Therapeutic Yoga

Yoga has become all the rage here in the West. This Eastern practice has been fully embraced, and in just a few decades, yoga studios have popped up everywhere, and videos and yoga related clothing and products have become widely available. One would be hard pressed to find a Westerner who hasn’t at least heard of yoga. I was introduced to the practice in my angsty teen years. I attended class once a week at the local community center and practiced at home with a Rodney Yee DVD. In the twenty something years since this initial introduction, I’ve attended classes at countless studios, completed an intensive yoga teacher training, practiced regularly on my own, taught group and private classes and owned a studio. As my own practice has evolved, my interest has shifted from athleticism to a more therapeutic approach. In this post I’ll talk about tradition vs. Western adaptation, break down some of the various styles of yoga, and finally discuss how yogic practices can be applied to create balance between body and environment.

Yoga's Roots

As you probably know, yoga is an extremely ancient spiritual practice. It has been around for at least 5,000 years, though there is good evidence that it is much, much older. There is historical evidence of the practice in the Rig Veda, a sacred text of the Indus-Sarasvati civilization of Northern India. The practice was introduced to the West in masse in the 1960s. Though yoga was undoubtedly developed and specialized in India, there is compelling evidence that it originated in ancient Egypt or possibly from an even older civilization. Many Egyptian hieroglyphs seem to be pictorial representations of yoga asana (poses or shapes) and when examining the deeper spiritual implications of the hieroglyphs, they are in alignment with the deeper meanings behind the postures that have been passed down through the ages. If this subject interests you, I highly encourage you to explore the work of Dr. Muata Ashby. Reading his books and exploring them through practice and meditation deepened and expanded my practice tremendously.

Benefits

Though yoga is a wonderful form of exercise (and I do mean wonderful!), its original purpose was primarily spiritual, with the physical benefits being a mere side effect. When practiced correctly, yoga protects the joints by taking each joint through a full range of motion, it stretches and strengthens the muscles and provides cardiovascular benefits. It’s your warm-up, cardio, strength training, stretching and cool down all in one practice that can be done almost anywhere with no equipment. In my opinion, it is a perfect form of exercise. But if we eliminate the spiritual aspects, not only are we limiting the potential benefits, but it is possible to do harm by creating or exacerbating imbalances in the body.

Mysticism

Yoga is a mystical tradition, meaning that its purpose is to guide the practitioner towards self-discovery of the divine. It is not a religion, though it can be utilized to enhance and deepen understanding of religious and spiritual concepts. Though the language and ideas of the prominent religions within Indian culture (namely Hinduism and Buddhism) have seeped into the practice over the centuries, yoga is neither synonymous with these religions nor contradictory to other religions. The practices are universal and can be successfully adapted to suit many cultures and religions. Its purpose is to help us to discover and embody universal laws.

Our ancient ancestors had a much better understanding of scientific principles than we give them credit for. In modern Western culture, we tend to view time in a linear way. The assumption is that humanity developed step-by-step from a primitive and limited world view to our current, and more advanced, scientific culture. When approaching the topic of what we refer to as the “gods and goddesses” of our “primitive” or “pagan” ancestors, we tend to dismiss them as the folly and superstition of an uneducated and underdeveloped people. However, upon deeper examination, there seems to have been much more to the gods and goddesses of the ancients. For example, we typically translate the ancient Egyptian (Kemetic) word neteru as “god” or “goddess”. This term is used repeatedly in hieroglyphs to describe the Egyptian pantheon. You are probably familiar with some of these figures (Isis, Osiris, Horus, Set, Ra, Bastet, Hathor, Anubis, etc.) However, a much more accurate translation of the word neteru is nature. It’s right there in the etymology. These figures were not literal humanoid (or alien) beings, they were ways of expressing and demonstrating cosmic laws. For many of us, the complex concepts and principles presented by modern day physics are difficult to conceptualize. When these cosmic principles are anthropomorphized, however, they are easier to visualize understand. I encourage you to read or reread the story of Isis and Osiris, allowing Osiris (Ausar) to represent unmanifest consciousness or spiritual energy, Isis (Auset) as matter or life manifested on earth, Set as the restricting or containing forces of the universe which transform energy into matter and Horus (Heru) as the human soul. The story takes on a whole new dimension.

