Yoga
Pre-registration required up to 60 minutes
before class start time (NO walk-ins)
before class start time (NO walk-ins)
Pre-registration required up to 60 minutes before class start
time (NO walk-ins)
PRICING:
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NEW Yoga Students Special:
30 days for $30 Unlimited regular classes (valid for 30 days after purchase) All Yoga Students:
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Monthly Unlimited Yoga
(regular classes only):
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Hint: To purchase a package on Schedulicity, first enroll in a yoga class - then click "Next". On this page, you will choose which package you are eligible to purchase. Click "Next". You will see at checkout under "Total Due Today" that you will not be charged a single class plus the package - just the package cost.
Class Schedule:
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED online - can enroll up to 60 minutes before start time (no walk-ins)
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED online - can enroll up to 60 minutes before start time (no walk-ins)
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SUNDAY:
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WEDNESDAY:
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MORE TEACHERS & CLASSES will be added to the schedule before opening
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS: Note: More teachers and more classes will be added to the below description.
Amrit Yoga & Nidra:
Bhakti Yoga: Click HERE for more detailed info on Bhakti yoga.
In this class, we will use singing chants as an act of devotion that opens the heart to the experience of supreme love. It is NOT necessary to have a good voice to practice this form of bhakti as it's all about the intention one holds in their heart. You can sit on the floor on a mat or sit in a chair if that's more comfortable. By repetitively chanting sound vibrations, your mind can dissolve and rest, while your spirit takes over. The sounds permeate every cell of your being. You become free from repetitive thoughts. Every mantra means infinity and takes you beyond the cognition of your mind. These sounds impact consciousness at a very deep level. By listening to them or chanting them, we become able to communicate more effectively and attain greater clarity in our minds as well as purity in our words, deeds, and thoughts.
Restorative: Restorative yoga is long-held supported poses where we can (connect with) or identify and release unnecessary habitual tension in the body and mind. Creating a new relationship with this tension, balancing the nervous system, turning on the relaxation response, creating more room for optimal diaphragmatic breathing and setting conditions to meet ourselves more compassionately. It uses props to create positions of ease and comfort that facilitate relaxation and health. Thus, it is not just an adjunct to the well-known practice of active asana (poses). Restorative yoga is a practice in and of itself for people of all ages, at all levels of yoga experience, and in all states of health.
Slow Flow & Nidra: Regardless of your Yoga experience, Slow Flow and Yoga Nidra Class will help you develop the Yoga of body and mind. This vinyasa flow class is intentionally slowed to allow you the opportunity to become aware of where your body is in space and time, how it speaks to you, and makes you more aware of your abilities as well as your physical restrictions. The 1 hour of yoga movement culminates in a 25 minute Yoga Nidra guided meditation in lieu of a traditional savasana. Yoga Nidra, an incredibly accessible form of meditation, allows you to completely relax the body and mind allowing you to integrate realizations made during your class to deepen the connection of your body, mind and spirit.
Yin: A complementary yoga practice to the more dynamic and invigorating yoga styles, sports/exercises and other active pursuits that are predominant today. Some call it the “other half of yoga.” Yin is a perfect complement to the more active styles of Yoga, because of its passive and slow-paced nature. The Yin poses involve sitting, lying down, or wall-supported. They focus on the connective tissue, ligaments, bones, and joints in the body - allowing access the deeper parts of the body and to regulate energy flow in the body. Yin Yoga has been known to increase mobility, lower anxiety and stress levels, and to provide the body with deep nourishment and relaxation that it truly deserves. The practice of Yin teaches stillness, surrender, and acceptance, which are valuable qualities to develop in today’s fast-moving world. This class offers modifications tailored to your unique body using functional yoga principles. Deborah's class begins with a 20-minute Yoga Nidra to still the mind and body, then 75 mins of Yin yoga and ending with a 10-minute Sound Bath Savasana!
All levels. Click HERE for more detailed information on Yin yoga
Amrit Yoga & Nidra:
Bhakti Yoga: Click HERE for more detailed info on Bhakti yoga.
