Topic - Prana

Sarah's Yoga

Topic - Mantra

What is a mantra? Mantra is a Sanskrit word translated as meaning ‘the force that liberates the mind’. Mantras are considered to be ancient sounds that express feeling rather than concepts, emotions rather than ideas. It is said[1] that mantras originated in the birth of language itself and when you chant a mantra you are chanting sounds that come from the source of all life itself. A mantra or mantrams are sacred words, phrases, texts or syllables which are thought, spoken, sung or chanted with growing attention and awareness. When a mantra is repeated in meditation, with practice it will bring the individual to a higher state of consciousness. Mantras are sounds or energies that have always existed in the Universe and can neither be created nor destroyed. Since the mind wanders so much and so easily, the rhythm, vibration, sounds and the meaning of a mantra can guide the mind back to the object of the individuals focus to the point of meditation.

[1] Yoga in Practice, Katy Appleton, Mantra, page 177

There are six qualities common to any true mantra [1]
v     It was originally revealed to and handed on by a guru/sage
v     It has a certain metre and presiding deity
v     It has a ‘bija’ or seed at its essence which invests it with special power
v     It has divine cosmic energy or shakti
v     It has a key which must be unlocked through constant repetition before pure consciousness is revealed

[1] The New Book of Yoga, The Sivananda Yoga Centre, Mantras, page 96

There are three main types of mantrams –

Saguna – mantrams that invoke specific deities or aspects of the Absolute

Ø      Bhakti – based primarily on the text of the Baghavad Gita, a mantra that is a devotional chant used in a group or alone - chanting and saying the names of God over and over to various tunes. By giving love to the deity, mediators’ surrender themselves to the divine and therefore let go of their own ego. An example is - Om Hari Om or Hare Krishna

Nirguna – the abstract mantra where the meditator identifies with the Absolute

Ø      Mahavakya - A great statement quite often derived from the Upanishads. The meaning of which is reflected on and understood and then deepened by permanent repetition. An example is Aham Brahmasmi from the Yajur Veda: "I am Brahman". A variant of this is Soh 'Ham: "I am" or Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah - The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.[1]

Bija – seed mantrams which are aspects of OM and derive directly from the 50 primeval sounds.

These are sounds on the exhalation (usually of one syllable) that are used for the vibration that they make. The mind focuses on the sound being made whilst aiming on improving the prana flow within the body. The best known Bija Mantram is one based on the sounds of each of the 7 main chakras –
Ø      lam – pelvic floor
Ø      vam – between pubic bone and navel
Ø      ram – solar plexus
Ø      yam – heart
Ø      ham – throat
Ø      om – third eye
Ø      and then silence.

There are two other types of mantra which tend to not as well known or used.

Upchara – is a therapy mantram used to treat specific ailments. They should only be used by a experienced mantra healer as mantras are very powerful and could be subject to misuse in the wrong hands.

Sidda – is concentrating using the vibration of a mantram to tap into specific life force energies and potential change the energy for specific arms or material benefits. Such as for healing homes, business premises etc: for improvement of relationships, business growth and professional life.

[1] The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Chapter 1, verse 2

Topic - Personal Mantra

Personal Mantra – Japa and Ajapa

Japa means repeating or remembering the mantra, and Ajapa-Japa means constant awareness. The letter A in front of the word Japa means without. Thus, Ajapa-Japa is the practice of Japa without the mental effort normally needed to repeat the mantra. In other words, it has begun to come naturally, turning into a constant awareness.

A personal mantra is often given to an individual by a guru or may come to you in a dream or being drawn towards a particular phase or sound or it can be by a recommendation. For example in Patanjali, Chapter 1, verses 27 – 30, it is told that by the continual practice of repeating OM and reflecting on its meaning, all obstacles will disappear and simultaneously draw knowledge from the Inner Self.

Once an individual has a personal mantra, it should be kept to oneself and not divulged to anyone else and not change from one mantra to another.

Personal mantras can be practiced out loud or silently working on thoughts as if you are talking to yourself in your mind. Personal mantrams can be used to help solve a specific problem or be a life long meditation aid. Mala beads (108 on each strand) are often used to help this practice, by touching the beads each time the mantra is said or thought in multiples of 108.

Ajapa is the constant awareness of the mantra using the rhythm of the breath. An example is So Ham. The Soham mantra has been called the universal mantra because of the fact that its vibration is already a part of the breath, and everybody breathes. Sooooo... is the sound of inhalation, and Hummmm... is the sound of exhalation. This mantra can be used throughout the day or can be used in conjunction with various pranayama techniques –

First, work with the diaphragmatic breathing and awareness of Soham mantra at the space just below the breast bone, at the upper abdomen.
Second, allow attention to flow up and down along the spine with the Soham manta, exhaling down from the top of the head to the base of the spine, and then inhaling upwards.
Third, come to rest at the bridge of the nostrils for meditation on the Soham mantra, feeling the touch of the air in the nostrils.

