YOGA IN THE BAHAMAS
"And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate, then you're bound to get irate
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how hate works and operates
Man, we gotta set it straight
Take control of your mind, just meditate
And let your soul just gravitate to the love
So the whole world celebrate it" Black Eyed Peas
$2500 per person
30
days
Highlights
-
Paradise Island
-
Sivananda Ashram
To return from a month long intensive yoga teacher training at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram, Bahamas was a surreal experience. A month of stillness and tranquility had left my head and ears in a vacuum.
A few reasons that had initially led me to pursue a Teacher Training Certification in Yoga included furthering my own practice, acquiring a set of skills that I could employ in my travels, teach yoga to students and simply because this was my gap year and I had the time! Little did I know, how impactful and transformative this experience would be, opening up my mind and heart to a spiritual journey that was currently unknown to me.
I chose Sivananda School of Yoga because I wanted to immerse myself in a classical tradition of yoga that had remained authentic to the true teachings. Conversely, I had never been or lived in an ashram before and was definitely not prepared for this new way of life that awaited me. I was under the impression that I would be doing yoga on the beach for several hours, after which I would have time to unwind, enjoy the scenic beauty and read my time, away. It’s safe to say that my presumption was not even close to the ‘reality’ that lay ahead.
03/01/17-02/01/17
The Sivananda Yoga Ashram is located at Paradise Island, and one needs to take a boat to cross over from Nassau. As one enters the ashram one gets lost in the plethora of green, nooks and crannies with waterholes, beautiful artwork and the elevated energy that is omnipresent. While sauntering through the pathways, one discovers the expanse of the ocean at the brink of the ashram, as it continues to change shades from blue, green, turquoise reflecting the sun’s strong rays, which bounce back onto the indigo sky and array of puffy white clouds that sit patiently as one embraces the mystic yet uplifting mood.
Sivananda, born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu was a medical practitioner who worked across Malaysia and India, with an aim of alleviating suffering. However, he soon realized that making a difference on a large scale was challenging. He thus, returned to India where he travelled for a year in the Himalayas before settling down and meeting his Guru, Swami Vishwananda, in Rishikesh. Sivananda could be described as a Sattvic Student A or Gunpowder, signifying that he was already ready for spiritual discovery and a few hours a day with the Guru prepared him fully to optimize and realize his true-self. Initiated as Swami Sivananda, he began the process of sharing his teachings so that people could find inner peace, bliss absolute, existence and knowledge: satchidananda.
While enrolled in the Indian army, Vishnu Devananda came across a leaflet about Sivananda’s teachings and decided to visit the center in Rishikesh. The very first encounter between Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnu entailed Swami Sivananda bowing down to Vishnu with reverence, resulting in the biggest lesson of humility for Vishnu Devananda. Vishnu Devananda soon after, shifted to the ashram and became a disciple. He lived and learnt under Swami Sivananda for 12 years, after which Swami Sivananda asked him to travel to the west because people were ready and waiting for these profound yogic teachings. Swami Vishnu Devananda travelled around the world and eventually set up 9 ashrams. He initiated the concept of yoga vacations, founded the Teacher Training Program to prepare leaders to disseminate the teachings and led peace missions to counter war, antagonism and hatred.
Swami Vishnu spent most of his time at the Sivananda headquarters, Canada and the ashram at Bahamas. It’s uncanny to think about Swami Vishnu pacing the paths of the ashram, pondering over the teachings, having inspiring conversations with his disciples and encouraging all people to pursue the path of happiness. It was truly a privilege to learn within this lineage and get introduced to yogic teachings and way of life that span thousands of years ago. Based on the Gurukul system, individuals go through four stages of life: Student or Brahmacharya (12 years), Householder or Grihasta (25 years), Dweller or Vanarasta (25 years) and Sanyasi. Twelve years of student learning, it seems had been condensed to a month in order for us to be able to start scratching the tip of the iceberg.
