Decided to make this a much lighter post today since my last two have been a bit "heavier" and I have added some new tunes to my playlist and decided it was time for an end of the summer playlist update! I should add that I have changed some things- I am no longer running with my headphones- I still play the music but I just listen to it out loud. I am trying to be more aware of my surroundings (hence the reason for no headphones). I also have a wide variety- from Christian music to "secular" music and newer music to old school music.
Today's Top Ten (in no particular order and the links go to the youtube video)
1. Natalie Grant- Hurricane
2. Mandisa- Overcomer (this just came out to buy on iTunes within the last couple of weeks)
3. New Kids on the Block- Hangin' Tough (someone told me to hang tough with something and then this song got stuck in my head- sorry dad!)
4. NKOTB- Remix (I Like The)- not a fan of the video but I like the song and it's a good one to run to. Funny story- a friend from church watches Blue Blood and said her teenage daughter wanted to know why the guy from BB was on this video(that would be Donnie Wahlberg) (again, sorry dad)
5. Disciple- Draw the Line (did I redeem myself dad?)
6. Colton Dixon- This is Who I Am (I really do like his songs! I think I mentioned in the last post that I am a big fan)
7. Mandisa- Stronger (always have liked this song)
8. Anthem Lights- Outta My Mind
9. Newsboys- I Am Second
10. Backstreet Boys- In a World Like This (yeah, I know but I heard it when roaming through iTunes one day and liked it- LOL- I like boy bands when can I say?)
So- any new songs on your playlist?
Friday, July 19, 2013
Friday Q&A: Helping a Student with a Hip Replacement
 |
| Hip Joint from Behind |
A: This is a great question and I am glad you asked it. In most cases, the hip replacement should outlast an individual’s lifespan. The literature states that total hip replacements typically last from 15-to-20 years after the initial surgery, but in some instances they can last over 30 years. But this is neither a guarantee nor assurance, for the simple reason that life is unpredictable. Many factors affect the future of a hip replacement, such as accidents, fractures, late infections, and deterioration in overall health. Also, how well you take care of yourself down the road is something the surgeon cannot control. The longevity of a hip replacement thus depends on many factors, including the following:
- Surgeon skill in implanting the components
- Known history or track record of the implants
- How well you take care of yourself and your health
- Understanding and respecting the limitations of a prosthetic lifestyle
- Your activity level and body weight
- Avoiding high impact or extreme sports
- Loosening of the implant.
- Dislocation of the implant
- Infection, such as staph infections either around the time of surgery or later through the introduction of the bacteria into the blood stream.
Loosening of the joint can occur at any time, but it normally occurs 10-15 years after the original surgery was performed. Signs that the joint has become loose include pain and feeling that the joint is unstable and that there is increased loss of hip mobility. Another operation (revision surgery) may be necessary, although this cannot be performed on all patients.
Both physicians and patients are very concerned about the problem of hip replacement loosening because a hip replacement revision surgery (replacement of a joint replacement) is a much more difficult operation and hip replacement revisions are often not as successful as the first operation. After revision operations, patients tend to recover less overall motion of the joint. Also, the longevity of the implant decreases with each revision. Therefore, physicians tend to avoid joint replacement surgery until absolutely necessary, and try to get as much mileage out of each replacement as possible.
In about 1 in 20 cases, the hip joint can come out of its socket. This is most likely to occur in the first few months after surgery when the hip is still healing. But, unfortunately some people’s hips will dislocate very distant to the original hip replacement. My advice here is that a hip doesn’t typically dislocate without warning signs. Pain that increases as an activity is continued is the most prevalent symptom.
So how cautious should you be with your student? The surgical hips will have a certain degree of motion that is limited by their soft tissue, hip capsule, how the prosthesis sits in the acetabulum, and so on. Start by checking your student’s range of motion while he is lying in a supine position. Test all the movements of the hip (hip up toward chest with knee bent, same knee position but bring it out to side for abduction, and turn the hip out in abduction for external rotation by bringing the bent knee up toward the armpit. Then look at his hip mobility while standing: hip flexion, abduction, external rotation and extension. You should also see if he tolerates adduction by having him sit on a chair and cross one leg over the other. If he can't do this, then any pose that has internal rotation must be modified significantly. You should have your student do this for both hips to get a sense of how it feels to his hip and see if there is any pinching or grabbing. Then you can modify the asanas accordingly.
