A Place of Healing

A place of healing inside and out

Regardless of students backgrounds, cultures, ethnicity or age, feelings of great life transformation and changes are always reported during the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training. From improvements in ones weight, skin, hair and nails to experiencing less muscular pain, stress and anxiety, an overall feeling of well being is often noticed during ones stay at the Ashram. Whether students have come in hope of healing various conditions or whether they feel physically, mentally and emotionally strong, the yogic lifestyle at Wise Living Yoga brings about changes that often cure these ailments and leave students feeling amazed and extremely happy with the many wonderful improvements that have naturally taken place. 

The holistic yoga approach at the Ashram ensures that every aspect of ones daily life is managed in order to bring about balance. This balance is cultivated and nutured by focusing on living a moral lifestyle and purifying ones mind to ensure that our daily activities, interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships are carried out with positive feelings and intentions. Traditional or Classical yoga emphasises the importance of a holistic yoga lifestyle, therefore following a vegan diet, performing systematic postures (Asanas), learning breathing (Pranayamas) and purification (Kriyas) techniques, repeating Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and doing daily meditation all contribute towards a healthy and happy well being.

The Vegan Diet

At the Ashram, an all vegan diet is followed with fresh, organic produce, much of which is grown on and around the Ashram itself. There is strictly no sugar added to the food or as an optional condiment on the serving or dining table. Much care is taken to cook and prepare the food with very little oil, the taste however is by no means jeopardized as various spices and fresh herbs are perfectly blended with each dish to compliment the delicious flavors. Each meal is wisely planned to ensure that a correct balance in protein, carbohydrates, fats and fiber is lovingly served to each student. Although some students may have certain allergies, this vegan diet with its delicious Thai and Indian influence is not only suitable for all students but also aids in overcoming these various allergies and food sensitivities.

The spices and herbs themselves have many medicinal healing properties, which often helps in those suffering from inflammation, skin problems, cardiovascular diseases, poor blood circulation as well as mental issues such as concentration, anxiety, Insomnia and stress. The balanced meals are organic, high in fiber and water concentration, which helps many students overcome constipation. This experience can easily be identified as one of the most important and beneficial as it naturally detoxifies the body and mind, leaving the individual feeling light, more energetic and an overall improvement in bodily functions, aches and pains.

                     

The low oil and salt content along with a diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals supports a steady weight. It prevents weight gain as it reduces water retention and naturally the food contains healthy calories. The vegan diet aids in vital organs being able to function at their optimal level as blood is purified and supplies these organs, muscles and nervous system with fresh oxygenated blood. Students often notice their nails and hair becoming shinier and healthier as well as various skin ailments clearing up. Students sometimes however experience a skin breakout due to the elimination of toxins through the skin but this often clears up once the toxins are expelled.

Students who arrive with addictions to sugar and coffee are quickly able to readjust to the herbal tea and sugarless diet. Within a couple of days, their cravings have disappeared and positive changes such as concentration, anxiety, sleep, energy levels as well as inflammation and acidity have all improved. The stimulating effects of these products, caffeine and sugar, interfere with the natural balance of the body and mind, therefore providing healthy alternatives such as herbal teas and natural fructose, the natural energy and functioning of ones being is restored.

 Pranayamas and Kriyas

The breathing exercises, of which there are nine, assist in the expansion of the lungs and opening up of the chest cavity allowing more room for organs in this region to function at their best. Larger lung capacity allows more oxygen to be absorbed into the blood stream, purifying and carrying fresh blood to the brain, central nervous system, organs and muscles while Carbon Dioxide is better eliminated from the body along with toxins that have found their way into ones blood stream.

Pranayamas directly influence ones bio- energy and helps to evenly distribute blocked/ built up energy throughout the body. These essential breathing techniques calm the mind allowing for awareness, concentration and clarity to mature. They have been wonderful in facilitating my sleeping disorder and anxiety to the extent that I no longer need to rely on medication.

The purification techniques (Kriya) aid in clearing the nasal passages and any excess mucus around the face and throat. Students who suffer from congestion or infections in these areas experience far more ease in their breathing and less toxicities, which contribute to various diseases in the respiratory organs. Another benefit of Kriya. Jalaneti in particular, is a ‘clear head’ feeling where students are amazed at how light and clear their forehead region feels. This is due to the saline water solution, once been sucked through the nostril, stimulating the nerve endings ‘awakening’ this area, which doesn’t receive much stimulation. After clearing the nostrils with this solution, various massaging techniques on the face and neck are performed to further stimulate these areas and loosen any remaining mucus.   

