YOGA
......................................one love

Meditation

“Meditation is a state of relaxed alertness.  It is a tool to clear and calm your mind.  It’s good for you mentally, and many studies show that meditation promotes better health.  During meditation your brain produces relaxing alpha and theta waves.  Your heart rate slows down, lowering blood pressure and relaxing your muscles.”  Osho

Hatha Yoga

“Classically, yoga is defined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, one of the most significant of the yoga texts, as “citta vritti nirodahah” or “the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind”.  In yoga, these vritti, or “waves” of the mind are referred to as monkey mind.  The “practice” of yoga is this actual effort to direct the mind towards one-pointedness, without distraction or interruption, and to calm and steady this wild monkey that jumps around in the jungle from branch to branch.  It is this state of focused mind, which takes many years of yoga practice to achieve, that a greater clarity of vision and deeper understanding of “self” develops.  Resting in the present moment, the mind and body are joined and individual consciousness can then “know” its connection to universal, or “divine” consciousness.  Once experienced, this state is recognized as the true nature of “Self”....Composed by the sage Patanjali around 300 or 400 BC, the Sutra presents the yoga teachings in a coherent and systemized format.  Most modern yogis regard it as the heart of yoga and the source of their lineage.  It describes the eight limbs of yoga, which are 1) yama (restraint), 2) niyama (observances), 3) asana (posture), 4) pranayama (breath control), 5) pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), 6) dharana (concentration), 7) dhyana (meditation) and 8) samadhi (super consciousness, or bliss).

While the goal of “self-realization” is rarely what most beginners in yoga have in mind at the onset, the slow, steady, and gradual awakening that comes from a regular and earnest practice, no matter what the method, brings change.  This change often includes very tangible aspects of personal transformation, like improved health and vitality, reduces stress and “dis-ease), and increased sense of well-being and feelings of generosity, compassion, and understanding.  What may have started, for example, as a curiosity about yoga or a purely physical pursuit of the yoga postures for increased fitness and flexibility, has now become a vehicle for emotional growth and spiritual adventure.” Beryl Bender Birch (yogi)
Since the importation of yoga to Western culture many styles or ways to teach traditional Hatha yoga have been developed.  Astanga yoga, Iyengar yoga, Moksha yoga, Bikram yoga, power yoga, to name a few, are all hybrids of Hatha yoga.  Some styles flow from posture to posture, others practice in a very hot room.  Some styles practice different postures each day and others follow the same routine with every practice.  Angela started her training in yoga with Astanga Yoga and traditional Hatha yoga.  Over time, she has been exposed to many other forms and found that depending on her state of mind and physical needs, which change from moment to moment, that it is wise to have more than one form to draw upon.   An interdisciplinary approach to guiding yoga practice is cultivated at Sodhana Yoga  Traditional Hatha yoga will be the focus of each class with short explorations into various new styles depending on the students needs.  In the spirit of limitless expansion “you come to the place where all paths meet, and you achieve lasting peace of mind.” Bhagavad Gita

Astanga Yoga

Astanga yoga is a combination of six routines developed by Plata Jois.  The moves (asana) all come from the hatha yoga lineage.  Most people spend their lives working on the first routine called the Primary Series.
The routine consists of ten Sun Salutations which are a warm up.  Following, is a series of standing postures.  Then a series of seated postures and finally a closing sequence.  The routine is done in time with one's breath so it becomes a moving meditation.  The practice is hypnotic and dynamic.   It is powerful way to raise your awareness of your physical body, your breath and your energetic Self.  This practice will help to develop strength and flexibility in the body and mind.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa means "intelligent sequencing".  Astanga yoga is practices in a "vinyasa" form.  In that there is a sequence to the postures.  However, it is possible to practice in the vinyasa form and not follow the astanga routine.  Vinyasa teachers can combine any postures they feel are advantageous to the student in a flowing and melodic way.  Vinyasa can be practiced slow or fast and classes can be remarkably different from teacher to teacher. 


                                                    ALL LEVELS WELCOME

ANYONE WHO CAN BREATHE CAN PRACTISE YOGA
          
What is Yoga?

Yoga means "union", to "bind" or "to yoke".  One can not really "do" yoga.  Yoga is a state of mind.  It is the realization that your energetic body  is part of  a universal life force and that although we have the perspective that we are all individuals really we are part of a much greater whole. 
People practice yoga for many reason.  Some for spiritual enlightenment, others to learn how to relax the mind and for to some help with physical ailments.  It is not important why one practices yoga.  What one takes away from their experience is as personal and as individual as the student themselves.
There are many paths to the state of yoga.  Practicing physical postures, breathing exercises, meditation, chanting, charitable efforts, to name a few.  Within each of these practices there are also more sub cultures.   Below is a description of the various approaches that Angela offers.