If you ask a surgeon if his patient has any precautions after three months post op, he will generally say no, but he will modify his statement telling the patient to “use your own judgment.” So do we continue with precautions forever? Well, that is an area of disagreement. I err on the side of moderation saying, “If it makes you anxious or causes pain, discomfort, pulling, or pinching, please stop.” A student can have the potential of dislocation forever if they are not mindful on how they move and move repeatedly into discomfort. And remember the combined positions of flexion, abduction and internal rotation are the holy triad. If your student can tolerate the movements separately then you can find his limits and slowly challenge his hips, but both you and he must be aware of how the hip feels. NO PAIN should be elicited from asana and that means soreness after class or the next day. Learning how to ask how a movement feels is tricky because not everyone will say something hurts, so this includes learning which words your student uses to describe sensation changes.
So for your student, keep making sure that he observes his body’s limits and doesn’t push beyond his current activity. And congratulate him for coming to your class and investing in his continued health!
—Shari
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Letting Go (part 1)
**I say Part 1 because I have a feeling that for the next several months I will be discovering many things that I am letting go of in my life. (and warning- there's some "girl" discussion- nothing descriptive just mentions)
Colton Dixon has this song out (which I cannot stop listening to his music- this gal right here- BIG fan!)
As I was pondering this post, what to share, how much to share, and why I felt like I should share it I ran across something in my search on pinterest (for something else) this and I KNEW that this song had to be part of this post.
Colton Dixon has this song out (which I cannot stop listening to his music- this gal right here- BIG fan!)
As I was pondering this post, what to share, how much to share, and why I felt like I should share it I ran across something in my search on pinterest (for something else) this and I KNEW that this song had to be part of this post.
As I alluded to in my last post I was pondering things that came up in conversation with someone that I KNEW in my heart but hadn't vocalized because that's what makes them real. On Sunday and Tuesday both, I vocalized the thoughts and realized that I had a complete peace about them. Part of my studies at IIN have shown me that sometimes medicine is overused- as I told someone- way back when before doctors and pharmacies our ancestors didn't use medicine so why is it so prevalent in our society today? Now, I don't think ALL medicine is bad- but, for me, I had finally made it down to one medication and I really wanted to come off of it and see what would happen if I treated my body with the correct food, exercise, and some herbs and supplements that are known for the issues leading to the taking of the med (birth control pills). I did my research and hunted, googled, and consulted with different people about the herbs and made a list. Now, here's the tricky part- I had THAT dr appt this week and quite honestly the meds weren't helping so that's the reason behind wanting to get them out of my body. Anyone who knows me knows I HATE that dr appt almost as much as I like the actual doctor. I thought he would be okay with me trying it but I had to run it by him first (and I was right- he was okay with it). Anyway, that visit is what led to the discussion I had- because honestly I get tired of dealing with it all. I'm 38 and there are no prospects on the horizon (at least not to my eye- who knows what God has in store). I am not anticipating having any children at my age (although I don't begrudge those who do) but I am 38, and I teach 15 4 and 5 year olds ALL DAY LONG- to come home to a young one at this stage in my life after being with them all day, I just don't know that I have it in me. I am exhausted when I come home and it's just me...
And you know what- this is what I am okay with. This is what took me years of dealing with my heart, fighting God, and finally letting go. When I let go, I could vocalize it, I could put words to my thoughts, and an overwhelming peace came over my heart. Do I understand it? No. Do I like it? Not particularly because that's the letting go of a dream. Will I trust Him? Yes, without any shadow of a doubt I will. It's why the verse from my last post Isaiah 46:4 resonated in my heart:
"Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
It's why I can look at this and say yes (even though I think they all could say seek, worship, trust, and thank)
It's why I can read this and know that MY God has a plan for my future- I am not giving up the hope of having children but I am okay with not having them biologically (that leaves a couple of doors wide open).
and it's why these words were the reminder of a heart at peace
"When I can't find the words to say how much it hurts
You are the healing in my heart
When all that I can see are broken memories
You are the light that's in the dark...
