What Is Satchidananda? - Integral Yoga Teachers … · · 2017-10-31What Is Satchidananda by Sri...

Volume XVI, No. 2, May 2009

Continued on Page 5

InsideWhat Is Satchidananda by Sri Swami Satchidananda p. 1Letter from the Editor p. 2Transcending the Tricks of the Mind By Sri Swami Sivananda p. 3 Yoga and Osteoporosis Intervention By Kay Hawkins p. 6Yoga in Support of Chronic Pain By Matt Taylor p. 7Sciatica Sleuthings By Lakshmi Sutter p. 10

Facing Fear of Death by Hersha Chellaran p. 12Thoughts on Ishvara Pranidhana by Shailaja Menon p. 13Cardiac Yoga® by Mala Cunningham p. 14In Memoriam: Shanky Chellaram p. 15IYTA Membership Benefit:Service Programs at Yogaville p. 15Senior Speakers Schedule p. 18Calendar of Upcoming Programs at Yogaville p. 19

What Is Satchidananda?by Sri Swami Satchidananda

Many people think that there is a person called “Satchidananda.” “Oh, he’s about 5’11” tall. He has a long beard, wears an orange robe.” But that is just a composition of elements that you see. You don’t see the real Satchidananda, but you can experience it.

It’s a combination of three words: Sat, Chid, Ananda. Sat means Existence or Truth. Chid is the expression, knowledge, of it. Ananda is the Bliss you get out of it. So Truth, Knowledge, Bliss is what we mean by the word Satchidananda. In a way, the meaning could be compared to the Holy Trinity. God exists always. He expresses Himself as the Son. Through the Son you know the Father. If He didn’t express Himself, you couldn’t know the Father.

Sat, Truth, should express itself as Chid, knowledge. Then, when you know that, you get the joy, the Bliss, the Ananda of it. Sat-Chid-Ananda is everywhere, in everything, even in an atom.

That is your name as well. That is the name for everything. That is the common name for all that you can name. All matter has this Sat-Chid-Ananda. I’m not talking only about human beings. Everything, even a speck of dust, is Sat-Chid-Ananda. There It is, expressed as dust; and It brings some kind of joy by putting Itself together into a form. So, everything is Sat-Chid-Ananda. That is the spiritual view.

If you see everything as Truth-Knowledge-Bliss, you have a divine vision, the vision of God, the vision of Spirit.

The Goal of Integral Yoga

The goal of Integral Yoga, and the birthright of every individual is to realize the spiritual unity behind all the diversities in the entire creation and to live harmoniously as members of one universal family.

This goal is achieved by maintaining our natural condition of a body of optimum health and strength, senses under total control, a mind well-disciplined, clear and calm, an intellect as sharp as a razor, a will as strong and pliable as steel, a heart full of unconditional love and compassion, an ego as pure as a crystal, and a life filled with Supreme Peace and Joy.

Attain this through asanas, pranayama, chanting of Holy Names, self discipline, selfless action, mantra japa, meditation, study and reflection.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

Ever yours in Yoga,

Integral Yoga® Teachers AssociationFounder: Sri Swami Satchidananda

The Integral Yoga Teachers Association is a membership association open to all Integral Yoga teachers. Its mission is to provide mutual support and spiritual fellowship, to share information, to provide inspiration, and to conduct ongoing training and guidance.

Director: Lakshmi SutterSupervising Editor: Rev. Prakasha ShaktiNewsletter Editor: Arjuna GuttadauroGraphic Design: Anand Shiva HervéPhotos: Richard DiMaria, Sraddha Van DykeCopy Editors: Lakshmi Sutter, Bhagerati GuttadauroMembership Coordinator: Andrew GodreauIYTA Assistant: Sushila Bales

Integral Yoga Teachers AssociationSatchidananda Ashram–Yogaville108 Yogaville WayBuckingham, VA 23921 USATel: 434.969.3121, ext. 177Fax: 434.969.1303E-mail (Newsletter): [email protected] (Membership): [email protected] (Director): [email protected]: www.iyta.org

Letter From The Editor

Hari OM. Greetings of Peace and Joy,

What an honor it is to be sharing in the editing of this fine newsletter with Rev. Prakasha. Prakasha has done a wonderful job; and, together, I’m sure we can continue producing an excellent product.

I would like to extend an invitation to you to come to Yogaville. Many of you had your Teacher Training here and/or have been here for other reasons. I’m sure you have fond memories of your stay. Yogaville is a place of real spiritual growth. As I watch people come as staff, LYTs, guests or program participants I see a real change in their spiritually. Their facial expressions, walk, talk, and mannerisms all take on the calmness brought on by experiencing the true Self. Do a great service to yourself and Yogaville by making plans to come. The LYT and Support Staff ad inside this issue gives some of the benefits you, as IYTA members, can enjoy with a visit.

You will notice that some of our articles are written by presenters of upcoming programs. These special people are at the cutting edge of today’s spiritual knowledge, and their articles transfer some of that knowledge to you, our teachers. I hope you enjoy them; and, if it resonates, you consider coming to one of their programs.

I hope to see many of you soon.

Peace, Joy, Love, and Light,

Arjuna Guttadauro

IYTA Newsletter • May 2009 •


The path of the spiritual aspirant verily lies through a bewildering jungle of difficulties and dilemmas, of problems and paradoxes. One such vexing paradox is that your mind is both your best friend as well as your bitter enemy. The mind becomes a true friend only after gradually trained to be so. It begins to be really helpful after the aspirant has progressed sufficiently in spiritual sadhana (spiritual practice). Until then it should be regarded as a troublesome and treacherous enemy inside us. It is extremely diplomatic, cunning and crooked. It is an arch-deceiver. One of the master-strokes of the mind’s artfulness is to make the aspirant feel and smugly imagine that he knows his mind perfectly well and cannot be led away by it and at the same time to delude him totally. The mind has the knack of making the unwary aspirant confidently think himself its master while it makes a hopeless fool of him. Its deceptions are subtle.

You have heard the saying: “The devil can quote the scriptures” for its purpose. Similarly the mind can use a virtue to indulge in a vice. It has an inborn inclination to perversion. It can even take the support of a perfectly good principle seemingly to justify the most unprincipled sort of action. Unless it is scrutinized dispassionately, its tricks are never fully discovered. Certain of the perversions usually noticeable are described here. This will be valuable to sincere aspirants who are eager to study their minds and eliminate defects and shortcomings. These are extremely useful tips, especially in the working field, for aspirants engaged in active service in the midst of other people.

To Hiss or Not to Hiss?

There is the advice which says, “You may hiss but not bite.” This safe counsel was given to a fabulous snake which, in a too extreme excess of piety, became so totally docile and harmless that it got severely manhandled by a set of mischievous urchins. It was given as an example to over-timid householders and people struggling in the very midst of the harsh realities of competitive worldly life. Here an overdose of a certain kind of humility might well make life impossible amidst the devilish elements abounding in the world. Therefore just an outward show of pugnacity may be countenanced in so far as this does not affect your basic goodness and brotherhood. But his policy is not for the spiritual aspirant in the path of right speech and renunciation. Definitely not. Let aspirants take heed of these words. The sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) is neither to “bite” nor is he to “hiss” even. This hissing business will soon become a part of your nature, and you will find yourself hissing for everything, at everyone, in and out of

season. This hiss will include every variety of rudeness, ranging from hot argument, sharp retort, curt reply to angry gnarling, shouting and abuse. Short of physical violence and fight, every type of verbal brutality will be put into the “hissing” category. This will ultimately lead to spiritual downfall. The mind is ever waiting to take advantage of even the least concession shown to it. Its natural tendency is to go downward. There do not bite or hiss. Be humble,

sweet, polite and courteous. If you wish to hiss then hiss at your own mind. Trash the ego. Watch the mind!

Pure Practice or Sheer Stubbornness?

Another victim to perversion is the piece of advice: “Be resolute. Stick to your principles. Never budge an inch.” This is the best possible advice to a sincere spiritual seeker; but, unfortunately, this is often made the basis for the worst possible trait: obstinacy. This is a tamasic (indolent) trait. But the mind will make believe that you are manifesting spiritual strength or a divine determination. This is its work, to make one cling tightly to one’s ego. Hence this deception, but the careful aspirant must discern the

difference between pure practice and sheer stubbornness. Spiritual strength is not a cheap commodity to be got without a great deal of earnest struggle, discipline and will-culture. Determined adherence is advocated in respect to truly high and noble principles and not to self-conceited notions. By all means stick to spiritual disciplines, but avoid becoming obdurate in nature. Do not be deceived. Watch your mind!

