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The Meaning of Hand Mudras

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The Sanskrit word “Mudra” is generally translated as a seal, mark, or gesture. According to custom, Mudras are typically used during meditation and/or pranayama as a way to direct or channel energy flow  throughout the body. According to yoga philosophy, different areas of the hand stimulate specific areas of the brain. By applying light pressure to these areas of the hand, you will “activate” the corresponding region of the brain, similar to reflexology.

Mudras also symbolize various feelings, emotions, and are representative of various states of being. Hand positions play an important role in many societies and religions. The Catholic church uses many hand movements during mass; all of which symbolize various important Christian ideas. Even in modern Western culture we have many hand movements and symbols that are associated with a certain meaning: clapping, palm out meaning stop, holding the hands up signify surrender, even the crude gesture of “flipping the bird”.

Since the entire universe is made up of 5 elements; fire, air, space, earth and water and the human body is also composed of these same 5 elements, the fingers of the hand have been used traditionally to represent these 5 elements individually

The thumb represents fire, the 1st finger represents air, the middle finger represents space, the ring finger represents earth and the little finger represents water. When these 5 elements are balanced and in harmony with one another in our bodies we are healthy. Imbalance and disharmony of these 5 elements leads to disease. The balanced elements prompt all the body’s systems to function optimally.

Historically, Mudras are an ancient part of both the Buddhist and the Hindu traditions, and even though they were developed thousands of years ago their meaning is still understood and relevant today. In traditional Tantric ritual 108 Mudras are used. Mudrās can involve arm, hand and body positions but this article will address only “Hast Mudras” (yoga parlance for hand postures).

The four most common Mudras involve the thumb touching each of the other four fingers and a brief description follows…

The Meaning of Hand Mudras

Gyan Mudra

Gyan Mudra: Probably the most recognized hand Mudra used by Hindus and Buddhists.

Description: The index finger and thumb are lightly touching at the tips. The other three fingers are held out gently (relaxed, not ridged). In many portrayals of the Buddha, you will notice the hands assume this Mudra.

Meaning: This powerful Mudra is also known as the “seal of knowledge.” The thumb represents fire and divine nature and the index finger represents air and individual human consciousness. When the two fingers are placed together in Gyan Mudra, it is meant to symbolize and encourage wisdom and expanded consciousness.

Benefits: When used during meditation or pranayama, Gyan Mudra is extremely calming and can help inspire creativity, and increase concentration. It stimulates the brain, empowering the mind, nervous system and pituitary gland.  It also stimulates the endocrine system.

The Meaning of Hand Mudras

Shuni Mudra

Shuni Mudra: “Shuni” means “Saturn.” In astrology, Saturn is the planet that makes you disciplined.

Description: The middle finger and thumb are lightly touching at the tips. The remaining three fingers are held out gently (relaxed, not ridged).

Meaning: This hand Mudra is also known as the “seal of patience.” The middle finger represents Aakash and courage to hold duty and responsibility. The thumb represents fire and divine nature. When the two fingers are placed together in Shuni Mudra, it is meant to symbolize and encourage patience, discernment, focus and discipline.

Benefits: When used during meditation or pranayama, Shuni Mudra helps to encourage patience and the courage to fulfill one’s responsibilities. It also helps to develop noble thoughts and turn negative emotions into positive ones. This Mudra also gives you the sensation of stability and strength.  To breathe while holding this Mudra cultivate perseverance.

The Meaning of Hand Mudras

Surya Mudra

Surya Ravi Mudra (aka, Prithvi Mudra): “Surya” means “Sun,” and it increases the element of fire in the body.

Description: The ring finger and thumb are lightly touching at the tips. The remaining three fingers are held out gently (relaxed, not ridged).

Meaning: This hand Mudra is also known as the “seal of life” or “seal of the sun.” The ring finger represents earth, energy, strength and endurance. The thumb represents fire and divine nature. When the two fingers are placed together in Surya Ravi Mudra, it is meant to symbolize and encourage energy, balance, health, and vitality.

Benefits: When used during meditation or pranayama, Surya Ravi Mudra can give you energy, positivity, intuition, and help encourage positive change in your life. It helps to build and invigorate the bodily tissues. It is also known for speeding up the metabolism, resonating with the third chakra to stimulate digestion. To breathe while holding this Mudra energizes the whole body.

The Meaning of Hand Mudras

Buddhi Mudra

Buddhi Mudra (aka, Varun Mudra): “Buddhi” means “higher mind” or “intellect” (it follows the same etymology as the word “Buddha”).

Description: The little (pinky) finger and thumb are lightly touching at the tips. The remaining three fingers are held out gently (relaxed, not ridged).

Meaning: This hand Mudra is also known as the “seal of mental clarity.”  The little finger represents water and communication. The thumb represents fire and divine nature. When the two fingers are placed together in Buddhi Mudra, it is meant to symbolize and encourage openness and fluid communication.

Benefits: When used during meditation or pranayama, Buddhi Mudra can encourage clear and effective communication. It helps balance the water element in the body, activating the salivary glands and moistening dry eyes and skin. This Mudra also helps with gaining higher understanding and discerning intuitive messages to gain knowledge.

Sequence of these four Mudras for balancing energy….

Alternately touch the tips of each finger with the tip of your thumb. Keep each connected for a few seconds or longer and do for a few minutes total. Do this with both hands simultaneously.

