And quadruple sneeze bout is said to be one of the documented causes
of fatal road accidents!

The air we breathe day in and day out when it reaches the chest should
be lungs-friendly. It should be warm at about body temperature even
when we walk in freezing cold. It should be moist even if the humidity
is very low outside. It should also be bereft of much atmospheric
pollutants like dust and particulate matter. It should be reasonably
free of harmful bacteria and viruses. So the respiratory tract should
not only add warmth and moisture to the inhaled air, but also prevent
the harmful substances and pathogens from reaching the lungs. And then
the Yogis of yesteryears insisted that the respiratory tract or the
nadis ida and pingala should be kept clean (nadI suddhi). Nadis are
tubular structures–blood vessels in the body are referred to as
nadis, so also nerves; they could also be air passages.

So how does the respiratory tract deliver the conditioned air to the
lungs and equally important how is the health of the tract itself
maintained and renewed continually? The nostrils with those thick
short hairs (vibrissae) help to trap dust and some other offending
substances within the nostrils. Then the air enters the nose and goes
through the much narrower naso-pharynx. The mucosa lining this tract
is supplied by nerves from the para sympathetic. It is said that the
nose secretes a viscous liquid continuously, but alternately. The left
part of the nose gets secretion for about 2 to 2 ½ hrs and then the
secretion switches to other side. The wet secretions help the nose
trap dust particles and some offending organisms like virus/bacteria,
etc. The cells of the respiratory epithelium have what are called
cilia which move the particulate matter towards the pharynx, which
passes into the esophagus and mostly this, the mucous with the
offending trapped material goes to the throat . When they reach the
throat, the tract changes and we involuntarily and periodically
swallow it to be neutralized by the powerful stomach acids. Sometimes
when the upper respiratory tract is congested due to infection etc.,
the cilia do not function well and sometimes we snort the secretions
and bring it to the throat, when it is normally coughed and spit out
After the two hour cycle there is the dry spell when one part of the
nose dries and periodically we blow out the scabs.

There are three yoga procedures that are designed to keep the
nasopharyngeal or the upper respiratory tract in good functional
health. Use of the now popular neti pot helps to reduce the
congestion and wash down trapped debris so that the passage of air to
and from the lungs will be smooth. Clean warm water with a pinch of
salt helps to reduce naso-pharyngeal congestion and breathe freely.
This procedure may be followed for a short period of time until the
other more involved exercises, Kapalabhati and Nadishodhana
procedures, start giving more lasting benefits.

The Nadisodhana pranayama, as the name indicates, cleanses the nadis
and here we are concerned with the upper respiratory tract. According
to Yoga Yagnyavalkya, the two nadis ida and pingala, emanating from
the Kandasthana in the pelvic region, extend up to the tip of the left
and right nostrils respectively. When we breathe in, the hollow of the
nostrils first fill up letting the vibrissae and moisture trap some
pollutants. Then when the inhalation starts, the air goes through the
much narrower nasal passage at a significantly higher velocity. This
effect is enhanced in Nadishodhana. In this pranayama we use the
Mrigi Mudra. In it one closes the right nostril with the thumb and
uses the little and ring fingers to partially close the nasal passage
on the left side, just below the ethamoid bone, giving more control
over the process of inhalation. The powerful flow of air over the
mucus membrane of the entire air passage when one sucks in or snorts
during inhalation phase of the nadisodhana pranayama helps to trap
much of the offending unfriendly pollutants and then evacuate into the
throat.

Further the area just beyond the ethanoid bone is considered very
sensitive (asthmagenic) and when allergens impinge on the membrane of
this area, histamines are produced which send signals to the sneeze
center (sneezing center) in the brain (medulla). (Believe me I did
not make up the ‘sneeze center‘. It exists just as other centers such
as the cough center, respiratory center etc). Sternutation or sneezing
is a semi-autonomous convulsive expulsion of air from the lungs

The Kapalabhati is a procedure that has multiple benefits (For more
information on Kapalabhati, please refer to pages 190 to 194 in my
book “Yoga for Three Stages of Life“). It also helps to clear upper
respiratory passages and remove congestion. Equally important is the
possible beneficial effects it has on sneezing, the sneeze center.
Come to think of it, Kapalabhati as one can see, simulates or closely
resembles the activity of ‘sneezing‘. So when one does Kapalabhati, a
few times at a time, and repeats it a few times a day, the procedure
presumably sends signals to the sneeze center and calms down the
overactive center of those who suffer from hay fever and those who
overreact to allergens and pollutants. In these people the sneeze
center is ‘on the edge’ so to speak. And they display a nervous
response to allergens, stress, etc. that is abnormal, usually
resulting in nasal congestion and multiple bouts of sneezing. This
Kapalabhati procedure if diligently practiced for a while should help
bring about considerable control over excessive sneezing. It is said
by medical doctors that some of the methods useful in the control of
sneezing would include deep exhalation of the air held in the lungs
and this is facilitated by both kapalabhati and deep exhalation in
nadishodhana pranayama. Holding the breath after a deep inhalation for
a count of 10 is another commonly known suggestion. It is actually
achieved while we hold the breath in antahkumbhaka after a deep
nadisodhana inhalation. Additionally, when we hold the breath the
sinuses are also filled with fresh air and are cleansed in the
process. Applying pressure to the nose is another commonly popular
remedy suggested with respect to sneezing. In fact that is exactly
what is done when one holds the breath in antahkumbhaka of
Nadisodhana. The nostrils are closed just below the ethanoid bones of
the nose by the thumb on the right side and the last two fingers on
the left side, using Mrigi Mudra. Hence these yogic procedures:
Kapalabhati followed by Nadisodhana breathing with the appropriate
occasional use of Neti could ensure the reduction and subsequent
prevention of recurrent cold, hay fever/ allergic rhinitis, and other
upper respiratory problems. One will not over-sneeze.

