Foundations
YOGA (part 2)
Yoga means union. It is India’s gift to the world. Why is it needed today globally and more relevant than ever? There is more to this ancient science than just moving around and twisting body parts.
Most yogis have their own routines as to which practices they do regularly. However, the benefits of doing any type of yoga are countless and ideally, you should be initiated by a proper yoga instructor or someone who knows what they are doing. Improper yoga can be dangerous.
Anyways, the next step in my morning routine consists of a potent yogic practice called Surya Kriya. It is a way of aligning one’s geometry with the sun and leads to enhanced levels of energy, balances out hormonal levels in the body, relieves chronic back and neck pain, and prepares one for deeper states of meditation. It is highly recommended to learn this practice from a certified yoga teacher and not to attempt this practice by yourself as it requires a dedicated atmosphere, proper guidance and commitment to learning.
“Yoga is, as I can readily believe, the perfect and appropriate method of fusing body and mind together so that they form a unity which is scarcely to be questioned. This unity creates a psychological disposition which makes possible intuitions that transcend consciousness.” – Paramahansa Yogananda
The above video is an example of Nada Yoga. This is also a simple practice one can do on an empty stomach which brings joy within the system. It helps to clear the nadis and if I’m ever feeling like I need to boost my joy and exuberance then I spend a few minutes and do the practice as per the video.
Normally though, I just do Surya Kriya then move onto doing classical Hatha Yoga as part of my morning routine. There are plenty of Hatha Yoga videos on youtube you can try to follow and below is an example from Boho Beautiful. However, my recommendation long term is to get initiated at a proper classical Hatha Yoga school.
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” – The Bhagavad Gita
The reason I focus on Hatha Yoga is to balance out my sun (masculine) and moon (feminine) energies. There are other forms of Yoga such as Yin Yoga (more restorative), Ashtanga Yoga (faster paced) and obviously others but it is recommended to do Hatha Yoga after Surya Kriya to build a stable platform to balance out the increased energies. Completing Hatha Yoga asanas leads to higher states of consciousness, balance and equanimity in the mind not to mention the physical benefits. After this, I move onto more subtler practices and while these are still part of Yoga – they fall in the realm of meditation. Click on the link below to find out more.