This is a simplified version of a Kundalini yoga exercise and a way of balancing your energy that you can do practically anywhere and at anytime; while sitting, standing, walking, and/or lying down.

The overall effect is that you get more calm, more relaxed and concentration is enhanced.

In a nutshell, each of these four individual or separate Mudras has the following effects:

  •  1. Thumb touches tip of index finger:  Opens the Root chakra, and moves more energy to the legs and lower body. Calms the mind for better concentration.
  •  2. Thumb touches tip of middle finger:  Fosters patience.
  •  3. Thumb touches tip of ring finger:  Energy, stability and self-confidence.
  •  4. Thumb touches tip of pinky finger:  Intuition and feeling.

Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras says that while in asana one should focus on Ishvara (Lord or God).  Mudra takes that statement one step further and allows you to open your hands to the varying aspects of the divine.

Additionally: Mudras are used therapeutically and you can click on the following link to find Mudras that can be helpful for specific physical ailments and emotional symptoms… Therapeutic Mudra Index

Yoga for Improved Eyesight (Video)

Due to this technological world in which we currently live, our eyes are routinely being overworked. TV and computer screens, driving, cell phones, fluorescent lights, CCFL, LED, and OLED lighting…all of these have one thing in common?  They are all stressful to the eyes. Get enough bad light, and you can go blind. And although this may surprise you, it isn’t breaking news.

We have become addicted to these technologies like moths to a flame, and we’re getting burned right now with minor, annoying stuff like dry eyes, blurry vision & headaches, even feeling tired; regardless whether you’ve had enough sleep or not. Additionally we may well end up suffering long-term, more serious problems that can lead to blindness.

As humans we are in a quandary, we need light in order to see, process data, do our jobs, and tend to an endless list of duties on a daily basis. Whether we’re inside or outside, we are usually surrounded by bad light (UV and HEV).

In addition to all the digital and artificial lighting we are also faced with overcoming various other eye-related problems, such as…Myopia (short sightedness) and Hypermetropia (long sightedness). It is now estimated that about 35 % of the world’s population suffers from Myopia and Hypermetropia in varying degrees. These disorders are usually overcome using prescription glasses and lenses to correct the refractive errors of the eye. However one needs to understand that glasses never cure bad eyesight. In fact, using powerful glasses can worsen eye problems by making the eyes dependent and thus weaker. Therefore, only use eyeglasses when absolutely necessary.

Yoga for Improved Eyesight

Other than a few diseases such as Cataract and Glaucoma which are generally the result of a bacterial infection, many eye disorders are related to the malfunctioning of the ocular muscles (and nerve) caused by chronic mental and emotional tensions. The yogic techniques that follow help to alleviate various disorders related to defects in the eye muscles like Myopia and Hypermetropia. Practicing these exercises regularly can go a long way in reviving the normal functioning of our eyes, and definite results can usually be seen in a month or two. Continued practice will also act as a preventative.

We all know, many of the yogic asanas (poses) and exercises are aimed at improving the functioning of specific organs of the body, so the eyes are no exception.

Take about 10 minutes and try the following simple yogic eye exercises (a more detailed practice follows in a video):   

    1. Start by rubbing your hands together vigorously to create a warmth in the palms.

    2. Next, place your warm palms gently over your eyes and hold them there for a few moments.  Take a few long, deep breaths.

    3. Look straight ahead.  Now do the following sequence: look up, look to the upper right, look to the right, look to the lower right, look down, look to the lower left, look left, look to the upper left, look up.  Repeat this sequence 2X

    4. Now reverse the sequence: look up, look to the upper left, look left, look to the lower left, look down, look to the lower right, look right, look to the upper right, look up.  Repeat this sequence 2X.

    5. Now do one slow circle with your eyes clockwise.  Look all the way up, to the right, down, and to the left.  Keep the eye movements’ fluid. Make two c

The Anti-Aging Benefits of Yoga

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Anyone who has been practicing yoga for a time will agree; there’s a strong connection between your body and your mind. So, whenever your mind is under stress, your body reflects it in numerous ways; poor posture, low back pain and tense muscles, are just a few examples. It should then be no surprise, that people who are under a undue amounts of stress seem to age faster than those who have learned to manage it properly. Stress, along with gravity, of course, is what makes us age.

There are some basic attributes that characterize someone who’s vibrant and healthy; someone who appears to:

  • ■ Supple, radiant skin.
  • ■ Strong, lustrous, shiny healthy hair.
  • ■ Well defined muscles.
  • ■ Good posture and bone structure.
  • ■ Boundless energy.
  • ■ A light but firm and confident gait.
  • ■ A balanced attitude toward self, life and others
  • ■ A calm and peaceful demeanor

Believe it or not, you too can feel this way, and it has nothing to do with how old you are. Although not exactly magic or Ponce de Leon’s famed fountain of youth, yoga is a great age-defying stress reducer. If you practice yoga on a regular basis, you just may start to notice some awesome and welcome benefits. To begin your own personal anti-aging campaign, try practicing the following a few times per week:

*Keep Your Spine Flexible

Think of your spine like the foundational frame of a house that holds everything together. If that frame becomes dysfunctional, all sorts of problems will begin to manifest themselves.  A healthy spine assures your body maintains its structure, supports your head, your arms and legs, and provides a shock absorption system for all of your activities. In addition, it houses your central nervous system (spinal cord), the superhighway that connects your brain to the rest of your body. Considering all of the work it does, it’s no wonder your spine often gets tired on a daily basis. Even those who seem to have the best posture may find themselves slouching a bit at the end of a particularly stressful day. Become familiar with basic spinal anatomy, structure and function and that will help empower you to take control of your health. Give your spine some loving attention with asanas (yoga poses) that elongate, strengthen and stretch your spine and counteract any bad postural habits too. Alternating cat and cow pose is a great start. A spine that’s flexible will promote good balance and strength which will affect your overall health in a positive way, putting that youthful bounce back in your step.