As I walked around during orientation, I closely inspected my new home for the month, identified space to set up my tent right across from the ocean and got ready to soak in everything. The days to come involved a wake-up bell at 5:30 AM, followed by satsang (meditation, chanting and talks) from 6:00 - 7:30. My favorite part of the day was of course, Yoga class from 8:00 -10:00, which was followed by brunch and an hour to myself, which often had to be utilized for home-work aka the daily summaries that we had to submit. Once I figured out my groove though, this hour was spent at the beach taking a dip in the water and lying in the sun. Thereafter, the afternoons were dedicated to philosophy classes, studying the Bhagavad Gita, chanting of mantras and anatomy & physiology. Around 4, we attended a class on how to teach yoga, which prepared us to be Yoga teachers. This was followed by early dinner, an hour of karma yoga and satsang.
Bhakti yoga or the yoga of divine love was a big part of the satsang. Having grown up in India, this was always a part of the larger Indian context, however, my family being agnostic, didn’t really engage in ceremonies and rituals. More than the act of showcasing devotion, action immersed in compassion, empathy, altruism and love was considered eminent. Moreover, I had often been a witness to people devoting themselves to worship, singing and surrendering in specific spaces such as Temples, and to the contrary, stepping out and demonstrating conduct or behavior that failed to synchronize with their devotion / bhakti. Thus, as a young person I was encouraged to grow up with a critical lens, where actions spoke much louder than words. Nevertheless, the goal of Bhakti Yoga is to call out to the divine, and the divine is all-pervading, within us as well.
A central idea about yoga got disrupted as I slowly begin to realize that yoga was much more than the asanas (poses). The reason I had been continually drawn back to yoga in the past is because after every class, my body had felt relaxed, rejuvenated and slightly more flexible. However, as the philosophy unraveled it came to light that this was just the very first step, a piece in the larger puzzle, and it was all directed towards the practice of mediation. Meditation, which in very simple laymen terms involves connecting with ones true inner self, our essential nature that is a microcosm of the macrocosm. Layers are added to our being, perceived as our personality influenced by our cultural and environmental context. The practice of meditation enables each of us to work through the layers, with an aim of finding inner peace and absolute bliss, which very much exists within us.
Another integral piece of the puzzle is the practice of pranayama (breathing). In our astral or subtle body, we have 72,000 energy channels called Nadis. Ida nadi, which is located in the left nostril, signifies the lunar energy cooling our body. Pingala nadi, on the right nostril indicates the solar energy, which is warm and stimulating. Through Hatha [Ha (sun) – tha (moon)] yoga, yogis strive to attain balance and equilibrium in the body. It is believed that Kundalini Shakti or higher consciousness lies dormant in our muladhara chakra (base of the spine) and can be awakened by cleansing our nadis. Prana or energy would travel through the sushuma nadi (centrally located) to its original home, sahashara chakra (crown of the head), awakening our pure consciousness.
Of course, rishis, saints and swamis dedicate their lives in entirety to awakening this powerful consciousness and in our daily lives we can take small steps to achieve this goal. A pertinent aspect, nevertheless, of attaining self-realization is action, also known as Karma Yoga, which denotes selfless action to serve fellow beings. The Bhagavad Gita, (Chapter 4, Verse 18) signifies the difference between Action in Inaction and Inaction in Action. Engaging in ‘Inaction in Action’, involves taking action without attaching expectations to possible fruits or beneficial returns. Furthermore, action is taken with awareness that one is not the doer taking all the credit for the selfless acts, rather as microcosm of the macrocosm, gratitude is offered for the action one is able to take to better serve humanity. Inaction in Action is a state of wisdom or knowledge, rooted in ones true self.
