Ahimsa & Yoga
Group yoga classes at Vishoka: Our promise? We won’t be violent with you ☺
Why are we talking of violence in the context of yoga? If you are confused with all the yoga offerings in the market, how would you pick what is most suitable to you? Read on to find out.
In our yoga teaching and therapy practice, we often meet people who have been injured in the process of trying to improve their well-being for various reasons:
Some have been pushed beyond their capacity,
Some have gone to group yoga classes and on the first day been told to do 20 rounds of surya namaskars, leading to problems,
Some have done asana-s beyond their flexibility or strength leading to injury.
And some have just push themselves as there is a strong internal conditioning of “no-pain, no-gain”
We would like to suggest a simple mantra to keep in mind as you find options for improving physical health:
Even if it does not bring any benefit right away, in the first place it must not do any additional harm.
We are actually suggesting flipping the narrative of no pain - no gain to say, no harm-no loss. This is the key ethical principle we work with in our teaching (and all other services at Vishoka) - Ahimsa or non-violence, or do not harm, which is parallel to the ethical code found in the Hippocratic Oath that physicians take. Any intervention for improving well-being must not create a new problem, or cause more damage that what is already present.
How do we achieve this at Vishoka?
We follow the Krishnamacarya tradition of yoga teaching where:
Teachers work with the unique needs of an individual: everyone is different, in terms of body flexibility, physiological and emotional states
Each person’s condition is assessed by conversations with each individual about their physical, lifestyle, diet and mental needs
Practices are designed by the teacher keeping these conditions in mind
The pace is based on the breath of each person.
With this kind of attention and preparedness, each teacher can create a customized yoga practice for every individual, that DOES NO FURTHER HARM. Additionally, we bring this approach and wisdom into our group classes, tailored to a small group of people, thereby making it distinct from other general group yoga classes.
Features of our Tailored group yoga practice
We conduct the group classes with a changing theme every month.
The practice affects not only physical flexibility, but also affects physiological and mental flexibility – that is, if one is doing the practice with the focus on breath. This is because the body, mind and breath are one unit and influence each other.
The practice starts where the person is – and what he/ she is able to do – this is the idea of ahimsa or non-violence. Alternate suggestions for ways to do the postures are provided to those who may have some limitations with specific postures.
If you have chronic health issues or if the group class is not suitable for you, then the teacher may advise you to do individual sessions to minimise harm and increase the benefits for you.
Advantages of a group class
A group class takes the guesswork out of ‘when will I practice yoga during this week?’ question – all you need to do is show up, and the teacher helps you through the rest. This wiring in the head becomes a habit (refer to the book “The Power of Habit”) and the decision to exercise becomes easier and easier to take – wouldn’t it be enjoyable if we actually looked forward to the exercise, rather than dread it? The energy of the group also carries you, making it easier to practise.
What’s more important, as the teacher keeps bringing your attention back to the breath, your breathing becomes slower (relaxing you), helping you gain more focus. When you have a teacher who is encouraging you to be non-violent with yourself, it is anxiety-reducing.
What looks like a simple practice, has profound effects on the entire body-breath-mind system.
So if you want to find some time for self, to take care of yourself, skip scrolling through quick-fix promises on social media and find out how you can get on the path to holistic health with our group classes.
- Written by Rajeswari Bonala
