Reviving The Authentic Practice of Yoga & Tai Chi
Experience these time-honored modalities as they were meant to be practiced
We created a Yoga, Meditation, and Tai-Chi practice out of our passion for wellness and an ancient, eastern heritage for healing and self-development. Driven not by western gym and marketing trends, but a desire to create an authentic practice, we have had the luxury to bring these practices to the west in their true form. And our community of practitioners share the benefits of this luxury.
In our desire to share the benefits of these modalities, we found many in the community who had been led astray by buzz words and marketing gimmicks that had little-to-nothing to do with these practices. From corporate gyms to individuals who've tried to monetize and privatize the practice, few have stayed loyal to the cause.
A lot has been lost behind marketing gimmicks and buzz words noise, but those who are dedicated know the essence of these practices is not how much you sweat, or how many calories you might burn, but it is about self-alignment, growth, and empowerment.
The most essential (and overlooked) aspects of Yoga, Meditation, & Tai Chi
Two concepts least explored, yet (in our opinion), the most crucial to an authentic practice are the concepts of PRANA and SAVASANA. Without a strong focus and emphasis on these two, much benefit of Yoga, Meditation, and Tai Chi is lost, undermining their true intent, and rendering them as just another workout routine.
In an effort revive the authentic practice, we take great pride and joy in sharing the concepts ofPRANA and SAVASANA, one practitioner at a time. Let's explore:
Prana
Simply put, Prana is life-force, or, life itself. It cannot be detected or measured because it is all around us. The word prana can be broken into its Sanskrit roots, pra which means ‘prior’ or ‘to have previous existence’, and ana, which refers to a singular element, most basic unit, which lies at the very foundation of everything. In this sense, the word prana literally implies that which is the ‘precursor of’ or ‘prerequisite for’ manifestation or material life.
Being connected, and imbued with Prana is what enables us to live life to it's fullest potential and to manifest a supremacy of life in our day-to-day. While there might be various ways to connect to Prana, it is deep, conscious, and 'aware' breathing that connects Humans to Prana. Breathing in this way is a channel or a gateway, and NOT Prana itself. I.K. Taimni, in “The Science of Yoga,” makes a good distinction between the breath and prana, and also points out an important connection.
Hence, the intent of Yoga, Meditation, and Tai chi is not a 'work out' or exercise, but to revitalize oneself of Prana—the life force. Through regular practice one can store and flow an infinite amount of Prana. This store and flow of Prana radiates as strength, vitality, vigor, joy, balance, and wellness to all those who come into contact with a Yogi. Just as water flows from one vessel to another, prana actually flows like a steady current from a developed yogi towards their intentions.
Practice of these modalities at AuM is designed so we can harness greater degrees of awareness and channel Prana into whatever form of joy we wish to manifest.
Savasana
Much emphasis is placed on the physical and strenuous aspects of Yoga, and less on SAVASANA. Savasana is performed at the end of a routine where the yogi lays flat on the ground, facing up, arms to their side. A common misconception is that this is a 'cool down' phase of the 'work out' routine, stemming from western gyms. On the contrary, this is the 'deep integration' phase of harnessing Prana. This is where the real benefit of Yoga is derived, when Prana is infused and integrated into every cell and atom of the body. However, this is often over looked by gyms that wish to minimize time spent in 'savasana', and maximize the number of class rotations in a given day.
Seeing through the lens of 'exercise' and 'work-out', the importance of this important integration technique can be easily lost at Yoga gyms that lack the proper foundation and understanding. This inadvertent loss of Prana can be likened to pouring water in a bucket with a hole at the bottom. But deeper understanding of Yoga illustrates that Prana flows and pulsates through our bodies via “nadis” or “meridians”. These highways of energy can often become blocked, stagnated, over-stimulated, or simply imbalanced. When this occurs, toxins are produced and disease settles into the body. Not to mention, the over depletion of essential life force over time.
One way to understand this integration is to think of young children who are full life vitality and vigor (Prana), and they take 'naps' to integrate and refresh their Prana. However, as adults, we tend to loose this most natural way of tapping into Prana, hence we need an authentic Yoga, Meditation, or Tai Chi practice to help us ascend to higher levels life-force.