Speaking the Truth

“Speak the truth always. Be frank.” Thus is the teaching. This means, when you are required to talk, then talk only the truth. It does not at all mean that you must go about telling everyone to his or her face what exactly you think of that person. This is unwarranted behavior. Under the garb of frankness, to give free expression of opinions without caring for other peoples’ feelings is not Arjava, (frankness, or straightforwardness). At the least it is thoughtlessness; at its height it is sheer brutality. It does not bespeak well of an aspirant. The same teacher who tells you, “Speak the truth; be frank” also tells you to have limited speaking and sweet speaking. The mind can even make you utilize frankness in order to express mild insult. An unpleasant truth is better left unsaid. If it becomes absolutely necessary and unavoidable, then say it sweetly and with humility. Not to hurt and wound others’ feelings is as important as speaking truth. Satya (truthfulness) and Ahimsa (non-injury) must go together. Study thyself and watch the mind!

Transcending the Tricks of the Mindby Sri Swami Sivananda


Safeguard Dispassion

Then there is the truism: “Vairagya (dispassion) is really a mental state, mental detachment.” The mind takes hold of this definition to justify a heedless sensual life without self-restraint or principle. The argument always will be “Oh, I am not attached to all this. I can rise above it. Mentally I am detached.” Contact with sense objects has toppled even ascetics like Vishvamitra. Therefore, do not take Vairagya lightly. Cultivate it diligently. Safeguard your Vairagya carefully. The caution not to go to extremes in tapasya (austerity) also meets with a like fate. Man’s normal nature is sensuous. The mind wants comforts and hates austerity. The indiscriminating aspirant conveniently ignores the qualifying adjective “extremes” in the advice above and views all tapasya with disfavor. The result is to degenerate into luxury, lose even the minimum of endurance and become a slave to a hundred wants. The warnings are against foolish extremes, but to a spiritual seeker, in the early stages a certain degree of austerity is essential for development. The mind will suggest so many justifications. It will bring the Bhagavad Gita to its side and show that the Lord, in a way, condemned tapasya. O aspirant, the Lord condemned “tamasic tapas.” He recommended sattvic (pure of balanced) austerity of body, speech and mind. Reflect carefully, and always watch the mind!

Essentials and Non-essentials

“Take care of essentials. Do not pay too much attention to non-essentials.” The above, too, serves as a handle for the mind to deceive the aspirant. If you follow this advice, first try to understand what is essential. The idle nature of human beings is to loathe following any sort of rule and set lines of right conduct. Therefore everything is dismissed at a stroke as non-essential. Then what remains? God only can say. The only “essential” would seem to be to do what the mind likes. The sadhaka must think what a spiritual instruction really means and why it is given .Moreover, “essentials” and “non-essentials” vary according to the stage of development of the aspirant. What may be unnecessary to an aspirant at a later stage may well be essential to him or her now. Do not throw away precious grain with the chaff.

A Prop for the Ego

Finally, the most dangerous deception played by the mind is in connection with sadhana itself. The very sadhana that is adopted by the aspirant to transfigure and divine his or her life is converted into a prop and a field for the play of ego and sense. It is very difficult to break out of this ensnaring net without great earnestness and sincere endeavor. It is this vitiation of spiritual practice that keeps the sadhaka “stuck” as it were on the path, arresting progress years together.

For example, a youthful aspirant with sweet voice and musical talent naturally takes to kirtan and bhajan (chanting) as his sadhana. Art always attracts admirers. He is in demand at all auspicious functions. He gets popular amidst satsang goers.

The subtle mind now spreads the net. The kirtan becomes sweeter day by day. New songs and tunes are added to his musical repertory. Without his being aware, the kirtan has become a means to attract others to himself and to maintain his popularity. Thus the sadhana becomes double-purposed—primarily for vision of the Lord, and side-by-side walks upon the razor edge of spiritual life. The mind is a devil. Through the very intimacy of contacts in the field of service, pleasure centers can be created and sensuousness can get scope in this service sadhana.

Tricks are Subtle

All the above perversions of noble teachings arise out of the mischief of the unregenerated mind. In a trice, delusion can spring upon you and overpower you as the tiger does its prey. Therefore, watch the mind!

The most extraordinary part of all this is that the mind will not allow you to take for worldly attraction. The result is the extra-ordinary phenomenon of the sadhaka caught in his sadhana, the quality of sadhana leads to bondage instead of liberation. Maya is wonderful, indescribable, and Her ways are Mysterious and inscrutable.

Vigilance in Service

Serving and helping others for no return is something unheard of in the purely practical world. Naturally the nonattached votary of service is regarded as an exceptional being. All doors are open to such a person. Many bring their troubles to him or her, open their hearts and freely, and confide even intimate problems. They, of course, take for granted that the spiritual aspirant is perfectly pure in every respect. Here the sadhaka takes the above lessons seriously. It will say, “Oh, you are all right. This is not meant for you. Do not mind all these precautions. Carry on as you are.” O aspirant, do not listen to this advice of the mind. Do not cooperate with the roguish mind. Take the lessons to heart.

To know where exactly one stands on the path is very difficult. The tricks of the mind are most subtle. Only constant reflection will keep one alter and sage. Deep introspection alone can reveal a little of the mysterious workings of the mind. Probe and probe into the mind. Do not be lenient with it. The mind will try to compromise with you. Relentlessly hunt out its hidden motives. Subject yourself to keen self analysis, serious and earnest self-searching. Carry on a ceaseless search and a vigorous enquiry inwardly. Put your mind on the dissecting table of introspection. Pray for the grace of the Guru, who alone can vanquish the mind and enable you to master it. Pray to the All-Merciful Lord to illumine your intellect with the light of knowledge. Watch the mind. Watch and pray. Thus alone, through introspection, analysis, discrimination, vigilance and prayer can you understand the subtle jugglery of this wonderful thing called “mind” and transcend its deceptions and tricks.

from Divine Life


Constant Change

In the worldly level, you have two more aspects—a name and a form. The nama rupa prapancham we call it.

On the divine level we have only three distinctions; in the worldly level, we have five. If somebody asks who you are, you don’t just say “I’m Sat-Chid-Ananda!” instead you say, “I’m Jacob; I am a man.” So you have a name and a form, in that case, a masculine form; in another case, a feminine form. The name and form come and go; they change constantly. But Sat-Chid-Ananda, your true nature, will remain even when your body is in the powder form.

When you were a little younger, you were called a baby. Then you grew into a young boy or girl. Then you were a teenager, a student. Probably later on you became a boyfriend, a girlfriend, then a spouse. You got all these different names. A husband becomes a father, then a grandfather, then a great-grandfather, then an old, old man; and, ultimately he becomes a dead body. These are all changes in the body, in the name.

When a piece of wood changes form, you might call it pulp. The pulp is processed, and you call it paper. When that paper is cut into pieces and stitched together, it becomes a notebook. If you print something on it, it becomes a book. When it gets torn, it becomes waste paper. When you burn it, it becomes ash. So what is it that is lost here? The name and form keep on changing, but that Sat-Chid-Ananda in it never changes. The common element is that Truth-Knowledge-Bliss. When it expresses itself in the worldly level, you have the name and form to relate to. It is the name and form which you see. If you have the proper perspective, you will use the name and form for your convenience; but you will go deep into the Sat-Chid-Ananda and see the oneness in everybody.

The Lord’s Fun

If everything was just Sat-Chid-Ananda, without name and form, don’t you think the whole world would be boring?

Imagine another piece of wood. This big piece of wood is no fun by itself so you begin to chip it into small pieces. Still there is no fun, no game. Only when you carve it into a king, a queen, a pawn, a castle, a bishop, then you have a nice game of chess. They are all different pieces, with different purposes—all of the same wood.

The Bible tells us that in the beginning there was only God and nothing but God. Probably God got bored just sitting as God always. So God said, “Come on, let me multiply myself. Let me separate myself into different names and forms and let there just be fun.” So, this is the Lord’s play, God’s is fun.

What Is Satchidananda? (Continued from Page 1)

Going Back

Sometimes, though, we forget and make God’s play into something too serious. We forget that the differences are all part of the fun, and we fight with each other.

When you finally get tired of that, when you really feel caught in it, you sit back and think, “Why do I get into these situations? Ah! I forgot, this is all just for our enjoyment; and, ultimately, we are all one. We just took different names and forms to play the game. I forgot that. I forgot the common Spirit behind everything. I applied the importance to the differences, the names and forms, so now I’m in a terrible state. Let me get back to the root of it.”

