Ashtanga and Pregnancy - Second Trimester

Hello everyone!
 Lots of people are asking me how is my practicing going, if I still have my regular practice and how I feel about it. So here we go...
 I'm almost on my 5th month pregnant and I definitely feel much better than my first trimester. I do still practice Ashtanga yoga (some days the practice is shorter than others, or an extra day off), but now with a bigger belly I need to modified postures and also excluded some asanas of my daily practice. I can not forward fold as deep as before because of my bigger belly, I can't do deep twisting postures and I also avoid some back bending postures of the second series where I need to lay belly flat down. But Im thinking some ways where I can make a special prop for my belly...we will see ;)
 I also feel I lost connection between the legs with the upper body, because I can not activate my core muscles like before anymore, uddhiyana bandha is gone, so vinyasas are in a totally another level now. They are very basic, mostly walking back and through, sometimes I jump through but as I said before is hard because there is no core integration in the body by this point. Somehow I feel totally as a beginner in my practice, discovering and rediscovering new approaches to the changes occurring in my body.
 For most of Ashtanga practitioners is all or nothing so the change in practice can give a big impact in the mind. In the very beginning was a little weird to feel the changes in my body but now is a very natural reality. Everyday my body is changing and Im totally okay with that. My practice now feels more meditative and I feel I rediscover my breath in a more deeper way which feels great.
 Other thing I changed in my routine is to eat something before practicing. Traditionally the practice is done on empty stomach for the purification process occur nice and easy. Now Im more about nourishing my body instead of focusing in purification of my system. So far this pregnancy is teaching me deep lessons of impermanence and detachment and also is a ego smasher which for me is really important for my understanding of life an death.
 The practice of yoga (any style) is to make ourselves to feel good, the mind balanced, the heart calm and a sense of peace that is not affect by external situations. The more I practice and teach I see that does not matter which level of asana practice you are, what can you do with your legs or arms. If you see yoga just as contortion or balancing on the hands is better to go for an acrobatic/circus training. Do not compete with others or yourself, always approach the practice in a humble way. There is a place to be accessed during practice, a special and sacred space to connect with the Divine that lives within. In the end thats whats matter.
Shanti Shanti Shanti

Mysore experience - Ashtanga Parampara

 ***This is my personal journey into the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. In this post I will share with you how I started and my journey to India. I guess it will help people that never have been there to know a little bit of what's going on in Mysore.

  During my Yoga Teaching Training in U.S based in Vinyasa Yoga (2012) we were studying the styles that the students of Krishnamacharya were bringing to the West, and of course Iyengar and Ashtanga Yoga were high topics. One day a dedicated student of Ashtanga yoga came to introduce us some of the Primary Series asanas and talk to us some the most important aspects of the practice. I remember was the class I most enjoyed even with all the difficulty of the movements. The same day at night we got together and watched Ashtanga Yoga NY, when Pattabhi Jois came to U.S for led classes. I remember I got goosebumps on my entire body and I was amazed by the movements. But not only that I was amazed by the students dedication and all the yoga philosophy behind the asanas. That day I decided I would practice Ashtanga Yoga.
  I was living in a small town and I didn't have any Ashtanga place or teacher or even an experienced practitioner to practice with. I started practicing on my own, studying materials from David Swenson book. I was very excited in learning this practice. Then I heard from my Vinyasa teacher that Sharath Jois and his mother Saraswathi would be in NY next year in April (2013) for led classes. I didn't think twice and I signed up to go. After my first class I feel baptized. A feeling of happiness and contentment was all over, around and inside my being and at that moment I knew that practice was something I should pursuit. After almost a week in NY, I came back feeling energized and slowly found friends to practice together. I started traveling around, trying different teachers, going to workshops and soaking in as much as possible. After trying many teachers, I found it was important to "try" to keep going to the same one over and over, to create and have a student-teacher relationship.
  Some people practice for fun and only as a exercise, and that's is completely fine. Other students wants to go more into the spiritual roots and know where it came from, the guru and etc... I felt a spiritual connection with this practice and with my teacher in which I accepted him in the first day I met in  April 2013. I decided I need to go to Mysore and I went. Lots of people ask how is to practice there, how is to study at KPJAYI, so here are some tips about it. Also remember this is my point of view'

