Atha is a word meant to draw your attention, as Patanjali tries to be brief he is also seeking your direct attention to the teachings to follow. Atha (ah-tah) means now, it is meant to show that you are now ready to receive the teachings of the sutras and you must now draw your attention to them.

Allow Atha to be your mantra as you practice today. Bringing you into the present. Use this as your ability to draw your focus to the practice. Use it to draw your awareness to the true teachings of yoga.

Yoga is the resolution of the agitations of the mind.

The second verse of the sutras refers to consciousness and the ability to soothe the mind. Once you learn how the mind works, you can better understand how to navigate through life. Many thoughts, feelings and emotions flow through the mind, drawing it in one direction or the other. The citta is the mind and the contents that fill the mind can be ever changing. There may even be aspects of the mind that cannot see.

This verse is encouraging you to become the seer of your own mind through the practice of yoga. The seer is simply your authentic self, that does not agitate as the contents of the mind change.

Meditate on this verse by simply observing the contents of your mind. Notice when certain observations bring up feelings or pull you in a specific direction and see if you can simply step back from them, become the observer once again.

Then the Seer abides in its own nature.

Seen as one of the most important verses in the sutras, this verse is seeking to bring attention to the concepts of purusa and prakrti. By practising yoga, all things that do not bring equanimity can be released allowing the pure nature of the citta to shine through.

Meditate on this verse by drawing focus to the things that do not bring equanimity to your mind and allow them to release from you. Knowing that these things do not serve the pure nature of the citta to shine through.

There are five functions or activities of the mind, which can either cause us problems or not. They are correct perception, misunderstanding, imagination, deep sleep, and memory.

These sutras represent the five functions of the mind, in knowing these functions you can allow your truest self to shine through. Patanjali lists these functions and explains that they have the power to bring you suffering or not.

It is important to understand the functions of the mind so that you can identify which one is working in the moment and assess the level of agitation it is experiencing. These sutras also express that yoga is a way of working the mind and that through the practice you can begin to separate the fluctuations of the mind from your true nature.

Practice this sutra by recognizing moments when your mind becomes agitated. See if you can recognize which function of the mind is being stimulated and take a step back to simply observe the agitation. Take a few breaths and consider if the thing arising is a perceived agitation, a fear, or a real perception. This practice will allow you to understand the function of your mind better.

By practice and detachment these can be stopped.

Patanjali continues to focus on how to calm the mind completely. Utilizing what seem like two opposing actions of holding strong and letting go. This sutra is bringing forward the message of effort and ease when following the practice of yoga. Finding the perfect balance between both will help you to truly detach and let go of the things that pull your mind away from the practice.

When you meditate on this verse begin to notice moments where your mind attaches to any one thing. Hold strong in your insistence to let go of those things that pull you away from your practice.

Mind becomes purified by the cultivation of feelings of amity, compassion, goodwill and indifference respectively towards happy, miserable, virtuous and sinful creatures.

Patanjali uses this sutra to guide you through the things you must cultivate in order to purify the mind. Giving you guides on where to direct your practice when circumstances arise. By utilizing these tools you will find calm through any situation that you encounter.

The next time a person or situation arises practice cultivating compassion and kindness towards them. In cultivating feelings of goodwill, you will lessen mental agitations.

The effort toward steadiness of mind is practice.

Patanjali expresses that practice is the only way to reach steadiness of the mind. To practice with effort whenever possible is the only way to fully achieve mental stillness.

Whenever possible create the space to put effort towards the practice of observing the mind.

To achieve a strong foundation in our practice, we must practice over a long time, without interruption, believing in it and looking forward to it, with an attitude of service.

Patanjali references a “long-time” in this sutra. This long-time is in reference to the fact that you must practice yoga for a long time to truly hone the mind. You must find a continued commitment to the process. You must also have a fully invested belief in the practice and its ability to help you. You must also approach each action as a moment of service.

Create the time in your day to truly commit to your practice with full joy in service of becoming a better version of yourself in order to better those around you.

[Samadhi is attained] through complete and total surrender to a higher power.

Patanjali references the state of samadhi where everything comes together. In surrendering to a higher power you allow yourself to fully focus on your most authentic self.

In your practice today, allow yourself to truly let go by turning everything over to a deeper faith.

The recitation of that [syllable, OM] [leads to] the contemplation of its meaning.

Patanjali believes that the divine rests in the state of Om. By reciting Om you become closer to the divine and closer to the true nature of yourself.

Utilize Om recitation as a means to develop a deeper connection to the true nature of your mind and the divine as you practice.

Then, the inner consciousness is revealed, we come to know the true Self, and our obstacles are reduced.

(Yoga Sutra : Chapter I v.29)

Patanjali expresses in this sutra that the more you turn inward, the more is revealed, and the closer to your true self you become.  It is through this full practice that you overcome obstacles that are on the path of yoga.