You are the healing in my heart
When all that I can see are broken memories
You are the light that's in the dark...
And when my circumstance leaves me with empty hands.
You are the provider of my needs.
When all my dirtiness has left me helpless.
You are the rain that washes me." (Colton Dixon- You Are)
You are the provider of my needs.
When all my dirtiness has left me helpless.
You are the rain that washes me." (Colton Dixon- You Are)
*and for those who stuck with me through this LONG LONG post- thank you. It's just a peek into my world lately (hope I haven't scared too many off LOL)
Question for today: What are you letting go of? Or, what do you need to let go of? (no need to share if it's too private- just some thinking for you!)
Yoga and Dementia: Welcome News
by Nina
"Dementia Rate Is Found to Drop Sharply, as Forecast”
Now that’s the kind of headline I like to see! Yes, an article in the New York Times this week Dementia Rate Is Found to Drop Sharply, as Forecast announced the results of two different studies that showed that the incidence of dementia—in one case in England and Wales and in the other case in Denmark—was declining. And the reasons for this are very exciting to us here at Yoga for Healthy Aging.
“Yet experts on aging said the studies also confirmed something they had suspected but had had difficulty proving: that dementia rates would fall and mental acuity improve as the population grew healthier and better educated. The incidence of dementia is lower among those better educated, as well as among those who control their blood pressure and cholesterol, possibly because some dementia is caused by ministrokes and other vascular damage. So as populations controlled cardiovascular risk factors better and had more years of schooling, it made sense that the risk of dementia might decrease.”
So what they are saying here is that, along with being better educated, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol can help prevent dementia. And that means yoga can help. Foremost, yoga’s stress management tools can help you keep your blood pressure low. As I discussed in Chronic Stress: An Introduction, living with chronic stress can cause high blood pressure. So practicing stress management (see The Relaxation Response and Yoga and Stress, Your Health and Yoga will help you keep your blood pressure in check as it benefits your health in many other ways. Stress management can also help you maintain a low cholesterol diet by reducing stress eating and giving you more willpower to stay away from high cholesterol foods (see Yoga, Stress and Weight Management and Healthy Eating, Stress and Self Control). Healthy eating is also fostered by mindfulness (see Meditation and Healthy Eating) so if staying away from high-cholesterol foods is a problem for you, a meditation practice may be helpful.
For me, yoga even provides an ongoing education. Yoga philosophy is food for my intellect as well as providing inspiration for living my life with greater equanimity. Why, just this week I learned a lot from Ram’s post LINK, and the week before I learned from writing my own post Modern Yoga and Hinduism. So if yoga philosophy and history are of interest to you, a whole world of new knowledge and intellectual stimulation awaits you.
The New York Times quoted Dr. Anderson, of the National Institute on Aging, saying:
“With these two studies, we are beginning to see that more and more of us will have a chance to reach old age cognitively intact, postponing dementia or avoiding it altogether. That is a happy prospect.”
 |
| A Rainbow at the Dam by Melina Meza |
Now that’s the kind of headline I like to see! Yes, an article in the New York Times this week Dementia Rate Is Found to Drop Sharply, as Forecast announced the results of two different studies that showed that the incidence of dementia—in one case in England and Wales and in the other case in Denmark—was declining. And the reasons for this are very exciting to us here at Yoga for Healthy Aging.
“Yet experts on aging said the studies also confirmed something they had suspected but had had difficulty proving: that dementia rates would fall and mental acuity improve as the population grew healthier and better educated. The incidence of dementia is lower among those better educated, as well as among those who control their blood pressure and cholesterol, possibly because some dementia is caused by ministrokes and other vascular damage. So as populations controlled cardiovascular risk factors better and had more years of schooling, it made sense that the risk of dementia might decrease.”
