Citizen Magazine Inner Peace Issue - Doron

How has yoga changed your life?

Yoga has been my anchor, my point of sanity. I used to live in NYC, running a photography studio, and it was the practice of yoga and meditation that kept me connected with what is real. I was an artist a chef, a yoga teacher, things changed, practicing yoga stayed consistent. Health wise, it helped me reduce my asthma symptoms, straightened my spine, and increased my energy. I started feeling like a cat, relaxed but ready for action any time. I got stronger and more flexible, I learned about my body, and started to see the under layers of my mind, which helped soften a bit of the edge I had.

What led you to yoga?

After completing the Israeli military service, I needed answers. Who am I? What does it mean being Israeli, or Jewish. Why am I different than an American or someone else? I took on an adventure, and went to the Far East to find answers. India was my first stop. Meeting a variety of gurus, I was inspired by the way they lived their lives. Some were yoga teachers, but most were spiritual teachers. I stayed in Dharamsala and listened to lectures from the Dalai Lama. I practiced yoga in Rishikesh, and eventually studied Buddhism in Thailand and Japan. Something felt right. I wasn’t sure why at the time, but there was a calling and I had to follow.

I believe you were a photographer in your pre yoga life. How different is your life today?

(Perhaps talk about the contrast between the two) I started taking photos while in the military, and kept doing it as I traveled in Asia. Yoga was with me all along. However teaching yoga is different than practicing yoga. Practicing yoga helped me grow, and deal with life as well as myself. It took me a while before I felt I am ready to teach. Maybe it’s because I saw real inspiring teachers in Asia, and they were older, wiser. So I waited, studied and practiced while being an artist. Then at the end of a teacher training with Mark Stephens, he offered me to sub his class. That followed by me teaching while at an art residency and then at Esalen Institute. Teaching somehow came to me, and I followed. The reality is, that being a yoga teacher can be just the same as being a fashion photographer or an artist. Both people need to make a living, both need clients or students. It can be easy to get consumed in the yoga career and make it just the same as any other career. However, being a teacher means responsibility, showing by example, walking the talk. Now I couldn’t just skip practice, or do things that contradicted my teachings. So teaching yoga made my own personal practice and my own personal growth develop much faster. I am now immersed in the yoga lifestyle, living it every moment of my life. I learned that it is possible to live this life no matter what profession or life a person has. It takes a bit of adjusting, but it is possible to integrate the yoga lifestyle into any life. This is why I wrote the yoga lifestyle book (Published by Llewellyn June 2016). I wanted to show people they could be flexitarians, and bring yoga into their life right now.

Are you a spiritual person?

Do you feel that a person needs to have spirituality in order to practice yoga or can it be a form of exercise? Being spiritual has nothing to with practicing the physical form of yoga. I can get on the mat with an attitude of greed, of wanting to get a new pose, or manage to do the splits. I could fight my body and push hard to get it. I could do my practice while being annoyed that my neighbor is sweating all over the place. I could be checking my cellphone and disturbing others. Maybe I am the most flexible person on the planet, but I am not being spiritual. On the other hand, I could arrive to the yoga mat and do my practice humbly, patiently, being appreciative of my body and what it can do. Moving my mat over to create space for someone that arrived late. Being considerate and respectful of others. We are all spiritual beings. Some of us practice this and some ignore it. Yoga can be anything – a form of exercise or a spiritual practice or both. It makes no difference if the person is flexible, pretty or smart. Being spiritual is about caring about others, and ourselves, about being conscious of our actions, words and thoughts. Personally I find that having a spiritual attitude while doing the practice of yoga, helps create physical changes faster. It’s a win win situation.

Is it important for a person who wants to get maximum benefit from yoga to also follow a yogi diet?

Absolutely. Some foods will make us stiff, while others help us move more fluidly. Food becomes our body, and the fuel for the body. Eating clean, healthy nutrient dense food is like putting higher-octane fuel in our body. Imagine a great sports car going for a race, and running it on dirty crude oil. It will function, but far from its capacity. The food will not only affect the muscles and tissues, but also the energy level, and mental ability to stay calm and focused. Finally even allopathic medicine is starting to recognize the importance of our diet. This should be one the biggest reforms taking place now. It will save the country billions in health care expenses; people will feel better, be happier and without even knowing it, be more spiritual.

What does a typical day for you look like?

