Yoga Teachers' Monthly with Aadil Palkhivala
Welcome
Aadil Palkhivala
Yoga Teachers' Monthly offers inspiration and information to yoga teachers who want to improve their ability to help their students grow and shine. 
 
From Aadil Palkhivala, world-renowned yoga master, yoga therapist, author, federally registered Doctor of Naturopathy, Ayurvedic Health Science Practitioner, certified Shiatsu and Swedish massage therapist, with degrees in law, physics, and mathematics.
 
In This Issue
Pranayama, Primer & Practice
With or Without Asana
On Breathing
Healthy Foods Kids Love
Breath of Fire
News From Yoga Centers
Quick Links
July 2009
Pranayama

Primer and Practice 

The word prana means "breath" and "life force." Hence, the term pranayama is the mindful control of life force into and the movement of it within the body.
 
The movement of breath within the body impacts us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.Pranayama Controlled breathing enhances life force within the body and, when used properly, moves blockages out of the body. Pranayama has a direct effect on the nervous system by changing the sympathetic and parasympathetic settings which affect heart-rate, blood pressure, immune function, digestive function....
 
As a general guideline, the following asana to pranayama balance should be observed:
 
A beginner can spend 10 minutes in pranayama for each 1.5 hour asana practice.
 
An intermediate student can do pranayama from 10-30 minutes for each 1.5 hour practice.
 
An advanced student can do pranayama for 30-60 minutes balanced with an hour's practice.
Pranyama Precautions
With or Without Asana 
  
Pranayama has a deeply rejuvenating, integrating, and soothing nature on the nervous system and the mind. If a student only does asana without pranayama, these benefits will not be obtained. The student will not develop the deeper aspects of bodily control, mind control, focus, awareness, or access to deeper parasympathetic states. While having an asana practice without a pranayama practice is not as dangerous as the opposite, over time, the student has the increased potential of becoming overly hard, anxious, angry, or over stimulated without the nurturing quality of the pranayama breath.
 
The caution for practicing pranayama without asana isTrikonasana that the student will not have moved the body enough to clear out stagnancy, to open up space, and tone the nerves to hold the increased life force. Through breath control the student has the capacity to bring too much life force into the body, and without asana, the student will not have prepared the nervous system to receive it. In addition, because energy moves along the path of least resistance, the individual's personal imbalances, physically, emotionally, or mentally may become exaggerated as additional life force moves into the body, supporting that which the breath has access to.  Hence, a student may become agitated, high-strung or convinced of their personal power if the ego is out of balance in that direction. On the other hand, the student may become dull, lethargic, and limp if the ego is out of balance in the other direction.  Either way the movement is toward one extreme or the other, depending on the student's constitution.
For Your Inspiration
On Breathing
  
"Breathing control gives man strength, vitality, inspiration and magic powers.  - Chuang Tzu
 
"The men of old breathed clear down to their heals." - Chuang Tzu (c. 369- c. 286 BC) He is the philosopher who asked the famous question after awaking from a dream: "Was I a man dreaming of a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming I am a man?"Breathe
 
"Nearly every physical problem is accompanied by a disturbance of breathing.  But which comes first?" -Hans Weller, MD
Healthy Foods Kids Love
Quick & Easy Organic Meals
 
Are you looking for healthy, easy-to-prepare meals that the whole family can enjoy?  Tonya Henning, one of our students in the 500 hour teacher training program atAadil Palkhivala Yoga Centers, shared the following with us about her experience with Eastern Essence:
 
"I think Eastern Essence is fantastic!  It's difficult to find quick yet healthy meals that everyone will eat.  Eastern Essence is quick and easy, and all three of my preschoolers love it--even my picky eater!  And we don't have to worry about our food allergies!  Can't tell you how awesome this has been for us!"
 

To order Eastern Essence online, please visit www.easternessence.com/order
 

Bon app�tit!
Breath of Fire
Excerpt from "Fire of Love"
by Aadil  Palkhivala
 
  

While we must encourage our students to be conscious of their breath during their practice, we must be very careful about teaching certain pranayama practices. Bhastrika pranayama (commonly known as "breath of fire"), for instance, can damage or even destroy the nervous system. I will never forget a woman who came to me for legal advice when I was practicing law. She was extremely agitated, constantly distracted, and unable to finish a thought or a sentence before starting a new one. I learned later that her nervous system was burnt out from years of practicing pranayama improperly, specifically bhastrika and kapalabhati. These pranayamas create oxygen deprivation caused by hyperventilation, leading to a shutdown in the analytical brain, and hence a state of illusory euphoria, a pathetic pretense ofAadil Palkhivala peace. Yogically speaking, during these intense pranayamas, huge quantities of prana flood the body. When an excess of pranic energy floods the nervous system, it is like a balloon being filled with more air than it has the strength to contain. The nervous system is damaged, and severe mental trauma can result. The body must be properly prepared with years of asana (especially meticulously aligned backbends) to safely receive and contain the power of prana. Then and only then, under the tutelage of a master teacher, can this power be used to create peace.
 
 
Fire of Love is available through Yoga Centers or Amazon

Join Aadil and Mirra on their new blog:  www.aadilandmirra.com
News From Yoga Centers
Learn How to Use Philosophy with Aadil,
July 31-August 3
 
At the end of this month, Aadil is teaching a special intensive workshop exploring just how to use yoga philosophy, poetry, and chanting.   Poetry, chants, and philosophy are used as tools to facilitate transformation, not to escape from reality. This will be a philosophy class like no other, since, as Aadil says, "It is not aboutAadil Palkhivala knowing, it is about being." The beauty and power of poetry, yogic philosophy, mantra, and chants will create the container for this luxurious workshop for intermediate students of asana and Purna Yoga. Aadil will use words and sound to open the heart, awaken "the slumbering mind," soothe the nervous system, and guide you to release limitations you have held in your body, mind, and heart. Welcome "the sudden bliss" of a "mightier Presence" into your body, your mind, and your Spirit.
 
For more information, please visit the Yoga Centers Workshop Page.