May/June  2004

WHAT IS YOGA?
Explore these and other questions with three renowned yoga experts

Walk into any yoga class in the Front Range and most likely you will be guided in a series of exercises, called "poses" or "postures." At the end of the class you may lie on your back and relax for a few minutes. Such classes have proliferated in the last five years, which is part of a remarkable trend in the exercise world: The advent of yoga as the latest and the hippest way to achieve fitness and to reduce stress at the same time. But yoga's modern success doesn't stop there.

      Yoga has also become a part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and is sometimes prescribed for medical conditions such as high blood pressure, back pain, asthma and heart disease.

      Yoga is even taught in an Aspen, Colorado elementary school to calm the students and to help them focus in their classes. The Aspen School Board determined, after conducting a public hearing, that yoga has no religious or spiritual overtones, and so doesn't violate the separation of church and state clause in the U.S. Constitution.

      All this paints a picture of Yoga as an exercise system (albeit a sophisticated one), like warm-up stretches for football, weight training, or pool conditioning classes.

      Yet, when I recently searched the websites for some of the yoga systems which are most uniquely American, systems which were created by Americans within the last 25 years, I found words such as these, which are on the website of Kali Ray, the founder of TriYoga® (for the address see "resources" below): "TriYoga [is] a complete method that includes the full range of traditional yoga practices. [It is] based on the intuitive knowledge that arises from meditation..." Another modern yoga system is Jivamukti, co-founded by David Life. The Jivamukti website describes it as, "a vigorously physical and intellectually stimulating practice leading to spiritual awareness." The website continues, "We promote the educational aspect of the practice and give students access to where these ideas have come from. Each class focuses on a theme, which is supported by Sanskrit chanting, readings, references to scriptural texts, music (from the Beatles to Moby), spoken word, asana sequencing and yogic breathing practices."

      I found these descriptions to be fairly representative of the six websites I surveyed. They all made reference to the traditional goals of yoga. Those goals? Spectacularly clear awareness; ultimate contentment and freedom; a state of consciousness marked by a union of body, mind and spirit; or spiritual enlightenment, to name a few.

      Side-by-side these two pictures clash: Yoga as a workout and yoga as a religious lifestyle. Maybe it is both.

      In this issue of Nexus we explore these and other questions with three renowned Yoga experts:

      K. L. Shankaranarayana Jois holds a Ph.D in yoga from Rastriya Sanskrita Samsthanam in Tirupati, India. He is recently retired as a professor of Sanskrit at the Sanskrit College of Mysore, India, and he has a degree in Ayruveda. In addition, he is a hereditary Vedic astrologer. He and his wife, Vijaya, have founded a non-profit organization for the preservation of the wisdom and knowledge of ancient India, Bharati Yoga Dhama. We spoke with Dr. Shankaranarayana during his recent visit to Boulder.

      Kali Ray was initiated as a swami by H. H. Ganapati Sachidananda of Mysore, India, and created TriYoga®, which is now taught at five centers around the U.S. Kali Ray has been a keynote or featured speaker at numerous yoga conferences in the U.S. and abroad. She has produced six newly-released DVDs titled, "TriYoga - Free the Hips," "TriYoga - Free the Spine," "Yoga for Two," "Yoga for Kids," "Cardio," and "Strengthening." We spoke with Kali Ray by phone.

      David Life founded Jivamukti yoga with his wife, Sharon Gannon. They run a busy center in New York City and include among their students celebrities such as Christy Turlington and Sting. David Life has studied yoga around the world with many teachers including Shri Brahmananda Saraswati, Sri Swami Nirmalananda and Shri K. Pattabhi Jois. He is a contributing writer for several publications including Yoga Journal and Yoga International, and together with Sharon Gannon has co-authored two books, Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body & Soul and The Art of Yoga. We spoke with David Life at our offices in Boulder.

      (Note: We have edited these three interviews to appear as one conversation.)

 

RD: There are so many definitions of what Yoga is. How would you answer the question, "What is Yoga?"

SJ: The direct meaning of the word "yoga" is a state of mind where one can experience total bliss. The secondary meaning refers to particular tools or techniques, such as postures, that lead to that state of mind. Today, most people interpret yoga in only the secondary sense, and leave out much of the primary sense- that is, they practice yoga postures, without the end goal of total bliss. And when yoga is practiced in that way, I'm not sure that the techniques, like postures, help achieve that state of bliss.

