Anandabodh

Leadership and team building through Adventure and Yoga for Corporates

2011-07-03T11:48:00.003+05:30

We arrived at Prini, Manali on 24th night for one week adventure and yoga camp which had to start from 25th june. Prini, is one of the most prominent outdoors get-a-way locations, has all the ingredients that could give you the experience of lifetime.

participants going for acclimatization walk

introductory yoga session

Palm tree pose under apple trees

Yoganidra-relaxation in the mountain

Lecture on leadership by Wing.Co.P.Bakshi

Meditation on 3000ft above Manali

Monkey Crawling

Rappelling

River Crossing

Free fall

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ready to long trekking in heavy rain

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preparation for trataka meditation

Trataka to end yoga session

Shanti Mantras

2011-03-27T12:33:00.002+05:30

SHANTI PATH

(IN THE BEGINNING)

ऊं सहना ववतु
सहनौ भुनक्तु
सहविर्यम् करवावहे
तेजस्विना वधीतम् अस्तु
मा विद विशावहै
ऊं शांति शांति शांति
Om Shaha naa bhavatu

Saha nau bhunaktu

Saha veeryam Karavaavahai

Tejasiv naa vadhee/amastu

Maa Vidivishaa Vahai

Om Shantih Shantih shantih

Meaning :

Pray God to protect us both (Guru & disciple/students)

Nourish us both together

Let us gather strength together

Let the learning of us both be full of brilliance

Let us not have ill-heill

Om peace, peace, peace.

SHANTI PATH

(IN THE END OF THE SESSION)

Asato maa Sadagamaya

Tamaso maa Jyotirigamaya

Mrityorma amritam gamaya

Sarveshaam Swasti bhavatu ! Sarveshaam Shantir bhavatu

Sarveshaam Poornam bhavatu ! Sarveshaam Mangalam bhavatu

Lokha Samastaaha Sukhino bhavantu

Om Trayambakam yajamahe, Suganthim pushivardhanam,

Urvaarukmiva bandanaat mrityormooksheeya maamritat

Om Shantih Shantih shantih

Meaning :

From unreality lead me to reality

From ignorance to enlightenment

From mortality to immortality

May God befall all !

May peace be unto all !

May all attain to perfection !

May all reach auspiciousness !

May all Worlds be happy !

May all free from misery !

May all be free from disease !

May all experience bliss !

May none be unhappy !

Om peace, peace, peace.

Beware of dangers in yoga practices!

2011-03-17T12:47:00.002+05:30

In the last few years yoga has seen a momentous growth in its popularity. People are getting more attracted towards yoga practices, it has reached to everybody’s door step from metropolitan cities to small villages; people have turned towards yoga, seeking good health and happiness. People are practicing yoga watching TV channels, reading books and magazines.

Number of Gurus and Babas have come up over the years, who teach yoga in crowds of ten thousand to twenty thousand people, even if they themselves would be knowing that yoga was something which was taught in “Gurukul system” in ancient days to compact groups of those who were competent and worthy enough to be taught. Yoga practices whether, it is asanas, pranayamas, meditation and other subtle practices requires personal care, attention guidance and even correction, if not done properly can even harm the body. If this key aspect is ignored and not applied during yoga teaching, somewhere something is wrong in the intention while teaching.

Yoga teachers are being manufactured in 7 to 9 to 15 days teachers training programs in different factories all through the country. After the completion of these short term courses, anybody can become a yoga teacher and becomes a hot commodity and start selling yoga and charging fees of Rs.500 to Rs.700 per session from the first day itself, no other profession can be so lucrative than the teaching yoga in today’s world. Whoever is not successful in any other profession becomes a hugely successful in short period of time. It is a great competition these days, leaving one’s profession and running towards yoga to become a yoga teacher in seven to nine days. Mind you, beware of these yoga teachers!!

There are teachers who just teach some asanas, there are some who teaches only pranayams, there are teachers who would tell you practice kapalbhati 1-2 hours everyday even knowing you have high blood pressure, heart problems and other ailments where it should not be done. They are not bothered that tomorrow you may have heart attacks and strokes. Even a normal body should not practice Kapalbhati, if the body is full of dirt and toxins. The dirt would come to the surface, oozing out of the body through different channels; person can have diarrhea, dysentery, skin problems etc.