Yoga vs. Ach..choo

This article was written by Srivatsa Ramaswami and is reproduced with his kind permission.

The brain and its nerve pathways form an important system of the human
being and again Yoga has some unique procedures to help the efficacy
of the nervous system. The brain, the spinal cord containing the nerve
fibers, the ganglions, the plexuses and the peripheral nerves form
this system. We have already seen the benefit the yogic technique of
meditation can bring to the brain. It helps to create new neural
connections and reduce disturbances. This Raja Yoga technique works
within the brain and transforms (parinama) it to a better functioning
organ. The Hata Yogis through the Hata Yoga practices such as
Pranayama, viparitakaranis and some mudras help to maintain good
health of the brain. The two postures that really help the brain are,
as you can guess, the inversions, Sirasasana and Sarvangasana.

Many people, when they start to practice Headstand, find that their
faces flush and they feel a rush of blood to the face and the skull.
After some regular practice for a short period of time, the body
adjusts to the new posture and auto regulates the flow of blood. Even
so when one practices this posture for a significant time, the blood
circulation in the brain improves considerably, since the blood
vessels in the brain do not contract or dilate the way other blood
vessels do. This is very refreshing to the brain and normally people
get a cleansed feeling. Equally important is that the cerebro-spinal
fluid, which is a clear and colorless liquid surrounding the brain and
the spinal cord, drains and pools upon the top portion of the brain.
It enters the ventricles and small recesses in the brain and helps in
the nourishment of the brain cells. The third ventricle conveys a
small recess to the posterior portion of the pituitary gland. The
pressure of the CSF, while staying in Headstand, helps the gland to
secrete more of the hormones into the CSF which again is said to
stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. So people who have a weak
sympathetic system may benefit from remaining in Headstand for a
considerable amount of time. The weak sympathetic is considered to be
one of the causes of some ailments like bronchial asthma. Hence this
exercise could be useful for those who suffer from such conditions as
bronchial asthma, its cousin eczema and distant relative, epilepsy
stimulating the sympathetic.

Sarvangasana is similar to but yet different from Headstand. In this,
instead of the crown, the occipital portion of the head is on the
floor, and the CSF pools into the midbrain and the back of the brain
including the medulla. These areas are really stimulated by a good
stint in Sarvangasana. It is said the Vagas nerve nuclei are
stimulated by this exercise. Thus it results in the activation of the
para sympathetic. It results in reduction in anxiety and insomnia. My
Guru used to say that it helps normalize sexual functions. Thus a
judicious mix of Headstand and Shoulder stand would help to bring
about a healthy balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic
nervous systems.

Yoga is particularly directed towards maintaining the integrity of the
spine. The spinal cord is about 45 cm long for men and 43cm for women.
The enclosing bony vertebral column protects the relatively shorter
spinal cord. In fact, the spinal cord extends down to only the last of
the thoracic vertebrae, or the thoracic spine, and then the tail flows
down the lumbar region. The spinal cord is inside the neural canal –
almost the diameter of the thumb– of the backbone. The nerves from
the spine emanate on either side through openings called neural
foramina and then proceed to the autonomic nervous system and then
various organs. The slightest displacement of the vertebrae will
result in chronic or acute pain. In Yoga, efforts are made to maintain
the spinal column in proper position and mobility. There are fibers of
both the central and autonomic nervous system. When there is some
pressure on the nerves due to even the slightest displacement of the
vertebrae, there is pain which inhibits the various impulses that pass
through the brain, spinal cord, the various organs and muscles. This
can be compared to ‘noise’ in the telephone transmission system. In
such cases the signals do not properly reach the organs or the brain
and spinal cord do not receive the signals properly resulting in the
inefficiency of those organs. So Yogis take special care to see that
the spinal column is properly exercised, mobile and supple. The
exercises are designed to prevent any vertebral pressure on the nerves
by maintaining a healthy inter-vertebral space. And then these spinal
exercises help to circulate blood and CSF to nourish the spinal
nerves. They also suggest strengthening the back muscles so that the
spinal column is well supported. Paschimatanasana, as the name
implies, will meet the requirement admirably.

The movements for the spine include side bending, forward bending,
curving the back, back bending and of course twisting. These may be
done in different postures as is usually done in Vinyasakrama. One of
the simple sequences that helps achieve this is hasta vinyasas and
thoracic exercises in Tadasana, which include all these movements.
(See my book “Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga, Chapter on Tadasana).
This stretching of the spine will be enhanced if one practices the
scores of vinyasas in inversion poses like Sarvangasana and sirsasana.