KR: Yoga is also considered a union of the individual atman, the self, with the divine self, the param-atman. Or, to put it more simply, it's the realization of the divine within.

DL: For me, what's being joined is the individual self and the source of the individual self, or the cosmic self. Sometimes, yoga is misrqaepresented as a joining of body, mind and spirit. But body, mind and spirit are already bonded in the body quite well. Also, what's missing in that definition is the more omnipotent or divine experience. So yoga is both the goal and the name for some techniques that bring about this experience of the infinite and the finite communing.

RD: But now that yoga has become so popular in the mainstream culture, I suspect most people wouldn't define it that way. How did that happen?

DL: Well, I think you're right- yoga, as it's practiced and understood today, doesn't have the same definition I gave it. I'm less interested in how or why that happened, and more interested in how to fix it- how to help people realize the truer, or deeper, definition of yoga. For me, the way to do that is to present the aspects of yoga philosophy that seem to have dropped out of the typical yoga practice in America, especially the connection with the divine. I think people are afraid to speak about things like God or philosophy or any of the other terms I might use to describe the goal of a yoga practice. It's easier to say that yoga is for strength or flexibility or even peace of mind.

      Wherever I teach, I talk about the goals and intention behind a yoga practice, as well as the various aspects of yoga philosophy- what it's meant to do, how it's meant to take us back to a realization of our source. But to teach that, you have to be able to talk about what a headstand has to do with understanding your cosmic nature, or what a forward bend has to do with perfecting your relationship with the mother, and how this is all really a goddess worship. And I'm not sure most teachers are comfortable with those terms.

SJ: One positive aspect of yoga's popularity today is that some people are becoming more curious about yoga as a whole, not just the postures. A few with a serious interest in yoga may gradually come to the right path. But because modern applications of yoga are often incorrect, many people may be disappointed or confused, or even get injured. I don't feel this is appropriate. Yoga should be popularized and taught with its original goals and meanings intact.

 

RD: How do you think yoga is usually interpreted and taught in the United States today?

 

SJ: The concept of yoga is wrongly interpreted in the United States. In India, yoga is considered a holistic science that includes eight limbs or steps, one of which is asanas, or postures. In the United States, yoga usually focuses only on the postures, with maybe a little meditation. Even the concept of asana is totally different in India. Asana means a particular sitting posture in which one can meditate comfortably. If you look at the original (ancient) texts like Patanjali's Yoga Sutra or Hatha Yoga Pradipika, most of the postures are defined as stable and comfortable. Even the shoulder stand and the headstand are to be done for three hours- that means they should be stable and comfortable. Today, no one practices like that. Most postures are held for one or two minutes, and then everyone jumps to another posture. People here are crazy about different postures. But that's not the way asanas are described in the basic Yoga texts or practiced in the long history of Indian culture.

KR: Today, there's so much emphasis on the physical practice, and I think that just happens to be where people in the West are. They're first looking at how to take better care of their physical bodies. Over time, as they continue yoga and develop a sincere interest in it, hopefully that will lead them to the higher levels of the practice.

      In the West, a lot of yoga methods have emphasized the physical aspects of the body, or teachers may say yoga gives greater flexibility and strength to the body. Well, in reality, it gives greater flexibility and strength to the mind, so that the mind can become calmer, more at peace. In the West, though, yoga has entered into the realm of exercise, because America's always looking for the next health and fitness program.

DL: The problem is, many modern yoga classes are just another workout, another vacuous, fragmenting diversion or amusement from mundane, daily life. Another addition to a set of skills or a collecting of sensual experiences.

RD: But many people who take "workout" yoga classes say they love it- they feel wonderful, and their practice has changed their life in some way. What's wrong with that?

SJ: Nothing's really wrong with that. In that case, Yoga is providing some benefit. Exercise is certainly beneficial in that it leads to better health, if it's done properly and not in excess. And if an exercise routine consists of yoga asanas, deep breathing and other yoga techniques, it will be even more beneficial. I don't mean to discourage that. But when yoga is used to promote fitness of the body or for fun or for exercise, it's not the true or original yoga.

DL: The point is that so much more is possible. It's important that people feel their yoga practice has changed their lives, but the question is, in what way and to what extent? And how lasting is that change going to be? Will it be until the next trend comes along?