So what they are saying here is that, along with being better educated, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol can help prevent dementia. And that means yoga can help. Foremost, yoga’s stress management tools can help you keep your blood pressure low. As I discussed in Chronic Stress: An Introduction, living with chronic stress can cause high blood pressure. So practicing stress management (see The Relaxation Response and Yoga and Stress, Your Health and Yoga will help you keep your blood pressure in check as it benefits your health in many other ways. Stress management can also help you maintain a low cholesterol diet by reducing stress eating and giving you more willpower to stay away from high cholesterol foods (see Yoga, Stress and Weight Management and Healthy Eating, Stress and Self Control). Healthy eating is also fostered by mindfulness (see Meditation and Healthy Eating) so if staying away from high-cholesterol foods is a problem for you, a meditation practice may be helpful.
For me, yoga even provides an ongoing education. Yoga philosophy is food for my intellect as well as providing inspiration for living my life with greater equanimity. Why, just this week I learned a lot from Ram’s post LINK, and the week before I learned from writing my own post Modern Yoga and Hinduism. So if yoga philosophy and history are of interest to you, a whole world of new knowledge and intellectual stimulation awaits you.
The New York Times quoted Dr. Anderson, of the National Institute on Aging, saying:
“With these two studies, we are beginning to see that more and more of us will have a chance to reach old age cognitively intact, postponing dementia or avoiding it altogether. That is a happy prospect.”
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Reality Is...
This will be my life in a few short weeks- LOL (and it is SO very true)
This is a question I need to ask myself on a regular basis (and not just me but am I doing something that is pleasing to God)
20 years has passed way too fast
That sometimes a laugh is just what is needed (think about it) LOL
sometimes a word from THE WORD is just what is needed
sometimes it hurts (and I know I have shared this before)
and sometimes it's that simple reminder of where my heart needs to truly be
Not a lot of words today- I honestly, just don't have them- between working on health coaching studies and pondering through some things (read: realizing through conversations that I had let go of things that I didn't realize I had let go of and figuring out exactly what that means...) my words are elsewhere right now- and that's okay. I'm thinking through some goals and how much to share and maybe, just maybe, you'll get a peek at what God is doing in my life (referencing the letting go)
Question for you- what is your reality?
This is a question I need to ask myself on a regular basis (and not just me but am I doing something that is pleasing to God)
20 years has passed way too fast
That sometimes a laugh is just what is needed (think about it) LOL
sometimes a word from THE WORD is just what is needed
sometimes it hurts (and I know I have shared this before)
and sometimes it's that simple reminder of where my heart needs to truly be
Not a lot of words today- I honestly, just don't have them- between working on health coaching studies and pondering through some things (read: realizing through conversations that I had let go of things that I didn't realize I had let go of and figuring out exactly what that means...) my words are elsewhere right now- and that's okay. I'm thinking through some goals and how much to share and maybe, just maybe, you'll get a peek at what God is doing in my life (referencing the letting go)
Question for you- what is your reality?
Healthy Spirits: New at Castro
1. Allagash Confluence
2. Firestone Walker Pivo Pils
3. Rogue Honey Kolsch
4. Dogfish Head Festina Peche
Hindu, Hinduism and Yoga: Connecting the Dots
by Ram
What is the connection between Hinduism and yoga? And hatha yoga in particular? And Iyengar yoga in particular?
This was the question put forth by one of our blog readers and Nina aptly provided a reasonable perspective in her post Friday Q&A: Modern Yoga and Hinduism. But Nina also asked me to provide additional information to satisfy a broader audience. This reader’s question and Nina’s suggestion that I add my two cents to this topic is akin to opening the Pandora’s box of Hindu philosophy. Nevertheless, to have a better understanding of these concepts, it would help for all of us to be firmly established in our “higher Self”—a place of higher awareness. It is from this pedestal of higher awareness that consciousness expands, illusion of this physical body and materialism disappears and we realize our true nature. So here I go in simple terms.
