The Foundations of Yoga
By Heather Agnew

Yoga philosophy is one of the six systems of Hindu philosophy .The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root "Yuj" meaning "to join"or "unity". Yoga is not a religion, but a philosophy that influences a lifestyle that integrates mind, body and spirit. Yoga is intended as a personal practice that relies on a system of techniques to gradually lead an individual to the direct experience of those fundamental truths and natural laws upon which religion rests. Although now considered a "new age" practice, Yoga is well known to people of all countries of the world interested in the study of Eastern civilization and culture, and has been practiced for many thousands of years. Patanjali, a Philosopher and a Physician said to have lived 300 years before Christ, is considered the founder of the Yoga Philosophy,. He wrote in the Yoga Sutras , "Yoga is a settling of the mind into silence, and only when the mind is silent can we realize our true nature, the effortless Being of the Self". From his teachings, Yoga was structured into 8 areas of techniques and practices. These 8 limbs, are as follows:

The 8 Limbs of Astanga Yoga

Yamas: abstensions; truth, nonviolence, control of sexual energy, nonstealing, noncovetousness.

Niyamas: observances of the austerities; purity, contentment, study, surrender to the ego.

Asanas: physical postures that prepare the body, mind and spirit for meditation.

Pranayama: control of vital energy, usually in the form of breathing exercises.

Pratyahara: withdrawal of the senses

Dharana: concentration of the mind.

Dhyana: meditation.

Samadhi: the superconscious state, being able to realize your higher self outside of the vehicle of the body and the illusion of "reality".

These eight steps of yoga indicate a logical pathway that leads to the attainment of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. One does not seek to change oneself through the practice of yoga, but to allow one’s own natural state of total health and self-understanding to become a reality.

Do not be daunted by the vastness of the practice. It is important for each student to move at their own pace as they embrace the teachings, techniques, and practices that are incorporated in the yoga philosophy. Many yoga students begin with the physical aspect of yoga (asanas), and gradually add meditation, mantras, silence, fasting, and with each day a growing awareness of the divine. This lifestyle is referred to as a "practice", because it is in the practicing that we attain our spiritual, physical, emotional and mental goals. Remember, the journey is the thing. Sri Swami Sivananda was a great yogi, committed to bringing Yoga to the world, and whose message reflects the simplicity of the practice of yoga:

"Eat less. Sleep less. Talk less. Increase your Love. Increase your Devotion. Increase your Meditation."
S.S. Sivananda.

Yamas-Abstensions

The first limb of yoga is the Yamas, or abstentions, and the first Yama is non-violence. We can practice this abstension from violence with ourselves by abstaining from negative self-talk, which is an act violence to wards the self. By utilizing this simple "Paperclip Exercise" we can explore the amazing power of positive thinking, and begin to understand how we can destroy ourselves, sabotage our goals, and crush our spirits through negative thinking. Just for today, fill your left pocket with paperclips, and whenever you make a verbal or mental negative statement about yourself, this is a demeaning, judging, analyzing, criticizing or labeling statement, you transfer a paperclip from the left pocket to the right. When you run out of paperclips, just begin moving them from right to left. At the end of the day, take some time to reflect on what areas of your life, your beliefs and your behaviors seem to be in conflict. Set an intent to begin to make supporting, motivating and encouraging statements to yourself instead-just as you would a child, student or friend. This exercise will help you to find a way to use the power of positive thinking when addressing, assessing or coaching yourself.

Pranayama-Breathwork

Sara black reported in her book, The Supple Body, that "during normal, resting breathing, the average person only exchanges about 10 percent of the total air in the lungs. Conscious deep breathing allows the person to exchange about 80 percent of the air in the lungs with each breath." Practicing deep breathing exercises regularly helps to improve your respiration and oxygenate every cell in your body. It helps to relax the mind, relieve tension in the muscles and abdomen, and focuses the mind on the task at hand. The Yogic Breath is an excellent way to begin to practice Pranayama. Sitting in a cross legged position on the ground, or on a cushion for greater comfort. Place your right hand on your chest, and your left hand on your belly. Inhaling slowly through your nose, draw the breath first into your belly, then your rib cage, then your chest until you feel the breath filling your body up to your throat. Gently exhale through your nose first from your belly, then your rib cage, then your chest. Exhale slowly, and imagine that you are squeezing out every last drop of breath. When you have exhaled completely, pause, then begin another inhalation. This exercise is most beneficial when practiced for 5-10 minutes daily.

Asanas-Gentle Seated Stretches

These gentle stretches are an ideal way to bring yoga into your daily routine. Practice these postures when your body is warm and relaxed to help stretch the hamstrings, gluteals, and low back. Keep your gaze soft, your mind relaxed, and listen to your body’s intuition as you deepen these stretches.

Paschimottanasana: Seated Forward Fold.

Sit with your legs stretched in front of your body, shifting your buttocks backward slightly to bring your sit-bones onto the ground. Keep your feet together and flexed like they are up against a wall. Inhale and lift through your ribcage to begin to stretch your body forward, sliding your hands towards your feet and maintaining a flat back.

As you reach your maximal stretch, exhale and surrender to the pose. You can reach your arms towards your feet with your fingers spread, or alternatively, you can clasp your hands around your foot to gently draw your body forward.

Janu Sirasana: Seated Single-Leg Forward Fold

Begin by sitting on your mat with your left foot into your inner thigh, your heel deep into your groin with your foot flexed, and your left knee grounded. Lengthen the back of your right leg by stretching through your heel. Place your hands in front of your body, and make a subtle shift backward with your buttocks until you can feel both sit-bones on the ground. Take a deep breath in to lift and expand your rib cage.

Then, slowly stretch forward, walking your hands towards your left foot as you draw the toes of your left foot back. You can place your hands on the ground on either side of the left leg, or clasp your hands around the bottom of your foot. As you exhale and relax into this forward fold, be sure to keep your right hip and knee grounded, keep your left heel stretching away from your body, and utilize the breath to relax. With every exhalation, stretch a little further forward with your hands as you soften your body down onto your left leg. Count your breaths as you maintain this posture, then switch and repeat on the opposite side for the same number of breaths.

Baddha Konasana: The Cobbler

Beginning in a sitting position, bring the bottoms of your feet together and draw your feet in towards your groin. You can move the fleshy part of your buttocks back to ground your sit bones. Holding your feet with your fingers curled under the outside of your foot, focus on stretching up through your spine to create a long, flat back. As you relax into this stretch, breathe deeply and draw your knees toward the ground.

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