1- If you feel going to Mysore, just go. Any experience you have from there it will be valid.
2- If you are new to the practice, it's recommended to practice with Saraswathi. Her shala is smaller and she has less number of students. She is great! Very lovely and she is known to teach just like her father Guruji. Im so happy I had the opportunity to practice under her guidance. She is getting old so it's good to study with her before she retires.
3- There is a new rule now to practice with Sharath Jois. Its needed to practice with an authorized or certified teacher for at least 3 months. A list of authorized and certified teachers is available at KPJAYI website.
4- If you are a western practitioner and study at any Shala and goes to workshops don't go to Mysore with the mentality you will get all the help, techniques and adjustments in the postures. You will not be adjusted there like we do here. They do adjust and help in asanas in which is really hard for us but not  the luxury adjustments we get in the west. Here we have this mentally to give the student opportunity to go deeper and correct body alignment. There is more about spiritual practice. I saw some people disappointed about that. So if you want to have the same teaching as in the west I recommend going for a yoga retreat with an authorized or certified teacher and you will get lots of adjustments, and technical details about asanas, vinyasas, anatomy and etc... I went in one in Goa with Tim Feldman and his wife Kino and it was great. Really. You can find Ashtanga yoga retreats and workshops all over the world if you don't want or don't have enough time go all the way to Mysore, India.
5- The practice in the Shala is not the same practice you have at home. In the west practicing at home to in a Ashtanga Studio or Shala sometimes we modified some poses and keep it going. There you get stopped when it gets difficult.
6- Despite all the free time, we have chanting classes and also Sanskrit classes if you want to enroll it. Also in Mysore there are other yoga schools offering meditation, massage classes, ayurveda and many other things that will help you to be busy if you want it.
7- Gokulam (Mysore) is a nice city comparing to some other parts of India. You will find a great support for tourists and most of the people can communicate in english. Each year more tourists and students are traveling there and the locals and business shops know how to deal with westerns. There are really good restaurants for yoga students as well. Santosha is my favorite after class! Great breakfast and also a great place to make new friends and see old ones.

  Ashtanga yoga is definitely NOT for everyone. Asana practice it is for everyone, but to follow the path of Ashtanga practice it has been the most challenge thing I ever have done and continue to do it in my life. Sometimes I even ask myself why I still do it and then I just laugh and remember why I started. Ashtanga asana practice is really demanding and can easily discourage people to continue. Also people that wants to learn from photos and videos can easily get injured. So is good to find someone to guide you in the practice. The commitment is also really hard. There is also a big difference when you do it for fun and when you practice and teach. Responsibility grows and it is need to know and learn how to handle. But beside that Ashtanga practice is really rewarding. It changes our being inside out and this process is slow and usually painful. We are faced with our ego, fears, anxiety and insecurities in each practice. But after all, peace and acceptance is slowly building inside us. I also know Im not alone. The Ashtanga family is huge and we all struggle together and support each other.
  The ultimate advice is to follow your heart. Do what it feels right to yourself. Don't do it because others do. Life is too short to live the life of others. Be in peace and be happy.
Namaste!

2013

Greenwich in 2013

Sharath and Saraswathi 2013 

KPJAYI 2015 

Guru 2015

The Pregnant Ashtangi

*This is a personal post from my own experience of being an Ashtanga practitioner and being pregnant. I don't want to generalize the subject as each practitioner have their own experience with their body, so Im speaking only about myself.


