Review > Why Everyone Needs to Have the Bihar Yoga App

There are plenty of yoga apps out there. Some are free while others come at a nominal cost. You can take your pick from guided yoga routines to detailed instructions for specific poses, relaxing meditations and even asana based workouts for weight loss, strength training, core building et al. But my affinity to the traditional teachings of the Bihar School of Yoga led me to their app: Bihar Yoga.

The seemingly simple interface includes a wealth of information in print as well as guided practices, chants and meditations. Most of the printed text is from the bestselling book Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. Even if you possess the book it is just very convenient to have it on your phone/tab for a quick reference. But what I love most about the Bihar Yoga app are the guided practices of Satyananda Yoga Nidra and Meditation. These are crystal clear recordings in the voices of Swami Satyananda Saraswati and Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati. Available in English as well as Hindi I really think these are priceless!

Satyananda Yoga Nidra was devised by Swami Satyananda Saraswati as a deep relaxation technique. This simple practice has a profound transformative effect on practitioners, inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Available in different variants for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced practitioners I would highly recommend everyone to take the time out to just lie back and follow the guided talk. Especially in today’s times when most lifestyle diseases stem from stress and inadequate sleep, Satyananda Yoga Nidra proves to be a very powerful antidote. Even if you feel that kicking back with a book or watching television with the family are relaxing activities, they are mere sensory distractions. In Yoga Nidra, the state of relaxation is reached by turning inwards, away from outer experiences.

For more details about this powerful technique you may buy the book, Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. But for now let me suffice by saying that enough research has gone into proving the therapeutic effects of sleep. Yet, unless you are free from muscular, mental and emotional tensions you can never truly relax. The practice of Yoga Nidra is the scientific method of removing these tensions. During the practice of Yoga Nidra, one appears to be asleep, but the consciousness is functioning at a deeper level of awareness, leading you to the state of dynamic sleep. It is thus a more efficient and effective form of psychic and physiological rest and rejuvenation than conventional sleep.

I could go on and on about the benefits of this fantastic practice, but I hope you are already inspired to experience its wonderful effects on yourself.

Yoga > Shreyas Yoga Retreat: My Journey back on to the Yogic Path

Open on all sides and nestled amidst gorgeous trees, this Yogashala has
a beautiful, positive vibe.  

“Hamsa Soham, Soham Ham Saha”, these simple yet extremely powerful words mean “I Am That, That I Am”. Even if this mantra was the only gift that I took back with me from this yoga retreat, it would make the three days spent here on my own totally worth it. But my time at Shreyas gave me a lot more. It simply reminded me of what yoga means to me and how good it makes me feel. Yet, this mantra has stayed with me; and whenever I need to centre myself, at times before going to sleep, at others before the start of a frenetic day, just repeating it mentally on a loop has a magical effect on my being.

First Glance

When I was invited to Shreyas, a yoga retreat on the outskirts of Bengaluru, I was, both, excited and anxious. Excited because I am extremely passionate about yoga and when I was told that the entire philosophy of Shreyas is centred around yoga I couldn’t wait to experience it. Anxious because for the last few months with soaring professional and personal demands I had not been able to make the time to get on to my yoga mat. My joints had literally been creaking every morning when I got out of bed and I wondered how I’d cope with the routine of the retreat. But almost as soon as I reached Shreyas I am taken in by its relaxed, tranquil and positive vibe. These are not just random adjectives that I have thrown together; I mean each one of them describe the space that Shreyas is.

After a brief introduction, I am asked to fill a detailed form to highlight the purpose of my visit, my expectations whether spiritual, therapeutic or simply relaxing, my current state of health, dietary preferences and so on. As I get up to check in to my room, I am informed about the routine of the day followed with a wonderful question: “would you like a reminder for each event?” No, I replied as reminders, like alarms, irk me. I like to keep track of time and pace myself to reach a class or therapy session on time.

