Yoga

By Jane Bennett (YTAA)

Yoga is a practice and philosophy for life. People are attracted to yoga for a variety of benefits but the word itself means union or connection. These ancient teachings promote better physical and mental health, as well as enabling a deeper connection with self, others and universal consciousness.
Union or wholeness happens at one level within the self, connecting mind, body and spirit through the practices of asana (posture) and pranayama (breath), practices which are transformative and powerful. In becoming a student of yoga, you are taking on a responsibility to yourself and others to practice the teachings of yoga with ahimsa (non-violence).  

It is not unusual to suffer aches and pains, or experience injuries as a result of learning to practice yoga. This is a way of your body ‘talking’ to your mind, developing self-awareness.

Illness, traumas and accidents may also occur in your life, seeming to impede your ‘progress’ with the asanas. These events provide a change of perspective for your learning and are challenges that ultimately will enrich your practice, especially allowing a greater exploration of ahimsa, as you heal and recover strength. Acceptance and compassion grow at these times, even if the ego is bruised and muscle power doesn’t!

How you respond or react to these situations reflects what you are learning about your relationship with yourself and the world around you. Be mindful of any desire to resist, resent or blame (yourself or others), which can sometimes be valid and informative steps on your road to recovery, but can also distract and delay you from deeper understanding and healing

The most knowledgeable teacher is, ultimately, your own body. However as a learner, you will be testing unfamiliar boundaries and the journey of learning to listen to the wisdom within is not always easy. This is where classes with an experienced teacher will guide you safely on your journey, based on the wisdom and experiences of others. Remember that, just as you observe sensation during class in various postures, you also have the opportunity to continue this observation and learning outside the classes, by listening to your body and emotions in the days after a session. This is how gurus (teachers) develop wisdom, through practicing mindfulness.

Through the practice of yoga, you will build awareness and confidence in your own body and what it has to teach you, however difficult the path may be! Teachers at Manly Vale enjoy sharing our commitment and passion with you and are here to provide tools and knowledge that will guide and enable you to experience a safe and wonderful journey.

Om Shanti!

Seek Peace and Contentment

A few tips for safe yoga…

• Remember that you are the only person in the room experiencing what you are experiencing.
• Learn to distinguish between pain and intense sensation or effort. 
• If you are experiencing pain, this could indicate that you are causing damage: adjust or, if necessary, come out of the pose. (Note: this is a delicate boundary when you rehabilitating injuries, as some pain will be inevitable when restoring form and function to damaged tissues).
• If you choose to come out of a pose before others, do so mindfully. Observing why you want to come out and seeking to adjust or modify the pose are often alternatives.
• Not all poses are ‘achieved’ through effort: surrender and release are also necessary to allow the spirit of the pose to blossom.
• Keep breathing! Breath-holding is a specialised art appropriate to advanced postures and bandhas but otherwise can create strain and lead to injuries.
• Learn to observe and release tension in muscles that are non-essential to the pose, such as the face and neck.
• Resist comparing your achievements with others in the class. If you find a pose challenging, that is something to savour! Someone who finds the same pose ‘easy’ may have a greater mental challenge in finding the boundaries to explore.
• Learn to observe the roles of ego, desire and aversion in your practice.
• Remember that classes are an opportunity to explore the resources you need to build your own home practice and skills as a yoga practitioner.
• Props are used to enable deeper and safer exploration of certain poses. You need to learn which props are appropriate to you and for which poses. Sometimes, however, you will be asked to use a prop you don’t feel is ‘necessary’. Or perhaps, not to use a prop that you have come to rely on. Try and stay open to what the teacher is offering and participate with humility. You may experience something new!