Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
of Yoga
Abasictraining courseforbeginners
Acknowledgements
This publication is dedicated to the great Dr. Swami Gitananda
Giri Gurumaharaj of Pondicherry India, whose teachings have
inspired and enlightened so many along the path of yoga.
My eternal gratitude to his dharmapatni, Yogacharini Smt.
Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, and their son, Yogacharya Dr.
Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, through whom these wonderful
teachings have reached me, and who continue to light the way for
others with their selfless service to the great science of yoga.
Copyright 2007 by Yogacharya Michael Deslippe. All rights reserved. This material and/or any
accompanying video files may not be duplicated for any profit-driven enterprise.
Copyright Notice:
This document and all of the sunsequent documents of the 3Weeks of Yoga e-course is/are intended for personal, non-commercial
use. Reproduction and/or distribution of any of the contents of the 3 Weeks of Yoga e-course without the written consent of International Yogalayam is prohibited.
For more information, please contact International Yogalayam via their web site, at http://www.discover-yoga-online.com.
Important Notice:
Although the practices outlined within these pages, and within the pages of all of the lessons of
this e-course, are generally deemed safe, without personal guidance International Yogalayam
cannot ensure that the techniques described therein will be performed correctly and thus,
without harm.
By engaging in the practices described within this document and subsequent documents, and/
or demonstrated via any accompanying videos or other educational material, you agree to do
so at your own risk, and therefore personally assume all responsibility.
By proceeding in this lesson, as well as all of the subsequent lessons of this 3 Weeks of Yoga
e-course, you agree to abide by all of the TERMS and CONDITIONS for its use, as outlined by
International Yogalayam on its website.
Contents
How to Use this Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Course Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2
3
5
5
10
13
15
Day 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18
18
19
21
23
Day 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
29
31
31
32
33
33
Welcome to Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Warm Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vajra Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shava Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yoga Sadhana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preliminaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Learning Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vibhagha Pranayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Relaxation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foot and Ankle Kriyas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Eka Janu Vajra Kriya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pada Vajra Kriya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Day 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
37
Pranayama Part A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Vyaghrah Pranayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Sukha Pranayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Day 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
44
44
47
50
53
55
Day 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
58
58
61
62
65
66
Day 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
69
78
Yoga Sadhana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Trikona Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Day 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
88
Day 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
97
Kriya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Asana vs Kriya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Surya Namaskar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Pranayama Part B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Sukha Purvaka Pranayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Nadi Jnana Kriya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Day 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Awareness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Hathenas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Ushthra Asana Paravritti (Camel pose variation) . . . . . . . .
Sapurna Shasha Asana (Incomplete rabbit pose) . . . . . . . .
Sapurna Matsya Asana (Incomplete fish pose) . . . . . . . . .
Purna Shasha Asana (Complete rabbit pose) . . . . . . . . . .
112
113
114
115
Day 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Karma Part A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Hathenas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Sapurna Maha Mudra (the mighty tidal gesture) . . . . . . . . 122
Nikunja Asana (the flower bower pose) . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Day 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Brahma Danda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Hathenas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Sharabha Asana/Kriya (the griffin pose) . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Vyaghrah Pranayama (the tiger breath) . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Day 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
The Pranava AUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Pranava Pranayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Mukha Bhastrika . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
ii
Day 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Polarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Loma-Viloma Polarity Prakriyas . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Eka Pada Utthana Asana (the singe-leg lift) . . . . . . . . . . .
Shirsha Utthana Asana (the head lift) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ardha Shalabha Asana (the half-locus pose) . . . . . . . . . .
Unmukha Shirsha Utthana Asana (the head lift) . . . . . . . .
Dridha Eka Pada Utthana Asana (side leg lift) . . . . . . . . . .
Shirsha Utthana Asana (head lift) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stambhan Asana (the pillar pose) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ardha Dhanur Asana (half bow pose) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dridha Eka Pada Utthana Asana Paravritti (I) (side leg-lift) . . .
155
156
157
158
159
159
160
161
161
Day 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
The Yogic View of Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Pancha Kosha 5 Bodies of Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Loma-Viloma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
169
170
171
171
172
Loma-Viloma Kriya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Dwi Pada Utthana Asana (the double leg lift) . . . . . . . . . .
Utthana Asana with Danda Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shalabha Asana (the locus pose) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sharpa Asana (the serpent pose) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dakshina Dridha Eka Pada Utthana Asana Paravritti (II) . . . .
Day 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
The Yogic Diet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Pavana Mukta Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Eka Pada Pavana Mukta Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Dwi Pada Pavana Mukta Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Day 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Yama and Niyama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Paschimottana Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Day 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Svadhyaya Study of the Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Bhujanga Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Day 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Yoga Marga The Yogic Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ardha Matsyendra Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vakra Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Some Final Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
200
203
205
207
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
StudyMethod
Watch
Yoga
Video Clip
You will get the most out of this yoga training course by following
the lessons in their proper order and taking the necessary time to
practice and understand the teachings before moving on to the
next lesson.
