The Sound of Om

By Richard Rosen

Mantras, sacred chants, come in all shapes and sizes. They can be composed of sentences, single words, or even single syllables; they can be perfectly intelligible or completely mystifying (at least to the uninitiated).

Single-syllable mantras, known as bija (seed) mantras, are the easiest to remember and recite; they're also the most powerful. It's believed that, just as a tiny seed contains a majestic tree, each bija contains vast amounts of spiritual wisdom and creative force. One of the oldest and most widely known of these seeds is om.

Om is frequently called the pranava, literally "humming," a word that derives from pranu, "to reverberate," and ultimately from the root nu, "to praise or command" but also "to sound or shout." It is the audible expression of the transcendental, attributeless ground of reality.

Om is the "primordial seed" of the universe--this whole world, says one ancient text, "is nothing but om." It is also considered to be the root mantra from which all other mantras emerge and to encapsulate the essence of the many thousands of verses of Hinduism's holiest texts, the Vedas. According to the Katha Upanishad (2.15), om is the "word which all the Vedas rehearse."

As such, om is the meditative seed par excellence. Patanjali--who wrote the Yoga Sutra and is considered to be the father of classical yoga--taught that when we chant this sacred syllable and simultaneously contemplate the meaning of it, our consciousness becomes "one-pointed: and prepared for meditation. In a commentary on the Yoga Sutra, the ancient sage Vyasa noted that through chanting om, "the supreme soul is revealed." In a similar vein, Tibetan scholar Lama Govinda wrote that om expresses and leads to the "experience of the infinite within us." Thus, chanting om may be the easiest way to touch the Divine within your very self.

Yogis often meditate on the four "measures," or parts, of om. Though commonly spelled om, the mantra actually consists of three letters, a, u, and m. (In Sanskrit, whenever an initial a is followed by a u, they coalesce into a long o sound.) Each of these three parts has numerous metaphysical associations, which themselves serve as meditative seeds. For example, a (pronounced "ah") represents our waking state, which is also the subjective consciousness of the outer world; u (pronounced "ooh") is the dreaming state, or the consciousness of our inner world of thoughts, dreams, memories, and so on; and m is the dreamless state of deep sleep and the experience of ultimate unity.

By contemplating the meaning of each of these letters as we chant them, we are led through the three states of our ordinary consciousness to the mantra's fourth part, the anusvara (after-sound): om. The vibration slowly dissolves into silence, symbolic of the transcendent state of consciousness, equated with Brahman (the Absolute). This silence is the crown of the mantra; it is described in the Maitri Upanishad as "tranquil, soundless, fearless, sorrowless, blissful, satisfied, steadfast, immovable, immortal, unshaken, enduring."

Yoga basics

By Cyndi Lee

1. What is yoga?

The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as "union" or a method of discipline. A male who practices yoga is called a yogi, a female practitioner, a yogini.

The Indian sage Patanjali is believed to have collated the practice of yoga into the Yoga Sutra an estimated 2,000 years ago. The Sutra is a collection of 195 statements that serves as a philosophical guidebook for most of the yoga that is practiced today. It also outlines eight limbs of yoga: the yamas (restraints), niyamas (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyani (meditation), and samadhi (absorption). As we explore these eight limbs, we begin by refining our behavior in the outer world, and then we focus inwardly until we reach samadhi (liberation, enlightenment).

Today most people practicing yoga are engaged in the third limb, asana, which is a program of physical postures designed to purify the body and provide the physical strength and stamina required for long periods of meditation.

2. What does Hatha mean?

The word hatha means willful or forceful. Hatha yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asanas or postures), and sequences of asanas, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones. The postures are also designed to open the many channels of the body—especially the main channel, the spine—so that energy can flow freely.

Hatha is also translated as ha meaning "sun" and tha meaning "moon." This refers to the balance of masculine aspects—active, hot, sun—and feminine aspects—receptive, cool, moon—within all of us. Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites. In our physical bodies we develop a balance of strength and flexibility. We also learn to balance our effort and surrender in each pose.

Hatha yoga is a powerful tool for self-transformation. It asks us to bring our attention to our breath, which helps us to still the fluctuations of the mind and be more present in the unfolding of each moment.

3. What does Om mean?

Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. It is said to be the sound of the universe. What does that mean?

Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us—that the entire universe is moving. Nothing is ever solid or still. Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Om. We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell.

Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves—the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant Om, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.