The spinal cord is inside the thoracic region of the vertebral column.
So when we move the arms and do the various movements the spine at the
thoracic region does not stretch as the ribcage moves up and down as
one unit. The intervertebral discs in the region of the thoracic spine
are much thinner than in the cervical and the lumbar regions. As a
result there is generally less movement between the vertebrae of the
thoracic spine.  The yogis have found a unique way of stretching the
thoracic spine.  This is achieved by doing all the movements with deep
breathing, especially inhalation. When we do deep inhalation, the
chest expands side to side, front to back and also up and down which
will help stretch the vertical thoracic spine and maintain a good
intervertebral space for mobility and freedom for the nerves. Hence
the vinyasakrama method of doing asanas with good breathing has this
additional advantage. Again a good stint of Pranayama practice
especially Nadisodhana (nerve cleansing) with an easy, graceful and
secure Jalandharabandha should be very useful for the spinal cord.
Pranayamic deep inhalation and the long breath holding  (1:4:2) after
inhalation (antah kumbhaka) directly benefit the nerves inside the
spine. So when you do deep inhalation, hold the breath and stretch
the spine, the breathing itself acts as an internal traction of the
thoracic spine.

This article was written by Srivatsa Ramaswami and is reproduced here with his kind permission.

The content is derived from my ten years of study and practice of Viniyoga and my studies with Srivatsa Ramaswami.

Krishnamacharya’s Yoga, as taught by his long term Chennai students, has some unique characteristics and is a profound and comprehensive system that is infinitely adaptable to individual needs.

The course is suitable for new students who wish to learn an authentic Yoga method and train as teachers, for existing teachers who wish to train in this method, and practitioners who wish to learn this method but not teach. The modular format and emphasis on personal practice allows this flexibility.

Participating in the course will give you the tools to confidently practice Yoga for your own well-being and then, if you wish, share this with others. Independent health care was one of the purposes for which Yoga practices were devised by the Yogis. They wanted to be free from ailments and also free from reliance on therapists and medical practitioners. You can learn these ancient methods with the potential that they have for optimum health and long life.

The course is made up of a number of modules covering the main principles and practice of Vinyasa Krama Yoga, Pranayama, Yoga Subtle Anatomy, Krishnamacharya’s Teachings, Yoga Sutra, Personal Practice, Anatomy and Yoga Teaching.

The Anatomy Module will be taught by Ruth Gilmore Ph.D and Yoga Business Module by Sally Lever MA.

The course is certificated and is registered with the Independent Yoga Network.

One course will be available in Wells, Somerset and one in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.The Anatomy and Physiology module with Ruth Gilmore will only be available in Wells for both courses.

Module 1 of the course is on June 12th/13th in Wells and July 3rd/4th in Doncaster.

Information is available on the website.

A full prospectus is available …please apply for this if you would like to find out more about the course by contacting Steve

Some scholars refer to svadhyaya with a more generalized
interpretation. Since sva is own, svadhyaya could mean study of the
Self:or the atma vidya or adhyatma vidya which is the subject matter
of the Upanishadic portion of the Vedas. It could include other
philosophies which help to understand the nature of the Self,  like
Yoga and Samkhya. Hence all studies in which the main goal is
realization of the Self or Soul can be termed as svadhyaya. Sri
Krishnamacharya made it a point to teach  several Upanishad vidyas and
other adhyatma vidyas as Yoga, the Gita, samkhya  etc.

But what does Patanjali indicate by Svadhyaya in the Niyamas? It is
the study and practice of the devotional rituals of the Vedas. This
can be inferred from the benefits Patanjali says would accrue by
svadhyaya. It is the communion with one’s own ishtadevata or personal
deity, “svadhyayat ishta devata samprayogah”. Sri Krishnamacharya
spent a lot of time teaching the Vedas and vedic philosophies.
Svadhyaya is a perpetual niyama. So every year on the full moon day
during the month July15 to August 14th, orthodox Indians renew their
pledge to study the Vedas, and follow it up on the following day by
the chanting of the Gayatri mantra 1008 times. They continue the
minimum practice of svadhyaya by chanting gayatri every day at least
108 times. Many chant the Vedas, like the Sun Salutation mantras or
the vedic hymns of Siva or the Upanishad etc., every day. This is
orthodox svadhyaya which Patanjali seems to include as a Niyama.

If we take a wider interpretation of the word svadhyaya to mean study
of the adhyatma vidyas or study about the Self, we have a number of
texts that compete for the Yogi’s attention. Apart from the main
philosophies like Yoga, Samkhya and Vedanta on this subject, almost
all the old texts like the Puranas and individual works have a portion
on Yoga, as “yogic discipline” was considered a prerequisite for the
study, understanding and meditation of the Self.

Such texts are many in number. They are not limited to Sanskrit alone.
In fact there are many classic texts on spirituality in a Dravidian
language called Tamil (Tamizh), which is my mother tongue. Several
Tamil scholars consider Tamil to be even older than Sanskrit and it is
one of the few Indian languages with a minimum of Sanskrit- derived
words. The philosophical works in Tamil are many. There is a beautiful
small text called “Kaivalya Navaneetam” or the butter of  Spiritual
Freedom. It indicates that if one studies that book, spiritual Freedom
takes place instantaneously, like the time taken to swallow a piece of
butter. Or kaivalya or spiritual freedom will appear to be as
delicious to the spiritual aspirant as butter would be to a child.
Children love butter and Lord Krishna as a child was said to be very
fond of butter.

Perhaps one of the best known Tamil works on spirituality is the one
written by a Sivayogi called Tirumular.  He says in his work
Thirumandiram that he was a contemporary of Patanjali and by
implication witnessed the dance of Lord Siva in Chidambaram. (For the
story of Patanjali please read the chapter “Story of Patanjali” in  my
book “Yoga for the Three Stages of Life”). Some scholars consider
Tirumandiram, the 3000 verse monumental work, as equivalent to the
works of the Bhagavatgita, Patanjali’s Yogautra and another Yoga
classic, Yogavasishta combined. It is hard to disagree.

