This is the yoga page

Please come back here often to learn more about this life-changing practise!

YOGA IS a subtle physical and mental discipline consisting of postures that demand and develop strength, stamina and suppleness. It helps you to develop awareness and control of your body. At a more refined level, yoga practice helps to develop control over mental and emotional states. Most people taking up yoga do so in order to strengthen their bodies or to find a means of relaxing. Many find relief through yoga for backache, stiff joints or tension.

YOUR BODY usually only achieves a very limited range of motion in everyday activity. This results in a loss of mobility - if you do not use the flexibility in your muscles and joints you will lose that flexibility. Yoga stretches and exercises the body to its full potential, naturally promoting the range of motion and developing muscle strength.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS often have physical symptoms. Yoga works on both levels dealing simultaneously with stiffness, aches and pains and tension. Yoga techniques for relaxation and stress release have become essential components used extensively in stress management programmes.

BREATHING AND RELAXATION: Yoga develops the chest and capacity of the lungs, promoting easier breathing. This can help to alleviate conditions such as asthma. Enhanced control of the muscles and breathing is a preliminary to deeper relaxation. Different postures and breathing techniques induce different moods - some are calming, others are enlivening, all are refreshing. This can alleviate insomnia, anxiety, depression and fatigue.

YOGA AND SPORT: Yoga is a great way to get fit, and useful if you are active in sport. You can incorporate yoga postures into stretching and warm up routines to counteract muscle shortening and consequent stiffness caused by running, football, cycling, motor-bike riding, or weight training.

The Sanskrit word "Yug", meaning to join or unite,
is the root or base of the word Yoga.
Hatha Yoga (Ha=Sun, Tha=Moon) represents polarities or the Yin/Yang principle.
In healthy organisms, these two forces are balanced.
All disorders, physical and mental, are caused by an imbalance of these two forces of the body.
Raja Yoga, the "Royal Path", as taught by my guru, Swami Vishnu Devananda and his guru, Swami Sivananada,
deals with other forces of the body, all of which this web site will share with you.
Periodically the two systems, Hatha and Raja Yoga, compliment each other
The former pertaining to the physical body and mind;
The latter to the higher mind and other forces we could call the subtle body and the spirit.

Swami Vishnu Devananda taught that
the body, mind, and spirit are inseperable and work best through practicing five principles.

These principles are: Proper Rest and Relaxation Proper Breathing Proper Excercise Proper Diet and Nutrition Positive thinking and meditation

Proper Breathing Technique:

Practice this breathing...
Gently push your abdomen out as you inhale through your nose.
Pull it gently in as you exhale through your nose.
Let your inhalation and exhalation be even.
You may want to count as you
inhale 1- 2- 3- and as you exhale 1- 2- 3.
Try to slow down and deepen the rate of breathing,
Perhaps allowing a pause after you inhale and after you exhale.
Practice this with corpse pose for 10-20 minutes daily,
ideally after you have exercised.

Proper rest and relaxation
SAVASANA
(CORPSE POSE)

Find a quiet place on the ground or floor,
Lie on your back. You may benefit by using Yoga aids, such as a Yogi pillow under your head/neck and under the knees to support the cervical and sacral/lumbar curves in the spine.
You may want to put an eye pillow over your eyes.
You may find a yoga sticky mat very helpful for your practice,
but you don't really need anything except a quiet space.
Separate, your legs with your feet falling to the sides.
Separate your arms from the sides of your body.
Pull your shoulders down from your ears and rotate them to allow the palms of the hands to turn upwards.
Let your fingers be lightly curled in; your hands like empty gloves, nothing in them.
You may want to have each hand with two fingers touching, called "Mudra" in sanskrit.
Close your eyes and bring awareness to your breathing.