Talk us through it. My day starts early, with a few deep breaths, a smile and a moment of gratitude. This sets my happiness for the day. I get up without lingering in bed, wash my face, scrape my tongue and do oil pulling (mouth rinsing). Then I sit to meditate. The mind is still quiet from the night, and many times I am not ready for the physical practice just yet. After meditation I practice yoga poses and breathing techniques (asana and pranayama). This could be reversed if I feel too anxious to sit, I may move first and then sit. Part of my Yoga lifestyle philosophy is using the flexitarian method – listening to my body and respecting how I feel - every day may be different. Time to make a nice green smoothie, or green juice. Then work. Some days it involves teaching, and others writing. If I feel stuck, I get up, do a few movements and take a few conscious longer breaths. If it is a stressful day – yes, this can happen to anyone – I will stop for a few deep exhales. All techniques I describe in my upcoming book “ The Yoga Lifestyle” Lunch is normally my main meal, and dinner a bit lighter. I love eating, so I take time for my meals. I make most of my meals, and try to eat in a quiet, peaceful environment. If I have time, I go for a hike or a swim. No matter what the day is like, I take some time before bed to slow down. Read, breathe, walk slowly or spend time with friends. Otherwise it is easy to go to bed with work and dream work, and wake up feeling as if yesterday and today were just one long day.

There are obvious physical health benefits from yoga. Do you feel there are also mental Heath benefits?

If so in what way? Mind and body are not really two separate things. If the body benefits, the mind does too. This is true for most sports. However in yoga there is an emphasis on keeping the mind steady on the breath (ujjayi) and awareness of the gaze (drsti). Yoga also requires balance and focus when doing a variety of more challenging poses, such as standing on one leg, or balancing on the arms. All these practices help greatly in cultivating alertness and being present. Once the mind is trained to be present and not reactive, stress dissolves away, and most mind troubles, such as anxiety, doubt, fear, stress, hyper activity and worry diminish dramatically. Many of us think and act due to past conditioning; yoga teaches us that everything is possible if we just stay open.

What is the best time of day for someone to practice yoga?

Traditionally yoga is practiced early morning. One of my teachers in India says, begin your practice half an hour before sunrise. I notice that for many, if it is not practiced in the morning it is not practiced at all. That being said, using the flexitarian method – we all have different lives and circumstances. So if the option is to practice in the afternoon or not practice at all, I say practice! The only exception is a strong practice right before bed. Even if it is an evening practice, try to finish at least 3 hours before going to sleep. And hopefully sleep is not much later that 10-10:30pm…

Is yoga a solitary practice or does the energy of a group working together add to the experience?

Both. In a way, yoga is solitary. When practicing we learn to let go of external distraction and keep the awareness inward. We call it withdrawal of the senses or pratyahara. It is very powerful and important to have a personal practice. One of my next projects is to create a home program teaching people how to create their own customized self-practice. However, even when we learn to practice withdrawal of the senses, there is great power to practicing in a group. The energy of a group of people doing similar practice, focusing on the breath, and just simply having other bodies with similar intentions in one room enhances the experience greatly. Ideally find a balance, know you can have a home practice, but do find your group to share your energy with. Group practice or community (sangha) is one of the three pillars of Buddhism – it is very important.

What can people expect on your retreats?

(Here you can talk about previous or your upcoming one) My retreats are always a combination of fun, yoga and learning something new in a beautiful setting. Retreats are an amazing opportunity to get a super boost of peace of mind. We start with a yoga practice that is suited to all levels. I make sure beginners will do fine, and give exciting options for the advanced. Then we have delicious breakfast including tropical fruits. Daytime is an opportunity to relax, read, hike, swim or take a day trip to explore indigenous cultures and markets. We meet again in the afternoon for some yin yoga or a workshop session. This is a special opportunity to ask all those questions that you never have time for in a regular class. I share my tips and secrets that make the yoga practice advance so much faster. It is normal to hear “wow, I tried this for years, can’t believe I just managed to do this! ”The retreats are the perfect balance of free solo time and community. Sometimes we even have dance nights. It truly is a place to find freedom from daily life. Life transforming is a regular occurrence. At the moment I am loving Guatemala and in particular the stunning Lake Atitlan, beautifully framed by volcanoes. My next retreat will be at Villa Sumaya, January 16-23. Details here: http://doronyoga.com/2015/10/23/vinyasa-yoga-retreat-to-lake-atitlan/

Do you practice one particular style of yoga and if so why?

My yoga practice has spanned most yoga traditions know in the west. I learned from each one something, but eventually stayed with the Ashtanga Vinyasa system as taught by Pattabhi Jois. I love the Mysore style, or the self-practice within a group, and the athletic aspects of it. I liked that it is done in silence, and that the breath is an important aspect of the practice. Over the years I infused this practice with other principles I learned in other traditions, and the practice of Zen meditation. I have done this to make it adaptable to the students in the west; people sitting in front of desks, having higher levels of stress, different age groups etc. - A Doron Yoga version of Vinyasa.

What benefits should people expect from which style of yoga?

