By Samara Humbert-Hughes
Hopefully, by the time this article is published, I will have completed my 200-hour certification to instruct Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga. I started this journey a little over a year ago and have been working regularly on my self-paced course. My journey took hold because after five years in the public schools and nearly twenty-eight years teaching string students, I noticed a need for students to not only understand how their bodies work on a fundamental level, but also to learn how to quiet the mind and breathe! So, it was “now or never,” and here I am one year later with an entirely enriched perspective in life.
I’ve enjoyed practicing yoga myself for about twelve years now, but this past year has taken my understanding to a new level, especially with the insight into the multiple benefits that yoga can have. As I’m sorting through the final stages of certification coursework, I’ve been re-reading my material for yoga and have found many parallels with the Suzuki Method. In the article below, I will highlight some of the parallels that I see with the Suzuki Method, while also including the basic tenets of practicing yoga, the many benefits of practicing yoga, and how it is such a fulfilling and complementary activity for anyone.
Historical Parallels
Without digging too far down the historical rabbit hole, yoga has a very long and rich history. The term “Yoga” was first mentioned in an ancient set of hymns known as the Rig Veda (from approximately 1700–1100 B.C.E), and it means “to yoke” or “to make one.” As described by Mark Stephens in his book, Teaching Yoga, “the intended yoking is that of one’s mind and the divine, a self-transcendent quality creating a pure state of consciousness in which the awareness of “I” disappears into a sense of divine essence.” The modern yoga that we experience today has taken shape over thousands of years with its primary influences from the evolving culture of India and is “often moored to and conditioned by Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and other religions.” Schools and teachers of modern Yoga began to flourish in Western society during the middle of the twentieth century, which is also when the Suzuki Method made its way to the United States.
Many Teachers and Styles
In Yoga, there are many different schools and pedagogical lineages, similar to music. For example, in one of the violin and viola pedagogical lineages, we can trace teachers and students through the Italian School all the way back to Arcangelo Corelli. In music, we also have different styles or genres of music that we play, such as classical, jazz, pop, or bluegrass. Similarly, in Yoga, we find different schools which usually indicate a particular style or type of Yoga. For example, there are schools that focus on yogic styles such as Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, or Vinyasa Flow. As in music, there is often an apprentice/mentor approach to teaching yoga, so we can also trace the lineage of the teacher/student relationship.
Different Components
In the Suzuki Method, we have a number of components which contribute to the success of our students, including: starting the child early, creating a home environment, providing opportunities for listening to the repertoire, attending private lessons and group class lessons, creating regular home practice times, involving the parent, delaying music reading to first development the aural and kinesthetic aspects of playing, following a set of particular repertoire and providing regular performance opportunities. Similarly, in Yoga, to receive the maximum benefit, there are several components that contribute to the entirety of “doing Yoga.”
It is often perceived that yoga is merely physical movements or doing the “asanas.” However, practicing yoga fully reflects the Yoga Sutras written in about 200 C.E. by Patanjali, who described an eight-limbed path, or ashtanga yoga, on the yoga journey. This path consists of: yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Without diving too deep into each one of these components, most modern yoga practice consists of the asana (the physical poses), pranayama (the breath work), and dhyana (meditation) (Stephens 2010, 7).
Practice Time
In our musical instrument practice, we have various avenues of working on the instrument. We have times when we practice alone, when students practice with a parent or guardian, private lesson time with the teacher, group class time with peers, and ensemble rehearsal time. Musical instrument practice can happen just about anywhere and can vary greatly in the amount of time for any of the previous categories.
Similarly, practicing yoga can happen just about anywhere! Outside, inside, in the morning, at night, during the day, and at work. Yoga can be practiced alone, with a friend, or with lots of friends! Practice time can be a short session (10–15 minutes) or up to many hours. Of course, we know that to get better at something and to make it easier, one must practice consistently, with intention, and with focus—all of which holds true for music practice and yoga practice.
Character Elements
One of the guiding principles for a student studying the Suzuki Method is the emphasis on building character first, then ability. Though I did not study with Dr. Suzuki myself, I’ve heard many stories about him assigning tasks to students that were not specific to the violin, such as asking the student to pick up litter on his way home from a lesson.
