The Complete Yoga Community

A – is for AWAKE, AWARE, ALIVE
We are alive when we are awake; when we are aware. The more aware we are, the more alive we are, and so it becomes obvious that the only time that we can be alive at all is in the here and now. Life then stops being a mental rehearsal for something else. When we are lost in our minds, we tend to see life as a problem to be solved. When we live with awareness we tend to see life as a mystery to be lived.

B – is for BODY-LOVE
We are not “little doctors” or even therapists, but we know enough about this complex, wonderful piece of engineering that takes us through life to know that we need to treat it with love and respect. Being in our bodies’ means that we have a duty to give it what it needs; knowing that our bodies’ are the temples of our souls and the machinery that takes us through life. Therefore eating right, exercising regularly (daily yoga) and developing a healthy attitude towards the spiritual manifestation of ourselves – our bodies –are the fundamental building blocks to beginning to live an enlightened existence.

C – is for COURAGE
Perseverance and patience are but two aspects of courage. Initially patience is experienced as a kind of suspended exasperation – both dragging one down with irritation and anger. Hatha yoga teaches that patience need not be a grim tolerance, but rather a deepening understanding of one’s physical body. Perseverance and patience forges attentiveness and awakens courage to help us cross the bridge between who we are and our ultimate potential.

D – is for DUCTLESS GLANDS
Balance and harmony is what we are all seeking and one of the most important and precise means of balance in the body are the ductless glands situated throughout the body. These glands produce relatively simple chemical compounds known as hormones which they discharge straight into the blood circulation that is then termed the endocrine system. The function of the ductless glands can be summed up in three words – communication, control and integration – which the ancient Rishis obviously understood as they developed their unique techniques to stimulate, control and integrate the human body-mind.

E- is for ESSENCE
The truth or essence of all life and yoga can only be known inside each person, and cannot be taught in any standard way. We should always strive to become that essence in whatever way is true to each individual and express ourselves clearly as that union or yoga of our minds, bodies’ and spirits.

F – is for FOUR SEASONS
In our relatively mild climate, we do not take great heed of the changes from one season to another. The weather varies continually with other natural patterns like night and day, new moon and full moon. These external rhythms have an affect on our internal cycles and these patterns also affect our yoga practice and should be taken into consideration during practice. For example, the traditional Chinese system of medicine teaches that each time of day is represented by a season and each season rules certain organs. The morning is governed by spring, afternoon by summer, evening by autumn and night by winter. The spring energy gives birth, the summer produces maturity, autumn is the time for gathering in and winter is a time for storage. Spring rules the liver and the gall bladder, summer rules the heart and the small intestines, autumn rules the lungs and the large intestine, winter rules the bladder and the kidney. The four seasons thus provide inspiration when planning one’s asanas.

G – is for GOD
What the scientist calls energy, the religious man calls God and yet the two are one. As the old saying goes: “If God seems far away, who moved?”

H – is for HUMOUR and HARMONY
The former will always help restore the latter. Let us never take ourselves too seriously.

I – is for IMAGERY
The nervous system is programmed to control movement of the body in a non-verbal pattern or mode. Using words to talk about movement makes no sense at all. Words and ideas are conveyed from the left hemisphere, so we need to paint verbal pictures. A simple example is Tadasana. Stand and give yourself the instruction to tighten the erector muscles of the spine. Then relax and give yourself the instruction to allow the spine to grow slowly like a tall and stately bamboo. Notice the way you felt inside with the two instructions. The first appeals to the left brain, the second to the right. Images allow us to tap into the nervous system through to the right brain. Images help to bypass the screening patterns that the left brain creates.

J – is for JOY
When every job is done with a feeling of love for seeing it done well and for the benefit of the greater good, then life becomes a joy and work a pleasure. If we are not happy doing what we do, yoga helps us either to change our state of mind or see our present job with new eyes from a more satisfying perspective, or even give us the courage to change the job itself. When life is fulfilling and our heart is in tune with the universe, what greater joy can there be?

K – is for KNOWLEDGE
Many talk about yoga, but how many can communicate its meaning? In order to awaken understanding in others, one has to first know and then live what one knows. Knowledge so lived is communicated effortlessly as part of an ongoing creative process.