      A consistent yoga practice unleashes a lot of power and enhances an individual in many ways. But without a really careful choice about what direction you're going to send that energy or use that enhancement, it's possible that it could create further selfishness and greed. We need to assess the reasons behind our actions, including our reasons for doing yoga. Those are the important first steps in a yoga practice- the yama and niyama (moral guidelines and personal observances). That's the part (where your teacher says), "So you feel good; great; now what are you going to do with that good feeling?"

RD: What are yama and niyama?

DL: Yama and niyama are the first two steps in the Ashtanga yoga practice [see box, "Yoga's eight limbs"] which has eight steps. Yama means, essentially, "restraint." The ultimate restraint is losing the body, but in a practical sense it's kind of like the yogic 10 commandments: don't harm others, tell the truth, don't hoard things or steal things, be conservative with your life force, don't just brazenly throw it around.

      The yamas relate to our relationship with others; niyama is about how we could improve upon ourselves. Niyama has to do with things like cleanliness and contentment, raising our standards for our spiritual practices, studying who we really are, beyond personality and beyond desire, and being devoted to God. Those first two steps in the Ashtanga (eight-step) practice (yama and niyama) are the most overlooked first two steps of any system of philosophy that I've ever seen. Everyone skips to step three which is asana- the physical postures- and says, "Well, I'm not ready for step one and two yet." Yet those create the groundwork for the rest.

SJ: And as people practice yama and niyama, there is less need for asana and pranayama (breathing practices). Yogic experiences of bliss and deep contentment are natural, but most people aren't able to achieve those experiences- no matter how many asanas they may practice- because their intentions aren't pure, or they have too many attachments to the ego and the physical world. But when the qualities of yama and

niyama are emphasized, it's very easy to experience the yogic conditions of bliss.

KR: And even though maybe yama and niyama are not mentioned as such in TriYoga, the style of Yoga I practice, it is taught in a way that has a natural peace about it. A natural meditation seems to emerge in the students because of the way that it flows together, and it's done in a more traditional way. Though I may not even use the terms yama and niyama, the practice itself creates an inner calm that will naturally lead students to a practice of yama and niyama.

RD: I know there are lots of other kinds of yoga, other than that espoused by Patanjali, Ashtanga yoga. Do you think these moral guidelines are important for all kinds, or just some?

DL: I think there are many different plans. There's a three-step plan, which is tapas, svadhyaya and ishvara-pranidhana. Tapas has to do with pushing the envelope on your practice, keeping the heat turned up high. Svadhyaya is study of the higher self. And ishvara-pranidhana means devotion to God. If you can handle a three-step plan, that's enough. You don't have to do anything else.

The eight-step plan is helpful in that it gives you eight steps to follow, rather than three. And if you're going to go from here to there, sometimes eight steps are easier than three. It's more of a breakdown of the ideas. Of course, there's a one-step plan, too. The one-step plan is simply to be devoted to God, and you don't have to do anything else. That's great, too, but that's a long step, the one-step. The eight steps just break that idea down a little bit more.

RD: Some people who teach yoga in the United States might say they're adapting the yoga system to modern times, just as yoga has been adapted over its whole history. Do you agree?

SJ: Oh, no, I do not agree. In our modern world, we're so focused on material goods and technology and a fast-paced lifestyle. We can't adapt yoga to that kind of environment. Instead, we should be striving to adapt our environments, our lifestyles, to yoga. I don't think the current versions of yoga are a legitimate carrying forward of yogic tradition. Instead, the tradition, the core, is being lost and only the external shell remains.

RD: How would you remedy this situation?

SJ: By propagating the original concepts and ideals of yoga. Yoga teachers should try to adhere to the original methods and teachings of yoga as closely as possible. They should teach their students that asana itself is not yoga. They should emphasize meditation and pranayama. It will take some time, maybe a few decades, but we should start now.

KR: I would like to see teachers first live the discipline of yoga, to live with integrity and share the teaching of yoga from their hearts. I think so many teachers now are relatively new to the practice, and I'm sure they're doing the best they can. But I still hope that yoga continues to evolve so that the world can know of the great richness it offers- not just the external practices, but the inner wealth that it awakens. The world would be a better place.

RD: How so?

KR: As people continue to practice Yoga and they start to experience inner peace, that peace will automatically reflect on the outside, to their actions. Yoga teaches us to follow a pure, healthy diet, and if people could turn more toward a vegan or vegetarian diet, embracing a lifestyle of ahimsa (non-harming, one of the yamas, the moral guidelines), that would be excellent for our planet. It would not only make people healthier, but it would also be best for the animals and for the environment. And as people experience the inner peace of Yoga, that idea of non-harming will also be reflected in the way we treat each other; there will be more love, more respect for the Divine in everyone.