1. Who or what is a Hindu?
The exact definition of this term has eluded many a scholar. The word “Hindu” is an adjective to the term “Hinduism.” There’s so much controversy to both these terms that even the Supreme Court of India, which has repeatedly been called upon to define “Hindu and Hinduism,” has not been able to satisfy a broader audience with its inconsistent definition to mean different things at different times. The term could refer to the people born in India or it could refer to an individual who practices a certain religion originating from India. However, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Zoroastrians among others who are born in India do not prefer to be referred to or described as “Hindus.”
Furthermore, that definition does not hold when you look to India’s neighboring country Nepal, which is the world's only Hindu kingdom. And what about the Hindus of other Southeast Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Cambodia, etc. who are not born in India? The next time you visit a Nepali restaurant or if you happen to meet an Indonesian or Cambodian, ask them if they are Hindus and the reply will be in negative.
“Hindu” could be categorized with words like Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or Jew, however, while the latter terms denote a specific religious order, the term “Hindu” does not define a specific religion. A Christian is a person who accepts the gospels as his or her scriptural guide and believes that Jesus is the incarnate God. A Buddhist follows the guiding principles from the Tipitaka and believes in the Buddha. A Muslim accepts the Qur'an as their scriptural guide, and believes that there is no God but Allah. However, “Hindu” neither belongs to the category of words like “Muslim,” “Christian,” or “Buddhist” nor to the category of words like “American,” “British,” “Australian,” or “Chinese.”
Interestingly, in the Sabda Kalpadruma, which is one of the oldest comprehensive Sanskrit dictionaries written in the 18th century, the term “Hindu “is defined as:
“Hinam dushyathi Iti Hindu”- A hindu is one who dispels unhealthy thoughts and actions.
Personally, this definition sounds not only appropriate but it is empowering as well. Thus, going by this definition, any individual in this universe who does not harbor unhealthy thoughts and whose actions are not detrimental to self and others is a Hindu. So the staff of this blog, or the readers, or other individuals might well be “Hindus” if they harbor healthy thoughts and perform harmonious actions. How many of us are willing to embrace this definition?
2. If Hinduism is not a religion, what religion do Hindus follow?
Naturally, if Hinduism is a religion, the people following it are Hindus. But if there is no true religion called Hinduism, what about those people born in India who are not Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Zoroastrians, etc? What religious order do they follow? Furthermore, what religion is followed by those “Hindus” who are free from unhealthy thoughts and whose actions are not unfavorable?
In general, what determines whether a person is a follower of any particular religion is whether or not they accept, live by and strictly follow the scriptural authority of that religion. By that definition, a true Hindu who dispels unhealthy thoughts and actions is following the religion of Sanatana Dharma—“The Eternal Natural Law.” Sanatana Dharma is a religion that calls upon all Hindus to live in accordance with the divine laws as revealed in the Vedic scriptures. These ancient scriptures called Vedas expound an absolute set of duties or ordained practices incumbent upon all “Hindus,” regardless of ethnicity, gender, class, social order or sect. There are several Vedic texts that give different lists of the duties, but in general Sanatana Dharma consists of day-to-day living by virtues such as honesty, selfless service, non-violence, purity of thoughts, words, deeds and actions, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, goodwill and respect for every being. A very popular invocation drawn from the Vedic text and corroborating the principles of Sanatana Dharma also demonstrates the concern for universal affiliation:
Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah. Sarve santu niraamayaah.
Sarve bhadraani pashyantu. Maa kaschid dukhbhaag bhavet.
May all beings be happy. May all beings be healthy.
May all beings experience prosperity. May none in the world suffer.
Thus, the religion followed by true Hindus is Sanatana Dharm, a religious order that promotes coexistence and well defines the concept of pluralism.
