Let me tell you: When I was diagnosed with HIV, my life felt completely broken. I thought all I had ahead of me was disease and death. I had never felt so lonely and disconnected from myself and the world. Looking at death as a reality and not just as a remote possibility made me feel an urgency to act and do something with my life that was meaningful. All of a sudden, all I had was the present. The future looked too uncertain. The diagnosis gave me such an intense shock that the only way was to find a new way: change. HIV was going to be my first yoga teacher.
with Positively Women, a UK based, national charity offering support to women with HIV by women living with HIV since 2000 and she is also a member of the International Community of Women Living with HIV. She is committed to challenge stigma and discrimination directed towards women living with HIV and has contributed by speaking at national and international conferences. Silvia's work and health have been supported by a committed Ashtanga practice since 2001.
Q. Since I’ve started practicing intermediate series I’ve had trouble falling asleep. I also wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time falling back to sleep. Do you have any tips?
A: The intermediate series is a stimulating and dynamic practice. It is not uncommon for students to experience many changes in their lives as the postures begin to weave themselves into the subtle body. Before we go into this, let’s look at the primary series and go from there.
The Primary Series is called ‘Yoga Chikitsa’ or yoga therapy. The focus is on detoxing the physical body. First, the postures work to ‘wring’ the internal organs. Correct foot and heel position, binding etc is crucial. The wringing action squeezes stagnant blood and toxins from the muscles/organs. The vinyasa between postures provides fresh blood to those same areas and as the body moves, internal heat is cultivated. Next, steady rhythmic breathing is what keeps the heat sustained and supported; the vehicle for detoxification. This breathing induces a calming and meditative effect on the mind and pratyahara (sense withdrawal) is possible. When we combine all of these actions simultaneously we experience Yoga.
Detoxification is happening on mind AND body.
It is common for practitioners to experience flu like symptoms as the purification process takes place. This is one of the reasons daily practice is important. The impulse will be to rest however unless there is fever, practice daily (5-6 days, moon days off) so toxins can be thoroughly removed. This does not mean that you will never get sick or that the body remains in a perfectly cleansed state. We are constantly taking in toxins either through food/water, our environment or even the way in which we think/speak to ourselves and others. It simply means that we are in a certain state of balance. As a friend and teacher once said ‘Between life and death there is illness and recovery’. Our purpose in life is to find a place that is balanced for as long as possible.
Intermediate series is called ‘Nadi Shodhana’. Now that the physical body is (more or less) purified, we begin to work on the subtle body, the Nadi system. Some explain this as ‘purification of the nervous system’ but it’s more subtle than this. The subtle body is made up of chakras, pranic streams known as vayus (5 pranas) and nadis, the passageways in which the life force (prana) can move freely and evenly. These passageways are clogged and unbalanced in most people. They must be purified before a practitioner is able to experience higher and more subtle states of Yoga.
Throughout the intermediate series the postures bend and twist the spine, the largest nerve channel in the body, creating a ‘Nerve Cleansing’ effect. This precise work on the spine will create a stimulating effect on the subtle body which can show up in several ways. For some this includes difficulty sleeping, peaks and valleys in energy level and heightened emotional response/reactivity…for starters. Where you stop in the intermediate series will change how you experience the day to day, moment to moment.
Here’s what I love about the Ashtanga method. It requires you to take care of yourself. Seriously. Not some times, not part-time, all the time. Late nights, partying, drinking, drugs and gossiping, even once in awhile, will create more devastation to the body, mind and spirit once this cleansing process has begun. Be respectful of this powerful system. Move through your day intelligently, with awareness and Ahimsa. Rest to let the practice work in a beneficial way. Without proper rest, there will be problems both physical and psychological.
Here are some suggestions for getting the rest that you need.
1) Make sure you practice the entire finishing sequence without shortcuts or time constraints.