In this class, we will use singing chants as an act of devotion that opens the heart to the experience of supreme love. It is NOT necessary to have a good voice to practice this form of bhakti as it's all about the intention one holds in their heart. You can sit on the floor on a mat or sit in a chair if that's more comfortable. By repetitively chanting sound vibrations, your mind can dissolve and rest, while your spirit takes over. The sounds permeate every cell of your being. You become free from repetitive thoughts. Every mantra means infinity and takes you beyond the cognition of your mind. These sounds impact consciousness at a very deep level. By listening to them or chanting them, we become able to communicate more effectively and attain greater clarity in our minds as well as purity in our words, deeds, and thoughts.
Restorative: Restorative yoga is long-held supported poses where we can (connect with) or identify and release unnecessary habitual tension in the body and mind. Creating a new relationship with this tension, balancing the nervous system, turning on the relaxation response, creating more room for optimal diaphragmatic breathing and setting conditions to meet ourselves more compassionately. It uses props to create positions of ease and comfort that facilitate relaxation and health. Thus, it is not just an adjunct to the well-known practice of active asana (poses). Restorative yoga is a practice in and of itself for people of all ages, at all levels of yoga experience, and in all states of health.
Slow Flow & Nidra: Regardless of your Yoga experience, Slow Flow and Yoga Nidra Class will help you develop the Yoga of body and mind. This vinyasa flow class is intentionally slowed to allow you the opportunity to become aware of where your body is in space and time, how it speaks to you, and makes you more aware of your abilities as well as your physical restrictions. The 1 hour of yoga movement culminates in a 25 minute Yoga Nidra guided meditation in lieu of a traditional savasana. Yoga Nidra, an incredibly accessible form of meditation, allows you to completely relax the body and mind allowing you to integrate realizations made during your class to deepen the connection of your body, mind and spirit.
Yin: A complementary yoga practice to the more dynamic and invigorating yoga styles, sports/exercises and other active pursuits that are predominant today. Some call it the “other half of yoga.” Yin is a perfect complement to the more active styles of Yoga, because of its passive and slow-paced nature. The Yin poses involve sitting, lying down, or wall-supported. They focus on the connective tissue, ligaments, bones, and joints in the body - allowing access the deeper parts of the body and to regulate energy flow in the body. Yin Yoga has been known to increase mobility, lower anxiety and stress levels, and to provide the body with deep nourishment and relaxation that it truly deserves. The practice of Yin teaches stillness, surrender, and acceptance, which are valuable qualities to develop in today’s fast-moving world. This class offers modifications tailored to your unique body using functional yoga principles. Deborah's class begins with a 20-minute Yoga Nidra to still the mind and body, then 75 mins of Yin yoga and ending with a 10-minute Sound Bath Savasana!
All levels. Click HERE for more detailed information on Yin yoga
PREPARING FOR CLASS:
I have all the equipment, mats and props you’ll need! If you have your own yoga mat, however, please feel free to bring it if desired. If bringing water, please be sure it is in a sealed container with a closeable lid. Try not to eat anything heavy before class and come with an open mind, open heart and ready to enjoy the experience. I look forward to meeting you! The door will be unlocked
15 minutes before start time. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early for your first visit. This will give us time to get acquainted, give you a tour of the space, and get you settled in. Please understand that class will always start on time - this means that you should always arrive no less than 5 minutes before class starts (preferably 10 - 15 minutes before class start time) to allow you to be on your mat ready to start class on time). Note: The door will be locked @ class start time and you will, unfortunately, not be able to get in after that as there is no receptionist. Thank you for understanding this policy and respecting my time as well as all the yoga students' experience.
I have all the equipment, mats and props you’ll need! If you have your own yoga mat, however, please feel free to bring it if desired. If bringing water, please be sure it is in a sealed container with a closeable lid. Try not to eat anything heavy before class and come with an open mind, open heart and ready to enjoy the experience. I look forward to meeting you! The door will be unlocked
15 minutes before start time. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early for your first visit. This will give us time to get acquainted, give you a tour of the space, and get you settled in. Please understand that class will always start on time - this means that you should always arrive no less than 5 minutes before class starts (preferably 10 - 15 minutes before class start time) to allow you to be on your mat ready to start class on time). Note: The door will be locked @ class start time and you will, unfortunately, not be able to get in after that as there is no receptionist. Thank you for understanding this policy and respecting my time as well as all the yoga students' experience.