Tirumular says:

By receiving Nandhi’s grace we sought the feet of the Lord
The Four Nandhis (Sanagar, Santhanar, Sanath Sujatar, Sanath Kumarar),
Siva Yoga Maamuni, Patañjali, Vyakramapadar and I (Thirumoolar)
We were thus eight disciples.

The story of Tirumular is also interesting. He was a Sivayogi and a
siddha yogi, one who had attained siddhis—like what you find in the
Vibhuti Pada of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. Here is the story.

It is said that the Siva Yogi, Sundaranatha, who was one of the eight
direct disciples of Lord Siva, having received the blessings of Lord
Siva and also having become a Sidhha and being a great Vedic scholar,
decided to visit the South Indian sage Agastya (rhymes with Augustus?)
who was living in the Podihai mountains of Tamil Nadu in South India.
He worshipped the Lord in Kedhar and Pasupati in Nepal. He took a holy
dip in the Ganga and proceeded towards the South. He visited the
mountain range of Shrisailam, on the banks of the great Southern river
Krishna and worshipped Sivasankara. Travelling further south he
reached Kalahasti, another venerated hill temple of Siva. Then he went
to the dancing Siva’s (Nataraja) temple Alavanam and then went to
Kancheepuram and worshipped the Lord in the Ekambresvara temple, about
50 miles from the city of Madras (Chennai).  Then he reached the great
temple in Tillai or Chidambaram and witnessed the primordial dance of
Lord Siva, the same place where Patanjali also had the vision of the
divine dance. His heart was full of immense divine joy on seeing the
dance of the Lord. Then he slowly moved further south and reached the
banks of the river Kaviri.

One day, after taking his bath in the holy river Kaveri, he went to
another Siva temple in Aduthurai. He worshipped the icon of the Lord
in that temple and never felt like leaving the beautiful form and the
spiritual environs of the place. But he collected himself and started
proceeding towards the Podihai mountains to meet with the short
statured Agastya. As he was slowly treading along the bank of Kaveri,
he saw a herd of cows standing around a spot, not moving, not grazing
as expected. He went near them and saw to his dismay, the cowherd
lying dead in front of the cows. The orphaned cows which seemed to be
unable to bear the loss of their friendly cowherd were weeping with
their heads down. It was also time for the cows to return to their
habitats to be milked and such milch cows were struggling to stay in
place with their heavy udders.  The Yogi, who considers ‘Love is the
Lord’ (anbe Sivam), took pity on the cows.  He used his yogic powers
called “para kaya pravesa” and transmigrated into the body of the
cowherd, known as Mula. In an instant Mula woke up as if from sleep
and the cows instantly looked happy. The Yogi, now a cowherd, kept his
own body aside under a banyan tree-planning to re-enter his own body a
short while afterwards- and led the cows back to their habitats. He
waited for the cows to return to their respective spots and then
decided to get back to the forest where his original body was.
Reaching the spot where he had left his body, he was shocked to find
that his body was missing. Actually the King’s servants finding an
unclaimed body decided to dispose of it by cremating it as per the
custom. Now the Yogi who had renounced everything had now renounced
his own body.  Though he was taken aback by the turn of events, he
realized that the Lord Siva was directing him to propagate Sivayoga
through him in the Southern part of India through the medium of  the
Southern language, Tamizh . Shortly thereafter, some of the villagers
not finding Mula with the returning cows came in search of him in the
forest and brought him back to the village and left him in his house.
Mulan’s wife who herself was an orphan and childless found the
behavior of her husband odd. He said to her that he had renounced the
world and would not come back home and went into a Mutt and remained
there for the night, planning to leave the place the following day.
Mulan’s wife was restless all night. She had no relatives or grown up
children to take care of her. Early in the morning she approached the
elders of the village and narrated her plight and requested them to
persuade Mulan to return home. The elders after talking to him for a
few minutes realized that a transformation had taken place in Mula and
that he was not the illiterate cowherd anymore but an accomplished
Yogi and they thought it was due to the grace of Lord Siva. They went
back and consoled Mulan’s wife, telling her that her husband has
transformed himself to a Yogi and she should feel happy and proud of
her husband. They also persuaded the Yogi to stay near the village so
that his wife would feel more secure even though he would be separated
from her. The Yogi sat under a tree and meditated for one year and at
the end woke up from his Samadhi and composed one verse. Again he went
into Samadhi and at the end of the second year he opened his eyes and
composed the second verse and went on to compose three thousand
verses, it is believed in the following 3000 years! Thirumantiram
(lit., the sacred mantras) became a classic in Siva Yoga and there is
no one who would not be touched deeply by one verse or the other.