It is shame, every other day, we come across people complaining about back and cervical problems, symptoms of high blood pressure and injuring other body parts and muscles, practicing yoga with these so called yoga trainers. Out of numerous incidents which came to my knowledge over the years I would like to cite some of them here;

A lady who had lower back problem, wanted to do yoga to alleviate the problem, was recommended a yoga trainer by a reputed hotel-resort. She showed her MRI about her back condition to the trainer before commencing the yoga practice, repeatedly she mentioned about her back problem seeing no sign of benefit, to the yoga expert. When, it became worse in a year time she went to consult a doctor, who advised her complete bed rest for two weeks as back had reached to a worst state. Her husband too had to discontinue his yoga practices due to some tear in the knee, practicing yoga with same teacher.

An old lady in her late sixty would do kapalbhati regularly for 2-3 hours, one day she came to know she lost sight in one of her eye and it was affecting other eye too, doctor said some nerves got dried up due to excessive heat in the body, since then she was afraid of even thinking of pranayams.

A gentleman was practicing pranayama while walking in a park, suddenly fainted; fell down, was taken to a nearby hospital and died.

A young girl in her twenties tore her ligaments of the knee during the practice of yoga with a yoga trainer, was in excruciating pain, doctor advised two weeks of no physical exercise and proper rest.

All the above mentioned incidents are from highly educated and elite class people of our society. Imagine, how the people who are illiterate and uneducated, live in remote areas and in villages, would cope with this menace of yoga which is spreading like epidemic and covering the entire globe.

Yoga was understood to be practices which would bring inner peace and calmness; it is hard to digest how assuming yoga postures forcefully, straining and harming the body, would give a person calmness, peace and tranquility, rather would it not make a person restless, angry and hypertensive!

Asanas, can no longer be defined as it was defined by great rishi Patanjali in his yogasutra, “Sthiram Sukham Asanam”, meaning was asana is a posture assuming which you experience ease, comfort, happiness and bliss, rather in today’s context it would be more appropriate if we define asanas as “Sthiram Dukham Asanam”, meaning is, asana is a posture practicing which you experience aches, pains, discomfort, tension and strain nothing else. If suppose someday rishi Patanjali descends on this earth, would be quite ashamed, probably would run away, seeing this horrible state of yoga he propounded.

Do not be in hurry, do not push and pull the body, no over strain, allow the body its own time to get ready and prepared for different asanas. There is enough time left for all of us to live in this life, then why to punish the body.

If asanas not done properly can cause some aches, pains and sprains in the body which can get better in 3-4 days time, but pranayams which affect the brain, mind and entire nervous and energy system, if not learnt and practiced under proper supervision and guidance, can cause huge damage to our body and mind, which may even be irreversible! So, pranayams must be done in moderation, following the contra-indications wherever applied.

Yoga is like a behavioral science, if somebody does it regularly with faith, brings some positive change immediately which can be experienced in short time only. On the other hand, if it doesn’t give you any relief or benefit, there would be some fault in the practice or method of doing it.

Like the four wheels of a car, if any of them gets flat, it would be hard to move it. Same ways yoga has four basic wheels named; asanas, pranayamas, yoganidra and meditation.

If you just do asanas, would lead to imbalance in the body-mind system, person can become hyper and aggressive, If only pranayamas are done, would increase the heat and energy in the body, can adversely affect the nervous system and if only yoganidra and meditation is done person may become lethargic and may not have interest in worldly affairs, and it is required that one practices a proper blend of all four above mentioned component of yoga which happen to complement each other, for the balance and harmony in the functioning of body and mind, and to lead a happy and healthy life.

Everyday you hear a new form and brand of yoga and yoga centers and studios mushrooming to every nook and corner of the city. Are they teaching Yoga?

When it comes to search for a yoga style or form or a teacher, we must look for something which is more pure, authentic and traditional and not going towards eccentric, distorted and fancy brands.

I am afraid, the ancient art and science of yoga, which descended to us from great rishis, sages and seers, which was considered to be a way of life, to live happily and have peace and attain spiritual enlightenment, may get defamed so much that people fear one day hearing the word “Yoga”, if this goes on for some more years. It is high time that there is a clear policy on regularization and standardization of yoga.

A Daily Yoga Schedule !!

2011-03-14T21:19:00.002+05:30

A good blend of Asanas, Pranayamas, Yoganidra and meditation would be ideal for a holistic benefit which can bring physical as well as mental and emotional balance and harmony in the functioning of our body and mind.

30 mins of asanas, 15 mins for pranayamas, 10-15 mins for yoganidra and meditation would be a good mix.

Asanas:

Pawanmuktasana-I (Joint Series): few major joints every day like knees,hips,elbows,shoulders and neck joint practices. Beginners can do full series every day to open the joints and muscles from tightness and stiffness.