The Surroundings

As I walk past the inviting swimming pool, surrounded with the lush foliage that Bengaluru is known for, I am impressed with the wonderful upkeep of the landscape. Shreyas is not a new property, it has been around for more than fourteen years, yet everything looks so fresh and as if it has been lovingly tended to. My garden tented cottage has a canopied roof with a private sit-out, a spacious bedroom, and bathroom with a private walled courtyard. Simply luxurious, I could say.

Spread across 25 acres of coconut plantation, gardens and vegetable fields, it is surprising that there are only 14 rooms, accommodating a maximum of 25 people at a time. I am informed later that the staff outnumbers the guests by more than three times. That is what enables Shreyas to excel in the subtle art of refined hospitality. The service is very warm and attentive, and unobtrusive. To give you an endearing example, all indoor spaces require us to leave our footwear outside before entering, and each time when we leave the room our shoes and slippers are turned around for us to simply step into them and walk.

A Holistic Experience

As I mentioned earlier, the entire philosophy of Shreyas is centered around yoga. And as we know, yoga is not limited to just asana and pranayama. It is a holistic science of living and has an eight-limbed path impacting our panchakoshas. With equal importance to raising one’s energy, partaking a nutritious balanced diet, and indulging in activities that integrate the mind, body and soul, Shreyas truly offers a holistic retreat. The sound meditation, for instance, is a highly energising experience with equal importance given to all steps of meditation – pratyahara (withdrawal), dharana (focus) and dhyana (meditation). It is normally conducted in pillared hall that is open on all sides, bringing in the freshness of the environ, sounds of birds and insects while they go about doing their business amidst the hum of a gentle breeze blowing through the trees, literally getting you in tune with nature. The same hall is also used for morning and evening asana sessions though there are a few other indoor and outdoor spaces where hatha and ashtanga yoga classes are held.

Rejuvenation of the mind-body-soul is hardly ever possible without the right diet. Whether your purpose of being here is to ‘detox’ or not, you will be served delicious, vegetarian fare. During the few days that I spent here, I had fabulous local, north Indian, Italian and Mexican meals, all made with mostly organic produce and healthy grains. The cooking classes, therefore, are hugely popular, enabling guests to take back a bank of recipes and a wealth of knowledge.

Snapshots from Shreyas Yoga Retreat

Integrative Therpaies

Yoga is known for its therapeutic benefits as well as prevention of diseases. In this sense, it is closely linked with Ayurveda. The recent addition to Shreyas has been the Anaha spa which offers a wonderful mix of age-old Ayurvedic as well as modern therapies. Although it is a new construction, it is aesthetically designed to showcase an interplay of the elements. As with most things, what lies within is most important - in this case, a specialised team to assess your physical condition, advise appropriate treatments and execute them skillfully.

I am advised a range of treatments that are cleansing as well as nourishing.

-       Netra Tarpana therapy that involves a gentle oleation of the eyes to soothe them is particularly refreshing and a great antidote to constant visual stimulation from brightly lit gadgets.

-       Mud therapy involves the application of processed, powdered mud onto the body for therapeutic benefits. The open air room is ideal for this as one lies gazing at the swaying palms overhead while waiting for the mud to dry. 

-       In a similar space, Athapa Snana involves a gentle, oil massage, after which the body is wrapped in banana leaves and left to bask in the sun, expelling toxins through sweat.  Banana leaves are also known for their healing properties, and can correct various skin problems.  

-       The underwater massage turns out to be a high-tech procedure where the body is immersed in a water tub, and the water pressure applied is controlled by multiple jet valves, enhancing blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.

-       And finally, a synchronized massage known as the Choorna Pinda Sweda, also known as the Podikizhi. It is a fomentation procedure involving the use of herbal powders and poultices after a quick oil massage. Two therapists working simultaneously on the left and ride sides of the body has an inimitable centering effect.

Most scrubs and concoctions are prepared in-house in keeping with instructions from classic Ayurvedic texts. But beyond Ayurvedic treatments, the team is equipped and trained for international therapies as well including Swedish, Balinese and Thai.

