In 1995, Beryl Bender Birch wrote the book, Power Yoga (Fireside), launching a new fitness trend. Power Yoga is a westernized version of Ashtanga yoga, but still based on the principles of creating heat and sweat. However, instead of a set series of postures, classes vary from day to day and from studio to studio. Power Yoga doesn’t have a firm set of rules, and as such, you never know quite what to expect in a class. “Power Yoga is a flowing hatha class. The sequence does change; we flow with the energy of the group,” says Bryan Kest, of Bryan Kest’s Power Yoga in Los Angeles. Expect a flow class, lots of sun salutations, and a serious amount of sweat. Some poses are held for longer periods of time to fatigue muscles and increase the release of toxins. Finally, while Ashtanga classes are quiet except for the hum of your breath, Power Yoga classes frequently play music, ranging from traditional sitar to rock and roll. However, some Power Yoga instructors like Kest prefer a quiet room to avoid distractions. There are a variety of forms of Power Yoga available and some are more reputable than others. For a link to Bryan Kest’s power yoga classes visit www.poweryoga.com or go to www.power-yoga.com to locate teachers near you.
Kristen Rentz, a popular teacher at the LA Yoga Center in Westwood, California, asks new students to remember that the aim of yoga is balance. This aim, she says, should guide you in your search for a yoga style.
“If you’re a non-stop kind of person,” she explains, “the flow of Ashtanga might call to you, but try slowing down a bit. I guarantee you’ll learn about yourself in the pauses offered by Iyengar. If you are a type A personality, you might even try restorative yoga, a style that really crosses over into meditation, allowing the body to open on its own without force or stress or too much effort.”
Pregnant women should consult a physician before beginning a yoga practice. Classes specializing in pre- and postnatal yoga are increasingly popular, especially for those new to yoga. Iyengar, with its precise and intelligent technique, is another excellent option for practicing during pregnancy. Some women, however, have wonderful experiences practicing Ashtanga throughout their entire pregnancy. The choice is up to you, your body, and your doctor.
Learning to Meditate
Though familiar with the many benefits of meditation, I found that simply taking the steps to begin this practice was a challenge in itself. How do I learn? Is there a class? A book? Or am I silly to not already ‘know’ how to meditate?
With so many approaches to consider, even finding the right method seemed daunting. After seeking information from a variety of holistic-minded resources, I attended an introductory class at the local Tibetan Society that was led by a soft-spoken man with two decades of meditation experience. While his philosophy was plainly Buddhist, the principles were applicable to students of any spiritual path.
We began by focusing on the breath, observing the sensation of air on the tip of the nose and following its path into the lungs, while feeling the fullness of the chest and belly as the inhale was completed. We similarly followed the breath out, now observing all the sensations that came with the exhale. We were encouraged to take note of any distractions – sounds, scents, bodily aches, or intruding thoughts or images – and watch them pass. Though I had been sitting only a few minutes, my back ached, begging me to readjust my position, and my foot itched. I was definitely distracted. As promised, these intrusions eventually faded and I returned my attention to the breath.
After several minutes, the instructor asked us to focus on the distractions themselves, to look at them in an observational way, and not allow them to trigger a ‘train of thought’ that would take us away from the present. “The mind,” he said, “is a mirror of our bodily sensations. It reflects our thoughts, our sensations, and the influences of our surroundings, but these are not the mind.” In shifting my awareness to the distractions, I observed their nature and began to understand how by contemplating them but not indulging in them, they would pass on their own.
By taking these techniques home and beginning the slow process of building a personal practice, I have become more aware of the nature of my thoughts (oh, the to do lists!), as well as more conscious of my breath. I find that the more I practice, the more I feel acquainted with my being and at peace with my mind.
– Tanya M. Williams
The right yoga for you
Looking for Relaxation, Try Restorative
Looking for Spiritual guidance, Try Jivamukti, Anusara
Looking for A Rigorous Daily Workout, Try Ashtanga, Power Yoga
Looking for The Ultimate in Detoxification, Try Bikram, Ashtanga
Looking for Yoking of Body and Mind, Try Iyengar
Looking for A Place to Start, Try Hatha Yoga, Restorative Yoga
Meditation and Yoga Sources
Retreat Centers:
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health – Lenox, Massachusetts (413) 448-3400, www.kripalu.org
Spirit Rock Meditation Center – Marin, California (415) 488-0164, www.spiritrock.org
Omega at the Crossings – Austin, Texas (512) 258-7243, www.omegacrossings.com
Books:
Essential Yoga, by Olivia H. Miller, Chronicle books, 2003.
Flip the Switch – 40 Anytime, Anywhere Meditations in Five Minutes or Less, by Eric Harrison, Ulysses Press, 2004.
Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul, by Sharon Gannon and David Life, Ballantine Wellspring, 2002.
Journey Into Power, by Baron Baptiste, Fireside, 2002.
Light on Yoga, by B.K.S. Iyengar, Schocken Books, 1966.
Loving Kindness: the Revolutionary Art of Happiness, by Sharon Salzberg, Shambhala Publications, 1995.
Pain and Illness, by John Kabat-Zinn, Delta Books, 1990.
Transformative Meditation, by Gayle Clayton, Llewellyn Publishing, 2004.
September/October 2004
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