  Only God knows how is being mentally and physically difficult for me to be an Ashtanga practitioner and a pregnant woman at the same time. When I knew I was pregnant, my husband and I decided to give a break in my practice as Pattabhi Jois, Saraswathi and Sharath recommend for the first trimester of pregnancy. That is advised because the first three months are very delicate and hard movements as well overheating the body can cause miscarriages easily. I do know some women who practice Ashtanga and didn't stop their practice and they were fine. As I said before each person have their own opinions and I decided to follow the advice of my teachers, myself and family. Either way I continue with gentle stretches and teaching of course. The first 3 months and a half it was really hard and I think it was good to take a rest from my practice. I felt morning and night sickness. In the afternoons felt sleepy and tired. Now I'm in the 4th month and I feel better about being sick and I feel more energy in the mornings. I still feel suddenly sleepy, even more after when I eat something.
  Now Im welcoming the practice back into my routine. It's not being easy. I still feel lack of energy, I get tired quicker and even sleepy on the sitting positions or sometimes I suddenly feel hungry. Then I get a feeling that I'm not in control of my body anymore. But then I breath mindfully, I control my breath and then I calm my thoughts and my mind. I feel connected again with my body and deep inside I know its all temporary. I am where I am supposed to be.
  Every change is for the best and for us to learn something about ourselves.  I am a practitioner who strives for results and improvement. Im always thinking ways to achieve results in my practice. Now I just need to find ways to enjoy more my journey and improve my relationship to whatever is presented in the present moment. I think most of the Ashtanga practitioners are like that. If not wait until you can not practice the way you always do so you know better ;)We strive for results somehow, but then when we get an injury or something happens that is beyond our control like my pregnancy we are forced to step back and be mindful of every little step and movement of body and mind.
  Putting aside all the "negative"or not pleasant experiences of our new "temporary" practice there are positives as well.
1-Ego of course gets smashed and I feel much more humble.
2-I breath more mindfully because I want to send enough oxygen to the baby and I also want my mind and body to feel as calm as possible. So there is no rushing or forcing something to happen.
3- As a teacher I feel much more compassion and understanding for the students.
4-As a practitioner I learn that everything is temporary and impermanent. Attachment causes suffering. Liberation of all things is the goal of my practice. So not even to my practice I should feel attached or dependent to.

Some point along the years Ashtanga practitioners learn that does not matter how your practice looks like today, or in the past either how you think it will looks like in the future, we will continue to do it because this is the essence of the practice to just go and do it even if is just a few sun salutations.
Today it was half primary, tomorrow lets see whats happen. No expectation? Im working on that as well. Practice and all is coming.
Namaste.

What to wear for a yoga class? Your clothes matter! :)

I remember the first time I joined a yoga class and the clothing recommendation was for me to be comfortable.

Do you know how the choice of your clothes can affect the quality of your practice?

So here we go!

***Be comfortable (but):

I also recommend people to put something they feel comfortable in when they ask me what to wear. But students should keep in mind when they are practicing with a teacher they should just covered the body and not HIDE it ;) Super baggy pants and super big shirts make it difficult for the teacher to see how the student is engaging the muscles. If the knees are straight or bend. If the belly is soft or if uddhiyana banddha is engaged. All those points add for the quality of assisting from the teacher to the student.

*If you have too baggy pants (like buddha pants) they are cute but you can step on them and fall. Teacher can not see the engagement of your hamstrings muscles.

*If you have a very large t-shirt on it you block your vision on downward dog also it will be a pain in the @$$ for inversions.

*** For students with minimum clothing:

If you like to practice only with a top, sleeveless and tight t-shirt or tank top and shorts here are some good advices. If you are going to a gentle, yin, restorative etc easy going yoga class you are fine and its ok...maybe you will need a little extra cover for final relaxation in the end because usually the body gets cold. If you are going to a Ashtanga class (Mysore or led) or any dynamic type of hatha yoga class take a towel with you. As we use minimum clothing and we get sweat our skin gets super slippery. Sometimes teachers need a good grip to so some specific adjustments and the towel can be handy. Also for your own comfort you need a towel to keep the mat dry, specially on hot days :)

After all the important thing is too feel good in what you wear. The practice is a bridge to connect us to our inner sensations of the body, mind and spirit so if you get distracted on fixing your bra, your pants are falling and anything else that would take your attention away you need to think in other type of clothing that (1: Do not distract you / (2: It's comfortable/ (3: Will not be an obstacle for your teacher.

Namaste :)

Reflecting true Love from your practice

  The practice of Yoga is a life-style. It is not a religion but the roots are in the spiritual practice. With that said, any practitioner of Yoga can have or not a specific religion and implement the teachings and techniques of yoga for a deeper connection within.

  I do not have much knowledge about religion nor I want to have, but in my view and opinion is that religion are made for people to have guidelines of how to behave with themselves and others and to connect with the Divine. If you study and practice the Yamas and Niyamas you will notice that lots of  guidelines of how to live are very similar in most of all religions in the world. The ultimate step is Self-realization and complete connection with the Divine or Creator. Each religion have their own name and idea for what created us and that's ok. Our ultimate goal is to connect with endless Love.