Photo Credit: Pablo Cruz Irastorza
As human beings, we have created a world that is seemingly thriving on power structures, violence, hatred, bigotry and competition. With each interaction, it seems one has triumphed if one walks away highlighting one’s own achievements, successes and feats, which are better than others. A sense of satisfaction or fulfillment looms within, with self-praise of one’s own worth, which disappears as soon as one discovers someone else’s accomplishments are superior. One easily forgets that all these facets of our life are ephemeral and the more our happiness is attached to external things, we will always be running behind the idea of being happy, assuming that the aspects on the external will be able to provide us with absolute bliss. Yogis would define this state of being as Rajasic, which manifests in the mind as cravings, desires, likes / dislikes. In our universe, Rajas is manifested as dynamic, movement and change. It is one of the three Gunas that are a manifestation of the non-dual or singular universal force. Tamasic, on the other hand represents matter, solid, decay and appears in our mind as lethargy, dullness or laziness. Through one’s yogic practice, the aspiration is to connect with Sattva, which implies absolute clarity, happiness, bliss and harmony; our fundamental nature and is present in the universe in the form of information, laws, order, intelligence and preservation.
In addition to the philosophical insights, I experienced tapas, that is, self-discipline, at a whole different level than what I have ever experienced before in my life. At the beginning, there was immense resistance in body and mind to the regulated routine and food, because it was hard to adjust to a different way of doing things, without a break or endless time to unwind. Moreover, the resistance remained high because of the difference in expectations of what I had imagined the month would entail. However, after the first few days of struggling, I began to embrace the new life and in the process discovered the relativity of time. Needless to say, this journey would not have been possible without my fellow-yogis. After satsang beach walks, star-gazing on the dock, rapid river escapades, lying on the hammock while talking about anything and everything gave perspective and made this voyage so much more meaningful.
Amidst the different styles of yoga that exist, what I found beautiful about Sivananda Yoga is the depth one melts into while doing each asana. As one begins to hold each pose longer, a meditative state can be explored going completely within, as one moves from one asana to the other. The classical practice is based on twelve asanas, which have strong physical and mental benefits and as one progresses in the practice, basic to advanced variations of each asana are introduced that takes the body and mind even deeper.
The challenge always remains of integrating new learning and world views into one’s life and way of being. A self-reflective journal with fellow-yogis is one way that I aspire to keep up my sadhāna; spiritual practice. The goal of course, is to teach and share the yogic practice with several others, so that together as individuals and a community, each person is able to self-realize their true self, find inner peace and absolute bliss, thereby creating a ripple effect of widespread happiness. I'm happy to share that I recently commenced teaching at the NYC Sivananda Center.
I can’t help but conclude with this profound quote that Swami Shambodevananda shared with us, “In reality, we are spiritual beings with an occasional human experience. All the trouble begins when we become humans with occasional spiritual experiences”.
Photo Credit: Pablo Cruz Irastorza
More on the Yogic Philosophy:
Vedas, the most ancient scriptural texts of India contain the eternal spiritual truths and are considered an embodiment of divine knowledge. Vedanta literally means ‘the end of the Vedas’ or the end of all knowledge. A philosophical system, Vedanta is based on the teachings of the Upanishads, which form the concluding section of the Vedas.
The Vedanta philosophy elucidates the concept of ‘Brahman’, which is the singular, non-dual eternal being that has always been ubiquitous. Brahman, as the infinite is Sat-Chit-Ananda. Sat (absolute existence or pure being) -Chit (absolute or pure consciousness) -Ananda (infinite bliss or absolute freedom). What’s interesting is that the self is the nature of reality itself. ‘Atman’, which is the innermost self, according to Vedic teachings, is Brahman. Therefore, our essential nature is infinite and eternal. Atman is the absolute, pure and essential consciousness in all beings.
Through ‘Maya’, Brahman is manifested in forms, names and appearances. Maya Shakti, the creative power of Brahman, veils and projects through the 3 Gunas (Qualities, namely Sattva, Rajas and Tamas). Nature; oceans, trees, plants, earth, fire; human beings and animals are all appearances of Brahman. We take different forms in our respective bodies and minds, appearing as individual beings. However, it’s important to note, that we do not exist independently or separately from the infinite. In fact, when we begin to identify with our bodies and minds, which are mere forms, it generates a false sense or an illusion of limitation. Identifications with body and mind, with individuals operating from the ego (ahamkara), could be the ‘Jiva’ or individual soul. Vedanta, hence, highlights methods to remove ‘Avidya’ (veil of ignorance), so that there is realization of the true supreme self.
