T e a c h i n g M a n u a l

Transcription

1 Teaching Manual

2 Copyright notice No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage system without expressed written, dated and signed permission from the author. All copyrights are reserved. Disclaimer and/or Legal Notices The information provided by this program is for educational purposes only. The author is not a doctor and this is not meant as medical advice. The information provided in this program is solely based upon the author s knowledge, studies and experience as a Yoga Teacher. This program is for informational purposes only and the author does not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities or damages, real or perceived, resulting from the use of this information.

3 INDEX Introduction.. p. 4 Principles of Teaching... p. 5 Chapter 1 : Just Sitting.... p. 8 Chapter 2 : Kriyas and Vayus... p. 9 Chapter 3 : Breath -Pranayama.. p. 10 Chapter 4 : Yoga Asana p. 13 Chapter 5 : Therapeutic Applications... p. 32 Chapter 6 : Yoga for Depression and anxiety.. p. 39 Chapter 7 : Foundations of Practice. p. 43 Assesment Techniques. P. 45 Chapter 8 : Case Studies... p. 46 Chapter 9 : Glossary of Yogic Terms. p. 51 Chapter 10 : Anatomy and Pathology p. 59 Chapter 11 : History of Yoga... p. 92

4 The foundation of Yoga is practice. Consequently, no teacher can share something with his students, without first-hand experience. My teacher taught me to practice, above all. Practicing under the guidance of an experienced teacher is very useful, as we learn from body to body, rather than from a book or theoretical knowledge. In the art of Yoga Therapeutics, we want to be able to understand the body not necessarily through standard anatomy (even though the basics are important), but by understanding its abilities, its energetic imbalances, and the areas where it needs to improve. We want to know what good posture is, how one should plant the feet on the floor, and how one breathes properly. We also want to be able to see energy move through the body, and observe where energy gets stuck, either caused by alignment or breathing problems, or by emotional blockages. Developing a strong intuition in these areas requires plenty of practice and plenty of teaching experience. Only then can you truly understand bodies, and look at them from a different perspective. All Pranayamas, sitting practices and asanas in this manual are derived from the Classical Yoga scriptures, as well as the Vijnana Yoga Practice Manual, which was once so valuable in my own learning process. Enjoy the journey! Introduction

5 P05 Kaya Yoga Guiding Principles For Teaching 1. Awareness Where is the mind? What is on the mind? Is the mind focused on the practice? Bringing the mind into the present moment is crucial for successful Yoga practice. As teachers we want to make sure our clients are focused. Do you see them enjoying the Pranayama practices, with dedication and focus, or do you see their minds drifting off? How do we bring the mind into the present? By focusing on the breath and by reminding ourselves we are doing this practice for our own benefit. Sink into the feet, breathe, and feel the body. Observe, be still, and be present. 2. Breath Where is the breath in your practice? Do you inhale and exhale slowly and fully? Are you aware of your breath? When do you inhale? when do you exhale? Are you breathing superficially or deeply? Fast or slow? With ease or heavily? Remind your clients of the breath at all times. Inhale while expanding and widening, exhale while contracting and coming together. The breath is a crucial element in Yoga practice. Clients should be experienced in different Pranayamas and deep breathing. The breath be present in Asana, smooth, and deep. The exhalation should be deeper than the inhalation. Teach your clients to ground through the breath and to move deeper into poses through the breath. Teach your clients to use breath as their tool, and to befriend their breath. 3. Grounding How stable are you? How much do you feel the floor and the earth below you? How deeply can you sink into the feet and feel the stability which comes from grounding? The downward grounding force creates an opportunity to move upwards. What comes up, must go down. Be concerned with going down more than with going up, it will happen by itself.

6 P06 Make sure your clients feet are firmly pressed into the floor. Observe the toes spreading and grabbing the mat. Make sure the hands are planted down strongly in downward facing dog and hand balances. Most of all, make sure the mind is present in whatever connects to the earth. 4. Centering Lengthening From inward movement, comes outward movement. Spiral inwards to the center of the body, and remain aware of that center. Let the mind rest there. From there, expand and grow. One can t expand without first being firmly rooted in compactness. Make sure your clients are aware of Samana, the center of the body, located 2 3 fingers below the navel. Always remind them of being present there, make sure the belly doesn t hang out, and the groins are folded nicely inwards. Observe the connection between belly and feet. 5. Alignment What would practice be without alignment, particularly in the spinal column? The spine is aligned through the practice of the Vayus, full Yogic breathing, as well as a constant awareness of the spine itself. Spinal alignment is key in Asana practice. 6. Support Support in Yoga means comfort in the poses. When your knees do not reach to the floor, use blocks for support. Can you not do poses fully? Feel free to support yourself with blankets, blocks, bolsters, and belts. When we see our clients struggling with certain positions, we offer them gentle support by placing a pillow under their knees, by using a belt to connect the hands behind the back, and by using blocks when the arms don t reach the floor. In addition, we offer emotional support, guidance, and supervision to make sure our clients improve and become better versions of themselves through the practice of Yoga. 7. Trust Without trusting the body, a lot of Asanas would be impossible. A client needs to develop trust in his/her own body. This often is a subconscious

7 P07 process. The ability for the shoulders and hands to carry them into handstand, the strength in their legs and feet to keep them stable and grounded, trust in their breath to guide them through the movement, and above all trust in you as a teacher to help them advance in their practice. When a client can t go up into handstand against the wall, watch why this is. Is it because of physical inability, or because of fear? How much does this person trust the abilities of his own body? 8. Strength versus Flexibility Finding the ultimate balance between strength and flexibility is crucial. Strength is partly muscular, but also from the deep inner core of the body, the Bandhas and the breath. We want to be strong enough to lift up from the floor, yet flexible enough to fold forward without bending the legs. There are essentially two types of bodies: Strong bodies and Flexible bodies. Strong bodies tend to be tighter, and therefore need to work on flexibility, opening, releasing, and lengthening. Flexible bodies tend to be all over the place, and need to work on centering, compactness, and togetherness. Be mindful of the type of body your client fits and adjust the practice accordingly. This is true Yoga Therapy. 9. Visualization / Intent Imagination is the key to manifestation. Visualize the postures which seem impossible, and make them possible. The power of the mind should not be underestimated in Yoga practice. Use the mind to see the ultimate pose projected behind the eyes, then practice it. Teach your clients to use visualization in practice. Make them close their eyes, and see what they intend to do. 10. Stillness Even in the most vigorous Vinyasa practice, we always want to come back to a place of stillness. Stillness does not mean absence of movement. It means cultivation of inner silence and awareness in all moments of practice.

8 Chapter 1 Just Sitting Dhyana P08 The instruction is to sit every day, for a regular length of time, anywhere between 5 minutes and an hour. Rather than following complicated systems of meditation, we just sit to quiet the mind and become aware of the bodily sensations. Choose a comfortable cross-legged position: Sukhasana, Half Lotus or Full Lotus pose. Support yourself with a blanket under the hips if needed and make sure the spine is long and straight. While sitting, we create a neutral space in which we take distance from the responsibility to react to the world. Thoughts, emotions, and physical discomforts will arise, especially in the beginning. Please be aware that this is normal and only a matter of mind and body distracting you from being truly silent. Whatever occurs in sitting, we aim to let it be. By purely being present, we don t care whether what comes up is positive or negative. We simply stop judging for a short moment of time. The very watching, patiently, of whatever comes up within us that is the practice.

9 P09 Chapter 2 Kriyas and Vayus Kriyas and Vayus are generally practiced before Pranayama and Asana. Vayus Also described as the subtle winds in the body. These assist with creating clarity of mind and spinal alignment. The inner Vayus are most helpful with helping students to start understanding the process of breathing and compartmentalizing the breath. They also help aligning the spine. Kriyas Outer Vayus: 1. Naga Vayu Eructates in Cat-Cow position 2. Kurma Vayu Opens the Eyes 3. Krikara Vayu Induces hunger and thirst 4. Devadatta Vayu Gaping or Yawning 5. Dhananjaya Vayu Hiccup/Stretching Inner Vayus: 1. Apana Vayu (pelvic floor, sphincter muscle) 2. Samana Vayu (navel) 3. Prana Vayu (diaphragm) 4. Udana Vayu (throat) 5. Viyana Vayu (skin) Kriyas are cleansing practices. We generally practice Uddiyana Bandha for 3 cycles.

10 Chapter 3 Breath - Prayanama P10 Exercising the breath is of utmost importance in any Yoga practice. However nowadays more often forgotten than included in regular Yoga classes. We practice Pranayama on a daily basis, preferably in the morning before Asana practice. If we do Pranayama for more than 10 minutes, a small break between Pranayama and Asana is recommended. The following exercises can be used as a guideline for daily practice: 1. Alternate belly and chest breathing (on or off the roll) 2. Kapalabhati/Bastrika (building up to 5 minutes) 3. Nadhi Shodana (With or without hands) 4. The Three Part Breath (Breathing in 3 parts) 5. Ujjayi Breath (full Yogic breathing) Pick 2 of these exercises every day and practice them for several minutes after meditation/sitting. Benefits/Applications of Pranayama and Kriya Practices: 1. Alternate belly and chest breathing Opens the chest, teaches us to compartmentalize the breath, teaches us to breathe deeply and fully, relaxes the nervous system, very good practice for beginners who are not familiar with breath and Pranayama. This breathing practice has no contra-indications. 2. Kapalabhati/Bhastrika Kapalabhati is officially not a Pranayama, but a Kriya. It cleanses the nostrils, lungs, and frontal lobe of the brain, increases core strength, and gives a stronger Samana/ Center. It also energizes the body and increases clarity of the mind. Good for people with depression, addiction, and for those who lack core strength and need more focus and energy. It s also very good for people who want to stop smoking. Bhastrika is a more advanced practice often combined with Kapalabhati. Bhastrika is more aggressive. Bhastrika involves both rapid inhalation as well as exhalation. This helps to increase the circulation of blood in the entire body. During rapid and forced exhalation, the chest is compressed, thereby pushing the blood towards the head. During the inhalation, the reverse takes place. This process increases the blood flow to every part of the body, increasing the vitality of all the organs and tissues. Long-term practice of Bhastrika purifies the body.

11 P11 During Bhastrika, the increase in blood flow causes a slight rise in body temperature, accompanied with mild sweating, which reduces the temperature and keeps the body at normal temperature. Most pranayama techniques either increase or decrease the body temperature, but Bhastrika more or less maintains the body temperature. Bhastrika also increases the oxygen content in the blood. Contra-indications for Bastrika Pranayam: Heart problems and high blood pressure Asthma and breathing problems Anxiety 3. Nadi Shodana Also referred to as Alternate Nostril Breathing Excellent breathing technique to calm and center the mind Works therapeutically for most circulatory and respiratory prob lems Releases accumulated stress in the mind and body effectively and helps to relax Helps harmonize the left and right hemispheres of the brain Helps purify and balance the nadis- the subtle energy channels, ensuring smooth flow of prana through the body. Maintains body temperature. Contra-Indications for Nadhi-Shodana: No direct contra-indications, but any of these practices should be taught by an experienced teacher until mastered. 4. The Three Part Breath This Pranayama can be performed either sitting up or lying down. It is called the three-part breath because it is performed in three stages, breathing into 3 different areas of the body, first using the bottom of the lungs, then the middle and lastly the top. This means that the full capacity of the lungs is being used instead of the 20% that most of us scrape by on. It will help keep your mind calm and clear and increases our defense against stress. It lowers heart rate and blood pressure while easing muscle tension. This Pranayama also teaches us how to fully utilize and compartmentalize the breath.

12 P12 5. Ujjayi Breath This is also referred to as the Full Yogic Breath. Teaches us to stabilize the pelvis and breathe into Apana Vayu. Creates firm grounding and increases breathing capacity. Regulates Prana, increases vitality, and expels toxicity from the body. This breathing practice has no contra-indications. Just be careful not to tighten your throat and put unnecessary strain on the breath and body.

