Vayus: the wind through the instrument

What is prana? More than just a line of clothing! Prana is the energy that runs through our bodies, our very life force. Prana is sometimes translated as breath, though this is not quite accurate. We can access the energy in our body through our breath, but the breath itself is not prana. The practice of pranayama (extension of energy) consists of breathing exercises and this is where the confusion about the definition of prana came from. Though they are not one and the same, prana and breath are intimately related and both are necessary for human life.

To further the confusion between prana and breath, Prana can be subdivided into 5 categories called Vayus or winds. Each Vayu controls the movement of energy in a certain direction in a specific part of the body. The first two (Prana and Apana) are generally considered to be the most important and most accessible.

Prana Vayu - Upward moving and expansive, prana vayu governs the chest and head, nourishing the brain and the eyes.

Apana Vayu - Downward moving, controls digestions and elimination and aids in the feelings of equanimity and groundedness.

Vyana Vayu - Expands from the core to the periphery, sending life to the edges of the body.

Udana Vayu - Moves circularly around the head and neck.

Samana Vayu - Moves circularly around the waist, from the outside in.

To feel Prana and Apana Vayu with the breath:

Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in. As you inhale, notice how your body expands upwards and your whole body is energized. This is Prana Vayu.

Notice the release and subtle downward motion as you exhale.

See if you can notice small variations in the intensity and duration of your inhales versus your exhales.

To feel Prana and Apana Vayu in Asana:

Take Warrior 1 position: from standing, step the right foot approximately 4 feet behind you and swivel the right heel down so that your toes are pointing at about 45 degrees. Bend the left knee as deeply as you can, making sure to keep it directly above the left ankle (it will want to bend inward towards the right).

The optimal environment for prana to flow in the body is a state of relaxed engagement, so pause here for a moment and try to feel the prana and apana vayus just like you did while seated. This will cultivate sensitivity and awareness and keep you from over-effortingin the pose. Now from the center of your pelvis, extend energy down your right leg and if possible bend deeper into your left knee. This extension downward is Apana Vayu. To feel Prana Vayu, extend the arms upward. From the same place in the pelvis that you are reaching down your leg, inhale and reach your arms straight up. If you can do both at once, you are circulating prana and apana energy evenly in your body. This creates a balanced yoga pose (and is a LOT of work!). Whew, you can come out now!To balance and strengthen your Vayus, try this simple pranayama practice:

Full Yogic Breath

In order to balance the Vayus and strengthen the flow of prana in your body, practice this simple pranayama exercise. Set yourself up for pranayama practice in a way that you will be comfortable yet alert the entire time. Reclining with your upper body on a bolster or several pillows is ideal, but if you are feeling sleepy, you might want to sit. Take several normal breaths, paying attention to the length and feeling of the inhalation versus the exhalation. Begin evening and smoothing out the breath, creating a seamless transition between inhalation and exhalation.

Keeping the breath smooth and effortless, focus the movement of your breath entirely in your abdomen. Take 10 deep but easy breaths, keeping your chest completely still. Now keep your belly still and take 10 breaths into your chest. Continue to breathe without effort or strain. Your last 10 breaths will include expanding both the abdomen and the chest. This is the full yogic breath. When you are finished with these 10 breaths, breath normally for about a minute and feel the energy moving through your body before moving or getting up.

Practicing the full yogic breath lowers cortisol (stress hormone) and increases DHEA, the hormone the fights fat and makes you feel more alert and energetic. It can also help to regulate blood pressure. Amazing what a little extension of your life force can do!

Extreme Yoga

A friend sent me this interesting article from the Wall Street Journal. Towards the end (5th paragraph from bottom) the writer mentions that people question whether or not it's really yoga. My opinion is that only the person doing the practice can determine whether or not they are doing yoga. What do you think? Is yoga a set of practices or a state of mind?