I, of course, made the most of my time here and also realized the importance of going on such a yoga retreat – it gives you time to unwind and get a break from the rat race that most of us have inadvertently become a part of; experience the importance of taking care of one’s self; spend time with like-minded people; and, carry that motivation back home with you: to stay consistent with yoga!

This article was first published in Hong Kong based Asana Journal, September 2017 issue. 

Yoga > Practice Relaxation During Your Asana Session

Almost every yoga class finishes with relaxation. Read my article on how to practice relaxation during your asana session. This article first appeared in Asana International Yoga Journal, May 2015.

Healthy Practice > The Most Important Reason To Try Jal Neti

Many years ago I had a mild allergy that led me to bouts of sneezing, watery eyes, et al. After ruling out sinusitis and various other allergies, it seemed that I was "allergic" to stress and fatigue. Actually, the body's immunity falls drastically in conditions of stress and exhaustion, hence one is susceptible to allergic reactions. As a result, every time I was preparing for any exams in school or college my allergy would come up. And if I prepared for my exams over a couple of months the symptoms would remain over that many months. But I realised this correlation between stress and sneezing only much later. When I started working for a magazine, whenever the pages were being readied to be sent for printing my sneezing would return. A regular anti-allergy pill usually settled the condition.

Over the years, as I practiced yoga consistently and moved to freelancing (that reduced the stress of sending a magazine to press) I thought I had outgrown this condition. In the last few weeks however my day-long bouts of sneezing started again. Only now, I am wary of popping pills. I do like to experience the magic of yoga and our ancient techniques that actually help the body to cure itself rather than merely suppressing the symptoms by having a medicine.

I had, of course, heard of Jal Neti, but had never tried it (not even during my teacher's training course at the Sivananda Dhanwantari Ashram, Kerala). Like most people I just didn't like the idea of taking in water through one nostril and expelling it from the other, and alternating this procedure. I used to call these techniques "abusive", justifying the label by saying that it was "unnatural" to treat a body this way. But in reality these practices are a far more natural alternative to healing a body than ingesting chemical laden medicines.

The Technique
1. Buy a neti pot. They come in various materials including different types of metals or plastic. Since I wasn't sure how long I would practice jal neti, I avoided the metal one since it was more expensive and bought a plastic pot online. It is light and convenient. I even plan to carry it with me for my forthcoming vacation.
2. Pour lukewarm saline water into the pot.
3. Now tilt your head to one side and slightly back.
4. Insert the nozzle of the pot into the upper nostril; keep your mouth open and continue to breathe through your mouth. Insert the nozzle gently but thoroughly to ensure that water doesn't leak out from the same nostril.
5. The water will naturally flow out of the other nostril.
6. Now repeat with the other nostril.
7. Centre the head and look downward to let the excess water flow out.
8. Gently blow your nose to remove excess mucous.
9. I also like to rinse my mouth once I'm done.

The whole process doesn't take more than 2 minutes. I do it right after brushing my teeth in the morning.

The Benefits
1. It clears up the sinuses and removes mucous from the hard to reach areas.
2. Especially beneficial if you stay in a city with a high rate of air pollution.
3. It cools the eyes from within.
4. It helps deal with and prevent various respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, etc.
5. Even if you don't have any breathing problems, you will realise that you're breathing much better.
6. And the most important benefit according to me, and one that inspired me to write this post is that having both the nostrils unobstructed have lots of positive effects on the entire body.
In the benefits of this practice, Swami Satyananda Saraswati has explained in the book Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha: "A balance is brought between the left and right nostrils and the corresponding left and right brain hemispheres." This leads to harmony between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems of the body which is important to induce a state of balance throughout the body and the systems governing circulation as well as digestion.

So, there you go! I hope I have inspired you to give jal neti a shot because of its far reaching benefits on overall health and not merely a technique to clear the nose.