13 P13 Chapter 4 Yoga Asana The Basic Daily Practice should include a sequence of Asanas, combined with Kriyas, Vayus, and Sitting. The following Asanas are to be practiced on a regular/daily basis. You can choose to practice one series of poses on each day, or do a flow and mix poses together. For healthy people, sessions generally start with Surya Namaskara A & B. For those who have physical problems, we amend the sequencing. Surya Namaskara Sun Salutations Surya Namaskara A (Su-RY-ah-na-ma-SKAH-rah) Up to 5 x Surya Namaskara B (Su-RY-ah-na-ma-SKAH-rah) 3 5 x

14 P14 Standing Poses Uttanasana series Uttanasana I, II, III (OOH-tah-nah-sah-nah) Vriksasana series Vriksasana I, Vriksasana II, (vrik-shah-sa-na) Garudasana (gah-roo-dah-sah-nah)

15 P15 Trikonasana series Trikonasana (TREE-koh-nah-sah-nah) Ardha Chandrasana (ar-dha-chan-drah-sah-nah) Parivrtta Trikonasana (par-ee-vree-tah-trih-koh-nah-sah-nah) Warrior series Virabhadrasana I, Virabhadrasana II, (vee-rah-bha-drah-sah-nah)

16 P16 Utthita Parsvakonasana (oo-tee-tah parsh-vah-cone-ahs-ah-nah) Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (par-ee- VRIT-tah-parsh-vah-cone-ah-sahnah) Prasarita Padottanasana (pra-sa-ree-tah pah-dah-tohn-ah-sah-nah) (Variations as desired)

17 P17 Balancing Poses Dolphin Pose, Pincha Mayurasana (pin-cha-ma-yu-rah-sah-nah)/ Elbow Balance 3 5 minutes Prep for Handstand/Full Handstand/ Adho Mukha Vriksasana (ad-ho-moo-kha-vrik-sa-sah-nah)

18 P18 Bhujapidasana (boo-jaah-pee DAH-sah-nah) Into Titibasana (tee-tee-bah-sah-nah) Bakasana / Parsva Bakasana (PARSH-vah bah-kah-sah-nah)

19 P19 Astavakrasana (Ahs-TAH-vah-KRAH-sah-nah) with legs apart and legs together

20 P20 Seated Forward Bends & Twists Dandasana (dan-dah-sah-nah) Paschimottanasana (pa-shee-moh-tan-ah-sah-nah) Purvottanasana (pur-voo-tah-nah-sah-nah)

21 P21 Janu Sirsasana (jaa-noo shir-shah-sah-nah) Triang Mukhapaida Paschimottanasana (tree-yang moo-ka-pai-da- pa-shee-moh-tah-nah-sah-nah) Krouchasana (crow-chah-sah-nah)

22 P22 Parivritta Eka Pada Padmasana (combined with Baby Cradle) (par-ee-vrit-tah Eka-pah-DAH pad-mah-sah-nah) Marichasana A, B, C (mar-ee-chah-sah-nah) Upavista Konasana (oo-pah-vees-tah cone-ah-sah-nah) Badhakonasana (ba-dha-cone-ah-sah-nah)

23 P23 Simple Backbends Eka Pada Salabasana (Eka-Pada-Shala-BAH-sah-nah) Bhujangasana (boo-jang-gha-sah-nah) Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (OORD-vah MOO-kah shvan-ah-sah-nah) Ustrasana (oo-strah-sah-nah)

24 P24 Sethu Bhandasana (SET-too ban-dah-sah-nah) Eka Pada Sethu Bandha (Eh-kah PAH-dah set-too BAN-dah)

25 P25 Advanced Backbends Urdhva Dhanurasana from floor (OORD-vah dha-nu-rah-sah-nah) Urdhva Dhanurasana from standing (OORD-vah dha-nu-rah-sah-nah)

26 P26 Sirsasana Drop (shear-shah-sah-nah) Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, I, II (Eh-KAH pah-dah rah-ja ka-poh-tah-sah-nah)

27 P27 Hanumanasana (ha-new-mahn-ah-sah-nah)

28 P28 Inversions Sirsasana (shear-shah-sah-nah) Halasana (hah-lah-sah-nah) Sarvangasana (sar-van-gah-sah-nah) Supported Sarvangasana

29 P29 Gentle Hip Openers Hip openers are important in many ways. They can ease back pain, allow you to move better, release emotions, and help with tightness in general. Hips get tight very easily with the slightest movement or exercise, as well as long term sitting in cars or on office chairs. Try to incorporate hip openers in every Yoga session. Seated from Sukhasana (sook-ah-sah-nah) Baby Cradle, seated or lying Supported Pigeon Pose with a block or pillow Sleeping Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Eh-KAH pah-dah rah-jah-cop-poh-tah-sah-nah)

30 P30 Leg Stretching Series Leg stretches are great for relieving lower back pain and lengthening the hamstrings. Short hamstrings tend to pull on the back and create compression in the lumbar vertebrae. For those who suffer from back problems and therefore cannot perform forward bends properly, leg stretches are an excellent solution. Make sure to incorporate leg stretches after any kind of backbend as well, as backbends shorten the hamstrings. Leg stretches are best done at the end of a Yoga session, after backbending, or instead of seated forward bends. Urdvha Mukha Paschimotanasana (OORD-vah MOO-kah PAS-chee-moh-ta-NAH-sah-nah) Urdvha Mukha Prasarita Padattonasana (OORD-vah MOO-kah pra-sa-ree-tah pah-doh-tah-nah-sah-nah)

31 P31 Supta Padagusthasana I (soup-tah pa-dha-gus-tah-sah-nah) Supta Padangusthasana II Supta Padagusthasana III Anantasana (A-nan-TAW-sah-nah)

32 Chapter 5 Therapeutic Applications Of Yoga Asana P32 Sukhasana (soo-kah-sah-nah) with the head dropping forward on block Applications : Anxiety, over-active mind, depression, insomnia, relaxation, stress, workaholic, worrying. Contra-indications: Breathing Problems, Asthma, Diarrhea, Chronic Injury in the Hip, and Lower Back Paschimotanasana (PA-shee-moh-tan-AH-sah-nah) with the head supported with pillows. Applications : Anxiety, over-active mind, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, relaxation, stress, workaholic, and worry. Contra-indications: Breathing Problems, Asthma, Diarrhea, Chronic Injury in the Hip and Lower Back *For depression related issues we generally do not want to drop the head for long periods of time, yet it can be a good release for busy minds. Work intuitively with your clients to determine what might benefit their specific case

33 P33 Supported Childspose Balasana (bah-lah-sah-nah) Applications: Anxiety (turn head to the side and keep chest open), Calming, Dizziness, Exhaustion, Fatigue, Nourishment, Stress, Back & Neck Pain Contra-Indications: Diarrhea, Pregnancy, Knee Problems Supported Savasana (shah-vah-sah-nah) with pillows under the spine Applications: Anxiety, tired-ness, exhaustion, high blood pressure, stress, back-pain, tightness in the shoulders/neck, and relaxation. Contra-indications: Back injury or discomfort: Do this pose with knees bent and feet on the floor, hip-distance apart, but better yet do a pose, which is milder on the back.

34 P34 Supported Savasana (shah-vah-sah-nah) with pillow under the knees Applications: Anxiety, tired-ness, exhaustion, stress, lower back pain, and relaxation Contra-indications : Pregnancy. Don t do this with pregnant women as it tends to be uncomfortable to lie on the back for an extended duration. Reclined (Supta) Badhakonasana (bah-dah cone-ah-sah-nah) with pillows (and blocks) Applications : Tired-ness, exhaustion, stress, stabilizing the sacrum, hip and groin opener, hormonal problems, and menopause Contra-indications: Hip, groin and knee injury, make sure to support the knees with pillows or blocks as much as possible, or simply do a supported Savasana

35 P35 Basic Savasana (shah-vah-sah-nah) Applications: Anxiety, tired-ness, exhaustion, stress, and deep relaxation Contra-indications: Back injury or discomfort: Do this pose with knees bent and feet on the floor, hip-distance apart; either bind the thighs parallel to each other with a strap (taking care not to position the heels too close to the buttocks) or support the bent knees on a bolster. Pregnancy : Lying on the side is preferable for pregnant women Supported Halasana (hah-lah-sah-nah) on a chair or block Applications : Weakness in the back, thyroid problems, stress Contra-indications: Hernia, slipped disc, sciatica, arthritis of the neck or any serious back problems, High Blood Pressure, Not good for women on their period and during pregnancy

36 P36 Supported Shoulderstand/Sarvangasana (sar-van-gah-sah-nah) on a chair or bolster/ blocks Applications : Hormonal problems, tiredness, lymphatic problems, insomnia, stress, worry, overstimulation, ADHD, and hyperactivity Contra-indications : High blood pressure, Glaucoma and serious eye problems, Not good for women on their period and during pregnancy, Hernia, slipped disc, sciatica, arthritis of the neck or any serious back problems

37 P37 Supported Fish Pose/Matsyasana (mat-sya-sah-nah) Applications : Corrects kyphosis in the upper back, good for digestive issues, and good for breathing problems as it opens the chest Contra-indications : Chronic (lower) back injury and back pain

38 P38 Viparita Karani (vee-pa-ree-tah car-ah-nee) Applications : Rejuvenation, tiredness, exhaustion, stress, and burnout Contra-indications: Some say this should be avoided during menstruation. Others say it s fine during menstruation. Avoid this pose if you have serious eye problems, such as glaucoma. With serious neck or back problems only perform this pose with the supervision of an experienced teacher. If your feet begin to tingle during this pose, you can bend your knees, touch your soles together, and slide the outer edges of your feet down the wall, bringing your heels close to your pelvis.

39 P39 Chapter 6 Yoga of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Yoga for Depression People with depression tend to suffer from low moods, lack of energy, chronic fatigue, and tiredness, lack of desire for activities, low sex drive, lack of self-confidence, and etc. Depending on the level of the depression, the above symptoms will be mild, moderate, or severe. As a Yoga teacher you can t diagnose depression, nor can you take responsibility for severe cases such as people who are suicidal or those who can t function properly. With Yoga we can work on mild and moderate cases of depression and help these clients find more balance as well as physical and emotional wellbeing. In a Yoga sessions geared towards alleviating symptoms of depression, we look to deliver instant relief. Recommendations : Short guided meditation practices which distract the mind Lots of Kapalabhati and if possible Bastrika Outer Vayu s, in particular Naga Vayu Fast paced Surya Namaskar ( If they can be performed properly ) Standing Poses Arm Balances Backbends Deep Twists Headstands or Viparita Karani Any style of Vinyasa Practice if poses can be performed properly All of these practices should be performed with an emphasis on concentration in order to distract the mind and alter habits of thought. People with depression are encouraged to engage in other forms of strenuous activity as well like running, outdoor walking, boxing, lifting weights, swimming, cycling etc. Contra-Indications : Long silent meditation practices Too many static poses or slow movement Long forward bends or anything which rests the head for long periods of time

40 P40 Yoga for Anxiety Everyone feels anxious now and then. It s a normal emotion. Many people feel nervous when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important decision. However, anxiety disorders are different. They can cause such distress that it interferes with one s ability to lead a normal life. For people who suffer from anxiety, worry and fear are constant and overwhelming, and can be disabling. But with treatment, many people can manage those feelings and get back to a fulfilling life. General symptoms include: Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness Problems sleeping Cold or sweaty hands or feet Shortness of breath Heart palpitations Not being able to be still and calm Dry mouth Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet Nausea Muscle tension Dizziness Recommendations : Silent Meditation Calming through general Yoga practice, awareness of breath, and meditation A lot of relaxing breathing practices: 3 part breath, lying down breathing into belly and chest, Nadi Shodana Practices which distract the mind: Vinyasa Flow, standing poses, any other practice with emphasis on concentration and one pointed focus Calming poses like forward bends and restorative variations of several poses Supported shoulder-stand (calming the nervous system), as well as other therapeutic inversions Twists for getting rid of negative emotions, hip- and heart openers for emotional release Resting the head, brain, and mind Aim for balanced practice, no extremes After a while, when client gets comfortable with the practice: Overcoming fears in arm balances and other challenging poses

41 P41 Contra-Indications : Over compression or opening of the chest Bastrika, and in some cases also Kapalabhati Extreme opening or practices which could cause more anxiety Anything which aggravates the nervous system Yoga for Stress Stress is the body s reaction to harmful situations -- whether they re real or perceived. When you feel threatened, a chemical reaction occurs in your body that allows you to act in a way to prevent injury. This reaction is known as fight-or-flight, or the stress response. During stress response, your heart rate increases, breathing quickens, muscles tighten, and blood pressure rises. You ve gotten ready to act. It is how you protect yourself. Our bodies are designed to handle small doses of stress. But, we are not equipped to handle long-term, chronic stress without ill consequences. Stress can affect all aspects of your life, including your emotions, behaviors, thinking ability, and physical health. No part of the body is immune. But, because people handle stress differently, symptoms of stress can vary. Symptoms can be vague and may be the same as those caused by medical conditions. Physical Tension (shoulders, neck, hips) Headaches Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea Vague aches and pains Chest pain and rapid heartbeat Insomnia Lowered immune response Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear, cold or sweaty hands and feet, tingling in the fingers Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing Problems breathing, superficial breathing in the upper chest Clenched jaw and grinding teeth High Blood Pressure Anger problems, explosiveness Lowered tolerance for challenges Difficulty sitting still, physical and mental restlessness Sometimes depression Increased or Decreased appetite The list goes on!