Topic - Kirtan chanting

Kirtan chanting

Kirtan is the chanting of sound syllables, and is an active meditation that may precede a period of silence. It is often in Sanskrit, but may be in any language.
Kirtan can be practiced alone, , or in a group for personal and world peace. Chanting the mantra sounds of kirtan elicits a feeling of well-being, calmness and harmony.
Instruments for kirtan include the harmonium, rhythm instruments, and others, or just voices.

There are numerous reasons why mantras are used:-

Ø It is a powerful way of keeping us in the Present and stilling our "monkey mind", which is forever jumping uncontrollably from one thought to anotherØ They can still the body effectively tranquillizing body and mind without any detrimental effectsØ Take awareness to the breathing and by doing so enable us to improve the quality of our breathingØ Enable the vibrations of the sounds to unblock and move the energies within the bodyØ To undo karmaØ To ultimately connect us with the divine and the spirit worldØ To trigger changes in consciousness awareness and experience great peace, profound silence and supreme joy

Topic - Prana

Prana

What is prana? There are a number of words and indeed sentences that are used to explain prana. I have chosen the following from a variety of reference books and material which I feel attempts to capture and to give some understanding of what prana is:-

Ø      Pra = constant, an = movement (Pranic Body)
Ø      the life force (Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha and Guiding Yoga’s Light)
Ø      vital energy (Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha)
Ø      divine spark (The Book of Yoga)
Ø      the basis of life (Hatha Yoga Pradipika)
Ø      cosmic force without which nothing moves or functions (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali)
Ø      that which is infinitely everywhere (The Heart of Yoga)
Ø      the tangible manifestation of the higher Self (Hatha Yoga Pradipika)
Ø      sum total of all energy that is manifest in the universe (The Science of Pranayama)
Ø      vital energy force sustaining life and creation (Hatha Yoga Pradipika)

Wow…so nothing major then! It seems to me that if you don’t have prana, you have nothing…there is no you or indeed anything else. As individuals we take this life force very much for granted. Yogis are far more reverent…they understand how fundamental prana is to our very existence in this current life. The amount of prana held within the body varies. We may not be conscious of this but once we start to understand, Yoga is an excellent way of living to increase, be aware and utilize the level of prana.

Most people understand that Prana refers to the breath and although that is true, Prana is much more than that. Prana is in, around, inside, outside absolutely everything ….whatever moves or works or has life is but an expression or example of Prana. It is a subtle form of energy that is carried in air, food, water and sunlight, and animates all forms of matter. It is present even when you are asleep. It is the vital link between the astral body (ego, spirit) and the physical body. Prana flows through the pranic body via the nadis (subtle channels, comparable to the meridians of acupuncture). The asanas and pranayama (yoga breathing techniques) are used to purify the nadis because when the nadis are blocked, prana cannot flow properly and poor physical and mental health can be the result.

As we learn practices like pranayama we can start to understand how to guide and increase prana, how to store it and use it. We can use this energy to dissolve obstructions so that the prana can move freely giving us a sense of lightness, strength and great vitality. As long as the prana stays within the body, the body will be alive…but once the prana leaves the body, the body and mind will cease to be. Therefore as long as we inhale, exhale and retain the breath we will continue to take in the prana. However, it is the use of the mind whilst taking in the prana which is fascinating. Most of us inhale and exhale automatically, without any thought of what we are doing or how it is affecting us. The quality of prana that we have within the body is linked with the state of our mind. The use of pranayama (breath extension/control) can influence the flow of prana through the breathing exercises and the quality of our breath influences the state of our mind. Our mind effects our breathing, we breath faster when excited and we breath slower and deeper when we relax. If we are to alter our prana, we must learn how to influence the mind. Prana is found both inside and outside the body. The more content you are, the more prana you hold inside, if you are dysfunctional or unhappy, there is more prana on the outside. By the use of pranayama we are aiming to have all the prana inside the body.

What I take from all of this …is that if we can bring our mind and energy bodies together by using the prana to its best effect ie keeping as much inside our bodies as possible and having as few blockages inside as we can…. then we will be able to function in this world with a clear mind, with an objective perspective and with huge capacity to love in our hearts.

Topic - relaxation

Relaxation and why it is so important....

The technique of relaxation is an essential part of yoga practice and when you attend a yoga class, the relaxation time at the end of the class is the time that tends to appeal to everyone, especially in the beginning and if you are new to yoga. Life can be very hectic at times and we all have different ways of coping with the stress of every day living and this also means that we have often forgotten how to relax. The state of our minds and the state of our bodies are intimately linked. If the muscles are relaxed, then your mind will also be relaxed but if the mind is anxious, then the body suffers too. We tend to think that relaxing is watching television or reading a book. But deep relaxation is when the mind can be freed from thought and enables the body and mind time to restore the balance within. We can re learn how to let the mind enter into a period of quiet without any citta (the activity of thought waves). This is not an easy activity for us to achieve –it takes practice and is hard mental work!

Atmosphere for relaxing

Just as we have a warm, comfortable and safe environment for the yoga class, this is continued through to the relaxation session. When we are about to start the relaxation session, I think it is important to create an appropriate atmosphere, so some or all of the following may happen
Ø     Certain types of asanas towards the end of the yoga practice to start preparing the body for relaxation
Ø     Asking students to put on warm clothing/blanket, take off glasses
Ø     Dim the lights, draw curtains
Ø     Lighting an incense stick
Ø     Music playing in the background for the first few minutes
Ø     The ringing of a singing bowl/chimes and listening to the vibration
Ø     Saying Om

The pose mainly used for relaxation is Shavasana (corpse pose), where the body is lying on the floor on the back. Feet a few inches apart and rolled outwards and arms a few inches away from the sides of the body with the palms facing the ceiling.   Some of you may find that this position causes a pain in the lower back; you can still lie on your back but bend your knees and place feet flat on the floor. Or you may prefer to sit either on the floor, on a chair or with your feet up against a wall. It is important that you feel able to relax the muscles completely and feel fully supported in whatever position you are in.

Techniques used for relaxation: There are a number of methods that can be used that are not complicated and can be used at whatever level of yoga you practice. These are a few examples Abdominal breathing – place the left hand on the abdomen, right hand on the chest. Inhale and expand the abdomen, feeling the left hand move when the abdomen rises, when exhale, feel the left hand lower when abdomen contracts and falls back towards the floor. The right hand does not move at all. This can be developed further by learning the full yogic breath – breathing into the abdomen, thoracic and clavicle areas, again the hands can be used to help focus your attention. Breathing – I will ask you to take your attention to your breathing, listening to the breath, is it cooler on the inhalation, warmer on the exhalation, do you favour one nostril or the other? Are you aware of the natural break in between the inhalation and exhalation? We may go on to deepen the breathing, breathing in for a count of two, holding for one and exhaling for a count of two or counting backwards from a number often 50 or 27 on each exhalation. Progressive Relaxation – this is when you tighten and release each part of the body by itself on both sides. We may begin either with your head or your feet, then moving down or up the body respectively. For example, beginning with your lower body, firmly tense your toes as tightly as possible and hold the tension. Then, very slowly, release the toes. Now, move up to your feet. Firmly tense them, hold the tension, then slowly release the feet. Continue the tensing and releasing until you reach the top of your head. You can tense and relax both sides simultaneously or one at a time. Autogenic Relaxation - Autogenic Relaxation is similar to progressive relaxation in that the whole body is engaged, one part at a time. Rather than tensing the muscles, you'll say, "My toes are warm" three times and feel the blood moving to that part of the body to warm it. Then you move to the feet. "My feet are warm." You'll find that your muscles are more relaxed when they're warm. Visualization – this can be used in a number of ways – talking about a journey - for example, through a gate, across a field, onto a boat, landing at an island, leaving troubles on island and coming back again through same route. Asking you to visualize a place where you were really happy, how that felt, what was around you…. Visualizing a light traveling round the body, warming the muscles and joints. Asking you to visualize your bodies floating, becoming light, empty or feeling heavy and sinking into the floor, filling up with water or energy….

Chakras – We may go on a journey through the body and concentrating on each of the seven energy chakras, thinking about blockages and how to free them, the colours of the chakras and how to use the chakras in daily life

Problems that may occur You can never be sure how you are going to respond to the relaxation session – some will really enjoy it and may even fall asleep. What we are encouraging is for our minds to stay with one thing and not be distracted by lots of other thoughts….so whilst falling asleep is natural, if you can stay focused, you will achieve maximum benefits. Some may find it uncomfortable for their body– if this is the case, let me know, as there are different positions you can use or make use of blankets pillows etc. Some people may have an emotional reaction to the session – happy or sad. It can be quite a shock and can leave some feeling sick, drained of energy or wanting to scream, shout or cry. It is perfectly normal to have these emotional reactions…..but please come to me and explain how you are feeling. However it is important to note that I am not a qualified counselor, that I will only be able to give general advise and reassure you that the response you have had is not that common but it is not unusually and if the problem is too big for you to deal with – I will suggest that you seek and receive professional advice. You also need to know that you will not always have such a strong reaction and I would encourage you to continue to partake in the relaxation session.

My own experience: I practice Transcendental Meditation which is a form of deep relaxation and have experienced some very different moods afterwards. I have cried during and afterwards and when reflected realized that I had been holding on to too much emotion whilst trying to deal with a problem and hadn’t let go and this was my body’s way of saying that I needed too. I have also experienced a fantastic feeling of lightness and have felt my body lose all its edges and be at one with the space around me. Fantastic – makes me smile just thinking about it…

I do find that although I can practice anywhere, I do have certain places together with my meditation blanket and a particular type of incense burning when I am able to relax much quicker and go much deeper. This is not always the case and often I don’t feel like my mind has rested at all, I have had constant citta throughout, but as my meditation tutor always says – at least you have given your mind an opportunity to relax and each time will be a different experience…keep practicing.