What is yoga?

Yoga is a mind and body practice with a 5,000-year history in ancient India, falling within the scope of psychology and philosophy before it developed into anything physical. In its oldest form, yoga enables us to ask deep questions as to the nature of consciousness philosophy. According to Patanjali, who wrote the Yoga Sutras, yoga is a science of the mind.

What are the yoga sutras?

The Yoga Sutras are a compilation of short and instructive sentences. Each is designed to explore and explain what yoga is, how it works, how it might be practiced and what the benefits are to the practitioner. It is attributed to Patanjali, about whom little is known.

Patanjali tells us what Yoga is; “citta vritti nirodhah”.

This translates as: ‘the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is yoga’. 

What this means is that yoga is a practice which disarms the (often powerful) fluctuations of the mind. It is a common principle in Eastern philosophy that mental fluctuations, driven by attachment to things; ideas, people, are the cause of suffering, and that enlightenment is a release from suffering.

The Yoga Sutras also explore the negative influence that the ego (our self-identity) can have on a person and the dangers of pursuing things for the sake of prestige or power rather than for their own sake.

So by limiting the perception of need we limit the impact of these mental ripples, or,

– by calming the tempestuous, noisy nature of the thinking mind, we may be able to see more clearly.

– by seeing more clearly we may develop a more accurate view of the nature of reality and ourselves within it, and in doing so, find a deeper sense of peace.

What is pranayama?

Pranayama is a practice relating to the control and regulation of the breath through specific breathing techniques and exercises. Pranayama exercises help us to clear physical and emotional blocks or obstacles in the body so that the breath, and prana, can flow freely.

The Sanskrit word Pranayama comes from Prana (life energy) and Ayama (to extend, draw out). When this energy flows through your body, it creates inner expansion. 

Pranayama uses the breath to direct and expand the flow of prana through energy channels in our bodies - called the nadis. While attention to the breath is a central part of any yoga practice, Pranayama involves specific breathing exercises that can either be practised on their own, or as part of a Hatha yoga (physical yoga) practice.

Pranayama is the fourth of Patanjali’s 8 limb path of yoga following the Yamas, Niyamas and Asana. It prepares the mind and body for the next four limbs of yoga:

"When we practice Pranayama the veil is gradually drawn away from the mind and there is growing clarity. The mind becomes ready for deep meditation" (yoga sutra 2.52)

Learning how to improve this flow through these breathing techniques will not only help you increase your Prana, but will also improve your health, giving you more strength, energy and increased vitality.

It is through Pranayama that we regulate breath and body chemistry and emotions indirectly, while preparing the inner environment for meditation. Proper breathing helps to improve your lung capacity, calm the mind, detoxify the body, and rebalance your life energy.

4 types of Pranayama:

Abdominal breathing (Foundation of all Pranayamas)

Full Yogic breath (Increased awareness)

Kapalabhati (For purification, removing all toxins)

Anulom Vilom (Balancing the lunar and solar)

What is meditation?

"Meditation" means to reflect upon, ponder, or contemplate.

Through practicing yoga asanas we enhance both our capacity for concentration and our ability to bring the body into a relaxed state. The two most important requirements for a successful meditation practice.

In the yogic context, meditation, or dhyana, is defined more specifically as a state of’ pure consciousness’.

A beautiful methodology within yogic tradition is designed to reveal the interconnectedness of every living thing. This fundamental unity is referred to as advaita. According to the Yoga Sutras, our pain and suffering is created by the misperception that we are separate from nature. Meditation is the realisation that we aren’t separate, an actual experience of this unionwith the world around us.

This experience can help us to cultivate understanding, compassion and acceptance within us, offering a more gentle and open approach to our experiences.

The way most of us ‘talk’ to ourselves cam be really critical, unkind, and impatient. We often shame and ridicule ourselves and in turn others. Meditation offers a way to observe this internal relationship and be more active in choosing how we want to be on relation to ourselves and others.

Begin each meditation with a commitment to be present like a loving and loyal friend, committing not to turn away from any thought, sensation or belief that arises, to show loving kindness for all of you and trust that it’s all valuable. The important thing is to not abandon yourself during your practice.

In this tender space you may hear new things, witness emotions that have never surfaced before, experience tremendous gratitude, or maybe just be bored and unable to sit with the nothingness, all is valuable and pushes us to understand our inner world better. Realising fears, limitations and blocks as well as opening up our creative expression, self-compassion and acceptance.