Into the Wild With Yoga
An extreme athlete with no fixed address is pioneering a new form of yoga. Inside the world of adventure addicts.
By ALEXANDRA ALTER
April 5, 2008; Page W1



Jason Magness pulled up to the park in an old sedan stuffed with clothes, climbing gear, books and his Irish punk cassette tapes. He was temporarily homeless after breaking up with his girlfriend but in good spirits. He uncoiled a springy nylon rope, lashed a taut line between two trees and hopped on barefoot. The rope bounced like a trampoline. Then he sat cross-legged in a dead-still lotus posture, suspended 3 feet above the ground.

People stopped to stare. From a distance, he looked like he was levitating.

Mr. Magness is a charismatic adventurer and yogi with wavy, sun-streaked brown hair, blue-gray eyes and a narrow, tanned face. His exploits have made him a legend in the small underground of adventure sports. He's also the innovator of slackline yoga and is one of its few masters. More difficult than tightrope walking, it involves holding yoga poses while balanced on a flat rope the width of a thumb. Since he and a friend invented the practice three years ago, Mr. Magness has given demonstrations at yoga conferences, released an instructional DVD and taught 2,000 people at workshops across the country. Although it is unlikely to become a mainstream sport -- just five people teach it -- it is catching on among the most agile of yoga devotees.

Full story

Identity

Who are you?

Most of us, when asked this question, can think of several labels we can identify with.

Mother, daughter, yoga teacher, and friend are a few of mine. These labels are helpful because they help us to determine appropriate action depending on the situation. For example, in my role as yoga teacher, it might be appropriate for me to share a challenge from my life as a way to illustrate a yogic concept, but it would not be appropriate for me to complain about that same situation. As a friend, I could probably complain as much as I needed to.

The danger comes when we start to take these roles on as our true identity. When we can no longer separate ourselves from the roles we play. When our ego becomes wrapped up in being a "good mother" or a "successful teacher".

The way to practice yoga with your identity is first to notice. When we detect an imbalance in our identity, then we can use our practice to move back into a balanced relationship with the roles we play.

One practice that I find helpful is to ask the question I posedat the beginning of this post. Anytime, anywhere, you can ask yourself: "who am I?" Then without answering with a thought, listen and feel the answer. When you drop the roles and the nameable identity, what is left is the truth of who you are. This truth cannot be described in words, but it can be felt. And it feels good.

Inner Listening

Everywhere I look, something is sprouting, blossoming, or shooting towards they sky. All of a sudden people are venturing out of their houses and into their gardens, parks, and streets. Invitations to events are piling up and energy is high. We are all so ready to come out of hibernation and greet the day.

I love the Spring. It is the season I was born into 30 years ago and the sheer hope and joy of it resonates within me deeply. I often feel like I am surviving through the winter, but now I wake up each morning excited to see what the world has to offer today. This profound occurs seemingly overnight. This year I felt it on the very day of the Equinox.

My challenge for the next few months is moderating my energy - saving some for next fall and winter. At this time of year, my tendency is to charge forward, full steam ahead, like the ram that I am. This week, my focus is on inner listening. Taking several moments each day to tune in and listen to the quietness within.

Inner listening is actually more than just listening. It involves listening, feeling, and being absolutely still. Inner listening means forgetting what we think we "know" and instead being open to what is. Learning to differentiate between the voice of our ego and the voice of intuition.

Just like all skills, inner listening takes practice. By practicing inner listening at times we feel good and when we have small decisions, we learn to differentiate and to trust. So take a moment, right now.

Stop. Pause your day. Take a moment to listen, watch, feel, and be. You'll be glad you did.

Yoga Styles

Iyengar. Ashtanga. Anusara. Flow. Kundalini. Hot. Yin. With all the different kinds of yoga out there and all the esoteric terms, it can be difficult to decide what kind of yoga classes to attend. In this post, I will decode the different styles of yoga, what makes them different from each other and why you might choose one over another. Of course, you may not be so lucky as to have a choice. The options in your town may be limited to general yoga at a gym. Or the one yoga studio in town is strictly Iyengar. Well, there is always travel yoga: visiting a yoga class when you travel to a larger city or going on special yoga retreats and vacations.