That is when you become a religious person. What is religion? You are trying to bind yourself back to the Original. “Religio” means to go back or bind back. You started with Sat-Chid-Ananda. Just for the sake of fun you got into a name and form, but you forgot the Sat-Chid-Ananda because it’s not always visible. When you get tired of indentifying with all the differences, then you try to go back to the source, you become a religious person.

God is unlimited, infinite. Spirit has no name or form. But we are limited; our thinking is finite. We cannot understand something infinite with the finite mind. So, for the sake of our convenience, we bring that infinite One to the finite state. Through that finite image, we go further in understanding and finally see that God is infinite.

Imagine wanting to bring the sea into your house. How will you do that? The sea is comparatively infinite. If you want to bring it into your home, you’ll have to just bring it in a bucket. So the bucket limits the sea, and you say, “Hey! I have a bucketful of sea.” See? To you the sea has become a bucketful of water. It’s not the real sea. You limited it according to what you could do. In the same way, due to our own limitations we limit the Unlimited One.

Of course, the limitations in us differ. My mind perceives in one way; yours, in a different way. Each mind has its own capacity and limitations. According to each mind, one perceives God in his or her own way. There are so many minds, and there are so many perceptions of God. You see God in your own light; I see God in my light. When we forget that originally God is nameless and formless and that it is only because of the mind’s limitations that we limit Him, then we forget the Truth and fight.

Don’t try to bring the sea into the house; because it is impossible to do that. Instead, you can get into the sea and become it. Then you are in the sea, but it is not separated from you. You are the sea. That is where the great prophet Lord Jesus Christ said, “Ultimately, I realize that I and my Father are one and the same. I get lost in Him and am no longer separate.”

May you all experience that Sat-Chid-Ananda as your own true Self. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.


November 2008: The New York Times reports that osteoporosis affects 10 million Americans over age 50.

Advertisements on TV promise bone stability through prescription drugs, but many people prefer the natural path if possible.

What Does Yoga Have to Offer for Osteoporosis?

Many of us think of Yoga as a way to stretch, relax, and release stress. But we also may realize that we have developed significant physical strengths and stamina as a result of our practice. The fact is that Yoga is a holistic practice, adaptable to a variety of needs or interests.

Osteoporosis results in bone loss and fragile bones that break easily, yet we read about medical studies that clearly demonstrate the positive effects of exercise and strength training on bone density. These studies show that bone density can be increased at any age through appropriate weight bearing and resistance exercises.

If exercise and strength training can positively affect bone density, can Yoga be adapted for this same benefit? That’s the question that interested Dr. Nirmala Limaye (OB/GYN) and myself when we began collaborating in this field more than a decade ago. We believe, and are seeing, that not only can Yoga help maintain strong bones, but a targeted Yoga practice might be part of an effective intervention for those who have already experienced bone loss.

The bigger issue is this: While several types of exercise are shown to benefit bone building, the key to their success is regular practice. For those who love Yoga, offering the benefits of bone strengthening only enhances Yoga’s benefits and creates more positive incentives for regular practice.

Osteoporotic Fractures are a Growing Problem.

The fact is that many current Yoga students may have experienced bone loss without knowing it. Others will move into that category. Checking online for annual data from the National Osteoporosis Foundation website, we find more than 500,000 fractures of spinal vertebrae, almost 400,000 wrist fractures, almost 300,000 hip fractures and another 700,000 miscellaneous fractures. These fractures occur predominately in women around the age of menopause, but bone weakening typically begins much earlier.

What Factors Affect Bone Density?

The factors we inherit cannot be wholly known. Other key factors affecting bone density are known. These

factors involve internal mechanisms and external inputs, such as exercise and diet.

First the internal: Throughout life, bone is constantly remodeling; that is, building up and breaking down. From birth into the third decade of life, bone building typically outpaces bone breakdown. Then, by the mid-30s, breaking down begins moving faster than building up, and with the hormone changes of menopause, bone loss is accelerated.

Bone loss is not simply a matter of a remodeling imbalance; other basic relationships come into play. Bones are the body’s storehouse of calcium. Calcium is demanded daily for many routine bodily functions. With insufficient calcium input, the required calcium is pulled from the bones, potentially weakening them. Calcium is one of a number of input factors, including Vitamin D, which affects bone health.

The other important external factor affecting bone density is bone strengthening exercise. Bone strengthening comes from physical work. This is basically a mechanical operation: Muscles attach to bones. When muscles work hard, bones are stressed. When bones are stressed they are stimulated. When bones are stimulated they are provoked to increase density. This is an established and predictable fact of bone physiology.

Can a Yoga Practice be an Effective Bone Building Exercise?

The practices designed for this osteoporosis focus combine elements of Yoga with those of strength training. These have been adapted from controlled studies and other exercises that are documented to have improved bone density. The specific asanas selected benefit spines, wrists, hips, and increased skill with balance. Risky asanas are excluded. The asanas are linked by appropriate counter poses.

As Yoga teachers know, there are many stylistic differences between Yoga traditions. In this osteoporosis focus, the asana techniques used are those that bring in a weight-bearing element, using the body’s weight against gravity. These techniques employ repetition and the use of concentric, eccentric and isometric muscle contractions to build structural strength.

Yoga and Osteoporosis Intervention by Kay Hawkins

Kay Hawkins


Nirmala Limaye and I believe that Yoga is perhaps uniquely suited to working in the field of osteoporosis because of its capacity to improve flexibility and coordination, increase body awareness, improve skill with balance and enhance one’s overall energy and sense of well being. Along with bone building, these factors all strongly affect fracture prevention and ultimately, promote an active and confident lifestyle.

Kay Hawkins holds teacher credentials in Integral Yoga and ViniYoga. She is certified by the American ViniYoga Institute

as a Yoga therapist. Kay taught in Northern Virginia for five years before relocating to Fredericksburg, VA in 2001. There she has a home-based studio where she works with private students and small groups. Kay has taught specialized workshops in a number of Virginia locations and on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Kay is teaming with Dr. Nirmala Limaye to present “Yoga for Osteoporosis Prevention”, a program for Yoga teachers and health professionals in Yogaville, VA, Sept 9-13.

Yoga therapy is well suited for supporting individuals with chronic pain. The emerging neuroscience research of the past five years has revealed a new and fascinating understanding of the experience of pain. Unfortunately many of those who bill themselves as pain relievers continue to practice with outdated models of pain from the last century. Allow me to share a few ideas about Yoga, pain and suffering. This is a large

topic so I have also listed resources at the end of the article for continued exploration.

One definition of Yoga is the science and practice of easing present suffering and preventing future suffering. Yoga is also defined as stabilizing the mind-stuff (Sutra 1.2). Here we discover the relationship between mind and suffering….Instability=suffering…Stability=ease or prevention of suffering.

So what is mind? We hear body/mind/spirit advertised for everything from stock trades to cold cream for your dog! In our western culture “mind” is currently defined by Daniel Siegel, MD, of the UCLA Mindfulness Research Center as: “a process that regulates the flow of energy and information.” He further defines mind as having both interpersonal quality (i.e., the process within an individual human) and intrapersonal (the same process between humans). Therefore, when this process is destabilized, either within one person or between persons, suffering ensues.

In my work with novice Yoga students, this has been a very practical, modern definition for the unity consciousness described across the millennia. Citing the school and Dr. Siegel’s credentials also affords the most conservative of students a safe bridge to extend their inquiry and begin to mine the riches of classical Yoga. The language further serves to initiate dialog with potential referral sources without any concerns of misunderstanding when the student discusses their experience with Yoga. Sometimes those of us who teach Yoga and live the lifestyle underestimate how foreign and exotic what has become our second nature is to the majority of potential students.

Returning to the connection of mind and suffering, suffering in Yoga is said to occur when the mind (individual and collective) errs in ignorance (avidya) as the integrity and unity of all of creation is forgotten. Said another way, suffering occurs when we lose our “minds” as individuals and human communities. The Sutras (2.3) further delineate this ignorance in describing the kleshas or roots of misery. The kleshas include believing the “small-mindedness” of the self or ego; attraction toward some illusion as relief from suffering; avoidance of some illusion to prevent suffering; and fear of death or annihilation of the small self.

So how does chronic pain fit in? The old pain understanding was the light-switch model—a bad thought or injured piece of tissue (i.e., a cut) creates a pain. Fix the thought or cut; the pain is gone. Depressed? Think positive thoughts. Massive headaches? Take the strong stuff. Treat each individual symptom mechanistically by applying the right “fix.” More recently, name the malady and prescribe the “right” set of asanas!

