Ukrainian Yoga Federation
Encyclopedia
Ukrainian Yoga Federation is non-commercial organization, which teaches yoga
in Ukraine
and is concerned one of the biggest school of yoga in Ukraine.
in early 90th by Andrey Safronov, Ukrainian esoteric and philosopher. In 20 years the organiaztion grew to thousants of student practitioners and hundred of branches in different part of Ukraine and Russia. The organization took part in variety of social and cultural projects, seminars, advocating art, dancing, healthy and free style of life.
mostly based on classical asana
s with breathing techniques pranayama
s. Teaching is based on classical sources
and 20 years experience of teachers.
Basic principles of yoga practice that are used in Ukrainian Yoga Federation are specified in the book of its founder, Andrey Safronov :
Kyiv branch teachers web sites:
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and is concerned one of the biggest school of yoga in Ukraine.
History
Ukrainian Yoga Federation was founded in KharkivKharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
in early 90th by Andrey Safronov, Ukrainian esoteric and philosopher. In 20 years the organiaztion grew to thousants of student practitioners and hundred of branches in different part of Ukraine and Russia. The organization took part in variety of social and cultural projects, seminars, advocating art, dancing, healthy and free style of life.
Approach
The focus in Yoga Federation teaching is both on physical and mental development. The school primary style is hatha yogaHatha yoga
Hatha yoga , also called hatha vidya , is a system of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a Hindu sage of 15th century India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika....
mostly based on classical asana
Asana
Asana is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, originally identified as a mastery of sitting still, with the spine as a conduit of biodynamic union...
s with breathing techniques pranayama
Pranayama
Pranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning "extension of the prana or breath" or more accurately, "extension of the life force". The word is composed of two Sanskrit words, Prāna, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, and "āyāma", to extend, draw out, restrain, or...
s. Teaching is based on classical sources
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic Sanskrit manual on hatha yoga, written by Svami Svatmarama, a disciple of Swami Gorakhnath. Said to be the oldest surviving text on the hatha yoga, it is one of the three classic texts of hatha yoga, the other two being the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva...
and 20 years experience of teachers.
Basic principles of yoga practice that are used in Ukrainian Yoga Federation are specified in the book of its founder, Andrey Safronov :
- EsotericEsotericismEsotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",...
knowledge cannot be known. It can only be lived.
- Yoga is not a religion. Living “here and now” is not less important for a yogi than his spiritual tasks.
- Yoga is not a practice of asceticismAsceticismAsceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
. For a harmonic and creative existence you need to love life. Although elements of ascetic practices can be used as one of the methods.
- Yoga is not a philosophyPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Every ethic system is in the long run engendered by the religious perception of the world, by the fear of punishment, by the supreme forces etc. Yoga has its rules too (YamaYamasYamas, and its complement, Niyamas, represent a series of "right living" or ethical rules within Hinduism and Yoga. These are a form of moral imperatives, commandments, rules or goals...
, for example), which can be mistaken for ethical, but their essence is principally different. YogiYogiA Yogi is a practitioner of Yoga. The word is also used to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of South Asian Religions including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.-Etymology:...
follows these rules not because he is afraid of punishment – it is his most pragmatic choice allowing him to save energy as much as possible. On the higher levels all rules disappear and give way to the principles.
- using Indian practices automatically, without adapting them to our modern cultural and historic conditions is a false way, leading away from the harmony and turning yoga itself – an exceptionally rational and pragmatic system – into a religionReligionReligion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
.
Social events
- 2009, 10 May - "Green Action", ecological event aimed to gather garbage in Kiev parks
- 2010, 1-3 October - Festival of free humans
- 2011, Social Project Yoga Evolution
External links
- Official web site (Ukrainian)
Kyiv branch teachers web sites:
- Vladislav Ocheretko: http://yogi.org.ua
- Pakhol Boris: http://yogi.com.ua
- Anna Severina: http://yogi.ua