200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training: Part 1

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200-HOUR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING PART 1 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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TABLE OF CONTENTS MODULE 1 | BODY TALK

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ALL SYSTEMS GO! Overview The Skeletal System The Muscular System Connective Tissue The Nervous System Tidbits

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BARE BONES

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Skeletal System Axial & Appendicular Skeleton The Spine The Pelvis The Shoulder The Forearm

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JOINT VENTURES

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What is A Joint? Naming Joints Types of Joint in the Body 
 Types of Synovial Joint General Characteristics of Synovial Joints Other Structural Features for Synovial Joints

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MODULE 2 | THE BEST POSE IS THE NEXT POSE

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PLANE & SIMPLE?

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Why Is Anatomy Important for Yoga Teachers? Anatomical Position Directions & Position Planes of Movement

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MOTION IS THE LOTION

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Terms of Movement

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MODULE 3 | PUT SOME MUSCLE INTO IT

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MUSCLE MATTERS

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Understanding Muscle Contraction & Stretching Types of Muscle Contraction ORIGINS & INSERTIONS

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UPPER BODY MUSCLES

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ROTATOR CUFF MUSCLES

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ARM MUSCLES

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PELVIS & ABDOMINAL MUSCLES

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LEG MUSCLES

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MODULE 4 | KEEPING IT REAL

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Stretch & Strengthen

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UNDERSTANDING INJURY & PAIN

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Overview Acute & Chronic Pain Bio-Psycho-Social Model Working with Chronic Pain Issues in Your Classes

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COMMON INJURIES & PAIN CONDITIONS

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Strain (Pulled Muscle) Self-Care for Muscle Strain - The Mice & Meth Protocols Sprain Postural Deviations of The Spine Lumbar Disc Pathology (Herniated Disc) Piriformis Syndrome Adhesive Capsulitis A.K.A. Frozen Shoulder Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis

69 70 71 72 74 75 76 79 81

200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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HISTORY OF YOGA

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A Short History of Yoga Historic Timeline Bhagavad Gita Yoga’s Arrival in the Western World

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STYLES OF YOGA

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Paths of Yoga Modern Styles of Hatha Yoga The Difference Between Hatha Yoga & Vinyasa Yoga

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YOGA PHILOSOPHY

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Patanjali The Yoga Sutras The 8 Limbs of Yoga Limb 1 ~ Yama: Restraint Limb 2 ~ Niyama: Observances Limb 3 ~ Asana: Posture Limb 4 ~ Pranayama: Breath Control Limb 5 ~ Pratyahara: Sense Withdrawal Limb 6 ~ Dharana: Concentration Limb 7 ~ Dhyana: Meditative Absorption Limb 8 ~ Samadhi: Pure Consciousness

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PRANAYAMA

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What is Pranayama? Parts of Each Breath (PURAKA | RECHAKA | KUMBHAKA) Prana | Apana | Agni Ujjayi Breath Yogic Breathing Bhramari: “Bee” Breathing Kapalabhati Nadi Shodhana

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MEDITATION

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What is Meditation? Meditation on the Breath & Breath Sensations Counting Zazen Calm | Smile Shikantaze Create & Cultivate a Meditation Practice

135 137 138 139 140 141

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MODULE 1

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BODY TALK

200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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ALL SYSTEMS GO!

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Overview An overview of these 4 major aspects of the body is essential for yoga teachers: [ Skeletal system [ Muscular system [ Connective tissue

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[ Nervous system

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The Skeletal System [ The adult skeleton has 206 bones. [ The bones of the body give us structure, protection and support. [ Bones come together to form joints. There are 3 structural and functional classifications of joints in the body: [ Fixed or fibrous (structural); immobile joint (functional); e.g. sutures of the skull [ Cartilaginous (structural); semi-movable or slightly movable (functional); e.g. joints between the sternum and ribs 2 to 12 
 [ Synovial (structural); freely moveable (functional); e.g. shoulder, hip, knee 
 [ The freely movable synovial joints are the ones we are most concerned with in yoga. Synovial joints are subdivided into 6 types according to shape and what movements the joint does (as a result of the shape). The 6 types are: ball and socket, hinge, saddle, pivot, condyloid/ellipsoid and planar/gliding.

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[ Knowing which movements can happen at each type of synovial joint will help you cue your students into postures, as well as enabling you to understand healthy joint actions, as well as injuries and other impairments in mobility.

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The Muscular System There are 3 main muscle types in the body: [ Smooth muscles: in organs [ Cardiac muscles: in the heart

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[ Skeletal muscles: contract to move the skeleton

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[ Skeletal muscles have different shapes (which allow different types of movement): o o

o o

o

Circular muscles: surround an opening such as the mouth or eyes. Convergent muscles: Also sometimes known as triangular muscles, these are muscles where the origin (the attachment to a fixed bone) is wider than the insertion point. This muscle shape allows for maximum force production; e.g. Pectoralis Major. Fusiform muscles: These muscles are more spindle shaped so the muscle belly is wider than the origin and insertion; e.g. Biceps Brachii. Parallel muscles: these muscles have fibres that run parallel to each other. They are normally long muscles that cause large movements, are not very strong, but have good endurance. e.g. Sternocleidomastoid. Pennate muscles: Pennate muscles have a large number of muscle fibres per unit, so are very strong, but tire easily. They can be divided into unipennate (e.g. lumbricals - deep hand muscles), bipennate (e.g. rectus femoris) and multipennate (e.g. deltoid).

[ Origins & Insertions a.k.a. Muscle Attachments: Traditionally, anatomy talks about the ends of the muscle in terms of origins and insertions. o o

Origin = the end that is attached to a stable bone. Insertion = the end that is attached to the bone that moves when the muscle contracts.

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However, this is a limited way of thinking about muscle attachments as “stable bones” can also move. So, in contemporary anatomy textbooks, it is more common to see both origin and insertion simply referred to as “attachments”. We will talk more about this later.

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Connective Tissue [ The importance of connective tissue has only recently been researched and acknowledged. 
 [ While Eastern forms of medicine and yoga (e.g. Chinese Traditional Medicine, Taoist Yoga) have always understood the importance of connective tissue in the body-mind system, western science is only now coming to understand its significance. 
 [ Connective tissue is a whole-body matrix that can be followed from any one place on the body to any one other place. Connective tissue forms tendons and ligaments and runs through and around muscles, organs and nerves. It’s everywhere!
 [ It has been suggested by Tom Myers that myofascial structures have specific continuities which he terms “anatomy trains”. It is thought that understanding these fascial “trains” can help us reestablish body-mind health through movement practices and bodywork. [ A few types of connective tissue: o o o

Tendons: These attach muscle to bone. They can be different shapes and sizes ranging from cable like structures to large flat sheets known as aponeuroses. 
 Ligaments: Ligaments attach bone to bone at a joint. They can be short (e.g. deltoid ligament of ankle) or long (e.g. nuchal ligament of neck). 
 Cartilage: Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue. There are three types of cartilage: hyaline, fibrous, and elastic cartilage. 
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Hyaline cartilage: This is the most widespread type and resembles glass. It’s found at end of joints. Fibrous cartilage: This has many collagen fibers and is found in the intervertebral discs and the meniscus of the knee. Elastic cartilage: Springy, yellow, and elastic, it’s found in the external ear.

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The Nervous System [ The nervous system and muscular system are closely connected. The nervous system provides electrical impulses to the muscles that are converted into chemical impulses to enable muscles to contract. 
 [ Two nerves that are useful to know about as a yoga teacher, are:
 o

Sciatic nerve: the sciatic nerve runs down the back of the leg and, when compressed, can cause the common symptoms of a condition known as Sciatica. Common symptoms are: pain, numbness, tingling and sometimes, weakness, in the buttock and back of the leg. §

2 Common causes of Sciatica are: ü Nerve root compression (often caused by bulging or herniated disc) ü Piriformis muscle interference (often due to the “tightness” of the muscle compressing the sciatic nerve) If a tight piriformis muscle is the cause, hip stretching poses like Pigeon may be useful in relieving symptoms; however, if disc herniation is the cause, strong stretches (especially anything with a forward bend) may exacerbate symptoms. So, remember to encourage your students to inquire with their health care providers. It is not a yoga teacher’s place or job to diagnose or prescribe. This is outside of our scope of practice.

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o

Brachial Plexus: This large nerve bundle arising from the spinal cord has branches that pass down into
the arm and hand. As the brachial plexus passes between the scalene muslces, also between the pectoralis minor and the ribs, “tightness” in these muscles can cause numbness and tingling down into the arm.

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Tidbits [ Bursae: Flattened, fluid-filled sacs lined with synovial. Bursae reduce friction and are found where ligaments, muscles, skin, tendons or bones rub together.

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[ Arteries and veins: Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart whereas veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart. Arteries lie much deeper in the body than veins.

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BARE BONES

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Skeletal System

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The adult skeleton has 206 bones. The skeleton can be subdivided into the axial and appendicular skeleton.

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Axial & Appendicular Skeleton The Axial Skeleton Has 80 bones and is formed by the vertebral column (26), the rib cage (12 pairs of ribs and the sternum), and the skull (22 bones and 7 associated bones). The upright posture of humans is maintained by the tensegrity of the balance between the bones of the axial skeleton and the myofascial system (muscles and associated fascia) – rather like the guy wires of a tent keeping the poles in balance. The axial skeleton transmits the weight from the head, the trunk, and the upper extremities down to the lower extremities at the hip joints. The Appendicular Skeleton

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Has 126 bones and is formed by the pectoral girdles (4), the upper limbs (60), the pelvic girdle (2), and the lower limbs (60).

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The Spine [ Vertebral column: 24 freely movable bones (7 cervical vertebrae; 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae) [ Vertebral bones: The vertebrae are smallest in the cervical region and get larger as they progress through the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine. The sacrum is considered part of the spine, but as its 5 vertebrae are fused in the adult human, it is actually counted as 1 bone, in terms of the 206 bones of the body. The same is true of the coccyx, which is made up of anywhere from 3 to 5 individual bones which are fused into 1 bone, in the adult human. The coccyx is commonly known as the tailbone. Curves of the Spine [ Kyphosis or kyphotic curve: This is called a primary curve and can be seen in the curve of the thoracic spine and the sacrum. We are born with this shape due to our “curled up” position in the womb. [ Lordosis or lordotic curve: This is a secondary curve and develops after birth. It’s seen in the shape of the neck (cervical spine) and lower back (lumbar spine. The cervical curve begins to develop when a baby lifts their head by themselves. The lumbar curve develops when a baby starts to sit upright, stand and walk. Intervertebral Discs (IVDs) [ Pads of fibrocartilage known as the intervertebral discs separate most of the bones of the spine. These act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. They are also joints that allow for movement, flexibility and support throughout the spine. 
 [ Three places where there are no IVDs in the spine, are between the Occiput and C1; C1 and C2 and between the sacrum and coccyx. 
 [ Divisions of the spine:


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o o o o o

Cervical spine: C1- C7
 Thoracic spine: T1- T12
 Lumbar spine: L1- L5
 Sacral: one bone in the adult (5 sacral segments fused together) Coccyx: one bone in the adult (3-5 coccygeal segments fused together)

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The Pelvis Pelvis or pelvic girdle consists of: [ 2 Hip bones: also, known as coxal bones, pelvic bones or innominate bones. [ Sacrum: superficial; lies posteriorly between the 2 hip bones. [ Coccyx: extends inferiorly from the sacrum. Note that the part of the pelvis that is often referred to as the sitz bones in Yoga is the ischial tuberosity, a landmark on the ischial part of the pelvic bone. “Sitz” comes from the german verb, sitzen, which means to sit. Each hip or coxal bone is formed by the fusion of three smaller bones. They are: [ Ilium: Superior aspect of bone [ Ischium: Posterior and inferior aspect of bone

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[ Pubis: Anterior and inferior aspect of bone

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The Shoulder The shoulder girdle consists of: [ Scapula and clavicle (although we often talk about the sternum and humerus, too)

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[ Many movements of the humerus (arm) require the scapula to move

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The Forearm

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Note that the movements of pronation and supination occur from radioulnar joint, not the elbow joint or shoulder joint. The radius and ulna are parallel in supination and crossed over one another in pronation.

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JOINT VENTURES

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What is A Joint?

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Joints are what we call the area where 2 bones come together, or articulate.

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Naming Joints Although the names of joints can sound quite complicated, the process for naming them is quite logical. Name the two bones involved in the joint and add “o” to the first one. Bone + O + Bone = name of joint For example: [ Femur + O + Patella = femoropatellar joint [ Humerus + O + Ulna = humeroulnar joint On some occasions, you may also need to add distal and proximal. For example: [ proximal radioulnar joint

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[ distal radioulnar joint

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Types of Joint in the Body 
 There are 3 structural classifications of joints and 3 functional classifications of joints. [ Fixed or Fibrous Joints: o o

Immovable E.g. sutures in skull; craniosacral therapists suggest that these bones may have the ability to shift or move slightly. 


[ Cartilaginous Joints: o o

Semi-movable E.g. Intervertebral discs; pubic symphysis; rib 1 at sternum. 


[ Synovial Joints: o o

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Freely movable Articulating bones are separated by a fluid-containing joint/synovial cavity. 
 All joints of the limbs (and most joints in the body) are synovial. 


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Types of Synovial Joint [ Ball and Socket: o o o o

Spherical head of one bone articulates with the cuplike socket of another. The most freely moving of all synovial joints. Ball and socket joints can perform circumduction. E.g. shoulder, hip

[ Hinge: o o o

Articulating surfaces fit together in such a way that movement happens within a single plane.
 Hinge joints can perform flexion and extension. E.g. elbow, interphalangeal joints

[ Saddle: o o o o

Each articulated surface has both concave and convex areas like saddles. 
 There are only two saddle joints in the body and each one allows different types of movements. 
 The thumb or 1 carpometacarpal joint, allows flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, circumduction and opposition. The sternoclavicular joint allows elevation, depression, protraction, retraction and axial rotation.

[ Ellipsoid or Condyloid: 
 o o o

Oval articular surface of one bone fits into the complementary depression in another. Allows similar movement to saddle. E.g. radiocarpal joint (at wrist); metacarpophalangeal

[ Gliding a.k.a. Planar: o o o

Articulating surfaces are flat or nearly flat.
 Usually very little movement involving bones sliding or gliding against one another.
 E.g. intercarpal and intertarsal joints

[ Pivot: o

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o o

Rounded end of 1 bone protrudes into a ‘sleeve’ or ring composed of the bone (and possibly ligaments) of another. 
 Allows rotation of one bone around an axis. 
 E.g. atlantoaxial joint of the cervical spine

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General Characteristics of Synovial Joints [ Articular cartilage: o o

Very thin layer of glassy smooth hyaline cartilage covering the bone surfaces. Acts as a shock absorber and reduces friction between bones where they meet at joints.

[ Articular capsule: o o o

Joint cavity enclosed by two-layered articular or joint capsule. Outer layer of tough fibrous irregular connective tissue. Inner layer of synovial membrane.

[ Joint cavity (at synovial joints): o

Contains synovial fluid.

[ Synovial fluid: o o o

Occupies all free spaces within joint capsule and is also contained within articular cartilages. 
 Viscous egg-white consistency which thins as it warms during joint activity. 
 Provides slippery, weight-bearing film which reduces friction between cartilages. 


[ Reinforcing ligaments:
 o o

o

o

o

Bands which reinforce and strengthen the joint. 
 Most ligaments are capsular or intrinsic – they are thickened parts of the fibrous capsule. 
 Other ligaments are distinct from the capsule and are either extracapsular (outside) or intracapsular (deep inside). The articular capsule and ligaments are richly supplied with sensory nerve endings (proprioceptors) which monitor joint position and help maintain muscle tone. 
 Synovial joints are also richly supplied with blood 
vessels, most of which supply the synovial membrane.

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Other Structural Features for Synovial Joints Fatty pads: o o

Provide cushioning. Found especially in the knee and hip.