L – is for LANGUAGE (watch your language!)
The verbal mode of communication has many levels and its subtle nuances should be carefully considered. The goal of communication is shared understanding and so the feelings, ideas and images we use to describe our thoughts are important and should be chosen with care to produce the desired effect. Watch how aspects of our language like the tone of voice we use can also convey much more than mere words. Be aware of the language we put out as it is likely to be the language we hear spoken back to us.

M – is for MEDITATION
Meditation is first and foremost a process of learning. It is about taking time daily to calm the turbulence of the mind and emotion; of dropping our defences and finding a balanced path into our inner world so as to discern and appreciate the possibilities of the outer world. It is not something we do in our heads; it is something we do with our whole selves and it affects us on all levels – physically, emotionally and spiritually.

N – is for NECK
The neck is located between the mind and the body and thus tends to register the conflicts between the two. Neck tension tends to accumulate when the needs of either the body or the mind are neglected, creating an energy imbalance. For example, the body may be tired and in need of rest but the mind is stimulated and needs to work. The neck is also the barometer for self-expression and change. The throat chakra is said to be the gateway of time and space and its Sanskrit name “Visuddha’ means “to purify”. Because we are constantly being challenged to make changes in relation to the dynamics and transitions of life – so neck tension will still probably be with us for some time! But, when we become balanced between our mind and body through yoga, a new dimension of comprehension, creativity and communication come to life.

O – is for OPENMINDEDNESS
By being open to new ways of experiencing and manifesting, we expand our consciousness to discover more of our selves and the principles of life.

P – is for PRATYAHARA
Pratyahara means sense withdrawal. From this process of attention and withdrawal of attention comes the ability to withdraw awareness from the periphery of the body. Focused, concentrated and disassociated, the attention can now be centred in the area of Ajna, the Third Eye. This enables you to put the maximum amount of attention, energy and awareness into whatever you do. Greater awareness – not inattentiveness – is the purpose of this practice of sense withdrawal.

Q – is for QUALITY or QUANTITY?
And this question offers the answer in itself.

R – is for RELAXATION
Relaxing is not loosening in the sense of lazing. It is a definitive active process and the mind is conscious all the time. Relaxation means “re-lease-action”. Relaxation allows us to have an active body yet maintain an inner calm.

S – is for STILLNESS and SHANTI
Patanjali description of yoga is that state in which all agitations have been resolved; and that asana is easy, comfortable pose (which may cause some to smile!) With experience we learn that movement can be used to understand stillness, that asana only begins when you are still and holding. Savour the stillness because the energy within stillness is endless and infinite. Stillness brings wisdom and a feeling of knowing. Stillness allows love to grow. In stillness we are one, flowing into shanti, shanti, shanti.

T – is for TOUCH
We “touch” with our words but no doubt our hands communicate more directly. The skin is the largest organ of the body and has a very large representation in the brain. Touching the skin is an important way to communicate to the brain and therefore an effective tool in teaching yoga. Knowing when to tough is as important as when not to touch. Your attitude, your very being is expressed by the way one touches. So learning to touch correctly with awareness and sensitivity can create greater harmony between pupil and teacher.

U – is for UNDERSTANDING
We are not in this world to be understood but to be understanding.

V – is for VINYASSA
The word itself means “to begin at a particular point, gradually ascend to a set goal and then descend again”. When applied to the practice of asanas, it entails the selection of a number of postures arranged in an intelligent sequence with a definite aim. Psychologically the importance of vinyassa lies in the sequence of asanas so that there is a definite structure and shape to the class, thus making it easier for the mind to concentrate. Vinyassa helps the pupil to become sensitive to the day-to-day changes in the body.

W – is for WILLPOWER
One of the things that may be noticed during sustained yoga practice, is the increased capacity to set goals and then move towards achieving them.

X marks that which is unknown but which will become known.
X marks that which is hidden and will be revealed.

Y – is for YIN and YANG
Yang is pure energy corresponding to heaven; Yin is substance and represents earth. The interaction of these two forces is what determines the very nature of the universe. Yang is the male active light principle – the force that wishes to expand into everything. Yin is the female receptive, dark principle – the force that wants to contract into nothingness.

Z – is for ZEN
Zen deals with the most important spiritual practice of all – how we can live awakened in our daily life.