WHAT IS FUNCTIONAL YOGA?
The functional approach to yoga is an approach where we prioritize what a pose should DO over how it LOOKS. We are all unique: our skeletal structure, muscular flexibility, emotional response, mental organization, and psychological inclination is all unique to each of us.
Every bone in every body is different. What is easy for one skeleton may be IMPOSSIBLE for another! A pose that is easy for one skeleton may be injurious for another! Just like medicine, for every million people who are cured from taking a pill, one person will die from the same pill.
Look around any room and you will see a variety in body shapes and sizes. Look a little closer and you will see how everybody moves differently, depending on a person's natural bone structure/positioning and therefore, range of motion.
When you start to accept skeletal variation, you will understand and appreciate that no two people will ever look the same in a yoga pose. It is a fact that body proportions and bone shape are key factors that will affect the outward expression of any yoga posture.
Our practice should express this individuality. Instead of trying to perform a pose from the outside (copying a shape!), we strive to understand what the purpose of the pose is and then adapt its shape to our body's unique needs and abilities.
In a functional approach to yoga there is no perfect pose. Every hand and foot position either helps or inhibits our ability to stress the target areas. The most effective way to do this varies from person to person.
If you want to know what this means for your practice and how to accommodate your own individual skeletal structure, join me for an upcoming class.
The functional approach to yoga is an approach where we prioritize what a pose should DO over how it LOOKS. We are all unique: our skeletal structure, muscular flexibility, emotional response, mental organization, and psychological inclination is all unique to each of us.
Every bone in every body is different. What is easy for one skeleton may be IMPOSSIBLE for another! A pose that is easy for one skeleton may be injurious for another! Just like medicine, for every million people who are cured from taking a pill, one person will die from the same pill.
Look around any room and you will see a variety in body shapes and sizes. Look a little closer and you will see how everybody moves differently, depending on a person's natural bone structure/positioning and therefore, range of motion.
When you start to accept skeletal variation, you will understand and appreciate that no two people will ever look the same in a yoga pose. It is a fact that body proportions and bone shape are key factors that will affect the outward expression of any yoga posture.
Our practice should express this individuality. Instead of trying to perform a pose from the outside (copying a shape!), we strive to understand what the purpose of the pose is and then adapt its shape to our body's unique needs and abilities.
In a functional approach to yoga there is no perfect pose. Every hand and foot position either helps or inhibits our ability to stress the target areas. The most effective way to do this varies from person to person.
If you want to know what this means for your practice and how to accommodate your own individual skeletal structure, join me for an upcoming class.
Is Yoga A Religion? Yoga is NOT a religion. But it is theistic, meaning that it does assume the existence of a divine being. In fact, the niyama of Ishvara pranidhana is about devoting or surrendering the fruits of one's practice of yoga to the Divine. Have a specific "god" or "goddess" to work with is less abstract and easier for many people than giving up the desires of ego to an amorphous principle of divine consciousness. Because yoga is not an organized religion with doctrines and worship, people from all cultures and religious backgrounds can practice yoga as part of their faith. If you're a Christian, you might focus the devotional aspect of your practice on Jesus or Mary, for example.
According to Master teachers in the tradition of Patanjali, the practices of yoga are effective even if one does not believe in a manifestation of the Divine. But no matter what you believe, yoga, at its best, is a spiritual practice that helps you to get in touch with higher values.
According to Master teachers in the tradition of Patanjali, the practices of yoga are effective even if one does not believe in a manifestation of the Divine. But no matter what you believe, yoga, at its best, is a spiritual practice that helps you to get in touch with higher values.
“Yoga is not about self-improvement, it’s about self-acceptance.” -- Gurmukh
“Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent.”
“The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.” -- B.K.S Iyengar
“The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind.”
-- Rodney Yee
“Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent.”
“The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.” -- B.K.S Iyengar
“The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind.”
-- Rodney Yee
You Know You're in the Right Yoga Class When.....
Finding the yoga practice that works for you has as much to do with the individual teacher as it does the style he or she teaches. Next time you go to class, tune in to your inner voice and see if you notice and feel these key elements of a well-taught class:
Finding the yoga practice that works for you has as much to do with the individual teacher as it does the style he or she teaches. Next time you go to class, tune in to your inner voice and see if you notice and feel these key elements of a well-taught class:
- You feel safe and supported. Class warms up at an appropriate pace, and the teacher has clear command of the room, acknowledging new students.
