Newsletter October, 2019
In this issue:
Essence of asana practice
 Padmasana (Lotus Pose) For most people, the word "yoga" is synonymous with the physical aspect of yoga involving the practice of asana (yoga postures) only. In most yoga classes taught in gyms or fitness centers, the entire duration of the class is usually spent in an intense practice of asanas. Some of the more physically oriented yoga styles include Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, or Flow Yoga etc,. Toward the end of the class there is usually a brief (about five minutes) period devoted to "shavasana" or relaxation. The main objective of these classes is to achieve physical fitness.
Asana, however, is only one of the eight limbs of yoga as given by Sage Patanjali over two thousand years ago in the Yoga Sutras. The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, as you may know, is the most authoritative and revered text that contains the underlying concepts of yoga. The eight limbs of yoga as given in the yoga sutras are - yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.
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Upcoming Programs
Understanding the Mind to eliminate Stress
- What: An Introduction to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
- When: Third Saturday of the month
- Next Session: Saturday, October 19, 2019
- TIME: 2:30 - 4:30 PM
- LOCATION: Integral Yoga Studio, 4000 Bearcat Way, Suite 102, Morrisville, NC 27560
- FEE: by voluntary donation
- To register: please fill out the registration form (if you have filled the form recently, send me an email to register)
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Yoga for kids/teens, 8-week session
- What: Yoga for Kids/Teens, 8-week Sessions
- When: Every Sunday
- Kids (5+ years) 5:00 - 6:00 PM
- Teens (Age 12 - 19 years) 6:15 - 7:15 PM
- Starting: Sunday, November 3, 2019
- Location: Integral Yoga Studio, 4000 Bear Cat Way, suite 102, Morrisville, NC 27560
- Instructor: Disha Gala (dishagada2010@gmail.com; (408) 685-5154
- Fee: $80 (cash or check, due on the first day of the class)
- To register: fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online
Yoga Sutra study group, 2nd and 4th Saturday
- Event: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Study Group (YSP SG) meeting
- When: Second and fourth Saturday of the month
- Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM (followed by social tea)
- Location: 206 Redwood Park Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560 (Breckenridge sub-division)
- Recommended texts for study:
- “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” by Swami Satchidananda
- “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” by Edwin F. Bryant
- “Science of Yoga”, by I. K. Taimni (free pdf download)
- “Yoga philosophy of Patanjali”, by Swami Hariharananda Aranya
- Summary of earlier discussions - YSP blog (your comments on the blog posts are welcome)
- Audio recording of yoga sutras – in Sanskrit, English and Sanskrit+English
- Invocation to Sage Patanjali and the closing Shanti Mantra
- Podcasts of my talks on Yoga Philosophy in the monthly workshops
podcast channel
As you may be aware, I have been offering monthly workshops wherein I discuss various aspects of yoga philosophy. The main focus in these workshops is to discuss the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in some depth. In addition, from time to time, I also discuss concepts from the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and other related ancient scriptures. In order to preserve these talks for future reference, I have been making an audio recording of these discussions and sharing them with the participants. These audio recordings are now available on the podcast channel on my blog. You are welcome to download these audio recordings for your use. In addition, you can listen to these podcasts as well as subscribe to them on itunes as well.
youtube channel
As you would have noticed from many of the recent posts on my blog, I have been adding short videos of many of the commonly practiced asana and pranayama sequences. I strongly urge you to subscribe to my youtube channel and visit the channel frequently to get instructions for your own asana and pranayama practices. Please share the link to the channel with your friends who might benefit from these detailed video instructions.
I would love to hear your feedback and, of course, would welcome suggestions for future videos that you would like to see on the channel.
Yoga in the News
The Benefits of Meditation for Beginners
People who meditate experience lower levels of anxiety, anger, depression, and tension, and that meditation can also be a supportive practice for those who have experienced trauma.
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Neuroscience shows that 50-year-olds can have the brains of 25-year-olds if they sit quietly and do nothing for 15 minutes a day
Neuroscientist Sara Lazar found that people who practiced meditation had more gray matter in the part of the brain linked to decision-making and working memory: the frontal cortex.
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Mindful meditation may help older adults live with mild cognitive impairment
Being purposeful about “thinking in the moment” can help older adults better cope with mild cognitive impairment, according to a pilot study led by a Wake Forest Baptist Health researcher and neurologist.
Read more ...
Have a question/suggestion?
If you have a yoga-related question, please write to me and I would do my best to provide an answer in a timely manner. I would love to hear your suggestions for future newsletter articles.
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