Karma Yoga
Yoga: Theory, Culture, and Practice
Professor Douglass
Rachel Glickman
October 21, 2012
When I was deciding on a location for my midterm project for
Yoga, my first choice was Open Door Yoga. When I went to find out more about
the Open Door studio, I found that the Harvard Sq. location has since been closed.
I then went to look at the other suggestions on the assignment sheet and found
Karma Yoga, which is located in Harvard Square. It was an easy walk for me as I
know my way around Harvard Sq. well enough that it would not be stressful
finding the location. There were a lot of classes to choose from and I based my
choice on time of day and having it work with my course schedule. I decided
that since I had not taken a yoga class in a very long time that a beginner’s
level vinyasa flow class, which included all levels, was the best way to ease
back into practice. This is a description of the class that I took.”
Fundamentals of Flow
(Vinyasa): This class is great for those new
to yoga who have always wanted to try vinyasa flow yoga classes but were not
sure where to begin or needed a slower pace. This class is appropriate for
students new to yoga as well as for more seasoned practitioners who want to
refine their technique and refresh their understanding of the fundamentals.
Through mindful work and attention to the breath, students will learn safe
alignment in basic postures and sun salutations. Students will build strength,
flexibility, balance, and awareness to prepare to enter more advanced classes
safely. Classes incorporate poses (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama), and
guided meditation.”
The instructor who taught the class was named Rachel Arnold. She
reminded me of a teacher that I had taken yoga from in the past and this was
important to because this teacher from my past was someone who I was very fond
of and she was the person who really helped me see yoga for what it was. Yoga
is an individual practice and is not something that is competitive. This
connection that I felt helped me set a
good intention for the class. It also helped me feel comfortable in the
environment. Her knowledge was vast and
she brought good energy to the class. She
teaches a creative and energetic vinyasa flow class that combines movement with
breath, expression, and a bit of humor. She likes the physical aspects of
vinyasa and the alignment of this particular teaching style, but also how each
teacher can add their own variation to the class. She graduated from the
200-hour Yoga of Energy Flow Teacher Training and has also taken a variety of
master classes and workshops. Rachel has been teaching yoga for four
and a half years. She has been at Karma Yoga for two and a half years. Rachel
first became interested in yoga as a way to relieve her performance anxiety.
When I saw Rachel, the teacher, walk through the door of the
studio I was not sure what to expect. Her physical appearance was quite
interesting in that her hair was twisted up and she wore eye makeup and unique
socks. She was not at all like other yoga instructors that I had seen in the
past. Initially, I was unsure if I was going to like the class because I was in
a new environment and I had not practiced yoga in a long time. I felt like I
was taking a risk by putting myself emotionally and physical out there. Due to
this vulnerability I felt like taking a beginners class was the best choice for
me as it did not put any pressure on myself. My fellow class seemed comfortable
and highly engaged and that made me feel at ease and more apt to actively
participating in the class.
The instructor introduced
herself at the beginning of the class and then asked people she did not know
what their names were and to detail their past experiences with yoga and any
injuries or difficulties they might have. I had a conversation with the
structure about who I was and my past experiences and of course, since us both
have the same, we chatted about the preferred spelling of our names. She
continued to go around the room and familiarize herself with other newcomers. She
was mellow, open, and really wanting this class to be an individual experience
for everyone in the studio.
My favorite part of the class was when she mentioned Yoga
Magazine and how even if you could not be as flexible as people in the
publication that your experience was still meaningful and productive. American
yoga culture in general, I feel, emphases a club or exclusivity factor in that
you have to have all the right gear, outfits, body type, and attitude. It
promotes a women-centered ideology of holistic health. The cover of the
magazine portrayed very high level poses and very toned women, which to me,
didn’t speak to me as something I could realistically achieve. I feel like
there is a sexualization of women in American yoga because of marketing and
brand advertisement.
For example, when walking into a Lulu lemon store all of their
clothing is super tight and definitely highlights people’s insecurity with
their bodies and body image. The commercialization of yoga in America has
really changed the way people feel about yoga being an individual journey versus
an athletic training or experience. I feel like all people who try yoga should
be able to enjoy it and learn as opposed to feeling pressured to doing the
poses perfectly or comparing themselves to higher level students.
Karma Yoga is an independent holistic fitness
studio which also includes a full-service, state-of-the-art gym and an organic
tea cafe. They believe
that choice, personal attention, and a beautiful, healing environment are
essential to the health and well-being of all. They were founded on and committed to the belief that compassion
and non-violence are the indispensable components of progressive individual and
social change. They work to create a better world
through the support of human, animal, and environmental welfare issues. They
aspire to
help you transform the body, clear and refresh the mind, and enlighten the
spirit.
I have been to many different yoga classes that had been taught
by both men and women, in hot spaces vs. no heat, and in different places
around the country. I have not done a yoga class, besides the practice we do in
the course at Lesley. I figured it would hurt but at the same time I felt that
I should embrace whatever my intention for the class would be and just say yes.
This was something often uttered by Rachel throughout the class. She would
always say, “Say yes!” and whatever that meant to us during out practice.
When I approached the building and walked in my immediate
thought was that it reminded me of my mom, there was soothing music playing in
the background. The space was flooded with natural light and it had an organic
feeling. I walked around and felt that I was not out of my league. The space where the class was intimate, I got
there early and set up my mat and started to stretch and observed the people
that walked in. The environment was very welcoming and I felt that I could see
myself growing in my yoga practice here. Even reading the website before I went
made me feel accepted and comfortable with the studio. It is important for me
to feel safe or valued in my yoga environment because it allows me to really
open up and connect to myself and other people in the class. I feel you really
have to have an open mind and desire to be mentally present in the class and
others are affected by the mental state.
Karma Yoga had a neighborhood vibe. All the people who were attending
the class were either college students or people who worked in Cambridge. There was a wide range of age and skill which
was a relief because I always found that going to a yoga class where everyone
knows what they are doing can be quite intimidating. I met one of the attendees
while we were waiting for the teacher to arrive. I was sitting around with my
notebook writing down observations and feelings and she asked what I was doing.
I told her I was here for a course I was taking a Lesley. We started chatting
and I found out that she was here on a friend’s recommendation and had found
she really liked Karma Yoga. She told me
that she really liked this specific class, but that the other teachers were
also quite skilled and that I should check out other classes as well. I asked
her how long she had been practicing yoga and she said about four months. Later
in the class I observed her skills which were quite impressive.
I found myself wanting to be that, wanting to be flexible and
comfortable in my own skin. I know what it takes to achieve that goal and am hoping
to work towards it slowly and with care. In the past I have struggled with my
weight, my confidence, and connecting my mind and body to each other. I think
that yoga is a way to help me consistently remind myself of whom I am and why I
want to push myself further in life. I believe that I have found a teacher that
really understands this and I feel like I want to give myself the chance to
feel the benefits of going to a yoga class regularly. I want to have yoga be a
part of my holistic health. I believe the benefits of yoga will really help me
achieve my goal of strengthening my body and soul.
After I was done taking the class, I began reflecting on past
experiences. When I was in this course
before, I had decided that I had wanted a more athletic approach to a yoga
practice. I had picked Baptiste Yoga, which is a studio geared towards hot
yoga. When I went there I was intimidated because everyone around me young or
old were in fantastic shape. I was glad
that this time around I choose a more holistic approach. I found that because yoga has been in and out
of my life for the past few years or so, that I have developed a love hate relationship with it. Right now I
can say that it is more love then hate. I can definitely attribute that wanting
to step outside of my comfort zone and really reap all the benefits that yoga
has to offer. I have always found it a
challenge to connect with my mind and body while taking a yoga class. However
instead of walking in with firm feelings about yoga, I am trying to wipe my
slate clean and just be in the moment.
This is my second time taking Yoga Theory Practice and Culture.
The first time my discomfort outweighed my ability to try and see the benefits
of how it. I withdrew from the course. This time around I am really trying to
put my best foot forward and have an open mind when it comes to the course and
taking yoga classes in general.
In Yoga Theory Practice and Culture we have discussed
meditation. Specifically we have discussed the teachings of J. Krishnamurti. He
talks about find the light in oneself through the process of meditation.
Through the reading I understood his words to mean that you cannot learn how to
meditate from another person. To truly be able to mediate you need to free
yourself from authority and open your mind to new experiences. I find that at the end of a yoga class there
is time left over for Savasana, or corpse pose where you lie down and allow
your mind and body to relax.
I find savasana to be a challenge. Now the pose itself is easy.
Just lie down and let your body relax, that is the easy part. The hard part is
allowing your mind to quiet down. I also try not to fall asleep during this
section of the practice. When I was first introduced to savasana, I did fall
asleep. However, sleeping is not meditative.
In the Hatha Yoga
Pradipika, shavasana is described, “ as a practice for developing body
awareness and pratyahara. When the body is completely relaxed, awareness of the
mind develops” (muktibodhananda 99). Shavasana is known as a simple practice,
but for most people to completely relax is almost impossible. However, as I
have been in this course this time around I have made a conscious effort to not
fall asleep during shavasana. I try to maintain an awareness of my breath and
although my eyes are closed I try not letting myself relax to the point of
sleep.
As I have emphasized throughout this paper and I not a stranger
to yoga, and this course. Because this is my second time taking the course I am
seizing this opportunity as chance to create a new and better relationship with
yoga. We may not see eye to eye but at least this time I know what to expect. I
have also grown a lot since the last time I had taken this course and find that
I am less anxious about the other students in the class and their experience
and just focused on my own journey through this course. I know I have already
learned more and am keeping an open mind about the future of this course.
Works Cited
Muktibodhananda, S. (1998). Hatha
yoga pradipika. New Delhi: Thomson Press (Inida).
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