Pawanmuktasana-II (Digestive series): two-three practices everyday

Pawanmuktasana-III (Energy blocked series): one-two practices

Forward Bending: one practice every day

Vajrasana Series: one-two practices every day

Backward Bending: one-two practices everyday

Spinal twist: one practice everyday

Standing postures: one-two practices everyday

Inverted asanas: one everyday

Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation): 5-10rds ; begin with 2 or 3, gradually increase the number over a period of weeks until doing 12 rounds.

Shavasana – 5mins

Yogic Breathing- 7-11 rounds

Pranayamas:

Kapalbhati x 5rds (20 strokes/rd); begin with 10 strokes/rd

Nadi Shodhana –II (Alternate Breathing) x 7-11rds (1:1 ratio)

Sheetali (cooling breath) x 10rds

Seetkari (hissing breath) x 10rds

Humming bee(Bhramari) x 7-10rds

Any three pranayamas as per the personal need and requirements.

Relaxation:

A short yoganidra- 10mins every day and practicing full yoganidra minimum twice a week with the Cds.

Meditation:

Breath Awareness: this concentration should be done at least once daily- 10 to 20mins and Ajapajapa meditation twice a week with the Cds.

Using the Breath Awareness technique as often as you can during the day will gradually increase your ability to stay calm and relaxed.

Shatkarma:

Neti : twice-thrice a week; kunjal : every fortnight; shankhaprakhshalana: once a month

This schedule is only a guide. Evolve your own schedule. The key is to be consistent!!!

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2011-03-12T11:18:00.000+05:30

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Brilliant commitment by STCA participants

2011-02-17T15:00:00.001+05:30

It was great to see all the senior executives coming in great numbers to allend the program. A mix of gentle asanas, pranayamas(breathing practices) and yoganidra(relaxation technique) were given to them everyday.

Most of them are regular visitor to different programs, so it was easy for them to follow the movements, breathing and proper relaxation, inspired me to add few more practices to their daily schedule.

There was overall feeling of joy and happiness in the end amongst the participants after five days of regular practice; they looked refreshed, energized and relaxed.

There was a short question-answer at the end of the session, regarding different ailments and respected practices for each one of them, structuring of the practices and even general contraindication of some of the pranayamas.

On the demand of all the participants, I am going to post all the different practices we had during this session below, in the same sequence it was done, so that it can act as a reminder and help the participants practice regularly. Hope you continue with same zeal and enthusiasm!

Om Chanting x 3 times

Standing postures:

Tadasana( Palm tree Pose) x 8-10 times ; inhale up; exhale down

Triyaka Tadasana(Swaying Palm tree Pose) x5-8 times each side; inhale center; exhale side

Kati Chakrasana( Waist rotating pose) x8-10 times each side; inhale open arms to side; exhale twist

Note: As advised, you can keep practicing these three above mentioned practices every morning drinking 2-3 glasses of warm water for the proper elimination and cleansing of the body

Pawanmuktasana-I (Joint Series): few major joints every day like knees,hips,elbows,shoulders and neck joint practices. Beginners can do full series every day to open the joints and muscles from tightness and stiffness.

Toes Bending x 10 times; inhale backward towards body; exhale forward away from the body

Ankle Bending x 10 times; inhale backward towards body; exhale forward away from the body

Ankle rotation x 5-8 clock & anti-clock; breathing same as above

Knee Bending x 10 times; inhale open the leg out; exhale towards the chest

Half butterfly x 10 times; inhale to the chest; exhale to the floor

Full butterfly x 70-80 times; Normal breathing

Fist Clenching x 10 times; inhale open the fingers out; exhale make the fist

Wrist bending x 10 times; inhale up; exhale down

Elbow bending x 5 times each front, side & up; inhale open the arms out; exhale bend it to shoulder

Shoulder rotation x 5-8 clock & anti-clock; inhale upper half of the circle; exhale the lower half

Neck practice-I,II,III,IV x 5 times each

Pawanmuktasana-III (Energy blocked series): one-two practices everyday

Chakki x 5-8 clock & anti-clock; inhale going back; exhale forward

Rowing the boat x 5-8 forward & reverse; inhale going back; exhale forward

Vajrasana Series:

Half camel x 3-5rd each side; inhale open arms to side; exhale right arm to heel left arm in the front

Child pose a counter bend forward for few breath

Backward Bending: Lying on Abdomen; two practices everyday

Half Bhujangasana x 8rds; inhale up; exhale down

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) x 5 rd ; inhale up; exhale down

Ardha Shalabhasana (locust pose) x 5 rd each leg ; inhale up; exhale down

Pawanmuktasana-II (Digestive series): two-three practices everyday i.e. Lying on the back practices

