Sivananda, Day 14

It's a fine line between helping and hurting, and when you are ill or in a compromised state of health it is really important to know your body, know your current state, and know about the type of yoga you are about to practice.

I woke up yesterday feeling weak, dry, and uncharacteristically stiff. The stiff joints were the red flag, as I almost never have this problem. My knees didn't were heavy, my hips hurt, and my right foot was irritable. My shoulder, however, felt okay. I spent the majority of the day sleeping and hydrating. When it came time to head out to my usual sunday class, I took a long pause to consider whether that would be the best thing for me after doing 'damage control' all day.

Swami Sivananda was a medical doctor who, after receiving training in yoga, developed his own approach to yoga as a holistic way of living. Sivananda has a focus on relaxation and wellness, and was developed (as I understand it) so that anyone can practice yoga.

In my usual sunday class, we go through probably 12 postures, beginning and ending in savasana and also going back to savasana throughout the sequence. We spend several minutes in each pose, and the atmosphere is calm and relaxed. For this reason, I decided to go. Knowing that some of my health problems are tied in to the nervous system, one of the things that is most helpful in recovering is to use yoga to balance things back out. While I was low on energy through the class, I did feel more aligned afterwards.

I would not have practice astanga yoga feeling or being in the state that I was yesterday. I probably would not have practiced hatha either, at least not a full sequence or class. The more I study yoga, philosophy or physical tradition, the more solid I feel in my information and ability to practice appropriately. And in practicing appropriately, I am able to get to know my body and mind better, and unify my intellectual capacity with the more tangible aspects of practice.

It's all a lesson in the importance of practicing your yoga; we go to classes in studios with dozens of other people, or watch reknowned yogis practice on dvds or in books, and we are constantly approaching these from the perspective of 'oh, so that's what I should be doing.' The reality is, each of those practicioners, reknowned or unknown, is practicing his/her own yoga. We can observe this as an example of yoga, but we each have to decide what yoga is right for us individually in the present moment.

Sivananda, Day 7

Ah Sunday.
Nothing like trekking through 30 inches of snow for nearly a mile on unscraped sidewalks and roads to go to yoga. On my way back, a couple even asked me if I had a good class! I did!

Sunday is Sivananda day - or 'Steveananda' as we like to call it because Steve teaches it. One of the best classes every week, because in all its simplicity it is as challenging or relaxing as I want it to be. There is no place I would rather be on a Sunday night than at yoga, keeping my mind clear from the stress of the upcoming week and remembering what's really important.

Sivananda yoga, like Astanga, consists of a set of poses that are traditionally performed every day. Sivananda is gentler than Astanga by a long shot, with a focus on relaxation. Inversions are done at the beginning, and standing poses are done at the end. The class has definitely become my weekend retreat of sorts. I also learn a lot about myself, and my mental and physical state, in that class. Because the class isn't necessarily physically intense, the little things come to the surface. And with all the time spent in savasana, it is not difficult to completely forget you are in yoga class if you don't keep your mind present.

In recognizing all the folks who were without power during this winter storm, or who suffered collapsed roofs or frozen pipes, or house fires, or simply didn't have enough heat, I was also reminded how very fortunate I am. My apartment is cozy and warm. I have food in my pantry, and warm clothes to wear. I have electricity and internet and hot water. I can even bundle up and trek out to the grocery store or a yoga class. Being able to take yoga at a studio, especially such a great one with such great teachers and fellow students, is a luxury. One I am incredibly grateful and humbled to have. With luxury comes responsibility - I have this knowledge of yoga, and I know that while many people do yoga in fancy studios with teachers and classes and 'yoga clothes', ultimately none of that is necessary. Anyone can do yoga, and anyone who does yoga will benefit from it. It is my responsibility to share my knowledge so that other people can know yoga and do yoga and benefit from it.