The making of a Yoga Acharya: process and milestones

There is a myth that a yoga teacher has to be a symbol of perfection, we have to “look” like a yoga teacher, be always happy and smiling, peaceful and grounded and very “wise” (certainly not in the worldly way of course). I had no idea of all this when I got into learning and teaching yoga. It was a sheer accident and still remains an interesting mystery of how it all happened. I was a good student in school and college, and did well with the yoga studies too… the intellectual kind who could effortlessly pick up threads from the sutras and make beautiful yoga stick figures on paper (still far from doing them on the mat). It was not until years later that I actually understood what being a teacher actually means!

To know what makes you a good yoga teacher, we don’t have to look beyond the first word of the first sutra of the first chapter of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali: Atha.

Are you ready to take up this study?

It is not the readiness in terms of the time and resources you have in hand, that is only a small part of it. It is not the intellectual curiosity you maybe holding, “let me see what is in it for me…” It is not even the desire to learn yoga and “walk the path”, which is of course important.

It is the readiness and willingness to now move inward, exploring the uncharted territories of the mind-body complex; taking responsibility for all our actions and experiences. Letting go of blaming and complaining about how the world is treating you. Letting go of also self-reproach and guilt, rather being willing to transform these negative energies into productive action, ready to be in the “here and now” and taking responsibility to create a better future.

So, the question is, are you really ready?

And if you are, the very first commitment we need to make is time for yourself: for your personal practice. I never understood the value of it when I started studying yoga, except for the excitement of learning new postures and techniques. Since I was not the very flexible kind, it often frustrated me to see, in comparison, how well others can do it.

In this tradition, each trainee works with a mentor who will assess and design a very unique and special practice for the person taking into account his/her physical constitution, flexibility, strength, mental-emotional patterns, time availability and when they can practice during the day.

After each session with the mentor, I remember the joy and excitement of carrying home a fresh, new practice that will now take me a step ahead, progressively getting better and deeper into the experience of yoga. The integration of body-breath- mind slowly begin to play to secret magic into your being. The energy levels got better, aches and pains diminish, self-awareness improves, reactivity reduces and you can actually experience more peace and joy.

Today, when I look back, I wish I had been more serious about my personal practice then. The study of the Yoga Sutra is perhaps the most fascinating part of the study quenching and creating more intellectual curiosity. After dabbling for years in Sanskrit definitions and concepts that made me “appear” very intelligent, I finally got down into the actual essence of the teachings which was and still is mind-boggling. I can’t have enough of it.

Layer after layer opens up deeper meanings and possibilities… so much lies beneath, waiting to be discovered! Learning classical postures and techniques helped to understand meanings from which the function of a posture is derived and how to intelligently adapt or modify a posture or pranayama technique to address a very specific and unique need of the student and achieve a desired function. The skill of a surgeon and creativity of an artist comes into play here.

Yoga borrows heavily from Ayurveda the understanding of the human constitution, how to create individualized diet and life style changes that will help harmonize the energies within. It becomes exciting to study the basis of Sankhya philosophy that underpins yoga and Ayurveda and discover that the mind and body share a unified field of existence, cannot be addressed in isolation, and how every aspect of the universe is connected and striving to progress in a state of dynamic equilibrium. The question of personal and universal dharma and the quest for an integral balance arises.

Meditation as a process of refining and concentrating the mind, methods and techniques and beyond these methods and techniques, touching and experiencing glimpses of insight – from that part of the mind which is beyond thought is exciting!

Course planning helps to integrate the tools and techniques into a meaningful structure for practice that can be progressively adapted to changing needs and goals. It is in deed very exciting to see the progress in the student at all levels.

Understanding the Yama, Niyama and learning to apply the understanding in daily life often brought up great excitement and resistance and as a community working with these attitudes and boundaries has been quite intensive and also fun!

Exploring the connection with God, presented as the highest teacher, Ishvara, by Patanjali and toying with the “idea” of surrender has been frustrating and frightening. When we let go of the “ideas”, perhaps the real surrender can happen?

