yoga

[Doc Stier]

Here are some free e-books on the traditional Indian system of yoga practice that can be downloaded in PDF format:



http://www.geocities.com/thehiddengate/ ... a_toc.html

http://dlshq.org/download/yoga_system.pdf

http://swami-krishnananda.org/patanjali.html

http://www.atmajyoti.org/pdfs/om_yoga_book.pdf



Doc

[vertige]

the problem with bikram and ashtanga is that they prescribe the exact same routine of postures for everyone without any assessment of individual differences in health, age, strength or flexibility. yoga is supposed to systematically strengthen the entire body and make each part of the breathing cycle smooth and comfortable while progressively lengthening the breath, in order to calm and gain ever-greater awareness and control of the mind.

Basically this boils down to: does the practitioner conform to the practice or the practice to the practitioner?

Considering my individual body problems, I'd be very uncomfortable with a one-size-fits-all approach. Maybe after I clear a few things up.

Dave C.

I've been doing a little Bikram yoga for the past few months and have found that while the postures remain the same for everyone, it hardly means that each individuals issues can't be addressed. Granted, I'm sure there are instructors who may not give attention, or instruction for people, but as a newb at the place I've been going, there's hardly a moment when I'm not hearing how to tailor the posture for my personal level. You aren't forced into a full posture if you can't make it past a certain step (like locking the knee) because that wouldn't be of any benefit at all.

The thing I've really liked about Bikram is that it really helps me focus on my body and my thoughts just drift through (not something I've been able to achieve thus far ) The instructors talk incessantly, guiding us through the posture, correcting common issues, telling us to listen to our bodies and do our best and letting us know what each posture is about. Is it compression, what organs is it affecting, etc. When your body/mind can't do something, you just go back to one of the resting breathing postures or try again. I hardly see what could be more tailored, nobody but yourself is placing you into these postures. And the postures are in a specific order to give a complete system workout. If part of your system is down, you will become aware of it if you aren't already, and only go so far as your body tells you.

The heat is awesome. Maybe it's not for everyone, but I'm glad I found it.

[Michael]

Are the 8 limbs heirarchical or all to be learned in conjunction?

hey brady, i didn't have the energy to write anything before.

if you take what i wrote about breathing in the thread in the main forum, and put it into context: asana (the third limb) is necessary to prepare the body for long periods of sitting still with a straight spine, and also to relieve the stiffness and potential for injury which can come from too much sitting cross-legged. it is also used to further develop the breath (back bends help to train inhalation, extend the spine and strengthen the back, open the chest and ribcage which stretches the diaphragm; forward bends help to train exhalation by further contracting the deep abdominal and pelvic muscles and allowing the chest and ribs to relax; side bends and twists cause asymmetrical stretching and contracting of the whole spine and torso (again, ribs, chest, back, diaphragm, abdomen, neck - all the parts which allow deeper and stronger breathing when able to move freely) allowing each side to be trained separately, also helping to correct left-right postural imbalances which can cause discomfort and distraction when sitting still for meditation; and inversions (upside down postures) which further stretch and strengthen the diaphragm (which carries the weight of the internal organs when turned upside down) and help to train the bandhas. the process of pranayama (the 4th limb) is more or less what i described in the other thread, in both asana and pranayama progress is measured by the ever decreasing speed and increasing comfort of the breath, in asana slightly more attention is paid to the body, in pranayama the body remains relatively still and more attention can be paid to the subtle movements in the spine and inside the body. the classic "nadi shodana" or "alternate nostril breathing" pranayama practice brings greater sensitivity to the left and right sides of the centreline of the body, and the transition between the two sides brings an increasing awareness of the point in between - the entire centreline (known as sushumna nadi or the central channel, right side is pingala nadi or the sun/fire/active channel, left/moon/passive side is ida nadi) or the exact point between the centre of the eyebrows and behind them in the centre of the brain.