3. What is the connection between Hinduism and yoga?
It has been the historically accepted standard that if you accept the Vedic texts as your scriptural authority and live your life in accordance with the principles of “sanatana dharma” as mentioned in 2, you are a Hindu. For all members who lead the Vedic path, Hinduism promotes not only tolerance and respect for individual differences in all aspects of life, but also acknowledges the existence of more than one path to the “Supreme God Principle” otherwise known as Satyam or Truth. This concept of pluralism is best captured in the ancient Sanskrit hymn:
“Ekam sat vipraha bahudha vadanti”—Truth is only one, the wise call it by many names.
How does one see, perceive or achieve truth? Among the hundreds of paths known through history are six classical philosophical paths to achieve or perceive truth collectively called as Shad Darshana (Shad= six, darshana= awareness). These six paths are understood as varied attempts at describing Truth and the path to it. Each path to truth has its own founder or author, and the authors of these six systems of philosophy were individuals of the highest order who not only saw truth but had devoted their lives to the study and propagation of the path to truth. Elements of each path form part of the Hindu fabric of daily existence.
Yoga is one of those six paths whose objective is to achieve, at will, the cessation of all fluctuations of consciousness, and the attainment of Self Realization. Codified by Patanjali, who authored the Yoga Sutras or the aphorisms of yoga, this philosophical path is of great value to the seekers of the state of spiritual absorption. Yoga aims at the final state of spiritual absorption through eight component parts, together called Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga is wholly dedicated to putting the high philosophy of Sanatana Dharma into practice to achieve personal transformation through transcendental experience.
4. What is the connection between Hinduism and hatha yoga in particular? And Iyengar yoga in particular?
If my replies to the above three questions are clear, the answer to this question is fairly easy to follow. Any individual who cultivates pure thoughts and performs harmonious actions is a Hindu. As a seeker of truth, this individual has six principle paths to achieve enlightenment. As described above in 3, yoga is one such path. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali expounds adherence to eight steps to experience truth and achieve enlightenment. Swatmarama, a 15th/16th century yogic sage pulled out specific modules from the complex Yoga Sutras and compiled the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which focused exclusively on asanas, pranayama, chakras, bandhas, nadis and mudras as a means to purify the body and the mind.
Just like any modern texts, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika was subjected to numerous revisions, editions and interpretations by a multitude of authors. Through his dual knowledge of Sanskrit and English, BKS Iyengar made it very easy for Westerners by drawing from the Yoga Sutras and the Pradipika and developing his own style of hatha yoga that lays emphasis on detail, precision and alignment in the performance of posture (asana) and breath control (pranayama). BKS Iyengar systematized nearly 200 classical yoga poses and more than one dozen different types of pranayama to ensure that students progress gradually from simple poses to more complex ones and develop their mind and body in a step-wise manner. Thus, the yoga predominantly practiced in the West deviated from the classical philosophical aspects since it consists of mostly asanas understood as physical exercises and as a stress-reducing practice.
4. Additional Query: Is chanting necessary in an asana class?
I checked some of the ancient texts and there is no mention of chanting alongside an asana class. To my knowledge, chanting in a class does not in any way enhance the spiritual experience compared to a class where there is no chant. There is no sutra in the Pradipika asserting that asanas be accompanied by a Gayatri chant or an invocation to Patanjali. My advice to any teacher that wishes to have chanting is to use chants, quotes or lines from all traditions and religious background so that the class turns into a purely non-denominational experience. Personally, chanting is secondary; instead I would look to see if the teacher is a “Hindu” who brings in qualities prescribed by the Sanatana Dharma.
Note: Nina and other readers may finally ask, am I a Hindu? I was born and raised in India to Hindu parents. I started my journey on the path of Sanatana Dharma several years ago when I embraced the sciences of yoga and ayurveda. I am trying my best to cultivate healthy thoughts, dispense harmonious actions and provide selfless service to the society. I leave it to all of you to decide if I am a true “Hindu.”
 |
| Locked Door by Melina Meza |
This was the question put forth by one of our blog readers and Nina aptly provided a reasonable perspective in her post Friday Q&A: Modern Yoga and Hinduism. But Nina also asked me to provide additional information to satisfy a broader audience. This reader’s question and Nina’s suggestion that I add my two cents to this topic is akin to opening the Pandora’s box of Hindu philosophy. Nevertheless, to have a better understanding of these concepts, it would help for all of us to be firmly established in our “higher Self”—a place of higher awareness. It is from this pedestal of higher awareness that consciousness expands, illusion of this physical body and materialism disappears and we realize our true nature. So here I go in simple terms.
