Please note that the source of these explanations have for the most part been taken from www.Wikipedia.com. They are in no way meant to act as definitive, nor authoritative explanations in anyway.
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White Crane Silat Kung Fu - please go to the White Crane Silat page on this site by clicking here.
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Wing Tsun (alternatively 詠春, "forever spring") is a branch of the Chinese martial arts commonly known as Wing Chun, led by Leung Ting. The main objective of Wing Tsun (or WT as it is commonly abbreviated) is to be a realistic system of self-defense. WT does not focus on fighting “techniques”, instead relying on fighting and energy principles to be followed at all times. The central idea is that, under pressure, it is impossible to visually recognize the precise direction and speed of an attack and make a conscious decision on an effective way in which to react, all within the very brief amount of time you have before your opponent's attack lands. Rather, one must (counter) attack immediately in a very direct and protected manner, and rely on reflexes to determine how to react if the opponent's attack continues to pose a problem. Chi Sao, or “sticking hands” trains students to respond reflexively to the speed, force, and direction of an attack based on tactile information - which the human brain processes much faster than visual information.
Wing Tsun training is based around developing reflexes.
Training is split into various forms, many of which are only learned
when a martial artist has passed the student levels of Wing Tsun.The Lat Sao of program is something particular to the European branch
of the Leung Ting style of teaching Wing Tsun; the other Wing Chun
branches, including the Hong Kong branch of the Leung Ting's
organization generally progress in a more traditional manner from the
forms to Chi Sao training to sparring. Lat Sao roughly translates as
"rolling hands" or "tumbling hands" training. Lat Sao is a sensitivity drill to obtain specific Chi Sao reflexive
responses. Although it may look combative, it should not be confused
for sparring
or fighting. Lat Sao is a game, in which one partner plays the part of
an attacker, and the other a defender. The attacker and defender
generally switch roles frequently, or after a set number of attacks. If
one is not paying attention, or if the teacher has not explained the
drill properly, the training can accelerate and become competitive; if
this happens, the students are missing the point of the exercise
altogether. Lat Sao is not about hitting your opponent, but about
feeding him attacks that he trains to counter. As your partner becomes
better, the attacks can be gradually made more difficult to counter by
making them faster or more precise. However, once the attack is
consistently getting through, it should be slowed down again, so that
the defender can identify his mistake, or "hole" in the defense. Chi Sao
(黐手) or "sticking hands" is the set of drills used for the development
of automatic fighting reflexes. It directly grows out of the main
principles of Wing Tsun. In Chi Sao, both must maintain forward
pressure, both must stick to prevent opponent's pressure from coming
through and striking, both must yield when opponent attacks with a
force that upsets the balance between the two, and both must follow
when a way forward opens. The flow of attack and counter attack in Chi
Sao alternates, and can be very quick indeed. However, Chi Sao is a
partner training exercise, not a sparring or fighting drill, and should
not be confused for such. The purpose of Chi Sao is to train the
reflexes that let your body know what your opponent is doing, and react
to it automatically.
WT is often considered extremely technical in it's approach to self defense. The first few months of training focus on the building blocks of the system. The Bay Mountain system of training WT includes partner and solitary exercises (long forms) from the onset. Complex flow sparring/training doesn't usually happen until after the 4th or 5th program level. Testing for program levels happens at Soja and other locations throughout the Bay Area every month or so. For more information about Wing Tsun please click this link.
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MuayThai Kickboxing: /muɑɪ.tʰɑɪ/, pronounced [muāitʰāi]; Thai: มวยไทย) literally Thai Boxing and also known as The Art of the Eight Limbs is a form of hard martial art practiced in several Southeast Asian countries including Thailand. The art is exceedingly similar to others in Southeast Asia such as: Kun Khmer in Cambodia, Lethwei in Myanmar, Tomoi in Malaysia, and Muay Lao in Laos. Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand and is the country's national sport. There is significant debate between Thailand and Cambodia as to whose art came first.. Traditional Muay Thai practised today varies significantly from the ancient art Muay Boran and uses kicks and punches in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A practitioner of Muay Thai ("nak muay") thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight "points of contact," as opposed to "two points" (fists) in Western boxing and "four points" (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts. Historically, Thais have used Muay Thai to both protect themselves and to fight in the war between Siam and Burma. At Soja, only pieces of MuayThai kickboxing are employed in two of our classes. To be clear, we are not teaching traditional MuayThai kickboxing as a complete system at Soja, only specific techniques from this effective system are integrated into our kick boxing classes.
