Enrichment Journey

In June 2022, I completed a master’s in the science of Yoga, with a specialization in Yoga Therapy, from Vivekananda Yoga University, VaYU in Los Angeles. Today I would like to share more information about this amazing journey.

This is the first yoga university outside of India focused on “graduate yoga education and research”. It is also the first yoga university in the USA. Mine was the first batch of students graduating with a master’s degree.

I thoroughly enjoyed the four-semester-long enrichment that I received from utterly knowledgeable and experienced faculty. The faculty is recruited from the US as well as from India. The program is centered on an evidence-based yoga routine and a modern scientific approach to the traditional ancient Indian practice of yoga. Thus, the faculty includes experts from different fields like modern medicine, naturopathy, ayurveda, ancient yogic scriptures, yoga philosophy, research methods, research in the field of yoga and Biomedical science, clinical yoga therapy, so on and so forth.

The program focuses on yoga therapists being able to help the clients manage different medical conditions, especially non-communicable diseases which are borne out of stress. (A medical doctor may diagnose, prescribe medications, and may refer the patient to the yoga therapist so the patient can manage the medical condition with lesser stress.)

  1. The first semester gives a comprehensive knowledge about the therapeutic basis of yoga as mentioned in ancient yogic texts like Bhagavadgita, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, and in other systems of Indian Medicine like Ayurveda and Naturopathy. Thus, the semester introduces us to the concept of a human entity at physical, pranic, mind, emotional and spiritual levels, and one’s ability to recognize and remove stress, maintain a balance of one’s own nature and be able to manage the impact of stress on the physical body.
  2. The second semester gives comprehensive medical knowledge of different diseases. It introduces respiratory disorders like asthma and respiratory infections, cardiovascular disorders like hypertension and coronary artery disease, endocrine and metabolic disorders like diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and obesity, excretory system disorders like irritable bladder and stress incontinence, gynecological disorders like PCOS and PMS, gastrointestinal disorders like peptic ulcers, IBS, and ulcerative colitis, Musculo-skeletal disorders like back pain, neck pain and arthritis, neurological disorders like migraine headaches, epilepsy, psychiatric disorders like anxiety, depression and substance abuse, diseases like cancer and kidney disease.
  3. The third semester focuses on yoga therapy techniques to manage the above diseases. These techniques include yoga asanas or poses to attain balance at the physical level, pranayama or breathing techniques, and certain energization techniques to attain balance at the pranic level. Then it also focuses on certain advanced meditation techniques that help one with managing chronic stress or tension and take care of destructive emotions which are the root cause of non-communicable diseases.
  4. The fourth semester includes working on a specialization area which can be yoga therapy or yoga philosophy or yoga research. I have been working as a certified yoga instructor for more than two decades and always had a therapeutic approach toward yoga in my teaching. Hence, I chose the yoga therapy specialization path. Here, I learned the pathophysiology of different disorders from clinicians in the related area of specialization like cancer, heart diseases, etc. I also analyzed evidence-based research studies done to support the use of yoga therapy in the management of these health conditions. I did an 8-week research study on yoga techniques useful in managing hot flashes and sleep disturbance in the menopause phase of women and submitted as well as presented a thesis. This gave me a glimpse of the Ph.D. program of the University. This semester also focused on yogic techniques to make pregnancy and post-pregnancy a healthy and joyful process. Finally, I learned how to recognize the choices of various yoga techniques for the effective management of each health condition. The program also introduces you to certain yoga modules to be used for specific health conditions. For example, for diabetic patients, there is a specific module or routine.

The best part of the program, in my opinion, is the source of these yoga modules. These modules are the creation of SVYASA, Bangalore, India, the very first yoga university in the world https://svyasa.edu.in/. This university has had its own research facility for over 30 years. With the best technology available, evidence-based research is carried out to understand the biology of yoga at multiple levels – physical levels to more subtle levels of the existence of humans. These modules have helped bring yoga into the limelight for its therapeutic values.

If anyone wants to learn authentic, original yogic science and the integrated approach of yoga therapy in conjunction with modern medical science, I will highly recommend Vivekananda Yoga University, VaYU. It is a cohort-based online program but at the end of the first and third semesters, students are expected to attend a weeklong hands-on training program at the University’s Los Angeles campus. This could not happen in my case due to Covid-19 and it was replaced by live video sessions. I am enjoying the process of putting this knowledge and wisdom to practical use while continuing to guide my students on their path of wellness and while working on clients being referred to me by medical doctors.

Anu Buzruk

847 544 6708

[email protected]

https://yoganubhav.com

Some fun facts from Yoga world 

Have you ever wondered why so many yoga poses are named after an animal or a bird? Well, it appears that the ancient yogis, who were wandering in nature, living in jungles, and mountains, surviving on nature’s bounty, and doing yoga sadhana, found imitating the animals and birds to be an enlightening experience for both the body and mind. They observed these animals and birds and gave thought to their qualities or peculiarities. Then they brought their postures in their yoga sadhana so that the same qualities may percolate in their personality. 