Proper exercize:

In yoga exersize, called "Asanas", which means posture or position,
you regularly put your body in one place and stay there
with relaxed, rythmic breathing, for as long as you comfortably can.
These postures have evolved over centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve, and gland in the body
From the original 84,000 Asanas about 84 are well-known today
They secure a strong and supple body, reducing risks of disease and bring discipline.
Now we'll practice stretching, so take a break from your computer and then lie down in a corpse pose, after you strech.
Begin by gently allowing your head to roll toward the left shoulder, then backwards,
then to the right shoulder, then down to the chest and repeat three times.
Keep the shoulders motionless
Reverse directions three times.

Positive Thinking and Meditation

Although Yoga begins with the body, it ends by trancending it.
Meditation is a process of focusing the mind on one point,
stilling the mind by stopping the waves of thought.
By repeatedly bringing your attention back to the object of concentration,
you will discover the wisdom, peace, and joy that actually is within.
This begins with concentration, the 6th limb of Yoga, called "Dharana",
and leads to "Dhyana" meditation, in which the mind,
through steady practice of concentration technique, will stay on one single thought.
The eighth and final limb or step is "Samahi",
a state or being which is beyond the physical and mental,
in which you experience absolute peace, joy, and bliss,
which is the superconcious state and is trul amazing, yet indescribable
Practice this technique for 20 minutes daily and find out for yourself
Sit in a relazed, comfortable position on a firm base,
either in a chair or on the floor, if possible in a cross-legged posture,
as a triangular path helps to contain the flow of energy, called "Prana".
Join two fingers on each hand or clasp them in your lap, called "Mudra".
Sit up straight, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing.
Use the technique you learned of inhale 1-2-3 and exhale 1-2-3.
You may want to deepen the breathing to inhale 1-2-3-4-5 and exhale 1-2-3-4-5.
If your mind wanders, gently keep bringing it back to your breathing count.

Meditation (Dhyana)

When the surface of a lake is still, one can see to the bottom very clearly. This is impossible when the surface is agitated by waves. In the same way, when the mind is still, with no thoughts or desires, you can see the "Self" this is called "Yoga".

We can control the mental agitation by two means: by concentrating the mind either externally or internally. Internally, we focus on the "Self" or the consciousness of "I am". Externally, we focus on anything other than the "Self" or "I am".

When we take up some recreation on putting the ball into the hole (golf), the other thoughts are slowed down or stilled. We feel we have played a good game when we have achieved perfect concentration. The happiness we experience comes, not because the ball being put in the hole eighteen times, but because we have achieved perfect concentration eighteen times. At that time, all the worries and problems of the world disappeared.

The mental ability to concentrate is inherent to all; it is not extraordinary or mysterious. Meditation is not something that a Yogi has to teach you; you already have the ability to shut out thoughts.

The only difference between this and meditation (the positive way), is that generally we have learned to focus the mind externally on objects. When the mind is fully concentrated, time passes unnoticed, as if it did not exist. When the mind is focused, there is no time! Time is nothing but a modification of the mind. Time, Space, and causation and all external experiences are mental creation.

All happiness achieved through the mind is temporary and fleeting; it is limited by nature. To achieve that state of lasting happiness and absolute peace, we must first know how to calm the mind, to concentrate and go beyond the mind. By turning the mind's concentration inward, upon the self, we can deepen that experience of perfect concentration. This is the state of Meditation".

The Techniques of Meditation

An Introduction to the techniques of Meditation

Meditation is an experience that cannot be described, just as colors cannot be described to a blind man. All ordinary experience is limited by Time, Space and Causation. Our normal awareness and understanding do not transcend these bounds.

Finite experience, which is measured in terms of past, present and future, cannot be transcendental. Concepts of time are illusory, for they have no permanence. The present, immeasurably small and fleeting, cannot be grasped. Past and future are non-existent in the present. We live in illusion.

The meditative state transcends all such limitations. In it there is neither past nor future, but only the consciousness of "I am" in the eternal NOW. It is only possible when all mental modifications are stilled.