42 P42 Recommendations : Any practice which quiets the mind Silent Meditation, long sessions of sitting practice Forward bends, long term Lots of restorative Hatha Yoga and Yin Yoga practice, long hold of poses, and very gentle movement Use of props, bolsters, blocks in poses Resting the head on blocks/floor Shoulder Stand or Supported Shoulderstand Breathing practices which increase balance and awareness: Nadhi Shodana, Vayus, deep breathing alone Outer Vayus to release physical and emotional stress Gentle Uddiyana Bandha for abdominal release Hip openers for emotional release Gentle Heart Openers Contra-Indications : Aggressive breathing practices like Bastrika Any pose which is too strenuous for the person and puts addtional stress on the body High paced classes and loud use of voice

43 P43 Chapter Foundations 7 of Practice and Where to Start? Starting a daily practice requires the student to be adequately trained by an experienced teacher. The risk of starting a daily practice without supervision lies in student s inabilities to properly perform the poses, and therefore putting additional stress on the body and breath. We therefore must encourage Yoga Enthusiasts to practice under supervision of a teacher, committed to one single style of Yoga, for a significant amount of time, until they master the techniques of Sitting, Pranayama, Kriya and Asana. For our own Self-Practice we focus on the practices of the Vijnana Yoga Practice Manual, in order to deepen our knowledge of individual series of poses, as well as Pranayamas and Sitting. The Intermediate program can be followed for as long as needed, until a solid daily practice is developed. When putting together a daily practice for our clients, we need to take into consideration several factors: 1. How many hours a week do they practice with us? 2. What are their weaknesses? 3. What are their goals, both in Yoga Practice and in Life itself? It is advisable to work with clients on their weaknesses for a significant amount of time, before moving on to more strenuous poses and advanced practices. There are several topics, which should be focused on in the first month of practice: 1. Spinal Alignment 2. Breath (deep controlled breathing) 3. Downward Facing Dog 4. Hip Mobility (Hip Openers, Forward Bends) 5. Sun Salutations 6. Hand Positioning 7. Grounding through the feet and pelvic floor In addition to this we use the Kaya Yoga Principles of Teaching to assess where the client needs to improve. It is recommended to give your students exercises for self-practice on the days you are not with them. Most important is that the foundational practices mentioned above are in place. After that you can do pretty much anything with normal healthy

44 P44 students. People with specific conditions and injuries need adjusted practice and different programs. Never do things you are not sure of, and never act as a doctor. People with serious health issues need to get proper medical advice. As a teacher, it is your job to teach Yoga as a tool to improve life, and work on postural imbalances, breathing problems and issues of the mind. How to structure your first session with a client: Let s now structure an hour of initial session with a new client. We can assume this person is a beginner and is looking to use Yoga for some sort of stress release, relaxation or self-improvement. We initially spend around 10 minutes talking to the client, asking questions about: 1. Their previous Yoga practice & experience 2. Injuries and discomforts in the body 3. What they believe Yoga is 4. What they d like to work on in their physical practice 5. How they would like their lives to change Following a short conversation, it s time for assessment of clients stress levels, flexibility, breathing patterns, and body awareness:

45 P45 Assessment Techniques 1. Lying on the back, alternate breathing into belly and chest. This allows you to see whether a client breathes fully or where they might be struggling with breath, whether breath is superficial or deep etc. 2. Downward facing dog & walking forward. Shows body awareness, alignment of the spine, hamstring and hip flexibility and general ability to move 3. Coming up from Uttanasana with the feet hip width apart with a straight spine. Shows body awareness and hip mobiliy 4. Standing with the feet hip width apart Shows grounding, stability, balance, strength and body awareness These 4 very simple assessment techniques will give you a complete image of a person s body-awareness, ability to move, strength, flexibility, and balance. You will be able to structure a Yoga program based on what you see in these exercises. These assessment techniques can be used in the very first session and should be able to tell you whatever you need to know to get started with a client.

46 Case Study 1: Direction & Self-Confidence An Indian man of around 40 years old came to me for Yoga classes. In the first couple of sessions it became clear he was suffering from stress, as well as lack of direction in life, lack of self-confidence and inabillity a to make decisions. He also admitted to have problems with premature Ejaculation. In our practice we focused on strong energizing breath-work like Kapalabhati and Bastrika. Meditation was short and focused. Asana practice focused on high intensity sun salutations, warrior series and other standing poses, encouraging the client to focus his mind. Also a lot of focus was placed on lifting the pelvic floor and breathing into Apana. Client reported to have a more peaceful state of mind and was able to control his ejaculation after only a few sessions. A regular session would look something like this: Chapter 8P46 Case Studies * Meditation, guided, 5 minutes * A few deep in and out breaths, focusing on the present moment * Kapalabhati combined with Bastrika 3 x 30 to 45 seconds * Apana Vayu 3 times * Samana Vayu 3 times * Naga Vayu in Cat-Cow * Surya Namaskar A vigourosly 5 x * Surya Namaskar B with long holding of Warrior and flowing into Warrior II * Standing poses like Vriksasana and Garudasana * Seated poses which engage Apana Vayu: Dandasana, Paschimotanasana, Uppavista Konasana * Therapeutic Relaxation in Supta Badakonasana or Viparita Karana * Savasana * Ending in meditative pose and setting an intention for the day or week Case Study 2: Scoliosis Iskra s Story, Dubai, 10/22/2014 I would like to share my experience, because I think that it is very important, especially for people in pain. My name is Iskra. I got diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 6 years old. Since then the scoliosis became severe and I spent 22 years in pain and suffering, which sometimes was so intolerable that it caused me difficulty of movement. Besides, my body was misaligned, which affected aesthetic aspect of my life, as well. I ve got loads of deformations and problems with my spine. One of my shoulders was higher than another one, as well as my hips. I had a very unbalanced spine one side had a node of tensed muscles, meanwhile another side was completely empty; I couldn t even feel it.

47 P47 And a lot of other big and small problems, which interfered with my life. The solution of surgeons from all over the world was the only one - the surgery. I felt that somewhere there is another solution waiting for me. Less risky, less painful and less invasive. And indeed, it was Kaya and her medical yoga. I felt and I saw the difference immediately upon the first session. A majority of tension and pain were gone, my body felt a great release from such a long suffer. Kaya Yoga gives an amazing selection of breathing exercises, which helps me to fill an empty side and relax a tensed one. She selects carefully every pose for my particular problem, she knows exactly what kind of poses do I need for every little pain or tension in my body. Every session she examines how does my body feel and which poses and exercises I am ready to do. She arranges every session according to my condition and my readiness. Kaya works so thoroughly that there is no question, no doubt left after every session. Thanks to Kaya Yoga I can feel myself like a normal human being today and not like an incapacitated person. But the most important of all is that Kaya teaches how can I take care of my body by myself. What can I do for my body every day. Which poses will release from pain, which breathing exercises will help me to align my column and my body, to balance it. She gives a solution, which always stays with me and I can use it for myself anytime. She gives me tools and knowledge, she teaches how to manage the work with my body, with my breath. Kaya makes me listen to my body, understand it and see every need of it. Kaya s medical yoga really heals. In a few sessions now she made from me a completely different person. My husband, my friends notice the difference already. Every session something else changes. Every day there are more little changes. Of course, it s the matter of time, everyday practice and everyday work. But I can see the result now. My empty side is filling every day a little more, shoulders and hips are balanced, my column keeps aligning and my tensed side is relaxing. Before I always placed all my weight only on one leg, now the weight has dispensed and I use both legs. My posture has improved a lot. I straightened out. The result is amazing, considering that I ve spent my whole life in physical suffering! I am very grateful to the Universe that it allowed me to meet Kaya and gave me such a unique opportunity! Many doctors and practitioners couldn t do for me what Kaya could. I hope that my story could be helpful for people. I know what pain is and I wish everybody can release and could enjoy their lives full of lightness and joy! Iskra Volkhina, 28 years old

48 P48 The updated story in 2017 is that Iskra is now soon going to graduate as a 500-hour experienced Yoga Teacher. She completed the first 200- hour course in 2016, and is practicing each and every single pose like a healthy, normal, aligned human being. Her spine has changed. It looks different. See below some photos of her now healthy looking spine. BEFORE AFTER A regular session with Iskra would look something like this: * Meditation with guidance on breathing along the spine * Inner Vayu s 3x each * Outer Vayu s * Nadhi Shodana lying on the side with a blanket (keeping the empty side facing the ceiling to receive the breath) * Adho Mukha Svanasana with a great emphasis on Spinal Alignment * Guided Breath in childspose while placing the hands on the kidney area and directing the breath into her empty side * Reclined Pigeon Pose breathing into her empty side * Any pose which involves a side bend (trikonasana or seated side bend) with emphasis on bending towards the more tense side of her back * Supported Fish Pose long duration * Childpose afterwards to correct * Relaxation

49 P49 Case Study 3: Depression A 38-year old mother of 3 and a millionaire s wife came to me with serious depression. She had been through a lot as her husband s business went bankrupt and she was physically unwell as well with hormonal problems, exhaustion, and weight gain. She didn t feel like doing anything and had difficulty trusting people. Acting as her friend and confidante, rather than her yoga teacher, she opened up to me and was able to release a lot of frustration through talking. The first months we focused on 1 2 yoga with a lot of restorative poses, and 1 2 brisk outdoor walking. After only a few months she was ready to take on gym workouts again and started feeling much better. We continued practicing Yoga for a year and over the course of our work together, she completely healed from her depression. There was no specific set of sequences which I applied, as it was much more important for her to get emotional release rather than excel in Yoga. I also put her on a 2-week nutritional detox program, which really helped her. This is a great example of someone who used Yoga as a tool to get better, and how we are meant to support our clients in finding a better lifestyle, more positive thinking etc., rather than only a set of Asanas. My client was never ready to give up smoking and drinking, and neither did I insist her to do so. We just focused on small improvements.

50 P50 Case Study 4: Anxiety Attacks A young 30-year-old woman came to me with anxiety issues, suffering from regular anxiety attacks. We started our practice very slow, with a lot of restorative poses like Supta Baddhakonasana and Viparita Karani, as well as focusing on simple breathwork: Lying on the back and breathing into belly and chest, Vayus, and Nadhi Shodana. Within a very short time she improved massively and developed a love for Yoga. After only a few months of regular practice her anxiety completely disappeared and we started doing more advanced poses: Handstands, headstands and other inversions, arm balances and more. Now she is an avid Yoga practitioner and mostly cured of her anxiety, as well as a 200-hour certified Kaya Yoga Teacher. A regular session with her would look something like this: * Meditation, calming the mind through breath * Vayu s, mostly Apana, Samana and Prana * Warm Up through cat-cow or supine twist * Adho Mukha Svanasana * Surya Namaskar A slowly with lot s of breath awareness * Childspose from Adho Mukha * Stepping forward into pigeon pose, reclined with block under the forehead, both sides * Adho Mukha * Therapeutic Relaxation like Viparita Karana and Supta Badhakonasana * Always finishing in Sukasana with a Block under forehead

51 P51 Chapter 9 Glossary of Yogic Terms Ahimsa ( non-harming ): the single most important moral discipline (yama) Amrita ( immortal/immortality ): a designation of the deathless Spirit (atman, purusha); also the nectar of immortality that oozes from the psychoenergetic center at the crown of the head (see sahasraracakra) when it is activated and transforms the body into a divine body (divya-deha) Ananda ( bliss ): the condition of utter joy, which is an essential quality of the ultimate Reality (tattva) Anga ( limb ): a fundamental category of the yogic path, such as asana, dharana, dhyana, niyama, pranayama, pratyahara, samadhi, yama; also the body (deha, sharira) Arjuna ( White ): one of the five Pandava princes who fought in the Great War depicted in the Mahabharata, disciple of the God-man Krishna whose teachings can be found in the Bhagavad Gita Asana ( seat ): a physical posture (see also anga, mudra); the third limb (anga) of Patanjali s eightfold path (astha-anga-yoga); originally this meant only meditation posture, but subsequently, in hatha yoga, this aspect of the yogic path was greatly developed Ashta-anga-yoga, ashtanga-yoga ( eight-limbed union ): the eightfold path of yoga of Patanjali, consisting of moral discipline (yama), selfrestraint (niyama), posture (asana), breath control (pranayama), sensory inhibition (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and ecstasy (samadhi), leading to liberation (kaivalya) Atman ( self ): the transcendental Self, or Spirit, which is eternal and superconscious; our true nature or identity; sometimes a distinction is made between the atman as the individual self and the parama-atman as the transcendental Self; see also purusha; cf. brahman Ayurveda, Ayur-veda ( life science ): one of India s traditional systems of medicine, the other being South India s Siddha medicine Bandha ( bond/bondage ): the fact that human beings are typically bound by ignorance (avidya), which causes them to lead a life governed by karmic habit rather than inner freedom generated through wisdom (vidya, jnana). Also refers to the Yogic Locks made in the body (Moola, Uddiyana, Jalandhara) Bhagavad Gita ( Lord s Song ): the oldest full-fledged yoga book found embedded in the Mahabharata and containing the teachings on karma yoga (the path of self-transcending action), samkhya yoga (the path of discerning the principles of existence correctly), and bhakti yoga (the path of devotion),as given by the God- man Krishna to Prince Arjuna on the battlefield 3,500 years or more ago