*Relax and Release Your Muscle Tension

Common bodily aches and pains are often the result of tight or stressed muscles. Ranging from headaches to back problems and incorrect alignment, tight muscles can slowly leave you slouched or hunched over and limit your ability to perform activities that you love or need to do. Given enough time, range of motion will diminish and many of the daily activities you once performed with ease can become quite challenging. The three poses of Yoga for complete relaxation are Dradhasana (firm pose), Shavasana (corpse pose) and Adhvasana (relaxation pose).

Self-massage is another method you can use to improve circulation and warm up your muscles, this may encouraging them to release toxins that that may be at the root of your aches and pains. A general rule of thumb is to use light circular motion over joints and areas of pain and sweep with long strokes over areas such as the front of the thigh and arms always massaging towards the heart. Self-massage is especially useful to help you relax during the day, either at work or at home; even if you can only afford to spend a couple of minutes massaging your neck and shoulders. Your morning shower is a great time for self-massage because your skin and senses come alive in the steam of the warm water and self-massage relaxes your muscles, getting you ready to tackle the stresses of the day ahead.

*Breathe in Life’s Energy (Prana)

Breathing correctly oxygenates your body through your bloodstream, nourishing every single cell in your body. Breathing also functions as a purifier to help you cleanse your body of toxins acquired throughout the day. The breath (as prana) is life. Pranayama is both the extension and the control of breath, and indeed the most subtle energy of the body. Although there are many different schools and techniques for learning pranayama, the most basic approach is simple awareness of the breath. You will find that lying or sitting in a comfortable position and just watching your breath for a set period of time will reap powerful benefits. You’ll become more focused and relaxed. You can simply notice your breath dispassionately and without judgment or you can focus your breath on a particular area of your body and with each inhale you send the breath to that spot, extending love and compassion to that area that’s been “aching” for attention. With each exhale, you release, allowing the tension and pain to leave your body with each breath. Pranayama is a gift you give to yourself and it too keeps on giving.

*Meditate, Meditate And Meditate!

The Anti-Aging Benefits of YogaIf you’re looking for inner calm and a peaceful, more positive outlook on life, take a minute (or two – or ten) to bring your body, mind and senses into balance. Once you achieve this balance through meditation, your nervous system will find its sense of equilibrium and calm down, you’ll be less anxious and more open to gaining some powerful insights into your true nature (which is ageless). There are plenty of ways to meditate, so don’t be afraid to try, just find what works best for you and stick with it for a while. The process itself will show you the way. If you’re a beginner, just focus on your breath with no critique or judgment, and notice how it flows in and out of your lungs. If your mind begins to wander away from your breath, gently bring it back, remembering that the breath is the beginning and end of all life.

Conclusion: Yoga is rapidly catching on as one of the most efficient and effective forms of exercise for older people. Even when it’s compared to other Eastern forms of exercise, yoga is still regarded as the best by many who have practiced a variety of disciplines. Since antiquity many yogis have lived well into their nineties with full retention of all their functions and faculties and have even managed to astound the world over with their physical prowess, even at such an advanced age.

The Anti-Aging Benefits of Yoga

Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 2 of 2)

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This article is a continuation of Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 1 of 2)

Turn those Ouches into Oms – Some practical suggestions for safe yoga practice.

Proper alignment when doing asanas (poses) is key to preventing injuries, but it’s not the only factor in a safe yoga practice. To minimize concerns over injury, follow the basic recommended guidelines below.

