Sanskrit - the holy language of yoga

Following class today a student enquired as to the language of yoga, was it Hindi? Hindi as a language relates to the Hindu religion and is the most common language of modern India, widely spoken and understood across the subcontinent and now echoing around the globe via countless Bollywood movies. Whereas Sanskrit is the ancient, scholarly language of classical Indian art, music dance, philosophy, spiritual tradition and therefore yoga. Seminal texts such as the Upanishads, the Vedas, Patanjali’s yoga sutras and more.

Sanskrit is the language of spoken and sung devotion. Mellifluous mantra, bhajan and sloka (chants, songs, prayers) are all recited in the medium of Sanskrit. Most of us are familiar with Om, the sacred syllable said to be the vibrational seed that creates and recreates the universe. Or the eagerly implored repetitions of Hare Krishna! Perhaps a longer mantra used to begin or conclude yoga practice. It is a warm rich language, pleasing to the ear and uplifting in its vibration. For millions of devotees, yogis and academics it is the language of God.

On visits to India I frequently encounter fellow yogis who are studying Sanskrit; the mesmerising, swirling shapes of the written form and the voluptuous sounds as it is spoken aloud. I have absorbed some knowledge of Sanskrit through my yoga studies: committing Patanjali’s yoga sutras to memory at the insistence of my teacher in Mysore. Lino Miele’s patient, faithful counting and naming of the poses whilst leading the primary astanga vinyasa series. Blissing out chanting devotional bhajans with a group of plump Indian housewives at the Neasden temple in north London. Reading texts for ayurveda, tantra, Buddhism….

I prefer to use Sanskrit terms for yoga poses during class. Hence seated forward bend paschimottanasana, triangle pose trikonasana, cobra pose bhujangasana and so on. In this way one connects oneself and ones students with the ancient, esoteric practices that have shaped and preserved our precious yoga.

Follow the link below to hear some wonderfully uplifting Sanskrit chants from the Padma Purana.

Facial for men: creating a new treatment

I have been giving organic facials for a few years and attracting a steady number of male clients. I decided it was time to create a treatment just for the guys.

Men’s facial skin is thicker than women’s, it tends to be oilier and coarser with larger pores. Men are less likely to have followed a skincare regimen resulting in congestion and blocked pores. Regular shaving and use of astringent aftershave leads to dryness and sensitivity. Years of unprotected sun exposure may cause premature aging and sun damage. There is clearly work to be done!

I needed to create a high quality treatment with clear benefits. I wanted an alternative to the floral products I use with women. I begun looking for a suitable product range. Organic, affordable, widely available and from an established brand with ethical values and integrity. I chose the JASON Vitamin C range as it specifically addressed the issues of sun damage and premature aging. I felt that the scientific references to free radical scavengers, anti-oxidants, ph levels and bold orange and black packaging would appeal to men.

The treatment itself begins with a seated head and scalp massage, to stimulate circulation to the scalp and induce relaxation. I use the foaming cleanser as men enjoy the feeling of lather. This is removed with a muslin that has been soaked in hot water and tea tree oil. I am told that this is remniscent of trips to the barber! This is followed by exfoliation, facial oil massage, massage to the neck and shoulders, application of toner, day cream and lip balm. My guinea pigs loved it!

I am excited about taking the men’s facial to the Glastonbury festival next week, It’s a great forum for trialling new treatments as the crowd are wonderfully friendly and enthusisastic. I hope that I have created something that appeals to men and that they will find effective and enjoyable.

www.jason-natural.com/products/vitamin_c_care

Therapeutic massage for chronic stress

I work from a lovely spa in the Somerset countryside. Its peaceful, idyllic setting makes it an ideal bolt hole for city dwellers who visit to shrug off urban stress and spend the weekend relaxing in nature’s tranquility.

We often receive groups of young women, on a pamper break or hen weekend. Typically they unwind in the sauna and hot tub and have a treatment or two. Almost invariably they present the same symptoms, tension in the shoulders and neck. A half hour massage is usually enough for them to achieve relaxation.

However, when a person is chronically stressed, a single treatment is rarely enough.