Lets start with the basics: Hatha Yoga is an umbrella term for the physical form of yoga that originated out of the Hindu spiritual tradition in India. There are a few other kinds of physical yoga that originated from other traditions, namely: Kundalini Yoga (Sikhism), Tibetan yoga (Tibetan Buddhism), and Daoist or yin yoga (Daoism).

From the Hindu tradition, Hatha is only one of several yogic paths. The other paths include Raja (Royal) Yoga, Jnana (Knowledge), Karma (service), Japa (mantra), and Bhakti (devotional).

Types of Hatha yoga commonly practiced in America today:

Iyengar
Iyengar yoga has probably been the most widely practiced form of Hatha yoga in America over the last 30 years, though vinyasa/power yoga is catching up quickly. Iyengar yoga was developed by B.K.S Iyengar. Iyengar was a student of T. Krishnamacharya who is known as the grandfather of modern yoga- three of the most popular styles of yoga practiced in the US were developed by his students.

Iyengar classes are known for their precision in alignment, use of props such as blocks and bolsters, and relatively little spiritual focus (at least in the beginning). Poses are held for a relatively long time with lots of demonstrations and adjustments. It is considered to be a great style of yoga for beginners, elders, and those with physical disabilities, though there are certainly also physically challenging Iyengar classes as well.

Anusara
Anusara is a relatively new form of yoga developed in 1997 by John Friend, a former Iyengar instructor. Anusara focuses on alignment as well as the emotional and spiritual aspects of yoga. Anusara certification is one of the most rigorous yoga certifications available and certified teachers are highly knowledgable in the therapeudic applications of yoga.

Each Anusara class is based around a theme to clarify the principles of alignment as well as relate in-class work to daily life. Classes will vary in vigor depending on the teacher, but they tend to be more challenging than similar level Iyengar classes because poses are linked together and there is less stopping and starting with demonstrations. A sense of community is emphasized with more talking laughing than is common in other yoga classes and partner work is often included. The philosophy of anusara is an uplifting, life-affirming philosophy. The teachers are trained to "look for the good" so they may compliment students on their progress or effort. Some people are put off by the flowery language used by Anusara instructors, but in the right hands these metaphors help students to understand the postures on a deeper level.

Ashtanga Vinyasa
Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga was developed by Pattabhi Jois, another student of T. Krishnamacharya. It is one of the most athletic forms of yoga. Students follow the same series of postures linked together with their breath every day they practice. There are known to be 7 series, but even the first is too difficult for most beginners to do without modifications. Traditional Ashtanga classes are known as Mysore style classes and are not led by the teacher. Instead, students practice the series at their own pace and the teacher comes around and helps students individually. Ashtanga yoga has inspired several different kinds of uniquely American yoga styles, most notably Power yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and Jivamukti yoga.

Ashtanga vinyasa, the form of hatha yoga, is easily confused with Patajali's ashtanga. Patanjali is the credited author of the Yoga Sutra, the oldest known yogic text. Most hatha yoga styles draw on Patanjali's ashtanga for their philosophy, except those that are descended from other spiritual traditions such as Kundalini yoga and Yin yoga. This eightfold path (ashtanga means 8 limbs in Sanskrit) is a comprehensive system that includes: yamas (moral code), niyamas (personal disciplines), asana (postures), pranayama (breath exercises), pratyahara (withdrawl of senses), Dharana (one-pointed concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (union).

Vinyasa/Power Yoga
Vinyasa or power yoga is an athletic form of yoga derived from Ashtanga. Rather than following a set series, Vinyasa/Power yoga is a more creative form that will vary greatly from teacher to teacher. The main component of this style is the emphasis on vinyasa, or intelligent movement from pose to pose. This movement from pose to pose creates heat, sweat, and an aerobic workout.

Vinyasa/Power yoga has been one of the most popular forms of yoga US over the last 10-15 years and is large part of the recent yoga "boom". Unfortunately, there are many poorly trained instructors teaching this style in health clubs and gyms. Because of the movement and effort involved, the potential for injury is higher than with gentle or alignment based forms of yoga. If you choose to practice this style, check your teacher's qualifications and try to take some alignment based classes as well (Iyengar and Anusara are the most popular alignment based forms of yoga).

