Yoga Resources

Surya Namaskar (Sun salutations)

The Sun Salutation originated as a series of prostrations to the sun. Traditionally, it is performed at dawn, facing the rising sun. In time, each of the twelve positions came to have its own mantra, celebrating aspects of the sun's divinity. It is a beautiful set of asanas that massages, detoxifies and stimulates almost every organ in the body and beings suppleness to the spine. It can be done fast, as a cardiac toner or at a slower pace to strengthen and tone the muscles and enhance the functioning of the internal organs. Even if you cannot fit an entire practice into your morning routine, just this will vitalize you enough for your day.

PRANAYAMA-Science of Breath

"Pranayama is the link between the mental and physical disciples. While the action is physical, the effect is to make the mind calm, lucid and steady." Swami Vishnu-devananda

Pranayama is one of the eight limbs of classical yoga, which revitalizes the body, steadies the emotions and created clarity in the mind. Pranayamas teaches us how to use our lungs to their full capacity. Before practicing the exercises, you should be sure that you understand how to breathe correctly and how to make full use of the diaphragm. In order to facilitate the flow of Prana and ensure that there is space for expanding the lungs, Yoga Breathing exercises are performed sitting down with the spine, neck and head in a straight line - either in a basic cross legged position or theLotus Pose or if neither is comfortable, sitting on a chair.

The full yogic breath is imperative in establishing a balanced yoga practice. It is a slow and deep breath that makes use of the diaphragm by drawing into the lowest part and largest part of the lungs. Be completely aware of the abdomen rising as you inhale and falling as you exhale. The inhalation is then broken up into three full parts. First by taking a deep breath in, the diaphragm moves down into the drawing air to the lowest part of your lungs. Then the intercostal muscles expand the ribcage and pull air into the middle part of the lungs. Finally, air comes into the upper part of the chest, otherwise known as clavicular breathing. As you exhale, the air will then leave the lower lung first, then the middle, then the top part. This full yogic breath won’t feel natural in the beginning, but after time you will teach your body to breath like this throughout the class. It can also be a powerful centering practice in your daily lives when you feel anxiety or stress creeping up on you.

The next two breathing practices are called Kapalabhati and Analoma Viloma. They are also practiced in every Sivananda class, prior to the asanas and establish a good foundation for your practice.

Kapalabhati is a breathing technique that is used specifically for cleansing. In Sanskrit “Kapala” is ‘skull’; “Bhati” means ‘shining’. It is considered to be so cleansing to the entire respiratory system that, when practiced on a regular basis the face shines with good health and radiance. If you have a lot of mucus in the air passages of feel tension and blockages in the chest is often helpful to breathe quickly.

In Kapalabhati, the breath is short, rapid, and strong. We use the lungs as a pump, creating so much pressure as they expel the air that all the waste is removed from the air passages, from the lungs up through the nostrils. The technique, also known as a Kriya-a yogic cleansing exercise- as it strengthens and increases the lung capacity and helps to eliminate toxins and impurities. It is also an extremely beneficial practice for anyone suffering from asthma, addictions or sluggishness. The repeated up and down movement tones the stomach, heart and liver.

Basic Instructions:

Sit in a cross legged position with the back straight and head erect and both hands in ‘chin mudra’, the consciousness pose. Take two deep breaths to prepare the body for Kapalabhati. After the last inhalation:

1. *Contract the abdominal muscles quickly, using the diaphragm to move into the thoracic cavity and pushing the air out of the lungs forcefully. It should be brief, active and audible.

2. *Relax the abdominal muscles allowing the diaphragm to descend into the abdominal cavity; a passive inhalation occurs. The lungs automatically expand and inflate with air. Don’t forcefully inhale.

3. *Repeat this pumping quickly and with a steady rhythm, emphasizing the exhalation each time. Passive inhalation and sudden expulsion of breath follow each other continuously until a round is completed.

4. *End on the exhalation after 20-30 pumps and take a few deep breaths and then hold breath with a retention for 30 seconds.

5. *Repeat this three times, each time raising the number of expulsions and retention time.

If at any time you feel light headed you may be inhaling too actively. It is imperative to let this step occur quite naturally.

Analoma Viloma

In this alternate nostril breathing exercise, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath and then exhale through the other nostril at a ratio of 2:8:4. The exercise calms the mind, making it lucid and steady, preparing it for meditation. In the yogic energy system, the left nostril is the path of the nadi called the Ida, and the right nostril that of the Pingala. These can be synonymous to the ying and yang in Chinese medicine, the masculine and feminine. If you are really healthy, you will breath predominately through the Ida nostril for about two hours and then through the Pingala nostril for the following two hours. But for many people this rhythm is disturbed which can result in unbalanced hemispheres of the brain and mind and blockage of pranic flow. Some new scientific research has caught up with the ancient yogic system by recently proving that a consistent irregularity of this breath in your life could possibly result in asthma or diabetes. Besides being a prevention for disease, Analoma Viloma balances your masculine and feminine aspects of yourself which can be extremely beneficial throughout many aspects of your life.

Basic Instructions:

Sit in a cross legged position with the back straight and head erect and your left hand in ‘chin mudra’, the consciousness pose and right hand in ‘Vishnu Mudra’.

1. *Breath in through the left nostril, closing the right with the thumb to the count of four.

2. *Hold the breath, closing both nostrils to the count of sixteen.

3. *Breath out through the right nostril, closing the left with the ring and little finger to the count of eight.

4. *Breath in through the right nostril, keeping the left nostril closed with the ring and little finger to the count of four.

5. *Hold the breath closing both nostrils to the count of sixteen.

6. *Breathe out through the left nostril, keeping the right closed with the thumb to the count of eight.

7. *Repeat 5-10 full rounds.

*Make sure the breath is smooth and the shoulders and face is relaxed.

ASANAS

Asana is one of the eight limbs of classical Yoga, which states that poses should be steady and comfortable, firm yet relaxed helping a practitioner to become more aware of their body, mind, and environment.

The 12 basic asanas are much more than just stretching. They open the energy channels, chakras and psychic centers of the body while increasing flexibility of the spine, strengthening bones and stimulating the circulatory and immune systems. Along with proper breathing or pranayama, asanas also calm the mind and reduce stress. With regular practice one can ensure overall physical and mental health and the possible prevention of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. In time, performing the poses slowly and consciously, becomes a mental exercise in concentration and meditation.

The flow and order of the asanas in an open class are in a specific systematic order which allows for the prana, life force energy to flow beginning at the crown and working your way down to the root chakra. Sivananda was a medical doctor before becoming a yogi so he also devised this order to maintain physical health of the organs and quietening of the mind so there is eventually no chatter and thought streams within the pose. There are also variations for all asanas to deepen your practice once the core poses are mastered.