- You can hear and understand the teacher's instructions
- The teacher customizes his or her teachings to the ability and skill level of the students present, despite the class description or level.
- The teacher respects and honors your physical limitations, but can also help you move outside your comfort zone in a safe, beneficial way.
- The teacher addresses everyone, from the most adept practitioner to the total newbie.
- You can approach the teacher, and are able to ask questions and share concerns during or after class. (You should never feel intimidated by a yoga teacher).
- You feel inspired, either during or after class - or better yet, both!
"The practice of yoga is simply one of the best tools for
helping us to live in an enlightened state more frequently."
- Judith Hanson Lasater
helping us to live in an enlightened state more frequently."
- Judith Hanson Lasater
D H A R M A | purpose
Yoga is a practice (sadhana) that we can carry into any area of our life. It is not about perfection or doing something right; it is about rediscovering the joy of being in our own presence, exactly as we are in this moment. Many of us engage in yoga seeking physical benefits and soon realize it touches every aspect of our lives, especially offering us spiritual growth and mental agility through life's ups and downs. It challenges us to uncover our deepest shadows. From this we grow more compassionate and forgiving and capable of operating from our highest + best self. Through our practice, we become kinder to ourselves, tolerant of our own imperfections, and more forgiving toward others
“Yoga wove its way into my life during a challenging time, offering me a renewed tenacity and the freedom to let go. Regardless of the state in which I come to my mat, I always leave feeling tethered by grace, infused with an inner calm, and more willing and open to accept life, just as it is.” - Deborah Shahadey
Yoga is a practice (sadhana) that we can carry into any area of our life. It is not about perfection or doing something right; it is about rediscovering the joy of being in our own presence, exactly as we are in this moment. Many of us engage in yoga seeking physical benefits and soon realize it touches every aspect of our lives, especially offering us spiritual growth and mental agility through life's ups and downs. It challenges us to uncover our deepest shadows. From this we grow more compassionate and forgiving and capable of operating from our highest + best self. Through our practice, we become kinder to ourselves, tolerant of our own imperfections, and more forgiving toward others
“Yoga wove its way into my life during a challenging time, offering me a renewed tenacity and the freedom to let go. Regardless of the state in which I come to my mat, I always leave feeling tethered by grace, infused with an inner calm, and more willing and open to accept life, just as it is.” - Deborah Shahadey
Reset Your Health
Yogis have heard before that yoga, meditation, and other mind-body interventions (MBIs) not only help you relax and feel your best, but also might change the activity, or expression, of your genes, reversing the damaging effects of chronic stress. A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Immunology solidified the claim.
A research team at Coventry University in England systematically reviewed 18 previously published studies in an effort to examine changes in gene expression and health that occur after MBIs such as mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and breath regulation.
What they found: these practices are associated with a downward regulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), which is produced when stress activates the sympathetic nervous system. NF-kB is also responsible for translating stress into inflammation. "this is the opposite of the effects of chronic stress on gene expression and suggests that MBI practices may lead to a reduced risk of inflammation-related diseases," write the study authors, adding that this is essentially a reversal of the "molecular signature" of chronic stress. One more reason to make every practice more mindful! -- Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman
Easy Ways To Start Meditating:
Focus on Your Breath Close your eyes or softly gaze straight ahead. Breathe through your nose and gently focus on each inhalation and exhalation. When thoughts or feelings bubble to the surface, simply notice them without judgment, and return your attention to your breath.
Choose A Mantra Select one word or phrase, called a mantra, to repeat and focus on during meditation. An ideal mantra contains only a few words or syllables, for easy repetition.
Yogis have heard before that yoga, meditation, and other mind-body interventions (MBIs) not only help you relax and feel your best, but also might change the activity, or expression, of your genes, reversing the damaging effects of chronic stress. A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Immunology solidified the claim.
A research team at Coventry University in England systematically reviewed 18 previously published studies in an effort to examine changes in gene expression and health that occur after MBIs such as mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and breath regulation.
