Aspen Yoga - "Yoga History and Basic Forrest Yoga Terms"

Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means to yoke, unite or to become one with.  In a more mystical way or from a spiritual perspective, through the practice of yoga postures (Asanas) and yogic breathing (Pranayama) you begin to clear your thoughts, feelings and perceptions (stress) which may cloud your awareness and true knowing of your oneness with spirit, soul and all of creation.

The practice and study of yoga dates back some 3 – 6 thousand years. You’ll find traces of it in many ancient cultures including Egyptian, Indian (Hindu) and Tibetan.

There are a couple of stories on why you practice yoga and how yoga began.

1) The Ancient sage Patanjali who lived around 300 B.C. said that the purpose for doing yoga postures and yogic breathing was so you could sit undisturbed and comfortably in meditation for 3 hours.

2) Another story states that after sitting in meditationfor hours, days, weeks, months and years on end the bodies of ancient yogis began to atrophy.  So by watching and imitating the movements and stretching postures of animals – yoga postures were invented.  By practicing the postures you bring life, strength and balance back into your physical body.

You're probably are somewhere in this spectrum.  You either need to loosen up, unwind and relax or rebuild you body from injury, over-flexibility or inactivity!

Today yoga is practiced all over the world for a variety of reasons.  By making yoga a life long practice there are an infinite number of spiritual, psychological and physical benefits you can experience.

There are many styles of Hatha Yoga.  The style which I teach is the Forrest style of Hatha Yoga from Ana Forrest.

If you are coming from another style, come with an open mind and an openness to experience and learn the subtle and sometimes extreme differences in this style to what you have been taught or practicing.

I highly recommend reading “Anatomy Of The Spirit” by Carolyn Myssand “Wheels Of Life” by Anodea Judith.  “Anatomy Of The Spirit” most closely reflects what I believe to be the spiritual, philosophical side of Forrest Yoga.

The following are some Basic Forrest Yoga Terms I’ll be using:

Core: The area from your pelvic floor to the inner top of your skull.

Feet Active: When sitting: pulling your heel back towards calf muscle, pressing the ball of your foot forward and pulling your toes back. When standing: lifting your toes which also assists in creating a higher arch in your foot.

Hands Active: Actively spreading fingers and bones in your hand.

Wrapping Shoulder Blades: With arms up at a 90 degree angle and hands active, taking shoulder blades out and away from spine and around towards front of body. You broaden upper back by using your chest muscles.

Tucking Tail bone, Curling Pubic Bone Towards Navel: The tail bone is at the very bottom of your spine. When standing: using your buttocks muscles and lengthen your tail bone down towards your feet. When lying down - tuck tail bone under, curling pubic bone towards navel. These movements lengthen your lower spine (lumbar and sacrum).

The Diaphragm is a domed shaped muscleat the top of your abdominal cavity. It runs from side to side and front to back of your solar plexus region. To exhale pull your low belly in (diaphragm presses into lungs so that your lungs empty). Keep your low belly drawn in lightly, inhaling (through your nose) the diaphragm pulls down so your lungs can fill. Your diaphragm will actually flatten and lower 2 vertebra.

In the next lesson we'll focus on centering and balancing and your energy management with Yoga Energy Work.