( here you can give a brief list of types of yoga and a reason why certain people may prefer that style) There are more styles of yoga than one can actually comprehend these days. Also, many traditional ones have now teachers infusing knowledge from other systems, similar to what I do. In my teacher-training program, I go over the main ones that fathered the ones we see today. A few styles in brief: Iyengar: A great class to learn alignment and patience. Poses are held longer, and precise alignment is practiced. Ashtanga: A set system of poses, focus on breath, gaze and energy centers (bandhas). Builds strength and stamina, but always the same poses in the same order, until you move on to a next series. Vinyasa / flow: Derives from ashtanga, and has the poses shuffled, and many time music added. Similar to ashtanga, build strength and stamina, and at times has more suitable variations for today’s student. Vinyasa is a broad name, and classes vary greatly according to the teacher. Power: again, there are a few different power classes out there. Most are similar to vinyasa classes, sometimes moving faster, and are heated to 85 degrees. Yin: poses are held for much longer allowing for release and opening - great for improving flexibility. The best option is to try a class and see how it feels for you.

During a yoga session we all at some point experience an overwhelming compulsion to stop because it feels too difficult. Especially early on when first starting. What is the best way to push through that?

What is the mental process you should be using? The secret is not push through. In the west we are trained to push, to suffer, to be strong, to make it work. I advice to surrender, to let things be just as they are. The moment you feel like leaving, giving up, take a deep breath, notice your mind, and notice your body. Many times the mind is more uncomfortable than the body. The body is feeling a sensation, but the mind interprets it to be unbearable or bad. Sometimes the mind adds a story or judgment: I am not good enough, I can’t do this, I am the stiffest in the room. If we notice the mind’s reaction, we can exhale and let the reaction go. Then we simply stay in the pose or the practice. To keep the mind from wandering off to stories about reality, we need to train it to stay in reality, in the present moment. Focusing on the breath is one way to stay present. It is with us at all times. Thoughts will still come by, that’s perfectly fine. Just allow them to keep going without giving them special attention. Thoughts are like clouds, and your breath is like the wind blowing them away. It is not a forceful act, but rather more of surrender. Not fueling the thoughts or stories. Focusing the gaze on one thing is also practical. Look at the wooden floor, or your foot, but resist the urge to begin describing what you are seeing.

Would that same process teach someone to push through other barriers in there life. Is yoga something that can teach you life skills?

Absolutely. The practice of yoga on the mat is a fantastic tool for yoga off the mat. Once we learn to understand how our mind reacts in relationship to body practice, it is easier to translate this to other parts of life. Many barriers are problematic because we make them so - we think they are. If instead, we look at the situation and see what can be done – what are the reasonable options right now – and then simply take action. The focusing on the breath, is simply a way to step away from the automatic thinking process. Once we can see the situation clearly we can either create useful thoughts for the situation or just take action. Nike says it best: Just do it.

What does inner peace mean to you?

Maintaining joy no matter the circumstances. Life brings about challenges, having inner peace is the ability to be ok with whatever happens, and even if for a moment we come out of balance, we bounce back quickly. This is thanks to a healthy mind, and living a Yoga Lifestyle.

Is inner peace achievable for everyone?

Yes. Training the mind is just like training the body. For some it will be easier than others, depending on our conditioning on how strong we hold on to it. But with practice everyone can free themselves and live with inner peace.

You have new book coming out next year through LLewellyn books. Tell us a little about that.

I am very excited to share my system to live a yoga lifestyle within the modern world. The book “The Yoga Lifestyle” is an empowering book that offers the reader practical tools to manifest peace of mind, flexibility, strength, and overall health. It uses Ayurveda (the Indian science of life) to find out what our tendencies are, what our body types are and how we come out of balance. Then I use The Flexitarian Method, which is a system to come back into balance and find joy, peace and good health. I developed it over a period of more than 20 years, using the best traditional practices adopted for today’s life. I took away spiritual nonsense and kept in straightforward practices that can bring about quick transformation. Stress is optional. It’s the one book you need to get started on the yoga track. Everything from lifestyle practices, yoga practices, breathing techniques, mind trainings, and food and health tips. This is a great book for anyone that really wants to take a step forward towards sustainable inner peace.

If you could only practice three yoga poses which would they be and why?

In any practice I would always include a back bend, a twist and a hip opener (and if a forth allowed, a forward fold). This means that if you have just a few minutes for your practice, consider doing a sun salute (or my warm up variation of it), a bridge, pigeon pose and a supine twist.

Do you think yoga is a form of meditation?

If so why? Every action in life can be a form of meditation, chopping carrots or doing yoga. How we use our mind is what makes it a meditation. Zen practice (a meditation practice) boils down to chopping wood and carrying water, meaning simply living life with awareness. That being said, yoga traditionally was not the gymnastic poses we see today. It was more of a sitting meditation practice. The yoga poses are great preparation for the sitting meditation. They help the body open and be more comfortable in a seated meditation, and allow easier flow of energy through the body. The focusing of the mind as we practice yoga is the first step into meditation. This trains the mind to concentrate and stay present, which is the first layer of meditation. Then, in seated meditation we find stillness beyond the meditation of movement.

What is the last thing you do before you go to bed?

Turn off the light.