed to a type of meditation that attempts to clear the mind of all thoughts and images, this doesn’t seem to have been a requisite part of the method described by Patanjali. As long as the attention is focused, the object is not specified.

8 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

(Pure Contemplation)

When dhyana is achieved, the practitioner enters a state of samadhi in which they merge with the object of their meditation. Although this has been interpreted to mean union with the divine or with the entire universe, Patanjali’s explanation does not go this far.

There is actually a further step in attaining liberation from suffering in Patanjali that doesn’t make it into most contemporary teaching.

This state is called nirbija-samadhi, which Miller translates as seedless contemplation, in which the seeds are thoughts that beget other thoughts.

While we might logically conclude that this is the cosmic union we associate with the culmination of the eight limbs, David Gordon White explains that the goal of the Yoga of Patanjali is actually the absolute separation of the human spirit from the matter of the world.

When this happens, the spirit has the ability to expand infinitely and is capable of what we would call supernatural acts.

Kundalini Yoga

I honor the Truth of your identity, which is the same as mine and makes us one.

primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism, and especially Shaktism, a major tradition of Hinduism.

Mythologically, Shakti is always described as feminine, often personified as the goddess, Devi, the divine feminine consort of the divine masculine god Shiva. But at the deepest level, Shakti transcends gender.

three-syllable word:

• Nama, means “to bow”
• as means “I”
• te means “you”

In concrete terms, we can therefore conclude that this expression has the following meaning: “I bow to you”. It’s that simple!

The word and gesture Namaste is clearly spiritual. The Buddhist or Hindu religion highlights the presence of a divine light in each of us. It is therefore used as a gesture of recognition that is equivalent to a sentence of the type: “The light that is in me recognizes and greets the light that is in you”.

Beyond a simple greeting to say hello or goodbye, it is also a profound thanks and a mark of respect that we ask for or show. To deepen the Sanskrit term a little, you should know that Namas can also be translated as “nothing is mine”, which means that you prefer the heart and authenticity without expecting anything in return, rather than your ego. A great life lesson!

Richard Rosen, a very famous yoga teacher and author of 5 books on the subject, confirms that the word Namaste should be addressed exclusively to one person. Except to greet a group of individuals, the word must therefore be given in the plural .: Namo Vaha. The phrase Vaha refers to the plural of te (or “you”).

1. To begin with, the simplest and most traditional:
   → Simply join the palms of your hands, one against the other, in front of the Heart Chakra (one of the 7 main chakras), close your eyes and bow forward. Well done, you just made your first Namaste!
   → At the same time, we close our eyes while the gesture is being made, because it is a way to focus more deeply on a particular intention, which comes from the heart and to share the love that circulates in your environment.
   
    
2. For the second way of greeting:

   → It is possible to do exactly the same procedure, simply by changing hands. In other words, you join your hands again and place your thumbs directly against the Third Eye (point between the two eyebrows). As with the previous version, close your eyes and lean forward. After getting up, also remember to bring your hands back to the level of the heart chakra.
   → At the same time, we close our eyes while the gesture is being made, because it is a way to focus more deeply on a particular intention, which comes from the heart and to share the love that circulates in your environment.
    

3. Finally, the last way to greet is as follows:

   → Apply exactly the same procedure as the second possibility, only this time the hands are positioned above the head. Bow, eyes closed, then stand up and bring your hands back to the heart chakra.
   → It should be applied only as a greeting to the gods. Generally, it is practiced during religious rituals.

continued practice of the bandhas encourages Shakti or Kundalini energy to rise up through the central energy channel (sushumna) towards the higher chakras.

During a more advanced pranayama and meditation practice we would use all three of the bandhas together to create an “updraft” deep in the energetic body, effectively sucking Kundalini energy towards the crown.

There are three main bandhas:

1. Mula bandha
   = root lock, which prevents the downward flow/escape of energy through the base of the torso.
2. Uddiyana bandha
   = upward-flying lock, which creates an internal upwards “draft” of energy.
3. Jalandhara bandha
   = throat lock, used in pranayama and meditation to prevent increased pressure in the head during breath retentions.

At the very end of an exhalation, engage your pelvic floor (Beckenboden) muscles as if you were stopping yourself from urinating.

You don’t need to clench (umklammern) them, just a gentle lift will do the trick. Over time, the action will become more subtle (geschickt/feinsinnig), eventually switching from a gross, muscular contraction to more of an energetic lift.

in asana practice (there are different methods for pranayama and meditation):

• First switch on mula bandha.
• You may start to feel uddiyana bandha happening on it’s own.
• When you engage your pelvic floor (Beckenboden) you will naturally have some engagement in the lower belly.
• Take your awareness beneath your navel
• and gently draw the muscles back towards the spine.

The muscle you’re trying to work with is the lower part of the transverse abdominis. Try not to suck your whole abdomen in or you risk restricting the movement of the diaphragm (and therefore the breath). When you’re practising postures you want your breath to move freely. This means the upper belly will move as you breathe, as your diaphragm moves up and down.

practise engaging mula and uddiyana bandha.

When you gently draw back uddiyana bandha in this position, can you feel a hollowing out of the pelvis?

It almost feels like you have a small cave forming in the lower abdomen, your own little vacuum pocket gently rousing Kundalini energy from the base of the pelvis up the centre of the body.

Try to make engagement of the bandhas a priority, being conscious when you have lost the connection and coming back to them time and time again.