As you meditate, begin to notice the lessening of the obstacles that occurred in the earlier practices you undertook.

The cause of our suffering is the inability to distinguish between what is the truth (what perceives) and what appears to be the truth (what is perceived).

Patanjali advises that it can be difficult to distinguish real truth from the appearance of truth. The mind and its obstacles are hard to separate between the seer and the mind. Through the separation of the two, you become the master of the mind and see completely clear perception.

See if as you are triggered today if you can recognize the real truth of the situations that arise in the mind versus their perceptions.

The yoga sutras offer an in-depth guide to the full practice of yoga. With effort and discipline, you can be on the blissful path of yoga and the fully awakened mind.

So many people these days have such short attention spans. While your longer meditations may feel amazing for you, to the average student even just five minutes can be agonizing. It is hard for many to truly sit in stillness and that is why it is essential to stick to short duration meditations for your classes.

Stick with five-minute timelines on your meditations and watch the demeanour of your students change almost instantly. As far as keeping them simple, it really is better to have a simple meditation that everyone can understand versus a more complicated style of meditation.

One of the easiest ways to get people to meditate without realizing it is to split your meditation time up into two parts. Start your class with a basic short seated meditation, flow through the asana practice, and then close your class post-savasana with a brief seated meditation. Utilizing this structure will actually allow your students to notice the change in their state of mind over the course of their practice.

While the beginning and end of class are perfect times to meditate, never underestimate the power of meditation during a pose. Especially if you teach Yin or Restorative practices, you can have students focus on a specific meditation during a single posture. Afterall, meditation is just about finding a mental focus.

Meditation is hard for most people, that is why it is best, to be honest with your students. Most people think that meditation is about stopping the mind from thinking at all. When in fact meditation is all about bringing a deeper focus to some aspect depending on the style of meditation.

Be realistic with your students. Let them know that these practices are hard but that their benefits far outweigh their difficulties. Also express to them that much like styles of yoga, not every style of meditation is for everyone. Encourage them to seek out various types of meditation to find what works best for them.

When students understand that their reward not only affects them on their mats but carries great insight and wisdom that they can take off of their mat, they may be more receptive to what you are trying to accomplish.

Whether you write it yourself or find a great script from a meditation teacher online, there are thousands of incredible scripts that you can use to teach a flawless meditation. There is no harm in using a tried and tested meditation script to lull your students into a meditated bliss.

Meditation is for everyone and with a knowledgeable and confident teacher, students will benefit from even the briefest of meditations. Take these tips and utilize them in your classes and watch your students become master meditators in no time!

 

Bhakti yoga is the yoga of feeling or deep devotion. While this can translate to a deep devotion to the divine, it can also be a strong emotional connection to a guru, family, or friend. Bhakti yoga is experienced through a variety of ways that may be seen similar to prayer. Whether using a mantra, a prayer, or a song, this expression allows you to connect deeply to your devotion. A common Bhakti yoga practice is Kirtan which is a series of songs or chants accompanied by music. While Bhakti is often referred to as the “love” yoga, it is more about emanating the qualities and characteristics of love than to love a person or a thing.

The yoga of action is what Karma yoga is all about. Karma yoga deals directly with the idea of cause and effect. This idea that every action has a reaction that affects the body, mind, and consciousness is the basis of Karma yoga. While Karma yoga is the yoga of action, it is truly about acting without the expectation of receiving. Karma yoga allows you to give in a way the lessens the power of the ego and increases the overall feelings of love, sympathy, and tolerance.

Gyana yoga is the yoga of thought. It is a philosophical path that requires intense self-study and self-inquiry. It is the path to enlightenment and is considered to be one of the most difficult of the four paths of yoga. This path requires great discipline and perseverance. While this yoga is practiced through studying the ancient yogic texts like The Upanishads, it also requires intense self-inquiry.

This is the “royal path of yoga.” It is considered so because you must become the master of your mental territory. In order to do so, you must practice mantras, mudras, meditations and other techniques to still the body and mind in order for you to see the true nature of the mind. This is the most commonly practiced path of western yogis as it does not require a specific deity practice and encourages you to believe in only what you are able to see and experience for yourself. This is also the path most closely related to the eight limb path of yoga as described in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

While these may seem like four separate paths, each is related to one another. At times we are on more than one of these paths depending on our current state and practices. So whether you are practicing asana, meditating, studying, or performing selfless actions you are walking on the four paths of yoga. The varied aspects of these paths may resonate with you more at one time in life versus another. All of these paths lead to the ultimate goal of enlightenment and with diligent practice you can make great strides and determine which path is right for you.

The benefits of yoga extend far beyond physical movement. Through incorporating meditation and mindfulness into everyday practice, the brain gains massive benefits! Increasing not only concentration but grey matter in the brain as well. These benefits are far reaching and help you out not only while you are on your mat but across every facet of your life.

