Welcome to yoga classes at Dhyanyoga Centers

Turn your attention inward…

Life seems to be coming at us faster and harder, doesn’t it? We are constantly bombarded with external stimuli – the TV, the cellphone, the internet… It’s so easy to be pulled into the many dramas that bubble up on a daily basis, not to mention the unnerving chatter coming from our own minds!

Yoga is not about learning how to become a human pretzel. It IS about learning how to turn our focus inward and away from all of the drama so that we can finally, finally find a peaceful place to rest. It’s about releasing our tightly wound muscles and ligaments as well as our rigid thought patterns and fears a little bit at a time. It is about remembering how we were meant to breath – deeply, slowly, peacefully… And it’s about quieting the internal chatter so that we can gain some clarity and peace of mind.

Benefits of yoga

Reduces stress
Improves quality of sleep
Heightens mind/body awareness
Enhances the quality of breathing
Improves balance
Helps to normalize blood pressure
Promotes clear thinking
Increases sense of well-being
Supports recovery from addictions
Rejuvenates the body
Reduces chronic pain
Helps in overcoming the effects of trauma
Increases compassion
Quiets the mind

The Beauty of Yoga

The Sanskrit word, yoga, is derived from the root word, yuk, meaning to yoke or to join. Hence, the familiar meaning of yoga is union. The classical or traditional approach to yoga unites eight limbs or aspects. The first two limbs of yoga are the yamas and niyamas; these are the “shall nots” and “shalls” which form universal and individual practices of right living. Since children generally learn yamas and niyamas from their parents, many yoga studios begin their instruction with the third limb of yoga; the physical postures called asanas. Along with asanas, most students learn the fourth limb, pranayama, which is the practice of expanding and controlling the breath. Limb five is pratyahara, learning to control the senses; limb six is dharana, the practice of one-pointed concentration; and limb seven is dhyana, also known as meditation. With complete mastery of these aspects—behavior, body, breath and the mind—the practitioner finally reaches the eighth limb and the ultimate goal of yoga; the union known as samadhi or liberation.

Many students receive asana and pranayama instruction through the practice called Hatha Yoga. This practice is named for the union of the energies of the sun (Ha) and moon (Tha). The asanas taught in hatha yoga classes are based upon the resting poses of various beings in creation. These poses were revealed in ancient times to the seers in India, in their deepest states of meditation. They found that being in these poses brings comfort to the body and peace to the mind. Pranayama, the control of the breath, is an integral part of asana practice. The sun energy, Ha, flows on the right side of the body connected to the breath of the right nostril. The moon energy, Tha, flows on the left side through the breath of the left nostril. At the basic level, the practice of asana and pranayama impacts the physical body through stretches, pressure changes, expansion, and contraction, bringing balance in movement, in stillness, and in thought.

On a more subtle level, by balancing the sun and moon energies in the body, the energy flow is brought through the center of the body; the spine. This union results in an internal transformative energy of fire that burns away negativity, revealing a healthy, purified self that is able to give, receive, and be Love. When yoga is practiced at this deeper or more subtle level, the individual soul finds its own resting pose within the One from which we originate.

The practice of Yoga is a science. Whatever method a true teacher or instructor presents will definitely yield positive results. That is, with sound instruction and proper repetition, the practice of Yoga will strengthen the body and enhance the will of the mind. Good health, a strong pure body, and a positive determined mind are the best tools of life. One can then enjoy a fruitful long life and accomplish all goals.

The practice of Yoga leads the individual to become a true master of body and mind, not a slave to either. Through that mastery, we come to realize the answer to the eternal question, “Who am I?”