RD: Some would say that some teachings of traditional yoga are no longer appropriate to modern people- that what people need now is activity and movement. Do you think traditional yoga is important for and relevant to modern people?

SJ: Oh, yes- totally relevant. The human body has many more types of toxins now, and people crave many things. They're always shopping and buying, always talking and moving; modern people have what we call a monkey's nature, going from here to there. Yoga can help calm this condition and relieve the body of toxins. For instance, before starting a yoga practice, one should practice kriya (cleansing) yoga. You should fast for a while and do some specific cleansing techniques to eliminate toxins from the body. In India, even today, fasting is often used to keep the body in good condition. Other traditional yogic techniques, such as meditation and pranayama, can help calm and still the mind's chatter.

RD: What distinguishes your teaching of yoga from other systems or methods?

DL: In our system, which we call Jivamukti, we put the emphasis on five elements. We use asana practice as the structure within which we present scriptural study, from scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Yoga Sutra.

      We stress the element of devotion- I don't like to use the word "God" because some people are alienated by that term. It could be devotion to the blue sky or Allah. Whatever works for you, I can appreciate it. To me, it's all the same. The scriptural study and chanting are ways of expressing devotion to whatever you call the divine, and they're aimed at discovering and feeling the source. That's a really important part of our practice.

      We also stress the importance of nada yoga, the yoga of sound, which, according to hatha yoga, is the ultimate goal of the practices: To refine the instrument, the body, to such an extent that you're able to hear that cosmic sound, which underlies all manifestation. We also stress ahimsa, or non-violence, as a practical guideline for how to live your life. Vegetarianism is one practical method for creating less harm in the world, and is probably the single, easiest, most effective and most profound thing a person can do to affect consciousness.

      The fifth aspect of Jivamukti is meditation. Every one of our classes includes a seated, silent meditation. Not a long one- a minimum of five minutes is required, and when meditation is the theme of a particular month, we lengthen it to 10 to 15 minutes. We feel it's an essential part of any yoga practice. When you look at the scriptures, it's not a practice that is to be delayed for some later time. The asanas prepare you for meditation, and to miss that opportunity in an asana class- to sit still and finally stop moving about- is to miss a wonderful opportunity to change for the better.

      Those are the elements we stress in our Jivamukti class. And I don't like to emphasize how we're different from other yoga methods, because we really struggle to find how we're the same as other yoga methods. However, I find that these particular aspects of yoga are underemphasized, especially when yoga enters the gym or the shopping mall storefront. These practices- meditation, study of scripture, chanting- are usually the first things to go, many times, I'm sorry to say, because the yoga teacher is afraid of alienating a potential paying customer.

SJ: In our teaching of Ashtanga yoga, we stress human qualities, since Ashtanga yoga commences from yama and niyama- they are considered primary prerequisites. As for my training, I have studied and taught many types of yoga, including hatha, raja, tantra and kundalini. I have learned these from one teacher, one heritage alone. Many times, one realized person may possess wonderful knowledge about many different paths.

      But my style of teaching is based on the constitution and the needs of the student- I don't teach the same for all. I'll start with something in general that applies to everyone- for example, exactly what yoga is- then I'll focus on particular techniques, based on what the students need.

KR: We honor the universal eternity, and we see the trinity of yoga. Our definition of yoga is that it is the realization of sat-chit-ananda, which is existence, knowledge and bliss in oneself. In the TriYoga system, we see the trinity in all the different yogas. So, for example, we can see it has jnana, bhakti and karma yogas. Jnana is to know God, to know the self, bhakti is to have devotion to the self and karma yoga is to serve the divine self. If we look at the trinity in terms of mantra (chanting) yoga, there's a trinity there as well, of sound, meaning and form. If we look at hatha yoga, we see asana (poses), pranayama (breath) and mudra (mental focus). I could go through all the different yogas and see a trinity in each one. Whatever kind of yoga you're talking about, in the true, traditional sense, the trinity is present in it. In the West, we can simplify it as body/mind/spirit.

RD: Some yoga teachers modify the teachings they learned originally to make them more comfortable for students, or to attract more people. Have you changed your teaching to adapt it to the marketplace?