Here are a few verses translated, pertaining to Ashtanga Yoga.
1. Certain constraints and prescribed duties (dont’s and do’s),
countless postures, breath control, sense control, concentration,
meditation, and absorption are the eight aspects of yoga.
2. One who is steadfast in Yama, the first Anga, will never cause
injuries to anyone by word or deed (nor abet). Thoroughly truthful, he
never covets; possesses exemplary qualities, and is pious. Modest and
neutral he shares his possessions with others. Pure he abjures use of
intoxicants.
3. The Niyamas (vows) are cleanliness, both outward and inward,
compassion, dieting, forbearance, truth, sensitiveness and a mind free
from lust, greed, or sadism.
4. Further, austerity, chanting, contentment, faith, charity,
religiousness, scriptural study and its propagation, and worship are
the aspects of Niyama.
5. Asanas are many hundreds. The important ones are Bhadrasana,
Gomukhasana, Padmasana, Simhasana, Siddhasana, Veerasana, Sukhasana
and Swastikasana.
6. By the proper control of Prana (Pranayama) bliss arises in one
automatically. Why resort to intoxicating drinks? The gait becomes
sprightly and laziness vanishes. This is the truth, oh sensible one,
of the efficacy of Pranayama.
7. Usually Prana circulates in the body without control. If one, by
proper practice purifies and controls it, the complexion will become
golden, grey hair will turn black, and ultimately/untimely death will
be prevented.
8. Thirumular indicates that he, by the aid of Yoga lived long (3, 000 years). Knowledge of life and long life are essential, he says,to
attain spiritual knowledge. He says “Once I was under the impression
that the body need not be protected since it is perishable. Of late I
found that something is inside it, and that something is the all-
pervading entity, which is inside my body as though my body is its
temple. After finding that truth I have taken a vow to protect and
preserve my body temple and keep perfect.”

Here is Ganesa Prayer from Tirumular’s Tirumandiram, which I usually
chant at the beginning of my Yoga classes

Aindu karattanai
Aanai muhattanai
Indin ilampirai pondra eyitrinai
Nandi mahandanai
Jnaanakkozhundinai
Pundiyil vaittadi potruhinrene.

Him, who has arms five,
Him, who has an elephant face
Him, whose single tusk equals the charm of the crescent moon,
Him, who is the offspring of the Blissful Lord,
Him, who is wisdom overflowing
I worship (by) keeping His feet
In my consciousness (mind)

Here are a couple of gems

There is but one Race
There is but one God

The ignorant considers Love and God as different
And many consider Love and God separate
When one finds out Love and God to be identical
One becomes an embodiment of Love/Compassion

The entire text is published. I think there is a translation of it in
Indian English, with which you are now familiar.

Sri Krishnamacharya was an innovative yogi. He adapted yoga, using the
physical, physiological, psychological, devotional and spiritual
aspects to the requirements of individuals. But these adaptations were
based on solid footing in traditional yoga. There is a view among a
few yoga practitioners that Yoga is evolving and so they become
inventors of Yoga, without studying the huge amount of yogic wisdom
already available. My Guru spent the first four decades of his life,
went around different parts of the country studied under different
teachers different subjects before settling down to teach Yoga. In the
olden days, classical subjects like traditional music, grammar and
literature, vedic chanting, Ayurveda and Yoga were supposed to be
studied full time for at least seven years before one can claim to
work in that specific areas. Even in modern times, subjects like
Medicine, Law, Engineering and others require solid study for a number
of years before one can practice as a doctor or a lawyer or design a
bridge. So when Krishnamacharya taught Yoga or treated a patient with
yoga procedures, you could be sure that even as he would adapt to
individual requirements it was based on solid, thorough traditional
knowledge. He had one foot firmly grounded in orthodox approach. He
even would exhort his students to go around villages and approach
agraharamas (elite communities) and look for works of obscure yogis
that would be available with their families and bring them out and
study them. He used to quote sometimes from unusual sources, mainly
because he took efforts to unearth hidden treasures of yogic
knowledge. In Yoga Makaranda you come across references to many works
which we are not able to find nowadays, but which he had studied. Many
of the works remained unpublished like the Yogakuranta, for instance.
So svadhyaya is a vey important aspect of a Yogi’s development.
Without that, without those moorings, the yogi becomes rudderless and
could waste perhaps a lot of valuable time either with ineffective
innovations or lopsided practices within a narrow spectrum. Sri
Krishnamacharya was an orthodox Yogi with a lot of conventional,
traditional study (svadhyaya) and that was the secret of his
innovations. He made the obscure Yoga of yesteryears accessible to
modern times.

This article was written by Srivatsa Ramaswami and is reproduced here with his kind permission.

A Zen student asked his Master, “Master, what is the most important thing”?
“The most important thing”, said the Master, “is to find out what is the most important thing.”

So this month I continue the theme of asking important questions.

In 2003 I was working as a service engineer, studying on the Viniyoga Practitioner Course and developing my own personal Yoga practice. I had bought a book by Gary Kraftsow entitled ‘Yoga for Transformation’
In the section on ‘Refining the personality’ there is a practice where you are asked to use some reflective meditations. I had been doing this practice daily for a month and had the questions written on my whiteboard with the asana/pranayama sequences. The questions are:

What is my highest value?
What is most important to me?
What are my highest priorities?

You reflect on these questions and then go through a sequence of three practices for body, mind and speech. At the completion of stage one you ask yourself how much of your action of body is aligned with your values. You then move on to thought and speech. At the end of the practice you are asked to consider how much of your daily action is in harmony with your highest values and reflect on the meaning of your answer.

I went to work one morning and lifting an oil drum from my van, my back went into a spasm and I was lying on the floor for some time wondering what to do. I did a few apanasana movements to release my back, managed to crawl to my van cab and lifted myself into my van and drove home. I spent the next few days in my Yoga room as it was on the same floor as the bathroom. I had to crawl everywhere and was in a lot of pain. On the whiteboard were my three questions staring at me.
I had been teaching Yoga part time for three years. I thought that if I really damaged my back I would not be able to be an engineer or a Yoga teacher. I decided then to leave my job as an engineer and teach Yoga full-time as in my heart that is what I really wanted to do and I figured it would be better for my back.
So, since 2003 I have taught Yoga full-time. It has not been easy in many ways, but I am always content inside as I feel I am following my Dharma. There is a saying I like.

