I went to a yoga class last week for the first time in several months. In the past, I had a partner in crime that joined me in the downward/upward dogs but, this time I came to class alone.

I have to admit, I felt self-conscious, my body did not behave or stand up to the challenging postures as well as it had in the past. Time away = my muscles go on vacation. As the class went on I quickly recalled why I loved being there. Each person in the class was there for a common purpose. They had put aside “life” and noise and made a conscious choice to be present in our class.

Unlike the world that exists off the mat, there was no competition, no judgment, no clicks…. There was simply breath, restorative movement and a focus on calm. Repeating postures together, following each others breath; I began to feel community with these strangers. I felt supported and encouraged as we migrated from pose to pose.

As the class wound down there was this strange yet so very comforting sense of security among these strangers; the room felt safe. There are few places where I feel completely free of my hang-ups, entirely secure and sound… Being a part of this class felt that way. As the group began to bundle up and face the elements of the outside world, I took a deep breath in and was ready to face the day….. I can’t wait to return to the mat.

In my teacher training we are learning in depth about the importance of Sadhana.

There are 3 main components to the Aquarian Sadhana.

Jabji Sahib- works to connect the Spirit within
Yoga- provides exercise for the body
Meditation with mantra- gives the mind regular balance

And thus our daily spiritual practice, or Sadhana, connects the Spirit, Body and Mind while bringing them into balance. It provides a means to clear the subconscious daily so that we may act from the center of our being throughout the day.
Time of day is another key component to the Aquarian Sadhana, it must be performed during the Amrit Vela, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. The angle of the Sun creates an effect on the mind which allows for deep meditation and evolutionary processes to unfold.
There is a scientific reasoning that lies behind this timing as well. The Schumann Resonance actually relates the Sun and the electromagnetic field to a human brain.
Ideally Sadhana is to be performed for 2 and a half hours. We are committing one tenth of our day to God.
Taking a cold shower is also part of a daily spiritual practice, which works to keep the body young and healthy.
While not necessary, a group Sadhana is ideal. This joins together the collective energy, so that the sum of the whole may be greater than the individual parts. Those who are able to achieve higher levels of consciousness through their Sadhana work to uplift others while in a group.
Shiva Singh says that by performing Sadhana, we are committing time to consciousness, which states that it is an important aspect of our lives and is worth developing. We are giving !

I just had my 70th birthday and I have been aware of the benefits of Gentle Yoga since I came to the Berkshires more than three years ago. My doctors confirmed these benefits, however, I still required blood pressure medication to lower my blood pressure.

This past Monday, I had to leave class right after meditation to drive to my medical appointment. After taking my blood pressure, and the numbers were the best yet, my doctor asked once again about my Gentle Yoga. I told her that I just left class and the effects were still with me. She replied, “This is wonderful. Take another session later today!”

My bone density reports were just as startling. Since doing Dahn Yoga my bone density had improved greatly!

I’ve been going to Gentle Yoga for a little over a month now. With most fitness routines, I wouldn’t expect to see any improvement, but I have seen great improvement since I started going to Gentle Yoga. I was in a motorcycle accident a couple of years ago. The metetarsals in my foot were crushed and my ankle was fractured and dislocated. After 5 painful surgeries with pins, plates and grafts I could barely walk. Gentle Yoga has changed all that !