4. Do I have to be vegetarian to practice yoga?

The first principle of yoga philosophy is ahimsa, which means nonharming to self and others. Some people interpret this to include not eating animal products. There is debate about this in the yoga community—I believe that it is a personal decision that everyone has to make for themselves. If you are considering becoming a vegetarian, be sure to take into account your personal health issues as well how your choices will affect those with whom you live. Being a vegetarian should not be something that you impose on others—that kind of aggressive action in itself is not an expression of ahimsa.

5. How many times per week should I practice?

Yoga is amazing—even if you only practice for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of the practice. If you can do more than that, you will certainly experience more benefits. I suggest starting with two or three times a week, for an hour or an hour and a half each time. If you can only do 20 minutes per session, that's fine too. Don't let time constraints or unrealistic goals be an obstacle—do what you can and don't worry about it. You will likely find that after awhile your desire to practice expands naturally and you will find yourself doing more and more.

6. How is yoga different from stretching or other kinds of fitness?

Unlike stretching or fitness, yoga is more than just physical postures. Patanjali's eight-fold path illustrates how the physical practice is just one aspect of yoga. Even within the physical practice, yoga is unique because we connect the movement of the body and the fluctuations of the mind to the rhythm of our breath. Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual thought patterns without labeling them, judging them, or trying to change them. We become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment. The awareness that we cultivate is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or a goal to be completed. Your body will most likely become much more flexible by doing yoga, and so will your mind.

7. Is yoga a religion?

Yoga is not a religion. It is a philosophy that began in India an estimated 5,000 years ago. The father of classical ashtanga yoga (the eight-limbed path, not to be confused with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' Ashtanga yoga) is said to be Patanjali, who wrote the Yoga Sutra. These scriptures provide a framework for spiritual growth and mastery over the physical and mental body. Yoga sometimes interweaves other philosophies such as Hinduism or Buddhism, but it is not necessary to study those paths in order to practice or study yoga.

It is also not necessary to surrender your own religious beliefs to practice yoga.

8. I'm not flexible—can I do yoga?

Yes! You are a perfect candidate for yoga. Many people think that they need to be flexible to begin yoga, but that's a little bit like thinking that you need to be able to play tennis in order to take tennis lessons. Come as you are and you will find that yoga practice will help you become more flexible.

This newfound agility will be balanced by strength, coordination, and enhanced cardiovascular health, as well as a sense of physical confidence and overall well-being.

9. What do I need to begin?

All you really need to begin practicing yoga is your body, your mind, and a bit of curiosity. But it is also helpful to have a pair of sweat pants, leggings, or shorts, and a t-shirt that's not too baggy. No special footgear is required because you will be barefoot. It's nice to bring a towel to class with you. As your practice develops you might want to buy your own yoga mat, but most studios will have mats and other props available for you.

10. Why are you supposed to refrain from eating two to three hours before class?

In yoga practice we twist from side to side, turn upside down, and bend forward and backward. If you have not fully digested your last meal, it will make itself known to you in ways that are not comfortable. If you are a person with a fast-acting digestive system and are afraid you might get hungry or feel weak during yoga class, experiment with a light snack such as yogurt, a few nuts, or juice about 30 minutes to an hour before class.

Is that cobra or upward facing dog?

by Diane Ambrosini

Two important back-bending poses practiced in yoga are cobra (bhujangasana) and upward-facing-dog (urdhva mukha shvanasana). Both asanas, when practiced with proper attention to breathing and body alignment, strengthen the back, and stretch the chest and shoulders. While both of these poses can be practiced separately, they are most often part of a vinyasa sequence, or in relation to a sun salutation (surya namaskara).

Unfortunately, especially in faster moving practices such as Ashtanga, or due to inexperience in either the student or instructor, the degree of spinal hyperextension can cause more harm than good. Students without sufficient strength, flexibility and/or awareness oftentimes situate their bodies into something that’s not quite cobra and not quite updog - a sort of backbreaking abomination, if you will.

So does it really matter if it’s an upward-facing-snakey-hybrid pose? Absolutely! Improper alignment and excessive hyperextension, especially over time, place people with certain spinal conditions at risk of serious injury. In addition to the obvious lumbar jamming, tension is created in the arms, chest and neck. When these areas are placed in stressful positions, the supporting joints become unstable and overworked. This situation makes it difficult to breathe properly and almost impossible to find any sort of ease in the pose, which defeats the “goal” of practicing yoga in the first place.

Because anatomy differs slightly from one person to the next, everyone’s asanas look and feel a bit different. Also, one pose does not fit everyone all of the time. One day you may feel perfectly supple and ecstatic in upward-facing-dog, and the next about as flexible as a pencil. Thankfully, almost all asanas can be modified to work appropriately for just about everyone. Use the figures below as a guide to your most appropriate back-bend for any given practice.

