Yoga: maintaining wellness on all levels

I remember even as far back as the age of 9 or10, I was interested in esoteric subjects. I learnt the Astrological signs when I was a child and have maintained an interest in the subject of human nature ever since. When I was 17, my brother and father became involved with Prem Rawat who has now become a global spiritual teacher and soon after, I was inspired to discover his teachings for myself so I was initiated into a series of meditation techniques that I still use today. Meditation helped me tremendously throughout the turbulent teenage years and my early twenties. At the age of 24, I returned from my very first job teaching English in Istanbul and embarked on a whirlwind learning adventure. I took up Yoga, enrolled on a course in Aromatherapy and took evening classes in Astrology. I was interested in exploring Yoga at that time because I felt the need to understand the tradition and context from which Prem Rawat’s teachings came. My first foray into Hatha Yoga was with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in London. I explored the teachings of Sivananda for many years thereafter, then moved over to the Iyengar system of Yoga to understand, or so I believed at the time, how Yoga postures should be practised. After 6 years of Iyengar Yoga and several injuries, I returned to gentler forms and spent time developing a relationship with the Mandala Yoga Ashram run by Swami Nishchalananda, a direct disciple of Swami Satyananda Saraswati who started the Bihar School of Yoga. When I decided to become a Yoga teacher, I chose the British Wheel of Yoga because it offers a broad foundation and encourages you to develop your own teaching style. I graduated in 2001 and almost immediately started a degree in Ayurveda. My work now incorporates the two subjects together.

Yoga means many things to different people and all of them are valid within context. For some people, it is a physical discipline that involves mastery over the body. In India in the late 1800s when Yogis were no longer supported in society, they resorted to public performances of extreme postures to earn a living. Over time, Yoga became associated with extreme contortions of the body which is a shame really because the popularity of Yoga as a physical process becomes another distraction for many. Many teachers talk about Yoga being about “Union” or the merging of the individual self with the cosmic self but in modern western life, this has largely become a physical not a spiritual process. Of course, there is no real separation per se but the amount of time spent working on the more subtle aspects of our being has become a bit of an afterthought in most Yoga classes.

For me personally, Yoga is a way of maintaining wellness on all levels. My first priority is Yoga for health because without physical and emotional health, it is difficult to go any deeper. This is why I call my work Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy (AYT). I differentiate what I do with mainstream popular traditions which I believe have a narrower and more specialised focus. In AYT, the main aim is to gain physical, mental and emotional wellbeing so that one can become more skilful in mundane life and gain fulfilment from it. I believe that fulfilling basic human needs is a way of accelerating spiritual evolution not holding it back.

Can yoga be just a physical “keep-fit” discipline, or is the spiritual dimension intrinsic?

I believe that without a philosophical component, the physical practice of Yoga cannot strictly be called Yoga. Others believe that by simply practising Yoga, you get the benefits anyway and the practice changes you. Many people who start off with the latter become attracted to the deeper aspects of Yoga simply because they have proof of its effectiveness in their own lives.

There are so many different types of yoga: British Wheel, Bikram, Hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa Flow... how can one choose between them...?!

It is more important to find a good teacher than the right style. Of course there are many good teachers in all styles but within every style of Yoga there are also bad ones. Teachers are becoming more and more eclectic as time goes on so being able to identify a style is becoming more difficult unless it is fixed and licensed like Iyengar or Bikram. Find a local teacher whose classes you like and can attend regularly and take it from there. The practice itself will inform you. The most important thing to remember is that you are ultimately your own best teacher and guide. Many poorly trained teachers will give you poor advice on how to approach your practice and how to look after yourself. I made this mistake many times and had several injuries. Trust your own judgement!

Does a person need to be very flexible and young to practise yoga? For example, could an arthritic, elderly person also benefit?

Many people say to me that they can’t do Yoga because they are not flexible enough. If you see me practise, you will soon realise that I am not very supple either! I practise Yoga because I need it. People who are naturally supple and strong need physical Yoga less and subtle Yoga more. They need more Pranayama and Meditation. There’s something for everyone in Yoga, young or old. I taught a group of people at Age Concern for many years and my oldest student was 92!