  • 1. Leave your ego at the door. It’s often tempting to push yourself into more advanced poses (after all, how tough can a handstand be, right?), but rushing our bodies before they’re ready greatly increases our risk for injury. Yoga is about finding out where you are at, not trying to push yourself to in order to appear better than you really are. Yoga class is not a competition.
  • 2. Always take time to warm up. This is an important part of any physical activity, sport or exercise program, and yoga is no exception. Basic, simple stretches (like neck and shoulder rolls and gentle spinal twists) help prepare the muscles, joints and connective tissue for more challenging poses later on in a sequence when actual practice begins. Remember, your mind needs to warm up too; take a few slow, deep breaths to get centered at the beginning of class, it’s also good to chant some Oms to get yourself grounded.
  • 3. Ease in slowly. No one should expect to finish a marathon the first time they put on a pair of running shoes. Don’t expect to do a perfect headstand or even get your heels all the way down to the floor in the downward dog pose the first time you attend a class. Instead, opt for beginner-friendly classes or a qualified teacher who will help you develop the foundational skills for more advanced postures and moves.
  • 4. Communicate Honestly. Don’t just get to know your teacher, let them get to know you also. Be sure to share any pre-existing conditions or issues that might require modifications in certain asanas. A qualified instructor will be glad to show you how to modify poses or use props, so never be afraid to ask.
  • 5. Come out of static postures slowly. This is particularly important if you’ve been holding a certain pose for several minutes. A good rule of thumb is to work your way out of a pose as gradually and slowly as you moved into it.
  • 6. Use the props and modifications recommended by your teacher. There’s no shame in not being able to hold a pose or move all the way into it completely onyour own. Whenever there’s tightness anywhere in the body, other parts of the body will have to adjust to accommodate it. This is why it’s so important not to push the body past what it’s able to do in any given pose.  Props and modifications allow the body to get a feel for a pose without being able to get fully into it and this will help you to gradually work up to its full extension or variation without undue risk of injury.
  • 7. Don’t ever lock your joints. Hyper-extension (joint-locking) is probably the fastest way to wear out joints and cause injury or problems down the road. Focus instead on engaging the muscles, tendons and connective tissue around the joints, this helps you to gain stability.
  • 8. If you feel you’re hurt or injured, Stop. If you think you’ve tweaked, pulled, or torn something during a yoga session, tell your teacher immediately and, if need be, don’t be afraid to leave the class early. Care for it like any other sports injury, and seek the advice of a trusted health care professional if the pain or condition persists.
  • 9. Stay for savasana (corpse pose). Students are sometimes tempted to head for the door as soon as the instructor calls for savasana (the final resting pose usually at the end of a yoga session), remember it’s not only good for your health, it’s necessary for your composure. Savasana allows the body’s nervous system to slow down and readjust, bringing closure to the practice. Just two or three minutes in this asana can have a beneficial effect.
  • 10.Listen to your body. This may be the most important tip of all for avoiding injury. At all stages (or levels) of yoga practice, remain mindful. By really listening to your body you can be sensitive to any tightness, stress or strain. Simply because you did a particular pose with ease one day, doesn’t mean your body will automatically be able to do it the next. Build your relationship with your body just like you would with other people, by listening and being attentive.

Always remain mindful of your body, respect yourself and where you’re at on each and every day. Your body changes quite often and your yoga practice should accommodate those changes, adjusting itself accordingly.

Closing Notes:

Make sure you do your homework before joining a class or choosing a teacher. As yoga’s popularity continues to grow, more and more students are flocking to classes, increasing the need for skilled yoga instructors. Inexperienced or poorly trained yoga teachers often unintentionally cause harm or injury by teaching above their own training and/or ability levels. Well-trained certified instructors have a thorough knowledge of anatomy, human movement and the physiology of exercise. A basic understanding of the ideology, philosophy and history of yoga is essential. Teachers who focus on specialties such as seniors, kids, yoga therapy or pre-natal yoga, requires that they have additional training above the foundational level.

Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 1 of 2)

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Well over 20 million people are currently downward-dogging it across the entire U.S. in an attempt to gain the many health benefits associated with yoga. To name a few of these benefits from yoga practice:

  • *Increased strength
  • *Improved flexibility.
  • *Reduced tension, anxiety, and stress.
  • *Lower blood pressure

Scientific studies have also shown that yoga can improve respiration, heart rate, and metabolism plus it helps reduce pain. In spite of all the benefits this doesn’t mean that yoga, if and when performed incorrectly, can’t also cause injury or harm.

Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 1 of 2)

Although most injuries resulting from yoga practice aren’t severe and often go unreported, more serious issues can and do occur occasionally. This includes strains and sprains, fractures, dislocations, and, in rare cases, bone spurs, sciatic nerve problems, and even stroke. But according to yoga trainers, fitness instructors, personal trainers and other  experts, injuries can happen at any time, in any sport or exercise regime, even walking down the sidewalk, although debilitating and life threatening injuries are extremely rare.

With yoga practice, most common injuries develop gradually over years, and are generally a result of consistent over-stretching and/or misalignment. When engaging any physical activity, the safest approach to stay in touch with your body to avoid overdoing it. And with yoga, proper guidance and instruction is necessary to learn how to practice the asanas (poses) correctly and safely.

Areas of most concern when practicing yoga asana…

Wrists: Leverage is all important when it comes to the wrists. Don’t place all of the body’s weight on the wrists when the hands are on the mat as that can lead to both muscle and joint injuries. When practicing any asana where weight is placed on the hands (e.g.; downward dog, cat/cow), distribute the body’s weight through both your hands by spreading them so that they are in line with the shoulders and then press through the fingers. In downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), push the hips back to decrease the angle of the wrists to the floor slightly. In arm balances, such as crow pose (Kakasana), check to make sure your elbows are stacked directly over the wrists.

Elbows: Joint pain in the elbows can result from bending them out to the sides in asanas like the four limbed staff pose (Chaturanga). Because it’s easier to execute some students tend to lower themselves down with outward-pointing elbowsand this will stress the joint (plus it puts undue stresses on the wrists). When bending the elbows in asana (especially plank or Chaturanga), keep the elbows tucked in alongside the ribs as you bend them, and make sure the elbows’ creases remain  facing forward.

Shoulders: Resist the temptation to shrug. By raising the shoulders up toward the ears (e.g; moving into upward dog), you’ll stop using the supporting muscles in your arms, shoulders, and neck. Shrugging also compresses the shoulders, which can also cause muscle injuries. Beware of over-extending or over-stretching it’s relatively easy to injure the shoulder girdle or rotator cuff (even dislocate the joint). Focus on keeping the shoulders held back and down away from the ears.

Ribs: Twists work great for releasing tension, but if done improperly they can easily be overextended and bruise the intercostals (the muscles in between the ribs). Lengthen your torso upwards through the spine before and during twisting. Imagine a cord attached to the crown of your head that is gently pulling you up toward the celestial space. No matter how flexible you feel you are, twist only to the point of feeling the stretch but not beyond it.