as the breath becomes more comfortable and slower, and especially as the exhalation becomes longer and slower and smoother the contraction in the abdominal and pelvic muscles will sink deeper inside the body and take the mind with it. due to the deliberate elimination of any sudden movements or excess effort (the entire breathing cycle must be made smooth and extremely comfortable and pleasant, with careful attention paid to the changes between inhalation, retention, exhalation, and suspension so that all of the movements of the diaphragm and breathing apparatus are soft, slow and subtle without twitches or spasms, etc) the level of sensitivity increases accordingly and the mind will naturally sink deeper inside the body with a much more detailed awareness of what is happening inside, and naturally less attention will be paid to what is happening on the surface of and outside the body, and on a mental level whatever might be "happening" outside the present moment. this process is referred to in the yoga sutras as "pratyahara" or "withdrawal of the senses" - the 5th limb of yoga.

dharana, or concentration, the 6th limb begins to happen naturally especially in the suspension period of the breathing cycle. after exhalation, the internalized mind, made sensitive from the careful practice of pranayama, simply rests at the very deepest part of the body in the centre of the pelvic floor, the perineum, where it has been led by the slow deliberate exhalation. any thought will bring about the need for a new intake of oxygen and a new inhalation, but with practice this period of suspension can be gradually increased and the relaxed awareness simply rests at this point and there is a short period of stillness where there is no movement of either breath or mind. this is the beginning of dharana. inhalation is performed in a manner which slowly and gently extends the thoracic spine and the back of the neck, the relaxed awareness simply follows this movement up the spine into the base of the skull behind the eyes and then the next exhalation slowly brings the awareness back down into the perineum. mental activity will disrupt the smoothness of the breathing cycle and excess force or slackness in the breathing cycle will disrupt the concentration of the mind.

genuine unbroken (as in not broken even for a fraction of a second) mental focus for extended periods is dhyana, the 7th limb.

complete absorbtion in the object or process of concentration to the point of losing the sense of being an observer is the eighth limb, samadhi.

the ability to enter samadhi at will is the goal of yoga practice as described by patanjali in the yoga sutras. different effects can be gained according to the object of concentration/absorbtion, which is a topic addressed by various sages like the buddha and patanjali himself.

the first two limbs: yama and niyama, are often thought of as a moral or ethical code but are in fact only necessary to maintain peace of mind. thoughts and acts of violence, possessiveness, lies or untruths made to protect ones own self-image, sex, etc, are not bad or necessarily prohibited for practitioners, but after a period of genuine meditation practice the practitioner will realize that certain kinds of thoughts and behaviour will tend to disrupt their peace of mind or comfort of body and are therefore better to avoid (this is the basic idea of "yama"), while other kinds of thought or behaviour will tend to bring about a greater sense of peace and ease of body and are therefore good to practice (the basic idea of "niyama").

there you go.

also, loads of totally hot spandex-wearing chicks do yoga too, which is pretty awesome.

Pretty sure that's Simon's longest post ever. Had to memorialize it!

[qiphlow]

Here are some free e-books on the traditional Indian system of yoga practice that can be downloaded in PDF format:


Doc

cool. thanks for throwing those out there. i'll peruse them later...

[qiphlow]

i-mon:
great post.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

As you can see, anything entering your ass will blow your mind.
If you're into yoga.

[Wuyizidi]

Mmm, Bikram Yoga, the fat seem to melt right off (never seen the ribcage on a guy's chest before):

[jasonf]

Are the 8 limbs heirarchical or all to be learned in conjunction?

hey brady, i didn't have the energy to write anything before.

