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On breathing in Yoga

"If in doubt, try to remember that in general, inhales are for length and opening, while exhales are for deepening folds and twists."

Yoga Terms 101 – What Yogis Say

SILVIA MORDINI

ON JANUARY 10, 2014

If you’re new to yoga it can feel like your teacher is speaking another language. It’s hard to understand what to do or why, when you have no idea about what your teacher is saying. So let me help, here’s the inside scoop on some key lingo used in class:

Asana

Yoga posture. Yoga pose. A physical position in which stability and ease are balanced and maintained.

Ayurveda

The science or knowledge of life. A thousand year old scientific approach to medicine, Ayurveda recognizes differences in individual constitutions and treats each person uniquely.

Bandha

To bind or lock. You may hear your teacher talking about bandhas or locks. A bandha is a muscular hold that enhances subtle energy flow. Here are the three most commonly used bandhas: Jalandhara Bandha, Mulabandha, Uddiyana Bandha.

Chakra

7 Subtle energy centers. Wheels of light. 1 Root, 2 Sacral, 3 Solar Plexus, 4 Heart, 5 Throat, 6 Third Eye, 7 Crown.

Chandra Namaskar

Moon Salutation.

Guru

Teacher. And Sat Guru which means the teacher within, YOU.

Jalandhara Bandha

Chin lock. This lock is in the neck and is used to prevent downward loss of spiritual energy especially from the crown chakra. To practice this bring and hold your chin down towards your chest.

Karma

Action.

Kriya

A cleansing process.

Mantra

Sacred sound or word or phrase often used as a focal point in meditation.

Mudra

A gesture used to recirculate energy and focus the mind.

Mulabandha

Root lock. By engaging the muscles located in the pelvic floor, energy rises up the spinal column creating core strength. When activated, the practitioner experiences an internal strength that gives support and allows the body to move in correct alignment, with minimal risk of injury.

Namaste

I honor the light in you and you honor the light in me, when we are both in this light together we are one. (Namaskar used as in Surya Namaskar, Sun Salutation)

Niyama

5 Lessons or suggestions for how you treat yourself.

Om

Universal representation of what is yet to be made manifest. Our potential.

Prana

Life force energy.

Pranayama

Regulated breathing. Using the breath in an organized way to circulate prana in the body.

Sadhana

Practice.

Sanskrit

The ancient language of Hindu scriptures and yoga texts, which is the source of modern Indo-European languages.

Shanti

Peace.

Surya Namaskar

Sun Salutation.

Sushumna

The main energy channel situated inside the spinal column.

Uddiyana Bandha

Abdominal lock. This literally means “flying up.” This lock is used to send energy up. You practice this by drawing your abdominal wall in and up as far as possible toward the spine. This is practiced by concentrating on pulling in your stomach as you exhale and being aware of a firmness below your navel even as you inhale.

Yama

5 ethical suggestions for how you treat others

Yoga Sutra

The classical work on yoga by Patanjali.

Again, these are just some of the key phrases and words you will often hear in your classes as you progress and go through your yoga journey. Not to worry, the rest you will pick up along the way. 

Original post here

What yoga is, what yoga is not.

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By Grace Hildebrand.

Yoga is  pretty popular these days. On one hand, this is awesome — the more people practicing and reaping all of the mind/body/spirit benefits, the better. On the other hand (like most things that get Westernized and become mainstream), the original roots of Yoga can get twisted and lost in translation.

This is something I have never spent loads of time thinking about — I am normally on my mat deep in my own practice. However, after a seriously sprained wrist, I was given six weeks to sit on the sidelines and just observe.

This brought up some less than comfortable emotions and I could honestly compare it to the longest roller coaster ride of my life. Who would have guessed? I am finally off the ride, and grateful for having been on it because all of that observing has given me a deeper and fiercer love and understanding of what Yoga is.

Before reaching that bright, illuminating clarity on what something is, it is often easier to start with what something is not:

Yoga is not a purely physical practice. It is not 100 chaturangas. It is not pressing crow into handstand. It is not getting your foot behind your head. It is not a one-armed handstand lotus balancing on your pinky, nor is it holding boat pose for 10 minutes.

Yoga is not about killing yourself to perform the most advanced postures and running your body to a point of insane exhaustion and injury. Yoga is not competition, comparison, or jealousy. Yoga is not about what is the trendy, newest way to get the flattest abs and ‘hottest’ body. Yoga is not drinking Chai lattes or making green smoothies in your Vitamix.

Yoga is not about mala beads, wrap bracelets, and it definitely is not about f*&@$%! Lululemon.

Phew. OK, now that we got that out of our way, we can see what is left.

What Yoga is about is bringing your mind, body and spirit in sync.

It is about surrendering. Surrendering to whatever lesson your mat has for you that day. Surrendering to life. Surrendering to your body. Surrendering to living from a place of love. It is about feeling and learning how perfect you are in your imperfections — how there are no imperfections at all. It is about burning through the story your Ego has told you, and being able to see clearly again.

Yoga is about knowing and trusting with all of your being that you are exactly where you need to be. Where you are supposed to be, with all your injuries and strengths (they are all lessons, I assure you). Where you are supposed to be, during light and darkness. Chaos and bliss. Challenges and peace.