The training of MuayThai styled boxing at Soja focuses on self defense application with physical fitness being an strong side effect. Light partner sparring does happen with those who choose to participate. Light sparring is done at a slow enough pace to keep people from getting injured. Light sparring requires mouthguard and hand/glove protection.
For more info on MuayThai go to this link.
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Escrima refers to a class of Filipino Martial Arts that emphasize stick and sword fighting.Other terms which have entered into common usage include "Kali" and "Arnis de Máno" ("harness of the hand"); occasionally the abbreviation "FMA" ("Filipino Martial Arts") is used. Eskrima and Arnis are among the many names primarily used in the Philippines today to refer to these arts. The name Kali, although primarily used in the United States and Europe, is seldom used in the Philippines and in most cases is an unknown word. But due to the popularity of the term outside of the Philippines and the influence of foreign practitioners, the term Kali is increasingly being recognized and accepted in the Philippines. Kalis, as used in the Philippines, refers to a sword. It is commonly mistaken as synonymous to or a derivative form of kali (note: suffixation of "s" is not used in Filipino languages or dialects to indicate plurality). However, for all intents and purposes, Eskrima, Arnis, Arnis de Mano, Kali and FMA all refer to the same family of Filipino weapons-based martial arts. Practitioners of these arts are noted for their ability to fight with weapons or empty hands interchangeably. Most Eskrima systems include fighting with a variety of weapons, striking with hands and feet (suntukan, sikaran, tadyakan/tadiyakan), grappling and throwing (dumog), biting and whatever skills needed to complete a warrior's training in the old days of tribal warfare.
The most obvious feature of an Eskrima class is that it is mostly weapon-based. The student is first taught to work with weapons and only advances to empty-hand techniques once the stick techniques have been learned. Most other well known martial arts start by developing empty hands proficiency, often for years, before being introduced to the weapons component. This feature of Eskrima is justified by the argument that most systems have unified their teaching so that the empty-hand techniques are learned through the same exercises as the weapon techniques, making muscle memory an important aspect of the teaching. Since you may not have a weapon available, or might lose a weapon, the body becomes the weapon. Because the weapon is seen as simply an extension of the body, the same angles and footwork are used either with or without a weapon. This allows weapons to be taught before empty-hand, and by many FMA schools it is referred to as the concept of motion grouping. The most common weapon used in training is a rattan stick about the length of the practitioner's arm, although the length may vary from about 45cm to 70cm. Some schools prefer sticks of a particular length, while others expect students to learn which techniques are appropriate for a variety of lengths. Most North American and European schools use hand and head protection when sparring with rattan sticks. For more information on Escrima click this link.
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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting with the goal of gaining a dominant position and using joint-locks and chokeholds to force an opponent to submit or be knocked out depending on what submission method is used. The art was based on early 20th century Kodokan Judo, which was itself then a recently-developed system (founded in 1882), based on multiple schools (or Ryu) of Japanese Jujutsu.
It promotes the principle that a smaller, weaker person using leverage and proper technique can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant. It primarily uses Judo takedowns to gain the dominant position. BJJ can be trained for self defense, sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. Sparring (commonly referred to as 'rolling') and live drilling play a major role in training, and a premium is placed on performance, especially in competition. BJJ at Soja Martial Arts takes the form of "Submission Wrestling." Basically we utilize the same techniques for overpowering our opponents but without wearing a gi or heavy cloth uniform that often is used to choke out our opponent. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu emphasizes ground fighting techniques and submission holds involving joint-locks and chokeholds also found in numerous other arts with or without ground fighting emphasis. The premise is that most of the advantage of a larger, stronger opponent comes from superior reach and more powerful strikes, both of which are somewhat negated when grappling on the ground. BJJ permits a wide variety of techniques to take the fight to the ground after taking a grip. Once the opponent is on the ground, a number of maneuvers (and counter-maneuvers) are available to manipulate the opponent into a suitable position for the application of a submission technique. Achieving a dominant position on the ground is one of the hallmarks of the BJJ style, and includes effective use of the guard position to defend oneself from bottom, and passing the guard to dominate from top position with side control, mount, and back mount positions. This system of maneuvering and manipulation can be likened to a form of kinetic chess when utilized by two experienced practitioners. A submission hold is the equivalent of checkmate in the sport. However, it is possible for a combat situation to continue even after a proper submission is performed. For more information on BJJ click this link. BJJ training at Soja starts out with a few minutes of intense calisthenics then moves directly to partner technique work. Sometimes we focus on take downs, other times we start in the guard position. Light sparring happen for the last 30 - 40 minutes of class, mouthguard and groin protection are required for this sparring. Soja sells high quality body protection for these needs. Soja BJJ also switches between gi and no gi technical training. If you have an old gi from previous training, bring it along or we'll lend you one here. Otherwise, for training bring a tshirt and pants/shorts without buttons/zippers. If you are interested in competing in BJJ tournaments please consider training at Open Door BJJ in Alameda, CA.