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

Patanjali was a sage who existed between 800- 200 BC. He constructed these Sutras (sentences) in order to make Yoga available to not only the advanced practitioner but to the beginner and medium practitioners as well. Each Sutra holds a wealth of knowledge which is easily applied to ones every day life in order to excel instilling the spirit of excellence in the individuals in his yoga practice to live a moral life whilst performing ones duties with a balanced and pure state of mind. These sentences are written and chanted in Sanskrit, they give precise guidelines on how one can live a yogic lifestyle and achieve the ultimate truth.

With this holistic approach at nurturing ones entire being, a peaceful, fulfilling and meaningful life can systematically be pursued and enjoyed. The passion in which Jeenal and Daniel impart this sacred knowledge and the loving environment in which these teachings take place, provide a naturally healing abode for each student to experience this life changing spiritual journey.

Namaste.
Katie Assad (Former student)

Yoga Relaxation in Everyday Life

Imagine yourself in a peaceful Ashram environment— deepening your yoga practice day by day, surrounded by positive energy and beauty, eating three delicious, organic meals a day, and finding balance within yourself.  Feel your mind and body start to relax.  Relaxation helps release tension in the muscular and nervous systems, quieten the mind, and increase concentration.  Many of our problems stem from our inability to relax fully.  People typically wait until vacations and weekends to try to relax.  But what about in our day-to-day lives?  How do we relax in a highly stressful and emotionally charged world?

There are various forms of relaxation techniques in yoga, many of which are simple yet incredibly powerful.  Visualization, as you sampled at the start of this post, is one of them and can be very effective.  In the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course in Thailand at the Wise Living Yoga Academy, students learn to lead relaxation yoga sessions.

Nishpandabhava

During the relaxation session, students perform a sequence of asanas.  The main ones are Nishpandabhava (No Movement Feeling), Dradhasana (Firm Pose), and Shavasana (Corpse Pose).  In Nishpandabhava, students recline against a wall with feet comfortably apart and hands loose on their thighs.  They then direct their attention to sounds around them but without any reaction or judgment.  They remain passive and motionless, thereby promoting introspection and countering anxiety and the need to control their surroundings.

In Dradhasana, students lie on one side using the arm on the same side as a pillow and draping the other arm on top of their bodies.  When done on the right hand side, this pose aids the natural flow of the digestive process and is especially great after a meal.  Students relax in this pose before rolling over onto their backs for Shavasana.  The leader guides them to focus on different parts of the body, starting with the toes and moving up to the crown of the head: “Give awareness to your toes, and relax them” and so on.

A 200-hour YTT student guiding others in Shavasana

Asanas for relaxation help practitioners let go physically, mentally, and emotionally.  They become aware of body parts that may be neglected or hold too much tension throughout the day and then consciously relax them.  Practitioners are encouraged to practice relaxation at home or even in workplaces, and start to notice positive changes in their energy levels and mood.

Stay tune for more information on Yoga philosophy and practices! Namaste!
WLYA Team

Yoga Education - Part 2

How does one select the right type of Asanas?

The Yogi borrowed heavily from Nature because of his proximity to forests, mountains and caves. However he was judicious in his selection. He preferred to learn from the relaxed crocodile rather than from the rabbit or the inquisitive dog (although these postures are there in Yoga nowadays). He imitated certain birds, animals and natural objects. The selection of  postures (Asanas) was based on an overall approach to the physical, mental and moral well-being of an individual.

Methods

The Asana practices were carried on for a longer duration. This provided a chance for prolonged mental participation, synchronization and direction. Thinking precedes action and unless the mind is well under control, merely developing the body may later weaken it. The Yogis therefore took into account the psychological aspect of our personalities. The well-known physiologist Matveyev said: “The Yogis demonstrate pronounced endeavour to consciously direct the activity of certain organs, even of certain glands and internal secretions and maintain that they scored along the line.”

Right and Wrong Directions

Talasana or Palm Tree Pose
(focus on the synchronization of
breath and movement)

With the practice of the third step, the Asanas, we overcome unsteadiness, inertia and other impurities. We might even perfect the steadfastness (Siddhi) that involves the mind even further (Samapatti) but this is an exception. We must not aim at too many things at the start.  In fact, each step of the Eight-fold Path (Ashtanga) has only a certain strength to impart.

All that we should concern ourselves with, during the Asana practice, is imparting a wider meaning to our activity. The act of breathing is a good aid in holding our attention. Also directing our mind to different parts of the body. Synchronization of breathing with movements of the body during the practice of Asana in a fixed measure was introduced by Shri Yogendraji in 1917 and is now popular among many Yoga teachers and schools.

There is, in fact, much to learn from Asanas.  However, a practitioner must possess:

(i) a strong commitment,

(ii) a disciplined mind,

(iii) introversion and tranquility when one begins the Asana practice, and

(iv) synchronization of breathing.

