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| Dynamic Yoga : Method & Practice |
| Dynamic Yoga is not just another style of yoga, it is a integral method for learning, accessing and experiencing the full power and meaning of yoga. By linking the breath with each flowing movement you will feel your mind relax as your body becomes toned (Vinyasa yoga method) ; you will learn to release tense muscles and joints through correct alignment (Iyengar method); a step-by-step approach (Vinyasa Krama method) enables novices and experienced students to practice side by side, each enjoying the benefits accoding to their capacity. Dynamic Yoga follows Patanjali's eight-limb philosophy and clarifies the methods of practice. Guidance is given for developing a personal practice at home so that you can make yoga a daily habit. |
| On the physical level a daily Yoga practice will bring many health and fitness benefits. Yoga can be enjoyed as a preventive health care program, though it is much more than that. Yoga teaches us to use our muscles in different ways, to put the body into positions it has never known before and to focus our awareness internally. We therefore need to be patient and to approach the process one step at a time, rather than trying to rush straight to completion. This is known as Vinyasa Krama, the process of step-by-step progression.
On the spiritual level a daily Yoga practice quietens the mind and brings clarity to the mental processes. Practicing Yoga is an enquiry into the nature of being human. It leads to the discovery of an abiding inner harmony. This enduring quality gradually becomes present in our thoughts, words and actions. Yoga is not a belief system, nor a religion, and yet it is totally compatible with all spiritual practices. It is an invitation to live life fully and skilfully, to realise our infinite potential. |
| How Yoga Works |
| Our bodies are full of tension that has been with us from day one. Furthermore, this tension is a part of who we think we are. It is a deeply ingrained part of our sense of self, which then limits our physical and mental capacity. Yoga is designed to release the body and mind from tension. It requires commitment, perseverance and patience. Most of the tension that we carry is the result of some kind of past shock to the body or mind. It is the leftover of a difficult moment or situation that was left unresolved. The tension is the expression of that lack of resolution. Yoga aims to bring about complete resolution of unresolved tension. This means that yoga is not just working on physical release, but mental and emotional release also. There will be some unresolved feeling related to the majority of areas of physical tension in the body. Releasing the physical tension releases the unresolved feeling. This can be a very satisfying process: it brings with it a deep sense of release and relief. This may sometimes be accompanied by a feeling of wanting to cry. The tears are tears of relief and should be welcomed as a sign of progress.
Yoga causes energetic amplification. This means that it tends to enhance whatever state you bring to it. If you bring agression to your practice it makes you even more agressive. If you bring openness, it enhances your openness. If you bring sensitivity, it enhances your sensitivity. This is a very important point to bear in mind. Yoga is not a competitive sport. It is far more sophisticated and subtle than any other form of human activity. It is very powerfull and it will have a strong effect on anyone. It is important to make sure that the effect it brings is beneficial. Treat it as a gift to yourself, a luxurious treat that is going to bring you closer to yourself, and allow you to live a richer more fulfilling life. |
| Organic Health |
| You are not required to have any special beliefs, ideals or aspirations in order to practice or benefit from Yoga. In Yoga you discover the possibbilities of your true potential. This occurs both on a physical and a non-physical level. Physically it is a method of developing the potential of the human body to its highest level. This goes far beyond simply developing fitness. It also develops organic health through its effect on the internal organs. At the same time by developing the sensitivity of the nervous system it enhances sensory potential too. This means that sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch become more acute. This is not only more rewarding, but also brings us into more direct, accurate and intimate contact with the world and our life. At a certain level this enhanced sensory perception can appear almost magical. It can give the impression that the unseen can be seen, the inaudible can be heard. Whereas, in fact, it is more a question of lowering the threshold of perception so that what is normally missed or filtered out is received and retained. |
| Relaxation |
| Relaxation is the simple process that reveals out innate potential. The yoga training method is designed to bring about total relaxation. It is only the presence of physical, emotional and mental tension that restricts this potential. As these tensions are removed, our potential flowers accordingly. Yoga is designed to strip away these tensions, one by one: slowly, safely and permanently. As the natural harmony and integrity of our body and mind is more able to express itself, then the more immune we become to the stress and strain of life. While we can not avoid the difficulties and problems that life contains, we can and do learn to navigate them safely. To live spontaneously, free from tension and anxiety. |
| Awareness |
| Awareness is the very heart of the Yoga method. It is not a special state which requires silence and special rituals to enter. It is an ongoing state of being which is the permanent background of what we experience as Time.... the conceptual screen onto which the ever-moving pictures of life are projected. Yoga practice is dynamic meditation. To practice Yoga effectively is to practice meditation. |
| Background photo and edited text courtesy of Godfrey Devereux, founder of the Dynamic Yoga method |
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