What is Yoga?
Yoga is the oldest form of science; a science that’s developed by keen observation of the human body & mind; and the purpose is to see the reflections of who we are and work towards who we would like to be. By balancing the physiological processes of the body & psychology of the mind with nature; Yoga ultimately raises the human consciousness to be better versions of ourselves.
Yoga was developed by ancient sages (people with the highest level of consciousness) in the land of Bharata (current India) in a state of meditation. One such sage, named Patanjali, documented this science; and today the whole world learns Yoga from this classical text, Shri Patanjali Yoga Sutras.
There are several branches of Yoga; the most popular being Ashtanga Yoga (Asta - Eight, Anga - Limbs) as defined in Yoga Sutras. The eight limbs are
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Yama - Moral disciplines that one need to follow in daily life
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Niyama - Self-discipline you must observe in daily life
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Asana - Control over physical movements, maintaining stillness of body; Taking a seat
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Pranayama - Control over breath, maintaining stillness of mind
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Pratyahara - Control over the 5 senses, withdrawing the sense external to internal
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Dhyana - Bringing focus; to one object, thought, idea or nothing at all
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Dharana - Holding the focus for a long time
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Samadhi - To merge with the Universe/to get an experience of being the Universe
Most people focus on one aspect of Yoga, i.e. Asana. Asana means a seat and Asana also means a physical posture; it is the later that most people relate with and therefore you’ll find Yoga Classes happening everywhere in a group setting like it's some form of exercise.
Yoga at Ayur-Vidya
Yoga is for an individual to merge with the Universe; and every individual is different from another. Therefore, I don't believe in group teachings of Yoga. I try to do mostly 1:1 sessions or limit my classes to a maximum of 3 to 5 people, so I can give individual attention to everyone.
At Ayur-Vidya, we focus on 3 aspects of Yoga - Asana, Pranayama and Dhyana.
A typical session will be arranged as the following
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Beginning prayer & Warm-ups; ~15 mins
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Asana practice as per client's body type & flexibility; ~25 to 30 mins
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Winding down; 5 mins
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Savasana; 7 mins
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Closure; 3 mins
After every session, you'll find a little distance from the stress of that day; maybe even able to leave the stress on the Yoga mat and start the next moment as a new day.
There are 3 ways to learn Yoga at Ayur-Vidya.
1. One on One (Individual/Personal) Practice: Sign-up here
2. Group Practice (3 to 5 people): Join sessions once, twice or three or more times a week.
3. Walk-In/One-off attendance in group session: 1 Yoga session or a 10-session pack.
Not ready to commit yet. Contact us to learn more.
What is Pranayama?
Pranayama is the branch of Yoga that uses breath as a medium to go deeper into the human mind; to make changes in the subconscious; to change our daily behavioral patterns of life; ultimately to remove distractions, thoughts and calm the mind to bring focus.
When practiced daily, Pranayama brings health, peace and a deep level of satisfaction in life.
Prāṇāyāma at Ayur-Vidya
Pranayama practices have been transferred through a teacher-student lineage in since ages. Though similar, there are some differences in the different lineages. You’ll be learning Pranayama as per Baba Haridas's lineage; the practice that is being taught at Mount Madonna Institute as part of the Advanced Yoga Teacher Training. We'll also be bringing in the Ayurvedic aspects for Pranayama from the pioneer and Guru, Dr Vasant Lad.
There are two ways we learn Pranayama at Ayur-Vidya.
1. Pranayama Series - 10 Sessions, One 60 min session/week
The practices will be taught in a close-knit small group of people who meet on a regular basis. I commit to do my best and provide personal attention to each and everyone who comes for practice, a service unmatched for anywhere you go.
In every session, one can expect to have the following
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Beginning prayer & a little warm-ups before the practice; ~5 mins
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Learn a new practice; ~10 mins
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Practice the new learning & Questions; ~10 mins
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A sample daily practice (Including the old & new learning); 15 mins
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Closure; 5 mins
The series will entail learning 12 different practices along with their health benefits. The learning happens progressively in guided sessions over a period of 10 weeks. We recommend this approach since everyone gets access to constant guidance, time to learn the practices/health benefits and experience them over a period of time along with the satsang (company of truthful people).
At the end of the session, you would have gained some of the benefits and hopefully have a regular schedule established for yourself. You'll get a sample personal practice of 15 to 25 minutes that you can follow for your personal practice.
Contact us if you are interested in joining the Pranayama series.
2. Pranayama workshops - One 2.5 hr session with 8 Pranayama Practices
This is suitable for anyone who is interested in getting a first hand experience of the practice or for someone who has learned the practice earlier and would like to refresh again.
Contact us if you are interested in Pranayama workshops.
NOTE: Once a month, there is a FREE Pranayama & Yoga WorkShop typically on the last Sunday of every month. Contact us to sign-up for the next session.
Come and Learn this ancient science; awaken the seeker within and heal yourself.