| Yoga Sivananda is Hindu by origin, and came out of | | | | Sanskrit definition, but many define it as "breath |
| Rishikesh, India with the teachings of Swami | | | | control". Prana has been defined as "spirit-energy", |
| Sivananda. His teachings are to "serve, love, give, | | | | with varying levels and paths through the body. In |
| purify, meditate, realize". Swami Sivananda sent a | | | | hatha yoga, pranayama focuses on manipulating |
| follower to start the SYVC (International Sivananda | | | | pranic currents by controlling one's breathing, while |
| Yoga Vedanta Centers) in the U.S. in 1957, six years | | | | the more advanced raja yoga pranayama forces |
| before he died. | | | | changes in consciousness directly with the mind. Both |
| Swami Vishnudevananda started the centers, which | | | | practices strive for a mental balance through a mesh |
| spread through North America and around the world, | | | | of mental and physical self-control. |
| and is the official founder. To emphasize relaxation | | | | Savasana is a state of utter rest, and has been called |
| and meditative breathing, his yoga stretches and | | | | the corpse pose. The yogi lies on his or her back on |
| tones every muscle group. Swami Vishnudevananda | | | | the floor, with arms out from the body at about |
| modeled the yoga after his master's teachings, and | | | | forty-five degrees. Combined with completely natural |
| thousands have been trained as instructors to keep | | | | breathing, this pose allows the yogi to pinpoint any |
| its practice authentic. | | | | tenseness. The emptiness of savasana is not waking, |
| | | | | not sleeping, merely quieting the mind before the |
| Yoga Sivananda is a form of hatha yoga, which | | | | void. It is being aware, but not distracted, allowing |
| focuses on physical preparation in order to achieve a | | | | ignorance - avidya, to pass by without needing to |
| meditative state, and balance, so Swami Devananda | | | | avoid it, allowing the yogi to fully be in every |
| pared his key yogic components to five: Exercise | | | | moment. |
| (Asanas), Breathing (Pranayama), Relaxation | | | | A vegetarian diet is also strongly encouraged. Natural |
| (Savasana), Diet (vegetarian), Positive Thinking and | | | | foods with the nutritional value of growing under the |
| Meditation (Vedanta and Dhyana). "Hatha" is derived | | | | sun provide necessary nutrients which are easily |
| from the Sanskrit words for sun and moon, and as | | | | broken down by the body. This contributes to overall |
| hatha means "forceful". Since yoga comes from the | | | | health by increasing the efficient use of nutrients by |
| Sanskrit root "yuj", meaning to yoke, or unite, or | | | | the body. For a true yogic diet, yogis avoid foods |
| control, then hatha yoga is bringing the sides of | | | | that aren't optimal for a serene mind. These yogis |
| human nature together in balance. | | | | avoid fish, eggs, onion, garlic, coffee or tea, and |
| Asan means to sit in Sanskrit, and in the Yoga Sutras | | | | alcohol or drugs as well as meats. |
| it is said that asana is a sitting position which is firm, | | | | Vedanta and dhyana, or positive thinking and |
| but relaxed. In modern times, an asana can be any | | | | meditation, are the real goals of Yoga Sivananda. |
| position from lying on the back to a headstand. The | | | | Positive thinking helps prolong the anabolic processes |
| important thing is that asanas are static positions for | | | | of cell reparation while slowing catabolic decay. |
| meditation, and Vishnudevananda's methods try to | | | | Meditation removes the yogi from time, space, and |
| stretch the yogi (practitioner) to be able to meditate | | | | causation into a peaceful void all the things that make |
| more easily and for longer periods of time. | | | | for a long and healthy life. |
| Pranayama means to restrain breath or prana, by | | | | |