We now know pain is a very complex experience of the brain created not by a single switch, but a distributed, constantly reorganized network to include the body, thoughts, emotions, culture, environment and those with whom we live. Together they form a matrix that allows athletes to

Yoga in Support of Chronic Pain by Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor


complete performances with fractures and paper cuts to cause disproportionate pain. This pain experience (both energy and information) is then interpreted by various centers of the brain that evaluate it (a process) and regulate the individual’s response to the experience. The centers include that of pain and fear memories, as well as centers projecting future outcomes. Ultimately the experience is our reality of the moment in which we either react with a habituated behavior (samskara) or create a novel, detached response to modify the experience or decrease future suffering (new karma).

Yoga has technologies that we now understand modify (stabilize) these various centers of the brain as well as the related neurotransmitter and hormonal responses they generate throughout the physical body. These centers are listed in this table along with the limbs of Yoga that most directly affect those centers. It should be understood that in an integral understanding every limb affects every center but for ease of learning some categorization helps develop this more complex frame of reference and relationship.

An example might be someone with chronic back pain on ‘permanent’ disability. Plagued by past pain experiences with activities, they become trapped in a descending cycle of inactivity, social withdrawal, increased physical tension and collapse and consequent sleep disruption. The gentle, graded initiation of a complete practice of Yoga allows the cycle of instability to be broken as they remember glimpses of ease, awareness and insight that seemed lost in the vortex of building chaos within the systems that occur with chronic pain. Again, by the modern definition of mind, not limited to their internal experience, but affecting those they live and work with, as well as the systems of health care and societal support that are intended to be helpful in addressing their condition. As we all know too well, often these more indirect

Prefrontal cortexReconstructing the filter of the worrier/planner with mindfulness, Yamas, Niyamas and Pratyahara

AmygdalaExploring the roots of the fear, fear conditioning and addiction with Pratyahara

Anterior singulate complex Improving concentration and focus with Dharana

Sensory motor homunculusRefreshing the virtual map of existence with Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara.

ThalamusMotivation/stress response modification with Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara

CerebellumEnhance movement, coordination and cognition with Asana, Dharana and Pratyahara

HippocampusRe-order memory, fear conditioning, spatial cognition with Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara

Spinal cordUp and down regulators/governors of information/energy with Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara

Basal GangliaAutomatic unconscious movements, dependent on dopamine and serotonin for proper function with Asana, Dhyana and Pranayama

system influences generate more stress and challenge, which requires even greater resiliency (metaphoric firm and stable asana) on the part of the individual.

The then ongoing modification of this web of interaction in modern terms is called neuroplasticity (changeable nervous system). In Yoga we define the process of stability as nirodha (1.2)…both a process and a state. Through emerging science, the eight limbs of Yoga can now be understood to impact all of these various centers of the brain and, with practice, quite literally change the connections, thickness and reactivity of each center. This table further delineates these new understandings of these ancient technologies.

While all of this science is exciting to those of us that teach Yoga, it is important that we also appreciate the responsibilities we as teachers and therapists have to maintaining our own practices. Too often we slip into a mechanistic model of “doing to” the students just by being part of our culture and its paradigms. This misidentification that somehow we are the healer or the doer in the relationship exposes both us and our student to the potential for future suffering. We so deeply want to “help” someone experiencing chronic pain—and they, by cultural training, are seeking someone to help or fix them—that this slip of mind is often hard to avoid. Nonetheless, if we sustain our own practice to enhance our individual stability of mind, we will be aware when emotional tugs or old patterns of misperception of power tempt us to assume roles that might generate a relationship that limits realization of wholeness on the part of both parties.

While this peer relationship has been an ethical foundation for Yoga, scientists have now discovered what are termed mirror neurons. We have portions of our nervous system that quite literally mirror the actions and attitudes of those with whom we associate. The implications of these findings are that if we

Table I


arrive to teach in a harried, scattered state our students will tend to mirror our state….oops! If we haven’t met our personal needs for love and support and intend to receive it by helping our students our students may end up mirroring our needy state rather than sense their own needs and be able to act with confidence and assurance rooted in their needs. For those experiencing chronic pain they know the suffering of being dependent and having unmet needs. Subsequently if their Yoga practice is to shift out of that frame of reference, then the presence of mirror neurons demands we stay rooted in our work as a peer of theirs vs. assuming the role of presumed wholeness while projecting our instabilities.

Arriving in stability is the first half of this challenge. The second half is to remain stable no matter the process of the session. When tears, anger or withdrawal are present, our work is to mirror contentment and stability, around which (science demonstrates over time) the student has the potential to modify his/her state in life by being in community with someone who embodies the intended stability. Our goal then is to “be” in a quality of wholeness vs. “doing to” the students to change them. While simple in design, as you work with people with chronic pain, you will discover the work you have to do in your practice as well.

Modern science is literally painting pictures of the process of regulation we call mind. When someone with chronic pain begins to study all the limbs of Yoga, they immerse themselves in a science that doesn’t just try to flip the right switch to alter an experience. Rather, they quite literally ease

their individual suffering and prevent future suffering, as well as the suffering of those with whom they interact. As Yoga teachers and therapists, we are blessed to be able to share in this sacred transformation with our students.

For more detail please refer to the following resources and registration information for the weekend workshop in September 2009.

Resources:Explain Pain by David ButlerThe Mindful Brain by Daniel Siegel (2008)Inside the Yoga Sutras by Reverend Jaganath Carrera (2006) [or any commentary on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras]www.lifeisnow.ca Yoga for Chronic Pain DVD and bookwww.iayt.org Neil Pearson, MSc(RHBS), BScPT, BA-BPHE Yoga for People in Pain Intl J of Yoga Therapy Vol 18, 2008.

Matthew J. Taylor, PT, PhD, RYT, has a doctorate in transformational learning and change (a.k.a. Yoga). Matt is an AYA member living in Scottsdale, where he and his wife have a Yoga-based rehabilitation clinic. He is an author, researcher and practitioner of Yoga therapy. He is president of the board of directors of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and teaches nationally. He is an expert legal witness for Yoga injuries and is passionate about Yoga safety. For more information see www.drofyoga.com Matt will present his program “Yoga’s Role in Supporting Chronic Pain and Disability” from September 17th through 20th, 2009 at Yogaville.

Path Description

Yamas

Moral precepts: non-harming, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity, greedlessness The key is especially to avoid harm that occurs because of trying to rush rehab and quit elevating the central nervous system into more hypervigilance and post-trauma stress cascading the HPA axis.

NiyamasQualities to nourish: purity, contentment, austerity (i.e., exercise), self-study, devotion to a higher power Focusing on goals (short and long term), self knowledge of anatomy, prevention, long term maintenance, and quality of life, etc.

Asana Postures/movements: A calm, firm, steady stance in relation to life. Emphasis on proper alignment and therapeutic progression while experiencing the other seven aspects of practice.

Pranayama Breathing practices: The ability to channel and direct breath, attention and awareness as well as life energy (prana).

PratyaharaDecreased reactivity to sensation: Focusing senses inward; non-reactivity to stimuli. Includes fear avoidance, non-reactivity to pain, addressing kinesiophobia and PTSD (e.g., through Yoga Nidra).

Dharana

Concentration; unwavering attention, commitment. Applying full attention to the experience of the moment, goals and recognition of distractions/harmful substitutions, etc. Given most of the population now has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), this goes to compliance issues, distractability etc. in rehab.

DhyanaMeditation; mindfulness, being attuned to the present moment. Read sensorimotor integration; also includes the use of guided and visual imagery for healing and motor planning.

Samadhi

Ecstatic union; flow; “in the zone”; spiritual support/connection. Critical for significant trauma and life changing events…How much was the individual’s identity tied to prior abilities, etc. that now he/she can’t perform or participate in?….How to find meaning and purpose through accurate identification within one’s reality...That’s what Yoga therapy offers.

Table II


Sciatica Sleuthingby Lakshmi Sutter, eRYT500

This quarter, I’ve been asked to explore the use of Yoga postures to address sciatica. The term sciatica is perhaps over-used, as it describes symptoms. There are a number of causes for these symptoms; and, as Sri Swami Satchidananda always suggested, it’s important to get to the root of the problem!

Sciatica is a set of conditions, named for discomfort caused by irritation to the sciatic nerve. This is the largest and longest nerve bundle in the body. It originates from a few places along the left and right sides of the lower spine, bundles together on the front side of the piriformis muscle, transits all the way down the back of the legs and branches into the lower legs and feet. Some suggest that any pain in the leg is sciatica, which is technically untrue. True sciatica exists when there is pressure placed on the nerve rather than pain referred from joints such as in arthritis, which is reportedly more common than true sciatica.