52 P52 Bhakti ( devotion/love ): the love of the bhakta toward the Divine or the guru as a manifestation of the Divine; also the love of the Divine toward the devotee Bindu ( seed/point ): the creative potency of anything where all energies are focused; the dot (also called tilaka) worn on the forehead as indicative of the third eye Bodhi ( enlightenment ): the state of the awakened master, or buddha Brahma ( he who has grown expansive ): the Creator of the universe, the first principle (tattva) to emerge out of the ultimate Reality (brahman) Brahmacharya (from brahma and acarya brahmic conduct ): the discipline of chastity, which produces ojas Brahman ( that which has grown expansive ): the ultimate Reality (cf. atman, purusha)brahmana: a brahmin, a member of the highest social class of traditional Indian society; also an early type of ritual text explicating the rituals and mythology of the four Vedas; cf. Aranyaka, Upanishad, Veda Buddha ( awakened ): a designation of the person who has attained enlightenment (bodhi) and therefore inner freedom; honorific title of Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, who lived in the sixth century B.C.E. Buddhi ( she who is conscious, awake ): the higher mind, which is the seat of wisdom (vidya, jnana); cf. manas Cakra or Chakra ( wheel ): literally, the wheel of a wagon; metaphorically, one of the psycho-energetic centers of the subtle body (sukshma-sharira); in Buddhist yoga, five such centers are known, while in Hindu yoga often seven or more such centers are mentioned: mula-adhara-cakra (muladhara-cakra) at the base of the spine, svadhishthana-cakra at the genitals, manipura-cakra at the navel, anahata-cakra at the heart, vishuddha- cakra or vishuddhi-cakra at the throat, ajna-cakra in the middle of the head, and sahasrara-cakra at the top of the head Cin-mudra ( consciousness seal ): a common hand gesture (mudra) in meditation (dhyana), which is formed by bringing the tips of the index finger and the thumb together, while the remaining fingers are kept straight Darshana ( seeing ): vision in the literal and metaphorical sense; a system of philosophy, such as the yoga- darshana of Patanjali; cf. drishti Deva ( he who is shining ): a male deity, such as Shiva, Vishnu, or Krishna, either in the sense of the ultimate Reality or a high angelic being Devi ( she who is shining ): a female deity such as Parvati, Lakshmi, or Radha, either in the sense of the ultimate Reality (in its feminine pole) or a high angelic being

53 P53 Dharana ( holding ): concentration, the sixth limb (anga) of Patanjali s eight-limbed yoga Dharma ( bearer ): a term of numerous meanings; often used in the sense of law, lawfulness, virtue, righteousness, norm Dhyana ( ideating ): meditation, the seventh limb (anga) of Patanjali s eight-limbed yoga Drishti ( view/sight ): yogic gazing, such as at the tip of the nose or the spot between the eyebrows; cf. darshana Gayatri-mantra : a famous Vedic mantra recited particularly at sunrise: tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah pracodayat Granthi ( knot ): any one of three common blockages in the central pathway (sushumna-nadi) preventing the full ascent of the serpent power (kundalini-shakti); the three knots are known as brahma-granthi (at the lowest psychoenergetic center of the subtle body), the vishnugranthi (at the heart), and the rudra-granthi (at the eyebrow center) Guna ( quality ): a term that has numerous meanings, including virtue ; often refers to any of the three primary qualities or constituents of nature (prakriti): tamas (the principle of inertia), rajas (the dynamic principle), and sattva (the principle of lucidity) Guru ( he who is heavy, weighty ): a spiritual teacher; cf. acarya Guru-bhakti ( teacher devotion ): a disciple s self-transcending devotion to the guru; see also bhakti Guru-Gita ( Guru s Song ): a text in praise of the guru, often chanted in ashramas Guru-Yoga ( Yoga [relating to] the teacher ): a yogic approach that makes the guru the fulcrum of a disciple s practice; all traditional forms of yoga contain a strong element of guru-yoga Hamsa ( swan/gander ): apart from the literal meaning, this term also refers to the breath (prana) as it moves within the body; the individuated consciousness (jiva) propelled by the breath; see jiva-atman; see also parama- hamsa Hatha Yoga ( Forceful Yoga ): a major branch of yoga, developed by Goraksha and other adepts c C.E., and emphasizing the physical aspects of the transformative path, notably postures (asana) and cleansing techniques (shodhana), but also breath control (pranayama) Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika ( Light on Hatha Yoga ): one of three classical manuals on hatha yoga, authored by Svatmarama Yogendra in the fourteenth century

54 P54 Ida-nadi ( pale conduit ): the prana current or arc ascending on the left side of the central channel (sushumna nadi) associated with the parasympathetic nervous system and having a cooling or calming effect on the mind when activated; cf. pingala-nadi Jaina (sometimes Jain): pertaining to the jinas ( conquerors ), the liberated adepts of Jainism; a member of Jainism, the spiritual tradition founded by Vardhamana Mahavira, a contemporary of Gautama the Buddha Japa ( muttering ): the recitation of mantras Jivan-mukta ( he who is liberated while alive ): an adept who, while still embodied, has attained liberation (moksha) Jivan-mukti ( living liberation ): the state of liberation while being embodied; cf. videha-mukti Jnana ( knowledge/wisdom ): both worldly knowledge or worldtranscending wisdom, depending on the context; see also prajna; cf. avidya Jnana-Yoga ( Yoga of wisdom ): the path to liberation based on wisdom, or the direct intuition of the transcendental Self (atman) through the steady application of discernment between the Real and the unreal and renunciation of what has been identified as unreal (or inconsequential to the achievement of liberation) Kali : a Goddess embodying the fierce (dissolving) aspect of the Divine Kapila ( He who is red ): a great sage, the quasi-mythical founder of the Samkhya tradition, who is said to have composed the Samkhya- Sutra (which, however, appears to be of a much later date) Karman, karma ( action ): activity of any kind, including ritual acts; said to be binding only so long as engaged in a self-centered way; the karmic consequence of one s actions; destiny Karma Yoga ( Yoga of action ): the liberating path of self-transcending action Karuna ( compassion ): universal sympathy; in Buddhist yoga the complement of wisdom (prajna) Kosha ( casing ): any one of five envelopes surrounding the transcendental Self (atman) and thus blocking its light: anna-maya-kosha ( envelope made of food, the physical body), prana-maya-kosha ( envelope made of life force ), mano-maya-kosha ( envelope made of mind ), vijnana-maya-kosha ( envelope made of consciousness ), and ananda-maya-kosha ( envelope made of bliss ); some older traditions regard the last kosha as identical with the Self (atman)

55 P55 Krishna ( Puller ): an incarnation of God Vishnu, the God-man whose teachings can be found in the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata- Purana/p> Kumbhaka ( potlike ): breath retention; cf. puraka, recaka Kundalini-shakti ( coiled power ): according to Tantra and hatha yoga, the serpent power or spiritual energy, which exists in potential form at the lowest psycho-energetic center of the body (i.e., the mula-adharacakra) and which must be awakened and guided to the center at the crown (i.e., the sahasrara-cakra) for full enlightenment to occur Kundalini-Yoga : the yogic path focusing on the kundalini process as a means of liberation Mahatma (from maha-atman, great self ): an honorific title (meaning something like a great soul ) bestowed on particularly meritorious individuals, such as Gandhi Maithuna ( twinning ): the Tantric sexual ritual in which the participants view each other as Shiva and Shakti respectively Mandala ( circle ): a circular design symbolizing the cosmos and specific to a deity Mantra (from the verbal root man to think ): a sacred sound or phrase, such as om, hum, or om namah shivaya, that has a transformative effect on the mind of the individual reciting it; to be ultimately effective, a mantra needs to be given in an initiatory context (diksha) Matsyendra ( Lord of Fish ): an early Tantric master who founded the Yogini-Kaula school and is remembered as a teacher of Goraksha Nadi ( conduit ): one of 72,000 or more subtle channels along or through which the life force (prana) circulates, of which the three most important ones are the ida-nadi, pingala-nadi, and sushumna-nadi Nadi-shodhana ( channel cleansing ): the practice of purifying the conduits, especially by means of breath control (pranayama) Neti-neti ( not thus, not thus ): an Upanishadic expression meant to convey that the ultimate Reality is neither this nor that, that is, is beyond all description Nirodha ( restriction ): in Patanjali s eight-limbed yoga, the very basis of the process of concentration, meditation, and ecstasy; in the first instance, the restriction of the whirls of the mind (citta-vritti)

56 P56 Niyama ( [self-]restraint ): the second limb of Patanjali s eightfold path, which consists of purity (saucha), contentment (samtosha), austerity (tapas), study (svadhyaya), and dedication to the Lord (ishvarapranidhana) Om : the original mantra symbolizing the ultimate Reality, which is prefixed to many mantric utterances Patanjali : compiler of the Yoga Sutra, who lived c. 150 C.E. Pingala-nadi ( reddish conduit ): the prana current or arc ascending on the right side of the central channel (sushumna-nadi) and associated with the sympathetic nervous system and having an energizing effect on the mind when activated; cf. ida-nadi Prana ( life/breath ): life in general; the life force sustaining the body; the breath as an external manifestation of the subtle life force Pranayama (from prana and ayama, life/breath extension ): breath control, the fourth limb (anga) of Patanjali s eigthfold path, consisting of conscious inhalation (puraka) retention (kumbhaka) and exhalation (recaka); at an advanced state, breath retention occurs spontaneously for longer periods of time Pratyahara ( withdrawal ): sensory inhibition, the fifth limb (anga) of Patanjali s eightfold path Puja ( worship ): ritual worship, which is an important aspect of many forms of yoga, notably bhakti yoga and Tantra Raja-Yoga ( Royal Yoga ): a late medieval designation of Patanjali s eightfold yoga-darshana, also known as classical yoga Rama : an incarnation of God Vishnu preceding Krishna; the principal hero of the Ramayana Ramayana ( Rama s life ): one of India s two great national epics telling the story of Rama; cf. Mahabharata Rishi ( seer ): a category of Vedic sage; an honorific title of certain venerated masters, such as the South Indian sage Ramana, who is known as maharshi (from maha meaning great and rishi); cf. muni Sadhana ( accomplishing ): spiritual discipline leading to siddhi ( perfection or accomplishment ); the term is specifically used in Tantra

57 P57 Samadhi ( putting together ): the ecstatic or unitive state in which the meditator becomes one with the object of meditation, the eighth and final limb (anga) of Patanjali s eightfold path; there are many types of Samadhi, the most significant distinction being between samprajnata (conscious) and asamprajnata (supraconscious) ecstasy; only the latter leads to the dissolution of the karmic factors deep within the mind; beyond both types of ecstasy is enlightenment, which is also sometimes called sahaja-samadhi or the condition of natural or spontaneous ecstasy, where there is perfect continuity of superconscious throughout waking, dreaming, and sleeping Samatva or samata ( evenness ): the mental condition of harmony, balance Samprajnata-samadhi; see samadhi Samsara ( confluence ): the finite world of change, as opposed to the ultimate Reality (brahman or nirvana) Samskara ( activator ): the subconscious impression left behind by each act of volition, which, in turn, leads to renewed psychomental activity; the countless samskaras hidden in the depth of the mind are ultimately eliminated only in asamprajnata-samadhi (see samadhi) Samyama ( constraint ): the combined practice of concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and ecstasy (samadhi) in regard to the same object Satya ( truth/truthfulness ): truth, a designation of the ultimate Reality; also the practice of truthfulness, which is an aspect of moral discipline (yama) Shakti ( power ): the ultimate Reality in its feminine aspect, or the power pole of the Divine; see also kundalini-shakti Shankara ( He who is benevolent ): the eighth-century adept who was the greatest proponent of nondualism (Advaita Vedanta) and whose philosophical school was probably responsible for the decline of Buddhism in India Shiva ( He who is benign ): the Divine; a deity that has served yogins as an archetypal model throughout the ages Shodhana ( cleansing/purification ): a fundamental aspect of all yogic paths; a category of purification practices in hatha yoga Siddhi ( accomplishment/perfection ): spiritual perfection, the attainment of flawless identity with the ultimate Reality (atman or brahman); paranormal ability, of which the yoga tradition knows many kinds