Another variant of Power/Vinyasa is called flow yoga. Popularized mostly in California and now also available elsewhere in the US, flow yoga varies in intensity from gentle to very challenging. The emphasis is on moving with the breath from pose to pose. Meditation and/or pranayama is often included.

Jivamukti

Jivamukti yoga was developed by Sharon Gannon and David Life. They are students of Pattabhi Jois and their style is derived from Ashtanga. It is similar to Power/Vinyasa in that it is usually a challenging and creative workout, but Jivamukti yoga also includes readings from scriptures or inspiring quotes, chanting, and meditation. Non-traditional music is often used and refraining from the consumption or use of animal products (veganism) is strongly encouraged and even required during teacher training.

Viniyoga
Krishnamacharya's third famous disciple and son T.K.V Desikachar created viniyoga also known as yoga therapy. Viniyoga is usually taught one on one and focuses on practicing yoga according to one's individual needs. Viniyoga uses specific sequencing, repetition, and vinyasa (breath with movement). The most famous American Viniyoga teacher is Gary Kraftsow.

Bikram
Also known as hot yoga, Bikram yoga is controversial in the world of yoga. The founder, Bikram Choudhoury, has copyrighted his sequence and the term Bikram yoga. He requires that all Bikram instructors be certified by him and has brought several lawsuits against studio owners. Thus the term hot yoga is often used by practicioners of Bikram who have not been taught directly by him or have fallen out of grace for one reason or another. He is very specific about how Bikram yoga can be taught, so a teacher could lose the right to use the term Bikram by teaching out of sequence or saying things during class that are not proscribed by him. Like Ashtanga, Bikram is a specific sequence of poses, however this sequence was developed specifically for Americans and is done in a very hot (100-110 degree) room. The 26 poses combined with the heat make for a very vigorous practice that Bikram claims purifys the body and prevents disease.

Kripalu
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA is the largest and best known yoga retreat center in the US. It was founded in 1966 by Amrit Desai, who named his style of yoga after his guru Kripalvananda. In 1994, Desai resigned as spiritual director of Kripalu and the center moved away from the guru-disciple model to become an interdisciplinary yoga retreat center. The main style of yoga taught there is still Kripalu as originally taught by Desai. Kripalu yoga is a three part system. In the first level, students hold the poses for a short period of time and focus on alignment and coordinating breath and movement. In the second level the poses are held longer and meditiation is included in the practice. The goal of the third level is to acheive meditation in motion.

Integral
The goal of Integral yoga is to integrate all the different kinds of yoga together: Hatha, Bhakti, Karma, Raja, Jnana, and Mantra. An Integral class might be comprised of gentle physical postures, deep relaxation, breathing techniques, chanting and meditation.

Ananda
Based on the teachings of Parmahansa Yogananda (author of autobiography of a yogi), Ananda yoga is designed to prepare students for meditation. These gentle classes include affirmations associated with postures and consciously sending the body's energy to different organs and limbs.

Sivananda
One of largest schools of yoga in the world with over 15 ashrams worldwide, sivananda yoga includes asana, chanting, and meditation. Classes often include mini-savasanas in between poses. They tend to be very serious and devotional in nature without a lot of talking or alignment.

Kundalini
One of the forms of yoga that does not directly originate from the Hindu tradition, Kundalini yoga is based on the Sikh tradition. Kundalini was popularized in the West by Yogi Bajan who founded the 3HO (Healthy, Happy Holy) organization in 1969. Kundalini yoga is designed to awaken the kundalini (energy) in the body. Classes are usually taught as kriyas or sets of exercises designed to accomplish a specific purpose (for example cleanse the liver, balance head and heart, etc). They include chanting, breath control, meditation, and postures, often done in specific numbers of sets. While it is not required that one become a Sikh to take Kundalini classes, the teachers are usually practicing Sikhs.