You are specialised in Ayurvedic yoga: what is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda means “Knowledge of Life”. It is the sister science of Yoga and both disciplines developed at the same time. The emphasis of Yoga is spiritual development and the emphasis of Ayurveda is healing. Frawley, a well known teacher of Ayurveda says ‘where Ayurveda ends, Yoga begins’. This is the maxim on which my work is built. First make yourself as strong and as well as you can then you can concern yourself with the deeper and more challenging aspects of Yoga practice. Note, these are the tantric practices not more extreme physical contortions.

Do you believe life is haphazard and random? Or do you believe there is a higher intelligence and purpose?

I believe life is a mystery and anyone who thinks they have all the answers is a fool. I also believe that life is a paradox. Polarised concepts can both be true. Is energy made up of waves or particles? Both, depending on what the observer expects. According to my experience, life is not haphazard or random but can be chaotic when it needs to be. Chaos is an archetypal force much like Order is. Do I think there is a higher intelligence? Yes but I can’t prove it! I have read that it reveals itself to whom it chooses and they are very few indeed.

Yoga and Meditation helped me to manage acute depression throughout my twenties. I have suffered from bouts of depression my whole adult life but with the help of Meditation managed to cultivate enough detachment from my inner state to sustain a level of normality and luckily not have to resort to substance abuse like many others. I realise now that I was extremely lucky to find Yoga and Meditation when I did otherwise my life could have taken a very different turn. Even after starting to practice Ayurveda, I still suffered from terrible episodes of lower back pain but after many years of trial and error, I have managed to identify the diet and lifestyle issues that exacerbated the problem. I have now been pain free for 2 years and feel as though I am going from strength to strength. I am however mindful that I have developed a weakness in this area and always have to remember how to take care of myself properly to avoid another crisis.

I believe that Yoga is the mother of all religions so yes. However, some Muslims and Christians would say that Yoga is the work of the Devil because they believe it stirs up aspects of the human condition that can be destructive. Christianity and Islam are very similar monotheistic religions that require you to put your faith into God/Allah alone. There are some verses in the Vedas (ancient scriptures of Hinduism) that say the same thing but the core teachings of Yoga are inspired by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which focus on the machinations of the Mind and why we really suffer. It recommends religious faith as just one approach to overcoming suffering, but not the only way.

Did you enjoy living in Istanbul? Why?

Actually if I am completely honest, I found living in Istanbul very stressful. I was only 22 and my first job was teaching hundreds of children English in two different schools. I was exhausted the whole time! I have complete sympathy for school teachers today! Istanbul at that time was also going through a great transformation. Chimneys used to belch out smog, roads were poorly kept and there was a lot of military presence on the streets. In hindsight however, I have fond memories of my time there and realise what a great adventure it was.

Let’s talk about London: London does not sound like the best place for a yoga retreat! Can you give us a few tips on how to reach a good balance between city work commitments and finding breathing space?

London is actually a good place to practise Yoga because you need it so much! The fast paced urban demands of the big city are in direct contrast to the peaceful therapeutic environment of a Yoga studio. I live in Brighton now and it seems to me that people are generally much happier here and don’t need Yoga as much as those in London.

It’s important to create a little sanctuary in the corner of the room somewhere that you associate with relaxation. You can create a little altar with a candle and perhaps a couple of crystals or an essential oil burner and have a little cushion for meditation. Your Yoga mat can be nearby too. Without this balance, it is difficult to remain centred. This is why so many people get “lost” when they move to London. They lose connection with the aspect of themselves that is most important because the distractions of London are very powerful and seductive. Today’s drug culture for example is a good example of “loss of self”. Ironically, one reason why people take drugs is to have a transcendental experience. There are many practices of Yoga that can offer the same thing but with Yoga, by and large, you have to put in the time and effort in to have experiences. Until there is a change in the culture of ‘instant gratification’, the problems that beget our society will not be easily overcome.