While your practice belongs to you and you alone, yoga is a great place to meet like minded people. Building a strong community has been proven to benefit overall health, wellness, and ageing. Building community also helps us to understand the interdependence that we have as human beings, this knowledge helps to view everyone you encounter with a new level of compassion.

Practicing yoga requires a strong level of commitment. Making the decision to get on your mat day in and day out is a decision that requires discipline. That discipline translates outward into other aspects of life very quickly and easily. You may even find that your regular yoga commitment leaves you feeling ready to take on even your least favourite tasks.

Yoga is an incredibly introspective and personal practice. Spending any amount of time on the mat will force you to reconcile with what arises in your mind. You may even begin to notice that the same thing keeps coming up as if it is insisting you deal with it. This time helps you to create a very deep level of self-awareness and self-inquiry.

It has been said that if you can not first treat yourself with kindness you will not be able to treat others with kindness. The practice of yoga allows you to practice kindness and compassion towards yourself. In being able to do this you will be more likely to approach those around you with that same level of kindness and compassion.

All that moving and twisting will add some serious benefits to your digestive system. Kicking your digestion into high gear will ultimately make you more aware of how the food you eat affects your body. This awareness may cause you to change your eating habits or opt for foods that are generally better for you.

While asana and regular movement focused activities are great for the physical body, yoga as a lifestyle practice has incredibly far reaching benefits. Each time you undertake a yoga practice you will be walking a the path to a better life off the mat. Yoga truly does exhibit a butterfly effect on life, each move creates a small wave of change that will have far reaching consequences throughout every aspect of your life. So tune in and see if you can find more from your yoga practice than the postures.

A strong vinyasa or power yoga class provides challenges equal to that of body building or cross fit training. These classes emphasise poses that use the same groups of muscles used in push-ups and squats. Most will mix it up with arm balances to increase upper body strength, toning and sculpting arms and back muscles at the same time.

In yoga, the pelvis is the central pivot for extreme bending of the legs, spine and torso. Most men are tight in the hips, hamstrings and shoulders. This is especially true for those who spend long hours seated at computers. A regular yoga practice enables a larger range of motion and joint play with poses that open joints and gently stretch tendons. This helps to reduce injury to those vulnerable areas.

Yoga is a stress management tool: When practicing yoga, you are literally unwinding taut muscles releasing emotional tension and easing tightness in the body. In turn the body begins producing more endorphins, natural opiates that relieve stress and boost your mood. Recent medical and scientific studies have also reported that a regular yoga practice lowers the levels of cortisol; the stress hormone that contributes to belly fat.

A regular yoga practice boosts cardio vascular, respiratory and digestive system; prevents injures. Exercise boosts the levels of oxygen and nutrients going to your tissues, fuelling the burning of oxygen and glucose that produces energy and powers every muscle movement. Most people breathe tooshallowly. Yoga breathing techniques helps to improve respiration, enhancing lung capacity and stimulating calmness in mind and body.

If you are new to yoga, it is best to take a class at your local gym or fitness centre. These classes are aimed at fitness enthusiasts, typically men who have never practiced yoga. These classes will have an athletic emphasis and male-centric approach. Though most yoga studios will aim to cater for all levels and body types, 70% of their cliental are women. So try to book into a class with a male yoga teacher, or better yet try one of the new online yoga classes for men such as yogaformen.com, brogayoga.com and manflowyoga.com

Well, according to the Bhagavad Gita, there are three types of happiness. Lord Krishna teaches of happiness and spontaneous bliss through the gunas. The gunas are the three components of existence. They include tamas- impurity, lethargy, darkness; rajas- action, passion; sattva-  calm, intelligence, purity, light. Every individual is a mixture of all three gunas but the one with which we are most attached to permeates and we associate as that type of person.  The gunas help to illuminate the understanding of happiness.  The three types of happiness are:

Initially when my life seemed to fall into turmoil I found myself locked into a rajasic cycle, seeking pleasure of any form just to feel alive again. But inevitably this became redundant and purposeless. The path to joy would require different choices. And so I forgave and accepted. And every morning I wake up and remind myself to forgive and accept again. The good news is the more frequently we make choices in our life that reflect sattvic happiness the easier it gets and the quicker we are to recover when we do slide back to old habits. No matter what the outcome- even the worst possible outcome- we choose our response.

This has been a rough year and has offered many opportunities for growth. I am endlessly thankful and welcome all to enjoy ‘the spontaneous fountain of bliss within.’ Om shanti.

Certified in several disciplines of yoga, a pilates teacher and teacher trainer, Meghan is continually widening her path of body/mind studies. At a young age she began her journey into body movement through dance. After being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, she shifted her practice to more rehabilitative yoga. In this discipline she found not only the resources to heal her body, but also a guide to living a life full of peace and joy. She can be found teaching on any given day at Fix Health Care