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Systema (Russian: Система, "The System") is a Russian martial art. It is designed to be highly adaptive and practical, training using drills and sparring instead of set kata. It focuses mainly on controlling the six body levers (elbows, neck, knees, waist, ankles, and shoulders) through pressure point application, striking and weapon applications. Systema is often advertised as being a martial art employed by some Russian Spetsnaz units. Training can vary widely between classes or the focuses of each student. For example, instructors may have their own unique preferences and students may have injuries or fears which complicate certain exercises. In general, though, there is no set curriculum and no two classes even by the same instructor are the same. Commonly, training will include general calisthenics, stretching, breathing and exercises which dramatically enhance strength through body weight and one's natural range of motion. Despite generally being categorized as a martial art, training includes many of these health-enhancing exercises. Some training exercises could be seen as forms of meditation or self-psychology. Some work could be done alone and some could be done with one or more other students. Because Systema's popularity has expanded more than the availability of instructors and classes, solo-work is becoming more commonly seen with those who don't have ready access to an instructor. Systema is particularly attractive to professionals in the police, military or bodyguard professions, and even to "door men" (bouncers). Because of their special needs, and serious professional interest, their training may be very different from the "civilian self-defence" training which most undergo. The core lessons would be much the same, but specific circumstances and tools would vary. A bouncer may be interested in strikes with slaps instead of fists, a bodyguard would be interested in moving their charge to the ground without hurting them. Defence with knives, crowd or individual-psychology may be particularly important, etc. Work with handguns and rifles, night-work, stealth and espionage or any number of other topics are possible.
Any one exercise could be varied countless ways. Indeed, no exercise is counted and few exercises have more than a nickname to describe them. Most exercises are a description or a demonstration followed by the students trying it themselves. The exercise may be varied or transformed into a new exercise, or the training could progress to a different exercise. In some cases, students will choose to vary the exercise slightly to try something new or to practice something specific. In any case, there are many moments within any particular exercise which allow for variation. Working with a bigger or smaller partner is a notable example how one specific activity can vary widely. Students attend to each exercise one after the other, without there being a concept of progression through a particular class or between different classes. Each student absorbs the content of their work in a unique way. Each student learns and understands "their Systema" uniquely. Soja's teachers are not ceritified instructors in Systema. We share a love and respect for their training methodology and it resembles many of the other time tested martial arts lineages taught here at Soja. That being said some of our teachers have trained with V. Vasiliov in his headquarters in Toronto, Canada, as well as other visiting seminars. From time to time we look forward to special seminars from certified Systema instructors. For more information on Systema, click this link. Also further Systema training resources at the local SFBay Area can be found at NorCal Systema. No outdoor street shoes are worn inside Soja for these traings. We recommend you bringing pants without buckles or needing thick belts. Click this link to be transferred to their site.
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Tai Chi: traditional Chinese: 太極拳; simplified Chinese: 太极拳; pinyin: tài jí quán; Wade-Giles: t'ai chi ch'üan is classified as Wudangquan or an internal Chinese martial art. Tai chi is typically practiced for a variety of reasons: its soft martial techniques, demonstration competitions, health and longevity. Consequently, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of tai chi chuan's training forms are well known to Westerners as the slow motion routines that groups of people practice together every morning in parks around the world, particularly in China.