 Let’s look at some of them along with their qualities or benefits

  • Shwanashwasan for a dog’s stamina
  • Vyaghrasan for a tiger’s bravery 
  • Makarasan for a crocodile’s relaxed state of body and mind 
  • Bhujangasan for a cobra’s agility and strong spine 
  • Garudasan for an eagle’s mind concentration 
  • Matsyasan for a fish’s lightness of body 
  • Baddhakonasan for a butterfly’s strong hips 
  • Urdhwamukha and Adhomukha Shwanasan for a dog’s agile and strong spine 
  • Mandukasan for a frog’s strong thighs, ankles and back 
  • Marjalasan for a cat’s agility 
  • Shalabhasan for a locust’s supple body 
  • Kapotasan for a pigeon’s strong and toned hips 
  • Kurmasan for a turtle’s flat tummy 
  • Bakasan for a crow’s body balance 
  • Mayurasan for a peacock’s balance and strength 
  • Ushtrasan backward bend for a camel’s self-confidence 
  • Mrigasan spinal twist for a deer’s ability to let go of negative feelings 
  • Shashankasan forward bend for a rabbit’s humility 

Anu Buzruk 

Yoga Therapist 

847 544 6708 

[email protected]

Active Meditation Technique 

 In the past, meditation was known to be a process of sitting down quietly at one place, trying to engage oneself in one thought, and eventually trying to be in a thoughtless state of mind. Today, it is a quite common understanding that meditation need not be done sitting at one place at a certain time. Even the process of cooking a meal in a happy state of mind and with complete involvement of the mind can be a process of meditation. 

 The middle path will be probably neither sitting idle and trying to reach a thoughtless mind, nor doing an activity with complete devotion and trying to reach a blissful mind. 

 This middle path is what is active meditation. Here, we do sit or lie down in one place but get involved in the meditation process through certain subtle activities. 

 When one is suffering from a chronic disease, and going through needful medical treatment, it becomes vital that the immune defense is strong, willpower is boosted, and quality of life is not compromised. This is where the active meditation technique plays an important role. Since the person is actively involved in the process of meditation, it becomes easier to keep the mind away from bodily pains. 

  1. As the first step, loud, audible sounds are produced after every deep inhale, and thus resonance is developed. The sounds produced are A U and M. Sound A has the lowest frequency, the sound U has the middle, and sound M has the highest frequency. This loud chanting creates resonance in the body thus helping the body cells relax. The low frequency A chanting helps relax the body below the naval center where body frequency is also low. The middle-frequency U chanting helps relax the body between the throat and the naval center where body frequency is also at the middle level. Lastly, the highest frequency M chanting relaxes the head and neck region where body frequency is also at its highest. 
  2. As the second step, the same three sounds are produced inside the mind and again the same resonance is developed. This mental chanting also leads to the same pattern of resonance waves and helps relax the body cells. 
  3. As the third step, AUM is repeated inside the mind and this mental chanting further relaxes the entire body. 

By the end of these three steps, the development of resonance brings the mind to the present moment and the mind can feel the silence. Now the next steps help increase inner sensitivity as well as inner awareness. 

  1. Breath awareness – breath is observed at the tip of the nose. Then it is observed inside the nostrils. This simple observation and watching of breath lead to a reduction in any imbalance in right and left nostril breathing. The imbalance is further reduced by performing 9 rounds of alternate nostril breathing exercise. 
  2. Awareness and relaxation – Pointed awareness is felt at tip of the nose, then linear awareness is felt through the air path from the nose tip to the throat region, then surface awareness is felt through the inner surface of the airpath. This deeper and deeper awareness of breath increases sensitivity for internal organs. This step is concluded by Bhramari chanting or making a humming bee sound to have three-dimensional awareness as you recognize the resonance throughout the body due to the humming bee sound’s vibrations. 
  3. Recognition of nerve impulses with the help of mudras – 
    1. Chin mudra – At the contact point of fingertips, the pulse is observed. Then heartbeats are observed. Then synchronization between the two is observed. By opening the fingers and touching them again and again, nerve impulses traveling from hand to brain are observed. 
    2. Chinmay mudra – Same process is followed in this mudra and nerve impulses are observed. 
    1. Adi mudra – During the same process, a gush of nerve impulses is observed. 
    1. Namaskar mudra – Again the same process is followed to feel the gush of nerve impulses. 

With every mudra, the speed of nerve impulses travelling to brain goes on increasing. Again, the step is concluded by Bhramari chanting or making humming bee sound. Now inner awareness and sensitivity move from the gross to the subtle.

  1. Lastly, a resolve is repeated in mind nine times along with the inhalation and exhalation process. Resolve is nothing but a positive thought made of a minimum number of words. One example can be – I am blissful. 

I would give complete credit of this active meditation technique to our Guru Dr H R Nagendra, the founding trustee of the first yoga university in America – Vivekananda Yoga University https://vayuusa.org/. I learned the technique during my master’s degree program in Yoga Therapy at this University. 

Feel free to contact me if you want to learn more about and practice it along with me to experience the benefits mentioned. 

Anu Buzruk 

Yoga Therapist 

847 544 6708 

[email protected]