A sun salutation (surya namaskar) is not just a way to warm up the body, but a physical reenactment of the Kemetic story of the journey of Ra (Re), a representation of the sun’s journey as experienced from our perspective on Earth. It also represents the cyclical process of energy turning into matter and then back into energy again. Everyone’s favorite asana, savasana, traditionally done at the end of every yoga class, translates to “corpse pose”. It is representative of death or matter turning back into energy. It represents Osiris (Ausar). If we open ourselves to the deeper implications of the shapes we move through, yoga can be an enlightening experience. Viscerally acting out and experiencing natural laws through the body provides a much deeper understanding than what can be achieved by approaching these concepts on a purely cognitive level.

Sanskrit

Though I think it is both necessary and appropriate to adapt yoga to fit our own lives and culture, there are some aspects that cannot be altered without losing deeper meaning. One of these is language. I enjoy exploring the Kemetic concepts and language corresponding to the familiar postures, but since India has maintained the living practice of yoga through the centuries, I made a point to learn the Sanskrit words for the asanas. I’ve heard yoga instructors make up all kinds of names: sleeping pigeon, child’s pose, lizard pose, humble warrior, etc. Sometimes these are translations from the Sanskrit and sometimes they are completely made up. Though it is useful to know the English translation, I think it is a mistake to dismiss the Sanskrit words. Sanskrit (and the language of ancient Egypt) carry an intentional vibrational resonance that most modern languages lack. The words mean something. The sounds produced have an energetic effect on the world around us while pointing to the deeper meaning. In most of the yoga classes I attend, the only Sanskrit words I hear are savasana and namaste. The Sanskrit words are beautiful and help to provide more understanding and nuance to the practice. If you’ve been to a yoga class, you’ve heard “child’s pose”. This is when you sit back on your heels with your forehead to the ground, with arms extended alongside the legs or overhead. The Sanskrit word for “child’s pose” is balasana. However, balasana only refers to the posture with arms extended alongside the legs. When the arms are stretched overhead, the position is called bhaktasana which translates to “devotional pose”. Nuance.

When to Practice

Another aspect of yoga that is commonly ignored in the West, to our detriment, is when to practice. Traditionally, yoga is practiced before 9:00 am or after 9:00 pm. The reason for this is that it is hot in India and yoga should not be practiced in the heat. That’s right. It should not be practiced in the heat. It isn’t supposed to make you sweat profusely. Heat should not be used to make you more flexible. Overstretching can damage connective tissues and tear muscle fibers. Producing internal heat is one of the goals of yoga and doing this in the heat creates an imbalance, making it counterproductive. I don’t strictly adhere to the “before 9 or after 9” rule. I do practice in either the morning or the evening in a cool (not cold and definitely not hot) room. I absolutely avoid hot yoga and Bikram. Yoga should also be practiced on an empty stomach. This means 2 hours after and 30 minutes before a meal. Certain asanas can interfere with digestion, and we can better balance and work with our energy bodies when we are not busy digesting food.

Planetary Influences

Traditional yoga also takes planetary influences into consideration. The goal is to create balance between body and environment. The effect of the sun is strong on Sundays. This means we require more rest and hydration than on other days of the week. This is not the day for power yoga. Something slower and gentler (such as a traditional hatha practice) is more balancing on Sundays. Mondays are influenced by the moon. This is also a good day for hatha with a focus on feminine and “watery” postures. Think matsyasana (fish pose), ardha chandrasana (half-moon pose), matsyandrasana (lord of the fishes pose), utkata konasana (powerful angle pose, more commonly known as “goddess pose”), and malasana (garland pose). Moving through these shapes slowly and steadily supports emotional regulation. Tuesdays are influenced by Mars, making us stronger, more powerful and more combative. This is the day for strong vinyasa or power yoga. Mercury’s influence is dominant on Wednesdays, making it a great day for problem solving, logic and communication. Inversions and yin yoga are especially beneficial. Thursdays belong to Jupiter, the planet of expansion. Jupiter tends to make us feel lethargic and heavy. It’s a great day to rest or to at least make your practice restful. Restorative yoga is ideal. Fridays are influenced by Venus, the planet of love and friendship. Our bodies respond well to movement, a great day for vinyasa and to make time for our loved ones. And finally, Saturdays are dominated by the energies of Saturn. Your yoga practice will be most balancing if you include postures that simultaneously challenge the left and right hemispheres of the brain (garudasana – king of the birds pose or eagle pose and gomukhasana – cow face pose are both great for this).