The Mandarin term "t'ai chi ch'uan" literally translates as "supreme ultimate fist", "boundless fist," or "great extremes boxing" (note that 'chi' in this instance is an earlier romanization of modern 'ji', not to be confused with the use of 'chi' in the sense of 'life-force' or 'energy', which is an earlier romanization of modern 'qi'). The concept of the "supreme ultimate" appears in both Taoist and Confucian Chinese philosophy where it represents the fusion or mother of Yin and Yang into a single ultimate represented by the Taijitu symbol. Thus, tai chi theory and practice evolved in agreement with many of the principles of Chinese philosophy including both Taoism and Confucianism. Tai chi training first and foremost involves learning solo routines, known as forms (套路 taolu). While the image of tai chi chuan in popular culture is typified by exceedingly slow movement, many tai chi styles (including the three most popular, Yang, Wu and Chen) have secondary forms of a faster pace. Some traditional schools of tai chi teach partner exercises known as pushing hands, and martial applications of the postures of the form.
Tai chi chuan is generally classified as a form of traditional Chinese martial arts of the Neijia (soft or internal) branch. It is considered a soft style martial art — an art applied with internal power — to distinguish its theory and application from that of the hard martial art styles. Medical studies of tai chi support its effectiveness as an alternative exercise and a form of martial arts therapy.
Some call it a form of moving meditation, as focusing the mind solely on the movements of the form purportedly helps to bring about a state of mental calm and clarity. Besides general health benefits and stress management attributed to tai chi training, aspects of traditional Chinese medicine are taught to advanced tai chi students in some traditional schools. Some martial arts, especially the Japanese martial arts, use a uniform for students during practice. Tai chi chuan schools do not generally require a uniform, but both traditional and modern teachers often advocate loose, comfortable clothing and flat-soled shoes. The physical techniques of tai chi chuan are described in the tai chi classics (a set of writings by traditional masters) as being characterized by the use of leverage through the joints based on coordination in relaxation, rather than muscular tension, in order to neutralize or initiate attacks. The slow, repetitive work involved in the process of learning how that leverage is generated gently and measurably increases, opens the internal circulation (breath, body heat, blood, lymph, peristalsis, etc.)
The study of tai chi chuan primarily involves three subjects. Traditional schools cover these aspects of tai chi practice simultaneously, while many modern schools focus on a single aspect, depending on their goal in practising the art. These subjects are:
Health: An unhealthy or otherwise uncomfortable person may find it difficult to meditate to a state of calmness or to use tai chi as a martial art. Tai chi's health training therefore concentrates on relieving the physical effects of stress on the body and mind. For those focused on tai chi's martial application, good physical fitness is an important step towards effective self-defense.
Meditation: The focus and calmness cultivated by the meditative aspect of tai chi is seen as necessary in maintaining optimum health (in the sense of relieving stress and maintaining homeostasis) and in application of the form as a soft style martial art.
Martial art: The ability to use tai chi as a form of self-defense in combat
is said to be the most effective proof of a student's understanding of
the art's principles. The study of tai chi chuan martially is the study
of appropriate change
in response to outside forces; the study of yielding and blending with
outside force rather than attempting to meet it with opposing force.
For more information on Tai chi click this link.
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Qigong (or ch'i kung) refers to a wide variety of traditional “cultivation” practices that involve methods of accumulating, circulating, and working with Qi or energy within the body. Qigong is sometimes mistakenly said to always involve movement and/or regulated breathing; in fact, use of special methods of focusing on particular energy centers in and around the body are common in the 'higher level' or evolved forms of Qigong. Qigong is practiced for health maintenance purposes, as a therapeutic intervention, as a medical profession, a spiritual path and/or component of Chinese martial arts.
The 'qi' in 'qigong' means breath or gas in Chinese, and, by extension, 'life force', 'energy' or even 'cosmic breath'. 'Gong' means work applied to a discipline or the resultant level of skill, so 'qigong' is thus 'breath work' or 'energy work'. The term was coined in the twentieth-century and its currency, Ownby suggests, speaks of a cultural desire to separate 'cultivation' from 'superstition', to secularize and preserve valuable aspects of traditional Chinese practices.
Attitudes toward the scientific basis for qigong vary markedly. Most Western medical practitioners and many practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the Chinese government, view qigong as a set of breathing and movement exercises, with possible benefits to health through stress reduction and exercise. Others see qigong in more metaphysical terms, claiming that cosmic qi can be drawn into the body and circulated through channels (aka meridians).