Considering the length and size of this nerve, many conditions lead to pain in the sciatic nerve, or sciatica. Impairment can lead to muscle weakness in the leg, numbness or tingling. For students who are experiencing sciatic pain, it is important to know the cause of the problem; so they would likely benefit from a medical diagnosis. Following are brief descriptions of several of the causes and typical approaches to addressing each.

Disc herniation occurs when a disc protrudes and irritates or compresses the nerves as they exit the lower spine. Pain from herniated discs can radiate down the leg. If this is the cause of the sciatic pain, your student will benefit from strengthening the abdominal and lower back area. Typical suggestions to address sciatica from this cause include Cobra (Bhujangaasana) and Boat (Poorva Nauaasana) poses as well as walking.

A similar condition occurs with degenerative disc disease. If a disc deteriorates and places pressure on the sciatic nerve, pain radiates along the leg. Strengthening the lower back can be the focus—as seen in Bridge (Sethu Bandha Sarvangaasana), Half Locust (Arddha Salabaasana), Locust (Salabaasana), Boat (Poorva Nauaasana), and the preparation for Raised Bow (Utthita Dhanuraasana).

Spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the nerve’s passageway, is another cause for sciatic pain. Those suffering this condition may feel discomfort while walking that alleviates when sitting. To address this, Yoga students are encouraged to stretch spinal extensors such as occurs in Child (Balaasana) and Wind Relieving (Pavanamuktaasana) poses and strengthen spinal flexors with something like pelvic tilts.

A final condition of the discs with a challenging name, isthmic spondylolisthesis, occurs when a disc slips forward after a break in the bones on the backside of the spine, leading to irritation or impingement on the nerve root. A common

approach to addressing this condition includes strengthening the abdominal region and practicing pelvic tilts.

Another cause for pain in the sciatic nerve is dysfunction at the sacro-iliac (SI) joint. If this oft-challenged joint becomes inflamed, it can irritate the part of the sciatic nerve that passes near the joint. This is a complicated condition to address; poses such as Cobra (Bhujangaasana) and Lying Hamstring Stretch (Supta Padagustaasana) may bring comfort. The emphasis in this cause is reducing the inflammation and addressing the original joint condition.

A final cause of sciatic pain occurs when the nerve is squeezed by a tricky muscle that lives between the sacrum and the head of the femur—the piriformis. Some schools of thought do not include this discomfort in the technical definition of sciatica; but, for our students, it still hurts! A 2005 medical study suggested that almost 70% of “sciatica” cases result from this tight muscle. The piriformis has several roles, including external hip rotation, hip extension, and hip abduction. The sciatic nerve lies between this muscle and the bone and ligaments of the pelvic girdle.

Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve. The compression can occur at the tendon near the edge of the muscle or if the nerve passes between the muscle and another ligament. According

Figure 1: Variations in anatomy of sciatic nerve and piriformis muscle


to a study of 91 bodies published in 2006 (Figure 1), in approximately 80% of the cases the nerve exits below the piriformis muscle (a). The sciatic nerve splits into two tracts in about 14% of those studied, with one branch passing through the piriformis and the other below it (b). In 4% of those studied, the nerve splits with one branch exiting above the muscle and the other below (c). In just about 2% of those studied, the nerve passes right through the middle of the muscle (d). Previous studies showed similar results.

Yoga therapists and others have different approaches to addressing sciatic pain originating from piriformis syndrome. Most agree that straight legged seated forward bends are contra-indicated. If practicing forward bends, then do so from a standing or supine position with the knees bent.

Since the piriformis is primarily an external rotator, many will find relief to release the muscle from stretching from that position. Work with your students to find a position that offers a gentle, but not intense stretch, where they can breathe and relax. These might include Rock the Baby (or allowing one ankle to rest on opposite upraised thigh), Standing Forward Bend with crossed legs (modified Uttanaasana), Half Seated Spinal Twist (Arddha Matsyendraasana), supine Rock the Baby and supine Thread the Needle. Once the student finds sukha and sthiram in a non-weight supporting position, they can move to externally rotated positions that support weight, such as Hero Pose (Viraasana) and Pigeon (Eka Pada Kapotaasana).

In addition to stretching the muscles, increasing tone to the muscle can be exceptionally helpful. To strengthen the piriformis, place the body in a position where that muscle is contracted and move against gravity. One successful movement is to begin in the starting position of Wide-legged Forward Bend (Upavista Konasana), leaning into the hands behind the body. Rotate one hip, dragging the leg toward the other. Then, reverse the rotation and drag the leg back to the starting position. Integrate the breath with the movement and repeat on both sides. Once this is repeated several times with comfort and ease, the leg can be lifted off the floor.

Some suggest that, regardless of the cause of the sciatic pain, sufferers gently stretch the hamstrings because tight hamstrings can place stress on the nerve. Perhaps the safest position to approach this is in a relaxed supine position (on the back) such as in Supta Padagustaasana. Once the pain diminishes, continue the same movements, as sciatic reoccurrence is common.

Remember that Yoga is most effective when practiced as an entire system. Your students will find the greatest relief if they incorporate the practice of Yoga as an entire system,

addressing all aspects of their being. While it’s acceptable to highlight some of the individual practices identified here, be certain not to reduce the individual practitioner to the condition s/he exhibits. In other words, your student is an entire being with current discomfort exhibiting itself as sciatic discomfort. Be careful not to let the entire practice develop around only the sciatic pain; rather, allow it to develop around the whole individual.

Beyond asana

It’s very tempting to get caught up in working only asana for a condition such as sciatic pain. Remember that Yoga is a holistic science, so it is appropriate to look at the whole individual. Pranayama can be a powerful tool for those in pain. Simple Three-Part breathing with optional awareness directed to the area of pain is a portable technique to employ at any time.

As a pain syndrome, sciatica is indicative of a vata imbalance. At a very basic level, gentle movements coordinated with the breath can help to bring the imbalance back to balance. As an inflammation syndrome, it is also a pitta imbalance. To address this, avoid over-heating—especially in the asana practice. Avoid consuming nightshades and take natural supplements such as cercumin, quercitin and botswelia (frankincense), which can be quite effective in helping reduce inflammation.

Resources Consulted

Steven G. Yeomans, DC & Ron S. Miller, PT: www.spine-health.com

Doug Keller: Yoga + Joyful Living Magazine (Spring 2009)

Reverend Manjula Spears: personal communication

Sara Powers: Yoga Journal Magazine on-line

Mukunda Stiles: Structural Yoga Therapy workshops

David Pokorny, David Jahoda, David Veigl, Vera Pinskerova and Antonin Sosna: Topographic variations of the relationship of the sciatic nerve and the piriformis muscle and its relevance to palsy after total hip arthroplasty in Surg Radiol Anat (2006) 28, pps 88–91.

Facing Fear of Death: From Mystery of Life to Mastery of Life

by Hersha Chellaran

I know death. Not because I’ve personally experienced it, but because I’ve lost many I love—my dad, my father-in-law, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and close friends. I was prepared for some and completely shocked by others. Each experience brought emptiness to my heart. Each time I thought about my loved ones, my heart would fill up with love from all the fond memories and then sting from how much I was going to miss them all.

Besides dealing with my own personal losses, I’ve had to support my family and friends through the difficult times. Loss, grief, and the stress of transition that accompany death are so taxing on the body and the mind. There is no wonder that the fear of death is one of the key causes of our human suffering.

Death is the only certain thing that we know is going to happen in our lives, yet we never talk about it, address it or even prepare for it. Instead we fear it, understandably so. Yet through the seemingly never-ending process of healing, I have found that the fear of death is necessary to shift our awareness toward greater realisation. If we didn’t fear death, we would never question the point of our existence.

Fear of death comes in many forms. For the person dying, it might come as fear of pain or suffering. Not knowing consciously where we are going or what will happen to us after we let go of our bodies also creates tension. For others lucky enough to accept that the body’s journey has come to an end, the mind’s tendency is to worry about those we are leaving behind and the suffering that our death will bring to them. For the bereaved, it’s equally hard to let go. The death of a human body is the most permanent form of saying goodbye. Living with grief becomes a harsh reality. The body becomes tense and contracted, and the mind enters a state of temporary depression, full of past memories and tormented by things left unsaid or un-done. Even without any unresolved issues, it may be hard to accept that we’ll never see our beloved departed again in this lifetime. Finally, there is the fear of being left behind – left to experience the rest of this lifetime alone.