What they found: these practices are associated with a downward regulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), which is produced when stress activates the sympathetic nervous system. NF-kB is also responsible for translating stress into inflammation. "this is the opposite of the effects of chronic stress on gene expression and suggests that MBI practices may lead to a reduced risk of inflammation-related diseases," write the study authors, adding that this is essentially a reversal of the "molecular signature" of chronic stress. One more reason to make every practice more mindful! -- Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman
Easy Ways To Start Meditating:
Focus on Your Breath Close your eyes or softly gaze straight ahead. Breathe through your nose and gently focus on each inhalation and exhalation. When thoughts or feelings bubble to the surface, simply notice them without judgment, and return your attention to your breath.
Choose A Mantra Select one word or phrase, called a mantra, to repeat and focus on during meditation. An ideal mantra contains only a few words or syllables, for easy repetition.
THE EIGHT LIMBS OF YOGA: (see detailed descriptions below "The Yoga Whole" paragraph below)
The Yoga Whole
We often learn the eight limbs one by one, but it's helpful to remember that each step on the path is part of an integrated whole, more hologram than linear route. Once they are learned, the limbs are to be practiced and lived together.
If we successfully weave all of the eight limbs into our practice and lives, Patanjali teaches, we will be happier and will suffer less -- but we need them all. The last three steps have their roots in the previous five; without an awareness of one's actions in the world, the cultivation of stability in posture and breath, and the ability to withdraw from the input of the senses, the mind cannot become the appropriate ground for experiencing the state of union.
Paradoxically, that state is not an extraordinary one but is in truth available to everyone, all the time. All human beings have occasional glimpses of enlightenment, moments of clarity in which suffering drops away and love overtakes us. The practice of yoga is simply one of the best tools for helping us to live in this state more frequently.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Detailed Explanations):
There are many forms of practice available today - and many yoga techniques for reining in and unifying consciousness. Many, though not all, have roots in the philosophy laid forth so succinctly in the Yoga Sutra, which is thought to have been written around 200 BCE. The book is a short one, containing only 195 terse verses, or sutras. But in it, Patanjali has created a logical road map for using the techniques of yoga to achieve the state of yoga. He offers a clear path: eight steps - or limbs, as they are more accurately called - to liberation. They are:
The Yoga Whole We often learn the eight limbs one by one, but it's helpful to remember that each step on the path is part of an integrated whole, more hologram than linear route. Once they are learned, the limbs are to be practiced and lived together.
If we successfully weave all of the eight limbs into our practice and lives, Patanjali teaches, we will be happier and will suffer less -- but we need them all. The last three steps have their roots in the previous five; without an awareness of one's actions in the world, the cultivation of stability in posture and breath, and the ability to withdraw from the input of the senses, the mind cannot become the appropriate ground for experiencing the state of union.
Paradoxically, that state is not an extraordinary one but is in truth available to everyone, all the time. All human beings have occasional glimpses of enlightenment, moments of clarity ini which suffering drops away and love overtakes us. The practice of yoga is simply one of the best tools for helping us to live in this state more frequently.
- Yamas: Restraints
Ahimsa: Nonharming
Satya: Truthfullness
Asteya: Nonstealing
Brahmacharya: Sexual Moderation
Aparigraha: Nongrasping - Niyamas: Observances
Saucha: Purity
Santosha: Contentment
Tapas: Discipline
Svadhyaya: Self-Study
Ishvara pranidhana: Devotion - Asana: Posture
- Pranayama: Breathwork
- Pratyahara: Sense Withdrawal
- Dharana: Concentration
- Dhyana: Meditation
- Samadhi: Union
The Yoga Whole
We often learn the eight limbs one by one, but it's helpful to remember that each step on the path is part of an integrated whole, more hologram than linear route. Once they are learned, the limbs are to be practiced and lived together.
If we successfully weave all of the eight limbs into our practice and lives, Patanjali teaches, we will be happier and will suffer less -- but we need them all. The last three steps have their roots in the previous five; without an awareness of one's actions in the world, the cultivation of stability in posture and breath, and the ability to withdraw from the input of the senses, the mind cannot become the appropriate ground for experiencing the state of union.