Yoga > The Pawanmuktasana Series – Simple, Yet Highly Effective

I have been talking about the simple asanas being very effective. What could be more effective that the Pawanmuktasana series as designed by Swami Satyanand Saraswati! I can safely vouch for this series to be solely responsible for strengthening my muscles gently and preparing my body for more intermediate and advanced asana practice.

The Series: For details on the Pawanmuktasanas either consult a teacher certified by the Bihar School of Yoga or refer to the book titled Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyanand Saraswati himself. The detailed instructions and diagrams are sufficient to get you started on these series that have almost no, or negligible, contraindications.

The Benefits: As prescribed by Swami Satyanand the Pawanmuktasana series must precede other asanas. Holding an asana for a long duration (even if it is only for half a minute) can be quite intense on the muscles involved. The repetitive movements of the Pawanmuktasana series prepare the muscles gently to enable the holding of a posture comfortably and joyously, instead of putting a strain on the muscle and making one prone to injury.

But if one was to do the complete series it can even amount to a full body workout. In fact, the complete series provides a very balanced routine because it engages most of your limbs and muscles. Just because it seems very gentle it may look rather ineffective as far as toning up the body is concerned. But actually, if you practice the complete series just for a month you'll notice considerable physical effects, including toning of the abs.

The ‘simple’ hand, foot and neck movements are anti rheumatic, the ‘simple’ leg movements are great for digestion and strengthening the abdominal muscles and ‘simple’ exercises like chakkichalan and rowing are great for shakti bandhas. And beyond the aforementioned benefits these seemingly simple exercises work at various levels like loosening and stretching of muscles, nerves and joints at the physical level and even at the deeper levels of the energy and the mind.

The Modern Application: Although it can work up to be an effective cardio activity, the simplicity of movements ensures that it works gently even on stiff muscles, hence greatly reducing the chance of injury. I also feel that the Pawanmuktasana series may have been the base for vinyasa yoga, and hence most of the trendy and new age flow yoga styles. In this series the emphasis is on movement and repetition. 

My Experience: Even though I have been practicing yoga consistently, whenever I let go of the pawanmuktasanas for a long gap I start seeing the stiffness coming back into the body, especially in my shoulder joints or wrists. I have thus decided to incorporate the Pawanmuktasana series regularly in my practice. 

Healthy Practice > Understanding the Lymphatic System

Since I keep mentioning practices to boost the lymphatic system, I am posting an article that I recently wrote for Better Homes and Gardens, December'14 issue.

Healthy Practice > 7 Ways to Get Healthy in 2015

Here is a story that I wrote for Better Homes and Gardens, Jan'15 issue on simple ways to get healthy this year. Do give it a read and incorporate at least some of these easy-to-follow practices in your daily routine. 

Healthy Practice > Hot Towel Scrub

With the temperature dropping to 6 degrees celsius (and expected to fall further), Delhi is freezing. The sudden onset of cold literally froze my yoga practice. Staying late in bed, eating heavy carbs that the body seemingly demands in the cold weather, and a subsequent feeling of stiffness in the body has kept me from getting onto the yoga mat for a few days now. The one thing that I look forward to, however, is the hot towel scrub.

I was introduced to this wonderful practice during an Ayurveda workshop that I attended a few months ago. The interesting thing about that workshop was that the lady who conducted it, Shonali Sabherwal, is a Macrobiotic Nutritionist and Chef. While giving us helpful tips on healthy eating the Ayurveda way, she drew many similarities between the Ayurvedic and the Macrobiotic approach to food (more on that in a subsequent post). Amongst the other nuggets of information that she shared, up came the hot towel scrub.

How To Do The Hot Towel Scrub
This simple practice is exactly what the name suggests. Dip a hand towel in a tub a of hot water and scrub yourself. Keep dipping the hand towel in the same tub of water. The steam from the hot towel helps to release the toxins trapped just below the skin. The scrubbing action with the towel helps to remove these toxins. Practicing the same repeatedly has a wonderful detoxifying effect and boosts the lymphatic system.