Low Cobra: This variation is generally appropriate for anyone recovering from back issues - if they have been cleared by their healthcare provider. Keeping the thighs and most of the torso on the ground gives the spine stability as the muscles are strengthened. Applying a small amount of pressure into the arms can help to lengthening the spine as well. It is important not to clinch the gluteal and thigh muscles because this can cause pain in the lower spine.

Medium Cobra: This pose is the one most often seen in classes and is for those without back pain and who can comfortably lift the upper torso off the ground. The thighs and the lower torso remain on the ground to help with stability. If the shoulders begin to lift toward the ears it generally indicates that it's time to come out of the pose, or to readjust. As in low cobra, you can firm the "fanny", but don't clinch it!

High Cobra: This pose actually is closest to B.K.S. Iyengar's instructions to “…lift the body up from the trunk until the pubis is in contact with the floor and stay in this position with the weight on the legs and palms.” He also suggests arching the head back to resemble a snake ready to strike, and if your spine is up to it, strike away!

Upward-Facing-Dog: Mr. Iyengar's instructions for Updog are to “Keep the legs straight and tightened at the knees, but do not rest the knees on the floor. The weight of the body rests on the palms and toes only.” It's really important to keep length in the torso and arms in this position to maintain as much space as possible between the vertebrae. Because this is somewhat more strenuous than any of the cobra variations, arm and leg strength is key. So if you get tired, modify your body down to the ground for support.

Noose Pose - Pasasana @ Twisting Bound Squat

Source: Fitsugar

This is a tough pose so to learn an easier modification read more.

• Begin in a squat position on your mat, with both feet together. It might be easier to get into this pose by balancing on the balls of your feet first. From this position, cross your left elbow over to the outside of your right thigh. Turn your right arm down so you can bring your forearm in front of your shins.
• Bring your right arm behind you and try to clasp your hands together around both legs. If this is super easy for you, hold your left wrist with your right hand. If it seems impossible, separate your knees slightly and wrap around just your left leg. If holding hands is too difficult, don't get frustrated. Just stay here, reaching your hands as close as you can together. No matter which variation you're doing, try to lower your heels to the floor. If this makes you fall over, place a folded mat or towel underneath your heels for a little support.
• Hold for 30 seconds, then release and try this pose on the other side.

Reach for your toes

Lee Kennedy

Padangusthasana, or ‘big toe pose’, has many benefits. It calms the brain and helps relieve stress and anxiety, stimulates the liver and kidneys, gives the hamstrings and calves a good stretch, strengthens the thighs, improves digestion, helps with the symptoms of menopause and relieves headache and insomnia. However, if you have lower back or neck injuries, it’s best to avoid this pose.

Padangusthasana – big toe pose
> Stand upright with your inner feet parallel and about six inches apart. Exhale and bend forward from your hip joints, moving your torso and head as one unit.

> Slide the index and middle fingers of each hand between the big toes and the second toes. Curl those fingers under and grip the big toes firmly, wrapping the thumbs around the other two fingers to secure the wrap. (If you can't reach your toes without overly rounding your back, pass a strap under the ball of each foot and hold the straps.)

> With an inhalation, lift your torso as if you were going to stand up again, straightening your elbows. Lengthen your front torso, and on the next exhale, lift your sitting bones.

> Lift the top of your sternum as high as you can, Keep your forehead relaxed.

> For the next few inhalations, lift your torso strongly as you continue to actively contract your front thighs; on each successive exhalation, strongly lift your sitting bones as you consciously relax your hamstrings.

> Finally exhale, bend your elbows out to the sides, pull up on your toes, lengthen the front and sides of your torso, and gently lower into the forward bend. If you have very long hamstrings, you can draw your forehead toward your shins. But if your hamstrings are short, it's better to focus on keeping the front torso long. Hunching into a forward bend isn't safe for your lower back and does nothing to lengthen your hamstrings!

> Hold the final position for one minute.

> Release your toes, bring your hands to your hips and re-lengthen your front torso. With an inhale, swing your torso and head as a single unit back to upright.

Spotlight on Ashtanga Yoga

by Yoga Journal

This form of yoga is intensely physical and athletic. Ashtanga yogis practice a prescribed set of asanas, channel energy through the body using bandhas (locks), and concentrate on singular points using drishti (gaze) in asanas. Classes typically begin with an invocation to Patanjali chanted in Sanskrit.

WHAT IT LITERALLY MEANS: Ashtanga yoga translates as "eight-limbed yoga" and refers to the eight limbs outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra, which include moral and ethical guidelines, postures, breathwork, sense withdrawal, concentration, and meditation.