It’s hard to accept that losing someone we love simply means that his or her work on this earth is finished. If someone dies at a younger age than our expectations or without fulfilling his or her dreams to the fullest, we mourn that they have not finished what they set out to accomplish, but do we know that for sure?

Many great masters had to face this very real fear of death. the great Jnana Yogi Ramana Maharishi experienced the greatest fear of death at the age of 16. The shock of it drove his mind inwards to question whether he really died when his body was no longer. The great inquiry into his existence is what transported him to self-realization. According to Master Sivananda in his book What Becomes of the Soul After Death, “Death is separation of the soul from the physical body. Death becomes the starting point of a new and better

life. Death does not end your personality and self-consciousness. It merely opens the door to a higher form of life.”

Each time I am faced with saying good-bye to a physical form, I’m forced to question the point of my life and go deep within myself to find a purpose in my very existence. Finding new meaning and the inspiration to carry on can be extremely difficult especially when there is someone missing from sharing your life experiences.

Death is a reminder of our impermanence. We all know that we are going to die and that everyone around us will die, but we have no idea when or how. Recently, after my dad’s death, I questioned the purpose of my existence on this physical plane. As I combed through all his personal belongings and tried to figure out what to do with his certificates and achievements over his lifetime, I pondered: did any part of my life here on earth really matter? If it all ends in death and a pile of stuff for someone else to go through, really what’s the point of it all now? Each time I sought counsel on this issue with a few philosophers and monks, many misunderstood me as being depressed or wanting out of life. On the contrary – I wanted to understand really what the point of it all was. Here I was watching it all happen around me, experiencing everything fully, growing with it but still not quite understanding what the whole exercise called “life” was about. My awareness of how transient my life is has increased, and I remind myself each day just how fragile life is.

Sri Gurudev used to refer to life as a big cosmic joke. No kidding! Life can seem that way. The experience of death leaves the bereaved wounded but forced to continue the play of life. Are we here to find a specific purpose and live it out? Are we here to create meaningful memories? What exactly are we holding on to here on this physical plane? Experience? The honest truth is that I have no idea when I will inhale my last breath and when those around me will transition out of here. I know that at any given moment, death is around the corner. I’m not approaching death from a morbid point of view but as a matter of fact.

The death of a physical form isn’t the final end, nor is it a failure of life. The memories of my beloved departed remind me each day not to mistake the impermanent for the permanent.

Hersha Chellaran


The experiences I’ve had of death have opened my eyes to really living in the present. Preparing myself to say more goodbyes in this lifetime have made me appreciate everything and everyone so much more. I’m tying up my loose ends and throwing away all my junk, as much as physically possible. I make sure I say all I need to say in the here and now. My conscious mind has no idea of what will happen after I leave the body, but thinking about it often and remembering that often, enables me to remember that now is all I have. Allowing death to become a part of my life has become a tool to help me get that one step closer to self-realization. I’m thinking about it and talking about it and preparing for it because death is the inevitable truth—and there is nothing about it to fear.

Hersha Chellaram has studied Yoga under the loving guidance of Sri Swami Satchidananda since she was a child, and has taught Yoga in New York, India, Hong Kong and Spain. She is certified in Integral Yoga’s Basic and Intermediate Hatha, Raja Yoga, Prenatal Yoga and Cardiac Yoga. She has also contributed articles on Yoga and health to various publications and offers a program called Corporate Karma, designed to bring ethics and a sense of balance back into the workplace. She has recently become a full-time mom and is experimenting with mom and baby Yoga.

Hersha’s websites: hershaYoga.com, corporate-karma.com

Thoughts on Ishvara Pranidhanaby Shailaja Menon

Shailaja Menon


as we go about doing our regular routines. We can surrender to our Ishvara completely, keep God close to our hearts second by second, minute by minute, day by day. We have to constantly remind ourselves to have complete faith, to accept every thought that crosses our mind, every word that we speak, every action that we take, every decision that we make, everything that happens to us—good or bad, happy or unhappy, pleasure or pain—as the will of God.

When it comes to our practice on the mat, instead of focusing on our ability or inability to execute the perfect asana, if we were to change our attitude a bit and feel God’s grace in the ability to breathe at all, move at all, it will put us in a much better, more receptive frame of mind—not just toward our Yoga practice but toward our lives as well. Thus, Ishvara Pranidhana has to be cultivated by constant effort, constant self-enquiry and awareness, constant devotion.

Shailaja Menon is based in Malaysia and is a Yoga practitioner and teacher. She is also a freelance writer and writes a Yoga column for “Shape” magazine, Malaysia. She was introduced to Yoga through the Integral Yoga Institute in Coimbatore, India and obtained her basic teacher training from there. Since she moved to Malaysia, she has been practicing under Manoj Kaimal, who created the style Manasa Yoga. She respects all the different Yoga traditions and styles and believes that, though the names may be different, the essence, which is Yoga, remains the same.

The concept of Ishvara Pranidhana or the “surrender to a higher source (Ishvara) is referred to in the Yoga Sutras of Sri Patanjali, one of the most important texts in Yoga.

Ishvara, or the creative source, is an individualized expression of the universal consciousness while pranidhana refers to a complete or total surrender or dedication. According to B.K.S. Iyengar in his book Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “Pranidhana is the surrender of everything: one’s ego, all good and virtuous actions, pains and pleasures, joys and sorrows, elations and miseries to the Universal Soul. Through surrender, the aspirant’s ego is effaced, and the grace of the Lord pours down upon him like torrential rain.”

From childhood we are all taught to believe that we are the masters of our fate, that everything lies on our hands. But, as we experience life, we realize that input does not always equal output, that life cannot be neatly simplified into a precise mathematical equation, that there are events and occurrences over which we have no control, that there are happenings we can never fathom. There are times in all our lives, I am sure, when we have felt like the veritable sailboat set adrift in the ocean on a stormy night, when our neatly labeled and shelved lives are thrown completely into disarray, when we are forced to go beyond our everyday comfort zone to search for and understand the deeper meaning of our existence, the lessons we are meant to learn and the path to which we are meant to stay true.

It is at these moments in our lives that, without the necessity for much urging, we instinctively throw ourselves at the mercy of our chosen personal God, Ishvara, and beseech God’s grace to help us find our way back again, to help us find some semblance of meaning in our existence, to help us get back on our feet again.

But the thing is: We don’t have to wait for a tsunami to rock the very core of our existence or an earthquake to shatter everything we lived and dreamed for to be reminded of our powerlessness in the face of a greater force. This is an attitude that can be incorporated into our everyday lives

CARDIAC YOGA®

By M. Mala Cunningham, Ph.D

Being the Founder and Director of the Cardiac Yoga® program has been a gratifying, challenging, and thoroughly wonderful experience. Having the privilege of working with heart patients and assisting them through difficult times is very rewarding. It is a joy to impact someone’s life at a point where they are in tremendous need and searching for answers. Focusing on and working with patients in the psychosocial aspect of care brings out their gratitude and vulnerability in a touching and beautiful way—as evidenced by the letter below that I received from a heart patient a few months ago. You can imagine how surprised and touched I was to receive this beautiful letter.

Dear Dr. Cunningham:

Does anyone ever say thank you?

I’m sitting in a riverboat, cruising down the Rhine from Basel to Antwerp and my thoughts return to the time about 15 years ago, when you turned my life around. I doubt you remember, but I was one of many who attended your stress management seminars at Northridge. I was in deep depression at the time having had a recent heart attack (followed later by a stroke and cancer). Metaphysically speaking, I was in a hole so deep I couldn’t see any light at all. One of the nurses at Cardiac Rehab suggested that I attend your seminar. Over about a year’s time, you reached into that hole, grabbed me by the collar, pulled me out and stood me on my feet again.

I was fascinated with the scientific explanation of the how and why of depression which you developed for us over many weeks. You ended each session with deep breathing and body relaxation techniques. I wasn’t impressed with that aspect of the seminar, but listened carefully and became proficient in using these techniques. I have to tell you now, that deep breathing and body relaxation are totally ingrained in my everyday life. When I get overstressed or develop a little heart pain, I can banish the problem in minutes using the techniques you taught.

Today, I am a volunteer at the hospital cancer center, and also participate in the standardized patient program, providing one of the warm bodies for med student training. One of these programs involves round table discussions with seven or eight students and school professionals, acquainting them with the problems encountered by a patient with a continuing illness (in my case a couple of strokes). At the end of these sessions I talk about you and your stress management techniques. I tell them that

they will periodically be in high stress much of the next 6 to 8 years, and how the simple act of deep breathing can relax and renew them. So, what you have given to me, I try to pass on to others.