The entire repertoire of tools and techniques yoga offers and playing around with them and remembering to reconnect with the breath, our life line and learning to listen to its wisdom and knowing that this is more important than “doing” something right… a reality check.

The training is a life long process though the course comes to an end in 12 months. The desire to learn and grow keeps our practice and teaching alive.

The milestones are:

Am I now more connected with my body, can I understand and respect my body more?

Is my conscious breath long, deep and subtle? Can I allow my breath to guide me into the present moment, and help me understand my current reality?

Do I have the necessary skills to teach, observe, adapt practices to the changing needs of the student?

Am I willing to learn from the students, accept and work on my apparent limitations?

Can my mind be open to learning and unlearning? Can I hold my thoughts, my “borrowed” knowledge and beliefs lightly?

Has my threshold for reactivity gone up? Am I now aware of my judgments?

Can I go beyond my self and touch another person’s pain? Can I feel true love and compassion?

Am a ready to continue to learn and evolve my skills and my practice knowing that this is just the beginning?

Dealing with Stress through Yoga

Stress reduction through yoga is not just about relaxation practices as it is commonly understood. In one of my consultations, I was listening to a student who was suffering from so much stress. The source of her stress was her great aunt who seemed to have such a strong control over this girl.

This aunt was over 90 years, recovering from a broken hip, completely dependent on my friend, always “complaining, clinging and trying to control me”. She was visiting her aunt everyday (while holding a full-time job, taking care of her family) and every visit was getting more and more unbearable for her. She said, “when I am with my aunt, my skin starts to burn all over and I am full of anger and negative thoughts”. She was aware that this is not something she can put up with longer considering her health history of just having recovered from cancer a few years ago. 

“How can I deal with this situation? What practices can help me cope with this burning of skin and stress?” For her it is her great aunt, for somebody else it could be a mother-in-law, partner, boss, teacher, parental conflict or illness, financial problems or just any issues in life that impose enormous strain on the psyche that gets reflected on the body through myriad range of illnesses. Most often, we need a diagnosis even to recognize that the body has been ravaged by the stress.

But is the source of stress really only outside? Can it be countered just with relaxation practices? While we continue to fight in our mind with whatever is happening in our life at the same time try to fix issues with our health that are cropping up from time to time, we are just allowing the wound to fester within and attempt to heal the pain.

Yoga addresses stress through a multi-pronged approach. Becoming aware of the problem and its impact on the body, breath and mind and how it creates a ripple effect into our immediate environment affecting life style, relationships, work etc.,

Acceptance of the reality, coming to terms with it is an important step towards resolution of the problem. For example, this student struggling with her aunt’s behavior had to first understand that her aunt cannot be expected to change her ways, not at 90, not with all the issues she has and the insecurity she must be experiencing that has led to the clinging-controlling behaviour.

The next step would to learn how to clear the conflict ridden mind and relax the body through actions that are positive and most appropriate. For this person, it is about reclaiming her personal space and time, moderating her energy expenditure and knowing and communicating clearly what is beneficial for herself and her aunt. 

Practices to help release the tension accumulated in the body and clearing the mind so that it can perceive with better clarity and enjoy some peace. It will involve working with asana (again addressing the specific needs of the body and personality, not any practice). Using the breath actively in asana is imperative to achieve any substantial change at the physical, physiological and especially mental- emotional level. 

Pranayama practices help us connect more deeply with the breath, our most intimate friend and ally in healing.

In asana and pranayama, varying the breath ratio has different effects, whether you want to be energized or want relaxation for body and mind. Body being the receptacle for all our experiences in life, we need to pay special attention to those parts which tend to accumulate a lot of tension like the neck, shoulders & upper back, also precipitated by a sedentary desk job.

Those who don’t have time for an active practice in the morning (being very stressed out also means “I am running against time” right?) will benefit from a 20-30 min. evening practice before dinner or bedtime (at least 2 hours after dinner, which means you have an early dinner). The evening practice comprises of seated and lying postures with focus on extending the exhalation. Relaxing the eyes, and gentle movements for the shoulders, elbows, wrists, finger joints, neck, spine and legs help release the accumulated tension especially for computer professionals people on the move most of the day. 