The closest analogous state that we can experience is deep sleep, in which there is neither time, nor space, nor causation. Meditation, however, differs from deep sleep, for it works profound changes in the psyche. By curbing and stilling the oscillations of the mind, meditation brings mental peace.

On the physical level, meditation helps to prolong the body's anabolic process of growth and repair, and to reduce the catabolic or decaying process. Ordinarily the anabolic process predominates until the age of 18. From 18 to 35 there is balance between the two, and after 35 the catabolic process dominates. Meditation can significantly reduce the catabolic decline. This is because of the innate receptivity of the body cells.

Each of our body cells is governed by the instinctive subconscious mind. They have both an individual and a collective conciousness. When the thoughts and desires pour into the body, the cells are activated; the body always obeys the group demand. It has been scientifically proven that positive thoughts bring positive result to cells. As meditation brings about a prolonged positive state of mind , it rejuvenates body cells and retards decay.

One cannot learn to meditate, anymore than one can learn to sleep. one falls into both states. There are certain points to remember regarding the techniques and stages of meditation.

The 14 Points of Meditation

Regularity of time, place and practice are important. Regularity conditions the mind to slow down its activities with a minimum of delay.
The most effective times are early dawn and dusk, when the atmosphere is charged with special spiritual force. If it is not feasible to sit for meditation at these times, choose an hour when you are not involved with daily activities, and a time when the mind is apt to be calm.
Try to have a separate room for meditation. As meditation is repeated, the powerful vibrations set up will be lodged in the area; an atmosphere of peace and purity will be felt.
When sitting, face North or East in order to take advantage of favorable magnetic vibrations. Sit in a steady, comfortable, cross-legged position with spine and neck erect but not tense.
Before beginning, command the mind to be quiet for a specific length of time. Forget the past, present and future.
Consciously regulate the breath. Begin with five minutes of deep abdominal breathing to bring oxygen to the brain. Then slow it down to an imperceptible rate.
Keep the breathing, rhythmic, inhale for three seconds and exhale for three seconds. Regulation of breath also regulates the flow of prana, the vital energy.
Allow the mind to wander at first. It will jump around, but will eventually become concentrated, along with the concentration of prana.
Dont force the mind to be still, as this will set in motion additional brain waves, hindering meditation.
Select a focal point on which the mind may rest. For people who are intellectual by nature, this may be the Ajna Chakra., the point between the eyebrows. For more emotional people, use the Anahata or Heart Chakra. Never change this focal point.
Focus on a neutral or uplifting object, holding the image in the place of concentration. If using a Mantra, repeat it mentally, and co-ordinate repetition with the breath. If you dont have a personalized Manta, use Om. Although mental repetition is stronger, the mantra may be repeted aloud if one becomes drowsy. Never change the Mantra.
Repetition will lead to pure thought, in which sound vibration merges with thought vibration, without awareness of meaning. Vocal repetition progresses through mental repetition to telepathic language, and from there to pure thought.
With practice, duality disappears and Samadhi, or the superconscious state, is reached. Do not become impatient, as this takes long time.
In Samadhi one rests in the state of bliss in which the Knower, the Knowledge, and the Known become one. This is the superconcious state reached by mystics of all faiths and persuasions.

If you meditate for half an hour daily, you will be able to face life with peace and spiritual strength. Meditation is the most powerful mental and nerve tonic. Divine energy freely flows to the adept during meditation, and exerts a benign influence on the mind, nerves, sense organs and body. It opens the door to intuitive knowledge and realms of eternal bliss. The mind becomes calm and steady.

Anyone can benefit from studying hatha yoga. Busy people use it to manage stress in their hectic lives. Pregnant women use it to prepare for the birth of their children. Elite athletes use it to focus themselves toward a high level of performance and to recover from injuries. You can use it, too.

When you study hatha yoga you will find that it works on several levels. As a beginner, you will experience the practice of hatha yoga as a form of physical exercise that challenges and refines your flexibility, strength and balance. When you go through this stage, you and your teacher will develop a personalized approach to each hatha yoga posture.