Although the practice is fairly simple, I feel that scrubbing in the direction that the lymph flows is especially beneficial. So start form the limbs inward, towards the heart. Feet upward and raise your arms and scrub downwards, starting from your finger tips. Then neck down to the collar bones, and the down the back of the neck and outward towards the shoulder joint. Scrub your chest area starting from the sternum upwards and then outwards toward your armpits. In the abdomen area it is recommended to move in a clockwise direction.

Since the neck, back of the knees and inside of the elbows have huge clusters of lymph nodes, I spend a little more time in these areas. The other two areas that I enjoy wrapping in the hot towel and scrubbing are the soles of the feet and the palms. The soles and palms have lots of nerve endings as well as acupressure points, hence I find it especially rejuvenating focusing on both.

Dipping the towel in the same water, even as it starts getting dirty, has a unique advantage, according to Shonali. Toxins have an affinity to attract and pull out more toxins! Much like using salted lukewarm water, instead of plain water, for gargling, I think.

Since the practice is slightly dehydrating, much like what you feel after spending 15 minutes in a steam too, do drink some water before and after. Also, slather on some moisturiser since hot water leaves the skin rather dry.

My Experience
I fell in love with this practice the very day I started it. It left me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. One of the biggest benefits for me was that the PMS symptoms started receding naturally, without any medication. The skin was left glowing, shining even. And in this biting cold, a hot towel scrub feels heavenly.

When I googled the hot towel scrub, I learnt that it is an age-old practice followed as part of bathing rituals in Korean and Turkish households. I especially like this practice for its simplicity. The lack of any additional salts or essential oils makes it largely free of any side effects. The fact that you can spend as much or as little time as you like makes it even more easy to follow.

Healthy Practice > Adopt Just ONE Daily Practice

If there was one thing that I would urge anyone to do, it would be this - please adopt just ONE healthy practice!

The alarming rate at which lifestyle diseases are increasing is scary. Almost every day one hears of friends, family or acquaintances falling sick, at times very seriously sick. Instead of living in fear of illness let's choose to do something about it, NOW.

Given the hectic lifestyles that modern living demands, combined with the chemical-laden food we eat and the polluted air we breathe, doesn't it make sense to do something to detox our bodies?

Human bodies may be very fragile and vulnerable to diseases, but they are also marvellous and miraculous in so many ways. If helped to function optimally, our bodies have an immense ability to self-heal. One especially witnesses quick healing in children's bodies, be it broken bones or ruptured skin. When my one and a half year old son knocked out two teeth, the dentist asked me to simply put the teeth back in and the gums would have sealed them as if nothing had happened! Unfortunately, but the time I got in touch with a paediatric dentist I was way past the time window (ideally 30 minutes) for the advice to work. Even so, within 12 hours my son's gum, that was agape with the impact, had closed up.

But it's not just children. Even grown ups have remarkable healing experiences. From spontaneous cancer remissions to reversing heart disease, there are plenty of cases that showcase miracles within a human body. I sincerely believe that if one body can experience healing, almost all bodies are capable of it too! We just need to allow our bodies to function optimally.

Even one healthy practice, when done consistently, will help your body to undo at least some of the damage that it is subjected to due to our environment and lifestyle. You can choose any healthy habit that clicks with you. A few of my favourites are:
- Yoga
- Pranayam
- Oil Pulling
- Hot Towel Scrub
- Acupressure
- Kunjal Kriya and Jal Neti

There are of course so many more. Take your pick but stick to it diligently for at least a month to see the difference.

Happy Healthy Living!

Healthy Practice > Single Step Stress Buster

Someone once told me that according to her a sign of success is "being busy professionally as well as personally".  This statement does make sense to me in a way because given that you enjoy your work and the social company that you keep, plenty of involvement in both can be quite fulfilling. But no matter how much you enjoy all that you do, staying very busy comes with a downside.