Long exhalation activates the parasympathetic nervous system countering the sympathetic domination that happens in stress response. Through exhalation we can intend and choose to release all the negative thoughts, emotions & judgments from the system, clear your body and mind and drift off into a blissful state of sleep. Wake up feeling fresh, rejuvenated and looking forward to a new day. Each day, this way can be a gift.

Yes, stress can be a great source of wisdom, and a motivation for change. It teaches you what is most important in life. But the question is, are you ready? Are you ready to take charge of your life? Take responsibility for your state of health, quality of life? Or do you want to continue to blame the outside circumstances for your suffering?

Yoga is a state of mind, a mind that is calm, unperturbed and clear. A mind that can perceive with clarity, take right decisions and direct the most appropriate actions. The usual monkey mind requires training, practice has to be regular (daily) and uninterrupted. A free mind has free will, it can make choices. It means, in any moment, I can choose peace instead of conflict or argument. Good health is more than fitness, it is this state of mind that is peaceful and clear. 

Yoga philosophy and practice urges us to grow in this inner strength and resilience so that we can deal with any eventuality in life, develop immunity to stress-inducing situations.

Calm down

March 2016

By Saraswathi Vasudevan

Slow, deep, long exhalation and retention after exhalation is the secret to a calm mind, says Saraswathi Vasudevan

Have you ever noticed that when your mind is preoccupied or disturbed, your breath will invariably be short, shallow and disturbed? Even otherwise, we generally breathe from the upper chest or, worse still, by using our neck and shoulder muscles primarily, causing fatigue, pain and stiffness in this area. This kind of breathing does not allow us to take in oxygen or remove waste products from the metabolism optimally.

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali introduces a powerful method to calm the disturbed mind by focussing on exhalation, and holding the breath after exhalation (Yoga Sutra 1.34). You can try this when you experience a mild disturbance, not intense. Try to breathe out slowly and deliberately, focusing on the exhalation and suspend the breath for a few seconds after a complete exhalation to experience the stillness within.

Through regular pranayama practise we can detoxify the system, calm and clear the mind and prepare for meditation, while also training our system to develop complete mastery over every component of the breath: exhalation, inhalation, retention after exhalation and inhalation. Through this mastery, we are able to deploy the breath more efficiently and effortlessly. The mind, of course, calms down quickly as we shift the system from sympathetic to parasympathetic domination.

This Sutra also suggests that discriminating between what to retain of our experiences and what to throw out of our system will calm the mind too. Often, we hold on to what is disturbing, and create greater turmoil. While letting go is easier said than done, a systematic practice of working with long exhalation through pranayama practice is the key. The breath has to be trained to be long (dirgha) and subtle (sukshma). Controlling the breath at the throat/nostrils or tip of the tongue are techniques employed to lengthen the breath and make it more and more subtle.

Mrgi mudra:

Mrgi mudra is useful for nostril control in pranayama. If you are right-handed, use the right hand for mrgi mudra (left hand can count the number of breath cycles). Fold the index finger and middle finger (of the right hand) and hold them at the base of the thumb. Bend the ring finger slightly to bring the tip to match the length of the little finger. Place the fingers on the nose (thumb on right side and ring and little finger on left side exactly where the bone ends and cartilage begins so that it is possible to block the nostrils partially to narrow the passage for air flow.)

Do Nadi Shodhana (Anuloma Viloma) pranayama, using mrgi mudra to close the right nostril fully and partially close the left nostril. Inhale through the partially closed left nostril. Exhale through the partially closed right nostril with the left nostril fully blocked. Then inhale through partially closed right nostril and exhale through partially closed left nostril. This will constitute one breath cycle. A minimum of 20 breath cycles (40 breaths) at least is required to complete a good pranayama practice.

When the breath is drawn in and exhaled through partially closed nostrils, the breath is very long and subtle, the velocity of air flowing in through the partially closed nostril is higher and therefore through its penetrative power facilitates greater reach into the bronchi and air sacs for better exchange of gases. Similarly exhalation through partially closed nostril helps better emptying of the lungs and removal of waste creating a powerful detoxifying effect.