Paradoxically, that state is not an extraordinary one but is in truth available to everyone, all the time. All human beings have occasional glimpses of enlightenment, moments of clarity in which suffering drops away and love overtakes us. The practice of yoga is simply one of the best tools for helping us to live in this state more frequently.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Detailed Explanations):
There are many forms of practice available today - and many yoga techniques for reining in and unifying consciousness. Many, though not all, have roots in the philosophy laid forth so succinctly in the Yoga Sutra, which is thought to have been written around 200 BCE. The book is a short one, containing only 195 terse verses, or sutras. But in it, Patanjali has created a logical road map for using the techniques of yoga to achieve the state of yoga. He offers a clear path: eight steps - or limbs, as they are more accurately called - to liberation. They are:
- Asana: creating ease in the body The starting place for most Westerners today is the physical practice, the limb that Patanjali called asana (posture). Patanjali says that our posture, implying specifically the posture for meditation, should be "stable and done with ease." He does not mention any of the poses usually practiced in a yoga class (these are described in other texts, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika). For Patanjali, the key concept is that the yoga practitioner should live and move in such a way that the body becomes an able instrument for further study and meditation.
But there is more to asana than simply creating and maintaining a still and upright sitting posture. An asana is a concrete "thing," and as such it offers a straightforward way of learning how to focus the mind. The directing of attention to the breath and to different parts of the body -- like bones, muscles, and organs -- teaches us to focus our awareness. For example, when doing a forward bend, the strong stretch is the hamstring muscles brings focus to the backs of the thighs. This process of consistently bringing attention to one point over and over trains the mind much as one would train an unruly puppy. - The Yamas: yoga's ethical restraints Today, you're likely to learn asana first, but it's interesting to note that Patanjali's path doesn't begin with the physical practice but with the yamas, the ethical principles that underlie all yoga practice: ahimsa (nonharming), satya (truthfulness), asteya (nonstealing), brahmacharya (sexual moderation), and aparigraha (nongrasping).
The word yama means "to restrain," and this idea often suprises some students of yoga. We tend to associate yoga with opening and expansion -- especially on the physical plane, where progress into pretzel-like poses tends to be measured by range of motion. It seems almost counterintuitive that classical yoga practice should begin with self-restraint. But if we are to become students of yoga, we must first understand what it means to restrain our actions in the wider world. Unless we bring awareness to our most outward and observable social interactions we cannot hope to change the subtler aspects of mind and body.
It is important to note that the philosophy of yoga is not moralistic; rather, it is pragmatic in the extreme. Patanjali does not tell us that we are "bad" if we lie, steal, indulge our greed, become involved with many sexual partners at the same time, or act violently. Rather, the teaching is simply this: We will suffer more if we choose to act in those ways. We will not be able to end our own suffering if we are creating it around us. Steal if you must, he seems to be saying, but it will not make you happy. The choice is yours. - The Niyamas: lifestyle observances The second step on the yogic path involves the niyamas -- five observances, or practices, to actively pursue. The first niyama is saucha (purity), which is not just about keeping our houses and bodies and practice spaces tidy, but about consciously choosing to act with a purity of intention during practice and at all other times.
The second niyama is santosha (contentment). It may seem odd to be asked to "practice" contentment. Isn't contentment something that just arises when conditions are right? No, the contentment Patanjali describes has nothing to do with external circumstances. Rather, contentment is the willingness to be at peace with whatever is - even with the fact that one is presently not content.
The next niyama is tapas (discipline). To move toward our goal, we must be consistent in our practice. Few things reflect the spirit of discipline more clearly than consistency.
Svadhyaya (self-study) involves spending some time reflecting on our attachment to, and belief in, our own thoughts so that we can understand how they often keep us from the deepest connection with our true Self. It also means studying yoga philosophy or contemplating the deeper teachings: reading this page, for example, is a way to practice svadhyaya.
Last comes Ishvara pranidhana (devotion). This one is a little different to describe, but it encompasses the sense of letting go of the fruits as well as the difficulties of our lives and practices by giving them to the Divine (one's spiritual ideal). Practicing Ishvara pranidhana means remembering that we are not ultimately in charge - we are only human. - Pranayama: harnessing the life force After the first three limbs -- the yamas, niyamas, and asana -- comes pranayama, or yogic breathwork. Breath and consciousness are undeniably linked. When we're upset or angry, our friends and family often tell us to "take a couple of deep breaths." They know, and we know, that those breaths are powerfully calming. So profound is the effect of the breath on the body and brain that many teachers place more importance on pranayama than asana.
