This Sunday Just B Yoga welcomed Yogi Narayan to the studio for his Yoga Pranayama class, a new weekly offering from 1-4 p.m. This is an amazing experience. Don’t let the three hours give you pause.
The class does light asana practice (postures) in the beginning for about an hour, then pranayama practices for a little more than an hour, and then meditation and questions.
The depth of his knowledge and the peacefulness of his spirit are a blessing to share.
What is pranayama? It’s breath exercises and it’s one of the eight limbs of yoga practice. Asana – posture – is just one of the eight limbs. Pranayama is a vital and powerful practice that should not be explored without a trained guru and even sometimes medical clearance. Some of the breathing exercises can leave you feeling lightheaded or drained, others can leave you excited and energized. Because of the power of breath and the potential for causing dizziness, please do not try to practice pranayama alone or without training.
Here are two video clips shot during Sunday’s class demonstrating pranayama:
Yogi Narayan is “60 plus” as he would say. He’s from Bhutan originally but has lived and studied in India and Nepal. He relocated to Lansing in November 2009.
Yogi Narayan said he moved to Nepal 18 years ago from Bhutan due to political crisis. But he said he lived most of his life in an ashram in India.
His guruji was Yogiraj Swamiji Jagad Guru who died about 22 years ago at the age of 118. “He was very healthy, very strong,” Yogi Narayan said.
Yogi Narayan started his own ashram and taught in India himself for 15 years before coming to the U.S. He is a follower of the Lord Krishna. That is not to be confused with Hari Krishnas.
“Most of the time I teach devotional yoga,” he said, involving asana, pranayama and prayers.
“Human has mind, intellect and soul,” he said. “Prayers delight our mind and sould.”
Despite his depth of experience teaching and his wisdom, he says, “I consider myself a student. Yoga is a vast course.”
Yogi Narayan has been teaching his donations-only class outdoors this summer around Lansing but needed an indoor space as winter approaches. Just B Yoga considers it auspicious to have met this sweet and dear guru and is proud to be able to offer an opportunity for more students in Lansing to explore his teachings.
When I asked him what to call his class and how to describe it he said “it’s yoga.”
But he agreed that in the U.S. his depth of teaching is likely beyond the mainstream understanding. So he agreed to call it Yoga Pranayama.
Here are a few cautions and restrictions for his class:
No one under 12 (“their pituitary gland is not yet developed.”
Not appropriate for those with diabetes, sinusitis, gastritis and migraines.
Those with high blood pressure may attend but please notify Yogi Narayan of your condition.
Class: Every Sunday, 1-4 p.m., Just B Yoga studio.
If you have questions about the class call Yogi Narayan at 517-894-1367 or email him at gitashree108@gmail.com.