I have tried to write this letter many times in past years, but never could figure out how to say it. What you have given me cannot be measured in words. So, let me just say thank you for helping me regain my life again.

A grateful patient,

John

In the U.S. alone heart disease kills over one million people every year and there are more than 80 million people suffering from heart disease. When you add to that figure hypertensive patients, diabetic and transplant patients and peripheral vascular disease the figure is well over 100 million people. The costs attributed to heart disease are also alarming—upwards of $400 billion dollars each year in the U.S. The suffering and the need are great. Hospitals, senior centers, cardiac rehab centers, medical centers, retirement communities and nursing homes are all looking to hire Cardiac Yoga instructors to assist in patient health care. Hospitals are looking to both save money and improve a patient’s health status. Since a Yoga-based model of health care has been proven to reverse heart disease, hospitals are now much more open and interested in hiring Cardiac Yoga instructors and implementing Yoga as part of their intervention process. In the last 7 years approximately 60% of students applying for the Cardiac Yoga program have been from the medical field. Hospitals have been consistently asking for information about the Cardiac Yoga program and how to find certified instructors. We have been privileged to certify individuals from the Mayo Clinic, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, The Cleveland Clinic, and Massachusetts Hospital among others.

Mala’s next program at Yogaville is Cardiac Yoga® Teaching Training, June 4-14.

M. Mala Cunningham, Ph.D., is the Founder and Director of Cardiac Yoga® and is the President of Positive Health Solutions. Dr. Cunningham also works as a counseling psychologist in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dr. Cunningham previously worked in academia where she taught complementary and alternative medicine courses for twelve years at the University of Virginia Medical School and has worked in the field of behavioral medicine for over twenty-five years. Dr. Cunningham has been teaching and practicing Yoga for over thirty years. She is the author of Medical Yoga, and has produced CD’s entitled Healing Journey and Before and After Surgery: Guided Imagery & Relaxation for Surgery Patient. Her website is: www.cardiacYoga.com


The IYTA lovingly mourns the passing of our dear friend Shanky Chellaram, who left his body December 23, 2008.

Many of you will know our wonderful Integral Yoga teacher Nalanie Chellaram, Shanky’s devoted wife. Although Shanky was not an

Integral Yoga Teacher, he was a generous supporter of Integral Yoga and always encouraged Nalanie in her great service as a teacher and devotee.

Shanky was the proud father of Shanalle and Sharman and grandfather to Tara, Natasha, Talia and Indira.

Our hearts are with his precious family.

Nothing is more appropriate to the occasion than these words written by Shanky himself.

THE OTHER SIDELyrics by Shanky Chellaram

There is a world apart, from the one which we once knew,And from this other side, I can see things clear and true.And if I could reach out, I’d touch you once again,And make you understand, there’s no need to feel the pain.I wish I could explain, that I’m with you everyday,And there’s no reason why you should cry your life away.Perhaps one day you’ll see that I’m still right here with you.You’ll wake up and suddenly you’ll start your life anew.There’ll be sunshine in the sky and you’ll feel the morning dew,And the birds that are singing everywhere are singing just for you.Give me a sign if you hear me; one little smile will assure me.Reach for me and you feel; call to me and you’ll hearI may have gone but I’m still right here beside youAnd wherever you go; let your happiness showAnd remember... I love you!

In Memoriam: Shanky Chellaram

IYTA Membership BenefitService Programs at Yogaville

Eligibility: All IYTA members within the first three years of completing the Basic TT and all other members who have carried continuous active membership in the IYTA since their original Teacher Training program who meet the requirements of the program in which they wish to serve. These benefits supersede any described and available to the general public.

These benefits are available to any individual for three months out of each calendar year. (After three months, the general public guidelines apply.)

Whether enrolled in the Living Yoga Trainee (LYT) program for one to three months or the Support Staff (SS) program, IYTA members are eligible for discounted programs beyond what is available to the public. Those who have not been in residence at Yogaville or other IY Institute for at least one continuous month may be required to participate in the LYT program for one month prior to exploring options through Support Staff.

In exchange for “3/4 time” service (8 3.5 hour shifts plus two 1.5 hour clean-up slots per week), eligible members may participate in either program for no additional fee.

In exchange for “full time” service (10 3.5 hour shifts plus two 1.5 hour clean-up slots per week), eligible members may

participate in either program for no additional fee PLUS earn $50 per week ($200 per month) credit toward future guest stay, retreat, workshop or Teacher Training at Yogaville. Credits are valid for a period of three years.

If you wish to earn credits, once you have enrolled in the LYT or Support Staff program you must contact your IYTA Membership Coordinator to ensure that the IYTA is aware of your service to the Yogaville. It is the responsibility of the IYTA member to contact the IYTA to ensure you receive the benefit. We are sorry, but we cannot make these benefits effective retroactively.

To enroll in the Support Staff program, contact Swami Divyananda at 434.969.3121 ext 172 or email at [email protected]. Applicants must complete a Support Staff application.

To enroll in the LYT program, contact Swami Priyaananda at 434.969.3121 ext 117 or email at [email protected]. Applicants must complete a LYT application (including references) and be in good health. Those who have not visited Yogaville must participate in a welcome weekend at their own expense before being accepted into the LYT program.

The dedicated enjoy supreme peace. Therefore, live only to serve.


IYTA Director Lakshmi Sutter Moves OnIt is with great sadness that we announce the departure of our beloved Lakshmi Sutter. Lakshmi has been the Director of the IYTA for 5 years and took on responsibilities with Teacher Training shortly after her arrival, including most recently serving as the Academy Director. She has been involved in many other activities at Yogaville such as: emceeing Saturday night Satsangs, facilitating weekend programs for guests and Yoga teachers, administrative structure review, and planning and developing programs which involves coordinating with other departments on a regular basis. Lakshmi is a very dedicated person, putting in long hours; she will be extremely missed in countless ways.

Lakshmi will be leaving in late May to finish her PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the marine school for the College of William & Mary. William and Mary is not too far from here, located at the mouth of the York River (near the Chesapeake Bay) in Gloucester, VA. There she will be looking at the effects of global climate change on wetland ecosystems. She also hopes to be leading Yoga classes regularly.

She will miss her Yogaville friends, her sweet little kutir (cottage), places to romp with Cayman (her canine

companion), Ananda Alcove, the gorgeous play of the sun as it sets, the night sky, the Farm, Pujas, 3-yummy prepared square meals a day, all the holy places on this sacred land, all the lovely souls who live here or come to visit, watching TTs blossom, and the wackiness of all things Yogaville!

Lakshmi would like to convey her and Cayman’s appreciation and love to all the great souls they’ve met along their journey. They are truly grateful for all that they’ve learned from so many they’ve met over the past 5 years. They’re not going far and expect to be back often. They would rather leave it at “see you soon” rather than good-bye!

She would love to stay in touch: [email protected]

Introducing Our New IYTA Director – Gopal WatkinsThe IYTA is happy to announce its new Director, Gopal Watkins. Gopal will be replacing our beloved Lakshmi Sutter. Our best wishes to Gopal as he begins this new service. Through his service to the IYTA, both he and the Teachers Association will continue to grow in the Light of Sri Gurudev.

We asked Gopal to tell us something about his long standing relationship with Integral Yoga and its teachers. Here is what he shared with us:

In the fall of 1979, I opened the Manhattan Yellow pages to “Yoga Centers” and, with my eyes closed, let my finger choose the center where I would take my first Hatha Yoga class. As good fortune would have it, I had pointed to the Integral Yoga Institute on West End Avenue. Hatha Yoga soon became an important part of my life. As my Hatha practice deepened, so did my interest in other aspects of Integral Yoga and in the great soul who made it all possible, Sri Swami Satchidananda.

I became a certified IY Hatha teacher in the summer of 1981 at Satchidananda Ashram East in Pomfret Center, Connecticut. Upon completion of teacher training I moved directly into the Integral Yoga Institute in New York, where I taught Hatha classes regularly for the next several years. In response to the AIDS crisis that was beginning to pummel New York at this time, several of us at the NY IYI began offering weekly classes to the HIV positive community. We shared our experience of Hatha Yoga, meditation, nutrition and other topics related to living a yogic lifestyle.

My life at the Ashram spans nearly three decades, although I was not always in permanent residence. Like all ashramites, I

have had the opportunity to serve in a number of ways. In the 1980s I served in the Video Department and, later, as kitchen manager. In the 1990s, I was part of a collaborative effort that created the Ashram Reservation Center (ARC), where I have been serving since my return to the Ashram over a year ago.