To do this, the Iyengar approach to hatha yoga makes frequent use of different kinds of props. These are objects like blocks, chairs, blankets and belts that help you adjust yourself to the different postures so that you can work in a range of motion that is safe and effective for you. Learning how to do this will increase your body awareness.

Often in conventional forms of exercise people hold their breath while exerting themselves. In hatha yoga, you will learn to control your breathing in a relaxed and modulated way in order to provide focus in the different postures. Learning to do this properly is the gateway to many of the mental and spiritual benefits of hatha yoga.

As you progress with hatha yoga, you will gain greater flexibility in your body and mind. Like any form of exercise, hatha yoga helps develop physical strength. Hatha yoga adds another dimension to this with a matching development in emotional strength that will help you handle the challenges of life with a balanced disposition.

From there you can continue to grow with your hatha yoga practice. And you will find that there are plenty of resources to help you along the way. In contrast to conventional sports and physical training programs, hatha yoga has been developed over thousands of years as a way of teaching people how to improve their lives.

Yoga Tips

Avoid eating for at least 2 hrs before class. Wear loose, comfortable clothing: 100% cotton is best. The center provides mats and towels. Bring your own mat or towel if you wish.

These 12 Basic Postures are:

Headstand (Sirshasana)
Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana)
Plough (Halasana)
Fish (Matsyasana)
Forward bend (Paschimothanasana)
Cobra (Bhujangasana)
Locust (Shalabhasana)
Bow (Dhanurasana)
Spinal twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Crow pose (Kakasana) or Peacock pose (Mayurasana)
Standing forward bend (Pada Hasthasana)
Triangle (Trikonasana)

Spiritual Jokes

There was a religious lady that had to do a lot of traveling for her business, so she did a lot of flying. Flying made her very very nervous, so she always took her Bible along with her to read as it helped relax her on the long fights.
One time, she was sitting next to a man. When he saw her pull out her Bible, he gave a little chuckle and smirk and went back to what he was doing.
After awhile, he turned to her and asked, "You don't really believe all that stuff in there do you?"
The lady replied, "Of course I do. It is the Bible."
He said, "Well, what about that guy that was swallowed by that whale?"
She replied, "Oh, Jonah. Yes, I believe that, it is in the Bible."
He asked, "Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?"
The lady said, "Well, I don't really know. I guess when I get to heaven, I will ask him."
"What if he isn't in heaven?" the man asked sarcastically.
"Then you can ask him," replied the lady.

Part 1
What did the Yogi say when he walked into the Zen Pizza Parlor?
"Make me one with everything."

Part 2
When the Yogi got the pizza, he gave the proprietor a $20 bill. The proprietor pocketed the bill. The Yogi said "Don't I get change?" The proprietor said, "Change must come from within."

"Life is hard. It's breathe, breathe, breathe, all the time."

Have you heard of the cow who attained liberation (Moksha)?
It was dyslexic and kept on repeating OOOOMMM !

Did you hear about the yogi who was having a filling put in a tooth. When the dentist asked him if he wanted novocaine. The yogi said "No. I can transcend dental medication."

This guy was climbing a tree when suddenly he slipped, then grabbed at a branch and was hanging there. After an hour or so had passed he felt himself getting exhausted and looked up to the heavens and cried out: "God, help me, please, help me."
All of a sudden the clouds parted and a voice boomed out from on high. "Let Go!" said the voice.
The guy paused and looked up at heaven once more, then said: "Is there anyone else up there?"

When two psychic friends met, one said:
"You are fine. How am I ?"

Q: Why did it take the Buddha forever to vacuum his sofa?

A: Because he didn't have any attachments.

