India: Isha Yoga

Last year when Justin and I spent a month in India, we practiced yoga every morning at 6am that brought about a new and unexplained energy in our bodies and minds. Unfortunately, our adherence to the daily regime gradually diminished soon after we returned to Colorado. Now that we are back in India a year later, we found ourselves with a renascent interest in yoga. We recently completed a 7-day Isha Yoga initiation course. Isha Yoga isn't about the practice of yoga as a physical exercise; it centers around yoga to promote your overall wellbeing and awareness by separating and fusing your body and mind. Although we are not allowed to reveal details of the course or teach it to others, I feel obliged to share with you a few keypoints I found invaluable.

First of all, you know that "Om" sound that is used during meditation? Well, it's not actually one syllable "Om" as commonly mistaken, it is "Aum" and has three syllables: "A" then "U" and then "M." So when you go through the three distinct syllables gradually, you can feel the vibration in your body from the pit of your stomach to the tip of your tongue.

We also learned that certain foods are considered negative pranic (energy) while others are positive pranic. Negative pranic foods will drain your body of energy leaving you lethargic. Therefore, it is best to avoid such foods as garlic, onion, eggplant, chili peppers, spices, coffee, tea, and intoxicants. Positive pranic foods will provide your body with energy and include fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, ash gourd, sprouted gram, and honey. Potatoes and tomatoes are zero pranic foods.

Finally, for those of you who are practicing yoga by following a book or DVD, please discontinue to do so. Since there is no trained instructor to observe you, you cannot possibly know what you are doing wrong whether it's your position or breathing. And doing yoga incorrectly will do more harm than good as the damage to your body builds up over time causing back pain or other inexplicable ailments. Take a class instead where you will be observed attentively by a master so your technique is applied accurately allowing you to reap the maximum benefits of yoga.

We now do an hour of yoga every day - 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night. It's become a part of our daily routine as habitual as brushing our teeth. So if you ever hear Isha Yoga is in town to teach a course, I strongly recommend it! Or you can always go to India and visit the ashram for a total yoga retreat.