frequently-asked questions
*what kind of yoga do you teach?
*what are the different types of yoga?
*why is there chanting in yoga classes?
*what are the benefits of the yogic breathing techniques?
*what is the connection between yoga and meditation?
what kind of yoga do you teach?
What people consider to be "hatha"yoga, the physical asanas or postures, which are part of an entire yoga tradition. So whenever you are going to a "yoga" class you are studying hatha, the asanas, that are meant to prepare the body for meditation. There are many different lineages of hatha.
My training is in the tradition of The Integral Yoga Institute, whose founder is Swami Satchindanda, but my teaching has also been informed by teachers of others traditions, as well as by my background in dance and movement, and my commitment to Buddhism
what are the different types of yoga?
The Integral tradition, brought to the U.S. by Swami Satchidananda, encourages an inward-focus and encourages students to explore the class as a meditation. Every Integral-style class introduces pranayama, basic breathing techniques, chanting, the repetition of a sound vibration to awaken energy and create a peaceful feeling, a deep relaxation to absorb all the benefits of the postures and allow all the systems in the body to relax and re-charge, and a very short meditation. I incorporate this style into my teaching.
Other hatha traditions that are popular in San Francisco are Iyengar, which focuses on anatomy, incorporating props for very clear alignment and correct positioning of the body; Ashtanga, which builds strength in the physical body and uses the ujayi breath within the asanas; Yin Yoga that holds poses for long periods of time to work with the body's connective tissues; Vinyasa which emphasizes a continuous, graceful flow of movement; and Bikram which follows a very exact asana sequence in a heated room to allow students to go deeply into poses and cleanse the body of toxins. There are many ways that the styles overlap, and many teachers have studied in more than one tradition.
Although my teacher training, in the year 2000, was in the Integral tradition, I also regularly study with teachers of the Iyengar, Ashtanga, Yin and Vinyassa Flow, and incorporate elements from these traditions, as well as my own knowledge of dance and movement and elements of my Buddhist practice, into the teaching of all of my classes. If you are new to yoga, it is useful to explore different traditions to find a style, a teacher and a space that resonate. Once you find this it is worth taking your own practice deeper and committing to teachers that you trust and respect.
why is there chanting in yoga classes?
Chanting is a devotional or bhakti aspect of yoga. In the individual physical body, chanting awakens energy and creates a sense of peacefulness. There have been studies that suggest chanting allows us to access different areas of the brain, as well as a possible connection between the benefits of chanting and the reversal of Alzheimer's.
In a hatha class the vibration created by the chanting marks the beginning and end of the session, and creates a sense of harmony among everyone in the room. The vibration of om is said to be the sound of a Universal Vibration. So as we chant it we are connecting to all living beings, out into the Universe, to the source of all vibration, all sound.
A regular yoga chant is om shanti, which is a peace chant; shanti being the Sanskrit word for peace. Yoga is steeped in
Vedic/Hindu tradition and so, traditionally, the names of the Hindu gods and goddesses are used in the chants and to name many of the poses. Since I now lead my classes exclusively in Buddhist Centers and on Buddhist retreats I only lead Buddhist chants, such as the Shakyamuni chant, to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. I also lead the Green Tara mantra, OM TARE TU TARE TURE SVAHHA, to the female mythical Buddha of Spontaneous Helpfulness. And I lead
SABE SATTHA SUKI HANTU, which means "May all beings be well". I always dedicate every yoga class I lead, silently or aloud, to the benefit of all beings, so that we may release and share whatever benefit we have received by our practice, and not hold it tightly.
What are the benefits of the yogic breathing techniques?
Hatha benefits all the systems of the body, not only the muscular, skeletal and digestive systems, but also the circulatory and respiratory systems. A regular hatha practice is known to lower the blood pressure and even alleviate asthma. Research by Dr. Dean Ornish show that a serious yoga practice which includes hatha as well as meditation and a yogic diet, can reverse heart disease.
In hatha we refer to prana, which is more than just the intake of air, but rather "life force" and pranayama breathing techniques, are actually an awareness of and exploration of the movement of prana. Some of the basic breathing techniques are deerga swasam, deep 3-part breathing that trains us to utilize our full lung capacity; nadi sudi, alternate nostril breathing, which balances the activity in the right and left hemisphere of the brain; and kapalabati, rapid diaphragmatic breathing, which cleanses and energizes the system. There is also ujayi breath which can be used to lengthen the exhalation and energize poses. And there are bandas, locks, that can be used for breath retention.
Beyond the physical benefits of hatha, we know instinctively how calming and also energizing deep, conscious breathing can be. In hatha the breath is seen as the bridge between the body and the mind. With a sense of curiosity we can explore how the breath might take us deeper into a pose and how the breath can make the mind more focused.
What is the connection between yoga and meditation?
Hatha yoga, the physical asanas or postures, as well as pranayama, the breathing teachniques, are meant as preparation for meditation. Although what we think of as "yoga" (asana practice) has many physiological benefits, yoga was never intended to be a purely physical practice. Rather, it was meant to still the body, the breath, and the mind, in order to sit quietly in meditation and ultimately move through our entire life as a meditation.
Two key yoga texts are The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In the introduction of the translation by Swami Satchidananda of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali it is explained that "physical yoga, or hatha yoga, was primarily designed to facilitate the real practice of Yoga; namely, the understanding and complete mastery over the mind." The second thread or lesson, by Patanjali is yogas citta vritti nirodhah: yoga is the restraint of the ripples of the mind. Satchindananda explains that once one has control over the thought forms, the rising of the mind into ripples, one is not as easily swayed by external conditions. And in the commentary by Swami Muktibodhananda of Hatha Yoga Pradipika , it is explained that "in ancient times hatha yoga was practiced for many years as a preparation for higher states of consciousness, that the physical body is divine, and that hatha yoga is a method of preparing the system for spiritual awakening."
Sources: "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali"
Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, Integral Yoga
Publications Yogaville, Virginia 1978, 1999' "Hatha Yoga Pradipika"
Commentary by Swami Muktibodhananda, Bihar School of Yoga Munger,
Bihar, India 1985