Lower back: Lower back pain is the most frequently reported yoga injury, and most certified teachers suspect that it’s the result of “rounding through the spine” in poses like forward folds and downward dog. This unnatural rounding causes the spine to bend the opposite way that it’s meant to, which can lead disc problems. This can also be the cause of that achy feeling post-session. Before engaging any bending poses, imagine lengthening your spine up and away from the hips, this will help to avoid rounding. If your hamstrings are too tight, try bending the knees slightly in poses like forward folds and downward dog.

Hamstrings: As a result of spending too much time sitting in front of the computer, in class, or driving a car, many of us have tight hamstrings, so it’s easy to pull or over-stretch them in poses like forward bends. Downward dog and lunges are great ways to stretch the hamstrings (just remember to go slowly, work at your own pace and don’t overdo it). If you have any kind of hamstring injury, temporarily lay off poses that extend through the back of the body and legs until the injury heals.

Hips: When practicing warrior poses, splits and wide-legged forward folds it’s easy to over-extend the hips’ range of motion in, which in some cases might even tear the muscles of the inner groin or inner thighs. Proper form insures that the toes are pointed forward when attempting any pose where the hips are squared off in the same direction (envision warrior I).

Knees: Knee problems can plague both students and even experienced yogis well after the session is over. The most common causes of knee pain are the cross-legged positions (Padmasana and Sukhasana, Flexibility needs to begin with the hips first; if the hips are tight in asana, the knees will be the first to feel pain or tension. Placing a yoga block or rolled-up blanket under the knees in cross-legged positions generally helps to reduce strain.

Neck: Head stands (Sirsasana) and shoulder stands (Sarvangasana) can be the worst culprits for neck pain or injury. Repeatedly and/or incorrectly placing pressure on the neck in poses such as shoulder stand and headstand can compress the neck and put undue pressure on the cervical vertebrae, resulting in joint issues and a loss of neck flexion in some cases. It would be best to avoid full inversions altogether if you have chronic neck or shoulder issues. It is very important to remember not to jerk the head once you’re up in the pose, because it can destabilize the body and cause a fall.

*Stay tuned for part 2 where some practical guidelines to avoid injury will be discussed.

Yoga – as a Solution for Sleep Disorders

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According to the National Sleep Foundation 65% of all Americans suffer from a lack of sleep or have trouble getting sufficient sleep on a daily basis. Additionally, more than 40% of adults experience daytime sleepiness that is severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month, and more than 20 percent report problematic sleepiness a few days a week or more.

Sleep is a basic and vital biological function. It is essential for a person to maintain their physical and emotional well being. Scientific studies have shown that with a lack of sleep, a person’s ability to perform even the simplest tasks declines dramatically.

It is common for the sleep-deprived individual to experience impaired performance, irritability, lack of concentration, and daytime drowsiness. They are less alert, attentive, and find it difficult to concentrate effectively. Also, since sleep has been linked to restorative processes in the immune system, sleep deprivation in a normal adult causes a biological response similar to the body fighting off an infection.

When sleep deprivation becomes regular or persistent it can cause significant mood swings, erratic behavior, hallucinations, and in the most extreme (although rare) cases, death. Research in this area is continuing as scientists examine the negative effects of sleep deprivation on the immune system.

The amount of sleep a person generally needs depends on a variety of factors, including age. For example:

  • *Infants require about 16 hours a day.
  • *Teenagers need about 9 hours on average.
  • *Most adults need 7 to 8 hours a night for the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or up to as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.
  • *Women in the first 3 months of pregnancy typically need several more hours of sleep than usual.

The most common treatment plans for sleep disorders include drugs, with a variety of prescription and non-prescription sleeping aids available. Going to a sleep clinic and/or engaging in behavioral therapy has also been proven to help. But there are other, more natural options and yoga practice includes a number of them, such as…

  • *Remembering or reconnecting with the natural, outside world. “Smriti” is the practice of mindfulness of inner processes (witnessing) and is especially helpful when done outside during the day. Not just outside surrounded by concrete and steel, but somewhere where “green” predominates; where you’ll find lawn, trees, flowers, bushes, shrubs etc. Mindfully stand in that space and breathe it in. Study after study has shown that immersion in nature soothes us. Additionally, just getting outside, and noticing the earth, helps to remind us that our ego/self is a tiny part of this great big universe. Reconnect with this feeling at bedtime.
  • *Power yoga, hot yoga, Kundalini yoga, even a strong, dynamic Hatha yoga class will burn the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. The general consensus is that these hormones actually remain in our system long after a stressful experience has passed, or they may even be released every time our minds re-live past stresses. But everyone agrees that exercise (especially yoga) and meditation helps relieve them.
  • *Noticing your restless mind. Yogic philosophy (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras) encourages us to use our mind as a tool, rather than consider it our master. We start by viewing our thoughts, no matter what they are, as just thoughts passing by; similar to clouds in the sky. Sometimes seeing our thoughts in this manner, no matter how urgent our incessantly active mind wants us to believe they are, helps us find distance between our inherent, peace-full, joy-full selves, and our constantly chattering mind. Try using the simple mantra: “I Notice my thoughts” while inhaling, and “I’m Letting them go” during exhalation.
  • *Melting into your own asana. Try taking a 15-minute Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose) within an hour before going to bed. You can cover yourself with a blanket, put something comfortable over your eyes, and simply let allow yourself to be. Get out of the way of your breath and simply watch it; after a short time your breathing will naturally become deeper, slower and calmer.
  • *Pranayama can help; Bhramari (Bee Breath) is a very effective Pranayama for use as a sleep aid. Performing this breathing exercise helps to induce a calming effect on the mind almost immediately. But there are other Pranayams that work well, too; Nadi Shodhana helps to balance our prana, bringing it evenly into both nadis (energy channels) spiraling on either side of our Sushumna channel (spine), and bringing our system into a state of equilibrium. Try it for 10 minutes, seated comfortably before retiring for the night.