Through the breath, we are able to directly access the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the body's ability to "rest and digest" (it's the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the "flight or fight" response). Showing the breath measurably affects brain waves, producing a quieter state of being, one that's less reactive to the fluctuations within and without. - Pratyahara: withdrawing the senses In practicing the fifth limb, pratyahara (sensory withdrawal), we consciously move our attention away from the input of the senses. We start on our yoga mats by closing our eyes, shutting out the nonstop stream of visual stimulation. Then we work to reduce our reactivity to all sensory stimulation. In a state of pratyahara, we may still hear and sense things, but the sounds and sensations coming into the mind via the nervous system don't disturb or distract the mind. We learn that consciousness is not the same as sensory inputs, which come and go and are by nature impermanent.
- Dharana, dhyana, and samadhi: the uniting of consciousness The last three limbs -- dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (union) -- are presented by Patanjali in a way that underscores their connection. The ability to sit still and keep the mind focused on one thing is dharana, concentration. When that concentration becomes continuous and uninterrupted, it is called dhyana, or meditation. Thus, meditation is not to be experienced as a process of "going somewhere else" with the mind; rather, the state of meditation is the state of being radically here and now. Only in this state of raw presence can we experience samadhi, the Self-realization that is the ultimate goal in yoga.
The Yoga Whole We often learn the eight limbs one by one, but it's helpful to remember that each step on the path is part of an integrated whole, more hologram than linear route. Once they are learned, the limbs are to be practiced and lived together.
If we successfully weave all of the eight limbs into our practice and lives, Patanjali teaches, we will be happier and will suffer less -- but we need them all. The last three steps have their roots in the previous five; without an awareness of one's actions in the world, the cultivation of stability in posture and breath, and the ability to withdraw from the input of the senses, the mind cannot become the appropriate ground for experiencing the state of union.
Paradoxically, that state is not an extraordinary one but is in truth available to everyone, all the time. All human beings have occasional glimpses of enlightenment, moments of clarity ini which suffering drops away and love overtakes us. The practice of yoga is simply one of the best tools for helping us to live in this state more frequently.
TO THE STUDENTS......
To the students who are busy: Thank you for your time.
To the students who are nervous: Thank you for teaching me about courage.
To the students who laugh when I fumble my words: Thank you for teaching me that imperfections break down barriers.
To the students who gently correct me when I make mistakes: Thank you for teaching me the value of patience.
To the students who offer criticism: Thank you for teaching me humility.
To the students who execute an arm balance for the first time: Thank you for teaching me about perseverance.
To the students who tremble as I help you with your first handstand: Thank you for your trust.
To the students who seem bored and restless: Thank you for teaching me about facing my fear.
To the students who struggle: Thank you for teaching me to face insecurity.
To the students who watch the clock: Thank you for teaching me to confront inner doubt.
To the students who left early, without explanation: Thank you for teaching me about offering space and understanding.
To the students who never came back: Thank you for teaching me to let go.
For every kind word, every smile, every gift, every gesture of gratitude, and every single time you attend my class, I sincerely thank you. You have taught me how to be a teacher.
-- Deborah
To the students who are busy: Thank you for your time.
To the students who are nervous: Thank you for teaching me about courage.
To the students who laugh when I fumble my words: Thank you for teaching me that imperfections break down barriers.
To the students who gently correct me when I make mistakes: Thank you for teaching me the value of patience.
To the students who offer criticism: Thank you for teaching me humility.
To the students who execute an arm balance for the first time: Thank you for teaching me about perseverance.
To the students who tremble as I help you with your first handstand: Thank you for your trust.
To the students who seem bored and restless: Thank you for teaching me about facing my fear.
To the students who struggle: Thank you for teaching me to face insecurity.
To the students who watch the clock: Thank you for teaching me to confront inner doubt.
To the students who left early, without explanation: Thank you for teaching me about offering space and understanding.
To the students who never came back: Thank you for teaching me to let go.
For every kind word, every smile, every gift, every gesture of gratitude, and every single time you attend my class, I sincerely thank you. You have taught me how to be a teacher.
-- Deborah