Yoga Bible

About Yoga Bible Android App

Yoga practice allows me to re-experience the beauty of who I am, and to experience my body as a sanctuary. In a world where we are often encouraged to be busy and materially productive, spending time on yourself can be seen as selfish. I often remind my students how, when you love someone very much, it is natural to want to spend time with them. It becomes simple and effortless to give that person your time. Rolling out your mat ready for practice is an affirmation that you want to devote time to yourself. It is a great act of love toward yourself and, from that, it becomes deeply healing. The bottom line is that you can be happier practising yoga. And you deserve to feel this way.

A regular yoga practice can make you feel calm and peaceful, as well as more limber.

This app is about Hatha yoga, which is one of several branches of yoga. It is the “yoga of effort” – the active yoga exercises most commonly practised around the world today. Yoga was originally taught by oral transmission in Sanskrit, the language used by scholars. Asana is the Sanskrit word for the physical postures that are familiar to yoga practitioners worldwide. The literal definition of asana is “seat”, because you either “sit” into a yoga shape or are comfortably seated to be able to move and take action in the world with ease. The asanas are one of the “limbs” of yoga, and there are seven others. Another limb encompasses the breathing techniques (pranayama ).

1. The purpose of yoga is outlined in the first sutra , written in Sanskrit as Yogash citta vritti nirodhah . This tells us that the state of yoga is the cessation of the movements of the mind.

2. The second sutra informs us that the mind is the tool, and the way to quiet the mind is to work with the mind. Only with a clean, clear mind can we be in touch with the truth of the moment.

3. The third sutra tells us that the mind is also the goal. When we are in the state of yoga, we won’t be led astray by distorted understanding or incorrect thoughts. This sutra informs us that there is no aspect of our lives that is untouched when we perceive things in their true nature. It shines a different light on everything. Once we can better understand reality, we can be helped to avoid the causes of pain and will have control over more than we may imagine.

4. The fourth sutra tells us that the mind is actually also part of the problem. This is because when the mind is disturbed, it is unable to follow a direction or to comprehend things accurately. In this case, we will move away from the state of yoga.

The remaining 192 sutras are an elaboration of these first four. If you want to experience peace within, the Yoga Sutras will take you through the steps that will lead you toward quieting the mind and existing in the peaceful state of yoga.

From the Yoga Sutras we learn that only when we are in the state of yoga will we know things as they truly are. When the mind is not in that state, we are unable to see the true nature of things. So the aim of yoga practice is to achieve a sustained mental quietness, in order to be fully present and therefore able to understand and reflect true nature. It’s a lofty goal, isn’t it? So I understand if you simply want to focus on stretching out those tight hamstrings, for the time being. But hang around yoga classes for long enough and your curiosity may develop further, as those quiet relaxations at the end of the session offer you more than just a glimmer of a new, very peaceful way of being.

contents

Part 1

Introduction

illustration

Part 2

Yoga body: yang – the active practices

1. Luscious limbering

2. Delicious dogs

3. Sun salutes

4. Stable and steady: standing postures

5. Balancing balms

6. Strong neck, stretchy shoulders

7. Flexible forward folds

8. Juicy twists

9. Strong, stretchy sides

10. The joy of core

11. Happy hips

12. Blissful backbends

13. Upside-down


Part 3

Yoga energy: yin – the quiet practices