Articular Disk or Meniscus: o o

Improves the fit between the articulating bone ends, making the joint more stable and minimizing wear and tear on the surfaces of the bones that make up the joint. Found in the knee and jaw.

Three factors affecting the stability of synovial joints: o o o

Shape of the articular surfaces. Ligaments (which can only stretch by 6% of their length before they snap). Muscle tone (which is the most important factor).

Bursae: o

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Flattened fibrous sacs lined with synovial membrane and containing a thin film of synovial fluid. Reduce friction and are found where ligaments, muscles, skin, tendons or bones rub together.

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MODULE 2 |

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THE BEST POSE IS THE NEXT POSE

200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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PLANE & SIMPLE?

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Why Is Anatomy Important for Yoga Teachers? “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time” ~ Ts Eliot In yoga, we have an experience of our body and mind. In yoga, we learn anatomy and physiology experientially. Anatomical knowledge helps us name our experience and, importantly, share it with others. Anatomy terminology helps us communicate about our experiences with others who also speak that language. It allows us to give language to the experiences of our students. Understanding the language of anatomy opens us up to new horizons. Knowing the basics about bones, muscles, joints, connective tissue and other foundational concepts of anatomy will allow you to better understand your students’ experiences of asana and support them with appropriate and safe modifications. Anatomical Language

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Understanding anatomical language enables us to communicate in an accurate and consistent way regarding the practice and the effects of asana. Everyday words such as ‘up’, ‘down’, ‘under’, ‘above’ or ‘on top of’ are not precise enough to describe what we’re doing as we orient and reorient ourselves in space, during the practice of asana. The words we will learn are used by medics, bodyworkers and movement therapists. This way, we’ll be able to communicate with health professionals in a language that is shared by all. Learning anatomical language is like learning any other language - fluency is achieved through use.

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Anatomical Position

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Used as a reference point, anatomical position is the very similar to the pose we call, Mountain Pose – Tadasana. Therefore, we say we are in anatomical position when we are standing upright with arms at our side and palms facing forward, as well as our head at centre and looking ahead. When we are using anatomical language, this is the starting point from which all movements take place.

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Directions & Position [ Superior: a structure closer to the head [ Inferior: a structure closer to the feet [ Posterior/Dorsal: towards the back of the body [ Anterior/Ventral: towards the front of the body [ Medial: closer to the midline [ Lateral: further away from the midline [ Distal: further away from a limb’s origin/body’s midline [ Proximal: closer to a limb’s origin [ Superficial: closer to the body’s surface


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[ Deep: further from the body’s surface

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Planes of Movement The body can be divided into 3 imaginary planes which help us describe where and how movements are occurring: [ Frontal or Coronal Plane: divides the body into front and back portions. [ Sagittal Plane: divides body into left and right parts; midsagittal plane runs down the centre of body dividing body into 2 symmetrical halves.

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[ Transverse or Horizontal Plane: divides the body into upper and lower portions.

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MOTION IS THE LOTION

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Terms of Movement [ Flexion: A movement that brings the bones closer together; decreases the angle at a joint. Flexion often occurs in the sagittal plane (lateral flexion, seen later, is an exception). [ Extension: A movement that takes bones further apart; increases the angle at a joint. Extension often occurs in the sagittal plane. [ Hyperextension: An excess of extension of a joint beyond it’s “normal” range of motion. [ Abduction: Generally moves a limb laterally away from the midline (fingers and thumb are exceptions). Abduction usually occurs in the frontal plane. [ Adduction: Generally moves a limb medially toward the body’s midline (fingers are an exception). Adduction occurs in the frontal plane. [ Circumduction: Occurs at shoulder and hip joints. It is a combination of extension, adduction, flexion and abduction. Together the actions form a cone shaped movement; e.g. swimming backstroke. [ Lateral Flexion: Occurs at neck and trunk; e.g. when head or vertebral column bend to the side. [ Rotation: Pertains only to head and vertebral column and occurs in the transverse plane. [ Medial/Internal Rotation: Occurs at shoulder and hip joints. A limb turns in towards the midline. This occurs on the transverse plane. [ Lateral/External Rotation: Occurs at shoulder and hip joint. A limb turns out away from midline. This occurs on the transverse plane. [ Supination: This is what we call the position/action when the radius and ulna lie parallel to one another; i.e. palms up. This is the position of the forearms in anatomical position. [ Pronation: This is what we call the action that takes place when the radius crosses over the ulna turning the palm down, or toward the back, if one is in anatomical position. [ Plantarflexion & Dorsiflexion: These refer only to the ankle. Plantar flexion is the action we do to push down on the gas pedal of a car. Dorsiflexion is the action we do when we lift the foot off the gas pedal, bringing toes closer to the shin. [ Inversion & Eversion: These occur only in the feet. Inversion moves the sole of the foot to face medially. Eversion moves the sole to face laterally.

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[ Protraction & Retraction: These actions pertain to the scapulae, clavicles, head and jaw, only. Protraction is moving one of these structures anteriorly. Retraction is movement posteriorly.

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[ Elevation & Depression: These refer to movement of the scapulae and jaw. Elevation is movement superiorly. Depression is movement inferiorly.

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MODULE 3 |

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PUT SOME MUSCLE INTO IT

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MUSCLE MATTERS

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Understanding Muscle Contraction & Stretching Agonist This is the muscle that is CARRYING OUT the movement ie: for hip flexion, the psoas is the agonist. The agonist is working (contracting) to carry out the desired movement. Antagonist

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This is the muscle that is lengthening to allow the agonist to carry out the action. For example, in hip flexion the psoas is contracting and the hamstrings have to lengthen to allow this movement. It is often a restriction in the antagonist muscle that leads to the stretching sensation and may inhibit movement.

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Types of Muscle Contraction Muscles can contract in different ways - distinguishing between the different types of muscle contraction can help us understand what is happening in yoga postures. [ Isometric: Muscle contracts without getting shorter or longer. We do lots of this in yoga when we “hold” postures! The muscles are working but no movement is happening.

[ Concentric: Muscle gets shorter while contracting. For example, a biceps curl with a weight involves concentric contraction of the biceps brachii; in seated forward bend the psoas is contracting and shortening to bring the trunk towards the legs.

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[ Eccentric: Muscle gets longer while contracting. In the example described above, eccentric contraction will happen in the biceps brachii when we extend the arm again while still holding the weight. The muscle continues to contract, but it’s getting longer. Another example is when, in standing forward bend, the hamstrings and erector spinae are lengthening while contracting, as we coming into the forward fold. If eccentric contraction wasn’t happening, in this case, we would simply fall into the forward fold position due to the force of gravity. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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ORIGINS & INSERTIONS Traditionally, anatomy talks about the ends of muscle in terms of origins and insertions. [ Origin: end that stays fixed (stable bone). [ Insertion: end that is moving (moveable bone). Although these terms have value, a more contemporary way of talking about muscles is to use the word “attachments”. This allows for more accuracy in our descriptions, because origin and insertion can change.

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For example, the psoas can flex the hip in a leg lift, and in this action, the muscle origin would be considered the attachment on the spine, because that is the stable bone in a leg-lifting movement. However, in a forward bend, the spine is moving toward the stationary legs, so the stable bone is the femur, which would then (by the old definitions) be considered the origin. You can see how the terms origin and insertion, by the definitions above, can become confusing. More and more, anatomists are moving toward using the term “attachments” in place of origin and insertion.

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UPPER BODY MUSCLES

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Scalenes

Rhomboids

Trapezius

Deltoids

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Pectoralis Major

Teres Major

Latissimus Dorsi

Erector Spinae

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ROTATOR CUFF MUSCLES

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Supraspinatus

Teres Minor

Infraspinatus

Subscapularis

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ARM MUSCLES

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Brachialis

Triceps Brachii

Biceps Brachii

Brachioradialis

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Wrist Flexors

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Wrist Extensors

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PELVIS & ABDOMINAL

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MUSCLES

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Gluteus Maximus

Gluteus Medius

Piriformis

Quadratus Lumborum

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Psoas Major & Minor

Iliacus

Rectus Abdominis

External Oblique

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Internal Oblique

Transverse Abdominis

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LEG MUSCLES

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Adductors

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Quadriceps

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Hamstrings

Gastrocnemius

Soleus

Peroneus Longus

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Peroneus Brevis

Tibialis Anterior

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MODULE 4 | KEEPING IT REAL

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Stretch & Strengthen Use your anatomy knowledge from previous modules to figure out which of these major muscles are being stretched and/or strengthened.

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Try this on your own first, then watch the video content.

1.

3.

2.

4.

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5.

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6.

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UNDERSTANDING

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INJURY & PAIN

Overview As a yoga teacher, you might find that some students come to your class and describe experiencing pain due to injury or a condition that they live with. The hope is that they don’t experience pain, or suffer an injury, during yoga. You can help them avoid this by being curious, asking questions, listening and using your knowledge to appropriately modify postures, as well as encouraging your students, again and again, to work at a pace that feels good, effective, safe and compassionate (to themselves). First, Do No Harm The Hippocratic Oath is an oath sworn by doctors. In this oath is the following: “I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.” As teachers of yoga, we must strive to prevent injury and this means that we must study, with seriousness, the body, the mind and the heart. We must learn to communicate clearly and effectively and remember that the student’s yoga practice is not about us, it is about them. Remember that healing is not always the result of something we do but of something we feel. Whenever possible, in ways subtle and explicit, offer welcoming, warm, accepting and compassionate instruction. [ First and foremost:

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o o

Ensure that people don’t inure themselves in your classes. Ensure that existing pain conditions are not exacerbated.

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Acute & Chronic Pain Understanding the difference between acute and chronic pain can help you to help your students to avoid exacerbating pain. Acute Pain Acute pain is characterized by sharp, stabbing pain that comes on suddenly and also disappears quickly. For example, a client twists her ankle on the way to class or a student goes into a deep Warrior II Pose and “pulls” a muscle in her groin. Acute pain is often characterized by inflammation or swelling and redness around the injured area. Initial Principles for Treatment Formerly, the acronym, R.I.C.E was used to treat acute injury/pain: R - Rest
 I - Ice
 C - Compression E - Elevation However, more recent thinking and research suggests that this may not be useful except in the first moments after injury. Ice (or a gel pack, which is safer) can be a useful immediately following injury in order to reduce swelling and inflammation. But thereafter, ice will inhibit circulation to the area. Since circulation of blood and nutrients greatly contributes to the healing process, it would be counterproductive to use ice beyond the first few hours after injury. Additionally, rest is useful immediately following an injury. But after the first day or two (depending on the severity of the injury) it is no longer helpful to rest and remain immobile. Movement within the pain-free range of motion is what will generally help the joint or muscle recover its pre-injury capacity. Resting a joint/muscle for too long can cause counterproductive “stiffness” and reduce bloodflow to the area, which will slow down healing. ‘Active rest’ is the most useful way to think about how to work with an injured body part. That means: carry on doing what you would do normally but avoid or modify any activities that are painful. So, the new acronym is: M – Movement E – Elevation T – Traction: A manual stretching of the limb to relieve pressure in the joint; should be appropriate to the injury/condition and should not cause pain. H – Heat: Encourages blood flow and, therefore, healing; however, contrast therapy is often used, switching between heat and cold, depending on the injury and what helps.

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It is useful to remember that the body is programmed to heal so acute pain that is the result of injury will usually resolve itself over time given the right conditions. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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Chronic Pain [ Chronic pain tends to be more complicated that acute pain. It is characterized by a long duration of dull pain showing little change or a very slow progression. Many musculoskeletal conditions are chronic – for example low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches and neck pain. [ Hurt does not always equal harm, especially in chronic pain situations. Although the pain your client is experiencing is real, it is not necessarily in proportion to tissue damage. [ Our brain function is much more related to pain than was previously thought. Messages do not simply go from the ‘bottom up’ but can also travel ‘top down’. In other words, our brains can turn up or down the ‘volume’ of the pain sensation. [ The nervous system has the ability to increase or decrease its sensitivity (this is neuroplasticity). Emotions, stress, our behaviour, and our beliefs about pain, can cause an increase (or decrease) in the intensity of our experience of pain. [ Activities or behaviour that help decrease stress or change negative thought patterns will be helpful in decreasing pain. 
 [ Activity is desirable. If activity causes pain, this does not mean we are doing ourselves more damage. Increasing activity gradually, over time, is the best approach.




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[ Pain indicates ‘threat’ rather than ‘damage’. Is there something you think is a threat to your physical or emotional wellbeing? This may be the threat that is causing pain, as opposed to a threat of tissue damage. What can be done to decrease the fear of threat physically or emotionally? 


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Bio-Psycho-Social Model The current dominant model of pain is known as the ‘biopsychosocial model’. This emphasizes an approach that treats the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the physical symptoms of disease. [ Biological: The biological components of the pain condition include factors such as symptoms of disease, tissue damage or abnormalities of structure.
For example, in musculoskeletal conditions the ‘biological’ components would be nociceptive inputs (i.e. relating to the perception and sensation of pain) such as damaged soft tissues (sprains and strains), degenerative joints (osteoarthritis), disease processes (rheumatoid arthritis) and herniated discs. Our prevailing biomedical model of health usually assigns these components primary importance, however, this is only one piece of the puzzle; hence the biopsychosocial model. [ Psychological: Psychological and cognitive factors also contribute to the pain experience. These include: [ Emotions: There is a complex and often cyclical/feedback-loop-type of relationship between pain and emotions and/or mental health conditions. For example, depression can lead to episodes of chronic pain and chronic pain can lead to depression. Our brain function is pivotal and while pain is NOT psychosomatic, there are things we can do to alter brain function and, therefore, reduce the intensity of our experience of pain. [ Pain-Related Beliefs: our belief about the pain condition can also have a huge effect. One model of responses to musculoskeletal pain is called the ‘fear-avoidance’ model. A sufferer of pain who is afraid of pain will cease to move, fearing it will cause pain and then the lack of movement leads to stiffness and pain. Conversely, an individual who moves past their fear of pain and addresses the issue with appropriate therapy and activity is more likely to reduce pain and experience greater degrees of recovery. Belief can help us or hurt us. [ Catastrophizing: This refers to unhelpful thought patterns that imagine the worst possible outcome of a situation. Research has demonstrated a consistent relationship between the tendency to catastrophize and a heightened experience of pain.

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[ Social: You are more likely to experience chronic pain if you have lower education, low income or are unemployed.

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Working with Chronic Pain Issues in Your Classes Here are some guidelines to help you work with students with chronic pain conditions: [ Remember that you are not expected to be an expert on medical conditions Students may assume you know everything about their pain condition and how to work with it, so it is important to remember that you are there as a yoga teacher not as a medical or musculoskeletal expert. You can be confident about working positively with their pain condition without knowing everything about it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and have an honest dialogue with your students. [ Know your students The key to successfully working with pain conditions in your classes is communication with your students. Ask about pain, what causes it; what they can do and can’t do (according to their doctor or their pain experience) and encourage them to modify their poses and rest during class, accordingly. If you are confident about what ranges of motion are possible at the injured joint (and how they might be affected by the condition or injury), you can guide your student through each range to see what they can and can’t do. For example, if they have a shoulder injury then take them through flexion, extension, abduction, adduction and medial and lateral rotation. Remember to go slowly and remind them that they don’t have to do any movement that feels like it may be painful or unsafe. If abduction is difficult then advise them to avoid that action during class and to move only within a pain-free range. [ Suggest frequent rest in Child’s Pose (or any other posture that feels good) Always give your students an alternative in case they find a pose painful. Constantly remind your students to take rest as needed. Encouraging students to notice when the breath is short or shallow is a great way to support them in acknowledging the body’s need for rest. [ Encourage working within pain-free range, always

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This is
the most important factor to, both, prevent and work with pain. The phrase “no pain no gain” has no place in yoga classes and that mentality has to be strongly discouraged. Emphasize listening to the body and the beauty of working to what is known in Tai Chi as the “soft edge”. Constantly remind your students that if they start to feel pain, they should soften the pose and come back from the “edge”.