Brahman would be considered Nilguna, which signifies having no qualities, since it is eternal. When Brahman manifests in creation through Maya, it acquires qualities (sa-guna), thereby, appearing as Ishwara to perform the three cosmic activities of creation (Brahma), preservation (Vishnu) and destruction (Siva), which is why one finds people worshipping these deities. In 800 AD, Adi Shankaracharya summarized the teachings of Vedanta in three statements:
-
Brahman alone is Real [Brahma Satyam]
-
The world is an appearance [Jagan Mithya]
-
The Jiva and Brahman are essentially not different [Jeevo Brahmaiva na aparah]
According to the Indian Rishis, there are certain veils or impurities that exist in individuals, which need to be overcome. These include:
-
Mala: Selfishness or the impurity of the heart.
-
Vikshepa: Tossing of the Mind.
-
Avarana: Veil of ignorance (avidya).
To transcend these veils, the Rishis suggested following the Four Paths of Yoga.
1. Karma Yoga: Yoga of Selfless Action [Active temperament]
[Which enables people to overcome Mala, selfishness].
2. Bhakti Yoga: Yoga of divine love [Emotional / devotional temperament]
[Overcoming Vikshepa, tossing of the mind].
3. Raja Yoga: Yoga of Meditation [Scientific / mystical temperament]
[Overcoming Vikshepa, tossing of the mind].
4.Jnana Yoga: Yoga of Wisdom [Philosophical temperament]
[Transcending Avarana or Avidya, veil of ignorance].
Swami Sivananda deemed the yoga of synthesis, which combined all four yogas in harmony, with one path of yoga being dominant based on one’s temperament.
Interestingly, the religion in India was originally called Varna Ashrama Sanatana Dharma! It came to be known as Hinduism because there were multiple kingdoms and beliefs, which were too ‘complicated’ for the British and since, the people across River Indus were called Hindus, the British decided to refer to the entire religion as Hinduism. To elaborate, Varna stood for the roles within society, Ashrama indicated the stages of life, Sanatana meant eternal and Dharma signified divine law.
Varna that represents roles within society to ensure effective functioning manifested as the caste system in India. The caste system in India, as we know it, has been a rigid structure that has resulted in immobility and discrimination of the lower castes. Based on occupations, the higher castes have enjoyed privilege and benefit, often at the expense of the lower castes. Manifestation of the caste system in this form was however, not intended. To the contrary, Varna, that is, roles within society, influences not only how the world currently operates, rather the same rules of functioning apply to the systems in our body as well.
For example: Across the world the knowledge holders, similar to Brahmins in ancient India, are the Scientists. Parallel to the Kshatriyas, the kings, warriors, the decision-makers who secure(d) our lands, in today’s world are the Politicians who control the Military. Furthermore, the role of the Vaishyas, who were the traders, continues to be played by Economists, Consumers and Entrepreneurs. Finally, the menial jobs, which were performed by Shudras, include functions such as Rubbish Collection, Housekeeping etc. Each role has been equally valid for society to function smoothly. Moreover, these specific roles and structures exist within a cell in our body. The knowledge holder, Brahmin, is the DNA nucleus. Kshatriyas, protecting the cell, is the Cell Wall. Mitrochondria plays the role of Vaishyas and the function of the Shudras is performed by the Golgi Apparatus.
The systems, unfortunately, are corrupted when individuals start thinking how they can benefit from specific roles or structures, leading to centuries of oppression, exploitation and domination of others.
Yogis deem that there are four goals in life:
-
Dharma: Purpose of being here
-
Arta: Acquiring means / possessions
-
Kama: Satisfying desires and passions
-
Moksha: Being liberated from the above three goals
The first three goals can be viewed as bondages because they re-enforce false identification. True freedom from suffering can only be achieved when individuals cease to falsely identify one’s self with the external and instead, transcend the veil of ignorance realizing one’s true nature, which is very much the same as ultimate reality.
The above is a snippet of the philosophical insight I was introduced to, in case you are interested to know more, share your views or just engage in discussion, please feel free to holler at me.
- Kamiya Kumar