This year the event was held at a high school. When I arrived, I saw the yoga mats ready, neatly arranged on the floor in a hallway next to the gym.  Not the quiet, intimate, cleared room I had requested! Despite my reservations, we got started.  I tried to keep the same gentle, but commanding tone I use at the studio. Attendees jockeyed around a little bit to avoid bumping into each other, but for the most part I held their attention. It was encouraging for me to realize I could teach a class in this strange space.  My yoga training of using drishti (concentrated focus) helped me pay attention to the students and tune out the surroundings. I must admit I lost a few of them during sun salutations, the multiple movements is a lot to take in the first time you try it.

Later attendees shared some insights I have often heard: “I didn’t expect to sweat from a yoga class!,” “I work out regularly, but still found this class to be a challenge,” and “This is great tea! How did you make it?” (part of the RussaYog experience is to offer a special homemade chai). I also had to clarify that “russa” means rope (in Punjabi) and is not short for Russian.

After the classes, I enjoyed a few falafel balls with other attendees while discussing the other courses. One of their favorites from the workshop was a session on goal setting. I started thinking about my own health and wellness goals and the classes from the morning. I set a goal for February of doing yoga in one unlikely place a day, to help me remember to integrate yoga into my whole life and not segregate it to a few hours in the studio or my living room. I haven’t been in another high school hallway yet, but the grocery store pranayama helped me realize I was worrying too much about which brand of peanut butter to buy.

Jill Ostrowski is a Certified RussaYog instructor and teaches at RussaYog Studio of Ann Arbor. She teaches Flow, one-hour and 90-minute classes and is available for your private group.

photo credits: Chelsea Page

Thursday, February 23, 5:30pm, Broida, 1610

“Building a Sustainable Good Life through Technology and Yoga”

Dr. Jasprit Singh

Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan

Dr. Singh is currently focusing on how technology can develop to impact the ability to live the “good life”. He is the founder of the RussaYog style of yoga and runs several studios and training centers in USA. His work examines how to have the “good life” in a sustainable way using concepts from yoga and “mindful” technologies. Mindful technologies allow us to enhance our inner senses and take journeys that optimize resources.

Singh is working in the area of optical and electronic properties of semiconductors and their heterostructures. He earned his Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from the University of Chicago in 1980.

More information available at tmp.ucsb.edu or download 

Prof. Singh will also be offering a lecture, “Building a Sustainable Good Life through Technology and Yoga”
Thursday, February 23, 5:30pm, Broida, 1610

open to the public, in Santa Barbara at UCSB
for the Technology Management Program – Lecture Series Winter 2012
Opportunities and Perspectives in Technology, Business and Society
click here for a link to the flyer, UCSB 

Prof. Jasprit Singh continues his presentations on “Sustainable Good Life and Technology” through The University of Michigan’s Solid-State Electronics Laboratory Lecture Series. These talks will be posted on U of M YouTube channel.

Hear Prof. Singh’s Lecture

Friday, Feb. 3, 2012

1:30-3 pm

EECS Building, Room 1500

University of Michigan

If you are in Ann Arbor, you can see the lectures live at the U of M Engineering School.

Sustainable Good Life and Technology by Prof. Jasprit Singh

The Good Life: Senses as Motivators for Technology 

We examine seven layers of “the good life:” physical wellness, creativity and beauty, balance and harmony, emotional connections, self-awareness, and purpose and belonging. Since Nature does not hand us the good life, we build technology to alter Nature and ourselves to create the good life. A key to creating and enjoying the good life lies in our senses. We will examine seven layers of senses and explore how technologies can enhance them.

January 27, 2012 (1st lecture of 6)

Fridays, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Room 1500 EECS Bldg. (University of Michigan campus)

Contact: Jasprit Singh 2400 EECS, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122 Phone: 734-834-0507 Email: singh@umich.edu

Jasprit Singh (PhD Physics, University of Chicago, 1980) explores using semiconductors for technologies that form the basis of “The Knowledge Age.” His additional research interests blend technology and ideas from yoga to explore new designs and practices intended to answer the question, “How can the intersection of best lessons in technology and yoga reduce the gap between knowledge and action?” The answers would lead towards practices and technologies that enhance mindfulness.

Prof. Jasprit Singh discusses the roles of Indriyan (senses). In addition to the 5 basic senses (touch, smell, sight, taste, hearing) what are the additional senses that enhance our appreciation of life? That enhance our wellness?