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COMMON INJURIES

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& PAIN CONDITIONS

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Strain (Pulled Muscle) A strain is an injury to or small tear in a muscle or tendon, usually caused by a sudden movement or trying to lift something that is too heavy. If muscles are stretched too far, or stretched while contracting, strain may result. Muscle fibres get torn and the inflammatory process begins, enabling the area to replace torn collagen and ‘knit’ the area together again. Strains are classified in grades from 1-3 as follows: [ Grade 1 (Mild): Only a few muscle fibres are damaged. The area may feel tender, but normal activity and movement should be possible. [ Grade 2: More fibres damaged. Pain is likely to be more severe and there may be bruising and swelling around the area. There may be loss of strength in the affected muscle.

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[ Grade 3: Extensive muscle fibre damage or complete rupture/tear of muscle. In grade 3 strains there is severe pain and the client may have heard or felt a pop or popping sensation as the injury happened. This type of strain can cause loss of strength in the affected muscle and loss of functional movement. o

Symptoms include: mild or intense, sudden, sharp pain, swelling or bruising, difficulty in moving or pain on resisted moving or stretching. When painful, muscles may tense more and go into spasm. Unless it is a bad tear you will not ususally feel the heat or see swelling. Pain will ease off but may recur more easily if not treated.

o

Longer term problems can develop when too much scar tissue builds up in the muscle fibres and the fibres are inhibited from doing their job of contracting; they may then more easily get injured again or the muscle may be weakened.

o

‘Pulled’ muscles happen more easily when muscles are not stretched or warmed up before exercising or if muscles have gradually built up in tension over weeks and months, for example, due to bad posture or overuse.

o

While few people seek treatment for grade 1 or 2 strains, they can repeat and, over time, create adhesions – this is because the collagen fibres that are laid down in the healing process do not align with the muscle fibres and so can cause layers that should be separate to work correctly to stick together. This can happen within muscle fibres or between muscles when the sheaths stick together. Common, for example, in the erector spinae or the hamstrings. 


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Self-Care for Muscle Strain - The Mice & Meth Protocols [ M – Movement: Some initial rest of the injured area may be necessary, especially if movement causes a dramatic increase in pain. Too much rest however can prolong the healing process. This is why we are now encouraged to think of MICE (movement) rather than rest. Encourage the client to slowly begin using the affected muscle group, taking care not to overdo it. [ I – Ice: Apply ice immediately after injuring a muscle to minimize swelling. Do not put ice directly on the skin—use an ice pack or wrap ice in a towel. Apply for about 15 minutes. Repeat every hour on the first day. For the next several days, apply ice about every four hours. [ C – Compression: To reduce swelling, the client can wrap the affected area with an elastic bandage until swelling comes down. [ E – Elevate: Whenever possible, encourage the client to keep the injured muscle raised above the level of the heart. After the acute phase of injury has past (1-3 days, depending on the severity of the strain), the METH protocol will be most effective to promote continued healing. However, it is best to get advice from a health professional in terms of which protocol to use and for how long, based on your unique situation. [ M – Movement [ E – Elevation [ T – Traction: A manual stretching of the limb to relieve pressure in the joint; should be appropriate to the injury/condition and should not cause pain.

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[ H – Heat: Encourages blood flow and, therefore, healing; however, contrast therapy is often used, switching between heat and cold, depending on the injury and what helps.

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Sprain [ A sprain is an injury to a ligament – the thick, tough, fibrous tissue that connects bone to bone. It usually occurs as the result of too much force or stretch being applied in one direction, for example, when we fall unexpectedly onto an outstretched hand, spraining the wrist or, when running, we sprain an ankle. Strains affect muscle tissue that has some give in it. However, a sprain, if it overstretches the ligament, causes a loss of integrity at the joint, distorting joint function. If the sprain is severe, it will not only overstretch the ligament, but can tear it. [ Sprains tend to be more severe than strains, due to the above, as well as the fact that ligaments have less elastic tissue and far less blood supply, so cannot heal as quickly as strains which are in muscle tissue that naturally has more blood circulating through it (which is essential for the healing process). [ With sprains there is pain, swelling and bruising of the affected joint. Symptoms vary with the intensity of the injury; more significant ligament ruptures (tears) are classified as Grade 3 injuries and result in an inability to use the affected joint. Grade 3 sprains may lead to joint instability. Less serious sprain injuries are classified as Grade 1, if just a few fibres are injured, and Grade 2 with more fibre damage and greater pain. [ As above, the inflammatory process is effective in laying down new collagen fibres, but for in order to recover with the best possible alignment, movement and stretching are important

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after the initial acute phase of the injury is over. 





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Postural Deviations of The Spine Postural deviations of the spine are common. It is important to recognize that research shows that a postural deviation does not always cause or exacerbate a pain condition. The curves in cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine give the spine strength and resistance to ‘stress’. However, an excessive curvature in any of these areas may lead to functional changes and pathological symptoms.

Kyphosis [ Exaggerated posterior curvature in the thoracic region, sometimes called a ‘Dowager’s Hump’ due to the fact that it most often occurs in the elderly as a result of osteoporosis and/or muscle imbalances. [ In younger people it is more often due to muscle imbalances or a complication of conditions such as ankolysing spondylitis. [ 20° - 40° of curve is considered normal; anything over 75° may be surgically treated. Lordosis [ Exaggerated anterior curvature in the lumbar region, also known as ‘swayback’. [ This is a common condition due to muscle imbalances in the area that are common in western culture, due to our lifestyle. [ Commonly occurs in pregnancy, or if weight gain leads to a large ‘pot belly’, or with other injuries to the area.

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[ Can lead to general ‘backache’ or more serious conditions such as herniated discs or sciatica. 
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Scoliosis [ This is a sideways deviation of the spine, and usually involves a bend to the right of the lumbar or thoracic vertebrae, then compensated for by a bend back to the left a bit higher up to maintain the head over the feet. [ Because it affects the thoracic area it causes the ribs and attached muscles to reposition in a deviated fashion, as well. [ It is most common in teenagers, especially girls, and may occur in up to 2% of the population. Interestingly, it is 7 or so times more likely in girls – the reasons for this are not known. Sometimes it is due to muscle weakness on one side but usually there is no obvious cause, which means the cause is “idiopathic” (i.e. cause unknown). [ Some typical signs and symptoms are: 
 o o o o o o o

Uneven shoulders One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other Uneven waist One hip higher than the other Leaning to one side Limb length discrepancy Back pain or difficulty breathing (only in rare cases of severe scoliosis)

[ Medical specialists measure the angle of the curve and monitor it to find out if the changes are progressing. If the curve is deviated less than 30% it is considered mild. If it is more than 40% deviated in childhood, research shows there is a far greater chance of it worsening. [ In extreme cases surgery can be performed; a rod is inserted to try to straighten the spine and halt progression. Obviously, this would limit mobility but can improve quality of life for those with severe deviations that may be helped by the procedure.

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[ In very bad cases the functioning of the lungs and heart will be affected.

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Lumbar Disc Pathology (Herniated Disc) [ Also called ruptured or slipped disc. [ Occurs when the soft, pulpy centre – i.e. nucleus pulposa – of an intervertebral disc protrudes through a weakened or torn surrounding outer ring (of the vertebra) on the posterior side of the disc. This can produce a continuous pressure on the spinal cord. [ In fact, nothing ‘slips’- it is the middle portion of the disc that pushes out. [ Usually occurs in the lumbar region, due to the stress caused by a greater range of motion in this area of the spine, but can also be in the cervical area (where there is also a lot of range of motion, compared to the thoracic area). [ Can produce sharp and radiating pain down the legs, from the nerve roots being under pressure from the ‘bulge’.

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[ Due to the position of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) down the middle of the vertebral bodies and discs, the nucleus pulposa usually herniates to one side of the spinal cord putting pressure on one side only. In cases where the ligament ruptures, severe damage may occur. [ Coughing, laughing, sneezing, urinating, or straining while defecating can worsen the pain related to a herniated disc.

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Piriformis Syndrome 
 [ Pain radiating down the leg from the buttock, referred to as, Sciatica. In some cases, these symptoms are due to compression of the nerves close to the spine, but with Piriformis Syndrome, the cause is the piriformis muscle impinging on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve usually passes anterior to piriformis after it leaves the pelvis, but in around 10% of individuals it passes through
the piriformis muscle. Piriformis Syndrome does not mean that the sciatic nerving is passing through the muscle, rather, tightness in the muscle or spasm of the muscle may cause pressure on the sciatic nerve, leading to symptoms of Sciatica. Another cause could be a fall, landing on the buttock, that may cause initial hematoma, and later scar tissue (thicker and less flexible than normal) in the muscle. 
 [ Piriformis syndrome can usually be treated by massage and stretching of the piriformis muscle and may be easier to treat, as such, than Sciatica symptoms originating from affected nerve roots in the lower back. Heat applied to the piriformis muscle may also help it to relax. 


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[ Do not try to diagnose the condition yourself. You may have heard that Pigeon Pose can be helpful in relieving symptoms of Piriformis Syndrome, however, the syndrome may include complications at the spinal nerve roots as well and this means that Pigeon Pose could make the pain worse. Let health professionals do the diagnosing and prescribing and focus on modifying postures for your student, to reduce pain symptoms. [

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Adhesive Capsulitis A.K.A. Frozen Shoulder [ Often used as a colloquial term for limited range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder. Frozen shoulder is often given as a diagnosis where the root issue of reduced shoulder mobility is not known. 
 [ With true adhesive capsulitis, the capsule surrounding the shoulder (glenohumeral joint) thickens, severely reducing ROM. [ Average duration for frozen shoulder is eighteen months to two years and occurs in three stages. 1.

Freezing: Shoulder will start to ache and there will be pain when reaching out for things. The pain is often worse at night and when lying on the affected side. This stage most often lasts for two to nine months.

2.

Frozen: Shoulder becomes increasingly stiff, but the pain does not usually worsen, and may even decrease. The muscles may start to atrophy (waste away, get smaller), slightly, because they are not being used. This stage usually lasts 4 to 12 months.

3.

Thawing: Gradually some movement is regained in the shoulder. The pain will begin to fade, although it may come back occasionally as the stiffness eases. Stage three can last from five months to many years.

Structures Involved

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[ Joint capsule of the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint

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Muscles Involved [ Supraspinatus [ Infraspinatus [ Teres Minor 
 [ Subscapularis *most indicated* 
 Signs & Symptoms [ Pain followed by loss of ROM and then a decrease in pain. [ Loss of ROM is in this order LAM – Lateral/External Rotation is most affected; Abduction is next affected; Medial/Internal Rotation is affected last. [ Difficulty sleeping on affected side. [ Restricted mobility resulting in difficult in performing daily activities, such as: dressing, driving, reaching. [ Client may hold their arm close to their body, in adduction and internal rotation (the least affected actions). [ Generally, it comes on slowly over time. The condition is considered idiopathic (no known cause) in nature. Predisposing factors can be a previous injury or emotional trauma, as well as ongoing stress over a prolonged period of time. [ Capsular pattern – With true adhesive capsulitis, a limitation of range of motion of the involved joint is always found to be in a specific pattern; this pattern is known
as the ‘capsular pattern’ - a term coined by physician, James Cyriax. TRUE adhesive capsulitis = loss of ROM in this order (capsular pattern): o

Lateral/External Rotation (most affected);

o

Abduction (next affected);

o

Medial/Internal Rotation (least affected).

o

You can use the mnemonic LAM to remember the order in which ROM is lost.

[ The loss of ROM will be in both active and passive movements (so if another person was to move the individual’s shoulder into external rotation, abduction etc., the same lack of ROM will occur as when the individual is doing the movements themselves. 


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[ Note that other shoulder conditions can also cause lack of movement in a similar way. However, in true frozen shoulder the loss of ROM would be consistent with the capsular pattern described above, and very obvious. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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Causes [ Generally idiopathic (no known cause) [ Emotional trauma [ Injury/trauma to the shoulder [ More common in people over 40 [ Twice as common in women
 [ More common in diabetics, the reason why is unknown [ Prolonged period of immobility Geek is Chic [ Frozen shoulder is frequently associated with other systemic conditions, most commonly diabetes mellitus. The condition has been reported in 10-36% of diabetics, who are approximately 2-4 times more likely to develop a frozen shoulder than members of the general population. Insulin-dependent diabetics are at the highest risk, and the condition is often particularly severe in these cases. [ Research has shown that managing the condition without surgery has very positive outcomes. Griggs et al. performed a prospective outcome study of non- operative treatment, including physiotherapy and passive stretching, and followed 77 patients over a two-year period. Nine out of ten patients had favourable results; only 10% were dissatisfied with the outcome. [ In a prospective randomized study of 77 patients with frozen shoulder, Dierks et al. demonstrated that ‘supervised neglect’ (hilarious term researchers use for not doing anything) provided better outcomes at 2 years when compared with an intensive physiotherapy regime, suggesting that physiotherapy may not alter disease progression, particularly if the regime is aggressive. 
 [ The use of intra-articular steroids has been examined in a number of studies. Treatment regimes in these studies differ, but most studies demonstrate only a short-term clinical benefit. 


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[ Don’t believe the hype! True frozen shoulder (i.e. adhesive capsulitis) is actually quite rare. However, clients will often give you this diagnosis because they associate being unable to move their arm properly with the term frozen shoulder.

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Osteoarthritis Structures Involved [ Synovial joints - Bone
- Cartilage
- Joint capsule Muscles Involved Although not directly involved, muscles around the affected joint(s) will be affected in some way. What is Osteoarthritis? [ Essentially, results from wear and tear on the joint cartilage. [ A group of chronic, degenerative conditions that affect joints, specifically the articular cartilage and subchondral (under the articular cartilage) bone. 
 [ Healthy cartilage of synovial joints is resilient and able to yield under compression. Once the load is removed, the cartilage recovers its original shape. [ When slightly stretched during joint motion, muscles that cross a joint function as active shock absorbers as well as movement controllers. This mechanism is important for protecting articular cartilage. [ With osteoarthritis, the load-bearing portions of articular cartilage are affected first. Repeated stress causes the collagen fibres to break. The cartilage attempts to repair itself but is avascular (doesn’t have its own blood supply) and is unable to repair itself using the normal inflammatory response. In the early stages of Osteoarthritis the cartilage is actually thicker than normal. [ Over time, as the collagen fibres continue to break, the cartilage softens and becomes thinner. Vertical clefts develop in the cartilage surface; these clefts deepen and small portions of the cartilage break off into the synovial fluid. With joint motion the clefts eventually extend to the subchondral bone which lies under the cartilage. The subchondral bone eventually becomes exposed. While cartilage, itself, has no nerve endings, the subchondral bone does, so pain is registered [ In the later stages, other changes occur besides the degeneration of cartilage. The subchondral
bone remodels and thickens; the exposed surface becomes polished from the contact of bone on bone. Microfractures and cysts appear below the surface of the bone and weaken it. To support the affected joint, new bone and cartilage grow at the margins of the joint. These bone spurs, or osteophytes, alter the shape of the joint; they may also restrict movement.