if you take what i wrote about breathing in the thread in the main forum, and put it into context: asana (the third limb) is necessary to prepare the body for long periods of sitting still with a straight spine, and also to relieve the stiffness and potential for injury which can come from too much sitting cross-legged. it is also used to further develop the breath (back bends help to train inhalation, extend the spine and strengthen the back, open the chest and ribcage which stretches the diaphragm; forward bends help to train exhalation by further contracting the deep abdominal and pelvic muscles and allowing the chest and ribs to relax; side bends and twists cause asymmetrical stretching and contracting of the whole spine and torso (again, ribs, chest, back, diaphragm, abdomen, neck - all the parts which allow deeper and stronger breathing when able to move freely) allowing each side to be trained separately, also helping to correct left-right postural imbalances which can cause discomfort and distraction when sitting still for meditation; and inversions (upside down postures) which further stretch and strengthen the diaphragm (which carries the weight of the internal organs when turned upside down) and help to train the bandhas. the process of pranayama (the 4th limb) is more or less what i described in the other thread, in both asana and pranayama progress is measured by the ever decreasing speed and increasing comfort of the breath, in asana slightly more attention is paid to the body, in pranayama the body remains relatively still and more attention can be paid to the subtle movements in the spine and inside the body. the classic "nadi shodana" or "alternate nostril breathing" pranayama practice brings greater sensitivity to the left and right sides of the centreline of the body, and the transition between the two sides brings an increasing awareness of the point in between - the entire centreline (known as sushumna nadi or the central channel, right side is pingala nadi or the sun/fire/active channel, left/moon/passive side is ida nadi) or the exact point between the centre of the eyebrows and behind them in the centre of the brain.

as the breath becomes more comfortable and slower, and especially as the exhalation becomes longer and slower and smoother the contraction in the abdominal and pelvic muscles will sink deeper inside the body and take the mind with it. due to the deliberate elimination of any sudden movements or excess effort (the entire breathing cycle must be made smooth and extremely comfortable and pleasant, with careful attention paid to the changes between inhalation, retention, exhalation, and suspension so that all of the movements of the diaphragm and breathing apparatus are soft, slow and subtle without twitches or spasms, etc) the level of sensitivity increases accordingly and the mind will naturally sink deeper inside the body with a much more detailed awareness of what is happening inside, and naturally less attention will be paid to what is happening on the surface of and outside the body, and on a mental level whatever might be "happening" outside the present moment. this process is referred to in the yoga sutras as "pratyahara" or "withdrawal of the senses" - the 5th limb of yoga.

dharana, or concentration, the 6th limb begins to happen naturally especially in the suspension period of the breathing cycle. after exhalation, the internalized mind, made sensitive from the careful practice of pranayama, simply rests at the very deepest part of the body in the centre of the pelvic floor, the perineum, where it has been led by the slow deliberate exhalation. any thought will bring about the need for a new intake of oxygen and a new inhalation, but with practice this period of suspension can be gradually increased and the relaxed awareness simply rests at this point and there is a short period of stillness where there is no movement of either breath or mind. this is the beginning of dharana. inhalation is performed in a manner which slowly and gently extends the thoracic spine and the back of the neck, the relaxed awareness simply follows this movement up the spine into the base of the skull behind the eyes and then the next exhalation slowly brings the awareness back down into the perineum. mental activity will disrupt the smoothness of the breathing cycle and excess force or slackness in the breathing cycle will disrupt the concentration of the mind.

genuine unbroken (as in not broken even for a fraction of a second) mental focus for extended periods is dhyana, the 7th limb.

complete absorbtion in the object or process of concentration to the point of losing the sense of being an observer is the eighth limb, samadhi.

the ability to enter samadhi at will is the goal of yoga practice as described by patanjali in the yoga sutras. different effects can be gained according to the object of concentration/absorbtion, which is a topic addressed by various sages like the buddha and patanjali himself.

the first two limbs: yama and niyama, are often thought of as a moral or ethical code but are in fact only necessary to maintain peace of mind. thoughts and acts of violence, possessiveness, lies or untruths made to protect ones own self-image, sex, etc, are not bad or necessarily prohibited for practitioners, but after a period of genuine meditation practice the practitioner will realize that certain kinds of thoughts and behaviour will tend to disrupt their peace of mind or comfort of body and are therefore better to avoid (this is the basic idea of "yama"), while other kinds of thought or behaviour will tend to bring about a greater sense of peace and ease of body and are therefore good to practice (the basic idea of "niyama").

there you go.

also, loads of totally hot spandex-wearing chicks do yoga too, which is pretty awesome.

Great post, too often people complicate the shit out of such things, very practical and understandable.

