Benefits from the practice of yoga

Many people understand yoga to be a form of religion, or of philosophy. We should remember, however, that yoga is something more. It is the capacity to live in full harmony with oneself and with the surrounding environment. Accordingly, we can consider yoga as the science of developing ourselves.

There are many reasons to practice yoga:

Some regard yoga as a way to maintain flexibility and to stay in good physical shape, as manifested in optimal functionality and appearance Others seek relief from the pain and discomfort of various ailments. High-level medical studies have proved that the systematic practice of Savasana—a position of complete relaxation—lowers blood pressure The systematic practice of asanas (yoga positions), pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation effectively relieves exhaustion, brings relief of assorted maladies (arthritis, atherosclerosis, varicose veins, heart disease), and relieves the discomfort of menopause and the symptoms of PMS.

No matter what motivates us to practice yoga, the benefits we receive from the experience go far beyond those mentioned above. Yoga can be an instrument, a tool, or something more.

Style and method

The roots of Yoga International are Hatha Yoga, Tantra Yoga and Ayurveda; the style developer by Kasia unites several styles, including:

• Viniyoga, in which the greatest attention is focused on the coordination of breath and movement. "Breath is life!" In this method breath plays a dominant role, relative to the form of the exercises. Viniyoga is the system develped by Professor Krishnamacharya and his son T.K.V. Desikachar. The fundamental principle of this style is that practice must be continually adapted to the individual's changing needs in order to achieve the maximum therapeutic value.
• The Iyengar metod, which promotes the precise understanding of each position and enables the proper relationship with the surrounding environment. This method prescribes for beginners and those who find the exercises difficult such aids as blocks, belts and pillows.
• The Sivananda tradition—an ancient tradition of yoga based on five regiment which can be easily applied to daily life: correct relaxation, correct breathing, correct exercise, correct diet, and positive thought and meditation.

Hatha, Tantra and Ayurveda

Ayurveda is yoga's sister science, whose origins reach back to the Vedic era of Indian culture.

Ayurveda is knowledge about life, about natural, holistic methods of reaching perfect health and longevity. It begins with the help of the individual in understanding him or herself, his or her unique nature or constitution, and in turn awareness of the influence exerted by the whole environment on the individual—that is, not only what happens outside, but also inside the individual. Ayurveda stresses the importance of choosing a lifestyle of full balance and harmony.

Kasia has studied Ayurveda with Dr. Scott Gerson in New York as well as with the European Institute of Vedic Science in France.

Hatha Yoga is not an inflexible system of knowledge and instruction; rather, it is a tradition of preservation of living yoga as well as the practice of yogis who share their knowledge and wisdom directly with their students. This knowledge is known as Shakti.

Tantra Yoga requires the development of one's self to the point of full liberation, beyond limits and borders. It is at once deep knowledge, a spiritual understanding of life, an ancient art of living in harmony and unconditional love with all of creation.

The strength and originality of our method is the combination of the most important elements of several yoga styles into one unified whole, combining the power of breath (Viniyoga) with the precision of performing asanas (Iyengar)