 The Yoga practice do not ask you to be religious but it will ask you to be spiritual, otherwise it's just a physical exercise. When the Yoga practice transcends the physical, it connects us to the invisible body, the inner body, where our energy resides. The Yoga practice clear up the energy body, old patterns, negative feelings and thoughts and a sense of everlasting peace will surround the heart.

 There is a famous part of the bible about Love 1 Corinthians 13:4 -13 that I would like to discuss in the point of view of the practice: So here we go!:

4

- Love is patient

How hard sometimes to understand such a simple statement like that. We practice because we want  peace, love and a deeper connection within. We want to find purpose in our lives. We want to be happy among all the suffering in this world. Sometimes we want something so bad that we do not give enough time to happen. The most simple and visible way is during the physical practice. We want the next pose, next series, we want to bind and nail the posture. We need to love ourselves enough to give time. Nothing blooms out of nowhere. The flower do not bloom in two days, the larvae to become a butterfly in a blink of an eye. Everything have it own process. Everything and everybody have their own time and It is Not our will to decide when it will happen. Everything that is rushed it causes stress in the mind and in the body. Patient is calm, patient make us humble. When we are humble, we surrender to Divines forces. When we surrender to Divine forces, the right thing will happen, because it's perfect, just like everything else in nature.

-Love is kind

Ahimsa. When we truly love ourselves, we reflect the same love and understanding towards the others living beings. If I don't like to suffer, I don't like you to suffer. Simple like that. Independent if "you" are a person, a cow, an ant or a dog. Try to be kind and compassionate first toward yourself and then you can reflect the same intention to the others. When we start the spiritual practice in Yoga, this is the first thing we need to understand and practice. How to be kind to yourself during practice? Yoga happens in the limits of the comfort zone correct? Yes correct. But you don't want to explode your limits. Be kind to the body. Be patient.

-Love does not envy

How that does apply in my practice? Many ways....

One of the amazing tools I love about the Tristhana method is the Dristhi ( or gaze point ) during the practice. For each posture you are suppose to direct your gaze to an specific direction or part of the body. It's great for concentration and sharps the mind. When you have your Dristhi, you don't pay attention at others around you, you are focused. You have no time to look how somebody practice looks like. That's it. When I practice Mysore style I only feel the people energy around but I don't even know what they are doing because I have my Dristhi mode On. Out off the mat keeping the Dristhi in ourselves it's important so we do not compare our lives or our practice or relationships or whatever to the others. Focus in yourself. Keep the Dristhi in Love.

-Love do not boast

Instead of using your accomplishments only to yourself, be strong enough to magnify others. Uplift and help the people. Love has wisdom and applies humbleness and gentleness, and is under control. If we are being boastful, we undertake an active attitude of deliberate self-acceptance over humility and we will ignore wisdom and become foolish and arrogant. 

-Love is not proud
The expression “love is not proud” is similar in meaning to the preceding statement in the same verse, “love does not boast.” There is a significant difference, however. Pride is the state or feeling itself whereas boasting is the expression of that feeling. Pride is the mindset and attitude while boasting is the speech and conduct. The opposite of pride is humility. The proud person credits himself for his attainments and advantages. The humble person feels he does not deserve what he has received and counts them as blessings. The proud person feels superior to others. The humble person considers the position and welfare of others of equal importance to his own – if not greater in importance to his own. Pride and vanity will swell the mind with the conviction of self-importance. But love is humble, meek, mild, and modest.

5

-It does not dishonor others

Love does not dishonor because love is not humiliating, demeaning or inappropriate.

Living in honor of yourself means to simply respect who you are, to at the very least accept who you are and that you exist here, to accept that you have a place in this world and that you have the 'right' to express yourself and in a way 'claim' that place that is yours in this world. When we practice that we also honor others. The practice of Yoga teach us to accept ourselves wholy, to express ourselves unconditionally and to care absolutely. Teach us to accept, support and express , rather judge, reject and suppress under self-diminishing thoughts and emotional experiences.

