About Asanga Yoga
Our teachings are based on the Original teachings of Sage Patanjali’s Astanga Yoga, which is a part of Raja Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga. We also incorporate the teachings of Bhagavat gita, the Upanishads and Nada Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Kundalini yoga and Chakra system, Mantra yoga and Bhakti yoga, into our teachings. Original Ancient Sanskrit texts have been studied, understood, assimilated and applied to modern context.
We believe that if the ancient knowledge is not applicable to our daily life, in our day to day challenges, it will be of no use. Hence the emphasis is on application of this ancient knowledge to our modern problems.
We would like to help individual to find a balance in life. Balance between various energies viz. physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. A balance between inner and outer life. Balance between private and social life. Balance between excitement and peace. Balance between what I want and what I need to. This is achieved by helping the individual to move from stress, pain and anxiety to relative peace and tranquility. From there to move on to discovering true love, balance and well-being.
What is Asanga
Asanga literally means Non-attachment. Which in turn means not having attachments to any thing or person. This seems a very negative term in terms of living and life in the society. But when looked deep it has completely different meaning. Asanga is the name of the Self, One self or the Truth. Because Truth, though is connected to everything equally it is unconnected. Is Gold connected to a golden ornament? Is water connected to a wave? Is clay connected to a clay pot?
Golden ornament is Gold, Wave is Water and clay Pot is clay. We cannot find wave without water, golden ornament without gold and clay pot without clay. In fact, when we touch wave we are touching water only. So how can we say that Gold is connected to Ornament and so on. Ornament depends on gold for it’s existence. Pot depends on clay for it’s existence. And wave depends on water for its existence.
Here lies the correct meaning. When ornament realizes its true nature as gold, it is asanga with its mere name and form. Similarly wave is asanga with its waviness and remains as water. Pot is asanga with it’s name and form and it stays as it’s true nature as clay.
Yoga is Union. Union of what? Union of oneself and one’s true nature. Thus Asanga yoga is the journey to one’s true nature by taking away all wrong identifications, wrong concepts and wrong belief systems, which are impeding us from our true nature.
Yoga Philosophy and Advaita Vedanta say that Joy, Love and Peace are our true nature and Asanga yoga precisely aims at taking us there.
About Viktoria
When I met Viktoria in India, as an aspirant of Yoga, I found her to be a multi faceted personality. Aeronautical engineer and master of economy, having many additional educational qualifications, with love for mountains and horse riding and extremely eager to learn. As the interactions continued I found her to be irresistibly drawn to knowledge and understand clearly whatever she learned. This intense urge to study has taken her to many places which finally culminated in India in the Yoga tradition. Yoga and the ancient knowledge of peace, love and bliss are her passions. I believe that She can go to any lengths to reach those heights which yogis and Rishis (ancient seers) have reached.
I am happy that I was able to teach her Traditional Yoga Philosophy, Advaita Vedanta, Kundalini Yoga, Chakra system and many other related topics. Sincerity and intensity, which she exhibited during learning process, are worth emulating by any student. She is keen on sharing this authentic knowledge to people in the west. Backed up by her strong practice of Yoga Asanas, breathing techniques and Meditation as well as certain spiritual experiences, and commitment to learn continuously, she is well equipped now to share this to one and all. Her desire to be a student while teaching is worth mentioning here. She is intensely passionate that everyone should experience this unconditional love within their own hearts.
Text by Rishi Sudhir
About Rishi Sudhir
Sudhir, is an adventurous explorer of life with the purpose of experiencing permanent peace, love, compassion and joy. Born in a Hindu brahmin family he went on to study engineering, did master of technology in quality and reliability, worked as a total quality manager in number one automobile company in India, worked as a quality consultant, but all along was deeply thinking and observing life. At 29 inspired by Buddha and other spiritual masters left his highly paid job, and joined as a Brahmachari (celebate) in Ramakrishna Mission. Then he moved on to Rishikesh, stayed on the banks of Ganga practising austerities and prayerful meditations. Later, He joined Swami Dayananda Ashram and studied sanskrit, vedic chanting, scriptures, commentaries in original and Advaita vedanta for more than 5 years. While working in the corporate world itself he learnt yoga from Balananda Brahmachari tradition and Bihar School of Yoga. Also learnt and practised TM of Maharshi Mahesh Yogi and Vipassana and some of Osho‘s techniques and J Krishnamurthy‘s teachings.
For the last 12 years he made his home near Sri Ramana Maharshi ashram, spent time in deep meditations and prayers. For Sudhir, philosophy is not a theoretical pursuit but it‘s a way of life. It reveals higher truths which need to be contemplated, verified, applied and assimilated. He had many experiences and loves to share them with interested people. He believes and it has been his experience that happiness is the nature of oneself and it has no connection to anything whatsoever, and this fact can be discovered too! His method of teaching helps one to know oneself better.