But did you know that are there are other significant benefits that are not overtly physical in nature?  Breathing is one. Breathing is obviously a physical act, but the fascinating thing about breath is that when done properly – when you take even a few minutes to focus on inhaling slowly, fully, through the nose; then pause; then exhale that breath completely, focusing on nothing else – you don’t just fill and empty your lungs, you also sense a connection with yourself. It can be experienced as a calming sensation, or a “grounded” feeling; some people describe it as feeling more at home in their bodies. The practice of proper breathing, while good for your lungs, is also good for your soul.

Another non-physical benefit of yoga is the insight that is gained over time from the meditation aspect of yoga. Some would even say this is the primary benefit of yoga and the primary reason for doing it – becoming more aware of yourself, your motivations, your responses to the world, which in turn can make you more aware and connected to your world itself. People often want to know how this works, how sitting quietly on a mat gives a person insight. It’s not the easiest thing to describe and it varies among people but the general idea is that by quieting your mind – by stopping the chatter in your head of what you need to do today, who said what, why that car cut you off, if your project is succeeding or failing, who is going to make dinner – by becoming aware of your thoughts, you can start taking steps to still them and make room for other thoughts, for insight. It doesn’t happen immediately and it doesn’t happen automatically, but with regular practice and the guidance of a good teacher, you begin to still your busy brain and allow it to relax; and as you continue with meditation practice, you give yourself the time and space for insight to occur and grow. As with the benefits that come from breathing practice and physical poses, the spiritual benefit grows over time, and you may find it to be the deepest and most profound benefit of all.

In an Illume Yoga session, Monu leads you through all aspects of yoga, not just the poses. She observes you to identify the physical poses that are right for you at this time, she leads you through proper breathing techniques, and she guides you through seated meditation.

Because you are working one on one, her guidance is focused solely on your needs and your abilities. She wants you to benefit as fully as possible from each session and also gain the benefits that come over time from sustained practice, and will work with you to find the right combination.

Cheryl LaMar,a yoga enthusiast and writer, lives, works and rides her bike in Washington, DC.

There was a visual reminder scribbled in on my calendar, of an approaching mental oasis: my once weekly yoga class. Between an unexpected visitor at the door at the last minute and an already rushed day, it looked like I might miss yet another class — these classes I am always insisting are “like air” to me.

A quick glance at my clock and I knew I still had enough time to make it on time, but there would be no time to throw off my glasses and switch into contact lenses, important for watching my instructor and the small nuances of the asanas she teaches (not to mention very useful when practicing an inverted pose!).

Remembering I often see my instructor in her own glasses, I pushed on — despite the disheveled, studious, non-athletic look I feel my specs give me. She no doubt has glasses with super yoga stay-on powers, I thought to myself. Mine on the other hand would undoubtedly fall to the floor during class. But these classes? Necessary. Can’t miss another week.

At the studio, silently stretching, I set my glasses aside realizing they were getting in the way of being able to relax. The room around me was a fuzzy mess to my eyes. Worse things have happened. Not knowing what to expect, I decided to give yoga with blurred edges a go.

I enjoyed the class more than I thought I would. In fact, I was able to focus in a way I hadn’t been able to before. I realized that I was quite unaware of and unaffected by those around me, simply because I couldn’t rely on my eyes to focus in on them. It was freeing. I was less apt to survey the class, my eyes bouncing every which way as they usually would with 20-20 vision. There was less visual chatter seeping in so there was less mental chatter too. I was still able to see my instructor, but now my practice was based less on looking at her and more on listening to her voice.

My perspective became decidedly more inward, but to the extent that it was still outward connecting with my fellow yoginis, it was easier because the “soft focus lens” I viewed them through allowed my eyes to linger longer and with an unselfconscious directness of gaze. The connections felt more authentic because they were more relaxed and taking less “in” in a cerebral sense.

Thankfully, not being able to see my instructor in focus didn’t result in any injuries from doing any of my poses incorrectly. But it did bring me back to something we all need to be reminded of: less self-judgement and more inner awareness is crucial for a satisfying experience as we practice yoga. They say happiness is an inside job – yoga is one too.

It was a great lesson in how a “loss” on one level can reveal a chance to bring our focus to things around us we were missing. I challenge you to remove a “crutch” in your own practice to see what other resources reveal themselves!

Mira Saxena is a writer living in Washington, DC and raising two young daughters who already enjoy yoga. She took her first class in 1997 and has practiced all over the DC-metro area as well as with Ms. Harnal via Illume classes. She is patiently waiting for Illume’s next (dry) session of Yoga Under the Full Moon and is lobbying Monu to teach it rain or “moon shine”!

The sessions: Each session integrates the five basic components of yoga: proper breathing, proper poses, relaxation, meditation, and diet. Emphasis on any particular component is tailored to your individual needs and situation.

While guiding students through yoga positions, we encourage you to delve into yourself to reveal answers that lie dormant within. We’ll be by your side to guide you through your process of illumination. With regular practice you will increase concentration and stamina; your mind will be clear, calm and balanced. You will also notice a marked change in flexibility, strength and posture.

Meditation: To augment your experience, we will end each class with meditation.

The following are the eight principles:

1. Yama – internal purification through moral training
2. Niyamas – cleanliness, contentment, study of God
3. Asanas – physical postures
4. Pranayama – breath control
5. Prathyahara – introspection
6. Dharana – concentration
7. Dhyana – meditation
8. Samadhi – the highest super conscious state

Read all about it in the Washington Post.

Each class was full of excitement, challenge, encouragement and appreciation. I have attended many yoga classes in the past but I had the best instructor in this class. She always took her time, explained each pose very well, demonstrated each pose and broke all poses into small steps to make it easier for us to learn. I never had such good understanding of each pose, benefits of poses and their impact on each muscle group. She always explained with each pose how it will affect each muscle group and will impact positively on different medical issues. She guided me how to modify each pose for elderly population to help me with my job as an Occupational therapist. I learned from this class the true meaning of life, peace, happiness, awareness of my own body and WHO AM I. I offer my sincere thanks to Monu Harnal for giving us this opportunity to attend this class and develop this unbreakable bond with ourselves and everyone else around us.

Pranayama
The science of breathing properly. Students are taught breathing techniques to learn how to utilize their breath to relax or energize themselves.

Asanas
Exercises done through steady poses. Students are taught how to get into and hold poses to attain the maximum benefits. While learning asanas, the student simultaneously learns how to build stamina and strength while relaxing and concentrating. There are asanas for every physical and mental imbalance the body may be experiencing.

Savasana
Relaxation. In between asanas, students are taught to relax to counter any muscle fatigue or lactic acid buildup. Hatha yoga opposes strenuous movement and loss of breath; thus steady poses and “active” relaxation are practiced. Active relaxation means the practitioner is conscious of resting.

Dhayana
Meditation. Meditation is the foundation of yoga. Students meditate to quiet their mental activity and clear their thoughts, and to bring the mind under control. When practiced daily, meditation increases intuitive powers.

Diet
For best results, yoga encourages students to adhere to a vegetarian diet. However, this is a personal choice that we’ll be happy to discuss on an individual basis.