58 P58 Sushumna-nadi ( very gracious channel ): the central prana current or arc in or along which the serpent power (kundalini-shakti) must ascend toward the psycho-energetic center (cakra) at the crown of the head in order to attain liberation (moksha) Sutra ( thread ): an aphoristic statement; a work consisting of aphoristic statements, such as Patanjali s Yoga Sutra or Vasugupta s Shiva-Sutra Svadhyaya ( one s own going into ): study, an important aspect of the yogic path, listed among the practices of self-restraint (niyama) in Patanjali s eightfold yoga; the recitation of mantras (see also japa) Tantra ( Loom ): a type of Sanskrit work containing Tantric teachings; the tradition of Tantrism, which focuses on the shakti side of spiritual life and which originated in the early post-christian era and achieved its classical features around 1000 C.E.; Tantrism has a right-hand (dakshina) or conservative and a left-hand (vama) or unconventional/antinomian branch, with the latter utilizing, among other things, sexual rituals Tapas ( glow/heat ): austerity, penance, which is an ingredient of all yogic approaches, since they all involve self-transcendence Tattva ( thatness ): a fact or reality; a particular category of existence such as the ahamkara, buddhi, manas; the ultimate Reality (see also atman, brahman) Upanishad ( sitting near ): a type of scripture representing the concluding portion of the revealed literature of Hinduism, hence the designation Vedanta for the teachings of these sacred works; cf. Aranyaka, Brahmana, Veda Upaya ( means ): in Buddhist yoga, the practice of compassion (karuna); cf. prajna Vairagya ( dispassion ): the attitude of inner ren

59 P59 Chapter 10 Anatomy and Pathology ANATOMY OF BREATHING In this day and age there is a staggering number of people suffering from breathing related disorders. Yoga teachers in particular are in the advantageous position of being extremely influential in changing people s breath patterns and respiration at a cellular level. There are many different methods and approaches to restore respiration and breathing patterns. What seems to be clear is that the benefits of breath practice are not specific or exclusive to yoga or to a certain type of breathing program. There is no one right or correct way to breathe as each breath relies heavily on the context of that persons activity, body position, state, and being at the time. The one common benefit and power of all breathing practices is bringing CONSCIOUSNESS and AWARENESS to our breath and this has a tremendous effect on our health and wellbeing. The cells in our bodies and our brain need a constant supply of oxygen to stay alive. For efficient respiration to occur at a cellular level, there needs to be a good balance of Oxygen and Carbon dioxide in the blood stream. The 4 main functions of breathing 1. The supply of optimal amounts of oxygen to the tissues 2. To maintain optimal CO2 levels in the blood 3. The maintenance of body ph balance 4. To calm the nervous system and bring the body in to a more homeostatic state Our Respiratory muscles

60 P60 The Diaphragm Basics 1. It is a thin (2-4 mm) dome-shaped muscle with numerous vital functions and a wide distribution of both anatomic and neuro logic connections. 2. It separates the chest from the abdomen. 3. It has two functional units: A. Crural Region This is the portion of the diaphragm responsible for correct breathing. B. Costal Region This area prevents gastro esophageal reflux. * These areas are often required to work at different times when swallowing and during esophageal distention 4. The attachment points of the diaphragm are numerous and varied: A. Sternal Portion Attaches to the posterior surface of the xiphoid process. B. Costal Portion Attaches to the internal surface and superior margin of the last six ribs via fibers that intersect the Trans versus Abdominis. C. Lumbar Portion Originates from medial, intermediate and lateral diaphragmatic pillars and attaches to the 12th rib and L Numerous vital structures pass through openings in the diaphragm including: A. Inferior Vena Cava B. Esophagus C. Anterior and Posterior Vagal Trunks D. Right Phrenic Nerve E. Right and Left Splanchnic Nerves F. Sympathetic Trunk G. Abdominal Aorta H. Thoracic Duct

61 P61 6. Neurologically, the diaphragm also has multiple connections: A. It is primarily innervated by the phrenic nerve, which originates from C3-C5. B. The phrenic neurons are in the ventral horn of the cervical spinal cord and receive input from the medulla. C. The phrenic motor units control breathing, swallowing, vocalization, coughing and sneezing. Another primary job of the phrenic nerve is to help create appropriate intra-abdominal pressure for all movements of the body. D. The brain control of the phrenic nerve is believed to be de rived from the retro-ambiguous nucleus of the medulla. This is why there is research evidence that sub occipital release can influence respiration and improve heart rate variability. E. The phrenic nerve receives AFFERENT INPUT from the pericardium, liver, peritoneum and the vena cava. F. The crural portion has also been shown to receive EFFERENT vagus input. G. The phrenic nerve sends fibers to the subclavian nerve, which innervates the subclavius muscle. H. To further complicate things, the phrenic nerve joins with the vagus nerve, which provides afferent information to both the medial longitudinal fasciculus and the spinal trigeminal nucleus. This potentially means that diaphragmatic dysfunction can cause or coexist with problems in the neck, eyes, dura, and mouth. I. Finally, the phrenic nerve is known to send impulses to the hypoglossal nerve, CN XII. 7. In addition to the above, it is also important to consider the Basic Fascial Connections of the Diaphragm

62 P62 Connections of the diaphragm: A. There are fascial connections between the diaphragm, the parietal pleura and the pericardium. B. The diaphragm connects via this fascia to the inner surface of the scalene muscles as well as the occiput and dura. C. Inferiorly, the diaphragm fascially connects to the psoas, trans versus abdominis, pubic ramus, and pelvic floor musculature. Diaphragm actions Now that we have an overview of the basic functional anatomy, let s review the most important actions of the diaphragm and look at how it interacts with the mouth and pelvis. 1. On inspiration the dome of the diaphragm descends creating a vacuum that draws air into the lungs. 2. Because of its movement during inspiration, the diaphragm causes a change in intra-abdominal pressure inducing a small, but measurable, descent of the organs into the abdomen and pelvis. 3. Based on recent MRI research the descent of the organs into the abdomen causes a small corresponding descent and stretch of the pelvic floor muscles. 4. During exhalation the genioglossus muscle of the tongue moves posteriorly and during inhalation moves anteriorly.

63 P63 The top 3 typical chronic breathing dysfunctions 1. Upper chest breathing Causes : - Slouching - Aesthetic reasons and being told to hold tummy in - Diaphragm weakness - Gut and digestive issues - Stress - Stiff thoracic spines Assessment : - High/low (one hand on upper chest, other hand on tummy). - Check all positions; supine, sitting and standing - Check lower ribcage lateral expansion. Do both sides expand sideways evenly? Are the lower ribs lifting? Drills : - Lying supine with a heavy book on the abdomen - Breathing on all fours or with hands on the wall - Kapalabati on all fours (stomach flapping while in cat stretch for 30 breaths) - Pursed lip breathing for diaphragm activation - Diaphragm release and diaphragm stretch 2. Mouth Breathing Causes : - Exercise - Blocked sinuses - TMJ (jaw) misalignment causing blockage of nose - Chronic hyperventilation Assessment : - Teeth protrusion - Blocked sinuses - Dry mouth - High intensity cardio with mouth taped; how does it feel? Drills: - Alternate nostril breathing - Mouth taping - Fix the hyperventilation, you usually fix the mouth breathing!

64 P64 3. Chronic Hyper ventilation Causes: - Sedentary lifestyle - Stress (all kinds) - Posture and slouching - Overeating - Overheating - Sleep factors - Mouth breathing - Toxins and pollution - Lack of nutrients - Talkativeness Assessment: - Breaths per minute - Control Pause Drills: - Exhaling for increased counts - Staccato exhales for 1 minute (good for endurance athletes)

65 P65 Your Control Pause The control pause is one of the most important tests at establishing a baseline of what your current O2 and CO2 levels are. This test has been correlated with a large amount of the conditions and Symptoms listed with breathing dysfunctions. Dr. Buteyko who was a leading researcher and scientist in the field of respiratory function used this as his gold standard for assessment. Most research suggests that in a healthy population, a persons control pause after exhalation should be between seconds. Times below this are typically associated with symptoms related to chronic hyperventilation and/or asthma. How to do the test: Breathe in and out normally for 30 seconds. After a natural exhale, hold your breath by clipping your nose. Start timing yourself and check how long you can hold your breath for. Ideally, you should be able to hold your breath for at least 40 seconds. PH and the blood The ph range in the body is of the utmost importance for our survival. The typical range in the blood fluctuates between 7.35 and Any higher or lower has an immediate impact on our survival and bodily functions. One of the primary ways we regulate blood ph is through CO2 levels in the body, which is directly correlated to aerobic metabolism and our ability to breathe properly. Through exercise or exertion, CO2 levels may increase making the blood ph more acidic. This means more CO2 needs to be expired as opposed to conventional advice, which states breathe more deeply. Breath changes occur really quickly in the body. You can upset or change the balance of ph in the body in as little as 6 breaths. Incorrect breathing for as little as 3 minutes can reduce oxygenation levels in the blood stream by 30%. In as little as 10 minutes CO2 levels in the tissue, muscles, and organs are also reduced. This happens due to diffusion of CO2 from these areas, back into the blood stream. Remember blood ph balance is critical for survival. If people suffer from poor chronic breathing patterns (which 90% of the population do), they also suffer from poor CO2 levels as well.

66 P66 Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide We tend to think that we need more oxygen in the body and less carbon - dioxide. Both are equally as important in our blood stream and they are both needed to serve specific functions within the body. Oxygen is the main fuel for all cellular activities that take place within the body. Oxygen is transported through the body via haemoglobin. However, if carbon dioxide levels are too low, oxygen then struggles to reach its target destinations (the cells that need it most) as it binds more strongly to the haemoglobin. CO2 levels are responsible for your breathing volume. Higher CO2 levels detected signal your body to inhale more O2 to balance things out. As the CO2 levels alter the ph balance to make it an overly acidic environment, the body deems this an immediate threat to your survival. It over reacts to remedy the problem. This creates a new problem as it prompts over breathing. Breathing and visiting your doctor A lot of the common symptoms that people go to their doctors for are breathing related or can be aided by improved breathing function. However they are never identified as such by the doctors. Stomach pain, chest pain, back pain, and headaches are commonly found to be medically unexplained. These symptoms however are correlated with poor breathers.

67 P67 If pain is your body s way of generating an action signal, could it be doing so because of poor breathing? Some of the symptoms associated with breathing disorders: Severe breathing dysfunctional patterns usually present themselves as: Breathlessness Anxiety Panic Muscle Spasms Muscle Cramping Light-headedness Dizziness Chest Pain and Palpitation Gastric Reflux Abdominal Bloating Less severe and more chronic breathing dysfunctional patterns can present with low-grade complaints of the above and the following: Shortness of Breath for No Apparent Reason Frequent Sighing or Yawning Sweating Fainting or Tremors Dizziness Trembling Slurred Speech Cold, Tingling, or Numb Lips or Extremities Nausea or Irritable Bowel Syndrome Aching Muscles or Joints Tiredness, Unsteadiness, or Weakness Restless Sleep, Insomnia, and Nightmares Sexual Disorders Anxiety or Phobias Dry Mouth Pressure in Throat or Difficulty Swallowing Bloating, Belching, or Abdominal Pain Impaired Memory or Concentration Confusion / Disorientation Tinnitus (Ringing In Ears) Blurred Vision, Tunnel Vision, Double Vision, or Flashing Lights Tachycardia (Rapid Pulse) Depression Erratic Blood Pressure

68 P68 Poor breathing and its impact on your Posture and Pain Bad breathing technique affects your posture and may impact your pain as well. There are over 20 muscles involved in the act of breathing. Poor breathing will often manifest itself in your posture and physically by the following: Rounded shoulders Thoracic kyphosis Poor spinal mobility We typically take breaths per minute. This means over the course of the day we ll take a LOT of breaths. This amounts to anywhere in the region of breaths per day. Stress and its impact on your breathing Chronic hyperventilation or poor breathing is often a result of ongoing stress. Stress by this definition can be anything physical, emotional, structural, or whatever. Your nervous system and brain treats all stress the same. It s a threat to your survival and therefore tries to deal with it in the same manner. When stressed we enter a fight or flight mode. From a physiological point of view the following occurs: We get an increased breathing rate to alkalize the blood stream in anticipation of the threat. This happens to offset the anticipated rise in CO2 in the blood stream due to action or movement. If there is no action or movement you get a situation whereby you ve created a state of chronic hyperventilation or over - breathing. As the body has just become more sensitive to CO2 as a result of this process; it creates a vicious cycle of over breathing to try remedy the situation. As the body accepts this as the new norm, it will start to alter the lungs and kidneys regulatory control of ph over time. Remember you get better at what you practice! Breathing and your Sleep Sleep is heavily tied to ones breathing function. Does the position you sleep in matter? Yes it does according to some! Research indicates that sleeping on your back is the worst possible position to be in from a breathing perspective.

69 P69 The better your Control Pause, the fewer hours you will typically sleep. Your sleep will be deeper and uninterrupted. Typically people who have a low control pause always sleep for longer and feel tired when they are waking up. With regards to body position and sleep the hierarchy from best position to worst position according to Buteyko is as follows: 1. Sleeping on your left side 2. Sleeping on your stomach 3. Sleeping on your right side 4. Sleeping on your back Breathing and your Digestion Digestion is severely impacted by breathing. Normal digestion typically takes 2 hours. In people with poor breathing this may take up to 5-8 hours to properly digest food. Digestion primarily needs oxygen as a fuel to break down the food you consumed. Interestingly enough, poor breathing can cause you to gain weight. As an individual s breathing gets heavier, this has an impact on CO2 as previously stated. What this does is drive glucose from the blood stream in to the fat cells. As a result most people with poor breathing may gradually gain weight over time. One of the things that has a huge impact on this, is the size of your food portions in one sitting. The types of food matter as well obviously, but quantity and volume seem to have the biggest impact on breathing and the control pause.