-It is not self-seeking

Rather, those who genuinely love neither take any thought for themselves nor pursue their own interests. They are unselfish. In a culture that is overrun with a sense of entitlement and egocentrism, this is a critical lesson to be learned. I do believe in self love, but we should be mindful if we are taking advantages or manipulating others around us to our own interests. We should never demand or expect from others some type of attitude only to fulfill our own needs. With love as our motivation, and unselfishness as our goal, loyalty and faithfulness to the Divine and to others can be built.

-It is not easily angered

The physical postures of Ashtanga yoga combined with proper breathing it calms and balance the nervous system. It clear up the Nadis, the channels that brings Prana or Life Force up to the brain in the energetic body. When the brain is balanced (right and left side) our thoughts and emotions are also equanimous. The right side of the brain is responsible for the feminine or Lunar qualities in us and the left side is responsible for the masculine or Solar energy. Anger its a sign that the we are allowing excessive Solar energy to be dominant in the mind. Anger can have many forms and all the forms are like a poison to ourselves and those around. Anger can be quick and explosive, usually happens because something we didn't expect happened. Anger can be also silent, can lead to sadness and depression. Either way an angry mind lead us to stress and unhappiness. The goal of yoga practitioners is to have a calm and equanimous mind, even when we have unpleasant and stressful situations. Of course you will get angry sometimes, its natural. The yoga practitioners will recognize body and mental signals even before the emotions to take over control and from that sense it will control himself. This is what we seek. Mind control.

-Keep no records of wrong

We live life truly in the present moment. We are dying. We have no time to waste keeping negatives feelings from the past. Forgive yourself and forgive others. Everything is impermanent. When we let go of the past or what had hurt us we are free. We create space for new life and growth. I had hurt myself many times in the past, I had self destructive behaviors. I had depression and many ghosts to torment my mind. This practice is teaching me how to be strong enough to love myself and pick myself up every time Im down. It really does not matter what you have done to yourself in the past, what others have done to you or what have you done to others if you truly recognize, forgive and allow this empt space to be filled with love and compassion. 

6

- Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

We can think of Evil anything that Do Not serves us, our life and our purpose. Anything that takes you further from the Ultimate Truth. True Love is not made from satisfaction only. True love do not enjoy any type of disgrace or suffering. We are living in a world that rejoice the evil. Rejoice suffering and disgrace. We are in war and we a part of an evil society. We kill and torture animals for food or we are silent about it. We slave people for cheap clothing and fashion industry. We are part of a big and cruel plan. There is not much we can do except living in truth every moment we can. We sometimes can't help in feeling satisfaction when a murder get a death sentence or get killed. A equanimous mind do not take side. We can have thoughts but not allowing emotions to control over the mind. 

- It always protects

When we protect we care. Starting with self care and self protection. Living an healthy life. When I say healthy life mean healthy in the mind, body and soul. We should protect ourselves from unnecessary stressful situations, for example arguing with someone. Taking care of our body and life style. Our body is the place where for now we are living in. It need to function in a good way, we need to keep healthy. The mind need to be filled with positive thoughts. Never over forcing others to the same. Your example is everything.  Sometimes we are fragile. The practice gives you enough power to protect us from negative thoughts and weakness. Sometimes we need to give power and strength to those around us. Love is power and Love protects us from our weakness.

-Always trust

When we trust we create faith and when we have faith we believe in a greater power beyond anything we know. When we trust we surrender and we never give up. When we trust we create enough confidence in ourselves and in others. I trust that love always win. I trust in the deep Truth and light within. I trust in my practice and in my intentions. I trust in my students and in my teachers. I trust myself. Trusting is not being naive. It is being strong enough to believe that even if someone or some situation go south you will support yourself. Because you are made of Love and you trust the Universe Plan.

-Always hope

Never lose hope in yourself or others. Sometimes we have difficulties in life. Everything changes. Just like it becomes dark at night, next day the sun is born. Life is a balance of opposite forces and the practice teaches us to accept it at all. Embrace everything. The good and the bad. Just like Yin Yang. 

-Always perseveres 

Keep faith on the path. It is not easy to love and to allow love to rule our life but with perseverance we can do it. Keep striving for the Truth within. Love endure all things. Be strong enough when things get out of control or tough. Be strong to keep your faith in yourself and humanity. Be strong enough to believe that Love always win and Love is the ultimate path to Truth. We show love when is and when it's not convenient, because in the end only Love that really matters. Be committed to yourself to seek the highest good no matter what type of adversities you encounter on your path.