Stress, when it manifests, is evidence of the mind-body connection. The body responds to a constant onslaught of thoughts and emotions by tightening, holding on. If the stress inducing situation is longterm such as a high pressure job, unsatisfactory domestic or environmental conditions or a difficult relationship, the stress becomes chronic and the effects start to show up in the body’s systems. A common list of stress related ailments are familiar to most in modern society and includes ulcers (digestive system), insomnia (nervous system), IBS (digestive system) and so on.

Last weekend I massaged three junior doctors, all in their early twenties and living in London. They had finished their final medical exams a fortnight before and were awaiting results. All agreed that it had been a highly stressful time! During consultation, we identified that their stress had been accumulating over a number of years, starting with ’A’ levels and the pressure involved in securing a University place: these talented young women had a history of chronic stress dating back six or seven years!

Whilst they all enjoyed their massages, it became quite clear that post-treatment my clients were still carrying a tremendous amount of tension in their bodies. Under such circumstances I advise a course of therapeutic treatments. A typical program would be one massage per week for four weeks, thereafter fortnightly, eventually monthly. I recommended that they get in touch with a natural health clinic in their local area, where they should find several massage practitioners offering different styles. Having found a therapist they feel comfortable with, pre-booking a number of sessions and paying in advance could well lead to a discount. Over time the body will give away its stress and wellbeing will be restored.

www.somersetspa.co.uks

Scaravelli yoga workshop with Marc Woolford

How might we declutter, find internal space? Create conditions for a lengthened spine, a fuller experience of the breath? The workshop title Antigravity, the diagphragm and the fluid core, gives a sense of Marc’s approach to yoga: an interpretation of the work of Vanda Scaravelli underpinned by anatomical and biomechanical knowledge.

Indeed, Marc makes use of a skeleton, hanging conveniently in the teaching studio, to illustrate concepts such as the similarities in design of the skull and pelvis, the movement of the ribs, how the tailbone might be encouraged to drop.

Typical of the Scaravelli method, Marc teaches through demonstration, verbal instruction and hands on adjustment. Beginning with kapalabhati breath and ending with sarvangasana we covered relatively few asana, in the conventional sense. The work is exploratory and poses are used to demonstrate the principles which were being conveyed. The essence of the teachings: cultivating an inner attention, responding with sensitivity to the breath, treating the body with kindness, allowing the natural expression of the pose to emerge.

Confident and charismatic, Marc’s teaching style is inclusive and engaging. He welcomes comments and suggestions, enjoys humour and is extremely approachable.

It felt great to be a student once more at Natural Bodies, the yoga studio where I spent many happy hours attending drop-in classes and workshops as a former Brightonian. I left feeling longer and lighter!

Visit Marc’s website www.yogawithmarc.com

Sunrise Celebration 2009: a healer's perspective

I am resting quietly at home following a weekend of heat hazed fun at this year's Sunrise Celebration. The healing area was situated atop the festival site, affording a splendid view out across wooded hills and ensuring that we benefited from a cooling breeze. We enjoyed a wonderful opening circle, sharing earth chants with Johnathan Cainer and a Tibetan Lama amongst others.

I led two of the several daily yoga sessions: an energizing morning practice and a quieter, restorative afternoon session. Mornings required a little karma yoga in advance of class to remove paraphenalia left by partygoers who used the space as a hangout; indeed on Sunday a group of revellers had to be gently coaxed back into consciousness and enouraged to leave, which they did in good humour.

In the same space, shamanic journeying took place daily; part of the free workshop schedule which included classical Indian dance, bhajans, T'ai Chi and Qi Gung.

I also set up my therapy space and gave a serious number of organic skincare facials. This has become my signature treatment at festivals, a big hit with mothers who are able to leave their children for a half hour or so to receive a much longed for pamper and relax. Elsewhere, massage proved popular treatment with ayurvedic, holistic and thai modes available.

A beautiful sound pyramid and travelling garden created soothing magical spaces enabling festival goers to pause and calm their senses before heading backdown into the hurly burly of the main arena where the various sound stages, cafes and markets were located.

Smaller in scale and ambition this year the balance of festival crew,ticket holders and traders felt just right. The flowing contours of the site - an organic farm near Bruton, Somerset created an intimate setting for a true sense of community to be created. Blessed by a steadily radiant sun, Sunrise has become a joyful and exhilarating start to the summer festival season.

www.sunrisecelebration.com