Yoga — Abhay Koushik

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Original Sanskrit aphorisms (sūtras) & corresponding commentaries (bhāśyas) will be shared with translations (See descriptions)

Throwback! Sharing and practising Yoga with my friends and colleagues in Neurology & the Institute has been one of the most satisfying experiences in my journey as a PhD student... Thanks again Dr. Bernhard & Paul for your kind gift at the en

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SaMyama Yoga Sessions @MPI CBS

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2023 Winter Session: Sharing my knowledge on Yoga and practising it with my friends and colleagues in the Neurology Department & the Institute has been one of my most satisfying experiences in my journey as a PhD Student, Thanks to all of you who attended!

Join us in the upcoming sessions every week at the Wilhelm-Wundt-Room, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive & Brain Sciences, Leipzig! Slides from some of the earliest sessions are available below, feel free to check them out…
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NOTE: Depending on the space available, only the registered participants of the MPI CBS will be informed of the openings.

Below are some slides from our Institute Yoga Winter sessions, 2023

Class 1 - Parichaya (INTRO)

20.10.2023

Slides © Abhay Koushik

Hearty Welcome To You All!

Thanks for joining me on this beautiful journey of YŌGA

I want to begin and end every class with one of the Sanskrit Hymns for Peace and Prosperity.

We start the Sanskrit Hymn with Ōm, let's take a deep breath and recite together...

For loosening the muscles and joints from head to toe

Since some of you are already familiar with yoga and might want to advance with postures, movements and breathwork, I will take this first class as the opportunity to speak a bit more than the other classes and give you the overview of Yoga as a practise and philosophy! Further, depending on your interests, I could briefly bring in the theory and philosophy as a small part in some of the future sessions.

"Yoga" literally means UNION in Sanskrit. It is one of the 6 main philosophies (darshanas) of Hinduism. By the way, I would like to point out that it would not be correct to classify 'Hinduism' as a religion given how diverse the philosophies and practises within the culture are. For a practical definition, it's a tradition that is practised in the ancient lands of Bhaarata (India).

But where exactly does this concept and philosophy come from?

The first sūtra clarifies that Yōga as a discipline was already in practice even before Sage Patanjali documented it into these aphorisms thousands of years ago. Just like how Grammar is to a Language arising much later than its usage, this official documentation is to Yoga as an already practised discipline thousands of years ago...

Yoga, the Union, means the Chitta (Mind), Vrutti (Fluctuations), Nirodhah (Cessation)

Chitta can be translated as the 'Mind' for simplicity.

Vrtti is translated as fluctuations and here ChittaVrtti are the thoughts of the mind; our cached memories, habits, behaviors, and mental fluctuations.

Yoga Sutra 1.2 explains that Yoga is the cessation of thoughts. Yoga is when our individual is in UNION with the universe. It is the state of union that is achieved when our thoughts reach a pause and we can clearly see our oneness with the (Universal) Consciousness. That mental pause is like when a turbulent lake finally becomes calm. Just like we can see through to the bottom of a lake when it is still, we can see the truth of who we are when our mind’s thoughts are still. In the same way that in deep sleep there are no thoughts and also there is no one thinking, in Samadhi (a state of intense concentration achieved through meditation) the meditator themselves disappears and merges with the object of their meditation. In Hinduism (the Indic culture) in India, yoga is regarded as the final stage at which union with the divine is reached.

I will first brief you about the compilation of Classical Yoga by Patanjali - he does so in 8 parts - AshTa means eight, Anga is parts/limbs. Thus, AshTaanga Yoga has 8 components namely:

1) Yamas - There are 5 components of Yamas

1) Niyama - There are 5 Niyamas - They are complementary to the Yamas

I would be happy to talk about these in more detail in my next classes based on your interests! But for now, I am just giving an overview of what the 8 limbs of Yoga are

Āsana like you might all know means the "posture" itself.

The names of all the postures in Yoga end with "Aasana". For example:

Bakaasana (The crane posture): Baka means crane, Āsana means posture

(Demonstrates bakasana and how it looks like the crane...)

Prānāyāma is the art of breath control or the practise of breath work. It consists of various types of breathing styles that optimize energy utility in our bodies.

Given how such a basic exchange of O2 and CO2 in our bodies happen as we inhale and exhale, the breath holds as prescribed in Prānāyāma are known to improve our lung capacities as the immediate effect of practise and moves us ultimately towards the most efficient ways of living

Pratyāhāra is drawing within one's awareness. It is a process of retracting the sensory experience from external objects.