Uplift with Rope-Based Yoga.

With a blend of anticipation and hesitation I first approached RussaYog Yoga Studio in my wheelchair. My eyes drank in the room, multiple free-flowing ropes anchored from the ceiling, brightly colored mats covering the floor.

The juxtaposition of stability and freedom offered by ropes created an “aha” moment.  How wonderful it would be to move beyond the narrow confines of my body’s movement ability. Freedom beckoned. Yoga offers exploration, and the ropes provide real possibilities. 

Like an umbilical cord merges mother and child, a rope symbolizes connection and encourages play. The organic, pliable natural hemp fiber is filled with possibilities.

Holding onto the anchored rope I confidently stood up. Once standing, calming my mind with controlled pranayam, could I let go and raise my arms? Exploring my body’s abilities resulted in expanding the limits of my mind.

What began with exploratory, gentle, 15-minute sessions quickly expanded into 30 minutes, becoming one-hour sessions. Grasping the security of the ropes evolved into releasing my iron clutch and lightly fingering for brief seconds, progressing into completely releasing while standing firmly next to the ropes.  With patience and persistence, my yoga instructor, Teresa, and I have continued to adjust and adapt postures to support my progress. 

Yoga practice with the rope has awakened ‘dormant’ muscles, given me more awareness of my foot/heel connection, helped with my daily activities, and enabled me to practice with my own rope at home.

Best of all, my emotions and attitude are uplifted.

Teresa and Diana have been a team for the past two years. Diana has agreed to share her experience with RussaYog in the hopes that others will find the wonderful benefits of rope-based yoga.

I quickly embraced the open possibilities in Russa Yog. My body parts feeling the warmth in the after hours, remembering the joyful play and the merging of my body to the invitation of challenge and the liberation within each breath and body movement, my mind and spirit soaring.

“You can do this!” Discovery through the russa, (ropes) as I imitate my Yog master, I learn to trust “my partner” (the ropes) and myself as I learn the asans and to breathe in and out, Yog.

I realized that my new experience with Russa Yog and its masters can lead me into few amazing shifts and changes: not only in my body, but my mind and spirit also. So, I decided to go on a journey. I chose to observe the changes and shifts in my ‘everything’ by going to Russa Yog class for 30 consecutive days.  As my “Chardi Kala” or “Unbound Optimism” emerged with certainty, I entered my challenge with wide eyes and an open heart. I wanted to see the potential within this energy, Russa Yog. Shifts and changes, I did see!

After the initiation and/or discovery phase, I began my 30 days with the spirit of exploration. In my  first week I could see that Yog is multidimensional, truly more than just exercise for the body.  I began to see the potential in my “travels”  of  Russa Yog and eagerly looked more deeply to see how Yog affects each part of me: my body and mind, my breath and my spirit.

By the second week, I discovered my resolve was strong; I was going “no matter what.” I was very glad to observe this, as I was beginning to discover how Russa Yog is not only multi dimensional, but expansive, affecting me in my daily life.  Rhythm is easier for me, posture is improving quickly. My breathing is deeper and I am more conscious of my breath throughout the day. My times of rest are more effective. I arise after a few minutes feeling renewed. I begin to see that my thinking is more expanded and definable. Perhaps this is what they mean when they speak of ‘Clarity.’ The energy seems to be “seeping through” as I open a variety of my spiritual books to read and, surprisingly, see passages about ancient yoga, its masters and the benefits. Another speaks of the Energy or Spirit of Yog that we all “tap into” as we practice this Russa Yog. Yes, the Spirit of Yog is in me and I am in it. Elevating into my awareness…

Consciousness is activated by my third week of practice; my body is stronger, mind more flexible. Muscles are fed air and spirit is healing, I have more joy in life. I am aware of my body movements and the synchronization of mind, body, and spirit. My gluttonous and habitual appetite is decreasing due to the joy of feeling good, stronger and more fluid with my body. I am hopeful yet I feel a certain direction of path; I fly.

Now I fly into the Spirit of Russa Yog, that energy that plays and finds liberation and freedom through this body, as an agreement; Conscious and welcome openness of my friendship with my higher self.

She, who is beyond boundaries, limitations, restrictions… She, who plays with me through Russa Yog,

I am always happy to be in class and now I can bow deeply (smile) and say, “Namaste’, thank you for shifting my life to a more joyful state; and I will see You again tomorrow!”