Yin
Yin yoga is another style of yoga that does not come from the Hindu tradition. Yin yoga is derived from the far eastern martial arts tradition. It is designed to balance the Yang forms of martial exercise. Popularized in the US by Paul Grilley, yin yoga consists of postures that are similar to hatha yoga asanas, but they are held in a relaxed and passive manner for 1-5 minutes or longer. This is said to target the connective tissues in the body rather than the muscles, strengthening them and freeing up stagnant energy. Yin yoga is not designed as a standalone practice, it is to be done only as a balance for forms of exercise that target the muscles such as athletic hatha yoga forms like ashtanga, power/vinyasa, iyengar, or anusara. Yinyoga.com is a great resource detailing the history, theory, and practice of yin yoga.

Ok, I know this isn't an enhaustive list, but I think it pretty well covers most of the more popular styles. If you notice a glaring omission, let me know and I will probably include it. Also, if you practice one of the styles that I have very little experience with (you can probably tell which ones by how much I've written about them) feel free to clarify and expand on what I've said.

Balance

If yoga could be boiled down to a single concept, I think that concept would be balance.

Each week I choose a theme for my classes in order to clarify and focus the concepts that I want to teach. Most of the time, whatever theme I choose, what it really comes back to is a play between opposing forces. In other words, balance.

From wikipedia.com, a definition quite compatible with the yogic perspective:

"a desirable point between two or more opposite forces."

It is this point of balance that we are seeking with our practice of yoga. However, this point is not a fixed place. Balance is a never ending dance of awareness and sensitivity. The search for it is the substance of a fulfilling life.

From the Eastern perspective, the natural world can be divided into complimentary opposites called yin and yang. These complimentary opposites balance each other, thereby creating harmony. Neither yin nor yang can exist without the other. They define each other. They also contain each other: within yin, there is yang and within yang there is yin. Each one, when taken to the extreme, becomes the other. At the extreme of yang, there is yin and at the extreme of yin, there is yang.

I find this to be an extremely helpful and profound way of looking at the world. A reminder of both the complexity and elegant simplicity of nature.

Because each of us is blessed to be unique in both body and mind (perhaps soul too, though I can't speak to this authoritatively) the point of balance will also be unique for each of us and possibly different each moment as well.

This is an inherent limitation of group yoga classes. The teacher gives instructions that she has reason to believe will benefit (ie create balance in) the majority of the group. She learns to "read" the class to respond to the imbalances she sees and feels. But she cannot give instructions for each unique person without confusing the majority of the class and undermining the potential benefits of the practice. The way that I was taught to teach is to walk around the room and help as many people individually as possible. But in a class of 40 or 50, I am lucky to reach half the class.

It is essential for each student to take responsibility for their own practice. We must remain alert and curious, observing the effect of each instruction, rather than following blindly. We are responsible for learning about our bodies and our minds, so that we can take our yoga practice with us out into the world where it will do us the most good. There is nothing wrong with enjoying your workout, or stress relief, or gentle stretching once a week. But the real benefits of yoga come when we keep trying to find that balance point in the hubbub of life.

I find it interesting that the synonyms for balance are poise and composure. Those words describe perfectly what it looks like to live yoga. You do not let little things throw you off balance. This is not an outward composure, where you hide your inner turmoil, but an inner poise. As you practice more, you simply find that you are less easily bothered by things. And in the spirit of true balance, when it is time to lose your cool, you lose it. After all, we're only human.

The Yamas and Niyamas

I think it is common knowledge that yoga is more than just exercise. When asked how it is more, most people answer that it includes the mind as well as the body, or they mention the focus on breath. Only serious students of yoga asana are aware of just how deep and complex the system of yoga really is.

Yoga is not a religion, though it is compatible with religion and the belief in a higher power. Yoga consists of both practices and philosophy. As a philosophy, yoga shies away from dogmatism. Only a religion can perceive itself to be infallible, a philosophy is open to interpretation.

One of the components of this philosophy is a set of guidelines for dealing with others and a set for dealing with yourself. These are called the yamas and the niyamas. I have heard these called the "ten commandments of yoga" and I couldn't disagree more. The yamas and the niyamas of yoga not commandments, they are guidelines to study, contemplate, and practice.