Throughout the lessons, youll see a graphic image like
the example shown to the left here, indicationg when there is a
video accompanying the practical instruction. Clicking on this
graphic link will take you to the page on International Yogalayams website where you can view the video.
Please Note:
The videos that accompany the various lessons are not meant to be simply
watched alone, out of context, but rather as additional learning tools to accompany the instructional material of each lesson.
In order to gain the most benefit from all of the practices and techniques that
youll be introduced to in this course, they must be learned at the proper time,
and within the greater context of all the teachings of each particular lesson.
I recommend that you take your time and follow the course and all of the practices in the step-by-step manner in which it is designed.
Introduction
As we enter well into the 21st century, yoga has exploded in
popularity, growing into a multi-billion dollar industry visible at
nearly every turn in modern society. But along with this explosion has come much confusion and misunderstanding about
yoga. The newcomer to yoga finds him or herself confronted with
a ever-growing number of yoga styles and strange exercises that
often seem meant more for those endowed with youth and vitality rather than for the average person. Modern yoga culture, along
with the common way in which it is taught, and the image of it
that is constantly being portrayed today has done little to paint a
clear picture about this profound science from ancient India, and
even less to spread its many teachings in a comprehensive way.
It is for these reasons that I have developed this basic introductory yoga training program. Yoga is such a profound science
for health and wellbeing, personal growth and transformation,
and global harmony that its further dissemination across the globe
stands to benefit all of humanity in so many ways. Thus, the full
breadth of its teachings should be known, and it is my hope that
here you may begin to gain a better appreciation for all that yoga
has to offer.
You have found your way to this training program, which suggests that for whatever reason, yoga has sparked your interest.
These three weeks provide a mere introduction into the vast and
profound universe of yoga, a universe with limitless potential for
personal growth and transformation.
Welcome, my friend, to the wonderful world of yoga. May
your first steps into it be only the beginning of a lifelong ambition
of continued growth and evolution.
Yours in Yoga,
Yogacharya
Section
day
Welcome to Yoga
Day 1
What is Yoga?
Right from the beginning the newcomer to yoga is often beset
with the question, what is yoga, really? Certainly, with all of the
various ways in which the word yoga is being used today, and
all of the different styles and practices attached to it, even the
relatively experienced practitioner can be forgiven for their confusions and uncertainties about yoga.
With the mention of the word yoga, the traditional image of
a sage meditating for decades in a Himalayan cave, or an almost
naked renunciate contorting his body into strange postures and
going into trance may still come to mind. But now-a-days one
is even more likely to envision young, flexible people in a hip
studio in Los Angeles, clad in fashionable stretch-wear, being
guided through a mind-body-soul bending routine of breathing
and centering and stretching exercises. Is there a contradiction
here? Can these two pictures really co-exist under the same word?
Is there a modern misinterpretation of what the original yogis
meant with their system of physical and mental exercises?
Indeed, much confusion surrounds the term yoga today, to
a large extent a result of the fact that its propagation has seen a
veritable explosion around the globe, beginning for the most part
scarcely a century ago. Within the most recent decade, that explosion has reached near atomic proportions, with yoga finding
itself among the fastest growing trends in pop culture today a
multi-billion dollar industry that continues to extend its visage
into every, often seemingly un-yogic facet of modern day culture. But if one were to rely on the marketing images of yoga in
contemporary consumer culture, one would probably have a difficult time getting a valid picture of what yoga really is.
Yoga has been called a form of exercise. It has been termed
a religion. Others profess it as the supreme philosophy or the
definitive psychology. It is my hope that, through this basic introductory course, you will get a much better sense of just what this
ancient science is all about, and even be stimulated to explore it
much further.
day
Though the roots of yoga lie in ancient India and the values of
yoga have been protected for millennia within the structure
of Indian society, yoga itself is not merely an Indian science.
Nowhere in the teachings is it told that yoga is synonymous, for
instance, with Hinduism alone. As the revered Swami Gitananda
pointed out, through the practice of yoga one becomes better at
whatever one is: a better Christian, a better Muslim, a better Buddhist, a better Jew, a better Hindu... a better human being!
The term yoga itself comes from the ancient Sanskrit language. Its root Yuj means to join, to yoke together, to unify
or unite as one. The English word union could be seen to also
derive from this same source. In the simplest sense, it is the union
of body, mind and spirit. Though this unifying concept may
seem rather intangible to the novice, a gradual unfolding occurs
through the dedicated practice and study of yoga, through which
the practitioner ultimately comes to realize and experience the
unity of all creation. This is the union referred to in yoga a
re-union of the lower, worldly self with the Universal, higher
consciousness which the ancient sages call, moksha, samadhi,
kaivalya, jivana mukta. This is the true goal of yoga.