Leg raised pose( individual and both legs) x 5rd each ; inhale up; exhale down

Cycling ( individual and both legs) x5times forward & reverse each leg

Supta Pawanmuktasana (Leg Lock Pose)( individual leg both legs) x 5 rd each

Supta Udarakarshana (Sleeping Abd.Stretch) x 5 rd each; inhale center; exhale twist the body

Abdominal Breathing x 10 rounds

Pranayamas:

Kapalbhati x 5rds (20 times/rd)

Nadi Shodhana –II (Alternate Breathing) x 11-15rds

Humming bee (Bhramari) x 5-7rds

Relaxation:

A short yoganidra- 10mins every day

Om Chanting x 3 times

Going Great Cutting Edge-24

2011-02-17T13:54:00.024+05:30

It has been eleven days of practices for them. Everybody seems keen in learning and practicing different techniques of yoga. Great enthusiasm is shown by all of them, nobody likes missing any class. Most of them are before time ready to chant om and shanti mantras, looks one of the best of the cutting edge groups.

The practice of Jala Neti on sunday was very successful. Amazingly, they look at ease practicing Surya Namaskara, reached to 5 rounds, see how it goes.......

There is a visible change in the group since they arrive and now in just 11days. From the rusty-stiff body now look agile and flexible, from tensed face now have relaxed and vibrant face, from low energy to full of energy. Some of them have already lost few kilos.....

There is still 25 days left, many more changes would be there. I would keep updating you about the progress of the group. Overall, its fantastic!!!

Two consecutive sundays we practiced Kunjal(Vaman Dhauti) and Jala Neti, everybody felt lighter and relaxed. Face seems glowing and no sign of any tiredness and tensions.....

Self help during Kunjal

Hard work correcting the Surya Namaskara, making it more accurate, after practicing it for 20 days.

Already many have lost 4, 5, 6 kilos of their body weight since they arrived, combined effort of regular yoga, walk and some basic dietary regulation. Keep going...two more weeks..

The practice of Shankhprakhshalana on sunday was a great success, most of the participants underwent the shorter to medium version of shankhaprakhsha(intestinal wash), followed by Kunjal and jala neti, thereafter a long shavasana-relaxation and special meal(khichadi). As they had been doing the TTK solution every morning after waking up, the digestive system already was functioning properly,it took less time to finish the entire cleansing practices in this group if I compare with other groups.

It has been intense practice last two days, introduction of some more asanas including inverted poses, doing 12-14 rounds of Surya Namaskara, 4-5 pranayamas everyday. Last 4-5 days are remaining for this cutting edge group, some fine tuning and they are ready to soar high up in the sky......

surya namaskara-beautiful rhythm

roaring lion

This week we focussed more on pranayama, making it more accurate, what to do and what not to do in different diseases. Understanding the different ways of sequencing to have a balance practice and getting ready to practice independently. We discussed a general life style routine and diet and nutrition to lead a healthy and happy life.

getting ready to be independent

mastering their practices

With certificate distribution, 38days of regular yoga practice for Cutting Edge-24 came to an end. It was heartening to hear everybody's experinece and honest feedback. It seems they received wide range of benefits attending it regularly which I already noticed in the questionnaire filled by them in the end. Two questionnaire were administered before the start of the program and again in the end same questionnaire were administered after practicing regular asanas, pranayamas, yoganidra, meditation, and cleansing practices for 5 weeks. There is a clear and significant change in the measurement on all the scale of the psychological test, in all of them who practiced yoga regularly, in fact, a clear sea change in most of them.
Though, It was not a weight loss program, yet maximum weight loss achieved during this period, was 7.5 kilos by Mr.Ruchir, was great to know, 4 to 5 to 6 kilos of body weight was reduced by many of the participants.

I have strong feeling that this intensive 40 days program would bring a positive change in the overall physical, mental and spiritual health and well being of all the participants, improving their lifestyle and provides them the ways to handle various issues and problems of their life as well as the family's life. Eventually, becoming the part of the larger aim of making the entire organization healthy and happy.

Expecting an open and honest comment and feedback from all the participants, which would help make the course become better and better....

Thanks a lot to all of you for being so supportive and cooperative during the full course!

May God and Guruji bless you all with a great success, complete health and eternal bliss and peace in your entire life!!!!

No Substitute-Yoga Is Ultimate

2011-02-10T15:09:00.006+05:30

There is a saying “First wealth is perfect health”, but in today’s scenario, It is hard to find a person who is perfectly healthy. The air has got polluted, water has got contaminated, and food stuffs have become full of adulteration that has affected our health adversely. Stress and tensions have reached at all time high, which is causing all kinds of psychosomatic disorders like anxiety, restlessness, high blood pressure, heart problems, asthma, diabetes, migraine, insomnia etc. The temptations are there all around us in every sphere of life, which has spoilt our life style immensely.