WHAT IT HAS COME TO MEAN: In America, "Ashtanga Yoga" most often refers to the system taught by Indian yoga master K. Pattabhi Jois. Sometimes called Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, Jois's Ashtanga comprises a precise series of poses done in sequential order, linked together with the breath.

WHO FOUNDED IT: The practice that Jois teaches is detailed in an ancient Sanskrit text called the Yoga Kurunta, which was rediscovered early in this century by T. Krishnamacharya. Jois studied with Krishnamacharya in Mysore, India.

Working on Standing Forward Bend

am working on standing forward bend. I can place my hand flat on the floor, but I cannot get my head and legs to meet. It feels as if my legs hyperextend.

—Victoria D. Malone

Roger Cole's reply:

Forward bends teach patience. It takes a long time to enter them deeply. Enlightenment does not necessarily occur when the head reaches the legs, so there is no need to get it there soon, if ever. The realization of yoga is to be fully conscious, present, and content at whatever stage of the practice you have attained. Paradoxically, when you are truly satisfied right where you are, your pose often opens up and you can easily move forward.

The physiological explanation for this may lie partly in the stretch reflex. This reflex causes a stretched muscle to automatically contract in opposition to the stretch. If you try too hard to bend forward, you trigger stretch reflexes in your hamstring muscles. You feel stretching pain and cannot bend further into the pose. Pushing yourself deeper into the pose just makes matters worse. The more pain you feel, the stronger the stretch reflex.

One way around this is to stop moving deeper into the pose as soon as you feel a slight challenge, long before you reach the point of pain. At this point, hold your position constant for a long time, without pushing into or backing out of the pose. Keep your knees straight and don't lose your pelvic tilt. You will find that, without moving, you get more and more comfortable right where you are. This most likely means that the stretch sensors (muscle spindles) in your muscles are getting reset, so that what formerly felt like a stretch to them now feels neutral. At this point, you feel comfortable in a position that previously felt like a challenge, so it's easy to feel satisfied where you are. The paradox is that by maintaining this sense of neutrality, your stretch sensors will most likely become ready to allow you to move deeper into the pose (without causing pain or a strong muscle contraction). You are ready to move to a new point of challenge and wait there, repeating the cycle.

The most important alignment points in Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) are to fold as much as possible at the hip joints (tilt the top rim of the pelvis forward) and to lengthen the front of the body as much as you can, so the spine only rounds over a little. If you pull the head toward the legs without tilting the pelvis or lengthening the spine enough, the spine rounds too much and you can injure your lower back or sacroiliac joints. Even folding at the hip joints has its dangers-if you push too hard, you can tear a hamstring muscle or tendon.

Regarding hyperextension, if your knees straighten past 90°, you don't want to force them any further. However, forward bends pull on the hamstring muscles, and this tends to bend the knees, providing some protection against hyperextension.

If you are in good physical condition and your alignment is good, one way to progress in forward bends is to vigorously practice standing postures, with a strong Uttanasana between each posture. Standing postures like Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose), Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose), and Virabhadrasana I, II, and III (Warrior 1, 2, and 3) work well. Do each standing posture twice on each side. Hold each pose (including Uttanasana) for 30 seconds to one minute. But don't do this practice six days a week-three or four is plenty.

Again, don't be in a hurry. I know one yoga teacher who struggled with forward bends for about 20 years with little progress. Past age 60, she eased up substantially on her practice and her forward bends suddenly progressed dramatically. She still cannot put her head on her legs, but she is happy. Which is more important?

Chaturanga Dandasana

by Yoga Journal

Step by Step

Perform Adho Mukha Svanasana, then Plank Pose. Firm your shoulder blades against your back ribs and press your tailbone toward your pubis.

With an exhalation slowly lower your torso and legs to a few inches above and parallel to the floor. There's a tendency in this pose for the lower back to sway toward the floor and the tailbone to poke up toward the ceiling. Throughout your stay in this position, keep the tailbone firmly in place and the legs very active and turned slightly inward. Draw the pubis toward the navel.

Keep the space between the shoulder blades broad. Don't let the elbows splay out to the sides; hold them in by the sides of the torso and push them back toward the heels. Press the bases of the index fingers firmly to the floor. Lift the top of the sternum and your head to look forward.

Chaturanga Dandasana is one of the positions in the Sun Salutation sequence. You can also practice this pose individually for anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds. Release with an exhalation. Either lay yourself lightly down onto the floor or push strongly back to Adho Mukha Svanasana, lifting through the top thighs and the tailbone.