Communications - Apr 2006

Communications - April, 2006.

Here you will find regular communications from Vikasa Yoga that Ash sends out. Weekly emails include a recap of what we did in the day's class. If you are new to Yoga, you are advised to seek advise from a medical professional and learn from an experienced yoga teacher before attempting any routines you find herein or on this site. Use it at your own risk. You will find most of the routines gentle, refreshing and rejuvenating. Read precautions before you start a practice. The purpose of making available these letters on the web is for the convenience of those attending classes at Vikasa Yoga and as a service to others who come across it. Names, where applicable, are changed to respect privacy.

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Vikasa Yoga Class Audio file 04/29/2006 10:30 AM

Vikasa Yoga Class Audio file 04/22/2006 10:30 AM

Evolution Transformation through Yoga
April 27, 2006	Volume 2, Number 14
“Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God. ~Krishnamacharya” FAQ Precautions Schedule Fees Class Audio Appreciations Recommendations - Books - Music Ash Aragam Vikasa Yoga 1618 Cowpath Road Snyder’s Square Hatfield, PA 19440 Phone 215-514-3089 E-mail vikasayoga@yahoo.com We’re on the Web! www.vikasayoga.com	The Fourth Yama We have talked about three yamas or restraints so far – non-violence, Truthfulness and Non-stealing. Bramhacharya or remembering the higher reality is the fourth yama. Bramhan is the all knowing Being and acharya means practice or conduct. Thus it is the conduct of knowing the ‘All-knowing’. What does knowing the ‘All-knowing’ mean? It is being as aware as the Infinite you believe in; it is being the same as that Being – in that fully aware state there is no difference between the Being and oneself. Bramahcharya is usually translated as continence which can be explained as the control of all senses. For without such control, how can you be fully aware? Being fully aware requires one to be open to ideas, free of judgment, treating everyone fairly, etc so as not to be biased. Such biases keep one from realizing one’s Self. Breathing during Asanas A frequently asked question is what are the rules of breathing during asanas? When do we inhale? When do we exhale? Do we hold our breath? The answers to the above question can be found by practicing one key aspect of the asana practice – enjoying what you do. When you do so, breathing comes naturally. With some practice you will notice that it is easier (and enjoyable) to inhale when you stretch/lengthen the spine (as in a back bend like Cobra) and exhale when the spine collapses (like in a seated forward bend). These guidelines are truly when you are in the dynamic or moving phase of an asana. Once you reach your final state, you would breathe well – actively and completely. There are very few asanas or parts of it during which you hold your breath. Center Announcements · We will be closed the weekend of Memorial Day. Take advantage of current Promotions. Vikasa Yoga donates 40% of fees to Plymouth Balvihar for Balvihar registrants and immediate family members. By referring a qualifying person, you get 7 additional classes Free. Yoga at Plymouth Balvihar · Congratulations to Aarti Nerurkar on winning the book on Meditation by Eknath Eswaran. It is heartening to see good attendance to the Yoga sessions even with the busy schedule for Annual Day preparations. Bring a friend next time, their first class is FREE!
PS: If you have any medical conditions, it is best to consult your doctor and your instructor personally to discuss what is appropriate for you. Personal one on one session(s) and not group classes may be necessary to determine what is right given your specific conditions, as the right prescription requires constant feedback, monitoring and corrections. Please ask your instructor for basic precautions before attending a Yoga class. Your privacy is well respected. If you would like to unsubscribe to these communications, please reply to this email with the word 'Remove' in the subject; if you are part of an email group, please contact the group administrator.

Vikasa Yoga Class Audio file 04/08/2006 09:00 AM

Evolution Transformation through Yoga
April 20, 2006	Volume 2, Number 13
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured. ~B.K.S. Iyengar.” FAQ Precautions Schedule Fees Class Audio Appreciations Recommendations - Books - Music Ash Aragam Vikasa Yoga 1618 Cowpath Road Snyder’s Square Hatfield, PA 19440 Phone 215-514-3089 E-mail vikasayoga@yahoo.com We’re on the Web! www.vikasayoga.com	Staying in Touch with Yoga Many of us know that Yoga practice is a certain way to keep the mind and body healthy. We even realize that the whole world is adapting and embracing Yoga. We see it all around us. Yet, that alone isn’t enough inspiration. Think of it the same way as a Doctor does of his patient! The doctor prescribes medicine to cure a problem the patient has! Become the doctor yourself and recognize you need to do something to feel, be and stay better; better still, to be the best that you can be. Having practiced Yoga for more than twenty years, I know consistent practice can make so much of a difference in personal as well as other aspects of life. Just do it (as the Nike ad says) and you will see the difference such a practice makes. Once you feel better, you wouldn’t want to back away from it. Forgiveness and de-attachment Do you find yourself in some sort of a mental block from going forward? Anger is one of the causes that keep us always a step back. Are you angry at somebody for what he/she said? Can you forgive and forget? There is no single person in the entire world that is perfect. As the saying in the left side bar says, the concept of detachment that Yoga teaches helps us cure what need not be unnecessarily endured. Forgive and feel better, forgive and move forward. There is liberation in forgiveness. Center Announcements We will be closed the weekend of Memorial Day. · Take advantage of current Promotions. Vikasa Yoga donates 40% of fees to Plymouth Balvihar for Balvihar registrants and immediate family members. Yoga at Plymouth Balvihar We welcome back Jawahar Bhai this Spring and look forward to his classes again. · Congratulations to Benita on winning the excellent book on Pranayama by B.K.S. Iyengar. With Spring in the air, it is hard to decide between going out for a walk or standing in the sun and going to a class! Both have their advantages. The solutions to the hardest problem you are currently trying to solve can be realized while meditating!
PS: If you have any medical conditions, it is best to consult your doctor and your instructor personally to discuss what is appropriate for you. Personal one on one session(s) and not group classes may be necessary to determine what is right given your specific conditions, as the right prescription requires constant feedback, monitoring and corrections. Please ask your instructor for basic precautions before attending a Yoga class. Your privacy is well respected. If you would like to unsubscribe to these communications, please reply to this email with the word 'Remove' in the subject; if you are part of a email group, please contact the group administrator.

April 6th 2006 Plymouth Balvihar Class Audio file 04/02/2006

Namaste,

Last week's 10:30 class was full of energy and there was a lot of enjoyment in seeing many of you together at the same time. Your support keeps up my Yoga practice which in turn helps me deal with day-to-day life more effectively than I would have otherwise. Thanks for attending!

The first step in Raja Yoga is the practice of the Yamas or the restraints. In the past weeks we had talked about the first two - ahimsa or Non-violence, Satya or truth. The third Yama is Asteya (pronounced a-stey-ya) or non-stealing. This is certainly the most obvious thing - we don't take what doesn't belong to us, be it in material form or in thought or in any abstract way. Asteya also has other deeper significances. If someone trusts us or confides in us, we don't take advantage of him/her. We also fail when we steal from ourselves - not utilizing a talent you might have or letting a lack of commitment from practicing Yoga. Yoga practice is not just practicing postures and breathing techniques, it is the best and rightful practice or leading of life.

Upcoming holidays: Easter weekend and Memorial weekend.

See you this weekend,

Ash Aragam, RYT