DL: No. Our attitude has been, "If people stop coming, then our work is done." But that hasn't been the case. Students just kept coming and coming. And they didn't all leave when we told them the reason we have our Jivamukti center is to achieve God consciousness. They might have had some trouble digesting that phrase, but they didn't run away. And we weren't willing to sacrifice the real reason for having a yoga center.

SJ: I don't change my teachings to attract people. I may use teachings that are more relevant to modern times, but the core is the same. I have no interest in attracting the public- rather, I want to convey the truth. It may take time to convey the true teachings of yoga, but that doesn't matter; it should go slowly. The science of yoga evolved in India over many centuries, and it may take that long in a population the size of the United States. It doesn't matter. What's important is that we start with the truth, and stay with the truth.

KR: The physical practices have always been seen, in India, more as a tool to create a meditation seat, so that one can experience samadhi. Even though many people are into yoga for the physical aspects, there's also another group of people who really are seeking meditation and the true essence of yoga. And many of them are also interested in doing something for their health as well. We do live in this physical form, and I don't see anything wrong with putting the focus on also achieving greater health. That way the body, which is like a boat, can carry us across the ocean of samsara (the phenomenal world, the "sea of sorrow").

RD: Some experts say the modern transformation of yoga into a system of physical movements exclusively implies a disrespect for the yoga tradition. Where do you stand on this?

KR: I agree that yoga should not be synonymous with asana. Teachers should honor the students who may not be serious seekers of yoga at this time, but at the same time, I think it's wise if they help students understand that asana is just part of yoga, and that asana is actually designed to create a meditative seat. Yoga should be recognized for its higher levels- as a spiritual path, a path of self-discovery. Many great yogis of India may not practice hatha yoga, or the physical postures of yoga, but their bodies were not obstacles to meditation. Those of us who do understand the true essence of yoga should definitely make it a point to educate our students, so they understand that it's a path of self-discovery, and they don't limit the potential they can derive from true yoga practice.

RD: It sounds like you're saying you view yoga poses as preparation for meditation.

KR: I view yoga poses as a way to relax the body, to gain greater health, as long as yoga poses are connected with pranayama (breath control). Traditional hatha yoga is really a trinity of asana (poses), pranayama (breath control) and mudra, mudra being the mental focus or concentration to direct the energy. Breath control helps increase the energy, and postures help release tension. That way, the yoga practitioner can establish a comfortable seated pose, so they can practice breath control and withdraw the mind inside for deeper meditation.

RD: In your classes, is meditation about sitting motionless and quiet?

KR: In our classes, the emphasis is on the flowing of body movements, connected with breath and mental focus. This is the trinity. Eventually, that becomes a meditation in movement, but if students also recline in yoga nidra (yoga "sleep"), it can evolve into a true meditation. In the traditional seated pose, which creates a triangle shape in your body, you can find yourself more able to calm your mind. I also suggest that people with physical limitations sit in a chair for meditation.

      We can start off in saying, yes, one should sit still and focus inwardly. But once prana (energy) itself awakens, it might move the body spontaneously through postures, spontaneously through breathing or any of the yoga sadhana (disciplines). So I wouldn't want to say that one has to sit still to meditate. And while sitting in meditation is traditional, one should also be able to ultimately walk in that state; one should be able to move through life with this type of yogic awareness.

RD: In the United States, there are no organized standards for yoga teacher training. Do you feel that the level of yoga training today is adequate?

KR: I think there are wonderful methods in some programs that are training teachers in the right manner, but there are also many that aren't, such as the quick certification programs. Some health centers or aerobics centers offer programs that span a few weeks, or a month. Some take only two or three days. I don't feel that's enough to certify a teacher by any means. A true yoga training needs to be much more indepth. When someone's going to teach yoga, he or she should at least know that it comes from a tradition of self-discovery and self-discipline that leads one into a more conscious, aware life.

SJ: I believe the training today is totally inadequate. Yoga is a comprehensive science; it requires basic knowledge of Ayurvedic medical science (indigenous Indian medicine) and other sciences like tantra (a comprehensive yoga system) and mantra (the yoga of sound). It also requires a comprehensive view of yoga philosophy. Then the techniques can be properly adopted. It is not possible to get the proper knowledge for teaching in a one-month program, or even a six-month program. It is possible to gain some knowledge for an individual's practice, just as it is possible to gain some knowledge for an individual's practice in an hour class. If you go to a doctor, it is possible to get some suggestions for your health; but you will not be a doctor based on that information.

RD: What happens when poorly trained teachers teach yoga?

