Introduction to Yoga Christina Adair, RYT200

What we will cover today Yoga is everywhere – how can it help you and your clients History of Yoga 8 Limbs of Yoga Science of yoga and the modern lifestyle What does a modern yoga class look like? Sample yoga class

Yoga is everywhere – how can it help you and your clients Different brands of yoga - Hot Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Restorative Yoga Programs and sequences designed and marketed by a yoga teacher About 100 years ago, yoga came to the US through Hollywood housewives Postural yoga (Asanas) were taught to religious students (14 year old boys) Spiritual yoga is a whole lot older than that and involves meditation, enlightenment and can be like Buddhism

History of Yoga Historians are not sure when yoga first became a thing, some historians trace the roots of civilization that lead to historic yoga to a town in India as far back as 6,500 BC. Possibly a 5000 year old spiritual tradition. Yoga Sutra of Patanjali (196 thought-threads for the study of Raja Yoga – path of concentration and meditation) is the ancient text most agree captures the ideals of yoga from 400 CE (Common Era) (400 AD), compiles ideas from older traditions. There are three main historical (cultural) types of yoga, Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina, these are largely self-contained cultural developments in the Indian civilization. They have their own sets of scriptures, spiritual lineages, teaching, art and social patterns.

Hindu Yoga Hindu Yoga is usually the spiritual heritage that is mostly associated with yoga. Usually thought to be from about 1000 BC, yoga to control the senses and the mind. Raja Yoga (from Patanjali – Royal Path of Meditation) Karma Yoga (Path of Self-Transcending Service) Bhakti Yoga (Path of Self-Transcending Love) Kundalini Yoga or Tantra Yoga (Path of Goddess Power)

Jaina Yoga Jainism is a name given to the culture following the Guru Varhamana Mahavira or the Great Hero, who lived about 599 – 527 BC. (He is an older contemporary of Gautama the Buddha) Son of a local ruler, at age 30 decided to renounce the world, pulled out his hair, walked about naked and gave up all his possessions. He barely ate or drank, villagers beat him and verbally abused him, for 12 years, 6 months, and 15 days, then he obtained enlightenment He found a way out of suffering and its cause, spiritual ignorance Developed a following and began teaching others how to obtain enlightenment

Buddhist Yoga Gautama the Buddha, 563 BC – 483 BC Son of a minor ruler and gave up his princely life for hardship He only lasted 6 years before enlightenment. He found a “middle way” where he was able to sustain his body and still obtain enlightenment Four noble truths: Life is suffering The cause of suffering is craving Suffering can be stopped The noble eightfold path is the way to stop suffering

Yoga Spirituality compared to Religion Yoga is not a religion, but it does have some spiritual aspects that are different than Christianity. The struggle for liberation is in our own mind, Buddha did not believe in a divine agent whose grace could remove our suffering, he placed the responsibility for our happiness or unhappiness on ourselves. Karmic conditions for unhappiness, use 8 limbs to fix

8 Limbs of Yoga Interpersonal Ethics - yamas Personal Purification - niyamas Physical Posture - asana Breath Cultivation - pranayama Sense Withdrawal - Concentration - Absorption - Integration of the mind -

Yamas – Interpersonal Ethics Nonviolence – Ahimsa Truthfulness – Satya Non stealing – Asteya Non excess – Brahmacharya Non possessiveness – Aparigraha

Niyamas – Personal Purification Purity – Saucha Contentment – Santosha Self Discipline – Tapas Self Study – Svadhyaya Surrender – Ishvara Pranidhana

Science of yoga and the modern lifestyle Modern Yoga is not a religion but not totally an exercise class either Nervous system – needs to be in balance Sympathetic nervous system – Fight of Flight response Parasympathetic nervous system – Rest and Digest Modern Lifestyle stresses the sympathetic nervous system Yoga postures either activate the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous systems Postures, breathing, grounding, all help balance your system

What does a modern yoga class look like? Yoga teacher will welcome you to class and open the class with breathing and warm up exercises Sequences depend on the type of class and the individual teacher’s plans Generally a class will have some stretches, balancing poses, strength poses, floor work and then closing

Sample yoga class