We got that one off the alt.Yoga newsgroup

Two men meet on the street.
One asks the other: "Hi, how are you?"
The other ones replies: "I'm fine, thanks."
"And how's your son? Is he still unemployed?"
"Yes, he is. But he is meditating now."
"Meditating? What's that?"
"I dont know. But it's better than sitting around and do nothing!"

A priest and bus driver lived together and one day thay also together died.
They go to st. Peter stending before heaven gate. He allows the bus driver to go to one of the highest heavens but the priest has to wait.
He waits for long time and finaly goes to st. Peter and asks: "Why could that bus driver go to the highest heaven and I, who all my life spoke about God, have to wait for such a long time?"
St. Peter said: "When you were speaking to the people at your church everybody was sleeping, but when that bus driver was driving everybody prayed!"

It is a tradition in the US for people to make statements through stickers they stick on their car bumpers. Here are a few funny bumper stickers.

"My Karma ran over my Dogma!!"

"Never drive faster than your angel can fly!!"

"I'd rather be in Samadhi"

"Out of body. Will be back in 15 minutes!"

"Time is the best teacher; unfortunately it kills all its students!"

"Warning: Dates in Calendar are closer than they appear."

"As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in public schools"

"Vegetarians visualize whirled peas"

Another story coming from Switzerland. This time the story is in French and it is actually impossible to translate it into English. It plays with the words and has a cultural reference (you have to be born there, sorry :-).

Dans un monastère, 2 "bonzes" sont les meilleurs amis du monde. Chaque matin, ils se lèvent joyeusement et vont ensemble sonner le gong qui réveillera tout le monastère.
Un beau matin, a leur grande surprise, le gong sonne faux! Immediatement la discorde s'installe entre les deux amis ... On fait donc venir l'accordeur de gong qui après quelques reglages, redonne au gong sa sonorité. Et c'est ainsi que les 2 bonzes retrouvent l'harmonie et la paix.
Moralité: "Les bons gongs font les bonzes amis"

The Swiss, as we all know, tend to be placid people. Some go as far as claiming that we are occasionnally somewhat slow.
Three Swiss monks of the benedictine order were meditating high in the Alps. Suddenly, a beautiful milk cow walked by.
The first monk said : "HHHMMM, this is Fritz's cow, I tell you".
Half an hour later, the second monk said : " HHHMMM, really that was Kurt's cow. I'm quite sure".
An other half hour later, the third Swiss monk stood up and said "I'm going away, I can't stand you guys having an argument around me when I'm trying to meditate"....

"I think it would be a good idea." - Mahatma Ghandi when asked what he thought of Western civilization.

Four monks were meditating in a monastery. All of a sudden the prayer flag on the roof started flapping. The younger monk came out of his meditation and said: "Flag is flapping"
A more experienced monk said: "Wind is flapping"
A third monk who had been there for more than 20 years said: "Mind is flapping."
The fourth monk who was the eldest said, visibly annoyed: "Mouths are flapping!"

An aspiring Yogi wanted to find a Guru. He went to an Ashram and his preceptor told him: You can stay here but we have one important rule - all students observe Mouna or vow of silence. You will be allowed to speak in 12 years. After practicing for 12 long years Yoga Asanas, Pranayama, Meditation, a lot of Karma Yoga, etc., the day came when the student could say his one thing or ask his one question.
He said: "The bed is too hard."
He kept going for another 12 years of hard Sadhana and austere discipline and got the opportunity to speak again. He said: "The food is not good."
Twelve more years of hard work and he got to speak again. Here are his words after 36 years of practice: "I quit."
His Guru quickly answered: "Good, all you have been doing anyway is complaining."

If God is not the answer, what was the question?

For the majority of us the most horrible fear is the fear of speaking in front of a public and the second most frightening fear is the fear of death.
Does that mean that if we had to do a speech at a funeral we would prefer to be dead ?

How to you make God laugh?
Tell him your plans.

How do you make God laugh?
Say: "This is mine".

What makes God laugh?
When a doctor tells his patient: "I cured you"