Abhyasa Yoga Center offers personal, breath-centered, therapeutic yoga practice that adapts to individual needs, including chronic or acute conditions (see essay "What Kind of Yoga Do You Teach?")
Abhyasa Yoga Center has group classes in two classifications:
Open - Vigorous practice for all levels of ability.
Basics - Easy program for cultivating & maintaining a strong foundation.
Those with acute injuries or chronic conditions are recommended to start with Basics, but all classes allow for adaptation to whatever ability. Sequences are designed to give an "all-body" program appropriate for the once-a-week student as well as the everyday practitioner. Students are encouraged to discover an incremental approach and a context for the practice ritual that allows the techniques to not only facilitate healing and maintenance of the body but also cultivate thought and behavior integral to health.
Below are some standard programs and chants (employed at the teachers discretion.)
For philosophical context, watch this excerpt from "Yoga of Heart" by Mark Whitwell:
To see the entire 45 min. video go to www.myspace.com/heartofyoga.
For more info on Mark's teaching, go to www.heartofyoga.com
Hatha Yoga Theory
First, we bring attention to our breathing apparatus. The breath becomes conscious and regulated, employing "oo-jai" pranayama (ocean-sounding breathing.) The body is engaged in syncronicity to the breath. Attention to breath, and body to that. Ultimately it becomes one thing: Attention-Breath-Body (or in the sanskrit "HA-THA.") "HA" is the exhale, giving of breath, masculine polarity, or Sun. "THA" is the inhale, receiving breath, feminine polarity, or Moon. The body is either moving with breath (one breath, one movement) or is moved by breath in a sustained position (or asana.) In both cases, whether it be a movement or a posture, the body organizes around the breath.
There is an energy system in the body from base of the spine to crown of the head. There are two "pathways" that double helix up the spine and each time they criss-cross there is a chakra, of which there are seven. What fuels this energy system is prana or chi or ki or bio-energy. The primary way that this fuel is taken into the system is through breathing. Broken down to its essential element, Hatha Yoga is one exhale and one inhale (HA-THA.) Inhale (energetically speaking) comes from above the system down into the fourth chakra (heart center. ) Exhale comes from below and rises up to merge with the inhale there at the heart.
This specific phenomena of breath is illustrated by the classical image of a sitting yogi, the body automatically takes an upright position of the spine with a lifted abdomen. The Shri Yantra (Four Triangles Up and Five Triangles Down) is a geometrical diagram of the same. There are four "core actions" of the body: back bending, forward bending, side bending, twisting. These body mechanics have breath movement that correspond: Inhale- back bending (breath to the 4th chakra), exhale- forward bending (lifting up to merge there), inhale- lengthening the spine, exhale- twisting. All asana is pranayama.
Square breathing in Savasana (6 count, 3-5 rounds)
Savasana (final relaxation - 5 min.)
Sukhasana (easy cross-legged seated position)
closing chant, yogic seal
chant 1
Asato Ma Sat Gamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor-Ma Amritham Gamaya
Lead me from the unreal to the real,
From darkness to light,
From death to immortality.
chant 2
Om
Bhur Bhuvah Svaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi
Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodayat
Swaha
The Dawning, the Day, and the Dusking,
Those most excellent daughters of the Sun,
The radiant forms coming from the Gods,
I meditate on you and reach out to you,
This is my offering.
I worship the three-eyed one who is
fragrant and who nourishes well all beings;
liberate us from death for the sake of
immortality even as “the cucumber is
severed from its bondage to the creeper.”
Abhyasa Yoga Center - 628 Metropolitan Ave. - Brooklyn, NY 11211 - 718.782.8272