Orit Sen-Gupta

35 years of experience

Orit has been practicing yoga for over 30 years. She studied Iyengar Yoga in Puna and trained in the Eighties with Pattabhi Jois in Mysore. She studied and taught with Dona Holleman for 12 years. Together they wrote "Dancing the Body of Light", a comprehensive text on yoga.

Practicing from inside

In searching for a way of moving the body as one un-fragmented unit Orit gradually discarded the overuse of anatomical terms, which tend to view the body from the outside. Listening from inside, she found that adhering to the middle and using the 7 vital principles, allows for a simple yet precise asana practice. This, she feels, frees us to celebrate the pure joy of moving and being. Also the increase of flexibility and range of motion can be very beneficial to move around more freely, to maintain optimal balance, and to avoid getting injured. Especially if you are dealing with declines in your mobility.

Teaching

Teaching is an art in itself. As the years pass, communicating and exploring yoga with students has become a passion in itself. For Orit it is in this ytt meeting that yoga as a living tradition is transmitted. Many Westerners see it simply as a form of exercise, whereas many who have started doing it also see it as a spiritual path, a comprehensive system of wellness meant to address not just physical well-being, but also as something that works on mental, spiritual, and emotional levels as well. Most people spend roughly a third of their life in a state of sleep where they try and get back the vitality and energy that they expend throughout the day. Sadly, many don't make the most of this, simply because they don't know how to relax. Simple unconsciousness isn't enough. The relaxation practices which most branches of Yoga provide are different than sleep but offer similar benefits.

Philosophy

Orit graduated from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem with a degree in Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy. She was the first to translate Patanjali’s Sutras from Sanskrit into Hebrew. Orit believes that the research and study of yogic texts is important for the development of yoga in our times. Researching old pranayama texts, she deepened her understanding of the ancient techniques of Vayu practice. During the last few years Orit has been writing extensively and published the following books: Vayu’s Gate, The Heart of Practice and A Little Book of Yoga, all available in English, Dutch and Hebrew. Patanjali’s Sutras, A New Translation, has recently come out in English (2013).

Vijñāna Yoga Teachers

In 2002, together with a group of experienced teachers, Orit founded the Vijñāna Yoga School. Since 1996 she has been doing Yoga teacher training in Thailand, Israel and Europe and giving international retreats. Today there are Vijnana Centers and Vijnana Teacher Trainings in Canada, Mexico, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Finland and Israel. There are also ryt & Vijnana teachers in other countries in Europe, United States, India, Indonesia (Bali) and Australia (Perth).

Subject of advanced Vijnana International ryt workshop & course

Breathing techniques: Orit encourages the practice of breathing which is known as Pranayama. It incorporates a variety of breathing exercises which can help to optimize one's ability to breathe properly and which can improve lung function and keep your heart healthy. Stress Reduction: Another benefit that can come from incorporating Orit's teachings in your life will be the ability to minimize your stress levels. This is largely due to this ongoing process allowing for the decrease of cortisol production in the body. A hormone triggered by a stress response. It is essentially the 'fight or flight' hormone and by using the meditative powers & life force of yoga, it can really help to decrease your stress levels entirely. Only though after deepening the understanding of these principles.