SATTVA YOGA: A CREATIVE PATH TO REALIZATION
By Don Scheumann

...Sattva Yoga is my contribution to learning yoga methodology based on over thirty years of study and practice. I have strived to represent the true spirit of the yoga quest for self-understanding within the framework of a classroom experience that is reverential, experimental, educational, creative, spontaneous, and joyful. I consider Sattva Yoga a yoga geared to the needs of a modern seeker. One of the primary reasons yoga has survived through the ages is its remarkable ability to adapt to the climate
of the time and the particular concerns of the people seeking its universal truths.

...In formulating the principles of Sattva Yoga I have drawn from personal exploration of the philosophical and spiritual disciplines and movement modalities that have proven to be most productive and rich in my own quest for realization. These approaches include Tantra, Zen, Taoism, Science of Mind, structural alignment procedures, dance and other creative art forms. They are grafted onto a solid foundation provided by the proven effectiveness of classical yoga.

...The word “sattva” may be translated as “harmony” or “purity.” It is one of the three universal qualities of being, known as the gunas. The gunas represent facets of unitary reality as perceived by the prismatic, fragmenting nature of the mind. The other two gunas are “rajas,” which represents expansion and activity, and “tamas,” which represents condensation and inertia. Sattva Yoga explores the unification of these universal forces through the mediums of movement, breath, and awareness. Rajasic movements rise against the force of gravity, while tamasic movements yield to gravity. The interplay of these opposing forces resolves into sattva, a harmonizing, spreading force that is experienced through equilibrium, or “dynamic stillness.”

...Traditional yoga asanas were formulated to express the juxtaposition of these forces as experienced in the body and mind. As the body/mind complex finds rest through the cultivation of the sattvic qualities of peace, tranquility, and stillness, the possibility for transcendence occurs. It is the activity of the mind that perceives the reality of universal oneness as a variety of forces (gunas) that seemingly form all the material substance and variety of existence. As the mind approaches a state of calm, it is as if an agitated body of water has become still, making it possible to see clearly to the bottom, or in the case of human cognition, to perceive reality as it truly is, a unitary, blissful, conscious state of being. Within this experience of profound calm, we come to know our authentic self, allowing all problems,
conflicts, and tensions to drop away. The release of all impediments to perceiving and living in a fully conscious, blissful state is the promise and goal of yoga practice.

...Through the practice of Sattva Yoga, we continually resolve rajas and tamas into sattva in a variety of ways, through creative movements, asanas or postures, and conscious breath exploration. Yogic movements express universal archetypal forms, which consist of spirals, circles, and arcs. Within the body, the nerves and muscles are the sources of movement, representing the qualities of rajas and tamas, while the joints express equilibrium, or sattva.

...Balancing muscular actions around the joint centers allows us to find inner harmony as we progress along the path of yogic attainment. Initiating movements according to the principle of the actions of the gunas liberates chronic tension patterns, alters unproductive alignment and movement habits, and brings clarity, focus, and purpose to our inner nature. Practicing the principles of Sattva Yoga exponentially accelerates the melding of body, mind and spirit.

...The practice of Sattva Yoga encourages the unfolding of our creative impulses through the relaxation of tightly restricted muscles and rigidly held minds, which very readily block access to our inner feelings. Through the course of our lives, many of us have been discouraged from expressing ourselves freely and fully, diminishing our capacity for joyful, spontaneous outpourings of insight and illumination. We often feel inhibited by a sense of inferiority, low self-esteem, or a perceived lack of artistic ability. The truth is we are all capable artists, expressing the rich colors of our inner existence every time we gesture, speak, or interact with others. Being fully committed to opening your heart and soul while experiencing the life-affirming practices of yoga is all it takes to fully unite with your creative being, the guide to unification with the universal creator.

...Committing yourself to the exploration of Sattva Yoga will provide avenues to heal and expand on the physical, psychic, and spiritual planes in a natural, joyful manner. Trying to alter unwanted behaviors and habits is often a tedious endeavor, yielding few results and ultimately abandoned due to frustration and lack of pleasure in the process. Sattva Yoga is not based on forcing ourselves to do something monotonous or uncomfortable because we think it is good for us. Rather, this yoga system is built on uncovering the inner impulse to growth and happiness. The consistent practice of Sattva Yoga lovingly encourages us to re-claim our innate, life-affirming being.

Don Scheumann (E-RYT500) has been a certified yoga instructor since 1981. He is the author of The Balanced Body: A Guide to Deep Tissue and Neuromuscular Therapy. Sattva Yoga classes are available at Sattva Yoga and Healing Center, 1620 La Vista Rd., Atlanta. (404) 218-3273.