Yoga Immersion: Session 1, Part 1

Front 1

What is yoga?

Back 1

Union. Reconciliation of opposites. The scientific art of remembering our true nature, and a discipline of aligning with the pulsation and flow of Nature.

Front 2

The 3 main types of yoga

Back 2

Bhakti, Jnaha, & Karma

Front 3

Bhakti Yoga

Back 3

The way of the heart: offering love and devotion (chanting, worship)

Front 4

Jnana Yoga

Back 4

The way of the mind: seek the wisdom that lies within every experience (meditation, scriptural studies)

Front 5

Karma Yoga

Back 5

The way of the body: serving through physical action, breathing exercises, and right livelihood

Front 6

Classical Yoga Philosophy

Back 6

(Patanjali) Freedom from embodied experiences

Front 7

Advaita Vedanta Yoga Philosophy

Back 7

(Shankara Bhagavadpada) Freedom by shifting perception

Front 8

Tantra Yoga Philosophy

Back 8

(Abhinavagupta) Freedom as embodied experiences

Front 9

What is Ashtanga?

Back 9

Patanjali's 8-limbed yoga system. Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi

Front 10

Yama

Back 10

Behavioral Restraints

Front 11

Niyama

Back 11

Internal Restraints

Front 12

Asana

Back 12

Physical postures

Front 13

Pranayama

Back 13

Breathing exercises

Front 14

Pratyahara

Back 14

Withdrawal of the senses

Front 15

Dharana

Back 15

Mental concentration

Front 16

Dhyana

Back 16

Meditation or unbroken mental focus

Front 17

Samadhi

Back 17

Absorption of the absolute

Front 18

5 Yamas of Patanjali

Back 18

Ahimsa (non-harming/carrying loving kindness for others), Satya (truthfulness/not to exaggerate or diminish or conceal the truth), Asteya (non-stealing/non-desire for other's possessions), Brahmacharya (walking like God/ non-manipulating/non-lustful), Aparigraha (non-clinging/voluntary simplicity)

Front 19

5 Niyamas of Patanjali

Back 19

Shauca (purity/balance), Santosha (contentment/acceptance of the way things are), Tapas (heat/burning desire to understand God/self discipline), Swadyaya (study of the self/wanting what you have/mindfulness), Isvara Pranidhadna (devotional offerings to the Lord/surrendering/offering to something greater)

Front 20

Dhyana Yoga

Back 20

Attaining your goal through meditation.

Front 21

Sanyasa Yoga

Back 21

Attaining your goal through renunciation (rising above the mundane).

Front 22

Karma Yoga

Back 22

Attaining your goal through selfless service

Front 23

Bhakti Yoga

Back 23

Attaining your goal through devotion and chanting

Front 24

Kriya Yoga

Back 24

Attaining your goal through a ritual action

Front 25

Hatha Yoga (meaning/developed when/texts)

Back 25

"ha" = sun, "tha" = moon. union of opposites. To strike or force: often described as the discipline of the will. Attaining your goal through physical purification. Developed in the Tantric Period.Texts include Hatha Yoga pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, and Shiva Samhita.

Front 26

Modern Hatha Yoga (when/most notable influence)

Back 26

1880 to present. Krishnamacharaya: started stringing the asanas together

Front 27

Heart-Oriented Yoga

Back 27

Expression of the spirit from the inside-out honoring all levels and other yogic paths through unique expression and optimal alignment for the greatest freedom of expression.

Front 28

The Three A's

Back 28

Attitude, Alignment, & Action. The yogi uses Action to express his Attitude through the Alignment of the body.

Front 29

The elements of alignment

Back 29

1: The outer shape and form of the pose (body). 2: The spatial position of the inner body (mind) in relation to the outer body. 3: The dynamic symmetry of conscious interconnectedness between various parts of the inner and outer body (spirit)

Front 30

The Optimal Blueprint

Back 30

The master design for the body's potential for optimal alignment and health.

Front 31

3 Focal Points

Back 31

Core of the Pelvis, Bottom of the Heart, & Center of the Upper Palate

Front 32

3 Main Directions of Muscular Energy Flow

Back 32

1: Hugging to the core evenly on all sides. 2: Drawing the arms, legs, and neck toward the midline. 3: Drawing from the extremities of the hands, feet, and head into the Focal Point.

Front 33

Order in which the 4 corners of the foundation are set

Back 33

1: Medial Distal. 2: Medial Proximal. 3: Lateral Distal. 4: Lateral Proximal

Front 34

3 Main Directions of Organic Energy Flow

Back 34

1: From the Focal Point out along the core lines to the extremities. 2: Expanding the extremities out away from the midline. 3: From the core lines of the extremities to the outer circumference of the body.

Front 35

Balanced Action

Back 35

For every action in one direction, there must be a balancing action in an opposite direction.

Front 36

Seesaw Principle

Back 36

If one end of a bone or section of the body is moved in one direction, the opposite end or section will automatically move in an opposite direction. For example: If the base of the shinbone moves backward, the top of the shinbone will move forward.

Front 37

7 Loops

Back 37

Ankle, Shin, Thigh, Pelvic, Kidney, Shoulder, Skull

Front 38

Ankle Loop direction

Back 38

Base of the shinbone > down the back of the heel > through the arch of the foot > the front of the shin base

Front 39

Shin Loop direction

Back 39

Base of the shinbone > up the back of the calf > through the top of the shin > down the front of the shin

Front 40

Thigh Loop direction

Back 40

Top of the thighbone in the core of the pelvis > down the back of the thigh > through the top of the shin > up the front of the leg > through the abdomen

Front 41

Pelvic Loop direction

Back 41

Core of the abdomen just below the navel > down the middle of the lumbar to the bottom of the sacrum > forward through the floor of the pelvis to the top of the pupil bone > up the lower abdomen to just below the navel.