Medical qigong treatment has been officially recognized as a standard medical technique in Chinese hospitals since 1989. It has been included in the curriculum of major universities in China. After years of debate, the Chinese government decided to officially manage qigong through government regulation in 1996 and has also listed qigong as part of their National Health Plan.
Qigong can help practitioners to learn diaphragmatic breathing, an important component of the relaxation response, which is important in combating stress. In contrast, Taoist qigong employs the inverse breath of inhaling to the back of the thoracic cavity rather than diaphragmatic breathing. Improper use of diaphragmatic breathing can lead to reproductive pathologies for women. (Nan Huai-Chin, 南懷瑾（1918年——）, Meditation and the cultivation of immortality, Gu lu press, Tawain 1991 p.59)
Yan Xin (嚴新), a doctor of both Western and Chinese medicine as well as founder of the relatively popular Yan Xin Qigong school, suggests that in order for qigong to be accepted by the modern world it must pass the test of scientific study. Without such studies, Yan maintains, qigong will be dismissed as "superstition" (see "Criticism of Qigong" chapter below). In the mid-1980s he and others began systematic study of qigong in some research institutions in China and the United States.
Qigong is also seen as a socially conducive warm up to the day. There is concern over some overly spiritual aspects of qigong. Many practitioners choose the early morning to practice qigong and find it an easy way to stretch and warm up the metabolism whilst connecting with others in their neighborhood. For more information on Qigong, please click this link.
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Capoeira (IPA: [ka.pu.ˈej.ɾɐ],Tupi-Guarani word for - clear area) is a blend of martial art, game, and dance that originated in Brazil, from the regions known as Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. The art form originated in Brazil during the 16th century, a result of the slave trading that took place in conjunction with the previously enslaved native Indians. Capoeira was created and developed by slaves brought from Africa. Participants form a roda (circle) and take turns playing instruments, singing, and sparring in pairs in the center of the circle. The game is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, and extensive use of groundwork, as well as sweeps, kicks, and headbutts. Less frequently-used techniques include elbow-strikes, slaps, punches, and body-throws. Capoeira Angola. Capoeira Angola is considered to be the "traditional" form of capoeira and is often characterized by deeply held traditions, sneakier movements and with the players playing their games in closer proximity to each other than in regional or contemporanea. Capoeira Angola is often characterized as being slower and lower to the ground than other major forms of capoeira, although in actual practice, the speed varies in accordance to the music. Capoeira Angola is also known for the chamada, a physical call-and-response used to challenge an opponent or to change the style in the roda. The father of the best known modern Capoeira Angola schools is considered to be Grão-Mestre Pastinha who lived in Salvador, Bahia. Today, most of the Capoeira Angola media that is accessible in the United States comes from mestres in Pastinha's lineage. He was not the only Capoeira Angola mestre, but is considered to be the "Father of Capoeira Angola", bringing this style of Capoeira into the modern setting of an academy.
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Kalarippayattu (Malayalam കളരിപയറ്റ്,pronounced [kaɭəɾipːajətːɨ̆]) is a Dravidian martial art from Kerala in south India. Possibly one of the oldest fighting systems in existence, it is practiced in Kerala and contiguous parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as well as northeastern Sri Lanka and among the Malayalee community of Malaysia. The word is spelled variously as kalari payat, kalarippayatta, kalaripayatt and many others depending on the dialect.
It includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods. Regional variants are classified according to geographical position in Kerala; these are the northern style, the southern style and the central style. Northern kalari payat is based on the principle of hard technique, while the southern style primarily follows the soft techniques, even though both systems make use of internal and external concepts. Some of the choreographed sparring in kalari payat can be applied to dance and kathakali dancers who knew martial arts were believed to be markedly better than the other performers. Some traditional Indian dance schools still incorporate kalari payat as part of their exercise regimen.
Aside from being an art of self-defence, the ancient Indian saints and ascetics formulated kalari payat as a form of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development. They realised that the greatest accomplishment is not martial skill but moksha or enlightenment, so martial arts served as a vehicle to attain higher levels of spirituality and thereby attain self realisation. A fully trained practitioner should be conscious of any movements in the surrounding area and be prepared to defend themselves at all times. Having developed a sufficient level of prana, one could stabilise their opponent through choondu marma for example. Folklore even tells of masters who acquired supernatural powers through meditation. Many experienced yoga practitioners gravitate to the martial art
Kalarippayattu because of its common philosophical roots to hatha yoga.