Source: Life Positive

Total workout

February 2016

By Saraswathi Vasudevan

A good yoga practice must work out every part of your being, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, says Saraswathi Vasudevan

Yoga is called a Sarvaangasadhana – a practice that impacts every part of the individual. Therefore, a sound asana practice should essentially address all the needs of the body: move all joints, progressively improve flexibility and strength in different parts of the body, improve breath and state of mind, and calm the mind of its distractive tendencies.

If you are a regular yogasana practitioner, it will be good to have a checklist of indications to see if you are moving in the right direction:

Flexibility: neck, shoulder, upper back, lower back, hips, legs, knees, ankles.

Strength: lower back, abdomen, upper back, shoulders, neck, legs, knees.

Is my sleep getting better?

Is my energy level at an optimal level?

Is my mind less distracted after an asana practice?

Is my breath flowing comfortably?

Am I getting less reactive in general?

Has my tolerance improved?

Am I more conscious of choosing what food to eat, when and how much?

Is my biological rhythm – sleep-wake cycle, clearing bowels, hunger, thirst, menstrual cycle – improving?

Make sure your practice has movements to address all joints and parts of the body. Have a healthy balance of forward bending postures, back arches, twists and lateral stretches. Ensure a good combination of standing, seated and lying positions. Inversions, done with good preparation, are highly beneficial to counter the negative effects of gravity on the body, and improve the circulation and health of all the organs in the body.

When we take to yoga later in life, we come with a body that is already stiff, with its unique disposition and physical patterns (stooping back, twisted spine, stiff legs and limited flexibility in most joints) not to mention the breathing and mental/emotional patterns. It is, therefore, not possible for us to do many postures the classical way. Adapt instead!

Uttanasana:

Let us take Uttanasana (standing forward bend), for example. If you can do this posture perfectly, it means your spine is flexible, especially the lower back; your hips and legs are flexible and you are not carrying extra weight around the mid-section! If you have a sedentary lifestyle, your back and legs are bound to be stiff. Follow this modification of Uttanasana:

Stand with feet slightly apart in front of a stool/chair about 2 feet high. If your back is too stiff and you are tall, use a table instead. Take 4-5 seconds to slowly inhale, raise both your arms from the sides expanding your chest and extending your whole spine upward all the way from your waist. Pause for 2 seconds in this position. As you exhale (take 6-8 seconds to slowly exhale by drawing lower abdomen in and up, relaxing chest) bend forward from the hip (not stooping your shoulders), keeping the legs and body straight until you reach half-way down. Beyond this point you can bend your knees to the extent required and extend your arms on the stool/chair seat. Stay for a breath and ease into this position with a long exhalation which relaxes your neck, back and legs. As you inhale, raise your arms to ear level, arch your back and come up, arms extended up, shoulders relaxed, body extended all the way from the waist. As you exhale, lower your arms from the front/sides. Repeat a few times and stay for longer in the posture. Gradually, reduce the height of the support and bend your legs less.

About the author : Saraswathi Vasudevan is a yoga therapist trainer in the tradition of Sri T Krishnamacharya. She specialises in adapting yoga to the individual.  (www.yogavahini.com).

Source: Life Positive

Awakening the Spine

January 2016

By Saraswathi Vasudevan

Through diligent practice of asanas one gets into the habit of keeping the spine straight and erect which is the cornerstone of attaining optimum fitness, says Saraswathi Vasudevan

Classically, all asanas were conceived for a specific set of functions that the usual body positions and movements do not address. The most important structure asanas influence is the spine. It helps if our spine is flexible, strong and aligned.

Today, we have a crying need for asana practice. We are couch potatoes in front of the television, or slouch potatoes in front of the computer screen. We eat mindlessly and  have no time to exercise. For the physically active, or sports persons, often there is an imbalance or over-extension of some parts, or a side of the body, more than the other.

