Look
to this day,
For
it is Life,
The
very life of life.
In
its brief course lie all
The
realities and verities of existence,
The
bliss of growth,
The
splendour of action,
The
glory of power-
For
yesterday is but a dream
And
tomorrow is only a vision,
But
today, well lived,
Makes
every yesterday a dream of happiness
And
every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look
well, therefore, to this day.
(Sanskrit
poem - attributed to Kalidasa)
Yoga
- an experience unique to you.
(by
Lynda Hills)
Use
yours senses to tune into your body. Feel the floor - align with gravity;
internalize
your gaze, smell the aromas around your - invite the sweet
breath
in; hear the sound of your breath - tune into the sound of the
wave-like
breath. Relax your muscles - relax effort. Follow the exhalation
and
find stability in the surrender of stress. Accept the guidance of the
deep
exhalation and observe and enjoy the elongation of the spine that
results.
Acknowledge inner strength within the poses, as you gravitate let
go
of tension that frees restriction and liberates movement - move the body
and
you move the mind with the breath, linking both - bringing about
balance,
harmony and integration from fragmentation. The body is attuned
with
the universe - for all is one. Enjoy this oneness - this connection of
self
- beyond movement lies stillness where illusion and fear have no place
to
hide and where acceptance and love are nurtured….
Back to top
Confused
about what Type of Yoga To Do?
(by
Sophie Alexander)
My
husband always says I would be very rich if all the people who profess
a
burning
desire to do yoga actually materialised in classes. He also says it is
far
more socially acceptable to discuss Yoga than religion. "What type of
yoga
do you do?" Is a FAQ.
If
you want designer labels you can answer that easily. And like designers,
yoga
labels vie to be in fashion.
You
have probably heard the term "hatha" yoga bandied about; hatha is the
most
commonly practised form of yoga in the West. It s meaning, origin and
purpose
are widely misunderstood. The term is frequently used to denote a
separate
type of yoga to Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Viniyoga etc. In fact they
are
all very much hatha yoga. I was sent a list of yoga classes I might like
to
choose from the other day (rather worryingly by an organisation you
intends
to specialise in supplying yoga instructors) listing the options as
follows:-
Ashtanga
Iyengar
Sivananda
Hatha
Well
what are the first three if not hatha? Since its origins in the Indus
Valley
yoga has been practised for thousands of years. The terms "Iyengar,
Ashtanga,
Sivananda" etc have been coined within the last 60 years - they
are
the designer labels. I wonder if any of these terms will survive several
millennia?
Hatha
yoga is commonly understood to be a type of yoga that just
concentrates
exclusively on the postures - asanas - thus appearing a kind
of
physical culture. This is also a major misrepresentation and it is clear
in
the
original texts that it was never intended to be such a limited science.
The
asanas are important to bring health and vitality to the body but they
are
not intended as an end in themselves. The ultimate concern of yoga is
mastery
of the mind (raja yoga). There are actually 6 disciplines - often
referred
to as the 'limbs' in hatha yoga. There are 8 in raja yoga and asanas
are
just one amongst these.
Hatha
is translated variously as 'force', 'effort', 'balance of sun and moon
energies',
in other words a process of integration and harmonisation leading
to
self-realisation. The other 8 observances incorporate codes of conduct,
breath
control and stages of concentration and meditation.
It
leads me to the conclusion that there are not really different types of
yoga
but there are different methods. Find a teacher who is most
appropriate
for you. Pranayama - the art and science of breath control - is
the
essence of yoga. Yoga postures without instruction and emphasis on
how
you breathe is only an exercise class by some other name. If you want
to
do yoga seek out the real thing.
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