Love be aways with you!

Namaste.

  

Shortcut or easy path in Yoga

  Sorry there is none!
  How to understand with a peaceful mind and heart the adversities that comes in the physical practice?That takes time, and it's a process of a lifetime.
  In Ashtanga Yoga method it doesn't matter how many series you are practicing, how flexible or strong you are, because we all will be struggling in some point in the practice. This point it will feel like a thick wall that block us to go forward. If you are "stuck" for a long time trying to do some movement or asana, maybe you feel hopeless, weak, maybe you will doubt the practice or yourself. Maybe you will catch yourself comparing to others. Many feelings can start to come up. Than the work of yoga starts.
  Yoga starts to work when we stop competing to ourselves or pressuring ourselves in a time frame to acquire something. Unlikely our western lifestyle, in Yoga we learn slowly that there is no rush, we can not rush for something to happen. We can do our best, but only time will reveal the results and we can not expect anything from that.
  Yoga starts to happen also when you put on your work and you get zero results. Maybe for many years. How to deal with that? How to be patient and equanimous? How to accept failure?
The moment you see that there is no failure, yoga is happening. It is not important how many things you are able to do. If you do your practice and feel more peaceful thats equal to big results.
  The Ashtanga Yoga method is the only one Im familiar with that only the teacher give poses to the students and only until the student is ready physically, spiritually and mentally the teacher advance the student in the practice. This method is really humbling. Specially in the beginning lots of students want to rush and force their bodies to learn and do as much as possible. Maybe because is from our mentality that we need to exceed results. Slowly our ego gets broken and we learn that this is a shortcut.
  We need to be humble, fail and fall. The poses in the method creates fake stress responses in the body and from the responses also creates lots of feelings. This is only a mirror for our lives off the mat. How to deal with situations when we feel fear, anger, lost, insecure or in pain? How to find peace in those moments?
  The practice of Yoga is a practice of awareness. We start observing all those responses from the brain, all those feelings...some of them can be really negative and ugly and it's ok. We observe and we let it go and maybe one day those feelings, thoughts or sensations will not be back and only peace will remain.
  It's is hard sometimes to understand logically why we have so many difficulties in the practice. Sometimes is mentally other times physically...Sometimes is both. Sometimes its brings strong emotions and we feel within beyond the body. Why am not able to do this? or why I'm not stronger or flexible enough? Sometimes we create a non loving way to threat our own bodies and ourselves.
  I challenge you in the end of every difficult task to be grateful towards your body and your mind for being able to do so many things during the day. To really be thankful and to love your body and your mind the way it is. Im also challenging myself. This is a everyday awareness exercise. Be content with what we are and what we have it is one of the steps for a Yogic lifestyle. Just imagine how much peace this type of awareness can bring. We don't need to chaise something that do not belong to us at the moment and we don't need to force ourselves to be something different from what we truly are.
This is a beautiful realization. I hope we are inspired to have a peaceful heart and surround ourselves with all Divine love and light.

Namaste.

  

Bhakti Yoga and Popular Chants

Bhakti Yoga is one of the four main yogic paths to enlightenment. Bhakti means “devotion” or “love” and this path contains various practices to unite the bhakta (Bhakti Yoga practitioner) with the Divine.Bhakti Yoga is considered the easiest yogic path to master and the most direct method to experience the unity of mind, body and spirit. While Hatha Yoga requires a strong and flexible body, Raja Yoga requires a disciplined and concentrated mind, and Jnana Yoga requires a keen intellect, the only requirement for Bhakti Yoga is an open, loving heart. But Bhakti Yoga complements other paths of yoga well, and it is said that jnana (knowledge or wisdom) will dawn by itself when you engage in the devotional practices of Bhakti Yoga.

This deeply spiritual practice draws heavily on the Hindu pantheon of deities. Each of these deities is seen as representing a humanized aspect of the single Godhead or Brahman – much the same way the Christian saints represent specific attributes and qualities of God. The use of Hindu deities in Bhakti Yoga can be a large obstacle for Western practitioners, especially for those with a deeply religious background. But the use of the Hindu deities is not required for this practice – in fact, finding your own object(s) of devotion will be all the more effective in achieving yoga (union) with the Divine.