The above tips are known to significantly improve sleep efficiency, speed up sleep onset, increase total sleep time, and prolong wake time after sleep onset.

Happy sleeping and…

The Ethical Standards of a Yoga Teacher

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As teachers of Yoga it is important to remember that we forever remain humble students of the science. Yoga truly is a lifelong endeavor. Much more than teaching asana, the responsibilities of a Yoga teacher are many since we are in a position to greatly influence others’ lives.

The following list of ethics has been compiled to guide both the student and teacher of Yoga in their efforts to evolve spiritually:

1. Setting a good example – we must devote ourselves to practicing what we preach;  not just “talking the talk” but also “walking the talk.” We need to live as close as possible to the yogic lifestyle that we recommend for our students and also the lifestyle that is prescribed by our teachers. Authenticity, both with ourselves and with our students, will not only gain their respect but will facilitate the proper atmosphere for instruction and learning.

2. Remaining students of Yoga forever – this allows us the opportunity to continuously give our students something more and to cultivate our own personal growth along with the growth of our students.

3. Conducting ourselves professionally and with integrity at all times – due to the inevitable closeness of relationships within the student/teacher dynamic, people share some of the most sensitive parts of themselves with you and their vulnerability needs to be protected. Group and individual discussions that are shared in confidence with you must not be divulged to others under any circumstances, other than an emergency.

4. Accurately relating the training that we received – not exaggerating our accomplishments (or minimizing them), but giving an accurate and honest account of what we have learned so far and who we learned it from. This honest approach empowers students to find someone who can deal with their particular or unique strengths as their teacher.

5. Treating all others will respect – this includes but is not limited to our students. Respecting the time and energy of others, giving credit where credit is due and building up the world’s “kindness reserves,” works wonders in creating an atmosphere of mutual trust.

6. Not condemning or speaking ill of any yogic path, or their teachings – striving instead to attract students based on their recognition of our own inner (and radiant) light. We as teachers need to realize that students will only find their ideal teacher when they are ready, and this may mean that sometimes we may not be the perfect teacher for them. When we have honestly assessed our own strengths, and the response from each student, we have to be ready (if need be) to graciously refer a student to another teacher who may be better suited to help them with their specific situation and/or challenges.

7. No discrimination – shown towards students as a result of their cultural background, religion, sex or gender. Remaining aware of the ultimate “oneness” we all share, this is to be reflected through every contact we have with each and every one of our students.

8. We will not allow ourselves to be an intermediary between any of the higher states of consciousness and those of our students – rather than act as a crutch for students to lean on so they may feel stronger, we’ll help them to find their own inner strength.

9. Remaining mindful of where each student is at – not expecting that everyone is starting from the same point; mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually. Never looking down on others spiritual progression (or lack of it) we realize that this is a non-linear path. When we remove our egos from our teaching we must be prepared for the possibility that some students will take quantum leaps beyond us and then we should learn from them.

10. Resist the urge to “wow” others – it is not the point of a yoga class to attempt to impress others with your amazing physical feats (or deep philosophical wisdom) unless they specifically ask you to do so, and are completely open to it. Rather than push, we must lead through example.

11. Strive to maintain cleanliness – observing Saucha, which also means keeping different energies distinct, affects any environment where we teach, so making the space as comfortable and inviting to the student as possible is essential.

12. Remaining fully “present” when we lead a class or student – Arriving early enough to prepare ourselves for the instruction that lies ahead, this way we do not let our “mental business” interfere with the energy of the class. We first focus on calming our own minds before attempting to calm the minds of our students.

13. Always allow for physical restrictions or limitations – by offering a variety of modifications so that anyone can feel comfortable, thereby benefitting from participating in our class.

14. Realize that the teacher/student bond may be misinterpreted as a sexual attraction – an honorable amount of time (approximately 8 months to a year or more is generally recommended) should be reserved between being someone’s teacher and participating in a romantic relationship with them.

15. Enacting “tough love” – when someone is acting outside of the ethical boundaries that yoga establishes, it is our responsibility as their teacher to communicate the truth even when it may be difficult to do so. Of course, tact and a gentle attitude is the right approach.

16. Our truth may not be everyone’s truth – since we are all students of Yoga we realize the possibly that our truth may be somewhat distorted through our own egoic filters, so we allow (even encourage) our students to discover their own truth, and this may not always be in line with the class we teach. We must resist feeling angry or resentful if we ‘lose’ a student. If their path requires a different teacher we should honestly and lovingly give them our blessing on their choice to find an alternative.

