 Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash Just where you are – that’s the place to start. - Pema Chodron This blog post is part of our Yoga Sutras series. Want to start at the beginning? Each year, I will select Sutras from the four, successive Padas. Although every one of the 196 Sutras could lead a person to transcendence, I will be limited to 43. In these 43 Sutras, I will attempt to cover most of the important themes within the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as a whole, by referring to other important Sutras within the discussion. I invite you on this exploration with me. To discover the heart of yoga: what yoga is and how to master it. Sutra 1.1 - अथ योगानुशासनम् - Atha Yoga Anuśāsanam - Now Is the Guide for Yoga
The reason the Yoga Sutras take a lifetime (or even longer!) to understand fully is that many of the Sanskrit words contain multiple meanings. The richness of this approach means both that the essence of Yoga is expressed as succinctly as possible and that the process of understanding their meaning is the path toward Yoga itself. In that way, the Yoga Sutras are both philosophy and instructions (Satchidananda, 23); they give both the why and how in one breath. To truly understand a Sutra, the student must devote successive readings to it. There is an unfurling process, as the student deciphers its meaning over time in conjunction with the student’s lived experience. This is why the aphorism, “when the student is ready, the teacher appears,” also applies to the Yoga Sutras. The lessons to be learned from this text develop in the student’s mind over time, finally becoming fixed when life gives the aspirant a chance to practice and then comprehend their meaning. So let’s start on the most surface level - the literal meaning of the Sanskrit words - and then delve deeper.
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 Photo by Motoki Tonn on Unsplash If there were a little more silence, if we all kept quiet...maybe we could understand something. - Federico Fellini This blog post is part of our Yoga Sutras series. Each year, I will select Sutras from the four, successive Padas (with January's - February this year - dedicated to an introduction to a specific Pada). Although every one of the 196 Sutras could lead a person to transcendence, I will be limited to 43. In these 43 Sutras, I will attempt to cover most of the important themes within the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as a whole, by referring to other important Sutras within the discussion. I invite you on this exploration with me. To discover the heart of yoga: what yoga is and how to master it. In 2023, we will cover Pada One. The first Pada is for Patanjali’s most advanced students (Stiles, xvi), intended for “those who are already highly evolved to enable them to maintain their advanced state.” (Iyengar, 4).
But in Patanjali’s brilliance, this Pada also serves as a sort of introduction to Raja Yoga. Specifically, why practice yoga? What benefits develop from steady, continued yoga practice? And generally, how to get there?  Photo by Slashio Photography on Unsplash Within the space of these two hundred short sutras, the entire science of Yoga is clearly delineated. - Sri Swami Satchidananda This month, I begin a daunting, multi-year project outlining key Sutras from the original yogi guidebook, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. I don't pretend to be a Yoga Sutras expert, especially after reading commentary from some of the great translators and interpreters who have tackled this approach to yoga philosophy. And this project won't be able to comprehensively explain all 196 Sutras of Patanjali's explanation of yoga, even over the course of four years.
In the past, we’ve hosted Yoga Sutra book clubs, which produce rich discussions arising from our common understanding of the ideas Patanjali expounds. These discussions have inspired me in this effort. It is amazing that although the Sutras were written centuries ago, the ideas are so universal that they always resonate as contemporary. I also take inspiration from the dharma talks my teacher, Sonia Sumar, has led on these Sutras. Although we often return to a Sutra repeatedly in these talks, each new group of students brings its own perspective and illuminates the often dense and esoteric knowledge contained within the terse threads of wisdom. Since we have plenty of blog posts for those just getting started practicing yoga (Our Approach to Teaching Yoga to Beginners, The Beginner's Mind, and Meditation for Beginners), I thought it was time to dive into the more philosophical components of our beloved practice of Patanjali’s yoga for those students advancing. Studying these Sutras clearly shows that our role as yogis is much more than attaining mere physical fitness. Our goal as advanced practitioners of yoga is spiritual fitness. I enter this discussion humbly, as a student myself, and welcome your comments and insights throughout this process. If you enter your thoughts as comments below each post, we are all benefitted by your experience and the project will be enriched.  Photo by OPPO Find X5 Pro on Unsplash No matter how foolish your deeds, those who love you will love you still. - Sophocles Those of you who know me (or have just been avid readers of our blog), know that this year was very special for my family, as we welcomed the birth of my son this spring. So I’ve had a lot of time to think about what it means to create a yogic family and home environment.
This applies to us all, whether or not we have children and whether our family is biological or chosen. The way we set up our family and home environment has a profound impact on our sense of security and well-being. In a way, setting up a yoga family and a yoga home, nurtures our own inner child as well. If you’ve ever attended a class at our studio before, you know how precisely we care for the space. It is tidy and uncluttered (okay, at least most of the time…) We aim to create an environment that is conducive to the inner work that yoga does: creating security, peace, and a space for contemplation. In setting our physical space up this way, it is our goal to attract and retain people who have similar values. In that way, we collect a community that can support one another and lift each other up. It is no surprise that some of our closest friendships have developed in this space. None of us are able to be at a yoga studio all the time. In fact, this year I was unable to be at the studio as much as I am used to, being so tied up in my new familial obligations and joys. So it makes sense that we consciously curate a space at our home that works in tandem with our time spent in reprieve at our hOMe away from home. Here are some ways I have been working to create the same stability and quiet I find at Five Keys Yoga, when I am away.  Photo by Amauri Mejía on Unsplash The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. - Carl Jung The relationship between the yoga student and their teacher is the key to transformation - both for the student and the teacher. The student is transformed by the gentle care and attention from their teacher. The teacher is transformed by the curiosity and individual needs of their student. If the fit is right, both grow as a result.
