Yoga

Kripalu Yoga

Yoga is an ancient method of self-development. Although the
early development of yoga remains a mystery, most agree that
it originated over 5000 years ago in northern India. The word
‘yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word that means ‘to yoke’ or
‘to unite’. Some scholars define yoga as a path for uniting with
God, or universal energy. Since we all have unique approached
to life, I prefer that my yoga students discover the meaning of
‘yoga’ for themselves. Today, people practice yoga with
different intentions. Some use it as exercise: to stretch and
tone the physical body. Others use it to reduce stress in their
lives and others to improve their breathing. For me, the
physical aspects of yoga comprise a science for aligning the
body, mind, and spirit so that I can feel whole. Eliminating
internal conflicts, yoga helps me to flow with life happily.

It should be clear that yoga is not simply a physical practice.
Yoga is a practical philosophy for healthy and moral living,
including techniques for stilling the perturbations of the mind.
Ultimately, yoga is a path intended to free the practitioner of
suffering: spiritual absorption, enlightenment, or realizing the
‘True Self’. According to the yogic scriptures, the ‘True Self’ is
pure divine bliss. Although this final goal of yoga may seem
lofty and difficult to attain, its benefits can be enjoyed from
the first step along the path. And although yoga improves the
quality and depth of life, the path can be a challenging one.
This is largely because all of one’s resistances and negativity
must be encountered, embraced, and released.

Being in Life as you are in a Posture

While holding a yoga posture, I encourage my students to
become increasingly more aware of the sensations in their
bodies, the thoughts in their minds, and the emotions that
they experience. As time passes and as awareness of the body
develops, thoughts of resistance usually arise. Many students
tend to think, for example, “This is hard, I don’t like this, I
want to get out of this posture, I hate this, etc.” If the body is
not in danger of physical harm, then what remains is the
psychological resistance to certain sensations, sustained effort,
or perhaps disappointment with the body’s limitations. The
simple act of noticing these reactions allows for a more
objective view of reality. That is, by observing the internal
process of resistance without identifying with it, the
practitioner can detach him or herself from unhelpfully habitual
reactions to adversity. Therefore, when a student can stay
calm while sustaining a challenging posture, she or he can do
so better when challenges arise in life.

One of the only verses describing yoga postures in Patanjali’s
Yoga Sutras, an ancient scripture on yoga, goes, “Sthira sukha
asanam,” which means, “The posture is steady and comfortable
(or happy).”

Kripalu Yoga

I am trained as a yoga instructor in the Kripalu tradition.
Although it was developed in modern times, Kripalu Yoga is a
synthesis of traditional approaches. During the late 1970s the
teachings were brought from the Northwest Indian state of
Gujarat by the main disciple of Swami Kripalu to an ashram in
Pennsylvania, which has since moved and evolved into the
Kriaplu Center for Yoga Health in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Kripalu Yoga focuses on developing objective and
compassionate awareness of the self by using various time-
honored yogic techniques, such as asana (postures),
pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation. The Hatha
yoga aspect, its style of physical practices, emphasizes proper
alignment, coordination or movement with breath, present-
moment awareness, and getting in tough with the flow of
prana, or life-force/energy, within the practitioner. The aim is
to align the body, mind, and spirit in an integrative way such
that the student can continue to practice compassionate
awareness even off the yoga mat, bringing improved balance
and happiness to daily life. Kripalu yoga can be practiced by
anyone, from the disabled to beginning students to more
advanced practitioners. Improving physical fitness and
flexibility, reducing stress, and elevating mood are just some of
the fruits of this wonderful practice.

Resources:
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health: http://www.kripalu.org

Yoga