1. Who or what is a Hindu?
The exact definition of this term has eluded many a scholar. The word “Hindu” is an adjective to the term “Hinduism.” There’s so much controversy to both these terms that even the Supreme Court of India, which has repeatedly been called upon to define “Hindu and Hinduism,” has not been able to satisfy a broader audience with its inconsistent definition to mean different things at different times. The term could refer to the people born in India or it could refer to an individual who practices a certain religion originating from India. However, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Zoroastrians among others who are born in India do not prefer to be referred to or described as “Hindus.”
Furthermore, that definition does not hold when you look to India’s neighboring country Nepal, which is the world's only Hindu kingdom. And what about the Hindus of other Southeast Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Cambodia, etc. who are not born in India? The next time you visit a Nepali restaurant or if you happen to meet an Indonesian or Cambodian, ask them if they are Hindus and the reply will be in negative.
“Hindu” could be categorized with words like Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or Jew, however, while the latter terms denote a specific religious order, the term “Hindu” does not define a specific religion. A Christian is a person who accepts the gospels as his or her scriptural guide and believes that Jesus is the incarnate God. A Buddhist follows the guiding principles from the Tipitaka and believes in the Buddha. A Muslim accepts the Qur'an as their scriptural guide, and believes that there is no God but Allah. However, “Hindu” neither belongs to the category of words like “Muslim,” “Christian,” or “Buddhist” nor to the category of words like “American,” “British,” “Australian,” or “Chinese.”
Interestingly, in the Sabda Kalpadruma, which is one of the oldest comprehensive Sanskrit dictionaries written in the 18th century, the term “Hindu “is defined as:
“Hinam dushyathi Iti Hindu”- A hindu is one who dispels unhealthy thoughts and actions.
Personally, this definition sounds not only appropriate but it is empowering as well. Thus, going by this definition, any individual in this universe who does not harbor unhealthy thoughts and whose actions are not detrimental to self and others is a Hindu. So the staff of this blog, or the readers, or other individuals might well be “Hindus” if they harbor healthy thoughts and perform harmonious actions. How many of us are willing to embrace this definition?
2. If Hinduism is not a religion, what religion do Hindus follow?
Naturally, if Hinduism is a religion, the people following it are Hindus. But if there is no true religion called Hinduism, what about those people born in India who are not Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Zoroastrians, etc? What religious order do they follow? Furthermore, what religion is followed by those “Hindus” who are free from unhealthy thoughts and whose actions are not unfavorable?
In general, what determines whether a person is a follower of any particular religion is whether or not they accept, live by and strictly follow the scriptural authority of that religion. By that definition, a true Hindu who dispels unhealthy thoughts and actions is following the religion of Sanatana Dharma—“The Eternal Natural Law.” Sanatana Dharma is a religion that calls upon all Hindus to live in accordance with the divine laws as revealed in the Vedic scriptures. These ancient scriptures called Vedas expound an absolute set of duties or ordained practices incumbent upon all “Hindus,” regardless of ethnicity, gender, class, social order or sect. There are several Vedic texts that give different lists of the duties, but in general Sanatana Dharma consists of day-to-day living by virtues such as honesty, selfless service, non-violence, purity of thoughts, words, deeds and actions, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, goodwill and respect for every being. A very popular invocation drawn from the Vedic text and corroborating the principles of Sanatana Dharma also demonstrates the concern for universal affiliation:
Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah. Sarve santu niraamayaah.
Sarve bhadraani pashyantu. Maa kaschid dukhbhaag bhavet.
May all beings be happy. May all beings be healthy.
May all beings experience prosperity. May none in the world suffer.
Thus, the religion followed by true Hindus is Sanatana Dharm, a religious order that promotes coexistence and well defines the concept of pluralism.