“Happy is the man who has found his task, for he shall ask for no other blessing.”

So if you have already found your task I am very happy for you.
If you have not, you may like to try the practice I mentioned and see what happens.
The full practice is in ‘Yoga for Transformation’ by Gary Kraftsow p191-214

Happy New Year  - may you spend it well fulfilling your Dharma.

The course aims to introduce the method and go on to give the knowledge and confidence for motivated practitioners to develop a robust, holistic personal Yoga practice. Those so motivated can then share the method with others by teaching. The course will be delivered in modules to give flexibility in the training. This course follows a more traditional approach and is independently taught to avoid distortion by modern sport, medicine and educational models. The traditional way to learn is:

1) Learn -               learn all the Yoga techniques from a teacher.
2) Practice -          practice and master as much of this as you can.
3) Application -   teach what you have learned as is appropriate for the student.

It is our wish to make this knowledge freely accessable to sincere Yoga aspirants and practitioners so the course is open to:

1) Beginners to Yoga who wish to access an authentic Yoga practice.
2) Yoga practitioners who wish to learn this method.
3) Yoga teachers who wish to study and practice Vinyasa Krama Yoga.

The course is registered with the Independent Yoga Network.

1) There is no statutory regulation of Yoga in the UK and none has been recommended. It was suggested in a government review that Yoga Therapy have Voluntary Self Regulation and I believe that the British Council for Yoga Therapy have formed with this in mind. As the title suggests this is voluntary and not statutory. BWY do not regulate Yoga in the UK.

2) The BWY governing body title is a Sport England award and refers only to their status with Sport England. Sports are allowed a number of governing bodies, it is not an exclusive title. Personally, I believe that this link is inappropriate anyway, as I do not consider Yoga to be a sport.

3) The BWY have no authority to monitor Yoga in the UK and is not a British authority on Yoga teaching or practice.

As an independent Yoga teacher I have public liability insurance, first aid training and a valid CRB certificate to operate as a safe and responsible teacher.

As a graduate of our training programme you will have access to insurance with the Independant Yoga Network or insurance is available through other brokers in the UK.

IYN graduates can also join REPS, if they wish to work in the fitness industry.

I hope this makes the current UK situation clear.
Please contact me if you have any further questions.

The two important inversion poses, Sirsasana and its better half
Sarvangasana, called the King and Queen of yogasanas are a unique
contribution of Yoga towards physical culture and physical therapy.
Several contemporary yogis have disputed the place of these poses and
have claimed that they perhaps are later day inventions. But in
Hatayoga they are considered as viparita karani mudras.

Hatayogapradipika refers to inversions as follows
“ There is a wonderful karana or procedure which helps to starve the
sun,( here the gastric fire). One may learn it only from a Guru, and
not from the books. If the position of the sun(stomach) is above and
the moon(the head) below (i.e., upside down) it is called
viparitakarani(inversion). Learn it from a Guru “
The pelvic area—kandasthana-, according to some yogis is a breeding
ground for many ailments. It is also the area from where 72.000 nadis
are said to emanate and also Kundalini. This area should be kept
clean. The dross should be burnt and blown away, figuratively
speaking. How does the Yogi do it?

We have an air principle in that area which is Apana Vayu. We have
also the fire principle in us in the abdominal area in the form of
gastric fire or Jataraagni. This flame is flowing upwards and in the
normal upright position the gastric fire is above the pelvic area,
flowing upward, sometimes when overactive, produces a burning
sensation in the esophagus producing the typical ‘heart burn”. The
Yogi by resorting to the inversions, as Headstand and Sarvangasana, is
able to place the pelvic area above the gastric area. Now the gastric
fire or jataragni,– figuratively speaking—flows towards the pelvic
area and heats and purifies the Nadis and the Kandasthan, arouses the
Kundalini with the heat. The fire is further supposed to be fanned and
intensified by directing the air tatwa or apana by Mula bandha; it
draws the apana closer to the fire principle and thereby the apana air
also becomes hotter and in turn melts away the dross of the
kandasthana and arouses the sleeping kundalini. So headstand and
shoulderstand, the mulabandha and the intense gastric fire help to
cleanse the nadis and the rogasthana or the disease prone area is
cleaned and spruced up.

There is another interesting concept associated with the inversions of
which I may have referred to in one of the earlier letters/articles.
It is said that our head contains a liquid called amrita which may be
translated as nectar. This nectar gives us life and drips drop by drop
through the uvula into the stomach where it is consumed by the gastric
fire to provide the life energy to live. This reservoir of nectar is
slowly used up and with its total depletion comes the end of one’s
life. The Yogi tries to ration the flow of the nectar, by remaining in
inverted position for a length of time every day—say between half an
hour to an hour or so. During the period of time the yogi is in head
stand and shoulder stand, the amrita remains stored in the head
without dripping down.
The Hatayogapradika has this to say

The Hatayogapradipika explains the inversion mudra as follows. “The
cool nectar that flows from the moon (here the head) is swallowed by
the hot sun (the gastric fire). Hence one’s body becomes aged. There
is a wonderful karana or procedure which helps to starve the sun,
(here the gastric fire). One may learn it only from a Guru, and not
from the books. If the position of the sun is above and the moon below
(i.e., upside down) it is called viparitakarani(inversion). Learn it
from a Guru. Do abhyaa of this inverted pose and increase the duration
every day. One who practices this for a yaama (3 hrs) daily will
conquer death”. When I was young I came across a Yogi who was said to
be practising sirsasana for three hours every day. His face had a
unique bluish tinge. He also practised Mouna or silence.