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[ The prevalence of osteoarthritis increases with age, although it is not caused by ageing. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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Signs & Symptoms [ Pain [ Stiffness [ Swelling – may be hard from osteophytes or soft from synovial thickening and extra fluid [ Crepitus – creaking, grating or grinding sensation [ Muscles around the joint may atrophy (waste away) [ Loss of ROM Causes 
 [ Age, more common in older people [ Joint injury
 [ Genetic factors
 [ Obesity 
 [ Gender, more common in women [ Joint abnormalities 
 Fun Fact 


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[ Pain levels and how arthritic a joint looks on an MRI may not be linked. ‘Abnormal’ findings do not always equal pain.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

[ Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Osteoarthritis (OA) are different types of arthritis. They share some similar characteristics, but each has different symptoms and requires different treatment. [ Rheumatoid arthritis affects about one-tenth as many people as osteoarthritis. The main difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is the cause behind the joint symptoms. [ Osteoarthritis is caused by mechanical wear and tear on joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune system attacks the body's joints. [ Rheumatoid arthritis can develop at any time in life (e.g. juvenile arthritis) but osteoarthritis tends to develop later in life. [ Onset tends to be over weeks or months (rapid) for Rheumatoid arthritis; for Osteoarthritis, it’s a slow onset over a course of years. [ Joint symptoms in RA:

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o o o

Painful Swollen Stiff

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[ Joint symptoms in OA: o Achy o Tender but little to no swelling [ RA is often symmetrical, affecting both small and large joints of wrists, elbows or feet. [ OA begins on one side of the body and develops gradually, generally affecting large joints like hips and knees or the spine, as well as the finger joints closest to the fingernails (DIPs, remember? Distal Interphalangeal Joints) or the thumb. [ With RA, morning stiffness lasts longer than 1 hour. [ With OA, morning stiffness lasts less than 1 hour and usually returns in the evening or after periods of activity. [ RA often has whole-body symptoms such as general fatigue and a feeling of being ill.

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[ OA does not present with whole-body symptoms.

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HISTORY OF YOGA

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A Short History of Yoga by Georg Feuerstein History for Yogins And Yoginis In yoga, theory and practice, as well as left brain and right brain, go hand in hand so to speak. Study (svâdhyâya) is in fact an important aspect of the many branches and schools of yoga. This is another way in which yoga’s balanced approach shows itself. If you want to know where something is going, it is good to know where it came from. “To be ignorant of what happened before one was born,” said Cicero pointedly in his Orator, “is to remain ever a child.” History provides context and meaning, and yoga is no exception to this rule. If you are fond of history, you will enjoy what follows. Many of the facts and ideas presented here have not yet found their way into the textbooks or even into most yoga books. We put you in touch with the leading edge of knowledge in this area. If you are not a history buff, well, perhaps we can tempt you to suspend your preferences for a few minutes and read on anyway. The Origin of Yoga Despite more than a century of research, we still don’t know much about the earliest beginnings of yoga. We do know, though, that it originated in India 5,000 or more years ago. Until recently, many western scholars thought that yoga originated much later, maybe around 500 B.C., which is the time of Gautama the Buddha, the illustrious founder of Buddhism. But then, in the early 1920s, archeologists surprised the world with the discovery of the so-called Indus civilization—a culture that we now know extended over an area of roughly 300,000 square miles (the size of Texas and Ohio combined). This was in fact the largest civilization in early antiquity. In the ruins of the big cities of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, excavators found depictions engraved on soapstone seals that strongly resemble yogi-like figures. Many other finds show the amazing continuity between that civilization and later Hindu society and culture. There was nothing primitive about what is now called the Indus-Sarasvati civilization, which is named after two great rivers that once flowed in Northern India; today only the Indus River flows through Pakistan. That civilization’s urban population enjoyed multistory buildings, a sewage system unparalleled in the ancient world until the Roman empire, a huge public bath whose walls were water-proofed with bitumen, geometrically laid out brick roads, and standardized baked bricks for convenient construction. (We are so used to these technological achievements that we sometimes forget they had to be invented.) The Indus-Sarasvati people were a great maritime nation that exported a large variety of goods to Mesopotamia and other parts of the Middle East and Africa. Although only a few pieces of art have survived, some of them show exquisite craftsmanship.

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For a long time, scholars thought that this magnificent civilization was abruptly destroyed by invaders from the northwest who called themselves Aryans (ârya meaning “noble” in the Sanskrit language). Some proposed that these warlike nomads invented yoga; others credited the Indus people with its creation. Yet others took yoga to be the joint creation of both races.

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Nowadays researchers increasingly favor a completely different picture of ancient Indian history. They are coming to the conclusion that there never was an Aryan invasion and that the decline of the Indus-Sarasvati cities was due to dramatic changes in climate. These in turn appear to have been caused by a major tectonic catastrophe changing the course of rivers. In particular, it led to the drying up of what was once India’s largest river, the Sarasvati, along whose banks flourished numerous towns and villages (some 2500 sites have been identified thus far). Today the dry riverbed runs through the vast Thar Desert. If it were not for satellite photography, we would not have learned about those many settlements buried under the sand. The drying up of the Sarasvati River, which was complete by around 1900 B.C., had far-reaching consequences. Just imagine the waters of the Mississippi running dry instead of flooding constantly. What havoc this would cause! The death of the Sarasvati River forced the population to migrate to more fertile parts of the country, especially east toward the Ganges (Ganga) River and south into Central India and Tamilnadu. Why is this important for the history of yoga, you might ask? The Sarasvati River happens to be the most celebrated river in the Rig-Veda, which is the oldest known text in any Indo-European language. It is composed in an archaic (and difficult) form of Sanskrit and was transmitted by word of mouth for numerous generations. Sanskrit is the language in which most yoga scriptures are written. It is related to languages like Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, and not least English. You can see this family relationship on the example of the word yoga itself, which corresponds to zugos, iugum, joug, Joch, yugo, and yoke in these languages. Sanskrit is like an older brother to the other Indo-European languages. Now, if the Sarasvati River dried up around or before 1900 B.C., the Rig-Veda must be earlier than that benchmark date. If that is so, then the composers of this collection of hymns must have been contemporaneous with the people of the Indus civilization, which flourished between circa 3000-1900 B.C. Indeed, astronomical references in the Rig-Veda suggest that at least some of its 1,028 hymns were composed in the third or even fourth millennium B.C. Thus, the Sanskrit-speaking Aryans, who created the Rig-Veda, did not come from outside India to destroy the Indus-Sarasvati civilization. They had been there all along. What, then, was their relationship with the Indus-Sarasvati people? Here opinions still differ, but there is a growing understanding that the Aryans and the Indus-Sarasvati people were one and the same. There is nothing in the Rig-Veda to suggest otherwise. In fact, the Rig-Veda and the other archaic Sanskrit texts appear to be the “missing” literature of the Indus civilization. Conversely, the archeological artifacts of the Indus valley and adjoining areas give us the “missing” material base of the early Sanskrit literature—an elegant solution to a problem that has long vexed researchers. Yoga and The Indus-Sarasvati Civilization

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This means that yoga is the product of a mature civilization that was unparalleled in the ancient world. Think of it! As a yoga practitioner you are part of an ancient and honorable stream of tradition, which makes you a descendant of that civilization at least at the level of the heart. Many of the inventions credited to Sumer rightfully belong to what is now known as the Indus-Sarasvati civilization, which evolved out of a cultural tradition that has reliably been dated back to the seventh millennium B.C. In turn it gave rise to the great religious and cultural tradition of Hinduism, but indirectly also to Buddhism and Jainism. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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India’s civilization can claim to be the oldest enduring civilization in the world. Its present-day problems should not blind us to its glorious past and the lessons we can learn from it. Yoga practitioners in particular can benefit from India’s protracted experimentation with life, especially its explorations of the mysteries of the mind. The Indian civilization has produced great philosophical and spiritual geniuses who, between them, have covered every conceivable answer to the big questions, which are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. The Big Questions Traditional yoga seeks to provide plausible answers to such profound questions as, “Who am I?” “Whence do I come?”, “Whither do I go?” and “What must I do?” These are the sorts of questions that, sooner or later, we all end up asking ourselves. Or at least, we have our own implicit answers to them, though we may not get around to consciously formulating them. Deep down, we all are philosophers, because we all need to make sense of our life. Some of us postpone thinking about these questions, but they don’t ever go away. We quickly learn this when we lose a loved one or face a serious health crisis. So, we might as well ponder these questions while we are in good shape, don’t think you have to feel morose to do so. Yoga doesn’t champion dark moods, but it is definitely in favor of awareness in all its forms, including self-awareness. If we know the stuff we are made of, we can function a lot better in the world. At the very least, our self-knowledge will give us the opportunity to make conscious and better choices. The History of Yoga I can provide here only a thumbnail sketch and, if you wish to inform yourself more about the long history of yoga, I recommend that you study my book The Yoga Tradition. This is the most comprehensive historical overview available anywhere. But be prepared for challenging reading and a fairly large tome. The history of yoga can conveniently be divided into the following four broad categories: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Vedic Yoga Pre-Classical Yoga Classical Yoga Post-Classical Yoga

These categories are like static snapshots of something that is in actuality in continuous motion—the “march of history.” Vedic Yoga Now we are entering somewhat more technical territory, and I will have to use and explain a number of Sanskrit terms.

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The yogic teachings found in the above-mentioned Rig-Veda and the other three ancient hymnodies are known as Vedic Yoga. The Sanskrit word Veda means “knowledge,” while the Sanskrit term rig (from ric) means “praise.” Thus, the sacred Rig-Veda is the collection of hymns that are in praise of a higher power. This collection is in fact the fountainhead of Hinduism, which has around one billion adherents today. You could say that the Rig-Veda is to Hinduism what the Book of Genesis is to Christianity. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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The other three Vedic hymnodies are the Yajur-Veda (“Knowledge of Sacrifice”), Sama-Veda (“Knowledge of Chants”), and Atharva-Veda (“Knowledge of Atharvan”). The first collection contains the sacrificial formulas used by the Vedic priests. The second text contains the chants accompanying the sacrifices. The third hymnody is filled with magical incantations for all occasions but also includes a number of very powerful philosophical hymns. It is connected with Atharvan, a famous fire priest who is remembered as having been a master of magical rituals. These hymnodies can be compared to the various books of the Old Testament. It is clear from what has been said thus far that Vedic Yoga—which could also be called Archaic Yoga—was intimately connected with the ritual life of the ancient Indians. It revolved around the idea of sacrifice as a means of joining the material world with the invisible world of the spirit. In order to perform the exacting rituals successfully, the sacrificers had to be able to focus their mind for a prolonged period of time. Such inner focusing for the sake of transcending the limitations of the ordinary mind is the root of yoga. When successful, the Vedic yogi was graced with a “vision” or experience of the transcendental reality. A great master of Vedic Yoga was called a “seer”—in Sanskrit rishi. The Vedic seers were able to see the very fabric of existence, and their hymns speak of their marvelous intuitions, which can still inspire us today. Pre-Classical Yoga This category covers an extensive period of approximately 2,000 years until the second century A.D. Pre-Classical yoga comes in various forms and guises. The earliest manifestations were still closely associated with the Vedic sacrificial culture, as developed in the Brâhmanas and Âranyakas. The Brâhmanas are Sanskrit texts explaining the Vedic hymns and the rituals behind them. The Âranyakas are ritual texts specific to those who chose to live in seclusion in a forest hermitage. Yoga came into its own with the Upanishads, which are gnostic texts expounding the hidden teaching about the ultimate unity of all things. There are over 200 of these scriptures, though only a handful of them were composed in the period prior to Gautama the Buddha (fifth century B.C.). These works can be likened to the New Testament, which rests on the Old Testament but at the same time goes beyond it. One of the most remarkable yoga scriptures is the Bhagavad-Gîtâ (“Lord’s Song”), of which the great social reformer Mahatma Gandhi spoke as follows: When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone, I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad-Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies—and my life has been full of external tragedies—and if they have left no visible, no indelible scar on me, I owe it all to the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita. (Young India, 1925, pp. 1078-79)

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In its significance, this work of only 700 verses perhaps is to Hindus what Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is to Christians. Its message, however, is not to turn the other cheek but to actively oppose evil in the world. In its present form, the Bhagavad-Gîtâ (Gîtâ for short) was composed around 500 B.C. and since then has been a daily inspiration to millions of Hindus. Its central teaching is to the point: To be alive means to be active and, if we want to avoid difficulties for others, and ourselves our actions must be benign and also go beyond the grip of the ego. A simple matter, really, but how difficult to accomplish in daily life! 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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Pre-Classical yoga also comprises the many schools whose teachings can be found in India’s two great national epics, the Râmâyana and the Mahâbhârata (in which the Bhagavad-Gîtâ is embedded and which is seven times the size of the Iliad and Odyssey combined). These various pre-classical schools developed all kinds of techniques for achieving deep meditation through which yogis and yoginis can transcend the body and mind and discover their true nature. Classical Yoga This label applies to the eightfold yoga—also known as Râja Yoga—taught by Patanjali in his YogaSûtra. This Sanskrit text is composed of just fewer than 200 aphoristic statements, which have been commented on over and over again through the centuries. Sooner or later all serious yoga students discover this work and have to grapple with its terse statements. The word sûtra (which is related to Latin suture) means literally “thread.” Here it conveys a thread of memory, an aid to memorization for students eager to retain Patanjali’s knowledge and wisdom. The Yoga-Sûtra was probably written sometime in the second century A.D. The earliest available Sanskrit commentary on it is the Yoga-Bhâshya (“Speech on Yoga”) attributed to Vyâsa. It was authored in the fifth century A.D. and furnishes fundamental explanations of Patanjali’s often-cryptic statements. Beyond a few legends nothing is known about either Patanjali or Vyâsa. This is a problem with most ancient yoga adepts and even with many more recent ones. Often all we have are their teachings, but this is of course more important than any historical information we could dig up about their personal lives. Patanjali, often wrongly called the “father of yoga,” believed that each individual is a composite of matter (prakriti) and spirit (purusha). He understood the process of yoga to bring about their separation, thereby restoring the spirit in its absolute purity. His formulation is generally characterized as philosophical dualism. This is an important point, because most of India’s philosophical systems favor one or the other kind of non-dualism: The countless aspects or forms of the empirical world are in the last analysis the same “thing”—pure formless but conscious existence. Post-Classical Yoga This is again a very comprehensive category, which refers to all those many types and schools of yoga that have sprung up in the period after Patanjali’s Yoga-Sûtra and that are independent of this seminal work. In contrast to classical yoga, post-classical yoga affirms the ultimate unity of everything. This is the core teaching of Vedânta, the philosophical system based on the teachings of the Upanishads.

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In a way, the dualism of classical yoga can be seen as a brief but powerful interlude in a stream of non-dualist teachings going back to ancient Vedic times. According to these teachings, you, we, and everyone or everything else is an aspect or expression of one and the same reality. In Sanskrit that singular reality is called brahman (meaning “that which has grown expansive”) or âtman (the transcendental Self as opposed to the limited ego-self). A few centuries after Patanjali, the evolution of yoga took an interesting turn. Now some great adepts were beginning to probe the hidden potential of the body. Previous generations of yogis and yoginis had paid no particular attention to the body. They had been more interested in contemplation to the point where they could exit the body consciously. Their goal had been to leave the world behind and merge with the formless reality, the spirit. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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Under the influence of alchemy—the spiritual forerunner of chemistry—the new breed of yoga masters created a system of practices designed to rejuvenate the body and prolong its life. They regarded the body as a temple of the immortal spirit, not merely as a container to be discarded at the first opportunity. They even explored through advanced yogic techniques the possibility of energizing the physical body to such a degree that its biochemistry is changed and even its basic matter is reorganized to render it immortal. This preoccupation of theirs led to the creation of Hatha Yoga, an amateur version of which is today widely practiced throughout the world. It also led to the various branches and schools of TantraYoga, of which Hatha Yoga is just one approach. Modern Yoga The history of modern yoga is widely thought to begin with the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. It was at that congress that the young Swami Vivekananda—swami (svâmin) means “master”—made a big and lasting impression on the American public. At the behest of his teacher, the saintly Ramakrishna, he had found his way to the States where he didn’t know a soul. Thanks to some well wishers who recognized the inner greatness of this adept of Jnâna Yoga (the yoga of discernment), he was invited to the Parliament and ended up being its most popular diplomat. In the following years, he traveled widely attracting many students to yoga and Vedânta. His various books on yoga are still useful and enjoyable to read. Before Swami Vivekananda a few other yoga masters had crossed the ocean to visit Europe, but their influence had remained local and ephemeral. Vivekananda’s immense success opened a sluice gate for other adepts from India, and the stream of Eastern gurus has not ceased. After Swami Vivekananda, the most popular teacher in the early years of the western yoga movement was Paramahansa Yogananda, who arrived in Boston in 1920. Five years later, he established the SelfRealization Fellowship, which still has its headquarters in Los Angeles. Although he left his body (as yogins call it) in 1952 at the age of fifty-nine, he continues to have a worldwide following. His Autobiography of a Yogi makes for fascinating reading but be prepared to suspend any materialistic bias you may have! As with some other yogis and Christian or Muslim saints, after his death Yogananda’s body showed no signs of decay for a full twenty days. Of more limited appeal was Swami Rama Tirtha, a former mathematics teacher who preferred spiritual life to academia and who came to the United States in 1902 and founded a retreat centre on Mount Shasta in California. He stayed for only two years and drowned in the Ganges (Ganga) River in 1906 at the young age of thirty-three. Some of his inspirational talks were gathered into the five volumes of In Woods of God-Realization, which are still worth dipping into.

