YOGASTHA

The Sanskrit word yogastha is translated to mean "abiding in the discipline of yoga".   The phrase from the Vedanta scripture, The Bhagavad Gita ..."Yogastha Kuru Karmani", is the instruction that Arjuna receives in an answer of "how to act".  The question of "how to act" is presented in the context of a conversation with Krishna, a representation of the Divine, on a battlefield just prior to war.   While, in the story the war is real with an imminent brutal battle, the allegory of the story for the reader is made clear when Krishna later states that "this body is the battlefield."  The war itself illustrates the struggle that all spiritual aspirants will eventually face when dealing with the karmic results of their actions.  Thus, all action should be done in a state of yoga - yogastha.

The essence of this discourse is that one must be in a state of yoga for action to be pure, refined and astute.  And action taken in this higher place will certainly lead to a greater fulfillment in one's own life.  We have one of two options; either our actions take us further down the path into the limited world of our senses, or for our actions help us to broaden our perspective and sharpen our capacity for a deeper understanding of our own True Nature.  The term yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word 'yuj' which essentially means to join, or to connect.  This connection ultimately brings us to the realization of our own divine nature, since in a state of yoga the True Self (Soul, or Purusa) is known.  

Since so many of our daily decisions - and thus actions, are tied directly to the physiology and the bio-chemistry of the body, along with the hardwiring of memory in the brain, a yoga practice which works with the body and mind, can absolutely be a guiding discipline toward a better understanding of ourselves and thus a platform for personal transformation.  The suffering caused by the conditioned state of our existence, mind and body, is there for each of us to become aware of if we chose to.  In a yoga practice, the contracted state of a muscle may show us the limitations of our own contracted state of mind.  Or the instability of a joint may help us to understand the need for the need to be more firm in another area of our life.  Or maybe the evidence of a weak or uncoordinated nervous system may point out how much we are at the whim of our inability to control our own emotions.  Thankfully, we can do something about it. 

As the Bhagavad Gita is a source of inspiration for leading a life that is deeply connected; another ancient text, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, is absolutely an instruction manual on how to do it.  Most all of the systems of yoga practiced today can be traced back to this one source.  This Classical Yoga instruction (or Raja Yoga, or Ashtanga Yoga) outlines the process toward the state of Yoga - and all that must be addressed as we live in our bodies and in this world.  The Yoga Sutras directs us toward a focusing of the mind through meditation (Dhyana).  This process is inclusive of yoga postures, since a body under our control is vital if we want to cultivate a mind that we can control.  Doing yoga postures is a practice that has a strong focus on establishing health and balance in the physical body.  There are many different styles of yoga, but for those students looking to understand the basis of this physical exercise in the true yogic sense, the practice should be developed in a way that moves our attention first to our body and then continuing inward.  In this way, the yoga practice can be seen as using form to go beyond form.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a specific style of yoga that was developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and his teacher Krishnamacharya in Mysore, India.  This yoga is characterized by its emphasis on "vinyasa" or the dynamic flow between the static postures.  With this flow - there is more movement, and more heat.  The practice has 6 Series of sequences of asanas that become increasingly more challenging and are always done in the same order.  The 1st Series is called the "Primary Series", and being called "primary" does indeed make it the most important one. Because of the physical demands of this practice, it is important to emphasize that the development of this system of yoga draws directly from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras - and the establishment of the meditative state of mind.  Again, the focus is on the body, and the movement of the body (through vinyasa), but the attention continues to move inward with concentration on ujjayi pranayama (breath), physical energy locks (bandhas), and control of the eye gaze (dristi).  If this attitude is not cultivated, the attention to the physical prowess of this practice could instead lead one once again down the path of the sense and into the pain and suffering of the egocentric self.

Todd Geiser practices and teaches yoga in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The foundation for his asana practice and teaching is the Ashtanga Vinyasa system, and he believes the guiding principles of this practice, along with the sequence of asanas, can be an invaluable tool for students to deepen their personal yoga practice.  He encourages everyone to develop an asana yoga practice with personal modifications that honors a healthful and mindful body.  During group classes and private lessons he utilizes manual adjustment techniques to assist students to uncover the deepest possible awareness in each posture.

The brief descriptions provided above is an outline of information directed to the student to aid in understanding that while classes and instruction that Todd offers does have a strong emphasis of health through exercising the physical body, the primary intention of his teachings is still to promote the peace and truth of the meditative mind.  Since we all have our bodies with us through our whole life, the benefits of a strong hatha yoga practice are available to anyone willing to explore this practice.  Though, since we all have different temperaments, using a physically demanding practice as a foundation for your way to connect (yoga) may not be appropriate for you.  Feel free to contact Todd if you have any questions or if you would like to know more about his teaching in yoga and how it may benefit you.