My First Experience Of Yoga And Attending A Class
My first experience of Yoga happened when I was 17 or 18 years old. My friend persuaded me, on a very hot evening, to attend a talk given by a Yogi. When, after being seated for sometime, we rose to stand up, I fainted. That was it. In fact, it took me another 18 years to return to a yoga mat, let alone consider teaching Hatha Yoga.
What Happened Next
When I did, I tried different forms of yoga very intermittently for around 5 years, until I met Hatha Yoga. I connected to this very easily and have often wondered why? I feel it was the breathing exercises myself (Pranayama). Much later on, and having trained as a Hatha Yoga Teacher myself, I understood that this form of Yoga has a special focus on the breath. It also is said that the main work of Hatha Yoga is body control through poses or asanas. They work mainly on the manipulation of the spine. The spine is important as it is regarded as the “centre of energy”.
Some insist that Hatha Yoga is a natural product of Raja Yoga, of which step three (of an eight-fold path) is asana or pose; the original meaning of asana was seat. Raja Yoga involves sitting in meditation for long stretches of time, a practitioner would need to be able to sit comfortably enough to ignore the body, or meditation would be impossible. In order to be able to sit for meditation the body needs to be strong and supple, this can be achieved through posture or asana practice. It is therefore suggested that the asanas were invented just for the purpose of preparing the body for sitting meditation practice. It is based on a practical system of concentration and mind control, through stilling the thought process. Meditation is the heart of Yoga practice.
Why I Choose To Become a Hatha Yoga Teacher
When I decided to train to become a Yoga Teacher, for the first piece of work, I was poised with the question “Why do I want to teach Yoga?” When I reflected on this, my first thoughts took me back to being born and I found the next question I asked myself was “what is my life, this life all about for me, followed by the journey of my life events up until that point”.
I had my family unit yes, but often felt I wanted to understand life, or make sense of life especially make sense of my own life, and the constant conflict of all the thoughts going through my head.
I was seeking to understand myself, and seeking to deepen knowledge about myself, coupled with walking a path that made sense of life so that I was able to gain understanding of how and what life is about. The question I was poised with made me reflect a lot on my life path to this point, and whilst I had memories of experiences which were very positive, and I had my own achievements, I equally saw my times of having suffered in various life circumstances. It was these two sides of me creating the restlessness in my mind which became conflicting views and I felt internally pulled about by it all.
Ironically, when I first began practising Yoga in 2001 at the Saraswati Yoga Studio in Sutton, I had suffered a groin injury which also affected my lower back. A life event showing itself in my physical being. This injury was taking ages to heal, yet I know that the yoga aided me fully. I also know that the times I have attended a class feeling mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually tired, I have left a class more upright, more composed, grounded and centred, and as if someone has switched the light back on.
Practising Yoga regularly has shown to aid my inner strength, calm and well-being and I know I have more warm inner smiles from attending. Hatha Yoga has given me peace and balance between my mind, body and emotions by releasing tension from both body and mind. Yoga is a safe environment in which I find my true nature (my relaxed state, my birth right). It gives me that sense of well-being, of belonging or a connection to life. It is a place I want to be as I love the calm and stillness I have found in both body and mind. I am sure many others may also like this concept.
These are just some of the reasons why I became a Yoga Teacher, coupled with helping to spread the wonderful benefits that Yoga has to offer, to others during our now ever busy pace of life. It is said that Yoga can help with pretty much anything and anyone at any age.
My Yogic Name
During my yoga training I took on my yoga name of Pavana. Pavana, which means “something that purifies”. The word Pavana then means breeze or air. This divine air or breeze takes the form of life in every individual.
This beautiful name has amazing implications of being everywhere in everything bringing divine energy with that breeze of life.
Inspired?
If the reasons and benefits of why I began to practice yoga and subsequently became a Yoga Teacher inspire you as they have me, then come and join our small and friendly group classes at The Yoga Lodge.
Take that first step today, by making contact ………… simply book your place on line, email or call me if you require further information.
pavana@theyogalodge.org.uk
07973 410375
www.theyogalodge.org.uk