While India is home to many martial art styles, Kalarippayattu, which
hails from the state of Kerala, is particularly comprehensive and vivid
in expression. What makes this style unique is its combined emphasis on
physical development, self-discovery, combat, and healing. In Kerala’s
mother tongue, Malayalam, kalari means ‘place, gymnasium, battlefield,’
payattu means ‘martial exercise.’ Acknowledged to be one of the world’s
oldest martial arts, with origins that date back to 200 BCE,
Kalarippayattu elicits a similar psycho-spiritual experience in its
practitioners as hatha yoga. Practitioners of the martial art focus on
attaining a transformative state where they become doubtless and
fearless, often described as that moment when ‘the body is all eyes.’ For more information about this practice click on this link.
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Hatha Yoga (Sanskrit हठयोग hʌʈʰʌjo:gʌ), also called Hatha Vidya (हठविद्या), is a particular system of Yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a sage of 15th century India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In this treatise Swatmarama introduces Hatha Yoga as 'a stairway to the heights of Raja Yoga', hence a preparatory stage of physical purification that renders the body fit for the practice of higher meditation. The Asanas and Pranayama in Raja Yoga were what the Hindu Yogis used to physically train their body for long periods of meditation. This practise is called shatkarma. The word Hatha is a compound of the words Ha and Tha meaning sun and moon ( हकारः कीर्तितः सूर्यष्ठकारश्चंद्र उच्यते | सूर्यचंद्रमसोर्योगाद्धठयोग निगद्यते || ), referring to Praana and Apaana, and also to the principal nadis (energy channels) of the subtle body that must be fully operational to attain a state of dhyana or samadhi. According to the Monier Moneir-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary, the word "hatha" means forceful. It is a strong practice done for purification. In other respects Hatha yoga follows the same principles as the Raaja Yoga of Patanjali including moral restraint yama and spiritual observances niyama. Hatha Yoga is what most people in the West associate with the word "Yoga" and is practiced for mental and physical health throughout the West. For more information on Hatha Yoga click here.
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Vinyasa Yoga is a derivative form of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga that employs the vinyasa technique of "connecting postures", but does not use the six series of postures specific to the Mysore Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga system, as outlined by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.
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Kundalini yoga is a physical and meditative discipline,
comprising a set of techniques that use the mind, senses and body to
create a communication between "mind" and "body". Kundalini yoga
focuses on psycho-spiritual growth and the body's potential for maturation, giving special consideration to the role of the spine and the endocrine system in the understanding of yogic awakening. Kundalini is a concentrated form of prana or life force, lying dormant in chakras in the body. It is conceptualized as a coiled up serpent (literally, 'kundalini' in Sanskrit
is 'That which is coiled.' Sanskrit kund, "to burn"; kunda, "to coil or
to spiral"). The serpent is considered to be female, coiled up three
and a half times, with its mouth engulfing the base of the Sushumna nadi. In the classical literature of Kashmir Shaivism
kundalini is described in three different manifestations. The first of
these is as the universal energy or para-kundalini. The second of these
is as the energizing function of the body-mind complex or
prana-kundalini. The third of these is as consciousness or
shakti-kundalini which simultaneously subsumes and intermediates
between these two. Ultimately these three forms are the same but
understanding these three different forms will help to understand the
different manifestations of kundalini. For more information on Kundalini Yoga click here.
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The Pilates Method (or simply Pilates), pronounced /pɪˈlɑ:ti:z/ is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. As of 2005 there are 11 million people who practice the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States. Pilates called his method Contrology, because he believed his method uses the mind to control the muscles. The program focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and which are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles.
According to practitioners, the central aim of Pilates is to create a
fusion of mind and body, so that without thinking about it the body
will move with economy, grace, and balance. The end goal is to produce
an attention-free union of mind and body. Practitioners believe in
using one's body to the greatest advantage, making the most of its
strengths, counteracting its weaknesses, and correcting its imbalances.
The method requires that one constantly pay attention to one's body
while doing the movements. Paying attention to movement is seen as so
vital that it is considered more important than any other single aspect
of the movements. For more information on Pilates click here.