About
This blog is about finding peace through yoga. The blog discusses the philosophies and practices of yoga and theories of peace and conflict.
Goal: My goal is to affect individual readers, encouraging them to bring yoga into their lives, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Through this, they can bring peace to their lives, their communities, and the world.
Spring & Summer 2010: Yoga in its homeland, India. This blog will provide information on how yoga is used in India, how yoga relates to the society and communities here, and what these have to do with peace.
Sep 05, 2010 @ 07:04:41
Hello Sowmya,
I’m so glad to hear from you and congratulations on your latest work! Let’s stay in touch, would love to connect with you sometime soon. Be well and happy teaching! xo J
Sep 17, 2010 @ 12:27:39
Teacher Sowmya,
I’m so happy you have stayed in touch, it is great to witness your practice in the writings you have shared at your website. I will be with you in spirit on Sunday, Yoga for Peace. I know exactly the setting among the foothills of Cupertino. Do you share the beautiful practice of Restorative Yoga?
Namaste, Laura (SWIHA Restorative)
Sep 17, 2010 @ 16:10:12
Dear teacher,
Interestingly enough, my student at the “shelter” ended class saying “thank you teacher. thank you teacher.” I knew I had some full circle at that point. We had finished a 1 hour, 30 minute practice of nature based restorative poses, including child’s pose, legs up wall, butterfly up wall, water brook, and supported bridge.
I’m looking for more ideas too, in terms of restorative. I need to learn more in this area!
I am, however, looking for a good restorative class in Cupertino or Morgan Hill. It doesn’t fit the book-knowledge model for a kapha-dosha person, but it fits for me. And I know exactly what I need! I have looked all over the place and haven’t found any purely restorative or yin classes. In fact, I have not seen Yin listed in ANY locations in this area, NY, DC, or Oxford, England (all places I am trying to help friends find the right studio).
love, sowmya
Nov 04, 2010 @ 12:11:43
Hi dear Sowmy: Thanks. Fundamentally, when you practice yog (which is the correct word and not Yoga, as people are used to) sinchronizing all the 4-6 elements of yog, patience is automatically comes in. The 5.6,7 component (pratyahar, dharana and samadhi) leads to patience. If you are not a perfect practioner of those three component, then one is not practicing yog in real sense. The two or three components that I have mentioned, will definitely lead to patience. Believe me it will lead to the habit of becoming patience. So, that is my answer.
The patience when you accomplish, can be used everywhere, at home, office and any other places. What happens when you tend to get tensed at work place, the quiet and patience attitude plays a constructive role in accomplishing your task. Just for example, if one looses his temper at work place, then it not only spoils his own image among colleagues, but also ruins the atmosphere, ruins your work quality etc. etc. etc.
If, for example, if you are restless at work place and a situation comes where your boss is on your head, one has to listen patiently, keep quiet, analyse what went wrong, listen and act constructively based on what you r boss says. You will see that, the atmosphere remains calm and quiet, the boss carries a good opinion about you and your patience and he will watch your subsequent work quality, you on your own will bring quality result.
These are some of my experiences, which has really helped in my career.
Hope this helps. Let me know how you feel about the above lines.
Cheenu
Nov 11, 2010 @ 07:58:47
Dear Cheenu and others,
I definitely understand “yog” as the correct term. However, with so many people believing in one thing– “yoga”– which is not bad, is it our duty to change the world in this manner? Maybe.
I will work more on pratyahar & dharana in my classes to inculcate a sense of patience in myself and others.
Thank you for your thoughts!
Dec 25, 2010 @ 06:41:33
Namaste Sowmya, (From the garden in Tempe!) So good to hear all of your progress! Having practiced my yoga faithfully for many years, I have recently made a change towards a more yin/restorative practice with wonderful results. As my practice was focused on strengthening core and stretching joints, my increasing low back problems had me puzzled. Through some new teachers I was able to see how to adjust my practice. I now do “bow pose” with arms bent hands towards floor, holding for 20 seconds, working up to 20 times daily. For the time being this is my daily routine (after “cat-cow”), and my back is noticeably stronger. It was explained to me that too much focus on core and stretching can pull the back out of alignment! I am now suggesting this to all my massage clients also, and have seen good results. Peace and Blessings, Khayriyyah
Dec 25, 2010 @ 07:03:15
Hello Khayriyyah! I love yin and restorative. These are my focuses. In fact, I am currently teaching a private student who is an elderly man (early 70s) and things like down dog is sometimes too much for him. He prefers doing meditative poses, so yin works perfectly to help keep (and enhance) the flexibility in muscles and joints, while also enjoying the fruits of the aims of yoga– to find inner peace.
Aug 16, 2011 @ 03:05:58
Sowmya,
I am enjoying redaing your blog – I am a student of Yoga, and your experiences and thoughts are helping me in my journey as well. Thank you!
Dec 01, 2011 @ 03:01:01
RK Bishnoi
Dec 01, 2011 @ 03:02:49
Dear Sowmya
You are doing great job
Keep it up
All the best wishes
God bless you
take care
Regards
RK Bishnoi
Dec 27, 2011 @ 08:18:24
Peace very important for everybody. Yoga is best method to make peace. Modern tools is best method to share such great knowledge to everybody.