Even if you perpetually choose activities that you enjoy, you're bound to get stressed if you don't take quiet time out for yourself. Even if you don't feel mentally stressed, over a period of time, the body starts accumulating stress physically. Being by yourself is when you can assimilate all your dissipating energy.

So, a single step stress buster is breathing. You've heard this plenty, I'm sure. Yet, how often do we remember to practice deep, diaphragmatic breathing? Of course, we all breathe, constantly. We wouldn't be alive if we didn't. But this is just a reminder to breathe fully. More often than not we take quick, shallow breaths, and also hold our breath without realising, when we are stressed out. An obvious physiological effect of that shows in the tension that we hold in our muscles. It could be the abdomen, the chest, neck and even our limbs. When you inhale deeply and exhale fully through your nostrils, squeezing your abdomen slightly on a full exhalation, you will feel the tension melting away. On repeated deep breaths you may possibly even realise the amount of tension you were holding on to.

While we can get aware of the tension in our muscles, it's difficult for us to tell on our own what this tension does to our internal organs and the circulatory system. We all know the effects of wearing tight clothes that constrict an easy blood and lymphatic circulation. Can you imagine the effects of holding on to tension internally, where we literally tighten our veins and arteries and the lymphatic and energy channels?

There are many types of pranayam to suit various conditions and body types. But I am talking about simple deep breathing. Deep breathing does not involve much technique or force. Like I mentioned above, just focus on exhaling completely and your inhalation will automatically become fuller. Do this a few times a day to feel rejuvenated, connect with your body, release tension and start realising what holding on to stress feels like. It's important to become aware of stress first before letting go of it.

Yoga > Daily Routine to Cleanse the Panchakoshas

Despite having a good yoga discipline – I have resolved to do yoga every day for the rest of my life – I was feeling discontent because of a lack of growth in my practice. This is when Swami Niranjananada Saraswati, Paramacharya, Bihar School of Yoga came to Delhi, after a long gap of nine years, and presented us with the gift of a lifetime - in keeping with the busy schedules of householders and city dwellers, Swamiji gave us very easy to follow practices to purify all the panchakoshas, or the five sheaths of our being.

As if on a mission to draw people away from the modern, gimmicky ways that yoga is being taught in to the masses, Swami Niranjan very clearly and simply explained the importance of tradition and the effectiveness of seemingly simple practices, once done regularly. Many practitioners of yoga seem to think that the longer and harder they practice, the more evolved they and their practice are. But Swamiji stripped people off various pretensions. He also elucidated that a rigorous physical practice is just that – a physical exercise!

Over the course of four days he guided us very clearly in simple practices to adopt daily. “A practice focused only on asana and pranayama is incomplete,” he said. He thus left us with a dinacharaya (daily routine) starting with mantra sadhana comprising Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, Gayatri Mantra and 32 names of Goddess Durga first thing in the morning to activate the vijnanamaya kosha; then five asanas (including Tadasana, Triyaktadasana, Katichakrasana, Utthanasana, and any inversion such as Sirshasana or Sarvangasana) and Surya Namaskar to benefit the annamaya kosha; followed by Sheetali, Shitkari, Brahmari and Nadi Shodhana techniques of pranayama to cleanse the pranamaya kosha; yoga nidra to be done in the evening after work to remove tension and reactivate the manomaya kosha; and finally the Omkara or Om chanting before sleeping to reach the anandamaya kosha.

It’s been about two months since I attended the Yogotsav and I feel a world of a difference in my own practice, despite cutting down on the complicated asanas that I was doing earlier. My day starts with Mantra Sadhana, followed with a simple asana sequence. This really sets a very happy and positive note to my day, and I feel a general sense of well-being. And all this despite cutting down on the time I used to spend on asana practice. The holistic routine really permeates the deeper levels of my being and I almost feel my practice touching the different koshas/sheaths.