So by this daily practice, the Yogi is able to increase, so to say,
his/her lifespan by 5%, or say between 3 to 5 years. Normally after
Headstand the yogi is supposed to spend equal time in shoulder stand
as well.  In shoulder stand, amrita while still confined to the skull/
brain portion, now is allowed to flow to the entire head portion above
the neck and nourish all the sensitive sense organs, the two eyes, the
two ears, the mouth and the nose (shanmukha). This is also considered
necessary to maintain the acuity of the sense organs as they are way up
in the body and may not get the full nourishment .
Sarvangasana therefore is considered good for the sense organs whereas
the headstand is good for the brain.

The normal upright position and the chin up position in which we keep
our head, both result in a wasteful free flow of the limited amrita in
the head down the uvula to the gastric fire, like a free flowing tap.
The Yogis found it necessary to constantly control the flow of this
nectar and even temporarily stop it. They developed a simple technique
called Jalandhara bandha to temporarily stop and control the flow. The
term Jalandhara-bandha itself indicates the effect it is said to
produce. Jala means water and here it refers to the amrita or nectar
which is said to be in the liquid form. Dhara is to hold, here holding
the amrita in the head itself and bandha is the lock, the procedure
which helps to achieve the holding operation. So Jalandharabandha
means the lock that enables holding the nectar in the head. Of course
while we do asanas and pranayama we adjust the bandha in such a way
that we allow only a small and necessary amount of amrita to flow and
also maintain a good ujjayi control over the breath. That is why the
default position of the head in asana practice whether it is tadasana
or the seated Padmasana or Vajrasana is the head down position. One
could see the pictures of my Guru doing asanas and one could see his
head down position in most of them—even in asanas like urdhvamukha
svanasana or the well known upward facing dog pose. In the entire
vinyasakrama one would find the relaxed default head down position is
resorted to control the flow of amrita and the ujjayi breath.

Some contemporary yogis may read these metaphorical narrations with a
wry smile. However these inversions should be considered as unique
contributions of Yoga, for health. Within the first few minutes of
Sirsasana practice, the leg and thigh muscles, the gluteal muscles,
relax. The chest, back, shoulders and neck muscles also relax as all
these are not required to maintain the postural tone as in the upright
position. It has been found that due to the relaxation of the leg
muscles, the blood pressure in the legs drop to about 30mm.There is no
great rush of blood to the head among the adept yogis due to auto
regulation; yet the gravity helps to open up many capillaries in the
brain, head and face which may otherwise remain partially closed.
People with high blood pressure and retinal problems will have to be
careful. However persons with mild hypertension and under control with
diet, life style change and even medication could benefit from this
posture if they had learnt it from early life. It appears to increase
pressure on the shoulders which would result in the brain trying to
reduce the blood pressure. Therefore if one would practice Sirshasana
regularly for a sufficient duration, one’s pulse rate tends to reduce,
thereby reducing the strain on the heart. Gradually there is a
reduction in the blood pressure.

What is equally important is that Sirsasana helps improve circulation
of the cerebro spinal fluid, which is helpful to the brain and also
for the spinal nerve bundles—the chakras. Because of the increased
pressure in the brain due to this fluid, the pituitary secretions
increase helping the better functioning of the sympathetic nervous
system which will help in many ways including the dilatation of the
bronchial tubes giving great relief to asthmatics. There is draining
of the bronchial tubes, giving some welcome relief for those with
chronic chest congestion.  Many feel increased memory power and
general better brain capacity. There are cases of even some correction
of the eyesight. The vinyasas like the twists, Akunchanasana, the
backbends like Viparitadandasana in Sirsasana and Uttanamayurasana in
Sarvangasana help the spine considerably, by not only maintaining the
flexibility of this structure but also nourish the nadis and chakras
or nerve fibers and nerve bundles in the spinal chord.

In the inversions, as mentioned in earlier articles, the internal
organs get positional correction. Pregnant yoginis may find the
inversions help relieve pelvic congestion, oedema of the legs,
conditions that are prevalent during pregnancy. Practising the
inverted poses with the variety of vinyasas gives a complete massage
to all the muscles, organs and considerably increases the blood
circulation. Perhaps equally important is the effect of the twin poses
on the major joints– the ankles, the knees, the hips and the spine.
The intra-articular space within the joints improves and hence the
joint movements when one does the various vinyasas also will improve.
Dorsal and plantar flexions performed in the ankle joints while in
these asanas help the ankles significantly. Asanas like Akunchanasana
in inversions give good relief to the knees, while inversions  help
to open the hips by dragging the big pelvic girdle down a bit and
giving more space for the femur to move and rotate nicely within the
hip socket(pl. refer to Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga for headstand and
shoulder stand vinyasas). Perhaps the most benefit accrues to the
entire spine. The inter-vertebral space is enhanced and person who
practises these inversions and the vinyasas like akunchanasana and
backbends will find the spine stretching nicely and becoming more
flexible. The narrowing of the inter-vertebral space can be tackled
positively and the low back pain reduces significantly. I would say
that the inversions are the best yoga postures to alleviate low back
pain. Overall these inversions and the vinyasas in them help to keep
the spine supple and strong. It is said one is as old as the condition
of the spine. Further, because of the relaxation of the lower
extremities Sarvangasana is a good pose to help overcome insomnia.
These twin poses are very good for health.