70 P70 ANATOMY OF THE SPINE Overview The spine is made up of 33 vertebrae stacked on top of each other with ligaments and muscles connecting the vertebrae together. The spinal column sits deep inside the vertebrae and it acts as the physiological and neurological connection between the body and the brain. A healthy spine provides clear information coming to and from the brain. The high number of joints in the spine means that it is packed full of nerve endings sending feedback within the nervous system therefore keeping the spine mobile and healthy is vital for a healthy brain as well as a healthy body free of back pain. Strong muscles and bones, flexible tendons and ligaments, and sensitive nerves all contribute to a healthy spine. People can often associate the core as just the abdominals or obliques, but it is the spine where all your nerves exit in to the periphery. It is always involved with helping you stay sturdy, mobile, efficient and ready to make the next move.

71 P71 Spinal Curves The spine has a natural S- shape with three distinct curves. The cervical and lumbar spines have a slight lordotic curve and the thoracic spine should have a slight kyphotic curve. The cervical spine has 7 vertebrae, the thoracic spine is made up of 12 vertebrae and the lumbar spine is made up of 5 vertebrae. The S- shape of the spine is designed in this way for optimal shock absorption.

72 P72 Picture your spine like a coil or a slinky. Your spine needs to be able to absorb and disperse force easily to be able to loosen or harden your body upon your command. The cervical and lumbar parts of the spine have more mobility than the thoracic spine because of the position of the rib cage and its attachment to the thoracic spine. If you have a lack of movement in the thoracic spine, the cervical and lumbar spines will compensate by becoming overly mobile and will decrease the stability of your spine no matter how strong your core is. There are 3 general types of posture and spine abnormalities but it is important to note that how the spine moves is much more important than how it looks or the posture you exhibit. The better motor control you have over your spine, the better the balance between its mobility and stability making it the perfect force transducer between the lower and upper extremities. Below are the 3 typical spinal curve abnormalities: - Thoracic kyphosis (hunch back) - Lumbar lordosis (hollow back) - Scoliosis

73 P73 Anatomy of the Vertebrae The cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae are all slightly different but each of them has the same three functional parts: - a drum-shaped body designed to bear weight and withstand compression - an arch-shaped bone that protects the spinal cord - star-shaped processes designed as outriggers for muscle attachment

74 P74 Cervical (neck) There are 7 cervical vertebrae and their main function is to support the weight of the head. The vertebral bodies of these vertebrae are quite small as the cervical part of the spine has the greatest range of motion to allow for head motion. It is the atlas and the axis (the first two cervical vertebrae) that allow for flexion, extension and rotation of the spine. Thoracic (mid back) There are 12 thoracic vertebrae, and their vertebral bodies are bigger than the cervical ones. Their main function is to hold the ribcage and protect the heart and lungs. The small movement the thoracic spine has is very important as this part of the spine often gets very restricted and stiff, limiting good expansion of the ribcage and therefore can affect your breathing patterns significantly. Lumbar (lower back) There are 5 lumbar vertebrae and their vertebral bodies are the larger and thickest of all of them because their main function is to support the weight of the body as well as absorb and be able to transmit the energy between the upper and lower extremities. Sacrum There are 5 vertebrae that make up the sacrum which are fused together. The sacrum and the iliac bones together make up the sacro-iliac joint and with the rest of the pelvic bones make up the pelvic girdle. Coccyx (tail bone) There are 3 or 4 fused bones that make up the coccyx depending on the person and its main function is to provide attachment points for the ligaments and muscles of the pelvic floor. On the back of each vertebra are bony projections that form the vertebral arch. The arch is made of two supporting pedicles and two laminae. The hollow spinal canal contains the spinal cord, fat, ligaments, and blood vessels. Under each pedicle, a pair of spinal nerves exits the spinal cord and pass through the intervertebral foramen to branch out to your body. Seven processes arise from the vertebral arch: the spinous process, two transverse processes, two superior facets, and two inferior facets. The facet joints of the spine allow back motion. Each vertebra has four facet joints, one pair that connects to the vertebra above (superior facets) and one pair that connects to the vertebra below (inferior facets).

75 P75 Each vertebra is separated from its neighbor with a cushioning intervertebral disc to stop the bones from rubbing together. Each disc is made of a gel-filled center called the nucleus and a tough fibrous outer ring called the annulus. The annulus pulls the vertebral bodies together against the resistance of the gel-filled nucleus. With age and lack of movement, our discs increasingly lose the ability to reabsorb fluid and become brittle and flatter; this is why we typically get shorter as we grow older. Also diseases, such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, cause bone spurs (osteophytes) to grow. Injury and strain can cause discs to bulge or herniate, a condition in which the nucleus is pushed out through the annulus to compress the nerve roots causing back pain.

76 P76 Ligaments The ligaments are made up of strong connective tissues to hold the spine together. The three major ligaments of the spine are the Ligamentum Flavum, anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL), and posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL). These ligaments allow flexion, extension and rotation of the spine while keeping the vertebrae safe and in alignment. Spinal cord The spinal cord runs from the brainstem to the 1st lumbar vertebra and it serves as an information gateway sending messages to and from the brain. The brain sends motor signals to the rest of the body body through the spinal cord allowing for movement. At the same time the body sends sensory messages to the brain through the spinal cord sending feedback about what we feel and touch as well as what has been moved. Any damage to the spinal cord can result in a loss of function below the level of the injury.

77 P77 Spinal nerves The spinal nerves act as the main communicators between the brain and the body. Each nerve has two roots, the ventral root and the dorsal root. The ventral root nerves carry impulses from the brain and the dorsal root nerves carry impulses to the brain. The spinal nerves innervate specific areas and form a striped pattern across the body called dermatomes. Doctors use this pattern to diagnose the location of a spinal problem based on the area of pain or muscle weakness. For example leg pain (sciatica) would usually indicate a problem near the L4-S3 nerves.

78 P78 Muscles The main muscles of the spine are the extensors and flexors. When the body is under continuous stress, the extensors above T6 become inhibited neurologically and the body reflexively goes in to a more defense position. Below T6 the flexors become inhibited taking the lumbar spine in to a deeper lordotic curve. The muscles are slaves to what the nervous system commands and if there is enough stress in the body the muscles will act to give us an exaggerated S - shape with less mobility, less space between the vertebrae and compromised spine function in general.

79 P79 Common Spinal Pathologies Disc Herniations Causes Although discs are very strong, they are vulnerable to twisting forces, which can rupture the outer layer of cartilage. This allows the pulpy gel inside to protrude or prolapse. Disc problems are most common in the lower back, but they can also occur in the neck or more rarely, in the mid back. Symptoms There may be little or no warning of an acute disc protrusion in the lower back. The pain tends to be of the deep, dull, aching kind, which may be felt in the middle of the lower back or to one side. It may radiate deep into the buttock, hip or groin, with aching in the thighs. Quite often the pain may increase suddenly when they cough, laugh, sneeze, or strain. Chronic disc problems may make your client feel sharp twinges and occasionally the back might lock in one position. The pain may be felt on one side of the back and may also be accompanied with some intermittent leg pain, possibly with pins and needles. What to avoid Certain movements are painful and restricted depending on the direction and angle the disc is herniating from and whether it is pressing on any nerves. Forward flexion is generally prohibited in the acute stages although sometimes extension, twisting, or lateral flexion may be more painful. If you do get a client with a disc problem, make sure they have consent from a doctor to do Yoga.

80 P80 Corrective exercise Focus on stabilizing first by improving their core control doing very gentle spine movements but making sure the spine isn t moving in a range that is causing pain or discomfort. Remember, the rule is never move in to pain. Mobilizing the other joints in the body will help stimulate the nervous system and increase mechanoreceptive input to the brain. Sciatic pain Causes Sciatica is often confused as a condition although it is only a symptom. It is a type of pain that may be caused by general compression and/ or irritation of one of the spinal nerve roots that give rise to the sciatic nerve. It may also be caused by inflammation of certain muscles such as the Piriformis or arthritic or compressed hip joints.

81 P81 Symptoms The pain is felt in the lower back, buttock, running down the leg or foot. In addition to pain, there may be numbness, muscular weakness, pins and needles, or tingling in the leg. What to avoid - Avoid ranges of motion that are painful - Lower body nerve glides may irritate - Extreme external rotation may feel uncomfortable - Clams and too many reps of side lying glute work may feel uncomfortable - Sometimes foot mobilization exercises can feel painful Corrective exercise - Pranayama to create space in the lumbar vertebrae - Dandasana with a belt - Core Strenghtening exercises lying on the back or belly (baby backbends) - Mild backbends like Setu Bandha

82 P82 Injuries to the spine Spondylolisthesis Causes This is a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over the one below it. The vertebra shifts out of place, usually forwards. Most cases develop from having a crack in one of the vertebra. The crack becomes a break as a result of excessive stresses and strains. Symptoms The displacement can be slight and without pain. But if nerves are trapped because of the shift, leg pain, numbness or pins and needles may results in the legs. What to avoid - No extension exercises - Excessive twisting Corrective exercise - Severe cases of both cases may need surgery, but in most cases, pilates goes a long way. Focus on strengthening the postural stabilizing muscles - Improve alignment, movement and control for efficient force transfer up and down the body - Gentle stretching of the hamstrings and lower back

83 P83 Structural defects of the spine Functional scoliosis Causes This is a sideways curve of the spine, commonly caused by many factors amongst which are vestibular dysfunctions, lack of convergence of one eye, poor posture, and legs of unequal length, resulting in the pelvis tilting to one side. The spine compensates by bending slightly towards the higher side to bring the level of the head back to horizontal. Symptoms Often there is no pain experienced. Depending on where the curve is, pain may be experienced in the lower back, thoracic or neck area. Because lordosis typically accompanies scoliosis, stiffness in the lower back may be experienced. What to avoid - Avoid forcing the spine in to the opposite direction - Excessive Impact can increase or cement the curve

84 P84 Corrective exercise - Spine mobilizing exercises in flexion - Lateral thoracic breathing in side lying with rolled up towel under the curve - Spine mobilization exercises such as shoulder bridge with articulation - Diaphragm stretch and release - Pranayama - Core control - Hamstring and glute strengthening exercises Structural scoliosis Causes Structural scoliosis arises either in infancy, when it can be very severe, or during early adolescence. Vertebrae become narrower on one side so the spine leans towards that side and rotates. The deformity may be severe enough to require surgery. Symptoms Mild scoliosis might produce no discomfort or pain initially. However later in life, the unequal stresses and strains can accumulate and produce a general ache in any part of the back, shoulders or neck. Recent studies are starting to show that structural scoliosis can result from a visual or vestibular (inner ear balance) disorder.

85 P85 What to avoid - Avoid forcing the spine in to the opposite direction - Excessive Impact can increase or cement the curve Corrective exercises - Spine mobilizing exercises in flexion - Lateral thoracic breathing in side lying with rolled up towel under the curve - Spine mobilization exercises such as shoulder bridge with articulation - Diaphragm stretch and release - Core control - Hamstring and glute strengthening exercises Postural pain This is probably one of the most common causes of chronic backache, which is why as Yoga instructors, we get many clients through recommendation from their physiotherapists. All the posture types such as lordosis, or kyphosis, would typically strain the muscles or the ligaments, or both. Yoga exercises will help by stabilizing and balancing the body back to a lengthened neutral posture.

86 P86 The ageing spine As the spine ages, the bones and discs degenerate. Bones usually lose calcium and grow bony spurs. The discs grow drier and thinner and the ligaments may weaken or stiffen. The degeneration is often called spondylosis (note this is different from spondylolisthesis) or osteoarthritis. 75% of over 50s are affected by this. Although it is rarely painful, it can give rise to conditions such as spinal stenosis, osteoporosis, or facet syndrome. Spinal stenosis Causes The central spinal canal becomes too narrow, reducing the flow of blood to the nerves. Bony spurs may grow narrowing the spinal canal. This can result in pinched nerves. Symptoms Individuals with lumbar spinal stenosis may have pain or discomfort in the legs, as well as weakness or heaviness in the lower extremities. Other symptoms may include numbness, tingling, or hot and cold feelings in the legs. What to avoid - Repetitive excessive impact exercises - Balance will be compromised so ensure they stand next to a wall when doing balance positions - Prone exercises may feel uncomfortable so you can place a pillow under their abdominals to create a little bit of spine flexion - Excessive extension in the lumbar spine may feel uncomfortable - Lateral flexion may aggravate - Standing warm ups for too long may create discomfort

87 P87 Corrective exercise - Improved stability may help the condition so focus on the gentle stabilizing exercises that don t put too much stress on the spine - Gentle spine mobilization exercises such as spine rotation, shoulder bridge and thoracic spine twist - Spinal lengthening exercises help Osteoporosis Causes Osteoporosis is a systemic disorder so it is not limited to the spine but affects the person s overall bone density. Bones continually change throughout life, with some bone cells dissolving and new bone cells growing back in a process called remodeling (Wolf s law). With osteoporosis, bones gradually become thin as they lose their calcium and mineral structure, it is common with ageing but it accelerates with disuse and immobility. Osteoporosis or its early warning sign, osteopenia, signals an imbalance in the remodeling process: Too much bone is broken down, and too little new bone is built back up. Brittle bones result, prone to fracture. The causes of osteoporosis are multifactorial but a lack of calcium, hormone imbalances, thyroid conditions, certain medications such as cortisone and steroid injections, a lack of vitamin D, sedentary lifestyle, immobility, and lack of stress on the bones are typical causes. Estrogen deficiency is also widely accepted as a cause, which is why it is common amongst post-menopausal women.

