YOGAa Brief Introduction

by Gudrun Dreher

Yogathe Old-New Way

to World Peace

According to Yoga Philosophy

realityisunchangingandunmoving theworldasweperceiveit‐withitsperpetual

flux‐isthereforeanillusion(maya) originally,therewasonlyoneSELF:

undifferentiatedenergy,infinite,unchanging,formless

then:processofdifferentiationoccurs:‐>splitbetweensubject&objectorindividualselfanduniversalSELF

The Aim of Yoga toseethoughtheillusion(maya)andperceive

thetruereality‐therealitythatisunchangingandunmoving‐

tore‐establishtheoriginalunionbetweentheindividualandtheuniversalSELF

=> thiscanbeachievedinastateof

enlightenment itwillbringliberationfromallpainand

suffering andthereforeleadtolastinghappiness

The 4 Paths of Yoga

YogaofPhysical&MentalControl

YogaofWisdom

YogaofDevotion

YogaofAction

RajaYogaJnanaYogaBhaktiYogaKarmaYoga

The 8 Limbs of Yoga

Yama:ethicalconducttowardsothers Niyama:ethicalconducttowardsself Asanas:Yogaposes

‐>aim:tocontrolthebody Pranayama:breathingexercises

‐>aim:tocontrolthemind Pratyahara:withdrawingone’sattentionfromthebody

anditssenses Dharana:concentrationofthemind Dhyana:meditation Samadhi:uninterruptedcontemplationofreality

Anatomy of the Human Body in Yoga Philosophy

The 3 Bodies

Physicalbody:foodsheath

Astralbody:‐pranicsheath‐>sensations‐mentalsheath‐>thoughts&emotions‐intellectualsheath‐>decisionmaking

=residenceoftheego Causalbody:

blisssheath‐>seedbody

The System of Chakras & Nadis

7chakras

72,000nadis 3mainnadis:

*ida*pingala*shushuma

Health Benefits of Yoga

goodhealthrequiresthefreeflowofprana(‘lifeforce’)inthenadisandtheproperbalanceofall7chakras

regularpracticeofmeditation,pranayama(‘breathingexercises’)andasanas(Yoga‘poses’)helpstobalance,re‐alignandcleansethechakrasaswellasthenadis

thepracticeofyogahasshowntodecreasestresslevels,tolowerbloodpressure,andtoslowdowntherateofaging

thevariousYogaasanasexercisetheentirebody Yogaasanasandpranayamahelptoremovephysical

andcellularwaste,toimprovemuscletone,andtoprotect,strengthenandrepairjointsandligaments

theregularpracticeofYoga(asanas,pranayama,meditation)increasesmental,emotional,andspiritualclarityandwell‐beingandimprovesfocus,discipline,balance,intuition,imagination,creativity,andunderstanding

Health Benefits of Yoga - cont.

The Om Sign

A Typical YOGA Session Includes*

1. Pranayama=BreathingExercises2. Meditation3. Asanas=Poses4. Pranayama=BreathingExercises5. Relaxation6. Meditation

*PleaseNote:thefollowingsessionwasinspiredbytheclassesandseminarsthatmyYogaTeacher,SenseiWilliamDaniel,taughtonHaidaGwaiibetween2005and2007

Pranayama - Breathing Exercises

SlowBreathing:‐in:out=1:2‐in:hold:out=1:4:2

Kapalabhathi(‘makes‐the‐head‐shine’breathing)

cleansingbreath:partofkriyas(=purificationexercises)

AnulomaVilomaPranayama(alternatenostrilbreathing)right‐pingala:‘sunbreath’left‐ida:‘moonbreath’

Meditation -> “Ways In”

FocusonBreath Concentration Visualization GuidedMeditation Movement Mantra:

repetitionofsounds,oftenseedsyllables,tofocusandrelaxthemind

Yantra:visualtoolsthatareeitherusedascenteringdevicesorassymboliccompositionsofenergypatterns

Examples of Mantras

Soham OmNamahShivayah Om Iam ChakraSeedSyllables:

Om,Sham,Ham,Yam,Ram,Vam,Lame.g.OmYamNamaha

Examples of Yantras

Sequence of Asanas - Part 1

SuryaNamaskar=SunSalutation(4x)1salutationpose:exhale2raised‐armspose:inhale3hands‐to‐feetpose:exhale4equestrianpose(onelegback):inhale5plank:holdbreath6eightlimbspose:exhale7cobrapose:inhale8downwarddogpose:exhale9equestrianpose(onelegforward):inhale10hands‐to‐feetpose:exhale11raised‐armspose:inhale12mountainpose(armsdown):exhale

Sequence of Asanas - Part 2

Bhujangasan=CobraPose(3x)‐>relaxinCrocodilePose

Salabhasan=LocustPose(4x)‐>relaxinCrocodilePose

Dhanurasan=BowPose(3x)‐>relaxinSavasana=CorpsePose

Pavanamuktasan=Head‐to‐KneePose(4x)‐>relaxinSavasana=CorpsePose

Paschimottanasan=SittingForwardBendPose(4x)‐>relaxinSavasana=CorpsePose

ParivrttaTrikonasan=ReverseRrianglePose(6x)‐>relaxinTadasana=MountainPose

Vrikshaasan=TreePose(2x)‐>relaxinTadasana=MountainPose

Sequence of Asanas - Part 3

Udyanabhanda=Stomach‐Pull‐In(3x)

Sarvangasan=ShoulderStand[‘all‐partspose’](1x)‐>relaxinSavasana=CorpsePose

Halasan=PloughPose(1x)‐>relaxinSavasana=CorpsePose

Matsyasan=FishPose(1x)‐>relaxinSavasana=CorpsePose

Chakrasan=Half‐WheelPose(1x)‐>relaxinSavasana=CorpsePose

Matsyendrasana=SpinalTwistPose(2x)‐>relaxinStaffose

Ushtrasan=CamelPose(1x)‐>relaxinBalasana=Child’sPose

Savasana=CorpsePose(1x)

Yoga Asanas - Images

THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTNDWHAT YOGA IS:

TRY IT OUT YOURSEFL!

Thank You!

© Gudrun Dreher - 2006/2012

Thousand Thanks to my Yoga Teacher -Sensei William Daniel - for Teaching me!

Images Used in this Presentationp.1:ImageofLotusFlowerfrom:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sacred_lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera.jpg p.2:ImagesofPeace:ImageTopfrom:http://www.flickr.com/photos/snapies/3934856469/ImageRightfrom:http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Teamwork_g404‐Multiracial_Kids_Holding_Hands_p43355.htmlp.8:ImageofHumanBodywithChakrasfrom:http://www.rickrichards.com/Chakras.htmp.10:ImageofHumanBodywithChakras&Nadisfrom:http://mysticrebels.com/kundalini.htmp.13:ImageofOmSymbolfrom:http://wiki.white‐wolf.com/camwiki/images/1/11/Om_symbol.jpgp.18:ImagesofYantras:ImageLeftfrom:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madhubani_Mahavidyas.jpg

ImageMiddlefrom:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dhumavati_yantra_color.jpg

ImageRightfrom:http://www.flickr.com/photos/arjuna/267145206/

p.21:ImageofYogaAsanasfrom:http://www.mat‐yoga.com/wp‐content/uploads/2011/09/Yoga‐Postures‐Asanas.jpg

For Further Information Yoga‐Introduction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e77exc7ukI http://www.sivananda.eu/en/sivananda‐yoga.html

Yoga‐Anatomy: http://www.rickrichards.com/Chakras.htm http://ramakrishnanandayoga.com/1003/astral‐body‐nadis‐koshas/

Yoga‐Asanas: http://www.yoga‐age.com/modern/asanas.html http://www.sivananda.eu/en/yoga‐postures.html

Yoga‐Pranayama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjB‐gg32xjA

Meditation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx_lOv_9ijE http://www.deepakchopra.com/video/view/69/live_meditation_with_deepak_chopra http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0rSmxsVHPE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TP2c0gLHH0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNruveUaeRg&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd‐Pslr4GIw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlCakXzJjOo&feature=related