Contemporary Yogis find the other important inversion, viz., the
Handstand or Vipritvrukshasna very popular. This is a great pose, with
a number of variations possible. However since the head is not fixed
in this group of poses, some of the finer aspects of the other two
head- fixed inversions (sarvangasana and sirshasana) may be missing.
One finds it more difficult to maintain balance and also stay for a
sufficiently long time in viparitavrikshasana or inverted tree pose
(Hand Stand) and other similar poses like scorpion pose etc. These two
regal poses stand  ‘head and shoulders’ above the rest in conferring
health benefits to the yogabhyasis.

This article is reproduced with the kind permission of Srivatsa Ramaswami

I first heard of Srivatsa Ramaswami as a student on PP10 when I read his book ‘The Basic Tenets of Patanjala Yoga’. I have read this book many times and like its clear and direct presentation. Some years later I bought Ramaswami’s book ‘Yoga for the Three Stages of Life’ which has also been well used.

When Ramaswami’s new book ‘The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga’ was released I began practicing the sequences that he presented and enjoyed the challenge trying different postures, sequences and variations. Having an overview of Vinyasa Krama helped to clarify my understanding of the system.  Here was another facet of Krishnamacharya’s legacy that I was keen to explore. I found some glowing reports on the internet by students that had studied with Ramaswami and I was hopeful of finding an opportunity to do so myself. I found that he offered some courses in the USA and The Chicago Yoga Centre was hosting a ‘Core Vinyasa Yoga’ teacher training programme so I booked the course, a flight and a hotel. On November 4th 2007 I arrived in Chicago and went to bed that night with eager anticipation about starting the course the next morning. The course was held at the conference room in Days Inn where I was staying.

I arrived for the first session and was greeted by Suddha Weixler, the director of CYC. He introduced me to Ramaswami and told him I had come from England. Ramaswami politely greeted me and I had an immediate feeling of joy and a sense of certainty that I had made the right decision in coming on the course.

Ramaswami began the first session with prayers and then a short talk. We then began practicing the tadasana sequence under his guidance. His calm, clear instructions lead us through the sequences. We completed many vinyasas and then took some rest. Ramaswami then took questions and gave some theory and insights into the practice. During the week we went through all the main sequences and postures that appear in his book with the exception of some advanced postures. During the sessions Ramaswami told delightful stories from the puranas and about his studies with Krishnamacharya. Sessions always ended with pratyahara, pranayama, meditation and a closing prayer.

In the evening we had lectures on the Yoga Sutra. Ramaswami presented this as a practical procedure that we could follow. I felt more confident and clear about my practice as a result. My faith in Yoga was renewed listening to Ramaswami’s inspired presentations.

It was funny that I had imagined one day meeting a Yoga master in a Himalayan location, but here I was practicing Yoga and listening to the sastras in Days Inn, Chicago!

It was a transformational week for me and I knew I wanted to study further with Ramaswami. He told me that there was a sadhana retreat organised for New Year at a location in New Dehli so I arranged to go on this. It was entitled ‘The Teachings of Krishnamacharya’ and was held at Purna Holistic, an Ayurvedic health centre and spiritual venue. It was my first visit to India and was all I could have hoped for. An authentic wonderful teacher, a beautiful venue where we were cared for with diligent attention, the company of lovely Yoga practitioners and hours a day immersed in Yoga study and practice. I was even sharing a bungalow with Christopher Chapple, the Yoga scholar, who had been instrumental in organising the event.

In the mornings we practiced asanas and then explored the therapeutic application of Yoga. After lunch we met for lectures on the Yoga Sutras. I loved every minute. Ramaswami taught with such clarity and enthusiasm that it made the subject practical, clear and achievable.

Back to the UK and I had decided to move from Yorkshire to Somerset to be with my partner Sally. I sold my house and took the opportunity to attend Ramaswami’s teacher training course at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. It was a five week intensive covering the whole spectrum of Krishnamacharya’s  Yoga teachings. I could write a book on the whole experience so I will just give a couple of examples of how Ramaswami taught.

We had a two week programme on pranayama in which we met for two hours each day. Ramaswami taught us the theory for one hour using the pranayama chapter in the HYP as a guide. We then practiced some asanas and sat in pranayama. We began the first day with 10 pranayamas and over the fortnight built up to the 80 recommended in the text. It brought a sense of freedom, achievement and a definite ‘can do’ attitude to my practice. I understood the process and was confident that I could do it if I applied myself. A number of limitations and boundaries were dissolved during the course.

Ramaswami created a beautiful atmosphere in the class and harmony was maintained in the group for the duration of the course. Everyone felt they had been blessed by the experience. He would often recite passages from the Vedas, while we sat or rested in Savasana, and we felt purified and uplifted by the beautiful chanting. 

I was keen to help share what Ramaswami has to offer with practitioners in the UK so arranged some programmes which ran in February 2009.  It was wonderful to be with Ramaswami again and I was so happy that everyone had an inspiring and uplifting experience.

Ramaswami has all the qualities of a great teacher, he is wise, patient, generous and kind with an authentic humility that is rare to see. His devotion and gratitude to his Guru is obvious. I feel very fortunate and grateful to have been able to study with him.