Yoga is letting go of attachment; embracing the present moment, the adventure of the unknown, and your own perfection. Let go of attachment to the outcome of a pose, and love the journey of getting there. Love where your body is right now.

Let go of the attachment to how happy you will be when you can balance on a handstand, when you can fit back into your size four jeans, or when you buy those sweet new yoga pants — because when you get all of those things, you will still be the exact same person with the exact same struggles and issues!

Yoga helps you keep your cool when life challenges you. It is about seeing your challenges as something you get the chance to overcome. Seeing them as an exciting chance to learn from, grow, and build your strength, faith, and courage.

It is about staring your challenges in the eyes calmly, with a smirk — saying “Thank you for all you are about to teach me!” It is about learning to enjoy every part of the ride: twists, turns, bumps, sudden stops, and gracefully reaching the destination.

Yoga is about learning how to live from a place of love and compassion. A place where you are your authentic self, where you do not let fear drive you, where you can infuse faith, passion, honesty, and gratitude into every breath.

Stop making your practice into a competition with your neighbor, an unhealthy obsession, or what you think you ‘should’ be as a yogi.

Allow your Yoga to be what it truly is.

Allow your sacred practice to teach and nurture you, guide and love you.

Original post here

By Anjana Duff

What Is A Yogi?

What does a yogi look like? How does a yogi act? What are the rules and commandments of “fitting in” with the yoga crowd?

Are yogis the people with perfectly toned yoga bodies wearing Lululemon, adorned in mala beads and “om” tattoos? Are they compassionate, vegetarian saints, shopping at Whole Foods with a cart full of kale and quinoa (never any cookies or booze)?

What Defines A Yogi?

I am someone that strongly dislikes being defined or being forced to conform. I am a “rebel”. I want nothing more than to be free, to be myself, to be authentic.

I was first introduced to yoga around age nine. Instead of going to church on Sundays, I would practice yoga, read from the Bhagavad Gita and chant sanskrit mantras with my mother. Soon I realized that was odd and different from everyone else, and I wanted nothing to do with it.

Somehow drawn back to yoga in my late teens, I’ve been practicing consistently ever since. There have been times when I have wanted to give up and get out of this “yoga thing”. But I am still here, still practicing, still dedicated – now more than ever. This is my path. This is who I am.

What Does A Yogi Do?

I wear mala beads and use them to meditate. I am named after Hanuman’s mother and I am a vegetarian. I am kind, compassionate and selfish at times. I am moody and messy. I suffer, I laugh, I get fearful and ashamed. I like to look good and feel good. I love kombucha. Malbec and Stella Artois. I rock yoga pants, Ganesh t-shirts, short dresses and heels. Depending on the day, I practice yoga in silence, listening to Rihanna or jamming to Krishna Das. I like to chant and I like to party. I am spiritual, I am human.

I love yoga. Yoga can’t really be pinned down and defined, and neither can I.

So what’s a yogi to do when that concept or idea starts to become another stereotype or image to fit into?

Yoga is living, breathing and ever-changing. There are no rules. There are no exclusions. There is no conformity. You don’t have to look like anything in particular. You don’t have to act a certain way. Your Warrior II doesn’t have to look perfectly like mine. You are free to be who you are. Yoga is all accepting, all encompassing, all unifying.

Vegetarians drinking green juice, all their chakras aligned, standing on their hands in yoga pants have become an image of what yogis are. It is no more than an image and concept in people’s minds. Those things don’t define anyone.

Those practicing yoga for spiritual, mental and emotional reasons are no better or worse than those practicing for chaturanga arms, a yoga booty and six pack abs. Eventually, people practicing for the purpose of an ass-kicking workout will inevitably go deeper. Yoga does the work. It does the magic.

Yoga is about you, the practitioner. Whoever you are. It’s about knowing your true self and evolving to your fullest potential. It’s about awareness. It is about connection of all the fragmented parts of yourself, connection between yourself and others, connection of mind and body.

15 Things That Make Me A Yogi

There are no rules or definitions, but I do know some things that undoubtedly make me a yogi.

1. I practice… and practice more. It is my space, my freedom, my devotion and inspiration.
2. I am aware. I am aware of all parts of myself, all the layers. I am aware of the thoughts, emotions, aches, pains, judgements and everything in between. I am aware of the space that holds all of that.
3. I am centered and grounded.
4. I am present. I am with my breath. I am at home in my body.
5. I know myself, love myself and accept myself. And there are plenty of times when I don’t. But I know how to come out of self-judgement and self-loathing.
6. I go with the flow. I ride the waves of life and find the ease.
7. I have an ego. I remind myself that I am not my ego.
8. I see the light in everyone. I appreciate everyone as they are. I love.
9. I breathe deep and live from my heart.
10. I am flexible and supple in body and mind.
11. I am a student of life. I am always learning and evolving.
12. I don’t follow rules. I am who I am. I will never fit into any category, definition, image or concept.
13. I am authentic and honest. On and off my mat.
14. I am not all these things, all the time. But the awareness remains no matter what comes and goes on the surface. I know how to return to my center, to my most true and pure self, unified and whole.

What makes YOU a yogi?

original post here