88 P88 Symptoms Osteoporosis often starts silently and may not be found until a bone fractures. But sometimes, symptoms appear. Osteoporosis typically affects the bones of the lumbar spine, hips, and wrists. Lower back pain and a loss of height are typical symptoms. What to avoid No excessive forward flexion or lateral flexion. Forward flexion causes excessive compression force on the anterior (or front) surface of the vertebral bodies, where most of the trabecular bone is located. In those with low bone density of the spine, the weakened bone cannot withstand such force and fractures may or will occur. Compression forces on the vertebrae are also excessive during side-bending of the thoracic and upper-lumbar spine. Forward flexion, side-bending and especially forward flexion combined with rotation are therefore contraindicated for clients with osteoporosis and hence for clients with osteopenia. Corrective exercise - Focus on gentle mobilizing exercises but avoid excessive flexion of the spine as typically clients with osteoporosis will have a tendancy to be kyphotic - Weight bearing exercise but avoid excessive impact - Core control - Spine extension exercises Facet Syndrome

89 P89 Causes The condition occurs when the discs get thinner so the facet joints are jammed closed together and so are put under much greater pressure than normal. The joints can become irritated and inflamed, causing the joint capsule to swell and may press on a nerve root. Facet syndrome can be caused by trauma, such as a whiplash injury of the neck. Abnormal postures can overload spinal tissues, including the facet joints, and cause inflammation and pain in these joints. More commonly, degenerative changes in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine can lead to abnormal stress and strain. This results in increased loads on the facet joints. Symptoms Sufferers often report increased pain with extension or prolonged periods of inactivity like sitting or standing too long. Changing positions often improves pain. Facet syndrome pain may feel worse in the morning and improve after moving around as the day progresses. However, for those who work sitting all day with poor posture, they may experience pain throughout the day. - Cervical facet joint pain can be felt in the areas of the base of the skull, upper back and shoulders, mid-back, or neck. Some patients may present with frequent headaches or even ringing in the ears. - Thoracic facet syndrome is less common than cervical and lumbar facet syndrome and is probably related to restricted motion at these levels due to the rigidity of the thoracic spine. Pain experienced in thoracic facet syndrome is likely to be felt locally near the affected segment near the midline. - The lumbar spine has considerable motion and high compres sive forces. Facet pain from these joints is quite common. Pain is usually felt directly over the affected joints, but may also be felt in the buttocks, hips, groin, and back of the thighs depending on which facet joint is injured.

90 P90 What to avoid - Avoid excessive extensions - Avoid deep lateral flexion - End range rotation can also be painful Corrective exercise Lengthening in neutral, as an exercise in itself, will really help. This will help increase the spaces between the vertebrae. Also gentle stabilizing and mobilizing exercises will help slow down the degeneration. Inflammation of the spine Any condition, which ends in (itis) is inflammatory in nature. A small percentage of back problems are the result of inflammatory conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis or rheumatoid arthritis, or by a cancer that either invades the spine or develops within it. Ankylosing spondylitis Causes This condition tends to occur in young adults affecting men more severely than women. Joints become inflamed and ligaments calcify to stiffen the spine. Little is known about the cause but the disease usually affects the sacroiliac joint first, and advances gradually over several years. Eventually, the inflammation affects the joints between the ribs and the mid spine, which reduces chest expansion and makes breathing difficult.

91 P91 Symptoms The symptoms are pain and stiffness in the lower back. The hips joints will also typically be stiff. Difficulty to articulate through the spine, it will look very flat during a forward bend. What to avoid - Spine movements early in the morning may feel painful - Avoid exercising to the point of fatigue or pain Corrective exercise The pain is relieved by gentle mobilizing exercise. Make sure the client is not moving in to pain when they are doing some of the spine mobility exercises and a focus on lateral thoracic breathing can help them increase their chest expansion and mobiilse their spine indirectly. Causes Rheumatoid arthritis This inflammatory condition is not limited to the spine, it usually starts in the small joints of the hands and feet and progresses until it affects the larger joints such as the knees, hips, elbows and shoulders. It does not usually attack the spine until later and when it does it usually affects the cervical spine. Symptoms Symptoms vary from mild joint symptoms with aching and stiffness to abrupt swelling, stiffness What to avoid During period of exacerbation & acute inflammation avoid end range stretching to swollen joints and heavy resistive exercises. Avoid exercising to the point of exhaustion or extreme fatigue. Ensure they get plenty of rest. Upper extremity weight bearing may have to be avoided if wrists are affected and grip may also be compromised Corrective exercise If the affected joint is particularly inflamed on the day they come to see you, try to avoid mobilizing it directly as it can aggravate the problem. Mobilizing the joints above and below the affected area can help and focusing on the stabilizing muscles will help reduce strain on the joints.

92 Chapter 11 History of YogaP92 Pre-Vedic Period BC The Indus Valley Civilization began in what we now call Pakistan and northwest India, in the fertile flood plain between Indus and what was then the Saraswati rivers. Farming settlements began around 4000 BCE and by 2600 BCE, and dozens of towns and cities had been established. One of these towns was called Harappa. As this was one of the first town uncovered by archaeologists, they named everyone in this region the Harappan tribe. Amazingly the Harappa script has never been deciphered so all we know is what has been found in their drawings and elaborate seals.

93 P93 This seal is the first known image of a person in a yogic posture. Some say it is an image of Lord Shiva, or Lord Pashputi, Lord of the Beasts, but others believe it is a woman with bangles on her arms. She is surrounded by excited animals yet remains peaceful in a meditative state. Researchers believe this was a highly educated matriarchal tribe that followed the yama ahimsa, or non-violence and the niyama saucha or cleanliness. By 1800 BCE, this highly advanced society disappeared beneath the sands of time. It is believed to be because of a shortage of water as the Saraswati River had dried up. Still, we have the first step in our journey into the world of yoga, evidence of the first matriarchal society, and the practise of following the yamas and niyamas Vedic Period BC The origin of the Vedas can be traced back as far as 1500 BCE and are the oldest books in the world. They were written by the Aryans- a large group of nomads from central Asia who crossed the Hindu Kush Mountains, migrating into the Indian subcontinent and the Indus valley. They were transmitted orally over many generations before eventually translated into writing. Like the Homeric epics, parts of the Vedas were composed in different periods. The oldest of these texts is the Rig-Veda, but it is not possible to establish precise dates for its composition. It is believed that the entire collection was completed by 200 BC a period of 1300 years!

94 P94 The Rig-Veda is the largest and most important text of the Vedic collection. It includes 1028 hymns and it is divided into ten books called mandalas. Pre-Classical Yoga BC Upanishads In this period the Ayran tribes of the Indus valley expanded to the Ganges river valley and India began to develop more cities and a larger agricultural base. Jainism and Buddhism were born and the Upanishads were written. The Upanishads are a collection of texts of religious and philosophical nature written during a time when Indian society started to question the traditional Vedic religious order. Some decided to engage in the pursuit of spiritual progress, living as ascetic hermits, rejecting ordinary material concerns, and giving up family life. Some of their speculations and philosophy were compiled into the Upanishads. There is an attempt in these texts to shift the focus of religious life from external rites and sacrifices to internal spiritual quests in the search for answers. Samsara is reincarnation, the idea that after we die our soul will be reborn again in another body.

95 P95 Karma, which literally means action, the idea that all actions have consequences, good or bad. Karma determines the conditions of the next life, just like our life is conditioned by our previous karma. Dharma means right behaviour or duty, the idea that we all have a social obligation. Moksha means liberation or release. The eternal cycle of deaths and resurrection can be seen as a pointless repetition with no ultimate goal attached to it. The Upanishads tell us that the core of our own self is not the body, or the mind, but atman or Self. Atman is the core of all creatures, their innermost essence. It can only be perceived by direct experience through meditation. It is when we are at the deepest level of our existence. The Upanishads claim that it is an illusion that we are all separate. With this realization we can be freed from ego, from reincarnation and from the suffering we experience during our existence. Moksha, in a sense, means to be reabsorbed into Brahman, into the great World Soul. Buddhism and Jainism As with Hinduism, this movement away from the Vedic rituals led to the creation of Buddhism and Jainism. The origin of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in presentday Nepal in 650 BC into a royal family. He was given all the privileges of his position but at the age of 29 gave up his life of comfort. He was dissatisfied with the religious establishment and wandered for 6 years as an ascetic till he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. After his death, the community he founded slowly evolved into a religion-like movement and the teachings of Siddhartha became the basis of Buddhism. Since then millions of people around the world have followed the pure spiritual path he revealed. Buddha explained that all our problems and suffering arise from confused and negative states of mind, and that all our happiness and good fortune arise from peaceful and positive states of mind. He taught methods for gradually overcoming our negative minds such as anger, jealousy and ignorance, and developing

96 P96 our positive minds such as love, compassion, and wisdom. Through this we will come to experience lasting peace and happiness. Meditation is at the heart of the Buddhist way of life. It is basically a method for understanding and working on our own mind. We first learn to identify our different negative mental states known as delusions, and learn how to develop peaceful and positive mental states or virtuous minds. Jainism 600BC The Jains are the followers of the Jinas. Jina literally means Conqueror. He who has conquered love and hate, pleasure and pain, attachment, and aversion, and has thereby freed `his soul from the karmas obscuring knowledge, perception, truth, and ability, is a Jina. The Jains refer to the Jina as God. Jainism upholds non-violence as the supreme religion as is believes in the equality of souls, irrespective of differing physical forms, ranging from human beings, animals, to microscopic living organisms. Humans, alone among living beings, are endowed with all the six senses Thus humans are expected to act responsibly towards all living beings by being compassionate, non-egoistic, fearless, forgiving, and rational. In 1974, on the 2500th anniversary of the nirvana of the last Jain Tirthankara, Mahavira, the Jain community at large collectively chose one image as an emblem to be the main identifying symbol for Jainism. The meaning of the mantra at the bottom, Parasparopagraho Jivanam, is All life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence. In short, the Jain emblem represents many important concepts to show the path to enlightenment

97 P97 Bhagavad-Gita 400 BC Bhagavad-Gita or Lord s Song is currently the oldest known Yoga scripture. It is devoted entirely to Yoga and covers every kind of yoga. The Gita is an epic tale written so the uneducated people could understand the philosophy and values of society. It is written as a conversation between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna. The central point to the Gita is that - to be alive means to be active and in order to avoid difficulties in our lives and in others, our actions have to exceed our egos. The Bhagavad Gita revolves around the following questions: How can someone live a life spiritually meaningful without withdrawing from society? What can someone who does not want to give up family and social obligations do to live the right way? The Gita challenges the general consensus that only ascetics and monks can live a perfect spiritual life through renunciation and emphasizes the value of an active spiritual life. Classical Period AD The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Written around the 2nd century AD, Patanjali was a sage and a yogi who attempted to define and standardize Classical Yoga at a time when it was being changed and adapted much as it is today. It is written as a poem composed of 195 sutras (threads) grouped into 4 books that expound upon Raja Yoga and its underlying principle, the Eight-fold path of Yoga (also called Eight Limbs of Classical Yoga). The 8-fold path to enlightenment includes: 1. Yama, which means social restraints or ethical values; 2. Niyama, which is personal observance of purity, tolerance, and study; 3. Asanas or physical exercises; 4. Pranayama, which means breath control or regulation; 5. Pratyahara or sense withdrawal in preparation for Meditation; 6. Dharana, which is about concentration; 7. Dhyana, which means Meditation; and 8. Samadhi, which means ecstasy. Patanjali defined yoga as the ability to direct the mind exclusively toward an object and sustain this without distraction. Then the ability to understand the object is fully apparent. This then replaces the mind s conception of the object. He separated the seer from the mind or ego. For example, imagine a bird in a tree preening itself. Another bird above it representing the self is watching this bird preening itself. It is not the one doing the preening but the observer.