If one has achieved the above conditions, one will succeed in uplifting one’s thoughts to a higher level of consciousness.

Steadiness

We have just discussed that steadiness is vital to the performance of an Asana. How do we achieve this steadiness? Secure the feet correctly, sit upright, have a good base (Sthirata), avoid hurry, agitation and speed. Cultivate solemnity, commitment, decisiveness, etc. To remain for a certain length of time without agitation is in itself an achievement.

The next step is the achievement of relaxation while carrying out conscious movements. You will ultimately reach a state of profundity or the so called “let go” sensation. Full composure and control is necessary. One must not collapse into a final position. One must consciously seek out areas of relaxation – some sensitive zones in the body.

Matsyasana or Fish Pose
(focus on relaxation through awareness of
the movements of the abdomen while breathing)

Relaxation

The state of relaxation is very valuable in therapy. Coordinated breathing aids in bringing the mind to this state. Otherwise, the chances are that the mind strays away from the Asana into other areas. You must lead your mind to areas such as the abdomen in Matsyasana (Fish Pose) and create the sensation of “let go”, or the chest in Talasana (Palm Tree Pose). This directing of attention and concentration on breathing will achieve a good deal of relaxation. These poses are many other Yogic techniques are very well examined during our Yoga Certification Course in Thailand.

When one works systematically one experiences a change in one’s thoughts, behavior, action etc. Usually these conditions come in a flash and are lost. There are usually so many external distractions and constraints that restrain a person from achieving relaxation.  In Yogic Asanas you are with yourself and can perfect these attitudes by self-training. In the end you can achieve a perennial state of stability (Ananta Samapatti). 

The postures you do every day need not be very difficult, but your attitude while doing the postures must be sustained. You should thus understand the deeper significance of the Yoga postural training: steadiness (Sthira) and contemplation on fixity (Anantasamapattibhyam).

Photos: taken on location - The Yoga Institute of Santacruz, India. Daniel Fonseca performs two simple, but effective, postures advocated by Shri Yogendraji for a daily course of Yoga postural training.

Source:

Excerpts of the book Yoga and Total Health in Schools - published by The Yoga Institute of Santacruz.

Yoga Teacher Training in Brazil/Brasil

Dear Yoga friends,

It is the 20th day of our Yoga Teacher Training Course, here in the lush green mountains of Brazil/Brasil. And everyday is a long day filled with mental and physical yoga techniques. The students are going through a deep transformation at all the levels of their personality. It is a profound experience, living here up on the mountains, meditating and practicing, listening to philosophy and eating a healthy diet. It is a wonderful challenge, to bring a powerful and long lasting change. And it is in process :-)

From left to right: Jeenal, Cindy, Alice, Maria, Karine, Mariana, Damian & Daniel
Sitting: Luciana, Marli and Ana

All the participants have finished with their Yoga lesson plans and presentations. They have also experienced taking a 20 mins yogic relaxation class. Yesterday, Damian was the last but not the least to conduct his class on relaxation techniques. His words flowed like a soothing river, with so much serenity, with many colors and emotions, and everyone felt at ease. When a students find solace and satisfaction in sharing their deep expressions of the very essence of their being, I feel so much at peace and my trust and love in spreading this higher education of life grows even more. I felt gratitude, and I asked him "Do you feel content?"

It is a nice feeling, of peace, of kindness, when we know that we can be of help to someone. When we can make others smile, when we can uplift someones life. And this is YOGA!

Damian concluded the class with a sweet poem on Yoga, which I would like to share here:

Blossoming -

by Janet Arnold-Grych from The Poetry of Yoga Volume 2 (page 41)

In the beginning,

With each unraveling of the mat,

We are anxious to add to our garden,

To gather the beautiful buds,

And coax each asana to open quickly.

Feet in the dirt we stand,

Sometimes for the first time,

Connecting earth to muscle and muscle to sky,

The energy of an immense lineage

Pulsing with promise.

But as the poses settle,

As we settle,

We find that yoga’s true gift is not about more

But less.

The outline of the poses remain the same.

Yet when the space between is fed,

When ease replaces expectation,

When patience replaces petals,

We find that the asanas are no longer

About holding on,

But letting go.

And in that release,

Without judgment or force to impede,

Breath floods in,

Releasing the mind and freeing the heart.

Through yoga,

We find

That core of serene nothingness,

And learn that in letting go,

We gain everything.

What a beautiful poem, indeed! Isn't it?

We wish all our students the very best for their Yoga exam which is coming soon. But life itself is a test, and our best wishes will always remain with them. All our students are so special for us. Thank you so much everyone of you!

Namaste! OM Shanti!
Jeenal