General Questions
Yes definitely. But we need to understand that reducing weight is not as simple as losing some “x” amount of calories. In Yoga, the focus is to follow the right lifestyle and the pranic (energy) changes that take place at a much deeper level through constant practice. We need to understand that we are made of matter and energy. When we talk about losing weight we approach only from a matter perspective without understanding the much subtle energetic aspects. Yoga works on the subtle aspects. At a much deeper level, the reason we gain weight is due to some changes in our lifestyle at physical, emotional, physical levels, etc. We need to work on fixing the source through self-awareness gained from Yoga practice.
Whether you want it or not, Yoga has been known to cure those ailments :). You can check out our Therapy courses for some of the courses we offer for specific ailments. If you don’t find courses for your ailments then you can contact us and we shall see whether we can help you with your ailment.
We need to understand that Yoga is not just for the physical body. Of course, it works as an exercise at the physical level but beyond that Yogic practices will activate our parasympathetic nervous system which will calm our mind.
You need not be a saint to practice Yoga. You can begin the Yoga journey at any point. Slowly and with constant practice your habits will change and you will lean towards a healthier lifestyle. Till then, enjoy the lifestyle which you think is right for you.
Yoga is a way of life and journey to get connected with our body, mind and energy within us. It is not a religion and will not force anyone to adopt any religion. It is open to all.
Some may believe in God and some may not. Those who come to the class may be from different religions. Prayer being in Sanskrit is a big dilemma for many. We believe that prayer is not to please an external object. Chanting prayer is a way to connect with our-self to establish the collective mindset (Bhava) required for the practice. If you so don’t want to chant then don’t chant. Thinking about not chanting and still chanting will create more contradiction within you and disturb your mind. If you don’t want to chant then just observe your breath till others finish prayer in a group class or for around 5 mins during your personal practice.
Yoga is not a mere physical activity that you do to keep your physical body healthy. In the modern world, our mind is dictated by our body and our actions. Although Yoga, in the beginning, looks like just another physical activity, Yoga is actually a tool to go deeper within to understand ourselves.
Here to our founder, Vinay Siddaiah, talk about the difference between Yoga and Gym in the below video in our YouTube Channel.
Yoga is a journey within and flexibility doesn’t really matter. All practitioners are at different stages of this journey. There is no need to worry too much about your physical limitations. With constant practice, you will be able to overcome them. The important thing is to build awareness irrespective of your flexibility level.
In our courses, we have shown how to take the assistance of props such as bricks, belts, blankets, etc to make Yoga easily accessible to all. So, irrespective of your flexibility you will be able to do the practice.
Group Yoga Classes Related
There is no perfect time for anything. Good things need not wait. You can start as soon as you can. However, we don’t take admissions in the middle of the month. We take admission only after completing the fundamentals of Yoga workshop. Please visit the group classes page for more details.
You cannot attend the ongoing classes as a demo as it will disturb the normal energy levels in the classes. However, the fundamentals of Yoga workshop is offered for free before joining the classes
Whether it is 3 days or 7 days a week, you will not learn to become independent and grow, unless you learn to practice on your own. We believe our main teacher is with-in us, unless we start learning from teacher with-in, our practice will be not fruitful. As long as you keep looking outwards for a teacher you will keep searching. If we stop teaching tomorrow, you will need someone else to tell you what to do. This will become an endless process. Just by attempting to practice on our own on the remaining days, we will learn more. The dependency will stop our growth and your teacher’s practice can never become your practice. The teacher should just be a guide to make you stop searching outside and go with-in. We understand that as a beginner it would be difficult but it is worth an attempt. Let us accept that the Yogic path is not easy. At some point you need to start, so start with the intention to find ourselves on the remaining days. Visit the self-practice sessions page for more details
Yes, it is taught separately and also as part of your regular practice. Once you understand how they are very much integrated into your Yogic practice you will learn not to separate Pranayama and meditation from Yoga.
We do sweat and can we imagine using someone’s mat. Beyond that having personal connections with the mat will help you in your progress
Any comfortable, decent clothing will do. Just remember that you will be stretching and make sure that clothes will not hinder your practice.
Yes and No. You should not eat solid food before the practice. You should give a 2-hour gap after a light meal and 3 hours after a heavy meal. But you can drink some liquid such as water or milk before the practice. If you are drinking milk or juice then you can have it around 30 minutes before the class. This is advisable for those who suffer from low BP. It is recommended to drink some water first thing in the morning.
