Sunday, October 31, 2010

Yoga in Hong Kong

Namaste friends! Daniel Fonseca and I Jeenal Mehta conducted Yoga sessions on 4th and 5th October 2010 at the Life Management Yoga Centre (which also follows the tradition of The Yoga Institute of Santacruz) by invitation of Smt. Sangeeta Ahuja, during our visit to Hong Kong . Members of the Indian community and Chinese residents of Hong Kong attended the classes.

I conducted a special Yoga class for senior citizens where I taught Asanas following the Yogendra Rhythm of breathing and Simplified Yogendra Pranayamas followed by Om chanting and Shavasana.

Daniel conducted an intermediate Yoga class where he focused on intermediate group of Asanas like the Surya Namaskar and other Yogendra Asanas followed by Pranayamas and Shavasana.



In the above mentioned sessions, significance was given to body, mind and breath equally. Nowadays more and more emphasis is given to the physical aspect of Yoga leaving out the mental aspect. By inculcating the mental aspect during the Asana class reaps maximum benefit. Daniel and I both feel that it is very important to pay attention on the Attitude Training (Bhavas) while performing the Asanas as taught by The Yoga Institute of Santacruz.
Keep up with our blog for latest updates on our various workshops and activities. We'll be conducting a few more workshops abroad in 2011. If you wish to organise or host our Yoga workshops in your country then please feel free to share your ideas with us on info@wiselivingyoga.com.
Much light, Namaste - Jeenal

Friday, October 29, 2010

Behind & Beyond - Asanas!

When it comes to asanas, the definition is very simple, Asana is a posture, of course, but which type of posture? It is a posture where you are steady and comfortable, happy, and peaceful. If you are uncomfortable, if you are unsteady in a posture, then that would not be labelled as an Asana. Any fast movements would not be recommended nor considered as asana. But the point is: if the body is stiff or sick any posture could be uncomfortable for that person. So for such conditions, we have a few derivatives out of the main asanas to help that person; to add more flexibility, to see that muscles are toned up in these and those areas and so on. So the person will do some of these very simple derivatives and understand their effect in different areas of our body.


Have you ever observed that your body is not in the same position all the time? Note that the body gets into a different state, in different situations. Which are those factors affecting your body's relaxed and peaceful state? Stress is the main factor, but stress happens in different conditions, like: if you're tired or if you have not slept well; if you don't work at all, then the body becomes quite stiff; mental agitation plays a very big role; if you are suffering from some health condition, it affects you; your diet directly affects the system; if you don't eat at regular intervals or eat junk food, your body situation is different. So, people should start observing these things to develop that awareness, which is the aim of every asana.


In fact the purpose of asana is to get you into that steadier state. Now, that is possible only if you watch yourself regularly throughout the day and find out what is the condition of your body. See to it that you don't overdo or do less of certain things. As far as possible, organize yourself to have a good state, to feel healthy and in a good condition. So this is like a homework, that you have to start observing yourself every time you do anything in life. Suppose you don't find time to do a particular asana in a particular way, you don't have to feel bad about it. It is the idea behind asanas that is to be carried out; to develop awareness, sensitivity of self, and to watch self. You still have to eat your food, sleep, walk and go to work. Well, at those times, if you could develop a little awareness as to how you sit, how you stand, how you breathe, if just a little awareness is manifest, then the purpose of asanas would be served. Asana is not something which is only physical culture. It needs your attention, it needs your emotion, and it needs your caring.


Well... so let's practice with awareness and right attitude !!
Namaskar !!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

What is Yoga really?

At WLYA, this is our approach to Yoga:

Yoga is intimately related to life and living. It is difficult to equate it with only one aspect of life – physical, intellectual, emotional, etc. though in Yoga all these areas are involved in different ways. In ancient times people experimented and arrived at certain modes of living, which they found more proper for leading one to a better life.


Thus, Yoga represents the way of life which endows perfect health in physical, mental, moral and spiritual levels. To achieve this great art and science of life, a comprehensive and practical system of self-culture has been formulated which brings harmonious development of one's body, mind and psychic potencies, that ultimately leads to physical well-being, mental harmony, moral elevation, self-confidence and habituation to spiritual consciousness.

The methodical study of scientific Yoga thus rightly begins with a disciplinary training of habits, actions, speech and thoughts in order to positively condition the mind followed with physical and postural training and rhythmic breathing to bring flexibility and muscular strength to the body. Then follows respiratory and nervous control that enables an individual to regulate his or her biological living by conservation and control of the bio-energy (prana). With this a higher level of immunity is achieved.

After physiological training comes the psychosomatic training with a view to controlling the external and internal senses which affect the equanimity and peace of mind. This is achieved through a series of graded physiopsychic efforts by relaxation, centralization, visualization, dissociation, introversion and meditation.


Through autosuggestion and contemplation on the negative and positive virtues a man can cultivate a universal outlook in his practical way of life rising above all the inhibitions and environmental influences common to human nature. Progressively the purity of the human nature and healthy mindedness is achieved through good physical health and control of the senses. It also includes methods of applied psychology, psychoanalysis, parapsychology, mental hygiene and therapeutics and psychic enfoldments with a view to ultimately awaken the human energy potential.

This is how they have practices of sitting in 28 ways, standing, bending, stretching, breathing, concentrating, quietening the mind and so forth. What unfortunately is treated as Yoga today is just some external aspects of Yoga, forgetting the attitude that goes with it.

Source: Text notes and book Yoga Sutras published by The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai - India.

More about WLYA

Wise Living Yoga Academy is an educational body affiliated to The Yoga Institute of Santacruz, Mumbai – India, the world's oldest organized Yoga institution, which imparts Yoga Education and Lifestyle Principles of Classical Yoga, following the lineage of the late Shri Yogendraji – father of Modern Yoga Renaissance – direct disciple of Guru Pujya Paramahamsa Madhavdasji.

Our services comprehend of:

- Yoga Teacher Training Course (TTC) 240 Hours International Certification Program

Please visit the following website for complete information on our next Yoga TTC happening in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from 4th June to 2nd July 2011:



We also provide:
- Yoga Training & Counseling - Personal/Individual/Small Group
- Yoga for Organizations - Yoga Sessions, Seminars & Wellness Workshops

Classes, Workshops & Courses include:
•Conditioning & Meditative Practices
•Abstraction & Concentration Practices
•Respiratory Practices for Bio-energy Control
•Postures for Flexibility
•Yoga Physical Hygiene
•Yoga Mental Hygiene
•Relaxation Practices
•Yoga Meditation

 
For more information please contact us on:

Phone: (+91) 9821 231306 / 9821 505029 or Email: info@wiselivingyoga.com

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Greetings !!!

Namaste every one,

We are very happy to launch the new blog of Wise Living Yoga Academy. This space is for everyone interested in Yoga and in Self-development. Here you'll be able to track our activities, see pictures from our last yoga camps and be attuned with our new projects. Of course you still can check out our website time to time and see what is new over there too :-)

Please keep in touch and always leave your comments.
Yours in Yoga,



Daniel & Jeena
Wise Living Yoga Academy - Co-Founders