International Lifestyle Magazine Issue 51 | Page 42

It was whilst researching that I
discovered the Wise Living Yoga
Academy, founded by Daniel
Fonseca and Jeenal Mehta, a
married couple, who follow a
traditional approach to yoga
from India, and are very much
aware of this problem.
They have a beautiful yoga
centre in the North of Thailand,
the only one in the city of
Chiang Mai, for those who are
looking for a genuine Yogic
experience, so if you are new,
a seasoned yogi or perhaps
looking to become a yoga
teacher yourself, through a
four week, 200 hour residential
programme, this is the perfect
destination.
Daniel and Jeenal have written
a wonderful article, so please,
take some time and read
through, a wonderful piece
for everyone with an interest in
traditional yoga.
Going Back to… Traditional
Yoga
By Daniel Fonseca & Jeenal
Mehta
Co-founders of Wise Living
Yoga Academy
Millions
of
people
head
towards Asia every year to
have (besides the travelling
experience) an encounter
with eastern philosophies and
practices which allows for selfhealing, self-discovery and
self-empowerment.
Among
alternative medicine systems,
therapies, and many other
technical systems (including
massage, martial arts, dances,
etc, etc) one of the famous and
inspiring subjects that attract
people to Asia is Yoga.
Although most people think, or
like to think, of Yoga as a physical
system, in reality it is an ancient
and traditional system of Indian
Philosophy and Disciplines that
emphasizes on a holistic way of
living which allows for a deep
transformation,
awareness
and positive changes, not
only on the physical, but also
on the mental, social and
spiritual planes of the human
personality.

What is Yoga?
Traditionally, Asanas (postural
training) is only one part of
Yoga. Certain sets of conduct
regulations
(Yamas)
and
observances
(Niyamas)
throughout one’s own life form
the very foundation of Yoga.
Only then follows Asanas. The
next step being control of bioenergy
through
breathing
techniques
(Pranayamas).
Eventually
withdrawal
of
senses (Pratyahara) will be
achieved. Following stages
are concentration (Dharana),
meditation (Dhyana) and finally
leading to total absorption
in pure consciousness state
(Samadhi). This is the goal of
Yoga.
The practices described above
are known as “Ashtanga Yoga”
or the “Eight-fold Path of Yoga”
and the understanding of these
disciplines and the systematic
implementation of them in
one’s own life is what is meant
by “Classical Yoga”.
The problem is that Yoga
is
becoming
too
much
commercial and many teachers
and so called “Yogis” have very
little or no understanding of the
Yoga path in its entirety. Yoga
has become just a matter of
performing some “stunt moves”
on a rubber mat. But, the truth
is that, even for the physical
training, if the right attitude
and feelings are not present
then the Yoga exercises will
be just like any other exercise.
It will, of course, bring benefits
to the practitioner, but that will
be only partial, not the real life
transforming experience that
one may be looking for. As we
have seen, more and more,
people are realizing this, and
there is somehow, a search
and an interest for going back
to Traditional Yoga.
The first question is: where to go
to learn Traditional Yoga?
The most obvious answer would
be: “India”. But nowadays
even in India, commercial
Yoga has taken over, and you
can meet with either a good
or a bad teacher or school,
in India, or in any other Asian
country. Literally thousands

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