In yoga, there is also an emphasis on character building that is part of the eight-limbed path by Patanjali. The yamas, as mentioned above, describe the “principles of ethical behavior one should follow in everyday life, in our relationship with others and with ourselves.” (Stephens 2010, 7) The five yamas in Yoga are:

Ahimsa means practicing nonviolence
Satya means to be honest with ourselves
Asteya means not stealing or freeing ourselves from the desire
Brahmacharya means to honor ourselves and others in intimate relationships
Aparigraha means to not be greedy
Level Up!
The Suzuki Method repertoire is beautifully organized in such a way that it allows students to advance their skills gradually and systematically. In yoga, we also start with the fundamentals and gradually advance in our skills. For example, one fundamental pose in yoga is Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, which finds the feet grounded, the thighs engaged, the chest and spine tall, and the gaze out to the horizon while the hands are energetically held by the side of the body. As one works through the various asanas, or poses, there is often a basic version or there are ways to advance the pose and challenge the body if the body is ready to “fully express” the pose. There are also various levels of classes in Yoga. If you haven’t experienced one before, it’s advantageous to attend a beginner or Level 1 class before attempting any intermediate level. In addition, the other aspects we typically find in yoga, including breath work and meditation, can also be advanced with consistent practice.
Something that has become particularly clear to me in Yoga in these final stages of my classwork is that working toward a Peak Pose is an effective way to sequence a class. This Peak Pose is the apex of the classwork and is built up through many preceding poses so that the body experiences the movement already before “peaking” at the Peak Pose. In the Suzuki Method, we have a similar concept when we try to home in on one particular point throughout the entire lesson time with a student—otherwise referred to as the “one-point-lesson.”
Benefits
The great violinist Yehudi Menuhin practiced Yoga regularly and studied with B.K.S. Iyengar for fifteen years. Menuhin wrote a very elegant foreword to Iyengar’s book, Light on Yoga, where he states: “The practice of Yoga induces a primary sense of measure and proportion. Reduced to our own body, our first instrument, we learn to play it, drawing from it maximum resonance and harmony.” In his autobiography, Yehudi Menuhin shares that through practicing yoga and meeting Mr. Iyengar, “yoga made its contribution to my quest to understand consciously the mechanics of violin playing” (Menuhin 1996, 260). From my own personal experience, having practiced yoga first before practicing my instrument, I can say that there was a definite exaggerated body awareness during my musical practice time that I know would have been missing had I not done yoga first.
The benefits of Yoga also go beyond what one does on the yoga mat. The practice time allows for the yogi to truly understand how their body works, to know their limitations, and to come into oneself. There is very much an introspective aspect of Yoga, just as there is when one practices their instrument in a deliberate way. Yoga also helps us connect our breath to our body movements, to “flow” with the movement, just as we need to do when we play an instrument. And finally, Yoga gives us the opportunity to learn how to quiet the chatter from the outside world for just a bit. The lessons we learn in the practice room, be it yoga or a musical instrument, can be applied outside the practice area in “real life” situations. Some of the skills we can learn in practice include: dedication, patience, planning, self-awareness, gratitude, grace, humility, and perseverance.
Other Parallels
Some additional parallels I notice between the Suzuki Method and studying yoga are: 
People study music for different reasons and people study yoga for different reasons
Everyone is in a different place with their instrument and in yoga practice, everyone is in a different place with their bodies
One is never finished making music or doing yoga; we experience journey, not a destination 

The benefits of studying both Yoga and music through the Suzuki Method are very complementary, and they go far beyond the mat and the practice room. Studying yoga is a very positive experience; everyone is welcome, and you can take it as far as you like. One of my goals is to teach Kids Yoga and Yoga for Musicians, so perhaps I will meet some of you or your students on the mat in the future!
References
Iyengar, B.K.S. 1979. Light on Yoga. Schocken Books. 
Menuhin, Yehudi. 1996. Unfinished Journey. Sym Music Company. 
Stephens, Mark. 2010. Teaching Yoga: Essential Foundations and Techniques. North Atlantic Books