Yoga in India

Via
May 3, 2019
8 min read

Updated: Feb 22, 2023

Training in Rishikesh India

200 hours in 25 days

These are top rated notes in my journal from this training I was fortunate to copy and type it on my laptop before it died!

Overall yoga and india were both wonderful experiences.

You learn as you live life mindfully

“Tired after class? The sequence is off. It is meant to leave you with more energy!”

Yoga/ Meditation classes are meant to exchange knowledge, leave your ego at the door.

A year ago I took an unexpected trip to Ireland. My brother and I were sitting in a pub and our bar tender happened to be Indian. He was telling us all these great places to see and what times of the year to visit India, I thought to myself, “sounds great but I don’t think I will ever go there!”.

As I started planning places I wanted to travel to in my around the world journey, why not learn yoga where it began? India became a destination for my plans. Travel around Europe for 2 months then hop over to India to become certified in yoga before making my way to my final must see destination of Australia.

India, the home of yoga, Ayurvedic medicine, and yummy spicy food! I stayed in Northern India, close to Nepal in the Himalayan mountains in a place called Rishikesh. A very spiritual place well known for yoga, chais, chilums, and chapatis.

The program started with 6 classes a day…

6am: Shat(six) karma (actions): the 6 cleansing actions

Cleansing is a way to keep your mind and body flexible and clear by removing all toxins and negative energies.

Neti (Nasal Cleansing): This should be done twice per week as it helps eyes, ears, nose, and throat issues. Jala/water neti, rinsing warm salty water through one nostril and out the other. I grew up and we had used neti pots to relieve nasal congestion so I was already fimailar with it from my momma! Sutra/thread neti is cleansing by putting a rubber thread in a nostril through the nasal cavity down into your throat where you remove it.
Dhauti (Washing of the digestive tract): Washing your internal system is just as important as washing the external! After all the harsh foods & drinks we consume, even air/ pollutants inhaled, we need some extra help to remove everything from the body. This form has 2 variations. Kunjal/Vomitting balances the digestive fire and can be done twice a month. The induced vomitting cleanses the upper GI tract with 8 glasses of warm water in an hour. After this action eat mindfully for the day, dairy products should be avoided until the following day. Sanka Prakshalana cleanses the entire digestive system. It is recommended once every 6 months. The short version is 8 glasses of salt water an hour and the long version is 16-20 glasses over 2 hours. After a round of 2 glasses abdominal exercises should be done to help the muscles get ready to purge. Take the day to rest at home & have some kitcharti ready because that is all you should eat for the day. Everything will come out into the toliet so stay comfortably at home & relax. The gut is known as the second brain, it houses physical garbage not properly digested causing many issues, skin & mood disorders being the most common, accumulation can also result as asthma, pain & arthritis. No one wants a backed up gut… Cleanse it up!
Trataka (Gazing, eye cleansing): This is known as a candle light meditation & can be done once a week. This cleansing activity can help strengthen and regain eyesight. It is done by holding the eyes open staring directly at a candle flame. After the eyes develop tears (removing toxins) do not wipe them away, close your eyes then reopen and refocus until the flame goes out.
Kapal Bhati (Skull Shine): This is a slow breathing meditation done through the nose, you push the belly in bringing circulation upwards. This can be done 3-4 times a day in 30-50 round intervals.
Nauli (Abdominal Massage): Inhale through the nose, exhale completely out the mouth, contract the abdominal muscles right, center, left, center. Best done after pranayama mediation.
Basti (Enema): Another form of internal washing, rectum cleansing. This can be done with warm salty water, can even add some lemon, use a device to place in the rectum filling the colon with cleansing water. Practice abdominal exercises and then toxins will be released to the toliet! This can be done once a month as needed. Internal cleansing of the colon raises energy levels and removes symptoms of a clogged gut like skin irritations. If followed by a mindful and healthy diet/ lifestyle your energy levels will stay elevated.

7 am Pranayama: Cleansing of the mind.

“Mental cleansing is the most important cleansing”. Meditation is a way to clear your mind, similar to the washing we do externally every day it is important to clear our mind “gutters.” Meditation in the morning is a great way to start the day, meditation at night helps make peace with what was endured and ready to renew for the following day.

830 am Hatha / Ashtanga Class:

Hatha Yoga is the original “YOGA”, it is a series of different asanas calming the mind and helping to remove dis-ease. Hatha is a type of yoga where asanas/postures are held for a period of time while a steady breath is kept to help clear the mind and body of ailments. It also balances the masculine and feminine side of the body. Certain poses activate different glands/ chakras of the body, (the glandular system of the body deals with hormones) it brings awareness to the body, what the body needs/likes to bring a harmonious balance. The body speaks to you, are you listening?

Ashtanga is a masculine energy dominated practice, fast pace yoga that focuses on strength building. The fast pace of modern life brings upon masculine energy and so does fast pace and intense yoga. It is ok to participate every once in a while but not recommended often, especially for women. The feminine energy is something many of us lack and work hard to gain back…

Sun salutation: A masculine energy increasing routine that activates all of the chakras and decreases estrogen levels.