Vinyasa

Next, I’d like to cover to some of the different styles and brands of yoga as I commonly see them advertised in studios. In my area, the most common type of yoga class by far is vinyasa. Vinyasa is the linking of breath and posture and is characterized by moving quickly from posture to posture (typically one shape per inhale and one shape per exhale). This style was popularized by Yogi Pattabhi Jois. These classes typically begin with a quick warm-up, followed by repetitions of surya namaskar (sun salutations) with creative variations thrown in, and ending with a cool down and savasana. These classes are highly aerobic and repetitive and typically do not allow much time for exploration of the asanas. I’ve seen these types of classes advertised in various ways such as flow, power vinyasa, Ashtanga (more rigid, with a set of asanas building upon each other), slow vinyasa, gentle vinyasa or even hatha, though the “hatha” I learned is very different. This style is trendy and readily available. In my experience, a lot gets lost in the constant movement of vinyasa, though it does have its benefits. When I attend a vinyasa class, I seek out classes advertised as “slow vinyasa” or “gentle vinyasa”.

Hatha

The style I prefer is hatha, though I’ve also seen it referred to as alignment based yoga or Iyengar yoga (Yogi B.K.S. Iyengar introduced this style to the West). A traditional hatha class will spend a little more time on the warm-up and surya namaskar (sun salutations) are typically confined to the warm-up portion of class. The bulk of a hatha class focuses on slow movement through a series of standing and sitting postures (about one minute per asana). There is a much greater focus on alignment than in a typical vinyasa class. More specific instructions are given in each asana, creating muscle memory and allowing time to experience the more subtle nuances of each position. There’s not much repetition and a cool-down period featuring even longer holds (and traditionally inversions and savasana) is provided at the end.

Yin

Yin yoga is a relatively new style developed by martial artist Paulie Zink and revolutionized by the work of Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers. Though this is not a traditional style of yoga, its benefits are tremendous. It is grounding, incredibly balancing in our fast-paced society, and it has become one of my favorite styles to practice. A yin class is done entirely on the floor (meaning no standing postures are practiced) and each asana is held for 3-5 minutes. Rather than engaging the muscles as in other styles, the goal of yin is to completely relax the muscles, allowing the bones and the floor to support the body’s weight. Relaxing the muscles and holding each posture for extended periods of time, allows increased blood flow to the connective tissues, which can repair damage over time. This style is both challenging and deeply meditative. Restorative yoga is an offshoot of yin. There is typically more focus on using props for support in a restorative class and postures are held a little longer (closer to 5 minutes). Only 8-10 asanas are practiced in a 60-minute class, so each shape is experienced in depth. These styles are complementary to vinyasa, which would be considered a “yang” style of yoga.

Kundalini

Kundalini yoga resembles hatha with a much greater emphasis on pranayama (breathing exercises), manta (chanting), mudra (hand positions) and meditation. This style of yoga most closely resembles traditional, Eastern yoga. In my experience, kundalini yoga classes are hard to find. The only place I’ve been lucky enough to find an in-person class is Hawaii. Traditionally, meditation is the most important aspect of yoga. Asana (yogic postures) were developed to strengthen the body in order to enable longer periods of seated meditation. Yoga is so much more than yoga asana. It is a way of life. It’s a brilliant eight-limbed spiritual system and if you would like to explore it at its roots, I recommend reading (and meditating on) The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Patanjali did a much better job of breaking down the whole system of yoga than I ever could. If you’re a serious student, read this book. And if you are fortunate enough to have a kundalini yoga class available in your area, I highly encourage you to try it out!

Ayurveda

There are other styles that I won’t go into due to lack of experience. There are some styles that I consider to be brands (such as Bikram) or trends (Acro-yoga), but just because I personally haven’t discovered their value, doesn’t mean they don’t have value. Yoga is meant to be balancing and since we are all different and subjected to different environmental factors, what is balancing for one person may not be for another. Yoga’s sister science, Ayurveda, uses the terms vata, pitta and kapha to generalize body types, foods and environmental conditions. Vata is the principle of air and ether, pitta is fire and earth and kapha is earth and water. The goal is to balance the three. A vata body type (thin, dry, quick moving and thinking) might find yin and restorative yoga to be balancing (especially in the spring and fall), even if it feels a bit uncomfortable to be still. A kapha type (thick, oily skin, big bone structure, lighter eyes and hair, slower movements) would benefit more from a yang style of yoga such as vinyasa or Ashtanga (especially in the winter). A pitta type may receive the most benefit from hatha and yin styles (especially in the summer). If you are interested in finding out more about this concept (doshas) and finding out your dominant dosha, there are many quizzes available to help you to determine your body type. I hope this has been helpful to both demystify some of the language used around yoga and to provide a deeper spiritual framework for your practice. Namaste!