Note: I've just brought together this post and earlier posts related to my current approach to practice as well as my posts on Simon Borg-Olivier in a new blog, just as I did with Vinyasa Krama and Krishnamacharya's original Ashtanga
https://activemovements.blogspot.jp/
Having become so absorbed with practicing Simon Borg-Olivier's approach to Yoga of late, it seemed a good idea to look more closely at his sources. BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, Shandor Remete I'm familiar with of course but recently I've been curious about the man Simon credit's as his main teacher for the last ten years or so, Zhen Hua Yang. Practicing Simons Spinal sequence before my regular practice I'm reminded of Qi Gong, Tai Chi, my own martial Art training in Aikido and Iaido, perhaps by exploring Zhen Hua Yang's Calligraphy Yoga I will better understand Simon's teaching and my attempt to bring it into my own practice.
The master plan was/is to, at some point, apply all that I've been exploring with Simon and now with Zhen Hua Yang and see how it informs my Vinyasa Krama, to finally go through again all Ramaswami/Krishnamacharya's asana, subroutines and sequences and see how they present themselves...., but perhaps it will go the other way, my Ashtanga/Vinyasa Krama practice informing my Qi Gong yoga.
Was this what Krishnamacharya did perhaps, explore Burmese, Buddhist, Tibetan Yoga to see how they played out with hatha and raja.
I have a post in the works about how really there is no yoga tradition but rather a hodge podge of jumbled up techniques and methodologies, asana with mixed up names and representations often drawn, painted, sculpted, reported by non practitioners and written down in a great game of Chinese whispers.
In the end it probably doesn't matter, against an horizon of yama/niyama we practice our physical exercises, our breathing practice to better allow us to focus on our contemplation of self.
Below I've included some videos and a post of Simon introducing his teacher as well as a demonstration by Zhen Hua Yang on one of Simon and Bianca's YogaSynergy courses. That's followed by Zen Hua Yang's own introduction to his Calligraphy health approach.
A nice introduction to the practice is with Master Yang's 'Wake up' program, I've included videos of him demonstrating as well as a demonstration with instruction by one of his students.
I was asked about the DVDs by a reader of the blog so contacted the website, I received no reply so just went ahead and bought the complete set and downloaded them. I've been exploring them this week.
The six DVDs follow the same format. Zhen Hua Yang teaches four exercise on each of the six DVDs with one of his students demonstrating (Sasha below) ,then he will demonstrate himself, first from the frount and then from the side. At the end of the DVD Master Yang demonstrates the four together as a complete form.
My approach to the exercises has been to add some of them on/build them into Simon's Spinal sequence.
Just as Indian yoga as hundreds of asana and perhaps thousands of variations, Qi Gong has hundreds, possibly thousands of exercises. We start perhaps with a core practice, some simple exercises/asana (Morning Wake up program perhaps) which we then build upon (see the 30 minute practice videos just before the appendix at the end of the post ), or more challenging (or not) variations that we encounter and seem more appropriate to include in our practice. Ashtanga, Vinyasa Krama seem to me not unlike a Qi Gong practice. Just as a Qi Gong practice, if grounded upon the yama/niyama and followed by breathing exercises and a Sit is surely Ashtanga.
Note: I believe the argument of Qi Gong is that the practice includes breathing exercises and is basically a moving meditation with focus on the breath......., now where have I heard that before.
You can see how some of these exercises have flowed through Simon's teaching although practiced in Simon's own manor, there seems to be a lot of freedom in this approach. Some exercises I'll probably end up including in my own practice, others I'm not sure of yet.
by Simon Borg-Olivier
"Master Zhen Hua Yang has been my main yoga teacher since 2006. After practicing yoga for more than 40 years and teaching for 30 years Master Yang has helped me make a fresh beginning to my practice that has resolved many of the physical and physiological challenges that my previous practice was unable to resolve. He has helped me develop increased spinal flexibility without ever making me feel like I was doing stretching exercises, he has given me increased strength without feeling tense and helped heal the most significant bone breakage and muscle tears I have ever had in my life. Master Yang is a true Master who's energy is tangible. His demonstrations of strength and internal energy are as impressive as I have ever seen. If you have a chance I strongly recommend you don’t miss an opportunity to learn from him in person, on video or online at Master Yang’s new website.
The principles that Master Yang teaches his yoga with are at the core of the Yoga Synergy System and so if you do not have a chance to work with Master Yang personally then consider looking at one of the comprehensive and award winning Online courses at YogaSynergy called Yoga Fundamentals (a very practical course for anyone with an interest in yoga, exercise or health) and Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga (a more technical course for teachers, therapists and experienced students)."
http://www.masteryang.com.au/
Below the Morning wake up program with instruction by one of Master Yang's students Laila Sell, this would be a good introduction should you want to try it out.
Below, some of the exercises you'll find on the Calligraphy yoga DVDs
The six DVDs follow the same format. Zhen Hua Yang teaches four exercise on each of the six DVDs with one of his students demonstrating (Sasha below) ,then he will demonstrate himself, first from the frount and then from the side. At the end of the DVD Master Yang demonstrates the four together as a complete form.
And finally this demonstration of Calligraphy Yoga by another student of Master Yang and Simon, Monika Lenkefi followed by another demonstration ,by the same student, of Simon and Bianca's Yogasynergy approach.
I'll give Simon Borg-Olivier the final word, he got me into all this in the first place, thank you Simon, it's an adventure.
Appendix
Calligraphy Yoga DVDs
http://www.masteryang.com.au/shop/
1
Standing tree,
Peeking turtle,
Dancing Dragon,
Follow Ribbon,
2
cobra dancing,
flowing dragon,
sweeping tail,
Bird stretches wing,
Dan Tian breath.
3
Morning breeze,
Monkey stretch,
Monkey standing,
Emu stretch,
4
Crane playing water,
Eagle standing,
Energy transfer
Peacock dancing,
5
Hugging tree,
Eagle spreading wings,
Oyster standing,
Spring flower,
6
Peacock opening tail,
chicken walking,
spiral energy,
water dragon,