Dhāranā (Sanskrit: धारणा) means concentration, introspective focus and one-pointedness of our minds

Dhyāna means "contemplation, reflection" and "profound, abstract meditation"

Samādhi means "putting together, joining, combining with, union, harmonious whole, trance" as the ultimate aim of Yoga

Āsana as the physical postures to move and hold, Prānāyāma as the practice of different styles of breathing and meditation (usually as dhārana in the place of dhyāna) are some of the most popular practises in Yoga studios around the world as you might have all heard or experienced

Why do Yoga?

WHO defines Health as the Physical, Mental & Social Well-being, I would also add Spiritual to 'Social' as that involves concepts beyond the individual.

Yoga then, addresses many aspects of each of these categories of health.

Talking about physical health, in India, Yoga has been used successfully for the management of Diabetes, Spine-associated problems such as neck-spondulitis, back-pain and even Hypothyroidism. As a lifestyle practise, it enables strengthening not only of the body but also of the mind. Aspects of yoga such as the breathing and meditation help in mental disorders such as Anxiety & Depression managment.

Talking about the social well-being it helps in realizing one-ness beyond the boundaries of religions and wars. Especially nowadays with wars around the world, there is more a need for the yogic perspective that encourage contentment, and fight away the hatred and resentment.

That said now, how do we implement this perspective and how do we begin?

At the level of the individual there is a need for a more balanced mind-body-spirit and some of the most beautiful aspects is connecting back to Nature. First, the Sun, the source of most immediate energy for all of us on this planet. Next class, we will be discussing and enacting a Yoga sequence called the Surya Namaskara or literally the "Sun salutation".

Before finishing up today's class, I'd like us to do a deep breathing (from the abdomen & diaphragm, not the shallow nose breathing) called Ujjayi. It's a type of Praanaayaama which involves equal proportions of inhalation and exhalation.

Take a deep breath in into the abdomen as it bloats, and then breathe out as the abdomen pulls in and diaphragm contracts. Notice the sound of the breath should come through the windpipe and not just the nostrils. Let us repeat it for more 10 times.... Slowly open your eyes

Before the class ends, i'll take this opportunity to enquire how you felt and what expectations you have for the upcoming sessions.

Yoga is continuing to be used in Hospitals for various ailments till this day, it is a Lifestyle specific way of combating diseases better, manage discomforts better, medicines act better and dependency to it reduces as we practise it more. I highly encourage you to practise multiple days a week even though as a time constraint we are bound to only fridays of the week. Looking forward to Surya Namaskaara next session.

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niraamayaah

Sarve BhadraaNi pashyantu

Maa Kashchid Duhkha bhaag Bhavet

Om Shaantih shaantih shaantih!

Hover over the slide to see what was said (transcript) during the Yoga sessions!

Class 2 - Sūrya Namaskāra

27.10.2023

Let’s begin with our Sanskrit Hymn for Peace and Prosperity from our previous class.

Let's take a deep breath and recite together...Om…

Now let’s loosen the muscles and joints from head to toe through Shithilikarana. Slow and steady rotations of joints - head - neck - spine - shoulder - wrists - elbows - hip - back - sides - knees - ankles

Let's get started with the breathing practise that we ended our last class on - Ujjaayi

From the abdomen - Expands on inhale and contracts on exhale - equal proportions

Feel free to start at your own comfortable counts but the idea is to keep it slow and deep

Now, Coming to Āsanas, like I said in the previous class, the word literally means Posture or Pose in Sanskrit.

And now with every yoga pose, there comes a word which describes it and has the suffix "Āsana"

For example:

Demos... Vrkshāsana it looks like a tree and now we peform the Ujjaayi (deep abdominal equi-breathing)

Similarly, Padmāsana is a sitting pose that makes the feet like the Padma (the Lotus) and then Shavāsana is another pose (Shava means the dead body) that is a lying down on the back in the most relaxing way

So today's session is about Sūrya Namaskāra which literally means the "Sun Salutation"

It is a sequence of 12 āsanas carried out dynamically each with a Sanskrit verse for saluting the Sun

Let's take a moment to inhale, close our eyes and imagine the Rising Sun in front of us

Namah means "to Salute" or "to Bow" so Namaha + Kaara becomes Namaskaara or the action of saluting = Salutation

Why bow down to the Sun?

Let's take a moment here to appreciate the Life everywhere within and around us - All life depends on the Energy from Sūrya! So many cultures across the history of humanity ground themselves by ritualistic worshipping of the Sun. It's no longer just a shining object in the sky. Sūrya is the Source of all energy.

The first of 12 is Mitra - literally means the one who affectionately binds in Sanskrit - A friend

Mitraaya (Dativ of Mitra in Sanskrit)

If I call you my Mitra it means you are my friend in Sanskrit and so also in many Indian languages. So Om Mitraaya namaha means - To my Friend, I bow

So it's important to look at Sun as the one who is our Friend

Now let's focus on the Ujjāyi breathing in this position, it is challenging but remember to breath deep and abdominal

3 breaths in and out...

The second - Ravi literally means the One who is the Cause of the Changes (Ravaye = Dativ of 'Ravi'), and Om Ravaye Namaha means to that One I bow

Here remember to stretch from your waist and not the upper back, so keep the back as straight as possible, no arching, and depending on your own current levels of flexibility and stability, hold the pose with Ujjāyi breathing (ideally thrice)

The third āsana is the single leg lunge with one foot between both the palms -

Here it is Sūrya - the word literally means the inducer of all activity - which the Sun is. (Dativ: Sūryaaya)

In this pose, feel the stretch between your thighs, front of the back leg and back of the front leg.

Next, Bhānu literally means the diffuser of Light (Dativ: Bhānave).

It's an Asana similar to holding a plank, make sure the core is tight and fully loose in this posture.

It is challenging to do Ujjāyi in this position but try to keep it slow and deep

Next, the relaxing Child's pose with Khaga literally meaning the one who moves in the Sky (root word Kha=Sky, Ga=To move) so Khagaaya (Dativ of Khaga) namaha is to recognize that dynamic aspect of the Sun in our skies

Here feel the abdomen stretch against your thighs and relax back as you perfom deep Ujjāyi breaths

Next, Pushan literally means the one who nourishes (Dativ: Pushne)

This posture is called Sa-ashTānga-namaskaara (Sa = with, ashTa = eight, anga = part), the salutation with the 8 parts of our body.

They are respectively 2 feet (toes), 2 knees, 2 palms, chest and chin. Notice that our abdomen is lifted and doesn't touch the ground.

Let's do some Ujjaayi's here

Next is Bhujanga āsana the cobra pose, here there are variations where you can keep your abdomen still on ground and lift only the upper body up and hold to make it tougher.

Om Hiranya-Garbhaaya namah

Hiranya is Golden, Garbha is womb (Dativ: Hiranyagarbhaaya) - Salutations to the One with the Golden Womb!

Marīchi literally means the ray of light (Dativ: Marīchaye).

It is the downward facing dog pose (adhōmukhashvānāsana)

I will get to the names of these poses in details next class so that you understand the words and the pose better. But for now it is about making a mountain like pose with your hip up and face down.

Feel free to stretch your legs one by one as though you are walking and then hold the pose for 3 Ujjāyis

From now on, the poses repeat in a reverse sequence, back to the child's pose.

The word Āditya (Dativ: Ādityāya) comes from the word Aditi (meaning boundless), so the one who comes from the boundless (Universe).

Savitr means the Producer (Dativ: Savitre), this is back to the single leg-lunge but now with the other leg followed by Ujjāyis

Arka means the one who is fit to be worshipped (Dativ: Arkāya)

It's the pose where we bend from our hip waist, with a straight back again depending on our current levels of flexibility and stability.

Bhāskara (Bhaa - Light, Kara - Doer/Creator), so Bhāskaraaya (Dativ) namaha is the way to Salute the ultimate source of light for all Life on Our Planet.

Also fun fact: The Sanskrit Word for India is Bhaarata - The Spreader (rata) of Light (Bhaa).

Its the upward stretch done with Ujjāyis

That comes to the full sequence of Sūrya Namaskaara

Now we repeat it, each time with a different leg lunge in the start - the prescibed amount is a total of 12 times of the whole sequence

I do this every morning as soon as I wake up with an empty stomach. I would strongly encourage us all to practise this every day! Flexibility and stability of the poses will then gradually increase, these two aspects majorly depend on the consistency of the practise rather doing it one time and stretching our muscles over with pain. It hardly takes 10 - 15 minutes to do the whole sequence 12 times if we do the sequence with one full breath in each pose

It would be good to practise atleast one full Ujjaayi breathing in all these poses in the beginning

Next class, we'll pick the pace of the Surya namaskaara up, I will go into the details of the āsana names in the sequence. To conclude today's session, Let's come together, join our hands and recite -

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niraamayaah

Sarve BhadraaNi pashyantu

Maa Kashchid Duhkha bhaag Bhavet

Om Shaantih shaantih shaantih!

Class 3 - Āsana & Sūrya Namaskāra

03.11.2023

Good morning everyone! Let’s begin with our Shānti mantra

Warm-up: Rotations & Stretches (Head-to-Toe)

Here we go to our first Aasana as a stabilizing posture: Vrksha means ‘Tree’ so a tree pose to hold.

First let’s bring our leg up, fix the foot right below the crotch and slowly get our palms together into a namaskāra. Once we stabilize and can breathe slowly, we move our namaskāra up like the one you see to the right of our slide. Here the important part is Ujjãyi deep abdominal breathing that we learnt in our previous class. 3 times.. and slowly arms and leg down. Now the other leg… 3 Ujjayi breaths - this is a challenging pose to hold!

What helps is to focus our vision on one stable point straight ahead. And over time and practise, this pose gets easier and we become more stable…

Next, TrikōNa. Tri is three in Sanskrit and KōNa is angle, so a triangular pose. Slowly stretch the legs and arms apart and bend to one side from the waist, not the upper back. Maintain a single line from the side, not to bend forward or backward. Feel the stretch along the side and now look up at your upward palm and stabilize for 3 ujjayi breaths. Breathe in and out…

Here the trick is the word Parivrtta or the twist (turned around, rotated around). So we stretch our legs and arms similar to TrikōNāsana but now instead of bending on the same side, we bend to reach out the opposite leg and stabilize as we look up on the upward palm from the twisted angle - Three deep ujjāyi abdominal breaths here…

Now to Sūrya Namaskāra as we learnt in our previous class. Here I also state the names of the yoga postures for easier reference. We maintain one long breath in each pose. Today we have the morning Sun with us, so we don’t need to close our eyes and imagine but feel the shine on us :D

A salute…

To our friend…

Ūrdhva means up(ward) and hasta is hand, so this is upward-hand-āsana

To the one who brings about change…

Paada is foot, hasta is hand so Pāda hastãsana - remember to bend from the waist down and back straight if possible, one ujjāyi here

To the one who initiates All Activity…

Ashva is a horse, and Sanchalana is to move.. in a way a forward lunge to run or before-the-horse-starts-moving-pose… feel the stretch between the thighs and a deep breath.

To the One who diffuses Light…

Chaturanga danDāsana - Chatuh is 4, Anga is limbs, danDa is stick so 2 arms and 2 legged plank

To the one who moves in the Sky…

Shasha means a rabbit, and Anka is mark so Shashaanka is very interestingly the Moon (so in a way that light from the Moon is also that from the Sun).. One ujjaayi to relax

To the One who nourishes…

Sa - ashTa - anga is with 8 limbs (parts of the body - 2 feet, 2 palms, 2 knees, 1 chest and 1 chin) So this is the ultimate form of bowing down in a way to negate our egos and submit our full body

SāshTāngaNamaskāra

To the one with the Golden Womb…

Bhujanga is a snake, a cobra lifting its head and so the pose… Hold the abdomen down here unlike the previous pose, lift and feel the muscles in the upper back activated

To the one with the Ray of Light…

Adho is downward, mukha is face, shvāna is dog and hence the downward facing dog

To the one who is the Derivative of the Boundless (Aditi) - Diti is boundary or limit, Aditi is boundless (Adding ‘a’ as a prefix makes the opposite of a meaning in Sanskrit just like my name - Bhaya is fear and Abhaya means fearless). And now we have the Goddess Aditi the Boundless Universe, and the Āditya is Her Son (the Sun)

Back to Shashaankaasana

To the One who produces everything…

Back to the Equestrian pose… horse lunge but with the other leg

To the One who is fit to be Worshipped

Back to Paada hastaasana

To the One who makes and shines the Light…

Back to the upward hands pose

Now we repeat this to make it more continous and smoother - we chant a mantra and do the entire set of Sūrya Namaskāra - So 12 mantras - 12 times this time we can even do half a breath.

For each of the Aasanas as the following: Om Mitraaya namah

Ūrdhva hastaasana (Inhale)

Paada hastaasana (Exhale)

Ashva sanchalanāsana (Inhale)

Chaturanga danDaasana (Exhale)

Shashaankāsana (Inhale and Exhale)

SāshTaangaNamaskāra (Exhale & Hold the Breath)

Bhujangāsana (Inhale)

Adhomukhashvānāsana (Exhale)

Shashānkāsana (Inhale and Exhale)

Ashvasanchalanāsana (Inhale)

Pādahastāsna (Exhale)

Ūrdhvahastāsna (Inhale)… Now

Om Ravaye namah. and repeat and so on…

Let’s do few deep Ujjayee breathings to relax… Deep and abdominal with equi inhales and exhales

How was it? Practise Sūrya Namaskāra every day in the morning for a better body, mind and spirit ;) Thank you!

Let’s complete today’s class with our Shānti mantra…