The over dependence on medical science like allopath, which cure only the symptoms and not the root cause of disease, hence the disease surface again and again even more vigorously sometime, people have started looking for different other means of keeping their body fit and healthy.

In this world of growing awareness towards health, where one have so many options to choose from if one likes to adopt a physical regime for the body to be fit and healthy. There are several options available for a person like walking, running, jogging, swimming, dancing, zymming, aerobic exercises, pilates, martial arts etc. All of them are good for our health as they all have some or other physical benefits. But, none of them could be as holistic as the yoga practice in terms of overall benefit.

Yoga as a health tool has so many techniques; Asanas(Physical postures), Pranayamas(Breathing Teachniques), Relaxation, Meditation, Cleansing practices(Shat Karmas), different Yamas and Niyamas( Restraints and Principles), Dietary guidelines etc. If we undertake yoga in our life and practice it diligently, achieve an integrated benefit which affects our entire framework of body, mind and soul which does not happen in any of the above mentioned forms of exercise.

When we do Asanas, it opens up entire body, stiffness and tensions leave the body, body becomes supple and flexible, pranic blockages are removed and movement of energy in the body becomes free flowing. There is an improvement in the organic functioning and harmony will be there in functioning of different systems, so we regain our lost vitality and health.

With the practice of Pranayama, the amount of energy increases in the body and there is a regularization in the flow of prana(the vital energy) and at the same time we gain physical and mental balance, stability and strength.

Practice of relaxation and yoganidras makes one be relaxed at physical level, muscular level, mental and nervous level. Person becomes calm and free from stress and tension. Yoganidra, is one of the best tool in countering day to days stress and tensions of our life and helpful in the management of most of the psychosomatic diseases.

Meditation practices are very helpful in improving concentration, becoming focused and one-pointed, increases the inner strength and confidence if practiced regularly. Person becomes more close to reality of life and undertakes all the work as a fun.

Shatkarmas(Cleansing practices) like neti, kunjal, shankhaprakshalana, if done regularly, would not allow the toxins get stored in the body, brings an inner purity, immunity increases and body becomes more healthy.

All the four above mentioned tools of yoga (Asanas, Pranayamas, Relaxation and Meditation) if practiced and is well supported by Cleansing practices (Shatkarma) and Dietary regulations, we achieve a perfect health physically, mentally, emotionally as well as spiritually which can not be there practicing any other form of exercise. Yoga offers a wide range of benefit for the human being that can not only be applied in therapy but can be understood as a technique to lead a healthy, happy and peaceful life free from stress, tensions and diseases.

However, one has more time then one can adopt some other activities as well but if there is less time then yoga is ultimate, there is no substitute as you can not achieve what you achieve here practicing yoga, elsewhere.

About Anandabodh

2011-01-19T17:12:00.002+05:30

Anandabodh, founded by Shivachittam, follows the rich lineage of the Bihar School of yoga. Shivachittam, who is a Karma Sannyasi initiated by Swami Niranjananda Sarswati, learnt yoga in his early childhood from Bihar School of yoga and has been practicing since then. After a dedicated practice for over three decades Shivachittam choose to propel the wisdom of his guru.

In the years before dedicating himself fully to this cause, Shivachittam gained education in Psychotherapy and Counseling, Business Administration, Journalism and Mass Communication, and in Sciences. He is a naturopathist and done diploma in naturopath and yoga (NDDY) as well. His overall exposure and interests allow him to nicely blend the yogic practices with daily life. This offers his students a holistic and practical experience of yoga.

Shivachittam

Certified in Yogic Studies from Bihar Yoga Bharati, Munger, the World's first Yoga university in Jan 2002 under the able guidance of Swami Niranjananda Saraswati. Today, Shivachittam is a dedicated yoga teacher to many organizations and individuals, and is helping people to lead a pure, clean, and rich life, and to better cope with stress.

Shivachittam is a direct disciple of Swami Niranjananda Saraswati.

We Specialise In

Yoga
Naturopathy
Psychotherapy
Pranic Healing
Organizing Retreats

Our Programs Include

Stress Management
Office Yoga
Health Care
Kids Yoga
Pregnency Yoga
Treament of Ailments

Anandabodh's Clients

Shivachittam has been a yoga and stress management consultant for various corporates, NGOs, and individuals. His audience is diverse and includes Indian and foreign nationals from various spheres of life.