TriBalance Yoga

Introduction: Yoga is more than a form of exercise. Yoga is an art and science of self-discipline that applies to body, mind, spirit, and lifestyle. At TriBalance, we honor the age-old traditions of yoga and integrate it into modern life. As early as 1,700 BCE, the Rig Veda spoke of yoga as a practice of self-discipline and enlightenment. As early as 500 – 200 BCE, the Bagavad Gita taught about yoga, self-discipline, and enlightenment through a story set on a battlefield. In fact, one aspect of yoga was a martial art, hence poses with names like Warrior and Archer – warriors practiced yoga for strength and discipline. Today, our bodies that were designed to hunt and survive sit behind desks for eight hours. Rather than predators, we face financial stress, taxing jobs, family quarrels, traffic jams – and cope with caffeine, alcohol, comfort foods, and TV. No wonder so many people have physical aches and exhaustion, mental anxiety and stress, and spiritual disconnects. The yoga self-discipline will allow you to transcend these influences to be calm, healthy, and happy. We do, however, challenge the physical and mental aspects of the discipline in our classes. The subtle influence of the holistic discipline underlies every session. At TriBalance, we do not force everyone into the same pose or the same mold. We respect all aspects and forms of the body, and all levels of ability. Part of yoga's evolution into the modern world is adapting to its students, just as its students adapt to yoga. In an old legend, a student approached Siva, the god of yoga, dance, death, and rebirth. The student asked Siva how many yoga poses exist. “Two thousand,” the god said. “Two thousand?” the student asked. “Four thousand,” Siva answered. “Four thousand?” “Forty thousand,” Siva said. “In truth, there are as many yoga poses as there are people on Earth.” We teach poses with modifications so that everyone can achieve the full benefit of the poses. One of the aspects that sets us apart is our inclusive, realistic approach. Forcing is not teaching. Our other cornerstone lies in the ancient Yoga tradition of tapas, which translates literally from Sanskrit as heat. Figuratively speaking, tapas can mean spiritual suffering or ecstasy. The word tapasya means essential energy, a focused effort leading the body towards purification. This is part of Niyama, or self-discipline. This is not suffering in the sense of agony or torture. Rather it is restraint and challenge. In class, your muscles may burn and shake. Part of you may want to stop struggling and run to the nearest ice cream shop. However, your mental discipline makes your body stay, and this gives you further control of and in your body. You may feel lighter and happier after class, as you notice stress and calories have literally burned away. You will find that the more negativity you have burned off, the easier it is to shrug off in the future. Praticing tapas burns off negative energies, clearing a path towards spiritual and mental evolution. It is a striving for nirvana or moksha – striving for perfection, serenity, enlightenment. You may have heard stories or seen pictures of ascetic yogis following difficult practices, like holding poses or standing in the hot sun for incredible lengths of time. They do this to transform ordinary consciousness. As impressive as these feats are, they are not realistic for most peoples' day-to-day life. Part of the work of class is transforming consciousness through the mental discipline needed to hold poses in heat. You practice tapas unknowingly when you focus and challenge yourself for a goal: achievement in a sport, developing a healthier life, losing weight, defeating stress. Tapas integrates all aspects of you towards perfection. The heat of the class will help connect you with your tapas – as will music. We play contemporary music as well as Indian fusion beats. This is another part of brining the ancient tradition into the modern world. Most Americans are conditioned to listen to contemporary music as they train, yet many yoga classes that involve music keep it light and airy. We find that a strong beat can get your blood pumping and keep you going strong throughout class – heating mind and body to connect to the warmth of the spirit, intensifying your inner fire. We do not teach you how to perform tapas. Rather, we help you find your practice in performing yoga asanas mindfully. In so doing, we guide you to practice what we call “yoga off the mat”: applying yogic principles to day-to-day life. In so doing, we teach you principles that allow you to uncover the tapas you already know. At TriBalance, we know that you already have the potential and the answers. We can only create the best circumstances for you to discover them. These changes are experiential, they are transformative, they are real. We teach a fully balanced, inclusive, unique style. We teach with warmth and humor, with discipline and honor. You have the strength to succeed already. We will empower you to uncover it. Helping others integrate body, mind, and spirit.