Front 42

Kidney Loop direction

Back 42

Core of the abdomen just below the navel > up the back to the bottom of the shoulder blades > through the top of the diaphragm to the base of the sternum > down the solar plexus to just below the navel.

Front 43

Shoulder Loop direction

Back 43

center of the upper palate > down the back of the neck and upper back > through the shoulder blades and bottom of the heart > up the chest and throat to the upper palate.

Front 44

Skull Loop direction

Back 44

center of the upper palate > up the back of the skull > over the top of the head > down the face to the the upper palate.

Front 45

Sankalpa

Back 45

"san" = to join, "kalpa" = mental ideas/feelings

Front 46

2 Main Purposes for Practicing Heart Centered Yoga

Back 46

Self Knowledge (Chit), Expression (Ananda)

Front 47

Universal Principles of Alignment

Back 47

1: Set the Foundation/Open to Grace. 2: Muscular Energy (Engagement). 3: Organic Energy (Root Back Down). 4: Inner Spiral. 5: Outer Spiral

Front 48

Benefits of the Principles of Alignment

Back 48

Spiritual: The optimal alignment creates the greatest amount of freedom. Mental: The principles occur in every pose, which frees of up the mind. Physical: Creates optimal flow of prana (life force), fluids (circulation), and health.

Front 49

Connection between Loops and Principles of Alignment

Back 49

Opening to Grace establishes Kidney Loop, Muscular Energy initiates Shin and Shoulder Loop, Expanding Spiral relates to Thigh Loop, Contracting Spiral relates to Pelvic Loop, and Organic Energy initiates Ankle and Skull Loop.

Front 50

Veda

Back 50

Knowledge/revealed wisdom to the kavis.

Front 51

Shruti

Back 51

Revealed wisdom

Front 52

Kavis

Back 52

Seer Poets who The Vedas were revealed to because of their aduous sadhana (strenuous effort by means of accomplishment)

Front 53

Smirti

Back 53

Recollected or remembered wisdom

Front 54

Vedic Hymns

Back 54

Considered forms of archaic yoga. 1: Rig Veda, 2: Yakur Veda, 3: Sama Veda, 4: Atharva Veda

Front 55

Vedic Culture

Back 55

Grew out of the Indus Saraswati Valley civilization, which flourished in northern India around 3000-1700 BCE.

Front 56

Earliest forms of yoga

Back 56

Sacrificial ritualism and hymns of Vedic people about 1700 BCE.

Front 57

Upanishadic Era (when/significance/type of yoga)

Back 57

C800-500 BCE: When yoga became a full fledged spiritual tradition, specifically at the time of the Katha Upanishad (Epic/Pre-classical Yoga). Bhakti Yoga

Front 58

Upanishad

Back 58

"to sit near" (to sit near the teacher/to sit close and listen): a key to knowing that yoga was an oral tradition. First reference to Grace. The individual leaves joy and sorrow behind and realizes God in the cave of the heart.

Front 59

Two great works from the Upanishadic Era

Back 59

1: Mahabharata (contains Bhagavad Gita) 2: Ramayana epic (these works are smirti or recollected wisdom)

Front 60

Samadi

Back 60

Unitive Awareness

Front 61

Classical Yoga (when/significance/type of yoga)

Back 61

200 CE: Patanjali composed the Yoga Sutras in this era. Samkya Yoga

Front 62

Post Classical Advaita Vedanta Period (when/significance/type of yoga)

Back 62

300 CE-8th Century CE: rooted with the works known as Puranas. Give nod back to Vedic era. The yoga vashista is composed. Promoted Jnana Yoga

Front 63

Tantra Period (when/significance/type of yoga)

Back 63

6th century CE to present: Shakti Traditions, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Hatha Yoga all came from this period.

Front 64

Shakti

Back 64

Spiritual energy visualized in the feminine. The creative power behind the universe.

Front 65

2 best known tantras in Shakti tradition

Back 65

1: Kularnava Tantra "ocean of the heart" where the name Anusara was drawn from. 2: Maha Nirvana Tantra "Great Extinction".

Front 66

Shaivism (what is it/what are the writings called)

Back 66

Shiva worship. Writings called "agmas" are from this tradition (28 known, 200 exist)

Front 67

Vaishnavism (what is it/what are the writings called)

Back 67

Vishnu worship. Writings called Samhitas are from this tradition. There are 108 samhitas (some say 215)

Front 68

Meaning of Tantra

Back 68

"Tan" to stretch "Tra" Device/Instrument

Front 69

What is prana?

Back 69

The vital force in our bodies. The energy that sustains the manifestation of the universe. An energetic form of the Goddess, Chittishakti.

Front 70

5 Primary Pranas

Back 70

Udana, Prana, Samana, Apana, Vyana

Front 71

Udana

Back 71

Associated with the element of air. Prana that controls the region of the head.

Front 72

Prana

Back 72

Connected to inhalation. Associated with the element of space. The Prana that governs the region from the throat to the bottom of the heart. It is the upward flowing prana that rules speech and respiration.

Front 73

Samana

Back 73

Associated with fire. Prana that rules the area of the mid-torso between the bottom of the heart and just below the navel, controlling digestion and the functioning of the abdominal organs and glands.

Front 74

Apana

Back 74

Connected to exhalation. Associated with earth. Prana that covers the lower torso area just below the navel, governing the functions of the intestines, reproductive organs, bladder and kidneys. It is the downward and outward-flowing prana that expels semen and waste matter out of the body, as well as governing childbirth.

Front 75

Vyana

Back 75

Associated with water. Prana that ervades the whole body, and controls the functioning of the nervous system, veins, muscles, and joints.