[iwalkthecircle]

Mmm, Bikram Yoga, the fat seem to melt right off (never seen the ribcage on a guy's chest before):

the ladies in the back is the reason that i like watching yoga.
these yogurts (i think that you what you call someone that does yoag) are great motivation to get into shape for most people.


one day when im into tieChee for health, I might start yoga and be a "yogurt."

[Darth Rock&Roll]

The 8 limbs of Yoga.
Quick reference, small explanations, fairly concise:


Yamas
Yama is your attitude towards others and the world around you. There are five Yamas:

1.Ahimsa or non-violence. This Yama does not only mean not doing harm to others in thought and in deed, but also to practice acts of kindness to other creatures and to one's own self.

2.Satya or truthfulness. Satya is the Yama that is about living a truthful life without doing harm to others. To practice Satya, one must think before he speaks and consider the consequence of his action. If the truth could harm others, it might be better to keep silent.

3.Asteya or non-stealing. This Yama is not only concerned about the non-stealing of material objects but also the stealing of other's ideas and other forms of possession. Using power for selfish motives or telling someone else about confidential information you had been entrusted with is against Asteya.

4.Bramacharya or non-lust. Bramacharya means to move toward the essential truth or to achieve self-control, abstinence or moderation especially regarding to sexual activity. It is about not giving in to our ego's excessive desires or taking nothing in excess.

5.Aparigraha or non-possessiveness. This Yama is about living a life free from greed or taking only what is necessary and do not take advantage of someone or of a situation. It is about using our powers correctly and appropriately and not exploiting others.





Niyamas
Niyama is how you treat yourself or your attitude towards yourself. The following are the five Niyamas:

1.Sauca or cleanliness. This Niyama is concerned on both the outer and inner cleanliness. The practice of pranayamas, asanas and Yogic cleansing practices to detoxify and cleanse the physical body are necessary to achieve inner cleanliness. The mind must also be kept clean or pure. Outer cleanliness, on the other hand, means to keep an clean environment or surroundings.

2.Santosha or contentment. Santosha is to practice humility, modesty and finding contentment with what you have and who you are.

3.Tapas or austerity. This Niyama refers to keeping the body in good condition. Tapas is practiced through disciplining the body, speech and mind like eating only when hungry and maintaining a good posture.

4.Svadhyaya or study of the sacred text and of one's self. This involved studying one's self, self-inquiry and self-examination and other things that can help you get to know yourself more. As your knowledge about yourself grows deeper, so is your connection to the higher power and your union with all things.

5.Isvarapranidhama or living with an awareness of the Divine. This Niyama encourages us to let go of our false sense of control and to connect to the Divine or that which gives us the sense of wholeness and sacredness.



Asanas or Physical Poses
The Asanas are designed to free our mind and body from tension and stress. It relaxes, rejuvenates, and energizes the body and aims to bring the body and the mind into a harmonious union. Asanas should be done with comfort, ease, alertness and steadiness, achieving a balance between ease and effort.


Pranayama or Breathing Exercises
Pranayama is the control of breath. The breath is regulated and controlled through the practice of breathing exercises. The duration of inhalation, retention, and exhalation of breath is regulated with the aim of strengthening and cleansing the nervous system and increasing a person's source of life energy. Pranayama practice also makes the mind calmer and more focused.


Prathayara or Withdrawal of the Senses
This occurs during meditation, pranayama or asana wherein you are so focused and immersed on your Yoga, Meditation or Breathing Pose that you become unaware of outside situations. Your focus becomes inward and you are no longer distracted by outside events.


Dharana or Concentration
Dharana is training the mind to focus without any distraction. To achieve this, you can focus your mind into an object at a time. This can also serve as a preparation for meditation.


Dhyana or Meditation
Meditation is the practice by which there is constant observation of the mind. It means focusing the mind on one point, stilling the mind in order to perceive the Self. It is an uninterrupted flow of concentration aimed to heighten one's awareness and oneness with the universe. It is also an important tool to achieve mental clarity and Health.


Samadhi or Enlightenment
This is the ultimate goal of the Eight Limbs of Yoga. It is characterized by the state of ecstasy and the feeling that you and the universe are one. It is a state of peace and completion, awareness and compassion with detachment.