Therefore asana practice should be an indispensable part of our daily routine if we want to reverse the impact of poor posture and imbalance. Slowly, we will learn to sit with the back straight, keeping the head in line with the spine, neck and shoulders relaxed, eyes unstrained, chest forward, and the diaphragm  free to move for good breathing. When the back is relatively straight, there is less pressure on the lower back and hips,  better circulation to the digestive system,  and better vagal tone that promotes parasympathetic activity to counter stress. Asanas to straighten the spine are not just back arches. In fact, for somebody who slouches, back arches may be very uncomfortable. So different movements of the spine must be encouraged, and coordinated with conscious inhalation and exhalation. Start with mild back arches and forward bends. Do mild axial twists to relax and make the neck, shoulders and upper back more flexible. Do lateral stretches to open up the sides of the chest for good breathing and the waist for good circulation to the abdominal organs. Good deep breathing also facilitates extension of spine and improves posture. Start with standing asanas and progress towards seated and lying postures with adequate rest inbetween. Breathing has to be long – at least five seconds of inhalation and exhalation with breath retention to enhance the effect of the posture. We can stay in some opening postures and twists to improve flexibility and strength and help the posture to facilitate cleansing  of the body toxins.

At the end of a good 20-minute asana practice, once we have achieved a relatively straight spine and are able to breathe in and out smoothly for longer duration, we are ready to do pranayama. There are many postures for pranayama – siddhasana, padmasana, even sukhasana or sitting on a chair is good enough. Hold the spine erect and sit for at least 10 minutes to focus exclusively on the breath.

Vajrasana:

Sit on your heels with your legs folded at the knees, classically knees together, thighs together. Keep your spine erect, neck and shoulders relaxed and chin down. Place your palms on the thighs or knees. Eyes closed. Breathe in and out in this posture and slowly extend your exhalation and inhalation in that order. About 100 rounds of kapalabhati can help with clearing the upper respiratory tract and preparing the abdominal muscles to engage with conscious breathing (exhalation). Any technique of pranayama can be practised in this posture.  People with knee problems to avoid this posture if it is painful...

Source: Life Positive

Freedom from stress

December 2015

By Saraswathi Vasudevan

The judicious practice of asanas and pranayama can free the mind and body of stress, says Saraswathi Vasudevan

Yoga has always defined stress as a projection of our mind’s distorted perception of reality.

A confused, fragmented mind invariably guides us to act in ways that perpetuate suffering instead of resolving it. All painful experiences, and negative emotions get stored in the physical body, eventually leading to disease.

How can this cycle be broken?

The first step is to become aware of the problem, its negative effect on the body, breath and mind, as well as one’s environment, lifestyle, relationships and work.

The next step is to take responsibility. Take responsibility for your state of health, quality of life and actions. Avoid blaming outside circumstances for your suffering.

Yoga is a state of mind that is calm, unperturbed and clear. A mind that can perceive with clarity, and in every situation, enables you to choose peace and harmony over conflict or argument. Yoga practices help us develop immunity to stress-inducing situations. Here’s how.

Daily ritual: With consistent effort, some of the long-term effects of stress from the body and mind can be cleared. Every morning practise asanas that pay special attention to parts which absorb tension like the neck, shoulders, upper back and lower back.

Movements that include back arches, forward bends, twists and lateral stretches of the spine in standing position helps clear stiffness and accumulated tension from almost all joints in the body. Using the breath actively in asana helps deeper cleansing, removes heaviness and refreshes the system boosting your energy levels. And surprise! The mind also clears up and you will be ready to face the day with clarity and positivity.

Pranayama helps us connect more deeply with the breath – our intimate friend and ally in healing. About 20 breaths of extended inhalation and exhalation through simple throat breathing (ujjayi) with a mild breath retention after inhalation has a magical effect! Those who don’t have time in the morning will benefit from a 20-minute evening practice before dinner or at least two hours after.

This comprises some active movements similar to the morning practice but with focus on longer exhalation. Lying postures to rest the back with gentle leg stretches help clear stasis in lower extremities. Long exhalation gets rid of negative thoughts and emotions gathered during the day, clears your mind and drifts you into a blissful state of sleep.