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In 1919, Yogendra Mastamani arrived in Long Island and for nearly three years demonstrated, to astounded Americans, the power and elegance of Hatha Yoga. Before returning to India, he founded the American branch of Kaivalyadhama, an Indian organization created by the late Swami Kuvalayananda, which has contributed greatly to the scientific study of yoga. A very popular figure for several decades after the 1920s was Ramacharaka, whose books can still be found in used bookstores. What few readers know, however, is that this Ramacharaka was apparently not an actual person. The name was the pseudonym of two people—William Walker Atkinson, who had left his law practice in Chicago to practice yoga, and his teacher Baba Bharata.

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Paul Brunton, a former journalist and editor, burst on the scene of yoga in 1934 with his book A Search in Secret India, which introduced the great sage Ramana Maharshi to western seekers. Many more works flowed from his pen over the following eighteen years, until the publication of The Spiritual Crisis of Man. Then, in the 1980s, his notebooks were published posthumously in sixteen volumes—a treasure-trove for serious yoga students. Since the early 1930s until his death in 1986, Jiddu Krishnamurti delighted or perplexed thousands of philosophically minded westerners with his eloquent talks. He had been groomed by the Theosophical Society as the coming world leader but had rejected this mission, which surely is too big and burdensome for any one person, however great. He demonstrated the wisdom of Jnana Yoga (the yoga of discernment) and drew large crowds of listeners and readers. Among his close circle of friends were the likes of Aldous Huxley, Christopher Isherwood, Charles Chaplin, and Greta Garbo. Bernard Shaw described Krishnamurti as the most beautiful human being he ever saw. Yoga, in the form of Hatha Yoga, entered mainstream America when the Russian-born yoginî Indra Devi, who has been called the “First Lady of Yoga,” opened her yoga studio in Hollywood in 1947. She taught stars like Gloria Swanson, Jennifer Jones, and Robert Ryan, and trained hundreds of teachers. Now in her nineties and living in Buenos Aires, she is still an influential voice for yoga. In the 1950s, one of the most prominent yoga teachers was Selvarajan Yesudian whose book Sport and Yoga has been translated into fourteen or so languages, with more than 500,000 copies sold. Today, as we mentioned before, many athletes have adopted yogic exercises into their training program because… it works. Among them are the Chicago Bulls. Just picture these champion basketball players stretching out on extra-long yoga mats under the watchful eye of yoga teacher, Paula Kout! In the early 1950s, Shri Yogendra of the Yoga Institute of Santa Cruz in India visited the United States. He pioneered medical research on yoga as early as 1918, and his son Jayadev Yogendra is continuing his valuable work, which demonstrates the efficacy of yoga as a therapeutic tool. In 1961, Richard Hittleman brought Hatha Yoga to American television, and his book The TwentyEight-Day Yoga Plan sold millions of copies. In the mid-1960s, the western yoga movement received a big boost through Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, largely because of his brief association with the Beatles. He popularized yogic contemplation in the form of Transcendental Meditation (TM), which still has tens of thousands of practitioners around the world. TM practitioners also introduced meditation and yoga into the corporate world. It, moreover, stimulated medical research on yoga at various American universities. In 1965, the then sixty-nine-year-old Shrila Prabhupada arrived in New York with a suitcase full of books and $8.00 in his pockets. Six years later he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), and by the time of his death in 1977, he had created a worldwide spiritual movement based on Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotion).

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Also, in the 1960s and 1970s, many swamis trained by the Himalayan master Swami Sivananda, a former physician who became a doctor of the soul, opened their schools in Europe and the two Americas. Most of them are still active today, and among them are Swami Vishnudevananda (author of the widely read Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga), Swami Satchitananda (well-known to Woodstock participants), Swami Sivananda Radha (a woman-swami who pioneered the link between yoga spirituality and psychology), Swami Satyananda (about whom we will say more shortly), and Swami Chidananda (a saintly figure who directed the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, India). The last200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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mentioned master’s best-known American student is the gentle Lilias Folan, made famous by her PBS television series Lilias, Yoga and You, broadcast between 1970 and 1979. In 1969, Yogi Bhajan caused uproar among the traditional Sikh community (an offshoot of Hinduism) when he broke with tradition and began to teach Kundalini Yoga to his western students. Today his Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization—better known as 3HO—has more than 200 centres around the world. A more controversial but wildly popular guru in the 1970 and 1980s was Bhagavan Rajneesh (now known as Osho), whose followers constantly made the headlines for their sexual orgies and other excesses. Rajneesh, a former philosophy professor, drew his teachings from authentic yoga sources, mixed with his own personal experiences. His numerous books line the shelves of many second-hand bookstores. Rajneesh allowed his students to act out their repressed fantasies, notably of the sexual variety, in the hope that this would free them up for the deeper processes of yoga. Many of them, however, got trapped in a mystically tinged hedonism, which proves the common-sense rule that too much of a good thing can be bad for you. Even though many of his disciples felt bitterly disappointed by him and the sad events surrounding his organization in the years immediately preceding his death in 1990, just as many still regard him as a genuine yoga master. His life illustrates that yoga adepts come in all shapes and sizes and that, to coin a phrase, one person’s guru is another person’s uru. (The Sanskrit word uru denotes “empty space.”) Another maxim that applies here is caveat emptor, “buyer beware.” Other renowned modern yoga adepts of Indian origin are Sri Aurobindo (the father of Integral Yoga), Ramana Maharshi (an unparalleled master of Jnana-Yoga), Papa Ramdas (who lived and breathed Mantra Yoga, the yoga of transformative sound), Swami Nityananda (a miracle-working master of Siddha Yoga), and his disciple Swami Muktananda (a powerful yogi who put Siddha Yoga, which is a Tantric Yoga, on the map for western seekers). All these teachers are no longer among us. The great exponent in modern times of Hatha-Yoga was Sri Krishnamacharya, who died in 1989 at the ripe old age of 101. He practiced and taught the Viniyoga system of Hatha-Yoga until his last days. His son T. K. V. Desikachar continues his saintly father’s teachings and taught yoga, among others, to the famous Jiddu Krishnamurti. Another well-known student of Sri Krishnamacharya and a master in his own right is Desikachar’s uncle B. K. S. Iyengar, who has taught tens of thousands of students, including the world-famous violinist Jehudi Menuhin. Mention must also be made of Pattabhi Jois and Indra Devi, both of whom studied with Krishnamacharya in their early years and have since then inspired thousands of westerners. Of living yoga masters from India, I can mention Sri Chinmoy and Swami Satyananda (a Tantra master who established the well-known Bihar School of Yoga, has authored numerous books, and has disciples around the world). There are of course many other great yoga adepts, both well-known and more hidden, who represent yoga in one form or another, but I leave it up to you to discover them. Until modern times, the overwhelming majority of yoga practitioners have been men, yogis. But there have also always been great female adepts, yoginîs. Happily, in recent years, a few woman saints— representing Bhakti-Yoga (yoga of devotion)—have come to the West to bring their gospel of love to openhearted seekers. Yoga embraces so many diverse approaches that anyone can find a home in it.

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An exceptional woman teacher from India who fits none of the yogic stereotypes is Meera Ma (“Mother Meera”). She doesn’t teach in words but communicates in silence through her simple 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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presence. Of all places, she has made her home in the middle of a quaint German village in the Black Forest, and every year is attracting thousands of people from all over the world. Since yoga is not restricted to Hinduism, we may also mention here the Dalai Lama, champion of nonviolence and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. He is unquestionably one of the truly great yogis of modern Tibet, who, above all, demonstrates that the principles of yoga can fruitfully be brought not only into a busy daily life but also into the arena of politics. Today Tibetan Buddhism (which is a form of Tantra-Yoga) is extremely popular among westerners, and there are many lamas (spiritual teacher) who are willing to share with sincere seekers the secrets of their hitherto well-guarded tradition.

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Georg Feuerstein passed away in 2012. He has left behind a number of teachings that you may opt to review after your training. His wife, Brenda, continues his legacy & his traditions of teaching. traditionalyogastudies.com

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Historic Timeline

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Bhagavad Gita excerpts by Stephen Mitchell (Bhagavad Gita ~ A New Translation) One of the best ways of entering the Bhagavad Gita is through the enthusiasm of Emerson & Thoreau, two American sages. Emerson mentions the Gita often in his journals, with the greatest respect: It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence, which in another age & climate had pondered & thus disposed of the same questions that exercise us. Thoreau speaks of it in awed superlatives: The reader is nowhere raised into and sustained in a higher, purer, more rare region of thought than in the BhagavatGeeta… Beside (it), even our Shakespeare seems sometimes youthfully green and practical merely. What a revelation the Gita must have been for minds predisposed to its large-hearted vision of the world. And what a delight to stand behind Emerson and Thoreau, reading over their shoulders as they discover this “stupendous and cosmogonal” poem in which, from the other side of the globe, across so many centuries, they can hear the voice of the absolutely genuine. Here is a kinsman, an elder brother, telling them truths that they already, though imperfectly, know, truths that are vital to them and to us all. In the Gita’s wisdom, as in an ancient, clear mirror, they find that they can recognize themselves. Souls who love God, a Sufi sheikh said a thousand years ago, “know one another by smell, like horses. Though one be in the East and the other in the West, they still feel joy and comfort in each other’s talk, and one who lives in a later generation than the other is instructed and consoled by the words of his friend.” Bhagavad Gita means “The Song of the Blessed One.” No one knows when it was written; some scholars date it as early as the fifth century B.C.E, others as late as the first century C.E. But there is general scholarly consensus that in its original form it was an independent poem, which was later inserted into its present context, Book Six of India’s national epic, the Mahabharata.

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The Mahabharata is a very long poem – eight times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined ~ that tells the story of a war between the two clans of a royal family in northern India. One clan is the Pandavas, who are portrayed as paragons of virtue; they are led by Arjuna, the hero of the Gita and, his 4 brothers. Opposing them are the forces of the Kauravas, their evil cousins, the hundred sons of the blind King Dhritarashtra. At the conclusion of the epic, the capital city lies in ruins and almost all the combatants have been killed.

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The Gita takes place on the battlefield of Kuru at the beginning of the war. Arjuna has his charioteer, Krishna (who turns out to be God incarnate), drive him into the open space between the two armies, where he surveys the combatants. Overwhelmed with dread and pity at the imminent death of so many brave warriors – brothers, cousins and kinsmen – he drops his weapons and refuses to fight. This is the cue for Krishna to begin his teaching about life and deathlessness, duty, nonattachment, the Self, love, spiritual practice, and the inconceivable depths of reality. The “wondrous dialogue” that fills the next seventeen chapters of the Gita is really a monologue, much of it wondrous indeed, which often keeps us dazzled and asking for more, as Arjuna does: …for I never can tire of hearing your life-giving, honey-sweet words. The incorporation of the Gita into the Mahabharata has both its fortunate and its unfortunate aspects. It gives a thrilling dramatic immediacy to a poem that is from beginning to end didactic. Krishna and Arjuna speak about these ultimate matters not reclining at their ease, or abstracted from time and place, but between two armies about to engage in a devastating battle. We see the ranks of warriors waiting in the adrenaline rush before combat, keying up their courage, drawing their bows, glaring across the battle lines; we hear the din of the conch horns, the neighing of the horses, the thunder of the captains and the shouting. Then, suddenly, everything is still. The armies are halted in their tracks. Even the flies are caught in midair between two wing beats. The vast moving picture of reality stops on a single frame, as in Borges’s story “The Secret Miracle.” The moment of the poem has expanded beyond time, and the only characters who continue, earnestly discoursing between the silent, frozen armies, are Arjuna and Krishna. In one sense, this setting seems entirely appropriate. The subject of Krishna’s teaching is, after all, a matter of the gravest urgency: the battle for authenticity, the life and death of the soul. And in all spiritual practice, the struggle against greed, hatred, and ignorance, against the ingrained selfishness that has covered over our natural luminosity, can for a long time be as ferocious as any external war. During this time even the slightest clarity or opening of the heart is a major triumph, and metaphors of victory and defeat, of conquering our enemies and overcoming fierce obstacles, seem only too accurate, as if they were straightforward description. Yet from a clearer perspective, not only is there nothing to overcome, there is no one in particular to overcome it. Metaphors of struggle may just make the phantom dramas of the mind more solid, thus perpetuating the struggle, since even high spiritual warfare is one of the ego’s self-aggrandizing dreams. After a while, this entire struggle drops away naturally. The spiritually mature human being lets all things come and go without effort, without desire for any foreseen result, carried along on the current of a vast intelligence. As the great twentieth-century Hindu sage Ramana Maharshi said, “The idea that there is a goal…is wrong. We are the goal; we are always peace. To get rid of the idea that we are not peace is all that is required.”

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Actually, a good case can be made that the Gita’s answer about war – according to which, since the war is “just,” Arjuna should do his duty as a warrior, stand up like a man, and fight – is directly contradictory to the deeper lessons that Krishna teaches. How indeed can an enlightened sage, who cherishes all beings with equal compassion because he sees all beings within himself and himself within God, inflict harm on anyone, even wicked men who have launched an unjust war? This is still an open question, whatever Krishna may say. No fixed statement of the truth can apply to all circumstances, and honourable men, during every war within memory, have come to opposite conclusions about what their duty is. Gandhi, who thought of the Gita as his “eternal mother,” is almost convincing when he says that the deepest spiritual awareness necessarily implies absolute 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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nonviolence. On the other hand, I can imagine even a Buddha enlisting in the war against Hitler. Nevertheless, whether or not Arjuna should fight is at most a secondary question for the Gita. The primary question is: How should we live? Or, more essentially, how should I live? For the Gita is a book of deeply personal instruction. When you approach it as a sacred text, you can’t help standing, at first, in the place where Arjuna stands, confused and eager for illumination. Whatever intellectual or aesthetic satisfaction it may provide, its purpose is to transform your life. The Gita presents some of the most important truths of human existence in a language that is clear, memorable, and charged with emotion. It is a poem, of course, and not a systematic manual. Its method is not linear but circular and descriptive. It returns to its central point – letting go of the fruits of action – again and again, addressing not only superior students but also the great majority, who are spiritually unfocused and slow to grasp the point: “Let go.” – What does that mean? “It means this.” – I don’t’ get it. “It means that.” - I still don’t get it. “Then let me paint you a picture.” – But how do I let go? “Just act in this way.” – But I can’t. “All right, then act in that way.” – But what if I can’t do either? “All right, here’s still another approach.” Thus, generously, patiently, the poem guides even the least gifted of us on the path toward freedom. One of the Gita’s most effective methods of teaching is its portrait of the sage, the person who has entirely let go. This portrait is among the finest in world literature. Though not as subtle as the portrait of the Master in the Tao Te Ching, it is more easily comprehensible. Though not as profound as the wild, marvellous nonfigurative image that emerges from the dialogues of the Chinese Zen Masters, it is profound enough, and more obviously filled with the inestimable quality that we call “heart.” In elaborate, loving detail, the Gita poet describes what it is like to have grown beyond the sense of a separate self, to live centred in the deathless reality at the core of our being. It is a theme he never tires of. He returns to it in almost every chapter of the poem, emphasizing now one aspect, now another, lavish with adjectives, trying in any way he can to ignite the reader with passionate admiration of the enlightened human being, the mature and fully realized “man of yoga,” the person that all of us, men and women alike, are capable of becoming because that is who we all essentially are. Of the various paths to self-realization – Karma Yoga (the path of action), Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge or wisdom), Raja Yoga (the path of meditation), and Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion or love) – the poet clearly prefers the last. But he is aware that for people of different constitutions and affinities, different paths are appropriate. When he says that one particular path is superior, his statement doesn’t come at the expense of the other paths. All paths and all people are included. Whatever their differences, the basic progression along each of these paths to no goal is similar. We begin spiritual practice by confronting, with a rude shock, the selfishness and obstinacy of the raw mind. This mind, as Arjuna says, is restless, unsteady, turbulent, wild, stubborn; truly, it seems to me as hard to master as the wind.

