Auburn University's Art of Living Yoga Club is more than the average fitness class struggling with the downward facing dog pose and sweating due to the chattaronga.
Vivek Patil, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, said it has changed his life.
Auburn's Yoga Club teaches the principles of the Art of Living Yoga course where the class emphasizes not just physical exercise, but healthy living in general.
"The word yoga means 'union' in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated," said P.K. Raju, Thomas Walter Distinguished Professor of Auburn's Mechanical Engineering Department. "We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit."
Participants are taught, through breathing exercises, stretches and meditation, to focus their minds on the present moment, putting aside outside distractions and future worries.
The course teaches techniques that can be practiced every day to reap benefits for years.
The Art of Living organization is a non-profit worldwide organization that teaches programs such as yoga to uncover the human spirit, peace and joy.
Founded in 1982 by humanitarian leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, it is now accredited by the United Nations as a non-governmental organization that has one of the largest volunteer bases.
The organization not only offers programs to locals, but also assists in disaster relief areas around the world.
CNN reported in July 2007 that thousands of participants in India spent days practicing the Sudarshan Kriya breathing techniques taught in the Art of Living courses.
Many of the benefits of the program have been proven to be physical exercise from the yoga positions and the ability of de-stressing the mind and body through meditation and breathing.
According to medical journals and scientific data research, yoga has been proven to reduce levels of stress by actually reducing cortisol in the body, also known as the "stress" hormone.
Yoga is also proved to support the immune system and relieve anxiety and depression. Such practices also have been found to enhance brain function by increasing mental focus.
"By harnessing the power of yoga we gain the three-fold advantage of 'Fitness + Freedom from Stress + Happiness,'" Raju said. "One of the far-reaching benefits of yoga is the uncanny sense of awareness that it develops in the practitioner of an impending health disorder or infection. This in turn enables the person to take pre-emptive corrective action."
The club's next event, The Art of Living Yoga Empowerment Service (YES+), will feature week-long meditation and yoga classes beginning Oct. 20 through Oct. 25.
Weekdays the class will meet from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. The course fees are $250 for students and $350 for the public.
"Just close your eyes and think of someone you love and see how you feel in the body," said Gautham Jeppu, president of Auburn's Art of Living Yoga Club. "Do you feel happy? Now think of someone you hate. Do you feel tension? There is a connection between the emotions we feel and the sensations in the body. There is lot of stress that goes into our system."
YES!+ is for college and young professionals to teach participants how to deal with emotions and stress through school and other life predicaments. The course will also teach coping skills by learning to relax the body.
"When I took this program I realized that this so important because never at or school or at home was I taught how to handle emotions," Patil said. "It is really important that we handle them properly so we can be a better human being."
The Art of Living Yoga Club meets every Friday at the Auburn Chapel from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information on the national Art of Living program visit http://us.artofliving.org. To sign up contact Gautham Jeppu at jeppugp@auburn.edu.
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