98 In book 1 Samadhipada, he defines yoga and discusses the problems encountered. In reaching the state of yoga and how to handle these issues. In book 2, sadhanapadha, he describes the qualities needed to change the mind from distraction to attend and how to achieve this. In book 3 Vibhutipadah, he describes 6 of the 8 limbs of yoga in more details. Finally, in book 4, Kairalypadah, he discusses the possibilities for a person with a refined mind, when the mind is the servant and not the master. Hatha Yoga Pradipika AD The Hatha pradikipa was written by Swami Swatmarama, a disciple of Swami Goraknath between the 14th and 15th century and is considered the classical text describing hatha yoga. While the text describes asanas (postures), purifying practices (shatkarma), mudras (finger and hand positions), bandhas (locks), and pranayama (breath exercises), it also explains that the purpose of Hatha Yoga is the awakening of kundalini (subtle energy), advancement to Raja Yoga, and the experience of deep meditative absorption known as samadhi. The word hatha is composed of two syllables: ha and tha. Ha stands for the seer, the Self, the soul (purusa), and for the sun (Surya) and the in breath {prana). Tha represents nature (prakrti), consciousness {citta), the moon (chandra) and the outbreath (apana). Yoga, as already noted, means union. Hatha yoga, therefore, means the union of purusa with prakrti, consciousness with the soul, the sun with the moon, and prana with apana. In all, the text contains 390 verses in 5 chapters. Out of these, about forty deal with asanas, 110 with pranayama, 150 with mudras, bandhas and Shatkarmas and the rest with pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. The text begins with asanas as the first step in hatha yoga. For this reason it has been referred to as six-limbed yoga (sadanga yoga) as opposed to the eight-limbed patanjala yoga (astanga yoga), which includes, as its foundation, the first two limbs, yama and niyama. However, hatha yoga does not overlook the yamas and niyamas. Possibly, in Svatmarama s time, the ethical disciplines were taken for granted, so he does not explain them at length. Yogis were in constant contact with nature and they were searching for natural remedies to combat afflictions. In their search, they discovered hundreds of asanas to increase the life-giving force and restore it to its optimum level. There are said to be 840,000. Asanas are not just physical exercises: they have biochemical, psychophysiological, and psycho-spiritual effects. The cells of the body have their own intelligence and memory. P98

99 P99 Through practice of different asanas blood circulation is improved, the hormone system is balanced, the nervous system is stimulated, and toxins are eliminated, so that the cells, sinews and nerves are kept at their peak level. Physical, mental, and spiritual health, and harmony are attained. The commentary Jyotsna1 of Sri Brahmananda clearly and beautifully sums up the effect of asanas. He says: the body is full of inertia (tamasic), the mind vibrant (rajastc) and the Self serene and luminous (sattvic). By perfection in asanas, the lazy body is transformed to the level of the vibrant mind and they together are cultured to reach the level of the serenity of the Self. If Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras, codified the eight limbs of yoga (astanga yoga), Svatmarama did the same for hatha yoga. If the former is a scholarly exposition with gems of wisdom woven together, the latter is a direct practical and technical handbook AD British Raj rule India To understand yoga s journey to the west, we need to understand the influence the West first had in India and the relationship began with Britain. The main contact between Britain and India was trade. This really began to develop during the 1600s, when the British East India Company was created and maintained a monopoly of trade between Britain and Asia. The main goods traded were cotton, silk, and tea. Throughout the 1600s and 1700s they took control of more and more Indian lands. There is a lot of debate about how the British were able to gain the power and influence they did, because many of the Indian states were extremely well organized and powerful. Britain simply did not have the resources to invade India and conquer it by force. However, British leaders were very effective in choosing which princes they allied with, and which ones they fought. In 1844, English became the official language and it was declared that people having knowledge of English would be preferred for public employment. The imposition of English in the education system was a blessing in disguise some would say. Indians from diverse regions speaking different languages, could now communicate with each other through the medium of English. English thus, united the educated Indians and brought about a feeling of oneness among them. A spirit of nationalism formed gradually, which led to the resurgence of yoga in India and ultimately its journey to the West.

100 P100 Modern Yoga th Century Swami Vivekananda ( ) A spiritual genius, Vivekananda crammed immense labor and achievement into his short life. As a young educated man from a rich family, he had a great desire to know the truth about God and questioned people of holy reputation. He found Sri Ramakrishna, who became his master, and transformed him into a sage and prophet with authority to teach. After Sri Ramakrishna s death, Vivekananda renounced the world and travelled India as a wandering monk. His mounting compassion for India s people and the repression living under British rule, drove him to seek help from the West. He accepted an opportunity to represent Hinduism at Chicago s Parliament of Religions in 1893, and won instant celebrity status in America and a ready forum for his spiritual teaching. For three years he spread the Vedanta philosophy and religion in America and England and then returned to India to found the Ramakrishna Mission. Leading his nation to spiritual greatness, he wakened India to a new national consciousness, which would be championed later by Gandhi. He died July 4, 1902 at the age of 39. His lectures and writings have been gathered into nine volumes. Mahatma Gandhi ( ) Gandhi is India s national hero as the revolutionary leader of the Indian National Congress and famous advocate of non-violent advocacy. Born in Gujarat, West India into an affluent family, Gandhi trained as a lawyer moving to South Africa where he started the non-violent civil disobedience movement to protest the racism against Indians in South Africa. He returned to India in 1921 and entered politics leading the India National Congress against the British imposed salt tax. He was imprisoned many times eventually leading the Indian independence movement against the British empire, which resulted in the partition of Pakistan and India in 1948.

101 P101 He famously said Be the change you wish to see in the world.he remains the father of modern India. He was inducted into Kriya yoga by Swami Yogananda and practiced ahimsa, almost dying of hunger trying to bring a peaceful settlement to the Pakistan Indian conflict. He was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist in Swami Sivananda ( ) Born in Tamil Nadu, Sivananda attended medical school and worked as a doctor in what was then British Malaya. Dissatisfied with the effects allopathic medicine had on patients with long term or chronic conditions, he looked elsewhere for answers and met his guru Vishwananda Saraswati in 1924 and decided to follow a spiritual path. He settled in Rishikesh and opened a charitable dispensary for pilgrims and the poor and founded the Bihar school of yoga and the yoga Vedanta Forest Yoga academy. Sivananda wrote more than 200 books on Yoga and Philosophy and had many disciples who furthered Yoga. One of them was Yogi Bhajan who we will learn more about later. Sivananda yoga has a very different sequencing structure to the traditional yoga. The system focuses on activating the endocrine system starting from the ground and working up just as a child learns to crawl and then walk. There is a great deal of resting and focus on keeping the heart rate at a stable level. T Krishnamacharya ( ) He never crossed an ocean, yet in part due to the influence from his students, he is considered the father of modern yoga and the architect of Vinyasa krama, which combines yoga with breath and movement. Probably no yogi before him developed the physical practices so deliberately. In the process, he transformed hatha once an obscure backwater of yoga into its central current. Yoga s resurgence in India owes a great deal to his countless lecture tours and demonstrations during the 1930s, and his four most famous disciples Pattabis Jois, Iyengar, Devi, and Krishnamacharya s son, T.K.V. Desikachar who played a huge role in popularizing yoga in the West. More about them later.

102 P102 Developing Ashtanga Vinyasa In 1931 the Maharaja of Mysore helped Krishnamacharya promote yoga throughout India, financing demonstrations and publications. A diabetic, the Maharaja felt especially drawn to the connection between yoga and healing, and Krishnamacharya devoted much of his time to developing this link. During this time he developed what is now known as Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. As Krishnamacharya s pupils were primarily active young boys, he drew on many disciplines including yoga, gymnastics, and Indian wrestling to develop dynamically-performed asana sequences aimed at building physical fitness. This vinyasa style uses the movements of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) to lead into each asana and then out again. Each movement is coordinated with prescribed breathing and drishti, gaze points that focus the eyes and instill meditative concentration. Eventually, Krishnamacharya standardized the pose sequences into three series consisting of primary, intermediate, and advanced asanas. Students were grouped in order of experience and ability, memorizing and mastering each sequence before advancing to the next. Whatever the roots of Ashtanga Vinyasa, today it s one of the most influential components of Krishnamacharya s legacy. Perhaps this method, originally designed for youngsters, provides our high-energy, outwardly-focused culture with an approachable gateway to a path of deeper spirituality. Over the last three decades a steadily increasing number of yogis have been drawn to its precision and intensity. Many of them have made the pilgrimage to Mysore, where Jois, himself, offered instruction until his death in May, Paramahansa Yogananda ( ) Born into a devout family, he had a great spiritual calling from a young age. He ran away at the age of 9 to study with the great sages and at the age of 17 met his guru, Swami Yukteswar Giri and took his monastic vows at the age of 18. At the request of his guru he travelled to America in 1920 as part of the India s congress of Religious liberals and lectured and taught for several years. He founded the Self Realization Fellowship in LA. In 1936 he returned to India to see his guru who was dying and met Gandhi and initiated him into Kriya yoga. He wrote the famous book Autobiography of a yogi in 1937 and then returned to America to continue the work he had started. He died at the young age of 59 in He was the only yogi to live in America for any period of time and the only one to die there.

103 P103 Indra Devi ( ) Indra Devi is famous for being the first European woman to become a yoga teacher and the only woman to train under Krishnamacharya. Born in Latvia to rich parents, she had an early fascination with India and after becoming an actress, travelled to India with her husband, who was the commercial attaché for the Czech consulate. While they were there, she met and became friends with the Maharaja of Mysore and learned of his yoga teacher, Krishnamacharya. She asked to become his student, but he refused at first, as he had never taught a woman before. She persisted and he finally agreed and set a rigorous training plan, which she committed herself to and impressed him with her dedication. After a year-long apprenticeship, Krishnamacharya instructed Devi to become a yoga teacher dictating lessons on yoga instruction, diet, and pranayama. Drawing from this teaching, Devi eventually wrote the first best-selling book on hatha yoga, Forever Young, Forever Healthy. When she left India and moved to China with her husband, she opened her first school there in 1939 and then in Russia where she convinced the government yoga was not religious. In the 50 s she became a yoga teacher to the stars in Los Angeles bringing yoga under the Hollywood limelight. She eventually settled in Argentina where she continued to teach and established yoga as a 4 year degree, till her death in 2002 at the age of 102. She outlived all the male yoga teachers and is the main reason yoga s reach was spread across so many parts of the world. BKS Iyengar ( ) BKS Iyengar is the founder of Iyengar yoga and one of the most respected yoga teachers in the world. Though intense, Iyengar s tenure with his teacher lasted barely a year. But let s start at the beginning. He was born into a large, poor family but by good fortune or karma, his elder sister was married to Krishnamacharya. At age 15, Iyengar was invited into his household.

104 P104 Krishnamacharya began instructing him and he progressed rapidly, beginning to assist classes at the yogashala and accompanying Krishnamacharya on yoga demonstration tours. Iyengar s brief apprenticeship ended abruptly when he was hired to teach a group of women. Yoga teaching was still a marginal profession. But he single-mindedly devoted himself to yoga. Several hundred miles away from his guru, Iyengar s only way to learn more about asanas was to explore poses with his own body and analyze their effects. He largely abandoned his mentor s vinyasa style of practice. Instead, he constantly researched the nature of internal alignment, considering the effect of every body part, even the skin, in developing each pose. Since many people less fit than Krishnamacharya s young students came to Iyengar for instruction, he created props to help them. And also since some of his students were sick, Iyengar began to develop asana as a healing practice, creating specific therapeutic programs. Through the 40 s, and 50 s, Iyengar s reputation as both a teacher and a healer grew. By the 1960s, yoga was becoming a part of world culture, and Iyengar was recognized as one of its chief ambassadors. His training is the most rigorous in the yoga world requiring students to study with a certified yoga teacher for 3 years and then complete 3 years of study to qualify at the basic level. His institute is in Pune named after his wife. He died in 2014 age 94. Pattabhi Jois ( ) Pattabhi Jois met Krishnamacharya as a boy attending one of his lectures and soon became his student. For decades, he preserved his teacher s work with great devotion, refining and inflecting the asana sequences without significant modification. Over the last three decades a steadily increasing number of yogis have been drawn to its precision and intensity. Many of them have made the pilgrimage to Mysore, where Jois, himself, offered instruction until his death in May, In 1962 he published Yoga Mala, his only book and made his first visit to the US in His grandson Sharath continues his legacy. Only students who study at Mysore under this guidance are certified Ashtanga teachers. To become a teacher, you do not attend any 200 training but is selected as ready to teach based on your own practice.

105 P105 Yogi Bhajan ( ) Born into a wealthy Sikh family, he became a master of Kundalini Yoga by the age of 16 under the guidance of Swami Sivananda. In 1968 he moved to Canada to work as a nerve therapist and yoga teacher but found it too cold and moved to LA, where he worked in the inner city ghettos with young people who were under the influence of drugs and alcohol and showed them a natural way to reach a state of enlightenment. References :