SURYODAYA YOGA
Suryodaya Yoga was founded with the mission of sharing the ancient wisdom of yoga, along with its philosophy and lifestyle, to individuals from all walks of life. Deeply rooted in the Vedic traditions of India, Suryodaya Yoga aims to promote the practice of yoga as a means of achieving union between the body, mind, and the supreme consciousness.
Yoga it has profoundly impacted my life, and I believe it can do the same for others. Yoga trascends the boundaries of religion, class, gender, and physical form. It is accessible to everyone, offering a path to inner peace, strength, and balance. "If you can breathe, you can practice yoga." - YSF
Suryodaya means "sunrise" in Sanskrit, the language in which the first yogic texts were written and my name, "Alba," means sunrise in Catalan (my mother tongue). The sunrise is a transition from darkness to light, mirroring the transformative journey from ignorance to enlightenment that yoga seeks to facilitate. It represents the balance between opposing forces, like night and day, embodying the equilibrium between inner and outer worlds. This daily event is a reminder of the beauty of cyclicity and impermanence, reminding us of the importance of be present.
In essence, Suryodaya captures the essence of renewal, balance, interconnectedness, and transformation, serving as a daily reminder of the opportunity for personal and collective growth.
HATHA YOGA
"Yogas Citta Vritti Nirodhah" - Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. - Patanjali Yoga Sutras 1:2.
The term "hatha" combines the Sanskrit roots "ha" (sun) and "tha" (moon), symbolizing the twin energy forces, prana (vital force) and chitta (mind), which exist in everything and are balanced through the practice of Hatha Yoga.The primary goal of Hatha Yoga is to prepare the body for meditation to achieve kundalini awakening and samadhi.
A typical Hatha Yoga class involves slower-paced movements, with an emphasis on holding asanas (postures) for extended periods and integrating controlled breathing. This practice is suitable for those seeking a mindful, holistic, grounding yoga experience and wanting to achieve mental clarity, a healthy body, and a sense of peace.
Originally, hatha yoga focused on six cleansing practices (shatkarmas) and later expanded to include asana, pranayama, mudra, and bandha. Even today, in the Western countries Hatha Yoga is generally practiced to improve or restore health, to reduce stress or to build up the body, we should keep in mind that these are just side-effects but not the goal of Traditional Hatha Yoga.
MANTRA
Mantra is a sound, and sound is an aspect of energy, a powerful energy which can influence the mind. A mantra is a powerful sound vibration, rooted in the Sanskrit words for "repetition" and "freedom," that influences the mind and consciousness.
Mantras help practitioners concentrate, calm emotions, purify impressions, and invite positive energy by affecting the deeper layers of the mind and consciousness. They can be mentally recited, whispered, sung, or written, and range in effect—from influencing the subtle body and pranic vibrations to transcending the material realm.
The well-known mantra "Om" composed of 'A-U-M symbolizes the primordial sound of the universe, representing the conscious, subconscious, and unmanifest aspects of existence.