Religious Significance to Yoga

I wanted to address the question "is there any religious significance to yoga."
To people who think they should do yoga just for the sake of exercise, I feel is like saying "pray namaz just because it's fard."

Unfortunately many Muslims do pray namaz just for show, or to fulfill a requirement for access to jannah. Before I confuse anyone, let me say that after learning the philosophy behind yoga, my namaz has become longer and longer and longer....because I finally realize the ultimate purpose of namaz....and yes, YOGA TAUGHT ME THAT!

First let me show you the similarities in surya namaskar and namaz (and also the medical reasons why staying in each pose is so important)

1. Tadasana--we open our heart, spine erect ready for the practice ahead.
1. Qiyyam-- we stand erect hands on our navel (an energy powerhouse btw), and with Allah u Akber, try to leave worldly thoughts behind.

2. Uttanasana-- spine is inverted, head close to knees, and in Uttanasana variation, spine is exactly parallel to floor, so the spinal fluids travel from the base to the brain.
2. Ruku-- spine is straight, parallel to floor, we stay here for 3, 9, or 11 tasbeehahs

3. Ardha sirsasana--Knees on floor, raising the tail bone, the forehead on the ground, weight pressing on the peneal gland (third eye) releasing seratonin that " affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions (wiki)". This pose is preparationg to Sirsasana, also known as King of Yoga poses.
3.Sajood--Knees on floor, raising the tail bone, forehead is laid to the ground, we stay here for 3, 7, or 11 tasbeehats.

4. Vajrasana--a sitting pose, sitting on heels, toes touching each other, knees together. Meditation is done in this pose along with utilizing several mudras (juxtaposition of fingers in hands)
4.Tassahud--sitting on heels, recite Attahayat, and at Asshaduanna Ilaha Il-Allah!" raising right fore finger.

Now on to the religious significance of yoga: According to Patanjali, yoga is a way to separate the Apparant, from the Reality. His words were further interpreted to "the world from the One Conscious Being or Supreme Being" that is Allah!

We are so immensly lucky that namaz gives us that opportunity to shut out our worldly throughts and think ONLY OF ALLAH! 5 TIMES A DAY! However, how many of us are so hung up on world to do that?

There IS a religious significance to yoga but it's not applicable only to hinduism. It applies to every.single.religion. There are so many rivayat about Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) staying in sajood for so long that his wives would think he has passed away. He was only meditating, and in the process of meditation, often receiving wahi from Allah subhana watallah.

Did anyone ever wonder why we open our hands to face palms up when making dua? There are two extensions of the heart chakra (powerhouse) in our palms. So literally we're opening our heart to Allah, and showing Him our desires.

May Allah subhana wata-allah help us find Him in this world and in the Hereafter. Ameen.

Yoga and Salat

When I first started taking classes in Yoga Philosophy, I felt like I was going to be dragged through mucky confusion. Instead, it opened my eyes and appreciate namaz (salat) in a way nobody else could teach me.

There are opposing views on whether yoga is healthy for Muslims to practice, just like there are conflicting views on everything else. If there is one lesson I could write in stone for my children it would be this "Not even solid science can convince someone who has already made up his/her mind one way."

But a yogini can try, can't she?

Patanjali, or the source book for yoga philosophy begins with the words "This is the beginning of instruction in yoga." One of the commentators defined the use of yoga as "an effort to separate the Reality from the Apparant."

To Muslims, this world is but a dream. Yet, we count so much on waking up every next day and running all our life as if life in this world is the end all. We as Muslims claim we believe in the life Hereafter and then worry about how much money we've accumulated in the savings deposit. What grades am I getting and O.M.G. I hope I get into Columbia! Students in Pakistan and India commit suicides over low matriculation grades. We tend to get depressed when our teams lose the cricket match. Why are we so stuck in the Apparant?

The reason we pray salat, and try so hard to not think about the world while we're praying, Is so we can separate Allah from our worldly thoughts. The second verse of Patanjali translates to "Yoga is the control of the thought waves in the mind."

I don't see the difference in saying Allah u Akbar and reciting Quran to silence the crash of unnecessary thoughts in our minds, to willfully, mindfully silencing the thoughts in meditation and concentrate on being mesmerized by the breath, the air, the body He blessed us with. SUBHAN ALLAH!

And Allah knows best.

Prenatal Yoga Workshop group pic is in!

I'm really interested in hearing theories as to the orb above my head.

A sneak peak into my fun yoga training

This has to be the coolest way to get into hand-stand preparation AND give your partner a lower back massage at the same time. Dylan and Cheimi volunteered for the partner balance, while I politely deferred to doing my hand stands against a wall.

The Ayurvedic explanation of my cough

I started coughing a week ago.

Mr. Oz thinks it's because I've been drinking cold water.

Mother Anchari Devdasi (yoga philosophy teacher) thinks I may be holding my words back.

I think I need to speak up about the similarities between Yoga and Islam I've been discovering.

Mr. Oz thinks I'll get killed if I do.

*cough cough cough Cough*

Dana's ridiculous picture

Well, technically MY ridiculous picture, but Dana took it!

This is what you would have seen when you entered Atmananda Saturday morning: Me brandishing power tools.

I should never again pose for people with iPhones.

Cleansing my Soul, by cleaning?

I'm in a different world in the mornings these days. Where breathing is priority and thoughts are quiet and actions deliberate and aware. I was told that to cleanse my thoughts, my heart and my past, I will be doing what we call "Karma Yoga" or community service.

I didn't know that could include harm manual labor.

Ok, maybe not that hard. But definitely not what I expected.

After sweeping a particularly dusty room in the new center.

At least one of us was happy with our work

Hanging out resting

And then we wondered where the fourth of us was and we look outside the window to this. The best karmic service: guard the moving van in the open air. Thank you Dana!

Finding Peace

As much as I love spending time chilling and taking pictures, these days I'm completely committed to closing my eyes and taking a step back from myself. I have enrolled in some classes where I'll be taking my yoga practice further and try to reach some advanced stages that I was previously terrified of.
I'll post pictured of the studio soon and you can see where I am hanging out these days when I'm not here.
And to the two people that stopped following me, I forgive you, but man! The things you will miss!