Tadasana variation

This can be done standing or seated (except after a full meal), anywhere. Stand with your feet apart, your back against the wall (at least one-ft. distance from the wall). As you inhale, sweep your right arm back to the wall behind on the same side, opening the right side of the upper body, eyes following the hand movement. Touch the wall, pause for two seconds. Then as you exhale sweep the arm back to touch the left shoulder, eyes following the arm movement. Pause for two seconds. Inhale, take the hand back to the wall on the right side, pause for two seconds. Exhale, bring the hand back to neutral position by the side of the body (starting position). Repeat this with the left arm. Five to six repetitions alternating sides will release tightness in the neck, shoulders and upper back while clearing your mind of its clutter.

About the author :  Saraswathi Vasudevan is a yoga therapist trainer in the tradition of Sri T Krishnamacharya. She specializes in adapting yoga to the individual. (www.yogavahini.com)

Source: Life Positive

Let prana flow

November 2015

By Saraswati Vasudevan

Yoga can restore the flow of blocked prana, says Saraswati Vasudevan

Our body runs on the life-giving force called prana that is constantly regenerated. Every moment it expresses itself through the breath and all the functions and activities of the body and mind. Even a single thought cannot escape your mind without the will of the prana. Every living moment, prana is generated and flows through all the layers and levels of our existence, creating change, growth and evolution. We are being constantly recreated by this energy.

“I will not forgive”, “I feel so guilty”, “I strongly resent…” the stories, complex web of memories, debilitating thoughts and emotional patterns constantly trap the vital prana, making it unavailable for even basic bodily functions. It renders the mind dull and disturbed, compromising faculties like memory, creativity, clarity and focus. This is the source of stress-induced illnesses!

Yoga disengages and releases the prana that is trapped in the body-mind complex. When the blocks are removed, prana is released. Especially in illness, unless we reclaim our trapped prana, it is difficult to find the strength to pursue practices that can help healing.

Finding blockage

In Yoga Sutra (1.31) Patanjali indicates four dominant symptoms: emotional pain, negative thought patterns, strong body sensations (pain, burning sensations, discomfort, stiffness, weakness, and heaviness). Breath, being the primary expression of prana, is invariably disturbed on these occasions.

When we notice such a disturbance, the next step is to locate the deeper cause. Here are some broad areas of energy traps and drains: Illness (of self or loved ones); relationship issues; anxieties about future (health, finances, children, work); painful memories; well-rehearsed thought and emotional patterns: “I am….,” , “I feel….”. Fill up the blanks to discover your own patterns. As you read each statement you frame, you will be able to observe sensations in your body and changes in your breathing. Observe the intensity of the sensation.

How to reclaim the prana?

Start with asana. Often, a strong body sensation indicates a powerful knot that has the prana trapped in it. When we direct our mind and breath into that part through conscious breathing and intelligent movements, the block gets opened, and a tremendous amount of energy is released which can be felt even at the physical level!

Pranayama is an even more direct method of clearing the subtle channels (nadi) and releasing the trapped prana.

Sitali with Bhramari: This is an excellent pranayama practice to extend your inhalation and exhalation and release some of your trapped prana, especially in the throat region – where we unconsciously hold strong emotions. Curl the sides of the tongue to form a tube and hold it slightly extended outside the mouth. Inhale through this tube simultaneously raising the head thereby opening the throat region. After you complete the inhalation, withdraw the tongue, close the mouth and lower the chin to the chest. Now focus on the throat, exhale using a humming sound (bhramari) like the drone of a bee. Both inhalation and especially exhalation have to be progressively extended.

Sitali, according to the classical text Hatha Yoga Pradipika reduces the effect of excessive pitta (the fire element in the body), cools and refreshes the body, removes illnesses of spleen, liver, gall bladder, reduces hunger and thirst, and even the effect of poison. It adds physical strength. And is said to add beauty and attraction to the face of the practitioner.

About the author : Saraswathi Vasudevan is a yoga therapist trainer in the tradition of Sri T Krishnamacharya. She specialises in adapting yoga to the individual. (www.yogavahini.com).

Source: Life Positive