3. What is the connection between Hinduism and yoga?
It has been the historically accepted standard that if you accept the Vedic texts as your scriptural authority and live your life in accordance with the principles of “sanatana dharma” as mentioned in 2, you are a Hindu. For all members who lead the Vedic path, Hinduism promotes not only tolerance and respect for individual differences in all aspects of life, but also acknowledges the existence of more than one path to the “Supreme God Principle” otherwise known as Satyam or Truth. This concept of pluralism is best captured in the ancient Sanskrit hymn:
“Ekam sat vipraha bahudha vadanti”—Truth is only one, the wise call it by many names.
How does one see, perceive or achieve truth? Among the hundreds of paths known through history are six classical philosophical paths to achieve or perceive truth collectively called as Shad Darshana (Shad= six, darshana= awareness). These six paths are understood as varied attempts at describing Truth and the path to it. Each path to truth has its own founder or author, and the authors of these six systems of philosophy were individuals of the highest order who not only saw truth but had devoted their lives to the study and propagation of the path to truth. Elements of each path form part of the Hindu fabric of daily existence.
Yoga is one of those six paths whose objective is to achieve, at will, the cessation of all fluctuations of consciousness, and the attainment of Self Realization. Codified by Patanjali, who authored the Yoga Sutras or the aphorisms of yoga, this philosophical path is of great value to the seekers of the state of spiritual absorption. Yoga aims at the final state of spiritual absorption through eight component parts, together called Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga is wholly dedicated to putting the high philosophy of Sanatana Dharma into practice to achieve personal transformation through transcendental experience.
4. What is the connection between Hinduism and hatha yoga in particular? And Iyengar yoga in particular?
If my replies to the above three questions are clear, the answer to this question is fairly easy to follow. Any individual who cultivates pure thoughts and performs harmonious actions is a Hindu. As a seeker of truth, this individual has six principle paths to achieve enlightenment. As described above in 3, yoga is one such path. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali expounds adherence to eight steps to experience truth and achieve enlightenment. Swatmarama, a 15th/16th century yogic sage pulled out specific modules from the complex Yoga Sutras and compiled the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which focused exclusively on asanas, pranayama, chakras, bandhas, nadis and mudras as a means to purify the body and the mind.
Just like any modern texts, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika was subjected to numerous revisions, editions and interpretations by a multitude of authors. Through his dual knowledge of Sanskrit and English, BKS Iyengar made it very easy for Westerners by drawing from the Yoga Sutras and the Pradipika and developing his own style of hatha yoga that lays emphasis on detail, precision and alignment in the performance of posture (asana) and breath control (pranayama). BKS Iyengar systematized nearly 200 classical yoga poses and more than one dozen different types of pranayama to ensure that students progress gradually from simple poses to more complex ones and develop their mind and body in a step-wise manner. Thus, the yoga predominantly practiced in the West deviated from the classical philosophical aspects since it consists of mostly asanas understood as physical exercises and as a stress-reducing practice.
4. Additional Query: Is chanting necessary in an asana class?
I checked some of the ancient texts and there is no mention of chanting alongside an asana class. To my knowledge, chanting in a class does not in any way enhance the spiritual experience compared to a class where there is no chant. There is no sutra in the Pradipika asserting that asanas be accompanied by a Gayatri chant or an invocation to Patanjali. My advice to any teacher that wishes to have chanting is to use chants, quotes or lines from all traditions and religious background so that the class turns into a purely non-denominational experience. Personally, chanting is secondary; instead I would look to see if the teacher is a “Hindu” who brings in qualities prescribed by the Sanatana Dharma.
Note: Nina and other readers may finally ask, am I a Hindu? I was born and raised in India to Hindu parents. I started my journey on the path of Sanatana Dharma several years ago when I embraced the sciences of yoga and ayurveda. I am trying my best to cultivate healthy thoughts, dispense harmonious actions and provide selfless service to the society. I leave it to all of you to decide if I am a true “Hindu.”
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