There are nine main practices of Bhakti Yoga that can be practiced independently or together. Each of these limbs creates a specific bhava (feeling) that appeals to different inner constitutions of practitioners.

The Nine Limbs of Devotion 1. Shravana – “listening” to the ancient scriptures, especially potent if told by a saint or genuine bhakta. 2. Kirtana – “singing” devotional songs, usually practiced in a call-and-response group format. 3. Smarana – “remembering” the Divine by constantly meditating upon its name and form. 4. Padasevana – “service at the feet” of the Divine, which incorporates the practice of karma yoga (selfless service) with bhakti (devotion). 5. Archana – the “ritual worship” of the Divine through practices such as puja (deity worship), and havan or homa (fire offering). 6. Vandana – the “prostration” before the image of one’s chosen image or representation of the Divine. 7. Dasya – the “unquestioning” devotion of the Divine involving the cultivation of serving the will of God instead of one’s own ego. 8. Sakhya – the “friendship” and relationship established between the Divine and the devotee. 9. Atmanivedana – the “self-offering” and complete surrender of the self to the Divine.

The most popular limb of Bhakti Yoga in the West is Kirtana (usually called Kirtan), with national and local Kirtan walas performing weekly in small to large cities. Bhakti Yoga can be practiced by itself or be integrated into other types of yoga or spiritual practices.

The benefits of Bhakti Yoga are immense, as Swami Sivananda writes, “Bhakti softens the heart and removes jealousy, hatred, lust, anger, egoism, pride and arrogance. It infuses joy, divine ecstasy, bliss, peace and knowledge. All cares, worries and anxieties, fears, mental torments and tribulations entirely vanish. The devotee is freed from the Samsaric wheel of births and deaths. He attains the immortal abode of everlasting peace, bliss and knowledge”.

The ultimate goal in the practice of Bhakti yoga is to reach the state of rasa (essence), a feeling of pure bliss achieved in the devotional surrender to the Divine.

*Chants

Chanting and mantra recitation have accompanied yoga practice for thousands of years. Chanting is of course both the in-toning of the rich vibratory sounds and the simultaneous listening to them. The concentrated in-toning of sound vibrates all along the axis of the body from the perineum up through the head, giving access to subtle and deep sensation and feeling. The deep listening naturally suspends the normal movement of the discursive mind and allows contemplation of the patterns of sensation, emotion and imagination. Chants have meanings, which are to be contemplated. Some express a truth directly, others use images, metaphors and myths, while others are deliberately free of meaning or reference to anything, except the whole of reality. The meanings are designed to return the chanter to the direct experience of the sound vibration, making the experience of that sound and eventually all sound and all forms and patterns of vibration sacred.

Bellow I selected some popular chants: ( Check audio videos on Youtube )

1-Gayatri Mantra

Om bhur bhuvah svaha
Tat savitur varenyam
Bargo devasya dhimahi
Dhiyo yona prachodayat

I reflect on the unity of Divine Spirit, which pervades everything in the earth, the atmosphere and heavens.
May this Supreme Consciousness protect me and illuminate my intellect that I may realize my inherent oneness with That.
I meditate on the great luminous light that enlightens all three worlds.
May it enlighten all.

2- Mantra: OM

Translation: The sound of the universe. It's the first, original vibration, representing the birth, death and re-birth process.Modern adaptation: Chanting the sound OM brings us into harmonic resonance with the universe – this is a scientific fact! OM is said to vibrate at 432 Hertz, which is the natural musical pitch of the Universe, as opposed to 440 Hertz, which is the frequency of most modern music. Decreasing your frequency to coincide with that of the Universe stills the fluctuations of the mind, allowing you to practice yoga through sound. OM is an idyllic way to begin and end a yoga or mediation practice, and also comes in handy when you just need to chill out.

3- Mantra: Shanti Mantra 

Om Saha Naavavatu
Saha Nau Bhunaktu
Saha Veeryam Karavaavahai
Tejasvi Aavadheetamastu Maa Vidvishaavahai Om 

Translation: May the Lord protect and bless us. May he nourish us, giving us strength to work together for the good of humanity. May our learning be brilliant and purposeful. May we never turn against one another.