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Any genuine path will, with sincere practice, result in a gradual, deepening surrender of selfishness into the ultimate reality that the Gita calls the Self. Just as our primordial carving leads to all the manifold forms of our misery, letting go of our ideas about reality and our desires for particular results leads to freedom.

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“Renunciation of the fruits of action,” Gandhi wrote, “is the center around which the Gita is woven. It is the central sun around which devotion, knowledge and the rest revolve like planets.” This lesson is repeated over and over throughout the Gita, in seemingly endless variations. Just as the essence of Judaism is “Love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself” (as Jesus once reminded a sympathetic scribe), the essence of Hinduism is “Let go.” The 2 statements are, in fact, different entrances into the same truth, which are the beginning and the end of all spiritual practice. You have a right to your actions, but never to your actions’ fruits. Act for the action’s sake. And do not be attached to inaction. Self-possessed, resolute, act without any thought of results, open to success or failure. Or, to rephrase it in the language of the Tao Te Ching: Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity. When you truly feel equal love for all beings, when your heart has expanded so much that it embraces the whole of creation, you will certainly not feel like giving up this or that. You will simply drop off from secular life as a ripe fruit drops from the branch of a tree. You will feel that the whole world is your home. The healthiest way to begin reading and absorbing a text like the Bhagavad Gita is to understand that ultimately it has nothing to teach. Everything essential that it points to – what we call wisdom or radiance or peace – is already present inside us. Once we have practiced meditation sincerely and seen layer after layer of the inauthentic fall away, we come to a place where dualities such as sacred and profane, spiritual and unspiritual, fall away as well.

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In that place, God is the ground we walk on, the food we eat, and the gratitude we express, to no one in particular, as naturally as breathing.

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Yoga’s Arrival in the Western World from Wikipedia & other online sources The following individuals were influential in bringing yoga to the west by sharing their personal teachings. Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda (January 12, 1863~July 4, 1902), born Narendra Nath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk and chief disciple of the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and yoga to the western world. He is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century. He was a major force in the revival of Hinduism in India and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India. He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech that began, "Sisters and brothers of America..." in which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893. Krishnamacharya Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (November 18, 1888~February 28, 1989) was an Indian yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer and scholar. Often referred to as "The Father of Modern Yoga” Krishnamacharya is widely regarded as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century and is credited with the revival of Hatha Yoga. While under the patronage of the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnamacharya traveled around India giving lectures and demonstrations to promote yoga, including such feats as stopping his heartbeat. He is widely considered the architect of vinyasa, in the sense of combining breathing with movement. Underlying all of Krishnamacharya’s teachings was the principle “Teach what is appropriate for an individual.” While he is revered in other parts of the world as a yogi, in India Krishnamacharya is mainly known as a healer who drew from both Ayurvedic and Yogic traditions to restore health and wellbeing to those he treated. Pattabhi Jois Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (July 26, 1915~May 18, 2009) was an Indian yoga teacher who developed the popular and gymnastic style of yoga referred to as Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga. In 1948, Jois established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute (now known as the Shri K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute) in Mysore, India.

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His first trip to the West was in 1974, to South America, to deliver a lecture in Sanskrit at an international yoga conference. In 1975, he stayed for four months in Encinitas, California, marking the beginning of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in the US. He would return to the US several times over the next 20 years, to teach yoga at

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Encinitas and beyond. He also regularly travelled to Sydney, Australia, where some of his advanced students were based. A student, David Life, co-founder of the Jivamukti Yoga school in Manhattan, has said of him, "He was not a monk or a renunciate; he was fearless about combining the path of a yogi with the path of participant. He never saw it as separate from our lives. He thought that anyone could attain to yoga if they had the desire and the enthusiasm." BKS Iyengar Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar (December 14, 1918~August 20, 2014), better known as B.K.S. Iyengar, was the founder of the style of yoga known as "Iyengar Yoga" and was considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world. He has written many books on yoga practice and philosophy including Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama, and Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Iyengar was one of the earliest students of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya and made his first trip to the West in 1956. Iyengar attracted his students by offering them just what they sought ~ which tended to be physical stamina and flexibility. He conducted demonstrations and later, when a scooter accident dislocated his spine, began exploring the use of props to help disabled people practice yoga.

Paramahansa Yogananda Paramahansa Yogananda (January 5, 1893~March 7, 1952), born Mukunda Lal Ghosh was an Indian yogi and guru who introduced millions of westerners to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his book, Autobiography of a Yogi. In 1917, Paramahansa Yogananda "began his life's work with the founding of a 'how-to-live' school for boys, where modern educational methods were combined with yoga training and instruction in spiritual ideals." In 1920, he was invited to serve as India's delegate to an International Congress of Religious Liberals convening in Boston. His address to the Congress, on 'The Science of Religion,' was enthusiastically received. For the next several years he lectured and taught across the United States. His discourses taught of the "unity” of the original teachings of Jesus Christ and the original Yoga taught by Bhagavan Krishna.

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Richard Hittleman Richard Hittleman was an American yoga teacher and author (1927~1991) who taught Hatha and Raja yoga through one of the first yoga television series, Yoga for Health. Richard Hittleman specialized in introducing yoga in an easy-to-follow fashion to those who were new to the subject. Through his books, lectures, recordings and TV programs, he brought yoga to more people than any other person alive at the time. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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It has been said that Richard Hittleman introduced yoga to literally millions of people via the medium of television. His method was to start with the most elementary Hatha yoga postures and gradually brought students into more advanced physical asana and more profound yoga philosophy. So popular did Richard Hittleman's Yoga for Health TV programs become that “...the programs were repeated again and again - indeed, in New York 'Yoga for Health' was screened for more than fourand-a-half years without a break.” Yogi Bhajan Harbhajan Singh Khalsa (born as Harbhajan Singh Puri, August 26, 1929~October 6, 2004), also known as Yogi Bhajan and Siri Singh Sahib, was a spiritual leader and entrepreneur who introduced Kundalini Yoga to the United States. He was the spiritual director of the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) Foundation, with over 300 centres in 35 countries, and the first chief executive or "Siri Singh Sahib" of Sikh Dharma of the western Hemisphere, charged in 1971 by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee with starting a Sikh religious ministry in the West. Swami Sivananda Sivananda Saraswati (September 8, 1887~July 14, 1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in British Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism. He lived most of his life near Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh.

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Sivananda Yoga, the yoga form propagated by his disciple Vishnudevananda, is now spread in many parts of the world through Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. These centres are not affiliated with Sivananda's ashrams, which are run by the Divine Life Society.

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STYLES OF YOGA

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Paths of Yoga from various sources Here we review some of the paths of yoga. We use the word “some” because different teachers and traditions may add to or subtract from the below list. Each has a worthwhile component and something to offer. The paths of yoga reveal to us who and what we already are ~ unique expressions of the perfection and unity. Once we are conscious of this, we cease wanting and are free from desire. Raja Yoga Raja Yoga is translated as “Royal Yoga” or “Royal Union”. It involves bringing yoga into everyday life through practices of meditation, which gives us a clearer perspective on reality and consequently helps us live a more genuine and liberated life. Raja Yoga is also often referred to as Ashtanga Yoga – the classical “Eight Limbed Path” for leading an integrated life. Raja Yoga brings our mind and emotions into balance; sitting quietly, observing the thoughts that float by without attachment, purging the mind of distracting thoughts and emotions. It is through meditation that we allow the discharge of our hectic mind, so that the cluttered thoughts begin to dissipate, and our mind begins to clear. One can feel the peace and freedom that meditation brings. Bhakti Yoga Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of Love and Devotion and it originated as a practice in the Hindu religion. Yoga grew out of a time in history when there was no separation between science, philosophy and religion. Yoga's introduction to the West has meant that it has been taken apart and put back together in many different ways. For some, Yoga may not be part of what they'd consider a spiritual practice, while for others it is.

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The Bhakti Yoga that is referred to in yoga training is the Yoga of the Heart. It is a love that permeates all beings. There are times in life when we have a glimpse of Bhakti Yoga, without even trying to cultivate it. For example, a beautiful sunset can fill our hearts with love for its astounding beauty. Or, the love we have for our spouse or friend or pet may fill us with a sense of total fullness and gratitude. It’s this love that makes our hearts so full and lends itself to the spread of love and good feelings to others.

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Jnana Yoga Jnana Yoga is the path of knowledge, wisdom, introspection and contemplation. It involves deep exploration of the nature of our being by systematically exploring and setting aside false identities. If we consider Bhakti to be the yoga of the Heart, then Jnana Yoga is the yoga of the mind, of wisdom, the path of the sage or scholar. This path requires development of the intellect through the study of the scriptures and texts of the yogic tradition. The Jnana Yoga approach is considered the most difficult and at the same time, the most direct. Within the context of our western religious traditions, Kabalistic scholars, Jesuit priests, and Benedictine monks epitomize Jnana yogis. Karma Yoga “The path of Karma Yoga, or selfless service, develops equanimity of the mind. It always purifies the mind by weakening selfish desires, attachment and ego. A Karma Yogi's effort will never be a waste of time and energy. By its regular practice, one can attain liberation." ~ Baba Hari Dass

The selfless service of Karma Yoga is a path to purify the mind, relinquish the ego, and serve humanity without expecting reward; seeing unity in diversity. Through this practice, we develop the sense of unity that dwells within us all. Karma Yoga is something that exists on a deep internal level; it may or may not be an outward action. In the simplest of terms: Karma Yoga is the giving without expectation of receiving ANYTHING, in return.

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Karma Yoga is a beautiful thing, but it must come from the heart. It is a good practice to take a moment to let go of what the mind or ego is telling you to do and give what your heart tells you to give.

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Modern Styles of Hatha Yoga The heart of yoga is taking the teachings into your practice, tuning into your inner wisdom and then making it “your yoga”. It often takes practice and trust to change what you have been taught. Often fear creeps up; questions such as “Who am I to alter this ‘perfect’ system?” or lack of trust in your inner teacher. However, the main practice of yoga is learning to tune in. This is what every great teacher has done. They were taught a certain system of yoga and through their practice they felt certain things were missing. Or, due to their own ailments they discovered a system that healed them, and they decided to teach and share this with others to contribute to their healing. As more people began to “get it”, more systems evolved. And as yoga expands at an exponential rate, we will continue to see a variety of forms and fusions of yoga. Krishnamacharya was the teacher of: BKS Iyengar, Sri K Pattabhi Jois and TKV Desikachar, each of whom is responsible for one of the three main lineages we are familiar with, today. These teachers learned from one teacher; they all “got it” and created their own system. People from America began to make pilgrimages to India and studied with these teachers. Many of these travellers began to “get it” and, from here, were born some of the most popular styles of yoga today. Ashtanga Yoga Ashtanga, meaning “8 limbs”, is a strict series of intense postures. There are 6 series, which increase in difficulty. Traditionally it begins with 5 Sun Salutation As and 5 Bs and moves on to standing and seated postures with a vinyasa between most postures. Postures are always performed in the same order. It is a physically demanding practice because of the constant movement but is a cleansing and detoxifying practice and has served as the most popular template for modern yoga. Hatha Yoga from various sources

The word Hatha means willful or forceful. Hatha Yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asanas or postures), and sequences of asanas, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones. The postures are also designed to open the many channels of the body ~ especially the main channel, the spine ~ so that energy can flow freely.

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Hatha is also translated as ha meaning “sun” and tha meaning “moon.” This refers to the balance of masculine aspects ~ active, hot, sun ~ and feminine aspects ~ receptive, cool, moon ~ within all of us. Hatha Yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites. In our physical bodies, we develop a balance of strength and flexibility. We also learn to balance our effort and surrender in each pose. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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Hatha Yoga is a powerful tool for self-transformation. It asks us to bring our attention to our breath, which helps us to still the fluctuations of the mind and be more present in the unfolding of each moment. Hatha Yoga strives to transform the physical body into the subtle, divine body and thereby attain enlightenment. As Hatha Yoga transforms the body, it is said to be impervious to disease, void of any defects and eternally youthful. Generally, this style of practice is slow paced and gentle, with an introduction to the basic yoga poses. ALL YOGA TYPES ARE DERIVED FROM HATHA YOGA. Iyengar Yoga Founded by BKS Iyengar from India, it informs the part of Hatha Yoga that pertains to strict alignment in a pose and understanding the therapeutic benefits of the pose. Iyengar himself suffered sickness and disease and cured himself through yoga. His yoga is a teaching based on healing dysfunction through proper alignment. Postures are generally held over long periods versus moving quickly, so students can pay close attention to the precise muscular and skeletal alignment that the system demands. It encourages the use of props to support body alignment, including belts, chairs, blocks and blankets. Kripalu Yoga A style, and a centre in Massachusetts, it has a compassionate approach and emphasis on meditation, physical healing and spiritual transformation that overflows into daily life. It focuses on looking inward and moving at your own pace, making it a good practice for people with limited mobility. Kripalu encourages poses to arise spontaneously as they work with prana and create their own practice. It encourages students to discover their own strengths and weaknesses. Yoga Nidra Yoga Nidra is to ‘discover what relaxation really feels like.’ Yoga Nidra is yoga without movement. It focuses on breathing, meditation and concentration. Yoga Nidra relaxes the body and, through focusing attention, it relaxes the mind. Yoga Nidra is also referred to as yogic sleep or sleep with awareness. The goal of Yoga Nidra is full body relaxation and a deep meditative state that addresses physiological, neurological and subconscious needs. Techniques include guided imagery and body scanning. Kundalini Yoga Kundalini Yoga is an experience of your higher self, your true spiritual identity. It is for everyone. It is not a religion. The root principle of Kundalini Yoga is that, the teachings – not the teacher – represents the Guru. These teachings are not secret but made available to sincere seekers, allowing householders and ordinary people to at last be recognized as sincere seekers.

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The kriyas and meditations Yogi Bhajan freely shared had been kept secret for thousands of years. When asked why he broke this taboo of secrecy he said, “We are in the desert and I have water.” Arriving in North America in the late sixties, he saw a society in violent turmoil. For the first time in history large numbers of young people were refusing to go to war. ‘Turning on and dropping out’ had created a population burnt out on drugs and hopelessness. The consciousness of a generation was 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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damaged. Yogi Bhajan was confident that the gift of Kundalini Yoga and meditation could repair and restore this consciousness. Sivananda Yoga This lineage comes from Swami Vishnudevananda, who established the Sivananda Vedanta Centre in Val Morin Quebec in 1959. There are partner schools in Grass Valley California and the Bahamas. There have been over 6000 teachers trained in this style and the style, based upon five principles, includes a series of twelve postures, a Sun Salutation Sequence, breathing exercises, relaxation and Mantra chanting. Viniyoga A term coined by T.K.V. Desikachar to describe the methodology that his father, revered teacher T. Krishnamacharya, developed late in life. Based on an individualized approach to each student, creating a practice that suits his or her unique stage of life, health and needs. For this reason, it is said to have a therapeutic orientation and forms the basis of yoga therapy. Poses are synchronized with the breath in sequences determined by the needs of the practitioner and are modified as the person’s needs grow and change. Vinyasa Yoga

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Vinyasa Yoga, in which movement is synchronized with the breath, is a term that covers a broad range of yoga classes. This style is sometimes also called flow yoga, because of the smooth way that the poses run together and become like a dance. The breath becomes an integral component as the teacher instructs the student to move from one pose to the next on inhalation or exhalation. Translated literally from Sanskrit, Vinyasa means "connection," according to Ellen Stansell PhD, a scholar of yogic literature and Sanskrit. In terms of yoga asana, we can interpret this as a connection between movement and breath.