17. As a full time Yoga teacher we are honored to make money from doing a fortuitous job – but since this is our primary means of sustaining ourselves financially we must continue to remind ourselves to put our practice and its teachings above the gain of monetary good at all times. In the words of Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois: “Yoga is possible for anybody who really wants it. Yoga is universal…. But don’t approach yoga with a business mind looking for worldly gain.”

18. And lastly; remember that asana is only one small part of the entire yogic science. In his “Astadala Yogamala,” B.K.S. Iyengar wrote: “Yoga, an ancient but perfect science, deals with the evolution of humanity. This evolution includes all aspects of one’s being, from bodily health to self-realization. Yoga means union – the union of body with consciousness and consciousness with the soul. Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.”

Remember, above all, the responsibility to teach the “all” of yoga to your students only as they are ready and willing to receive these teachings.

The Five Principles of Yoga…

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The following are the five main general principles of all traditional yoga. As a holistic system, Ayurveda states that each aspect should be done in an individualized manner and according to the season and your current individual constitution (and/or imbalance) to avoid any aggravation of the “Doshas” (bodily humors that make up one’s constitution) and promote or restore health. Ayurveda and Yoga complement each other for an overall balanced and healthy lifestyle.

These Five Principles of Yoga are the basis of attaining a healthy body and mind through the Practice of Yoga.

The Five Principles:

Principle 1: Proper Relaxation

By releasing the tension in the muscles and putting the whole body at rest, you revitalize your Nervous System and achieve inner peace, making you feel relaxed and refreshed. This relaxed feeling is carried over into all your activities and helps you conserve your energy and let go of all worries and fears. Proper relaxation leaves you refreshed like after a good night’s sleep.

Principle 2: Proper Exercise

This principle revolves around the idea that our physical body is meant to move and exercise. Proper Exercise is achieved through the Yoga Postures or Asana which systematically works on all parts of the body – stretches and tones the Muscles and Ligaments, enhances the flexibility of the spine and the joints, and improves Blood Circulation. The asanas are designed to regulate the physical and physiological functions of the body. Practicing these Yoga Poses makes your body relaxed, gives you more strength and energy, and rejuvenates the various systems of the body. The Yoga Posture goes together with Proper Breathing. Each movement and stretch should be guided by your breath, making your movement and your breath coordinated; feeling like one and the same. The execution of the Asana is beneficial to the body, and at the same time contributes to spiritual and mental growth.

Principle 3: Proper Breathing

This means breathing fully and rhythmically, making use of all the parts of your lungs to increase your oxygen intake. Proper Breathing should be deep, slow and rhythmical. To achieve this, you need to be able to regulate the length and duration of your inhalation, exhalation, and the retention of air in your lungs or the pauses between breath. Yoga Breathing Exercises or Pranayama teaches you on how you can recharge your body and control your mental state by regulating the flow of Prana – the life force. This helps you achieve a calmer and more focused mind, and increases your energy level.

Principle 4: Proper Diet

What you eat extremely affects your mind. Improper diet results to mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness. Proper Diet is one that nourishes both mind and body. It should be well balanced and based on natural foods. Proper Diet in Yoga also means eating in moderation and eating only when you are hungry. We sometimes tend to eat when we are upset, using food to fill the gap or the emptiness that we feel. Bad eating habits will cause our senses to be dull that we won’t even notice how much we eat or how it tastes and may result to diet related ailments like Obesity and Diabetes. Food should sustain our body. It should keep the body light and supple, the mind calm, and it should also help in keeping a strong immune system.

Principle 5: Positive Thinking and Meditation

The way we think highly affects our way of life. Practice keeping a positive outlook in life, this will facilitate in having a peaceful mind. Positive thinking and Meditation helps you remove negative thoughts and place your mind under perfect control.

* The first 4 yoga principles mentioned above will strongly support your meditation practice (the 5th principle) by providing you with the necessary tools to attain (and maintain) a healthy body and mind, calmness and peace, as well as discipline and inner strength.

The Five Niyamas (Part 5 – Ishvara Pranidhana)

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This article is the fifth and final part of a five part series based on this post: The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 2 – Niyama)

The fifth of the five Niyamas is Ishvara Pranidhana. In its simplest form, the Sanskrit term is a combination of the words; Ishvara, meaning Lord, God, Supreme Being or Life Force, and Pranidhana, meaning attention to, love for, surrender to, faith in, or reunion with. “Attentiveness” and “Surrender” are both close English approximations.

Surrender (Ishvara Pranidhana) is considered the “final” step, stage, practice or observance (Niyama) for students and practitioners of Patanjali’s “classical” Yoga (Raja Yoga). Patanjali says of Ishvara Pranidhana: “From an attitude of letting go into one’s source (ishvarapranidhana), the state of perfected concentration (samadhi) is attained.” (Yoga sutra 2.45 – samadhi siddhih ishvarapranidhana).

For Patanjali, Ishvara Pranidhana is a powerful “observance” for dissolving the seemingly endless fluctuations (or agitations) of the mind, and is therefore a means to the realization of the ultimate unified state of yoga, “Samadhi.” By embodying the practice of Ishvara Pranidhana we can shift our perspective from our obsession with the “ego-I” that causes so much of the mind’s distraction and creates the sense of separation from our Source. Since Ishvara Pranidhana focuses on the sacred ground of being rather than the ego, it reunites us with our true Self. As B. K. S. Iyengar states in his Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “Through surrender the aspirant’s ego is effaced, and…grace…pours down upon him like a torrential rain.”

