Yoga: A Path to Wholeness
What are your thoughts on the widespread trend of yoga across America? Is this a good or a bad thing?
My friend, I am happy that yoga—whether it is in physical form, mental form, or spiritual form—is spreading.
What do you make of modern iterations and trends like "hot yoga" or "power yoga"? Do you think these are creative innovations or poor substitutes for more a traditional practice?
I am not here to comment on other yogic names, as yoga students should learn not to criticise but to trace their own weaknesses and correct them.
For those who are not familiar with your style of yoga teaching, in what ways is it different than other types of practice?
Yogic principles of any style are the same. As the trunk is one but the branches are many, yoga is one but adaptations may vary. One who takes any style of yoga experiences the same transformation. My style of practice is not different than others except in alignment of the motor nerves with the sensory nerves. [This requires] intellectual reflection and skillful actions without distorting even the minutest part of the anatomical structure of the body, so that the bones, joints, muscles fibres, the energy, the mind, and the intelligence [are in] harmony and the life force touches all the concerned layers of the body.
How can yoga help with specific physical ailments, such as lower back pain?
Human anatomy is God-made at birth and becomes man-made as he grows. Yogic practice helps one to understand the divine anatomy and not the habituated anatomy formed by one's habits and manners. Each asana [posture] has to be performed correctly in order to [rectify bad habits]. While performing asana one has to judiciously adjust the anatomy without distorting the muscles or joints. If there is anatomical distortion then it is not an asana. That is why my emphasis is on alignment, which is a guide for enlightenment.
The use of props–pillows, blankets, belts, or blocks—is central to your teachings. Can you describe their function?
The use of props, pillows, blankets, blocks, or belts is not central to my teachings. As true teachers are rare I developed these props to guide practitioners to get a sense of right direction so that they do not commit mistakes. [They also help] those who are stiff, confused, physically shaky, or who have disabilities and cannot perform independently.
These props do two things at the same time: [they help with] the extension of body and relaxation of the mind—together these are the key to meditation.
As they guide the body in the right direction the feeling of well-being is felt in the body and elation of freshness in mind is experienced. This naturally leads one to experience equipoise and oneness in body, mind and self.
Could you choose a pose that you feel you’ve learned from and explain the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects you’ve experienced from it?
It requires pages and pages to write on it. If you read the whole book you can get the answer to your question. This much I say here: the physical strength, mental strength, nervous strength, and intellectual strength should balance evenly by working in concord with all parts of the body, so that the core of the being, the intelligence, and consciousness concurrently and uniformly move with all parts of the body. If the body is the field then the intelligence of the self is the gardener who ploughs the field using asana as instruments
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