Many students rush through the finishing part of the practice either because they have not allowed enough time or they consider it a ‘cool down’. The finishing sequence is very important and crucial for the entire practice and in your daily life. The finishing sequence neutralizes the physical and subtle body, nervous and other systems etc. Bringing everything to balance, this is where most physical pain (especially back pain) can be alleviated. This provides a subtle protection as you go out into the world.
In fact, this is where the truly ancient and essential postures are practiced. For example, Sirsasana and Sarvangasana are considered the king and queen of all asanas. Their benefits include purifying the blood, lungs, heart, stomach, digestive system and strengthening Amrita Bindu. Each asana in finishing has many benefits. See ‘Yoga Mala’ by Sri K Pattabhi Jois for further information Sarvangasana pg 111 &112 and Sirsasana pg 119-123.
I recommend 50 breaths in Sarvangasana and Sirsasana and 15 breaths in all the other postures. Consider this another practice and allow yourself 30 minutes for finishing.
2) Keep all electronics out of the bedroom.
Viewing a brightly lit screen can create insomnia. They have a direct alerting effect and a melatonin-suppressing effect as well. Get an old fashioned alarm clock and keep the phones, iPads and computers outside of the bedroom.
3) Spend the last hour or so before bed, getting ready for bed – the hours for sleep are meant to be healing. Prepare for this by creating rituals that support the process.
4) Some Ayurvedic tips:
5) Diet tips:
Hopefully this will provide some helpful tips. Moving through the daily practice without completely driving yourself (and others) crazy is possible, enjoy!
"The Ashtanga Yoga method is built around the ‘Mysore Style’ class, so named because yoga was taught this way by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, in Mysore, India, and continues to be taught this way in traditional Ashtanga Yoga schools around the world. In Mysore Class, the student is taught a sequence of postures through one-on-one instruction. The correct movements, breathing, and other aspects of the practice are learned gradually, in a step-by-step process accessible to anyone. This method allows each student time to practice and memorize what they have learned before adding more. Students are able to practice independently and at their own pace while surrounded by the energy and inspiration of other students in the room. The main teacher and assistants are able to work with each student individually. Initially, students may require more attention, but as they become proficient in their practice, they are allowed more independence, receiving adjustments and assistance only when required." -Jois Yoga
adhyātmika --miseries of body and mindThese names are old and the miseries timeless. They will always come to us and they always have. If we wait to practice until the obstacles stop, then we will probably never practice. It is easy to do some asanas when we feel nice and there is a nice view and the teacher is nice and there was no traffic and we get the spot we like and everything is going well. We should definitely be grateful and notice when we have it easy. But often it is when things are not going well, when things are very hard or seem impossible when the true meaning of yoga is there for us to realize. It is then when we have the opportunity to really practice and to rise to the occasion.
adhibhautika --miseries from other living creatures
adhidaivika --miseries from natural/supernatural disturbances
All students commence their instruction in the same manner in which on the first day of class they are taught Surya Namaskar A, followed by Padmasana and deep breathing, and a few minutes of rest to conclude their first day of practice. The next day after Surya Namaskar A has been performed, Surya Namaskar B is taught, and one then again concludes in the same method as the previous day, with Padmasana, deep breathing, and rest. After both of the Surya Namaskar have been learned correctly, each of the various asanas are added one by one. When one asana is correct, the next one is taught.Led class in a nutshell via KPJAYI:
Because of the difficult nature of remembering and mastering the various vinyasas, on Fridays and Sundays, group guided classes are taught, in which all the vinyasas are counted out loud and all students follow along together accordingly.For a deeper look and further explanation, read Magnolia Zuniga's post at Mysore SF. Here's a little taste:
I know, I know, you’re not in India. I get it. But you are in a city/town/place where you have responsibilities and an active life. All the more reason to take it slow and be reasonable with your expectations. Supta Kurmasana is certainly not a beginner posture. Just because it’s called primary series, that doesn’t speak to it’s actual level of proficiency necessary to do the postures safely. Continue reading...