A note on the meaning of Ishvara (from Swami Rama): “In the Upanishads, the word Īśvara is used to denote a state of collective consciousness. Thus, God is not a being that sits on a high pedestal beyond the sun, moon, and stars; God is actually the state of Ultimate Reality. But due to the lack of direct experience, God has been personified and given various names and forms by religions throughout the ages. When one expands one’s individual consciousness to the Universal Consciousness, it is called Self-realization, for the individual self has realized the unity of diversity, the very underlying principle, or Universal Self, beneath all forms and names. The great sages of the Upanishads avoid the confusions related to conceptions of God and encourage students to be honest and sincere in their quests for Self-realization. Upanishadic philosophy provides various methods for unfolding higher levels of truth and helps students to be able to unravel the mysteries of the individual and the universe.”

In the West we commonly view surrender as giving up; a last resort when all else has failed and we are exhausted or in a weakened state, but on the other hand, the type of surrender indicated by Isvara Pranidhana requires tremendous strength and courage. This is why the observance of the other four Niyamas precedes it.

In order to surrender the “fruits” of our actions to God we are required to give up all illusions that we know best, and instead accept and trust that the way our life unfolds is most likely part of a much larger pattern too complex and/or beautiful for us to understand. Isvara Pranidhana instructs us to make a conscious choice to love regardless of the harshness or comfort of our current circumstances.

This surrender is definitely not a passive inactivity. Isvara Pranidhana requires that we completely and whole heartedly surrender to all that “is”, while simultaneously acting with an abundance of goodness and love.

The practice of Isvara Pranidhana is relatively simple. Just let all the activities of body, mind and spirit be consciously rooted in unconditional love, the love of an open heart radiating kindness and compassion.  Actively surrender to reality of Life, the Divine and Existence Itself.  As we actively surrender to what “is” while we intentionally move towards the highest expression of our spiritual Self in each moment with no attachment or thought of any “attainment”, a great sense of freedom and peace arises within us and we become a healing light to all.

Isvara Pranidhana inherently requires a profound trust in the goodness of the Universal Divine which permeates all existence, both within and beyond our finite understanding.

The Five Niyamas (Part 4 – Svadhyaya)

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This article is the fourth of a five part series based on this post:  The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 2 – Niyama)

The Five Niyamas (Part 4 – Svadhyaya)

Svadhyaya

The fourth of the five Niyamas is Svadhyaya – a compound Sanskrit word literally translated sva, meaning “one’s own”, and adhyaya, “study”; therefore Svadhyaya would mean study of one’s self. Svadhyaya also is interpreted as studying the Vedas, Yoga Sutras and other scriptures, basically the source materials of yoga practice.

Self-study is very important for students and practitioners of Patanjali’s “classical” Yoga (Raja Yoga) and it would include reflection on sacred texts. Patanjali says of Svadhyaya: “From self-study and reflection on sacred words (svadhyaya), one attains contact, communion, or concert with that underlying natural reality or force.” (Yoga sutra 2.44 – svadhyayat ishta samprayogah).

Through deep inquiry into the self, comes an acknowledgment of the oneness of that self with all that is arises naturally. In other words, when practicing Svadhyaya our boundaries begin to melt and the illusion of separateness we feel from ourselves, those around us, and our world begins to dissolve. To practice Svadhyaya is to find the Divine appearing in us (and as us) at this very moment.

Yogis throughout the ages have practiced Svadhyaya by asking the simple question, “Who am I.”  Sri Ramana Maharishi often spoke of self-enquiry as the “direct path” meaning it was the fastest path to moksha (liberation from Maya [illusion] and samskara [the cycle of death and rebirth] including all of the suffering and limitation of worldly existence).

Svadhyaya is purposefully preceded by Tapas (fiery discipline) because it takes an enormous amount of discipline to move beyond the material world that defines, binds and shrouds us in Maya (ignorance). In the practice of Svadhyaya, prayers, mantras, japa, meditation, purposeful intent and other devotional practices, including ancient yogic methods are used to strip away the ego and unveil truth, layer by layer. In the study of one’s self, the student becomes the witness of their thoughts, emotions, actions and life.  During this witnessing process the distance between the real and unreal is unveiled.  The incessantly chattering mind, unsettled emotions and physical limitations of the body are no longer seen as the “Self”, but instead are viewed as an experience of Self. In this recognition and realization of Truth, the practice of Svadhyaya brings a resounding peace.

In yoga practice, Svadhyaya has most traditionally been concerned with the study of various scriptures. But in truth, any practice that brings us to the point of recognizing our interconnection with all that is, is Svadhyaya. Svadhyaya could be studying Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, practicing asana, chanting, or even reading this blog.

In the study of Svadhyaya, as with all of our sadhanas, there is a natural, organic movement towards becoming more and more present.  Along with this movement, there is an automatic falling away of fear.  A sense of peace emerges along with the knowledge that love (presence) permeates all that is and ever was.  Through the recognition of our inherent goodness and divinity, we realize that everything occurs for both the good of the individual and the good whole. In this state there are no random events,  in fact, it would appear as if from your very first breath you were meant to find that you are loved far more than you could ever possibly imagine.

Final thoughts: Incorporating the practice of Svadhyaya into your everyday life is an effective way to experience life more fully. It’s about getting to know yourself better. And as we begin to truly understand who we are, we identify with the connectedness (union) that yoga is really all about.

The next article will continue this series with: The Five Niyamas (Part 5 – Ishvara Pranidhana)