Yet these lofty goals take time to understand. The new practitioner of yoga should be aware of the profound potential of this
ancient science, yet not necessarily be overly consumed with
intellectualization in the beginning. The science of yoga takes
much time and study to fully know and experience, and much is
to be gained on the physical, mental and emotional levels along
the way. It is, however, important that yoga not be approached
in a purely materialistic manner alone, else one will find themselves, as is so often the case today, engaged in what amounts to
a mere system of physical fitness which is not truly deserving of
the word yoga nor representative of all that it has to offer.
day
He goes on to make the following comments comparing the modern man and the yogi:
day
Certainly, yoga has much to offer on all levels. Uncovering its full
potential takes a lifetime of dedication, study and practice. But
as with any new endeavour, one must start at the beginning. Yoga
provides a system of techniques and practices for the gradual
improvement of health and the unfoldment of understanding,
along with a well-trodden path to the highest of spiritual goals.
Yet the path of yoga holds many different goals for many different
people. Some may be content to find improvement on the level
of physical health. Others may yearn for greater mental and emotional stability. Some will even strive for the wisdom and understanding garnered through a deeper study of their inner self. And
a relative few will even be driven to the ultimate liberation (moksha) which lies at the pinnacle of this ancient science. Regardless
of your motivations, with effort, dedication, and above all else,
patience, you most certainly will find success through yoga.
Practising Yoga
The study of yoga involves practices for the development of
health and wellbeing on all levels, its system encompassing both
physical techniques as well as deeper intellectual inquiry and
self-analysis. The practice of yoga itself ultimately becomes an
outlook and approach to living that extends into all areas of life.
As part of a graduated system, it is most tangible to begin
with yoga on the physical level, in a systematic and gradual way.
Throughout this 3 weeks of training, a basic foundation will be
laid in both the methodology as well as the philosophical and
theoretical approach to yoga.
day
The Practice
Hatha is a Sanskrit word that can be translated to mean force
(or forceful). In hatha yoga this refers to the solar prana (ha) and
lunar apana (tha) forces (energies) and the practice of achieving
balance between them. Therefore, hatha yoga is the spiritual science of creating a perfect polarity or harmony (balance), through
proper body positioning and breath control, between the two
mighty energies of the universe, prana and apana as they manifest within the human organism. So then, with the philosophy of
doing a physical practice to achieve spiritual results, hatha yoga
developed primarily as a technology (system of physical practices) to create polarity (balance between opposites).
We will explore the concept of polarity, and speak further of
the various branches of yoga, including hatha yoga, in further lessons. For now it is enough to be aware of some of the components
of hatha yoga, which includes asana (position), pranayama (control of the vital energy, primarily via the breath), mudra (gesture),
bandha (holds), kriya (cleaning), etc.
Relaxation
An often overlooked aspect of yoga is the final relaxation. This
part of the practice is essential to the proper completion of any
yogic technique for the integration and harmonizing of the subtle energies manipulated during the practices. Yogic relaxation
is a conscious effort at relaxation. Though one may tend to fall
quickly into a sleep-like state upon normal relaxation, in yoga it
is very important that the attention be focused in some form of
structured relaxation for a period before allowing oneself to simply drift off.
The Warm Up
day
Sitting Jattis
Watch
Sitting
Jattis
Video Clip
Techniques:
Note: Perform each of these movements from 30 to
60 seconds, in a gentle and rhythmic fashion.
10
day
4 Lean back upon your arms and slowly roll the head and neck. Perform 3 circles in each direction.
11
12
day
Vajra Asana
In Sanskrit, vajra refers to Indras thunderbolt (Indra is known
as the king of the Gods). Therefore vajra asana is called the thunderbolt pose. The term vajra can also be translated as diamond,
and hence this posture is also often referred to as the diamond
pose.
Technique
Bring both the knees, as well as the feet and heels together.
Sit down upon the heels so that they are pressing directly
into the buttocks.
Keep the spine straight and vertical and the head and neck
in vertical alignment with the spine.
13
day
14
day
Shava Asana
Shava asana (pronounced sha wa asana) means the pose of the
corpse. It is the primary position used in yoga for relaxation, one
in which we attempt to literally mimic the lifeless state by completely letting go of all conscious tension.
Technique
Lie down on your back with the legs and feet together and
the arms straight down along the sides with the palms face
upwards.
Optimally, the head should be directed toward the north, or
if that is not possible, then toward the east.
15
day
16
Practices
Jattis
Perform each of the jattis for 30 to 60 seconds, and even repeat them all again 2 or 3 times if
desired.
Vajra Asana
Sit in vajra asana for 30 to 60 seconds, or as long as comfortable. If cramping or pain is felt,
straighten your legs and perform a few light jattis to relieve the pain.
Final Relaxation
Shava Asana