What do I need to bring?
Wear comfortable clothing that you can move in. If you own a yoga mat you can bring that or rent a mat from us for $1.
What does “yoga” mean?
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning “to yoke” or “to unite”. We practice yoga to unite the body, breath, mind, and heart. We can also see it as tying the strands of the mind together to create an intention. The Yoga Sutras say, “Yoga is the ability to direct the mind without distraction or interruption.” Another interpretation is that yoga means to be in harmony with a higher power, the universe, or your highest self.
Why do we “om” at the beginning of our practice?
Om is a sacred syllable in many religions, but you need not belong to any of those religions to chant it. Also spelled aum, is made up of three sounds, “A, U, M,” which represent the following triads:
- earth, atmosphere, and heaven
- birth, life, and death
- creation, preservation, transformation
- body, mind, and spirit
It is also referred to as, “The sound from which all other sounds arise,” or “The sound of the universe.” By chanting we lengthen the breath cycles, and set the stage for long, deep breaths throughout the practice. Chanting also creates a resonance in the body and in the room. It’s a way of coming together at the beginning of our practice.
What about mantras?
Chanting is sometimes referred to as the “yoga of sound—words and music that vibrate at the highest level of awareness.” Chanting in sanskrit helps some practitioners feel peaceful, calm, and centered. Others find that a simple period of silence is more effective for finding their center. Some teachers open with chants and others do not. You are welcome to join the call and response format or you can simply sit and listen if you are uncomfortable chanting for any reason. Even if you have no idea what the Sanskrit means, it can be beautiful to listen to or to sing. Don’t be afraid to ask a teacher after class what a particular mantra means.
Sitting meditation: Why is this so hard?
Our culture doesn’t prepare us for sitting on the floor past a certain age. Over time, our hips tighten up which effects the knees and the spine, making it hard to sit comfortably on the floor. At the beginning or end of class, you will most likely sit for 5 to 10 minutes. That doesn’t sound like long, but you want to get comfortable. How? Use props! You can sit on blankets or blocks or prop your knees if you need to.
Then focus on your breath to still your mind and settle into your seat without feeling static or rigid. When you experience discomfort imagine your breath traveling through your body to gently stretch and soften muscles that instinctively want to harden as they hold you upright.
Why is there so much emphasis on breathing?
Breath is often referred to as the bridge between the body and the mind. By observing the breath, we can cultivate awareness. Cultivating awareness helps us live in the present moment. Being aware in the present moment helps to bring about clarity. Clarity helps us make choices that enrich our lives.
Physiologically, when we lengthen the breath-cycle (the inhalation and exhalation make up a breath-cycle,) we soothe the nervous system. Long, deep, smooth breathing gets our sympathetic nervous system to relax. This is the part of the nervous system that is responsible for our “fight or flight” response, which due to the amount of stimuli around us in our modern lives, is always partially activated. Focusing on the breath in yoga encourages our parasympathetic nervous system to kick in. This is the part of the nervous system that is responsible for our “rest and digest” functions, which help to restore the body to a healthy state.
Breath is shape-change in the body. Inhaling creates more space in certain areas of the body. Exhaling decreases this space. This can be useful for the asana practice, or physical practice. For example, backbends are initiated on the inhalation to expand the chest and to create fullness in the back to support the bending action in the spine. Twists are initiated on the exhalation as we need to decrease volume in our mid-section as we gently wring ourselves out.
Unless told otherwise, breathe through your nose. In through the nose; out through the nose.
Why can I hear the person next to me breathing?
We often practice ujjayi breathing throughout most of class, which is when we narrow the glottis and make a little valve for the air to pass through. This helps to lengthen the breath. It also gives the breath texture and sound, which help us stay aware of our breathing. Some refer to ujjayi as “ocean-like breathing” as the whole class collectively sounds like the ocean from a distance. Some people with big lung-capacity can sound like Darth Vader.
What is Pranayama?
Ujjayi is one type of pranayama, or breathing technique. Unlike ujjayi, which is done for most of class, other types of pranayama are done for a few minutes. Some are heating, some are cooling, some are stimulating, some are calming, some are very vigorous, and some are very gentle. We use them to bring the body into balance.
What does Asana mean…I thought this was yoga?
Asana is the physical practice of yoga. An asana is a pose. Asana and yoga are often used interchangeably in the U.S. but asana is just one of the 8 limbs of yoga.
You will notice that the Sanskrit names for poses all end in –asana.
E.g. triangle pose is called trikonasana, and can be broken down as:
tri – three
kon – angle
asana – pose
What are The Eight Limbs of Yoga? (referenced above)
1. Yama The first limb, yama, deals with one’s ethical standards and sense of integrity, focusing on our behavior and how we conduct ourselves in life. The five yamas are:
Ahimsa- nonviolence
Satya- truthfulness
Asteya- Non-stealing
Brahmacharya- non-lust or self control
Aparigraha- non-possessiveness
2. Niyama, the second limb, has to do with self-discipline and spiritual observances. The five niyamas are:
Saucha- cleanliness
Santosha- contentment
Tapas- austerity or discipline
Svadhyaya- self study
Isvara pranidhana- surrender or letting go
3. Asana- physical postures
4. Pranayama- Control of breath
5. Pratyahara- Withdrawal of senses or inward focus
6. Dharana- Concentration
7. Dhyana- Meditation
8. Samadhi- Enlightenment
How is yoga different from working out?
In competitive sports and most workout regiments, we push our bodies to our limit without much compassion for ourselves. Our goal in yoga is to transform the running commentary in our heads about how we’re not strong enough or flexible enough or wearing the right pants into one focused on acceptance of who we are by cultivating a steady, smooth, full breath. If you are beating yourself up (mentally or physically) you are not practicing yoga. While we are all human and will continue to struggle we have to make a personal commitment to meet our physical and mental challenges, to explore them, and to transcend them. What we learn about ourselves in this process helps us live our yoga off the mat.
Throughout class, accept where you are and work toward cultivating contentment. Be mindful and do your best. That is your offering. Let it delight you that you are committed to cultivating awareness and doing your best rather than trying to emulate what the person next to you is doing. Remember that there is a big difference between being self-aware and self-critical. Notice if you are judging yourself, acknowledge it, be thankful for this awareness, let the judgment go, and return to focus on your breath.
Here are two guiding principles to think about in your practice: sukha and sthira
-Sukha means lightness, ease, comfort
-Sthira means steadiness and alertness
Finding both of these qualities in the pose are key to finding balance and benefit from your practice.
What is Vinyasa yoga?
Vinyasa is a type of hatha yoga that flows from pose to pose with the breath. It is a moving meditation. It is often vigorous, but it can also be a gentler “slow flow.”
Why do we lay down at the end of class?
No yoga class is complete without savasana (translated as “corpse pose”). This is a time in class to practice the ultimate surrender and allowing your body to assimilate all the wonderful benefits of your practice. This is not a “yoga nap.” Nor is it time to lie there planning your next meeting or analyzing a past conversation with your significant other. It is time to rest the body and the mind. You are awake, but the body and mind are passive. You can let go of ujjayi or any other way of manipulating the breath, and just allow your breathing to become as involuntary as your heart-beat. Give yourself this gift of non-doing for several minutes—it’s incredibly refreshing… even more so than a nap!
What does namaste mean?
Namaste is a recognition of oneness. Some translate it as, “I bow to the light in you, that is the same light in me.”
