There are so many yoga styles out there that you can easily lose track and even lose interest at all in Yoga. But let me tell you, Svastha Yoga is one of the most interesting Yoga styles I’ve come along. Actually, Svastha Yoga is not really a particular style of yoga practice. Let me explain.
The word Svastha in Sanskrit refers to the state of complete wholeness, comfort and balance, hence the overarching theme of Svastha Yoga is Well-Being. It is about finding and creating structured and intelligent abilities to breed and increase your well-being. Starting from a holistic perspective it is about discovering possibilities to prevent and soothe any discomfort and supporting the healing process. This can be achieved by using and connecting findings of eastern and western medicine, modern psychology and traditional Yoga.
The Foundations: Traditions and Sciences
This concept has been established by Dr. Ganesh Mohan (Singapore). Dr. Mohan has studied Medical Sciences as well as Ayurvedic Sciences. In cooperation with Dr. Günter Niessen (Berlin), he developed this very modern and interdisciplinary, yet still considering yogic traditions, Yoga Therapy Program. Dr. Mohan’s yogic roots date back to his parents who intensively worked with Sri T.K.V. Krishnamacharya.
So Svastha Yoga is rather a yoga therapy in a way that each individual reaches his or her perfect state of well-being. And it is a multidimensional way to keep you connected to your mind and body as well as with nature and your social environment.
According to Svastha Yoga, there are 12 main areas of well-being
It is not important to work on all of them at once and at the same time. Just pick one to three areas where you believe you could do some improvement. Maybe the more detailed description and explanation could help you to make your selection. Remember “Stagnation is Regression”. In any way don’t try to achieve everything at once. Take it step by step, accept that it’ll take time and if you encounter backlashes – just take a break and then keep the momentum and proceed.
Steer your mind in a kind and sustainable way
An established consciousness is the basis of a mindful life and the remedy to the feeling of being torn between work, life and family that so many endure of nowadays. So, the solution is to foster mindfulness and meditation – for instance through breathing techniques and mantras.
Sensibly regulate your inner voice
We all have met the little “monkey mind” that keeps emphasizing the negative things in our lives. Challenge that voice. It is about teaching the inner voice to become lovable and appreciative.
Cultivate emotional stamina
Love and compassion, that is what we all constantly aim at experiencing. Balancing our emotions, finding serenity and confidence as we go experience the fluctuations of life is the best that we can achieve for ourselves and the ones we love.
Move healthy and functional through your life
A lot of people are overwhelmed or even discouraged by some of the extreme yoga positions. But they are not important. What is actually more important is whether you can move organically and balanced through your daily life. At the same time strong and soft, mobile and stable, confident and relaxed. This balance can be reached by a daily mindful practice.
Breathe easily and effortless
Natural and harmonious breathing techniques are essential to our health and stress management. And yoga teaches us a broad range of various breathing techniques. A managed breath means you are on the right way to find the balance of body and mind.
Balance your lifestyle and interactions
Confronted with all sorts of disconnections, it can be tempting to withhold social connections. But you can always connect to your inner self first, get comfortable and stable within and in consequence with your mind and body. This in return will provide you with the strength and the desire to connect or re-connect with your environment through substantial encounters.
Show interest for nutritiousness of your food
Healthful eating is not about dieting, but about having a good connection to our existence. We all need to perceive that the intake of food has a direct impact on our physical feelings. And not only that but also on our mind.
8. Counteract stress with certitude, relaxation and self-empowered
Stress in itself is not bad. It is how we handle the stress that matters. Once we learn how to use certitude, relaxation, self-empowerment to handle stressful situations in all areas of our life, stress can become our companion. Because in some ways we need it as the basis of challenge and achievement.
Foster social encounters and set healthy boundaries at the same time
Fostering strong connection and relationships with nature and all creatures, that is the best we can do for our well-being. And strong relationships demand also boundaries and ethics. Practicing kindness is a good start. From there a positive connection can come to full blossom.
Find non-verbal ways of communication
Any kind of non-verbal communication can be more intimate and has been practice much longer than speech. In yoga, we often use postures or mudras to express the desires we might hold in our hearts and minds. Only by bringing our hands in prayer position to our heart, we can alter the connection to our body.
Nurture purpose, authenticity and spirituality
An important aid for an agitated spirit can be devotion and spirituality. By associating with the deep wisdom that we can connect to through meditation and any other spiritual practice we can experience that enlightenment is unfolding right in front of us, we get a glimpse of lies beyond it and we can use this to find again more stability in our lives.
Incorporate sounds and music and other creative arts in your live
Any kind of art and creativity have always been a medium for expressing what often cannot be shown through other means. There is a quote of Maya Angelou which brings it all to the point:
Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances.
Have a first go
A good way to have a first go on “Move healthy and functional through your life” and “Breathe easily and effortless” – No. 4 and 5 of the above list – is to start with a gentle series of movements for your lower back. Nowadays our backs, especially our lower backs, are quite stressed. Stressed by sitting too much and too often at our desks, by way too little movements.
The postures performed in Yoga strengthen muscles in the back and abdomen, which are both essential for the spine’s muscular network. Stretching fosters relaxation and flexibility in muscles and joints, namely in hamstrings and hips to decrease the tensions around the lower back. Consistent practice will teach the body to keep an improved posture with neck, spine, and hips in proper alignment and you will get aware of how to help the natural curvature of your spine and so avoid lower back pain. Breathing exercises and conscious relaxation release both, body and mind, and so your back’s stress. Read more about it in our blog “Relax your Back with Yoga”.
You can start right away with one of our live online courses.
Guest Post written by: Katrin Sprondel