This will form new neural connections in your brain so that it eventually becomes second nature for you to keep the bandhas engaged during practice.

only during pranayama and meditation techniques

• you would lift the chest
• extend the neck
• and then place the chin as low down as you can on the sternum (Brustbein).
• Then you would “lock the throat”, which basically means swallow and keep the throat muscles gripped, so that no air can pass in or out.

kapal” means skull 
“bhati” means shining or illuminating

• forcefully expelling the breath out through the nostrils using the lower transverse abdominus muscle.
• The exhalation is active and the inhalation is passive.
• This creates a very slight CO2 debt in your body, so that when you move on to practise a slower-breathing pranayama exercise (like alternate nostril breathing), your breath is longer, deeper and it’s easier to enter a calm and meditative state.

cleansing technique taught in Hatha Yoga.

There are 6 main, traditional kriyas (also known as Shat Karmas or Shat Kriyas) that yogis use to “purify” their bodies.

In a subtle level, the kriyas increase the flow of prana to our vital organs.

1. Prepares you for advanced pranayama

The rapid, forced exhalations we use in this technique reduces CO2 levels in the blood and increases O2 availability.
If you do a good session of Kapalabhati before your slow-breathing pranayama (such as Nadi Shodhana) you will find you can increase the length of your breath (and your breath retentions) more easily.
Your cells are already pumped full of oxygen so there is less of an urgent need to inhale more air.

2. Oxygenates “dead space” in the lungs

cleansing old air = good preventative measure against tuberculosis.

3. Strengthens and tones the lower transverse abdominis muscle

The transverse abdominis (key to greater core stability) is a deep core muscle but is rarely mentioned because it’s always being overshadowed by its far sexier neighbour – the rectus abdominis (aka the 6 pack). Used for Uddiyana Bandha in our asana practice. Also helps to improve the efficiency of your Ujjayi.

4. Supports weight loss

around the waist.
This is because being overweight is considered a symptom of excess kapha and Kapalabhati reduces the levels of kapha in the body. It also increases pitta and hence the metabolic rate, which is known to support weight loss.

5. Improves digestion

Strongly stimulates the abdominal organs, in a similar way to Nauli. This results in improved digestion as the muscles of the digestive tract become strong and responsive. It also stimulates blood flow to the region. Remember all yogic techniques should be practised on an empty stomach to enjoy the benefits.

6. Strengthens Mula Bandha

You will automatically use Mula Bandha to generate more force.  This pulsing of Mula Bandha will strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and greatly improve your connection to them. This will help you in your asana practice, your pranayama exercises and also will prevent you from accidentally weeing yourself in public.

7. Reduces kapha dosha
We have three fundamental “doshas” in the body; vata, pitta and kapha. The aim is to have a balance between all three, but most of us have an imbalanced constitution, which leads to ill-health.

Diseases relating to an excess of kapha in the body can be improved by practising techniques such as Kapalabhati, which greatly reduce kapha. Kapha-related symptoms/diseases include things like: lethargy, excess phlegm and obesity.

8. Increases pitta dosha

Kapalabhati is a heating pranayama. In Ayurvedic speak, it increases pitta: our metabolic fire.This can be both a good and a bad thing; in those of us with excess pitta already, too much Kapalabhati will be detrimental to our health. Especially in the summer months, pitta increases naturally and intense Kapalabhati isn’t advised in extremely hot countries.

But pitta is important for yogis. When purified through various yogic techniques, pitta converts into agni, which powers Kundalini energy – this is basically the goal of most yogic practices! So it’s good to have lots of pitta, as long as you are also practising other yogic techniques to convert it into agni.

9. Activates the Manipura chakra

The Manipura chakra is located at the level of the navel, back towards the spine (3rd Chakra).

When you get really good at Kapalabhati, your lower TA muscle will strike the Manipura chakra like a gong, stimulating and activating its qualities. Visualising this action really helps to increase the power and precision of your Kapalabhati too.

10. Can lead to mystical states

If practised effectively for prolonged periods, Kapalabhati can lead to a spontaneous state of objectless Samadhi, which is known as Kevala Kumbhaka.

They say if you practise hundreds and hundreds of forceful strokes of Kapalabhati, the oxygen levels in the blood will be so high the respiratory centre in the brain will just not bother initiating an inhalation. And when there is no movement of breath, the mind will suspend and you will enter Samadhi.

The benefits of activating your Manipura chakra? This is known as the power chakra, so a well-balanced Manipura will allow you to present your point of view and effectively influence others.

• It triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, making us more relaxed and calm
• It helps us to deepen postures by relaxing the muscles
• It creates “a strong oscillation of intra-abdominal blood pressure”, which massages the internal organs, making them strong and healthy
• It keeps the mind focused on the present moment, which helps to reduce stress and anxiety
• It prepares us for a more formal pranayama practice by deepening and lengthening the breath
• It starts to correct poor/inefficient breathing habits
• It reduces obsession with the physical body and turns our attention inwards (a form of pratyahara)
• It creates a pump-like effect in the subtle body, fanning the fire of agni to awaken Kundalini energy

A book - how to live a balanced and ethical life both on and off the mat.

While the complete Yoga Sutras (written sometime in the first four centuries CE) consists of 195 aphorisms that yoga scholar David Gordon White calls “a Theory of Everything,” most of modern yoga’s attention is focused on the 31 verses that describe the ‘eight limbs’ of yoga, which form a practical guide on the subject of how to attain liberation from suffering.

A study of the history of the Yoga Sutras reveals that much of our understanding of this ancient work has been filtered through numerous commentaries on the original verses. Our version of the eight limbs acknowledges the context of their creation and then finds ways to apply them in contemporary life.

1. Yama
2. Niyama
3. Asana
4. Pranayama
5. Pratyahara
6. Dharana
7. Dhyana
8. Samadhi

1 out of 9 limbs of Yoga

(Restraints)

The yamas are five ethical precepts that outline a code of conduct that should be observed when interacting with the world around us. They offer guidance on how to act toward others.