Yogas citta vritti nirodhah - Part 2 of 2

continued...

Yoga is control of the energies of the mind

Yogas citta vritti nirodhah...

Yogas citta vritti nirodhah...

Yoga citta vritti nirodhah...

Done.  One hundred and eight repetitions.

“So, what is yoga?”  While traditional practitioners understand that itself is not limited only to the physical practice that most people do nowadays, a study done in Australia reported that at present, yoga is understood as a form of physical activity which people engage in to increase health and fitness, improve flexibility and muscle tone, and reduce stress.  Before yoga hit mainstream, yoga was practiced as a spiritual disclipine.  However, at present, practicing yoga for spiritual reasons only come in the picture after the practitioner has been doing for a long time.  But still, that reason only comes in 5th of all the reasons mentioned in the study.

“You still haven’t answered the question.  Again, what is yoga?”

Yogascittavritti nirodhah.  Yoga is the control of the energies of the mind.  That's how Patanjali defined yoga in the Yoga Sutras.  However, as I mentioned in the previous article, yoga has now become a popular form of physical activity all throughout the world and people have come to equate yoga only with asana practice.  Studies have been conducted and have showed promising results in yoga's ability to improve health, fitness, and well-being, that even physicians are recommending it to their patients.  I leave the discussion on yoga as a spiritual discipline next time.

There are many styles of yoga and most of the popular styles which are practiced in the West are now here in the Philippines.  I did some data-mining a few months ago and here’s a list of the styles that now being taught in the country.  They are listed according to the total number of available classes per week.

• Bikram Yoga - the original hot yoga.  
• Hatha Yoga - the generic term for all asana-based classes which cannot be classified elsewhere (of course, all of these are really just forms of hatha yoga but for some reasons, when you go to yoga facilities, hatha yoga is used to classify generic classes.)
• Ashtanga Yoga - the traditional method taught by Sri Pattabhi Jois
• Vinyasa/Flow - all other methods which uses breath-movement synchronization technique.  
• Hot Yoga - generic term used for any class done in a heated room.
• Gentle Yoga - a more restorative and relaxing style of class.
• Power Yoga - almost similar to vinyasa/flow but inspired more by the ashtanga yoga tradition.
• Iyengar Yoga - created by BKS Iyengar, a contemporary of Sri Pattabhi Jois.  Uses props like blocks, belts, blankets, ropes, and chairs to help the practitioner sustain the pose longer.

Which style is the best?  My suggestion is to try each style for at least 10 sessions before deciding on which style to focus on.  I have tried most of these styles and I will share with you my experience next time, inshallah.

Om.

***

The author is a faculty in UP Diliman where he teaches yoga as part of the general service physical education program and as a mind-body training for the UP Pep Squad. 

He has long retired his cheer uniform but still cheers for the UP Fighting Maroons every UAAP basketball season... (but really, that's only because I want to see the Pep Squad perform live). He is contemplating on teaching them the yogic technique of levitation thinking maybe that will help them win the next championship title.

PE3 Yoga (intermediate level) in UP Diliman

Starts next semester.  

Click here for other PE2 Yoga schedule.

Baby steps to a vegetarian diet

Earlier this week, I saw the word "vegetarian" in the pile of new books while I was looking for a reference on statistics at the CHK library.

"May I see that book, please?" I asked the librarian.

"Have the College acquired this?"  Suppliers leave a number of books for the faculty to review on a regular basis and the librarian will make the purchase order once the faculty give their recommendation.

"Yes."

"Oh, that's great.  That will be on my to-read list.  I'll postpone borrowing that until the end of this semester."

I quickly browsed through the pages and found this box on page 11, "Steps for an easy transition to a vegetarian diet."

Allow me to share with you those steps.  Below the text box, the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a group under the American Dietetic Association was cited as the source of those suggestions.

• Take stock your current diet or look at your what you eat on a regular basis.  What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner?  What's inside your fridge?  The first step is to be come aware of what you eat.
• Add more vegetarian meals by revising favorite recipes that are meat based.   My first yoga teacher, Sandy, is not a big fan of fake meat. Eating fake meat is simply "cheating" and may not really teach a person how to eat proper wholesome foods.  I guess instead of substituting the meat with a fake one, use a fresh alternative instead, like tofu or tempeh.  Another way to recreate the meat based dish into a vegetable dish.  For Filipinos who love their sinigang, sometimes the focus is on the meat.  So instead, add more veggies and highlight the greens instead.
• Expand your options by finding new recipes and trying different products from the store. Have you tried pasta with roasted vegetables?   Or pasta with green vegetables and nuts?  These are healthy and delicious recipes which is a good alternative to the Pinoy ultimate favorite - spaghetti with meat sauce.
• Make a list of vegetarian meals that you can eat away from home.  Crackers and cheese, Chinese vegetarian fresh lumpia, vegetable bibimbap, fresh fruits, Cheese-pesto-sandwich.  
• Eliminate meat at breakfast. Although Jessica wrote a very informative article that yoghurt+muesli+fruit for breakfast might not be for you, this easy to prepare breakfast is packed with nutrients that can help you start your day right.  Except of course if you're lactose-intolerant.  I have several books on Ayurveda but I'm not really applying it yet to my diet because I have to address my hunger first.  And with the workload and communiting stress that I experience here in Manila, I don't have the time and the resources to be too picky about what I eat.  I am an ovo-lacto-vegetarian and in my present situation, that's the best way I could go.  I never felt healthier though.  So for a typical mobile Pinoy who wants rice for breakfast, how about garlic rice, fried egg, tofu, and steamed kangkong sans the alamang?
• Take stock of your menu once again.  Do your meals include a variety of grains, legumes, soy, vegetables, and fruits?  Yes.  Do you eat 5 different fruits and vegetables day?  I don't or atleast not very aware that I should have 5 different produce.  Do you eat 6-11 servings of primary whole grains with little processing a day?  Hmnn... 6... yes... I think.  For more information on nutritional guidelines for vegetarians, visit the Vegetarian Diet.

My usual diet is here.  Hope this helps.

Cheers.