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The Difference Between Hatha Yoga & Vinyasa Yoga from various sources Both Hatha and Vinyasa yoga work to increase flexibility, strength, improve breathing and quiet the mind. Each form of yoga aims to create “fitness” of the body and mind, though the way to these goals differs. Hatha originated in 15th-century India and earned a reputation for purifying the body in preparation for meditation. Vinyasa yoga is a fast-paced series of postures or asanas that focuses on the flow between movements, rather than individual poses. According to Indian tradition, one of the primary objectives of Hatha yoga includes deepening concentration, called Dharana, to enhance meditation and bring energy and health to the body and mind by opening the Nadis. The opening of Nadis through Hatha helps promote spiritual growth and understanding.

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The purpose of Vinyasa yoga is internal cleansing. By synchronizing the asanas with breath control, your internal temperature rises. According to Ashtanga, the asanas performed in Vinyasa heat the blood, subsequently thinning it so it flows more freely in the body, which creates a healthier, lighter and stronger mind and body.

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YOGA PHILOSOPHY

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Patanjali Patanjali is the author of the Yoga Sutras, a foundational text of traditional yogic lifestyle guidelines. The word yoga is defined as ‘union’ and sutra as ‘thread’, therefore one can define the yoga sutras as the “threads of union”. His writings date back to 200 BC (but even this is up for debate among scholars) and are considered to be influenced by Buddhism and Jainism. His yoga sutras form the foundation of Raja Yoga, “Royal Yoga”, the primary focus of which is cultivating stillness of mind. Meditation is practiced in order to get a clearer sense of reality and be liberated from illusions, delusions and the stress we often create through our minds. The term Raja Yoga, introduced in the 15thcentury, distinguished this school, based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, from the more current school of Hatha yoga and the Hatha yoga Pradipika expounded by Swami Swatmarama. Patanjali embraced the dualistic view of existence and taught that Purusha ~ the all present, all knowing ethereal consciousness ~ and Prakriti ~ nature or the basic nature of intelligence ~ was the order by which the universe exists and functions. He believed that suffering in humans resulted from becoming attached to external phenomena, such as when we hold onto the fruits of our actions or when our desires (shoulds, wants, needs) pull us away from our connection with ourselves and the universe. Patanjali taught that only hard work (Karma) and deep meditation (Jnana) could relieve human suffering and lead to liberation. By releasing attachments to the natural world, a yogi could allow the transcendental quality of Purusha to shine through the true self. Traditional yoga uses certain philosophies to support an ethical way of life. Certainly, there are more modern philosophers that we can learn from, as well, to support our message of yoga. It is important to learn from others, but ultimately to tune into your own inner teacher and decide what philosophies make sense to and feel right for you. Who Was Patanjali, the Sage Behind the Sutras? from Who Was Patanjali and Why Is He Important to Yoga? by Richard Rosen

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Truth be told, little is known about Patanjali ~ including, exactly when the sage lived. Some practitioners believe he lived around the 2nd century BC and also wrote significant works on Ayurveda and Sanskrit grammar, making him a Renaissance man of the time. But based on their studies of the language and the teaching of the sutras, modern scholars place Patanjali in the 2nd or 3rd century AD 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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and ascribe the medical essays and grammar to various other “Patanjalis.” Note, Patañjali ~ पत#ज%ल ~ is a proper Indian name. Several important Sanskrit works are ascribed to 1 or more authors of this name, and a great deal of scholarship has been devoted over the last century to the issue of disambiguation. The Myths Like many tales about the world’s spiritual heroes, the story of Patanjali’s birth has assumed mythic proportions. One version relates that, in order to teach yoga on earth, he fell from heaven in the form of a little snake, into the upturned palms (a gesture known as Anjali) of his virgin mother, Gonika, herself a powerful Yogini. Here he’s regarded as an incarnation of the 1000-headed serpent-king, Remainder (Shesha) or Endless (Ananta), whose coils are said to support the god Vishnu. The Times

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So little is known about Patanjali. But anonymity is typical of the great sages of ancient India. They recognized that their teaching was the outcome of a cooperative group effort that spanned several generations, and they refused to take credit for themselves, often attributing their work to another, older teacher.

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The Yoga Sutras The Yoga Sutras, widely regarded as the authoritative text on yoga, is a collection of aphorisms outlining the 8 limbs of yoga. These "threads" (as sutra translates from Sanskrit) of wisdom offer guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. Patanjali was the sage who wrote them. The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali are 196 Indian sutras (aphorisms). The Yoga Sutras were compiled around 400 AD by Sage Patanjali, taking materials about yoga from older traditions. Together with his commentary they form the Pātañjalayogaśāstra ~ Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali was the most translated ancient Indian text in the medieval era, having been translated into 40 Indian languages and 2 non-Indian languages: Old Javanese and Arabic. The text fell into obscurity for nearly 700 years from the 12th to 19th century, and made a comeback in late 19th century due to the efforts of Swami Vivekananda. It gained prominence again as a classic in the 20th century. Before the 20th century, history indicates the Indian yoga culture was dominated by the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Vasistha, texts attributed to Yajnavalkya and Hiranyagarbha, as well as literature on Hatha yoga, Tantric yoga and Pashupata yoga rather than the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. In the 20th century the yoga subculture elevated the Yoga Sutras to a status it never knew previously. Scholars consider the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali to be one of the foundations of classical yoga philosophy of Hinduism. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is considered one of the essential philosophical writings of yoga. There has been, and still is, a long tradition of passing it on from teacher to pupil to be practiced and repeated. Patanjali divided his Yoga Sutras into 4 Padas (chapters or books), as follows: [ Chapter 1 ~ Samadhi Pada (51 sutras) समा$धपाद: The 1st chapter is about Enlightenment ~ Samadhi Pada. Samadhi (समा$ध, Samādhi) = Enlightenment Pada (पाद, Pāda) = Chapter Samadhi refers to a blissful state where the yogi is absorbed into the One. Patanjali describes yoga and the nature of and means to attaining Samādhi. This chapter contains the famous definitional verse: "Yogaś citta-vritti-nirodha" ("Yoga is the restraint of mental modifications"). [ Chapter 2 ~ Sadhana Pada (55 sutras) साधनपाद: The 2nd Chapter contains instructions for our

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Practice ~ Sadhana Pada.

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Sadhana is the Sanskrit word for "practice" or "discipline". Here the author outlines two forms of yoga: Kriya Yoga (Action Yoga) and Ashtanga Yoga (Eightfold or 8-limbed Yoga). Kriya Yoga, sometimes called Karma Yoga, is also expounded in Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita. It is the Yoga of selfless action and service. Ashtanga Yoga describes the 8 limbs that together constitute Raja Yoga.

[ Chapter 3 ~ Vibhuti Pada (56 sutras) +वभ/ू तपाद: The 3rd chapter instructs us about the progression of our Practice ~ Vibhuti Pada. Vibhuti is the Sanskrit word for "power" or "manifestation". Siddhi (perfection, attainment) is acquired by the practice of yoga. The temptation of these powers should be avoided, and the attention should be fixed only on liberation.

[ Chapter 4 ~ Kaivalya Pada (34 sutras) कैव3यपाद: The 4th chapter is about Liberation ~ Kaivalya Pada.

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Kaivalya literally means "isolation", but as used in the Sutras it refers to emancipation and is used interchangeably with moksha (liberation), which is the goal of yoga. The Kaivalya Pada describes the nature of liberation and the reality of the transcendental self.

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The 8 Limbs of Yoga In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the eightfold path is called Ashtanga, which literally means “8 limbs” (asht=8, anga=limb). The 8 Limbs serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; they direct attention toward one’s health and they help us to acknowledge the spiritual aspects of our nature. Yoga is about finding the truth for ourselves and connecting with it. Our thoughts, words and actions directly affect our inner state and vice versa. The 8 parts of yoga develop and refine our body, mind and spirit from the outside in and from the inside out. The first 4 Limbs (Yamas, Niyamas, Asana and Pranayama) are concerned with gaining mastery over the physical body (the temple of the spirit), refining our personalities and developing an energetic awareness of our selves or, in other words, the “External Yoga.”

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The last 4 Limbs (Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi) are concerned with gaining mastery over the self and are known as “Internal Yoga”.

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Limb 1 ~ Yama: Restraint MY CONTRACT WITH THE WORLD ~ do unto others, as you would have them do unto you ~ The Yamas, the foundation of the 8 limbs (Roots), deal with one’s ethical standards and sense of integrity, focusing on our behaviour and how we conduct ourselves in life. The way we treat others and ourselves is a true testament to our inner state. The Yamas lead us to a natural revelation of insight into the nature of being, and joy naturally arises.

The 5 Yamas AHIMSA “To slight a single human being is to slight the divine powers within us and thus harm not only that being but with him the whole world.” ~ Gandhi Non-Harming in Words, Thoughts or Deeds to Others & Self. Ahimsa advocates the practices of compassion, love, understanding, patience, self-love and worthiness. It provides us with the opportunity to relinquish hostility and instead make space within our consciousness for peace. When we harm others, we harm ourselves. Ahimsa can be cultivated skillfully when the ego is under our control, influenced by the inner light of awareness. SATYA “To be in harmony with mind, word and action. To conduct speech and mind according to truth; to express through speech and to retain in the intellect what has been seen, understood or heard.” ~ Unknown Truthfulness ~ The intention of being truthful. Satya is about our ability to communicate in a way that is true to self, yet compassionate to the receiver. By allowing our dialogue with others to be open, to share and to listen in return, we cultivate an open, clear line of communication, which breeds healthy, peaceful communication. ASTEYA “The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” ~ Albert Einstein Non-Stealing ~ Refraining from taking anything that is not freely offered.

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Consider what you truly need and refrain from letting your desires persuade you to take more. Being generous with others without expecting anything in return nurtures our heart, mind and promotes loving kindness.

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BRAHMACHARYA “It is only when we understand the pursuit of sensation, which is one of the major activities of the mind, that pleasure, excitement and violence cease to be a dominant feature in our lives.” ~ Krishnamurti Chastity ~ Moving towards moderation or self-control. By not giving so much energy to intense moments, by not squandering our life force, we are more at ease and happier in all moments. When we are attached to sensations, they become distracting. Practicing Brahmacharya involves control, moderation, pacing and maintaining our inner orientation. APARIGRAHA “It is preoccupation with possessions more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.” ~ Henry David Thoreau Greedlessness ~ Freedom from wanting more and more is… freedom!

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This alludes to a decision not to hoard or accumulate goods through greed but rather to develop an attitude of stewardship toward the material world, learning to take only what is needed. Our ego feeds on grasping. Acknowledge abundance, practice gratitude.

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Limb 2 ~ Niyama: Observances MY CONTRACT WITH MYSELF “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.” ~ Gandhi The Niyamas bring our attention to our bodies and our immediate surroundings. They teach us to care and improve our quality of life by observing ourselves and implementing changes in our lives that can transform our personality and contribute to our contentment and happiness.

The 5 Niyamas SAUCHA Purity ~ Outer and inner cleanliness This is a personal practice of maintaining a clean body and a clear heart and mind. “The process of yoga is a gradual purification of all layers of our individual self… Keeping the body clean can remind us of its impermanence, since it’s always changing, which in turn can make us realize what does not change and requires no maintenance (the light within).” ~ Nicolai Bachman, The Path of the Yoga Sutras This involves allowing the creative process to happen while occasionally stepping back into a quiet space; regrouping our thoughts, updating our to-do list and organizing our workspace in order to calm the heart and mind, reducing stress and anxiety. This process ultimately leads to a heart and mind that are Sattvic ~ happy, focused, not distracted by sensory perceptions and ready for experiencing the divine inner light. SANTOSHA Contentment ~ Accepting life as it is Santosha has been said to be the greatest happiness, the underlying joy that cannot be shaken by life’s tough moments, by injustice, hardship or bad luck. If we are able to release our minds from constantly wanting our situation to be different, we are able to find more ease. Being grateful for what we have and content with who we are and where we are in life, comes from the understanding that who we really are at the core is none other than the light of awareness that all beings share. TAPAS Austerity ~ Positive, vibrant energy

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Tapas is defined as “heat”, derived from the word root Tap.

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Real and permanent change creates heat from the friction of a new, positive pattern rubbing up against an old negative one. This includes consciously challenging long-standing patterns of behaviour and gradually burning them up, resulting in spiritual and physiological growth. The heat generated will, both, burn away impurities and kindle the sparks of the light within. SVADHYAYA Self-Study ~ Study of sacred scriptures and one’s self The first step toward self-improvement and self-refinement is looking inward honestly and objectively. Learning about ourselves and learning about our relationships to the outside world, can provide us with a glimpse of who we are. The ultimate goal is complete self-knowledge with the realization that we are a changing outer shell, surrounding a pure, unchanging inner light of awareness. ISHVARA PRANIDHANA Devotion to Consciousness | God | Spirit ~ Humility & Faith A personal practice of deep respect or admiration for and faith in, a higher inner knowledge.

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No matter who we are, no matter what our station in life, no matter how much or how little money we have, each of us has the ability to act with humility and trust that whatever happens, happens. We bypass distractions through faith and surrendering to something higher than ourselves, thereby eliminating egoism and cultivating humility.

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Limb 3 ~ Asana: Posture REFINEMENT OF THE BODY Asana is a small but important step along the path of yoga. Asana, which translates as “seat,” can be extended to mean our inner posture and poise. By taking a seat you are connecting to the earth, to reality. Asana allows you to care for your body, the temple of the spirit, and develop the necessary discipline and concentration required for meditation. Grounding yourself enables you to feel stable and at ease in your body so that you may harness your energy (prana) and direct it towards the realization of Samadhi. The practice of asana allows the life force energy (prana) to flow more easily, improving your overall well-being. The body needs to be strong and pliable to ground the prana flowing through its subtle energy channels.

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“When our limbs are supple, our breath is smooth and no energy is blocked, we can relax and focus our attention inward, cultivating inner beauty and happiness.” ~ Nicolai Bachman, The Path of the Yoga Sutras

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Limb 4 ~ Pranayama: Breath Control REGULATION OF BREATH Pranayama is where we begin to work with our subtle body. Prana is responsible for all movement in the body and directly influences our physical, mental and emotional health. When prana flows smoothly, our attention can focus and can calm our heart and our mind. The mind influences the body through prana flowing in the nervous system and vice versa.

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Breath is a physical manifestation of prana that connects all aspects of perception.

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Limb 5 ~ Pratyahara: Sense Withdrawal TUNING OUT SENSORY INPUT Prati meaning “against” and Ahara meaning “that which is ingested.” Pratyahara is a side effect of breath regulation and turning inward. It draws our awareness away from the external world and outside stimuli, directing it inward in preparation for concentration and meditation. As we go inward toward self-knowledge we naturally turn away from and let go of outer attachments.

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Complete mastery over our sensory organs is a prerequisite for fully connecting with our inner light of awareness.

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Limb 6 ~ Dharana: Concentration CHOOSING A FOCUS Concentration that leads to meditation. We learn to slow down the thinking process by focusing our attention on a single point. Dharana is the initial (1st) stage of a 3-stage process of turning inward, called Samyama. It can be intermittent (attention drifting away and then back again) and when it is continuous, we reach the 7th limb of yoga, Dhyana.

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During Dharana we are aware of our surroundings, but they do not distract us from our focus.