My special interests include dogs and nature. I have master degrees in both forestry and wildlife sciences. While thinking that these degrees would have me laboring in the great outdoors, I ended up instead in Madrid, Spain at the National Museum of Natural Sciences working on a project dealing with the fauna of the Iberian Peninsula.

No matter where Life takes me, it always brings me back home to Yogaville. Each time, I return with deeper appreciation for the Ashram, Integral Yoga and the teachings of Swami Satchidananda. I remember how proud Sri Gurudev was of each class of new teachers and how he took an avid interest in their progress and the quality of their instruction. He believed in the greatness of Yoga and in the greatness of his teachers. So, I appreciate this opportunity to serve you—the teachers—who continue this legacy. May your lives and the lives of your students be forever blessed and transformed by the power of Yoga! Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti


Some of you may know Leticia Marques as the TT Staff Coordinator; others will know her from the pictures in Lakshmi Sutter’s “Twists” article in the last IYTA newsletter. Either way Leticia has been here in the Academy doing great service to get staff for Teacher Trainings and Academy programs. I’m sure some of you have come into contact with her in her attempts to book staffers. She has been in this position since November; but, unfortunately, she will soon be leaving us sometime over the summer. Leticia will move to Charlottesville; so, luckily, she will not be far. We wish her blessings and joy in her new travels.

We are gaining someone to our team at the Academy. Jnanam Zimmerman will join us as an Administrative Assistant to Supriya Butz and our many Teacher Trainings. Jnanam first came to Integral Yoga in 2006 when she took Basic Teacher Training in Canada. Then she came to Yogaville in 2008 for Raja Yoga Teacher Training and has stayed with us ever since. Hopefully, you will all get to meet her when you come for a visit.

I would also like to let everyone know about some improvements in Sivananda Hall. We are getting new tiles installed on just about every surface that used to be linoleum. Right now it is a little chaotic having to adjust and accommodate, but soon everything will look that much more beautiful.

vPlease keep two of our swamis in your prayers. Swami Murugananda is having surgery on his back, and Swami Hamsananda recently broke her arm and also had to have an operation. Hamsanandaji is recovering nicely.

vWe want to announce the 80th birthday of our beloved Swami Gurucharanananda Mataji. She is just back from an overseas trip, and we celebrated her birthday on April 1 right here in Yogaville

News of the Academy & Yogavilleby Andrew Godreau

Welcome to the news of the Academy and Yogaville section of the newsletter.


Krishna DasMay 22-25, 2009

Father Tom RyanJune 19-21, 2009

Claire KinsellaJune 26-28, 2009

August 7–16, 2009

David (Durga Das) Neuman & MiraAugust 20-23, 2009

®

Bharata WinghamAugust 28-30, 2009

Transforming Lives

Krisha Das

Durga Das

Father Tom Ryan

Bharata Wingham

Bharata WinghamAugust 30–September 4, 2009

INTEGRAL YOGA SENIOR SPEAkERS’ SChEDuLESPlease contact local representatives for times, costs, pre-enrollment requirements, schedule changes, etc.


Swami karunananda June 15–28 Meditation Teacher Training Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville 800-858-YOGA [email protected]

July 5–August 2 Raja Yoga for Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville Basic Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Contact information above

August 7–16 Ten Day Silent Retreat Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville

Swami Ramananda

June 6 Self Healing and the Five Bodies New York City IYI 202-929-0586 www.iyiny.org

June 12–21 Stress Management Teacher Training Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville Contact information above

Aug 7–9 TBA Yoga On High, OH 614-291-HIGH (4444) Columbus, OH 43201 www.yogaonhigh.com

Sept. 11–13 Self-Healing and the Five Body Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville Contact information above

Satya & Sadasiva Greenstone

May 30 Yoga and Sprouts Workshop Quinta da Calma Almancil, Portugal [email protected] www.quintadacalma.com June 4–18 Basic Integral Yoga Teacher Training: Part 2 Quinta da Calma - Portugal Contact information above

June 28–July 5 Silence is Golden: Integral Yoga Silent Retreat Quinta da Calma - Portugal

July 7 Guru Poornima Celebration Quinta da Calma - Portugal

July 9–12 Gentle Yoga Workshop Quinta da Calma - Portugal

July 16–21 Yoga Day Camp for Children Quinta da Calma - Portugal

uPCOMING PROGRAMS AT YOGAvILLE


May 20091–3 Yoga for Freer Hips with Karen Prior 8–10 Steady and Comfortable in Asana with Swami Priyaananda10 Mothers’ Day13–14 Homa: The Sacred Fire Ritual with Sri Swami Marudhachalam Adigalar15–17 Experiencing the Ancient Wisdom Traditions of South India with Sri Swami Marudhachalam Adigalar15–17 Tantric Massage with Peter Ross V 22–25 Memorial Day “Heart Full of Soul” Chanting Retreat with Krishna Das29–31 Teachers’ Program: Introduction to Yoga Anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff29–31 Retreat: Experience a Healthy Heart with Amrita McLanahan, M.D. & Richard Cripe 29–31 Small Self, Vast Self: Actualization and Realization with Shoban Richard & Danna Faulds

June 20092–7 Thai Yoga Massage Intensive I with Jyothi Watanabe4–14 Cardiac Yoga Teacher Training with M. Mala Cunningham, Ph.D. 5–7 Healing Subtle Bodies For Total Wellbeing with Dhananjaya Kumar 12–14 Ananda Dance with Supriya Swerdick and Sumati Bates12–14 Basic Meditation with Swami Gurucharanananda12–21 Stress Management Teacher Training with Swami Ramananda and Swami Vidyananda15–28 Meditation Teacher Training with Swami Karunananda19–21 Toward Fullness of Life: Disciplines for Christian Living—Interfaith Perspective with Father Tom Ryan19–21 Nutrition: Feeding the Body, Feeding the Soul with Cynthia Cinmayi Payne & Amrita McLanahan, M.D.21–28 Children’s Hatha Yoga Teacher Training with Madhurti Flynn and Inga Ishwari Benson21–28 Camp Yogaville with Haris Harini Lender26–28 Trauma Resolution; A Heroic Journey with Lyn Santoshi Remmler26–28 Financial Yoga —Deepen Your Awareness of Your Money and Your Spirit with Claire Kinsella28–July 19 Intermediate Hatha Yoga Teacher Training with Swami Asokananda, Rev. Manjula Spear & Madhuri Flynn

July 20094 4th of July4–5 Guru Poornima5–Aug. 2 Basic Hatha Yoga Teacher Training8–Aug. 1 Bharata Natya Dance Camp9–12 Yoga for Midlife Meaning with Swami Vidyananda9–12 Yoga and Nature Retreat with Rama Roosevelt17–19 The Beautiful Wound: The Mystics and Grief with Mirabai Starr17–19 Luminous Shabda—Mantra & Meditation: Level 1 with Manorama24–26 Yoga— Finding Balance Through the Tension of Opposites with Debra Premashakti Alvis24–26 Summer Renewal Through Yoga: Bring Health and Happiness to Your Daily Life with Swami Dayananda24–Aug. 2 Gentle Hatha Yoga Teacher Training with Hamsa Spagnola31–Aug. 2 Kindling the Creative Fire — Integrating Yoga and Creative Inspiration with Siva Stephen Longfellow Fiske31–Aug. 2 Yoga and Alexander Technique: Graceful Alignment and Harmony with Vimala Devi

August 20097–16 Prenatal and Labor Yoga Teacher Training with Beth Donnelly Caban7–16 Ten-Day Interfaith Silent Retreat: Balancing Your Life in the Midst of Change9–30 Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training17–20 Post Partum Teacher Training with Esther Jyothi Larson20–23 Kirtan College Summer School: A Weekend Intensive with Durga Das David Newman & Mira22 Mahaguru Ratri28–30 What Are We Here For? Align Yourself With Your Life’s Purpose with Sw. Divyananda28–30 Laugh-a Yoga® Leader Certification with Bharata Wingham31–Sept. 4 Laughter Yoga Six-Day Teacher Training Certification with Bharata Wingham

September 20094–7 Women’s Retreat (Labor Day Weekend) with Nischala Devi4–6 Awakening the Chakras with Jayadeva Mandelkorn

Integral Yoga® Teachers Association108 Yogaville WayBuckingham, VA 23921

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What Is Satchidananda? - Integral Yoga Teachers … · · 2017-10-31What Is Satchidananda by Sri...

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