If you are so sick that you cannot get up from the bed or if you have a fever then you don’t need to come. If you are suffering from anything else then please do come to the class. There are many Yogic techniques to treat and heal ailments. When you are sick you will not be part of the regular class but rather you will be practicing some other practice to make you feel better. Just inform me as soon as you come.
Yes but there are some things you should not do during the cycle. Just inform me about it and it will be taken care of. There are certain techniques to make you feel better during the cycle.
Yes, If you are tired you will be asked to do something that energies you. If you are feeling sleepy then the practice will wake you up or will put you in much more relaxing sleep
It is not recommended to drink water during practice when we are doing short practice for 1 hour.
This varies depending on the kind of practice you do but as a general rule you can eat after around 20-30 minutes after practice.
Currently, we don’t have an option for you to compensate for the missed classes but the concepts that are discussed will be covered in some other class late as well. With consistent practice, you will be able to coup up with the missed classes easily.
Those who are registering for the classes at the center will get invited to attend the classes online when you are traveling or if you cannot come to the center for some reason. All our classes are live-streamed and you can attend at the comfort of your house when you cannot make it to the center.
If you are specifically looking for some therapy then you can take therapy consultations. If the ailment is not major then you can be part of the group class and discuss with the teacher what additional practices you can do on self-practice days. When a detailed discussion is required, the teacher will recommend you to take a therapy consultation.
Live Online Classes Related
As the teachers are teaching from India, we follow Indian Standard Time for all our classes. You will have to convert it to your country-specific time zone.
Yes, It is recommended that you turn on your camera so that teacher can see and correct your practice.
Yes, We use state-of-the-art technology for conducting our online classes. Anytime during the class, you can ask questions and your questions will be heard by everyone at the center. Our online classes are just an extension of the class at the center.
You can ask questions during the class and if you have any general questions for which the answer will help others then you can bring them during Q and A session conducted periodically for all the practitioners.
Yes, you can meet the teacher in person if it is feasible for you. You need to check the availability of teachers before planning your visit. These sessions are not considered as part of the online course and therefore will be charged extra.
As long as you are following the instruction provided in the class, you are not competing against yourself to do more quickly, and you are doing the practice with complete awareness of your actions, we will ensure that the practice will be safe. In spite of all this if some pain arises then you can immediately stop the practice you are doing and contact your teacher. Sometimes we have to go through the pain to do something but clarify the kind of pain you are facing with the teacher before you continue further. Depending on what you are going through, your teacher may suggest some alternatives or ways to relieve the pain.
We understand that any great internet connection can also go down in between. If the internet connection drops at the center, then you can just wait for few minutes till it is restored. We do have backup systems in case the main internet is down. We recommended that you have a good high-speed internet connection at your end as well.
You will have to complete mandatory free fundamentals of Yoga workshop that is conducted periodically at the center before joining the classes.
Self-Practice Related
You can practice whatever is taught in the regular class. This session is a chance for you to assimilate all the information collected during a regular guided class. Without this, the knowledge will remain just intellectual. Unless the teachings become part of your experience you will not learn them. We understand that it will be difficult at the beginning. You will not get the right sequence and practice randomly. To help you get the right sequence some sample sequences are displayed in the center. Yes, you may do many mistakes while doing asanas but as long as you are practicing with awareness nothing wrong will happen to you. Don’t worry. Overcoming our mistakes is a constant practice. Perfect Asana is a myth
Whether it is 3 days or 7 days a week, you will not learn to become independent and grow, unless you learn to practice on your own. We believe our main teacher is with-in us, unless we start learning from teacher with-in, our practice will be not fruitful. As long as you keep looking outwards for a teacher you will keep searching. If we stop teaching tomorrow, you will need someone else to tell you what to do. This will become an endless process. Just by attempting to practice on our own on the remaining days, we will learn more. The dependency will stop our growth and your teacher’s practice can never become your practice. The teacher should just be a guide to make you stop searching outside and go with-in. We understand that as a beginner it would be difficult but it is worth an attempt. Let us accept that the Yogic path is not easy. At some point you need to start, so start with the intention to find ourselves on the remaining days. Visit the self-practice sessions page for more details
Yoga Therapy Related
We would advise you to continue with your medication at the beginning. Slowly with practice as you feel better with your symptoms, you can reduce the medication and eventually stop them. We would recommend you to be in touch with your family physician as you practice Yoga. Don’t stop any medication with a consultation with your doctor.