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Limb 7 ~ Dhyana: Meditative Absorption CONTINUOUS FLOW

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The middle (2nd) stage of turning inward, occurs when the concentration on the chosen object of focus becomes one-pointed, steady and uninterrupted for some duration. One experiences a deep merging with the object of concentration. This causes a flow of thought waves, but the meditator does not react. Dhyana is the centrepiece of turning inward and is necessary for connecting with the inner light of awareness.

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Limb 8 ~ Samadhi: Pure Consciousness COMPLETE ATTENTION In the final stage (3rd), the meditator merges with the point-of-focus and transcends the self altogether. When we are so completely focused that our own sense of individuality vanishes, then our heart-and-mind field of consciousness reflects only the object of focus and nothing else. The ego takes a vacation; it is removed from the equation since it can function only when the object can be distinguished from the subject. There is no perception of a subject separate from its object. Steps to Samadhi: [ Heart and mind attempt to understand the object by means of intellect alone. Objects are defined by words; each word may be interpreted differently. [ Subtler, deeper attempts of the mind to understand an object, occur, with more careful examination and reflection. We use keen, refined discernment and reflection to get to a more accurate and truthful evaluation of the object. Qualities of the object are no longer debatable, nor are they influenced by our mental or emotional afflictions. [ The joy and satisfaction of fully understanding something, is experienced; the knowledge temporarily becomes a part of us.

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[ When the knowledge becomes completely internalized - becomes part of our identity - then the object and subject are said to have merged.

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PRANAYAMA

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What is Pranayama? Breath is the bridge which connects life to Consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh Prana is LIFE FORCE! Prana is the energy vibrating the universe at all levels. Ayama means to stretch, expand, regulate, control or prolong. There is a cosmic rhythm to all of life - even the sun breathes! We come into life taking full, deep breaths, naturally, from the diaphragm. Pollution, fear, stress, trauma, lethargy and restrictive clothing result in shallow breathing in the upper chest. Consciously reprogramming the breath by practicing pranayama, brings the microcosm of the body back into harmony with the macrocosm of the universe. The yogi is the conscious breather who knows that breath awareness may be the single most important change we make in life. The metabolic process extracts prana from air, food and water. Prana is received directly from the sun, wind and earth and in pre-dawn hours we are soothed and refreshed by lunar prana. Pranayama cleanses the nadis, the network of thousands of subtle energy pathways radiating from the heart and navel centres. Our respiratory system then functions at its best, improving circulation, digestion and elimination. Breath and mind are intimately interwoven - the mind rides on prana. Pranayama relaxes the face, neck and brain. Possible Benefits of Pranayama

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[ calms and tones the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which balances every other body system [ brings in up to 6 litres of air with every inhalation [ increases oxygen saturation of blood [ eliminates large amounts of excess CO2 in the body [ encourages the full range of motion in the diaphragm [ can increase lung capacity

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Parts of Each Breath (PURAKA | RECHAKA | KUMBHAKA) Yogic breathing practice or pranayama is an essential part of practicing yoga. We can use our breath to create space in different parts of our body, dissipate sensation, and deepen meditation within each posture. Traditionally, there are at least four parts to each yogic breath; (1) Puraka or inhalation, (2) Rechaka or exhalation, and (3) Kumbhaka or pausing of breath. There are 2 forms of Kumbhaka, breath retention after inhalation (Antara Kumbhaka) and pausing of breathing after exhalation (Bahya Kumbhaka). The 4 parts to each breath can be practiced in different ratios. Beginners should start with a 1:1:1 ratio, for example 4 seconds of inhalation, 4 seconds of breath retention, and 4 seconds of exhalation. One can additionally add a 4 second pause after lungs are emptied. More advanced teachers can work their way up to ratios of 1:2:1 and eventually 1:4:2. Sama Vritti (EQUAL BREATHING) Calms the body and focuses the mind. [ Close your eyes and begin to notice your natural breath, not changing anything at first. Begin a slow count to 4 as you inhale. [ Then also count to 4 as you exhale. The exercise is to match the length of your inhalation and exhalation. You may experiment with changing the number you count to, just make sure your inhalation and exhalation remain the same length. Vishama Vritti (UNEVEN BREATHING) Longer inhalation allows for a gently stimulating effect. Longer exhalation allows for calming.

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[ Vishama Vritti calls for uneven breath, inhale longer or exhale longer.

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Prana | Apana | Agni

Pranayama Reminders:

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[ Unless otherwise instructed, all breathing is in and out through the nose; this warms, filters and moisturizes the air in the body, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and supporting rest, repair and immune function [ All pranayama begins with exhalation [ 2 essentials - a stable spine (achala) and a still yet alert mind (sthira) [ 2 goals of pranayama - extended (dirgha) and subtle (sukshma) [ Pranayama (and generally all yoga) is done on an empty stomach [ Pregnancy and menstruation | Absolutely NO Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, Antara Kumbhaka or Uddiyana Bandha | Alternatives: Sitali | Sitakari, Ujjayi, Nadi Shodhana, Bhramari

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Ujjayi Breath (aka Victorious, Serpent or Ocean Breath) Ujjayi Breath consciously controls and extends inhalations and exhalations by contracting the glottis muscle at the back of the throat. This technique focuses, calms and invigorates the mind, calms the nervous system and allows us to go deeper into asana. It clears and tones the throat, cultivating a strong and beautiful speaking voice. Traditionally, it is used in Vinyasa practice. Teaching Ujjayi Let's pretend the palm is a dusty mirror we want to clean by first fogging it up. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth - 'hhhhaaaaaaa'. Again - extending the exhalation, feel the sensation of slight constriction at the back of the throat and hear the whispery, rushing sound. Now, open the mouth - keep the constriction and whispery sound on the inhalation, too. See how it slows and extends the breath. Now, close the lips and rest palms on knees. With a slight Jalandhara Bandha (neck lock), keep the breath going in and out through the nose - glottis still slightly constricted, the rushing sound more subtle. Continue for 1 ~ 3 minutes or more. Avoidances:

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Yogic Breathing Teaching Yogic Breathing The Yogic Breath is a 3~part breath. Sitting in Easy Pose or lying in Savasana (bolster under knees is nice for reclining pranayama), place one palm on the low belly and one palm on the low ribs. Exhale completely and draw belly into spine. Inhale ~ expand belly, ribs and chest, filling with breath right up to the collarbones and shoulders. Exhale ~ draw navel and lower abdomen toward spine. Continue 1 ~ 3 minutes. Possible benefits: [ physically and emotionally relaxing and detoxifying [ increases lung capacity [ cleans lungs and blood Avoidances:

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[ recent internal surgery

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Bhramari: “Bee” Breathing Teaching Bhramari Sitting in Easy Pose. Inhale with a light Ujjayi. Exhale humming (pleasant, higher pitch). Possible benefits: [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [

vibrates cerebral cortex and hypothalamus, to balance hormones stimulates production of serotonin for happiness and well-being stimulates pineal and pituitary glands beneficial for heart patients helps recovery from addictions by balancing brain and relaxing nerves helps with migraine and blocked sinuses eases anxiety and tension ideal in the evening or before meditation

Avoidances:

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Kapalabhati Teaching Kapalabhati Begin in Sukhasana. Palm on belly for some abdominal breathing to begin. Pass around the Kleenex. Powerfully contract abdominals and draw navel to spine while exhaling quickly through the nose. We are actively pushing out air and inhalation is passive; 10~30 exhalations in 1 set. End with a long exhalation, then a few cycles of Ujjayi. Possible benefits: [ cleans and detoxifies lungs, blood, sinuses [ saturates cells with prana [ massages internal organs and improves flexibility of abdominal muscles, ligaments and tendons [ improves spleen and liver functions [ strengthens heart and nerves [ regulates endocrine system [ EMPTY STOMACH REQUIRED Avoidances:

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[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [

pregnancy period recent internal surgery emphysema hypertension high blood pressure cardiac disorders hernia

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Nadi Shodhana Nadi Shodhana cleanses the network of subtle energy currents in the body (the Nadis). It soothes the busy mind and turbulent emotions. Relaxing, refreshing and balancing energy, it is ideal before sleep. The alternation of breath brings all of our physiological, psychological and energetic systems into a state of balance. Teaching Nadi Shodhana Begin in Sukhasana. Sit tall with a light Jalandhara Bandha. Right hand in Vishnu Mudra (index and middle finger folded into palm). Left hand in Jnana Mudra resting on the knee or supporting the right elbow. With the right thumb, close the right nostril and exhale from the left nostril completely. Slowly, from the left, inhale. Close both nostrils. Slowly, from the right, exhale. Slowly, from the right, inhale. Close both nostrils. Slowly, from the left, exhale. Continue 1 to 3 minutes or more, finishing with an exhalation on the left. Avoidances:

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MEDITATION

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What is Meditation? from A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation by Mara Carrico Through meditation, the Higher Self is experienced. Bhagavad Gita Only you can make your mind beautiful. Dalai Lama An exquisite methodology exists within the yoga tradition that is designed to reveal the interconnectedness of every living thing. This fundamental unity is referred to as Advaita ~ which means non-dual or "not 2." This oneness is a fundamental quality of everything. Everything is a part of and made of one nondual consciousness. Meditation is the experience of this union. Only recently has asana practice been isolated from the other limbs of yoga. For millennia, asana existed to condition the body for sitting meditation. A relaxed and comfortable body supports our intention to go inside and master the mind. Attention, the most primal form of love, is turned within to the only place life happens: the present moment. Mindfulness is simply paying attention to the present moment on purpose. "Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves." This is advice from Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. Always include meditation in your teaching; it's where the magic happens! In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali gives instruction on how to meditate and describes what factors constitute a meditation practice. The second sutra in the first chapter states that yoga (or union) happens when the mind becomes quiet. This mental stillness is created by bringing the body, mind, and senses into balance ~ in turn, relaxing the nervous system. Patanjali goes on to explain that meditation begins when we discover that our never-ending quest to possess things and our continual craving for pleasure and security can never be satisfied. When we finally realize this, our external quest turns inward, and we have shifted into the realm of meditation. By dictionary definition, “meditation” means to reflect upon, ponder, or contemplate. It can also denote a devotional exercise of contemplation or a contemplative discourse of a religious or philosophical nature. The word meditate comes from the Latin meditari, which means to think about or consider. Med is the root of this word and means, “to take appropriate measures.” In our culture, to meditate can be interpreted several ways. For instance, you might meditate on or consider a course of action regarding your education, or a career change that would entail a move across the country.

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In the Yogic context, meditation, or Dhyana, is defined more specifically as a state of pure consciousness. It is the 7th limb of the Yogic path and follows Dharana, the art of concentration. Dhyana in turn precedes Samadhi, the state of final liberation or enlightenment, and the last step in Patanjali’s 8-limbed system. These 3 limbs ~ Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (ecstasy) ~ are inextricably linked and collectively referred to as Samyama, the inner practice, or subtle discipline, of the Yogic path. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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Recall that the first 4 limbs ~ Yama (ethics), Niyama (self-discipline), Asana (posture), and Pranayama (life-force extension) ~ are considered external disciplines. The 5th step, Pratyahara represents the withdrawal of the senses. This withdrawal of the senses arises out of the practice of the first 4 steps and links the external to the internal. When we are grounded physically and mentally, we are keenly aware of our senses, yet disengaged at the same time. Without this ability to remain detached yet observant, it is not possible to meditate. Even though you need to be able to concentrate in order to meditate, meditation is more than concentration. It ultimately evolves into an expanded state of awareness. When we concentrate, we direct our mind toward what appears to be an object apart from ourselves. We become acquainted with this object and establish contact with it. To shift into the meditation realm, however, we need to become involved with this object; we need to communicate with it. The result of this exchange, of course, is a deep awareness that there is no difference between us (as the subject), and that which we meditate upon (the object). This brings us to the state of Samadhi, or selfrealization. A simple way to understand this is to think about the development of a relationship. First, we meet someone ~ that is, we make contact. Then by spending time together, listening to, and sharing with each another, we develop a relationship. In the next stage, we merge with this person in the form of a deep friendship, partnership, or marriage. The “you” and “me” become an “us.” According to the Yoga Sutras, our pain and suffering is created by the misperception that we are separate from nature. The realization that we aren’t separate may be experienced spontaneously, without effort. However, most of us need guidance. Patanjali’s 8-limbed system provides us with the framework we need. Possible Benefits of Meditation:

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[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [

improves sleep enhances immune response sharpens focus and concentration | clarifies thinking freedom from obsessive and indulgent negativity increases learning capacity and memory lowers blood pressure and heart rate greatly enhances a sense of inner peace and well-being reduces blood lactate, a marker of stress and anxiety

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Meditation on the Breath & Breath Sensations This is a deceptively profound method. The breath is always real, always now and always available to us. Our task is to shift from thinking to awareness. Cultivating attention to the breath refines our awareness. Close your eyes.

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Allow your inner vision to feel the natural magnetic pull upward to the third eye. Keep a gentle focus there, above and between the eyebrows. Tune in to the cool touch of air at the nostrils on the inhalation. Notice the soft warmth at the nostrils on the exhalation. The mind may wander. That's okay. Gently, with kindness to the self, bring your awareness back to the coolness of the inhalation. Come back to the warmth of the exhalation. Cooling, centering and refreshing on the inhalation. Softening and relaxing on the exhalation. Breathe. Here. Now.

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Counting Zazen

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This is a Dharana practice ~ training the mind to stay with an object of concentration. Tune in to the breath and breath sensations. “Let's cultivate mindful, present-moment awareness through attention to the breath and simple counting. Begin counting your exhalations up to ten. If the mind wanders away gently return to One and begin again. When you make it up to 10, return to One and continue. If you lose track, come back to One. Always coming back to One.” There is a profound teaching here - returning to One and Oneness.

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Calm | Smile

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Thich Nhat Hanh teaches, "Smiling is an important contribution to peace, and to the happiness of the world. One smile relaxes hundreds of muscles in your face and makes you master of yourself." We can take any aspect of our yoga practice to the next level by smiling. "Let's enjoy a meditation designed for us by Thich Nhat Hanh. The Mantra is, 'Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.”

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Shikantaze Also called, "Allowing Everything to Be as It Is" Relax. Connect to the breath and breath sensations. Open to your senses. Listen to your body. Listen to your feelings. Listen to the silence behind sound. Let go of the meditator ~ the one who is trying to get it right. No effort. No strategy. No intervention. Ask yourself, "Am I allowing everything to be as it is?"

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Relinquish control. Rest in stillness. Be the space in which everything happens. Be the silence holding all sound. Rest. Relax. Allow.

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Create & Cultivate a Meditation Practice Creating and cultivating a meditation practice is not always a simple task, but there are practices that can help us transition into a regular meditation practice. Same Place Find a place that you love, a place where you feel comfortable. Create your meditation spot with the things you love (comfortable meditation cushion, a shawl or blanket). Make the space inviting for you and stillness. Same Time Scheduling your meditation practice into your life can make it easier to maintain consistency. Pick a time of day when you are not rushed. We suggest first thing in the morning or before bed. Create Your Own Discipline “There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” ~ Rumi. There are many ways to meditate: breath sensation, focusing on an object, Mantra, Mudra etc. Choose a meditation practice that you enjoy. It is much more challenging to practice a form of meditation that does not resonate with you. Timer Do you want to meditate for 5 minutes per day? How do you keep track of the 5 minutes? If you are concerned about watching the clock, you will miss the benefit of your meditation. Set a quiet timer or find some soft instrumental background music that continues for the length of time for which you are opting to meditate. Be Still

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Sometimes the hardest part of meditation is remaining still. Resist the urge to move and allow yourself the time and space to be present in, and to, your experience. Being still is not always a requirement of meditation. If it is part of the discipline you choose, be patient and forgiving with yourself. There is no failure when you are trying.

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200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 1) Yoga Alliance RYS 200 | Live Your Yoga Flow Revision 19 August 2023 | All Rights Reserved Ó

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