Adore Bullock: Yoga Journal Blog

The origin of yoga can no longer be identified in the West because of the non-traditional form of yoga that is now performed. Yoga began with the primary purpose of connecting to a higher power. Channeling that higher power through particular actions or lack thereof (austerities) were combined with mantras and rituals for yogis to serve as a vessel for the deity worshipped. Over time there has been a transition from this traditional culture, to counter culture, and now to pop culture.      Living in America,  I do not have to be apart of a yoga session to make observations on it. Yoga is present on various platforms. Entertainment through movies, commercials and television showcase yoga. When yoga is referenced in the media or used for advertisements, there is no sense of being informed. At this point Americans are expected to know about yoga. The way in which its popularity is displayed as a well known lifestyle, is responsible for this lack of information....

    Yoga is viewed by many as a healing ritual. Whether psychological or physiological or both, practicing yoga speaks to us in a way that relieves disparities in the body. Personally, my practice space contributes to the healing aspect of yoga starting with the sacredness of my bedroom. My room is my sanctuary where I feel safe to do and feel as I please, at any point in time, as long as I am there. To feel calm and comfortable is a good way to begin the process of healing. Here, I can be as quiet or noisy I'd like. While practicing yoga, my space has minimal sound, maybe nothing but a fan and the sound of the instructors voice. This way I am able to concentrate on my body and the instructions being given. Simply having the ability to concentrate is what kickstarts the process of my yogic healing.      During practice, the instructor reminds us of our breath and the way in which particular postures are aiding in the healing process. They refer to this...

     This week we had Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga practices. I enjoyed the opportunity to get moving around more than usual during class time. So far I have taken a liking to Iyengar sequences oppose to Ashtanga. The movements are more in sync with my current bodily ability so I tend to feel comfortable and capable. Our instructors for this week, Amita and David taught Iyengar and ashtanga with their own personal knowledge, experience and style, which set the two practices apart.      While practicing Iyengar with Amita, she demonstrated each and every posture. Every movement was broken down verbally and physically to ensure execution from us, students. This is something I appreciated since I am fairly new to yoga, and she taught the class as such. Her postures made me feel grounded and relaxed, as she remined us to plant our feet on all for corners, whether for balance or reset position. I used that as a basis to stay on track without wobbling or forget...

     In the article by Nevrin, he describes a ritual as something that directs the practioners focus toward the phenomenality of the body. Doing so targets the "sensorium of the participant". A ritual, in this form, changes the natural attitudes of the human body. Through everyday postures, gestures, movements, etc., different modalities of awareness intensifies the "bodily felt sense". These senses are differentiated from the ones experienced everyday.       Moreover, my practice can be analyzed as a ritual, according to Nervin because of the various ways that I move my body and the way that I feel those moves as go through my practice. Personally, I sometimes close my eyes during a posture to solely use muscle memory. This tends to help with the execution of my postures, as newbie. Rearing my focus to my body ensures that my concentration stays within, rather than wonder off, as what takes place when I try to focus my gaze st...

       My last yoga session was instructed by Diane Polli, via ZOOM. We were introduced to Bikram yoga on a beginners level. Diane did not practice with us, but she delivered each position verbally, in a fluent detailed manner. The asanas weren't too advanced which made the session enjoyable. I especially like that she directed us to do two sets for each asana. This way, I could test it out the first time and try to perfect it the next.                 Eventually, I realized that I was familiar with a few of the asanas but I have never physically tried them. The more we practiced, the more of a challenge it was for me to execute the later positions. At times, my body would get tight. I'd also accidently hold my breathe sometimes when I was concentrating on the positions instructed at the time. Even though she would emphasize breathing here and there, I would still forget, which caused me to be a bit winded. This ...