SJ: If a teacher is not properly trained, the results of a true yoga practice will not be realized by students, and yoga as a whole may begin to draw criticism. It may even be condemned and wrongly judged, based on incorrect teachings. Also, if teachers are overly enthusiastic in teaching strong or difficult techniques without precautionary measures or adequate knowledge, students may experience physical or mental problems.

KR: It's definitely possible to harm the body, if a teacher isn't trained properly in the mechanics of the body, with some background in anatomy and physiology, and an understanding of the proper sequencing of postures with a systematized approach that starts at the beginning level. It's especially harmful if people are pushing themselves into poses, as opposed to relaxing into the flow and allowing it to naturally emerge. In TriYoga, the essence is the flow- being able to flow body movement and breath movement together in a systematic approach, where one starts with basics and progresses in a safe manner. People say they've been injured in yoga, but what they've been doing isn't really yoga. It's some stretching method they have going.

      The oldest philosophy on our planet is yoga. It has been carried on for thousands of years, and I think it's important that teachers in the West understand that and continue this beautiful tradition. At the same time, in our modern world, we can't expect everyone to be seeking higher stages of enlightenment, so we want to honor people where they are.

      It's very important for teachers to be properly trained and not to think that a certification program is a way to make money quickly, but as a way to impart to the student the real tradition of yoga. So even if teachers don't have the same values or aspirations for themselves, in terms of wanting to do yoga for a spiritual path or to seek enlightenment, they should at least understand the physical mechanics of yoga and correct breathing. And they should have an understanding of the true essence of yoga.

DL: Teachers need to be able to put the ancient teachings of yoga into a modern context, and to do that, they need to have a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of yoga. I think many yoga teachers haven't educated themselves well enough in the deeper, more historical aspects of yoga. In our book Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul, by David Life and Sharon Gannon: (Ballantine Books, 2002), we've tried to present a concise but thorough representation of the method and the goals of yoga. I hope that Yoga teachers avail themselves of it. I've found that yoga students are buying and reading it, and they're overjoyed to find something more than a workout tape inside the covers of the book.

RD: Kali, in India, yoga was historically an area of study limited to men. You are considered a yoga master, and you are a woman. Please comment on the contrast between modern yoga and ancient yoga in regards to gender discrimination.

KR: You're correct as far as yoga being an area of study for men. But if you look at the family systems in India- it's quite a vast culture- the female is actually honored in the household as supporting the spiritual environment. Often, Indian families have a temple in their home. The household will have its own prayer room, meditation area or temple, and the woman is very instrumental in creating that. She is the core of the family, she nourishes the family, she raises the children. Often, too, they have had to go out and make a living. So the woman ultimately is valued in her home.

       It's interesting to notice that the female goddess, the mother goddess, Shakti, is an integral part of Indian philosophy. Yogis want to awaken kundalini, which is the feminine aspect. So internally, the feminine energy is worshipped. Externally, an imbalance has traditionally taken place, in terms of women practicing and teaching yoga. Now, that's starting to reverse itself; go into most yoga classes, and you'll see that the women usually vastly outnumber the men.

      Ultimately, yoga should transcend gender, because we know the soul is not either masculine or feminine; it's a balance of both aspects. For myself, the style of yoga I teach awoke inside me through deep levels of meditation - it came to me spontaneously; yoga sadhana (practices) manifested through this body without thought. I feel that was the grace of mother Goddess. I have met many spiritual women in India, but their culture has not supported them to be swamis. Even in our lineage, I am the only female initiated as a swami.

RD: When you were initiated as a swami, did you encounter any prejudice because you were a woman?

KR: I haven't, because the TriYoga that has been started through me is very respected in India. In our lineage, people respect my teacher and they also know that Mata Jayalakshmi, his mother, is my guru as well. I've been invited to teach at many places, and I've not experienced any kind of prejudice, even though there aren't too many other women who have taken the role of the Swami. So I assume for an Indian woman it might be different.

RD: How are you encouraged by yoga's current status in the world?

KR: I'm very happy overall. There may be some forms of yoga being taught that are directed only toward the physical aspects. But the fact is, yoga is spreading around the world in its many different expressions. And so many people are being helped by it, more now than ever. I'm very excited about it. There are a lot of wonderful yoga teachers who are doing their part in teaching the true tradition and meeting their students' needs. I'm very happy that yoga is gaining such awareness in the world, and I think over time, more and more people will come to realize its truer essence.