Balanz Exam Yang Flashcards
First Limb
Yamas
1 Ahimsa: nonviolence, kindness, consideration
2 Satya: truthfulness, honest communication
3 Asteya: non-stealing, not taking what is ours
4 Brahmacharya: non-excess (often interpreted as celibacy)
5 Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, non-greed.Take only what is necessary
Second Limb
Niyamas
1 Saucha: purity
2 Santosha: contentment
3 Tapas: self-discipline, training your senses
4 Svadhyaya: self-study, inner exploration
5 Ishvara Pranidhana: surrender, lay all your actions to the feet of God.
Third Limb
Asana
BODY POSTURES
‘a comfortable or effortless position’
59 Poses
Fourth Limb
Pranayama
MINDFUL BREATHING
Fifth Limb
Pratyahara
TURNING INWARD / CONTROL OF THE SENSES
Sixth Limb
Dharna
CONCENTRATION
Seventh limb
Dhyana
MEDITATION
Eighth Limb
Samadhi
UNION WITH THE DIVINE
5 Yamas
5 MORAL RESTRAINTS
1 Ahimsa: nonviolence
2 Satya: truthfulness
3 Asteya: non-stealing
4 Brahmacharya: non-excess (often interpreted as celibacy)
5 Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, non-greed.
5 Niyamas
5 OBSERVANCES
1 Saucha: purity
2 Santosha: contentment
3 Tapas: self-discipline, training your senses
4 Svadhyaya: self-study, inner exploration
5 Ishvara Pranidhana: surrender
Ashtanga
8 limbs - yoga sutra of Patanjali. Forms the framework for yoga practice.
What is Yoga
Union
Yoga is an art and a science creating union between body, mind & spirit. Creating balance so to live in peace, good health and harmony with the self.
What is centering
Centering helps to establish an inner connection between body and mind. To find a sense of stability, calmness and clarity.
Why is centering important
To find a sense of stability, calmness and clarity.
How to center
Setting an intention and breathing (pranayama)
1-cross ankles at legs, remove flesh from sitting bones (stable foundation)
2-Sit tall, open chest, skull balanced in center
3-Crown of head reaches up
4-Extensor muscles along the spine help to axially extend the spine
Why do we sit? 1-Comfortable yet intentional 2-Easy pose 3-Half or full lotus 4-Hero or diamond 5-Grounding yet alert
What is breathing exactly
Each breath is made of an inhale and exhale. Gaseous exchange of inhaling O2 and exhaling CO2.
Inhale - Diaphragm contracts and moves downward, ribs expand and chest vol. increases.
Exhale - diaphragm relaxes, and moves upwards. Ribs contract and chest volume decreases.
What muscles involved 1-Diaphragm 2-Intercostal muscles 3-Abdominal muscles 4-Neck muscles (around collarbones)
Who is the inhale and exhale associated with
Inhale - Shiva (masculine, expansion, sky, yang)
Exhale - Shakti (feminine, earth, grounding, yin)
What is pranayama and why is it important
Pranayama - breath guidance - used for focusing the mind
What is the Durga Pranayama
Durga Pranayama is the 3 part yogic breath. Breathing into 3 parts of the torso. Combines chest and belly breathing.
Inhale - feel lungs, belly chest expanding
Exhale - feel lungs, belly chest expanding
What is Drishti
Drishti - Sanskrit word for soft gaze, direction, sight
Where is Drishti used
Drishti used in Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) and Dharna (concentration)
Benefits of Drishti
1-Deepen asana 2-Enhance alignment 3-Preserve and direct energy 4-Limit external stimuli 5-Control wandering eyes 6-Focus the mind
What are the 9 Drishtis
1 Third Eye - Bhrumadhye 2 Nose - Nastagre 3 Thumb - Angushtamadhye 4 Hand - Hastagre 5 Feet - Padayoragre 6 Navel - Nabhichakra 7 Sideways (L&R) - Parsva 8 Upward - Urdhva
What is a Banda
Banda is an energetic lock or seal
What are the types of Banda’s
1 - Hasta Banda - energetic lock between hands & mat
2 -Panda Banda - energetic lock between feet & mat
Benefit of Banda’s
1- Hasta Panda - Activate the arms / shoulders and serratus muscles in arm balance movements
2 -Panda Banda - Activation inner and outer legs in standing positions
When do you warm up in yoga
Warming up comes after centering and setting an intention
Purpose of warming up
1-Bring awareness to the body
2-Link movements with breath
3-Prepare for the rest of the yoga practice
What are the 6 movements of the spine
1-Rotation (L&R)
2-Flexion
3-Extension
4-Lateral extension (L&R) (side-bending)
Why is it important to move the spine
1-mobility, flexibility, control
2-promotes flow of spinal fluid
What does the Warrior pose do
1-Warrior pose promotes strength, flexibility, stability
2-Yang energy
3-Masculine energy
4-Purposefulness, assertiveness, boldness and expansion
What is Vinyasa
Vinyasa
1-Vi = in a particular way
2-Nyasa = to place
Flow, wave, arc, process, cycle; it has a beginning and an end and continues
What is the Diaphragm
Diaphragm means “partition’ in Latin
1-It separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities from each other
2-It is shaped like a parachute and moves the lungs
why are step backs and warriors important
Step backs & Sun Salutations
1-Circulation, moving meditation
2-Proper alignment of selected asanas
Dancing warrior sequence
1-Further increases internal heat
2-Builds stamina
3-Proper alignment of selected asanas
Virabhadra
1-Lord Shiva represents the Higher Self
2-Sati (Shakti) represents the heart
3-Daksha represents the ego
Virabhadrasana
Virabadhrasana 1:
Virabhadra entered the party by breaking through the ground as he rose from within the earth clasping a sword in each hand.
Virabadhrasana 2:
Moments later he spotted Darksha from across the room
Virabadhrasana 3:
Lastly he cunningly approachs Darksha while slaughtering the surrendering guests before he finally beheads Darksha
Yoga History
In the second century C.E, Patanjali composed the yoga sutras (su·tra), which consists of 195 aphorisms
Most famous sutra
(Yoga is the restriction (Nirodhah) of the whirls (Vritti) of consciousness (Citta).)
Veda rig
The Sanskrit word Veda means “knowledge” and rig means “praise“.
how to set an intention
How to set an intention? 1-Find “the gap” 2-Answer: what matters most? 3-Rooted in contentment 4-Keep it positive! 5-Let go of the outcome 6-Trust all possibilities
When did the Yoga Sutra start
200 C.E - Master the mind and enter a state called Samedi
What is pranayama
Literally means ‘breathing forth’
Prana is actually freed
Prana life force - developed around concepts of prana, nadies (little rivers of energy) and chakras (major energy plexuses)
5 major kinds of prana
1-Prana - upward lifting energy 2-Apana- downward, rooting energy 3-samana- inward energy 4-Vyana - outward moving energy 5-Udana - 'up breath'