Finding the right teacher can take time. Personally, I was a student of yoga for several years before I found the person I consider my Guru. My teacher was a student of yoga for decades before she found her Guru. You don’t need to find your guru to progress in yoga. In fact, the true guru for us is within each of us. However, it does help to find someone you connect with well, if you want to deepen your yoga practice. For some, this may take the form of a private yoga teacher. Others do just fine in a group environment. For those of us who are looking for a little more personal attention, finding the right private yoga teacher can be the difference between a haphazard commitment to practice and the development of a lifelong understanding of how to live in yoga. In service of this, I offer five tips to consider when selecting a private yoga teacher or Yoga Therapist. Even if you’re not looking for a private yoga teacher, this list may help you identify a group teacher you feel comfortable working with.  Sara Haynes What brought you to yoga? I was struggling with my mental and emotional well being for a variety of reasons back in 2013. I was looking in the mirror, struggling to find ways to properly care for myself. A dear friend of mine brought me to her local yoga studio, and the rest is history. I fell in love with the asanas and experienced a practice of self-connection that I hadn’t felt before. What is your approach to teaching? For me less is more. It is not often that we give ourselves the opportunity to sit in stillness and connect, so I hope every person who comes to their mat feels encouraged to do just that. Why did you choose to teach at 5KY? 5KY is an environment of warmth and inclusivity, for everyone a part of the community. Their mission to support any and all students regardless of age or ability, deeply aligns with my yoga beliefs as well. What makes your soul sing? Connecting with nature and being around those that I feel fully safe and myself with. Nothing is more nourishing than connection to the ground underneath me and being with the ones I love around me. You can find Sara at 5KY on Thursdays at 7:30 PM.
 Your true home is in the here and the now. - Thich Nhat Hanh As long-time practitioners, sometimes we take for granted the unspoken niceties and mores of taking a yoga class in a studio. I write this guide not as a way to shame anyone not aware of common points of yoga etiquette but to help those who, like me, feel anxious going into a new place for the first time. In this way, we can help both ourselves and others be present during class at a yoga studio.
I hope that these tips will help you feel empowered to enter any yoga studio with confidence.  Rachel Aseltine What brought you to yoga? I became interested in yoga in college after seeing some friends of mine practicing crow pose on campus. It looked so cool and effortless! I still aspire to make crow pose look cool and effortless. It’s a journey! What is your approach to teaching? I want to teach yoga in an accessible way, through a trauma-sensitive lens. I want my students to feel safe and empowered to connect with their body through movement and breath. I hope to foster that connection in any class that I teach. Why did you choose to teach at 5KY? I found Five Keys Yoga when I was looking at yoga studios on the north side of Chicago. I was immediately drawn to the studio’s focus on folks with special needs. When I read “Yes, you can do yoga!” on the website, I knew I was home! That is exactly the message that I want to tell every person that I meet! What makes your soul sing? I love to be in nature. Feeling fresh air, listening to water as it moves, watching the light filter through the leaves of a tree - these simple things always leave me in awe of all creation. They help me feel connected to myself and to this earth, and they truly make my soul sing. You can find Rachel at 5KY on Fridays at 5:30 PM.
 Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. - Aristotle If you want to learn yoga, you might start out (as I did) looking up yoga poses online, getting a book on yoga, or even attending a class for beginners. A few decades ago, it might have been difficult to find a yoga class nearby and so, whatever kind of class you found, well…that’s what you got.
These days, there are so many options, the problem is now one of overwhelm. “Which kind of yoga should I do?” “How should I start practicing yoga?” “What is the best kind of yoga for me?” are all questions that arise from beginners approaching our studio. The truth is, do whatever kind of yoga makes you feel best and that you can do consistently. As I mentioned, I started practicing yoga with poses I found online and in books. Eventually, my curiosity brought me to classes. Finally, I met my guru, who has taught me what yoga is really about. The process unfolded naturally over time. With kids of all ages returning to school, we are reminded of the importance of continual learning and education. One of the things we love most at 5KY is bringing yoga into schools. Although what the kids learn in their classrooms about math, literature, history, and science is essential, yoga brings an education on something slightly different. Whereas our schools educate our children’s bodies and minds, yoga nurtures their hearts. This is why bringing yoga into the classroom is so important. Yoga for children is not a type of play but a true education. In the method we use, we are not simply teaching our kids cute animal poses or telling a story with yoga poses interspersed. When taught correctly, this method of children’s yoga is a serious practice that can teach children how to calm themselves, regulate their emotions, and tune into the messages that their body, heart, and mind transmit. It works on all aspects of the child. Not just the physical or even mental aspects, but their spirit - their heart - as well. We are starting to understand that it is not just the IQ that matters. There are multiple types of intelligence that we ought to be developing. Yoga works the mind and body, yes. But it disciplines the body to be calm and the mind to be silent, so that the heart can speak. When we teach our kids emotional intelligence - empathy, compassion, wisdom - we prepare them to live in a world filled with other beings and all the joys and challenges inherent in that. This world, rich with the experiences of loving others, is what I want to prepare my child for. But we have all been children before and retain (deeply buried as it may be) some of that childlike wonder and vulnerability. Yoga is a gift to that inner child, as it nurtures the emotional intelligence that this world so desperately needs. So I’d like to give a different kind of primer on yoga. Not one like I sought out when I first began; full of flashy poses and not much substance. I’d like to suggest some tips for the beginner that I wish I would have received when I started practicing yoga. This is a primer for beginners on the heart of yoga.  Marjorie Gast
You can find Marjorie at 5KY on Mondays & Tuesdays at 7:30 PM.
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Five Keys Yoga, LLC ∙ 1818 W. Belmont Ave. ∙ Chicago, IL 60657 ∙ (773) 857-1763 ∙ namaste@5keysyoga.com