It is as if we went to a venerable grandparent, whom we respected deeply, and asked for some tips on living. No matter how much we respect this person, there is no way that we would simply apply this wisdom to our lives wholesale. At best we would experiment and test and see what is true for ourselves. So we look at the yamas and the niyamas as advice from the wise. We do not come to this with skepticism, but rather an open mind--eager to apply the wisdom of the ages to our own lives. We do this with understanding that we must come to our own conclusions as to the nuances of these guidelines, that no one can simply tell us what to do.

The Yamas

Ahimsa - non-violence

This means violence in thought, action, and speech. When there is a choice to be made, we try to determine the least violent path. This applies to ourselves as well as others. We do not wallow in self-pity or self-hate. When there is a choice between two paths, we must determine the least destructive path.

Satya - truthfulness

Pay attention to your habits about telling the truth. Do you lie to others? To yourself? Are you impeccable with your word? Truth is different from "brutal honesty". Brutal honesty conflicts with non-violence. Can you balance telling the truth with non-violence?

Asteya - non-stealing

Beyond the obvious, asteya means not stealing people's energy or taking credit for someone else's work. The universe is based on a balance of giving and receiving. When in doubt, give. The universe will give back.

Bramacharya - moderation/restraint

Bramacharya is often defined as celibacy or sexual restraint. This is but one aspect of it and a great illustration of how these guidelines need to be put through our own filters. For some yogis in the past (and a smaller number today) refraining from sexual activity was a method of harnessing the inherent power of one's sexuality and using it for one's spiritual practice. Today, the concept of sexual restraint is still a valid part of our spiritual exploration. For example, we should restrain ourselves from sexual activity that will harm ourself or others.

A more modern definition of bramacharya is to seek balance between pleasure and restraint: ie moderation.

Most importantly, we should restrain ourselves from exploiting our power over others. Anytime there is a power differential, such as between a teacher and a student or an employer and employee, the responsibility for restraint lies with the person who has more power. This restraint is not limited to the times when actual harm is caused. We must seek to understand the motivation behind our actions and apply the concept of moderation when necessary and appropriate. It is by catching our small transgressions into abuse of power that we can avoid large ones.

This is true even in the case of parent and child. As a parent, it is your responsibility to try not to exploit the power you have over your child for your own convenience. The power of a parent over a child is there for a reason--to keep the child safe until they can do so for themselves. So it is helpful to examine periodically how you are using your power. Ask yourself, am I abusing my power by trying to make my child do things that simply benefit me in the short term and not my child in the long term? There is no judgment implied in this. I myself catch myself abusing my power over my child frequently. The practice is in becoming aware of our habits and patterns and moving towards a benevolent use of power. Sometimes we just need a break. That is ok too...Parenting is a spiritual practice like no other.

There have been many examples of leaders, even revered spiritual leaders and yoga gurus abusing their power. The more power that one has, the more challenging and relevant bramacharya becomes. The abuse of power does not negate the powerful teachings that these people have provided or the good they have done. Imperfection is not the problem. It is true that a teacher who practices their own teachings is more powerful than one who says one thing and does another. But a teacher who struggles with a concept or problem may have a lot to offer about that subject, perhaps more than one who does not struggle. The betrayal comes either from representing oneself as perfect or from the student's own expectation of perfection destroyed.

To avoid this kind of pain and betrayal, do not expect perfection from others. Accept that we are all both perfect and imperfect. That is not to say that the abuse of power is ok. It is not. But it exists for us to learn from it.

Aparigraha - simplicity

A more direct translation of aparigraha is non-grasping, but I think that the English word simplicity more elegantly expresses the concept. Practice detachment from possessions. People are more important than things. Evaluate needs and separate them from wants. This is not to say that you can never indulge yourself in a want. Just be aware of when it is a want vs a need and act accordingly. We each need to make our own distinction between wants and needs and decide for ourselves when it is appropriate to indulge. Think about getting rid of some "stuff" to make more room for yourself.