Moon Salutation: A feminine energy increasing routine, increases estrogen levels.

11 am: Anatomy/Alignment:

One of my favorite classes! As a biology major the human body will always be interesting to me :) Proper alignment is key to helping secure safety of yogis while reaping the most benefits of the practice. As someone who has been practicing for a few years this alignment class made me realize how off my self practice was & how great it feels to find the proper alignment, true power!

**Always depress the shoulder after elevation, lean forward while moving from high to low plank to help the shoulders.

12 pm Ayurveda/Philosophy:

Ayurveda has fascinated me for years, unfortunately we only had 3 days of learning of it… Life is all about balance.

3 Balancing Doshas of life (Human bodies, food, seasons)

Vata: air, lower body

Kapha: water, earth, upper body, fat

Pitta: fire, core of the body

As life goes on a balance is always needed. Each person is born with a certain dosha. Lifestyles disrupt the harmonious balance of the doshas, seasons, food, environments, ect. Stretching the designated regions of the body can help increase each dosha while squeezing the muscles decreases the dosha. If you are stiff= a lack of kapha (fat/oil/lubrication), squeezing the legs increases kapha while decreasing vata.

Tongue coating color imbalances:

yellow=pitta

white=vata

mix=kapha

“Women should start yoga practices with the right side then the left to balance and find their place…”

Chakras/Glands:

Crown Chakra, Pituitary Gland- secreting insulin, estrogen, and androgens. Control. Connection with the divine, pure consciousnes. Color= Purple.
Third Eye Chakra, Pineal Gland- secretes melatonin. Order. Concentration, memory, increased spiritual feelings. Color= indigo
Throat Chakra, Thyroid Gland- gives strength secretes TSH. Pure energy. Communication & confidence. Color=blue
Heart Chakra, Thymus Gland- gives skin color. Emotions. Color= green
Solar Plexus, Digestive Organs. Energy source. Deals with anything food related, & emotions and fear. Color= Yellow
Sacral Chakra Adrenal Glands, Color= Orange Creativity, sexuality, imagination.
Root Chakra, Reproductive Glands. Color=Red

“Everyone is rich, just not everyone recognizes”

“You have a duty to make yourself happy”

“We don’t need to find bliss, we are bliss”

“You need to be asked to help or the help given is wasted”

2 types of Karma

Undesireable: it just happens, law of nature
Desireable: You breathe consciously, you attract

Impressions of Karma: habits, connections, future is decided by actions. Pain causes improvement… The body creates and is the source…

“Concentration comes from controlling our senses”

Rituals for bringing in new life to the world

I found this very interesting, I do not agree with everything but had to share…

:Conception Prepare 3 months In advance, be celibate in this time to increase the vitality of the egg & sperm. Food the mother eats decides what type of child/ the dosha. The days of the month decide what the gender will be, Even days= boy Odd days= Girl.
Ceremony: celebrate and cleanse the energy & atmosphere with a fire burning herbs.
Protection: Conception- 3 months, the man should protect the wife and give the woman all of her desires. After 3 months the Childs brain grows and revive thoughts, be careful what you think, say, and what others say to you. Protect your babies energy.
Birth: The name should be the fathers choice, he should be present, and the first to kiss the Childs forehead. Name should be scientific and meaningful.
First 3 months: Child stays home.
3 months: Celebration and introduction to the world, another cleansing fire of herbs.
6 months: Introduction to food. Hair cut can be given now until 2 , by parents!
1 Year: Pierce the ears, stabilizing the brains nerves, thoughts, protects against disease. If the baby is aggressive pierce the left nostril…
3-6 years: Reading, teach the child its 3 duties in life 1- duty to parents and teachers 2- duty to society 3-duty to self
5-8 years: Knowledge
12-24: Growth and celibecy.
Graduation: ceremony & an oath
24: Reflection, go back home. Marriage, womans choice.
25-50: Family life
50-75: Retirement & traveling. Learning and teaching society to satisfy the ego
After 75: No duty, no desire, meditation & monk life.

Death should be beautiful, a ceremony of a respected body being burned (less pollution) with herbs, a final ceremony.

Kundalini yoga, when all chakras are activated.

Too Aggressive? Start your practice Right to left side.

No Menstration? Start your practice Left to right.

Flow with nature, do not force.

2-3 am Dreams are real life…

Gluten Allergy? Appendix issue. 1 week of wheat grass, then slowly introduce whole grains with the skin on it.

All your organs can heal.

4:30 pm Hatha Yoga Class

6:30 Emotional Blockage/ Meditataion:

Emotional Blockage, a release of past emotions/ feelings through certain points on the body through different types of touch/manipulation…

During the night time meditation we tried an OSHO dance meditation which I loved! An aura cleansing meditation, guided meditation, & a chakra activating meditation that starts from chanting words that represent and activate the chakra starting & healing from the root chakra all the way to the crown, connecting energy from nature, physical & spiritual awakenings…

Charka (Wheel) Mantra (Sound vibration) Meditation: