Yoga

Lifestyle
A Holistic Approach
to Managing Stress
Stress is a natural phenomenon. Our
ability to handle it depends on how we
align ourselves with the guiding
forces of the universe.
There are three major forces in the universe: Nature,
Cosmic Will, and Pure Being.

By understanding these forces and keeping in alignment with them

we can renew, inspire and strengthen ourselves.

Going against these forces causes us to exhaust ourselves and

become lost in conflict and confusion.
Yoga shows us how to align ourselves with these universal
powers. This is what increases our ability to handle stress
and live with vitality, joy and meaning. We will divide this
workshop into 3 sections:
1.Physical alignment – with the forces of nature
2.Mental Alignment – with Cosmic Will
3.Spiritual Alignment – with Pure Being - our own true self.
 Aligning With Nature
n Nature is divided into three forces:
n Sattva – creates calmness, endurance
and awareness
n Rajas – creates external activity
n Tamas – creates dullness and staticity

n Yoga practices help enhance Sattva,

reduce Tamas and bring Rajas
under control


Sattva Rajas Tamas

 Practices to Align With
Nature
n Asanas (Yoga Postures)
n Deep Relaxation
n Pranayama (Breathing Exercises)
n Exercise
n Eating For Consciousness
n Fasting
n Following Natures Laws
n Creating a Soothing Environment

 Asanas (Yoga Postures)
n Holding specific positions with
retention of breath and minimal
expenditure of energy
n Control the flow of hormones
n Focus the vital energy
n Strengthen higher tendencies
n Control lower tendencies
n Strengthen weak organs/systems
n Improve circulation of blood and
Hand and Foot Pose
n Stand Straight with feet shoulder
width
n Exhale bend to left (hold breath 8
secs)
n Inhale stand straight with arms up
n Exhale bend to right (hold 8 secs)
n Inhale stand straight with arms up
n Exhale bend forwards and touch
floor (x8”)
n Inhale stand straight arms up
n Keep inhaling bend back (hold 8
secs)
n Exhale bend forwards and relax
n Practice 8 times

Tree Pose
n Place right foot on
inner left thigh.
n Keeping the palms
together raise
the hands
above the head.
n Keep hips and
shoulders level.
n Balance for thirty
seconds.
n Change legs and
repeat.
Deep Relaxation

n Lie on your back

n Imagine you are dead or
n Count slowly backwards to zero
or
n Progressively relax each part of
the body
n Reduces Hyper-tension
n Refreshes body and mind
 Pranayama (Breath
Control)
n Controlling and Focusing Inhalation
and Exhalation
n Induces Relaxation Response
n Improves Power of Concentration
n Purifies Body and Mind

 Full Yoga Breath
n Imagine your lungs like a water jug
n The jug begins in the abdomen and
ends at the top of the chest
n As you breathe in feel the bottom of
the jug being filled with air first
n Then the middle part
n Finally the top part
n When you breath out reverse the
process
n
 Ujjayi Pranayama
n Sit comfortably with the back straight
and shoulders relaxed
n Concentrate at your throat
n Imagine you are breathing directly
through your throat
n Slightly constrict the throat to make
a sound as the air passes
n Concentrate on the sound
n Take seven slow controlled breaths
 Exercise Regularly
n Greater vitality helps us handle
stress more easily
n Regular exercise builds vitality and
relaxes the mind
n Make time for a walk every day
n Practice Brahma Pranayama while
walking

 Brahma Pranayama
n Walk at normal speed
n Count your steps as you walk
n Breath in from 1 to 4
n Breath out from 5 to 10
n Repeat
n Continue for 15 minutes
n Best in a park in the early morning
when air is fresh
 Eating For
Consciousness
n Eating foods which are
good for the body
and calm the mind:
Fruits, Vegetables,
Grains, Nuts, Seeds,
Legumes, Dairy
n Avoiding
foods/substances
which agitate, dull
or degrade the
mind: Meat, Fish,
Eggs, Onion, Garlic,
Mushrooms, Alcohol,
Tobacco, Coffee,
 Practice Fasting
n Accumulation of toxins creates stress
n Fasting removes toxins, strengthening body, mind
and spirit
n 24 Hour fasting twice or four times a month,
according to the phases of the moon (new
moon, full moon & the eleventh day after each)
n Drinking plenty of liquids and eating
 easily digestible food the day before
n Breaking fast with lemon water and salt
 followed by fruits and light, easily
 digestible food.

Prevent Constipation
n Constipation
weakens the
body and irritates
the mind
n Regular exercise,
under-eating,
sufficient space
between meals
and a diet with
plenty of juicy
fruit and olive oil
help prevent
Follow Nature’s Laws
n Eat When Hungry
n Sleep When Tired
n Rise With the Sun
n Refresh the Body
and Mind with
water
n Eat Fresh Raw
Food
n Keep time for
silence and being
alone
 Create a Soothing
Environment
n Choose sounds, smells,
 colors and shapes which
 soothe your mind
n Meditative music
n Soft lighting
n Uplifting works of art
n Soothing colors
n Aroma Therapy

Aligning with Cosmic Will
n All life comes from the same source and is
 moving towards the same goal – Pure Being
n No one caste, group, sex, nation, race or species
 has been given greater rights than another
n All have equal rights to exist and evolve in peace
n By protecting and supporting the existence and
 evolution of all humans and all creatures we
help
 to further the cosmic will – “live and let live”
n This brings harmony and alignment in our life
n By harming other humans or other life forms or
by blocking their growth and development we
go against the cosmic will
 Practices for Aligning
with Cosmic Will
n Guiding oneself by moral principles
n Having a noble mission
n Karma Yoga (service)
n Self-reflection - keeping a diary
n Other mental practices which
 help prevent stress:
n Daily To Do List
n Clarifying Priorities


Guiding Oneself by Moral
Principles
n Non-Harming
n Non-Stealing
n Benevolent Speech
n Seeing Divinity in All
n Simplicity
n Purity
n Contentment
n Sacrifice for Others
n Spiritual Study
n Constantly Remembering the
Having a Noble Mission
n People who have a
greater mission
are able to handle
greater obstacles
n Think carefully about
your mission in life
n Write it down in
words that give
you strength and
inspiration
n Remember it every
morning when you
wake up
 Service (Karma Yoga)
n Serve animals,
plants and
human beings
n Offer the results to
God
n Remember that
God is both the
server and the
served
n Every action
becomes a
meditation
 Keep a Journal
n Like food, experiences need to be
digested
n Undigested experiences create mental
toxins
n Taking time to reflect on life helps us
learn our lessons and stay in harmony
with universal truths

 Keep a Daily To Do List
n Managing our life
requires
remembering many
things
n Trying to keep all of
these things in the
head is stressful
and close to
impossible.
n Taking them out of the
head and putting
them on a

Prioritize
n Usually it is not possible
to do everything on our
“To Do” list in one day
n Knowing we have many
things to do and not the
time to do them causes
stress
n Start the day by
prioritizing your major
tasks and then
accomplish-ing the most
important ones
n Give priority also to self-
 Aligning with
Pure Being
n Pure Being (the inner self) is beyond suffering
n It is infinite and perfect – the
 source of wisdom, peace and joy
n The greater the distance from the
 inner self the greater our stress,
 confusion and suffering
n The ultimate solution to stress is
 a close connection with the inner self.
n This gives us the ability to deal with
 all things which come our way
 without being inwardly disturbed

Practices for Alignment
with
Pure Being
n Spiritual
Dance,
Music and
Song
n Meditation

n Mindfulness

n
 Dance, Music and Song
n Dance, music and
song help
concentrate and
elevate the mind
n Engaging mind, body
and emotions in
spiritual practice
n Awakening feelings of
love and joy
n Creating a strong
positive vibration
n Preparing the mind for
meditation
 Song
Iam That I am
Iam That I am
Iam That I am
Iam That I am
Iam neither body
nor mind
Eternal Self I am

Neither body nor

mind
Eternal Self I am


 Kiirtan – Spiritual
Chanting
and Dance
n Step from left to right in time with the music
 (rhythmic movement calms the mind)
n Tap the big toe behind the opposite heel
 with each step (stimulates the Crown Cakra
 or pineal gland, creating a feeling of bliss)
n Slightly bend the knees
n Raise the hands in the air (opens up the
 Heart Cakra creating a feeling of joy)
n Imagine infinite love everywhere.
n Sing “Baba Nam Kevalam”
 - “Love is All There Is”
 Meditation

n Imagine oneself alone on a hill far from

the world
n Feel oneself surrounded by
love/God/happiness
n Repeat “Baba Nam Kevalam” silently
n Contemplate the meaning – “Love is all
there is”
n Practice twice daily for 20 minutes
n Bathe or wash in cool water before
 Mindfulness
n Feeling stressed is a result of
forgetfulness…
n …forgetting the eternal and getting caught
in the transitory.
n Therefore:
n Be mindful of your Mantra
n Be mindful of your breath
n Be mindful of the transitory/illusory nature
of life
n Be mindful that God is doing everything
n Be mindful that there is nothing except
 Spiritual Study
n Some books have the capacity to
give us wisdom and spiritual
inspiration
n Helping us see our problems in a
different way, strive to improve
ourselves, and trust in the love of
God
n Books such as the Bhagavad Gita,
Dhammapada, Tao Te Ching and
the poetry of Rumi
 Summary – The effort to live in
harmony with the laws of
nature, the divine wish for
universal welfare and the
tranquility of the inner self gives
us the strength and inspiration
to manage stress successfully
End