I did not want to do the Health Camp, I assumed that I know the basics of Yoga – thanks to the regular classes I’ve been going to at The Yoga Institute and a one week course at Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala, I thought I should be allowed to go for the 7 months Teachers Training Course(TTC) directly.
But I convinced myself to attend the camp as it was a preliminary requirement to TTC and went for it nonetheless.
And at the end of the 7th day, as I write this, I could not have been more wrong, because I learnt a lot throughout the 7-day camp.
This camp opened me up to the vast philosophy of Yoga. Yoga is not asana or pranayama, but, a way of life.
Yoga starts with Yama – abstaining from certain behaviors and goes on to Niyama, the things that we must do. Only on the third step do you go to the Asanas and on the fourth the Pranayamas. Then come Pratyahara, Dharna, Dhyana, and ultimately Samadhi – being one with the ONE.
I learnt that all the greatest philosophies and practices of the world are so similar to the roots of what Yoga is. For example, minimalism, where you give up things you do not need, that practice is an extension of Aparigraha( one of the Yamas) which is the virtue of non-greediness.
Vipassana, a technique taught by Gautama the Buddha teaches Ana-Pana meditation as the first step and Vipassana as the second. Ana-Pana is the observation of breath, similar to the observation of breath in Sukhasana. And Vipassana is the observation of bodily sensations, similar to relaxing each and every body part in Shavasana.
The reflection classes – a part of Svadhaya, we were taught to observe the things we did throughout the day. We were to observe as if we were watching a movie, without any emotions or attachment to whatever we have seen, heard or experienced. This taught us how to be objective because very often we are stuck in our personal narrative – subjectivity – which makes it hard for us to see anything for what it truly is.
This is just the beginning – there is so much to learn and so much to grow. I cannot wait to begin my TTC in December and share my experiences with everyone.
To learn Yoga and Mindfulness from me, DM priyamvadamangal or mail priyamvada.mangal@gmail.com! Online classes open for everyone, everywhere.
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