Core power yoga is an energetic yoga exercise that is both physically and mentally
challenging and helps to connect to our inner powers without stopping and
accompanied by a heated, climate controlled Vinyasa. It heals, detoxifies and
stimulates the body and mind through balance and intention.
Power yoga is a dynamic and challenging program that combines strength, sweat
and spirituality. It recognizes power in different levels; first is the physical power
which develops the body?s strength and improve health; second is the mental power
or the will to concentrate on the practice; and last the spiritual power which is the
power behind the physical and mental power.
Core power yoga is the Western version of the Indian Ashtanga Yoga. The term was
was given by Beryl Bender Birch, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher. It has been brought to
the west by followers of Sri K. Pattabhi, a renowned Sanskrit scholar who inspired
Western Yogis with his Ashtanga Yoga Style and philosophies.
There are three programs in power yoga. ?Core Power? is designed to strengthen
abdominals and back and includes both abs-focused Vinyasa power yoga poses and
variations of muscle-toning moves. ?Unlocking Athletic Power? will develop flexible
strength with an emphasis on abs, back, hips and pelvis. ?Soul of Strength? on the
other hand is a fast-moving power yoga program with a distinct ?mid-body?
emphasis and some very challenging moves.
Yoga sessions are done in a heated room and made up of different cardiovascular
exercises intended to develop strength and flexibility, increase stamina, improves
the ability to focus, release tensions and remove toxins through sweating.
Core power yoga practice also requires the execution of yoga poses. Poses are done
in a fast pace, some poses are even held longer than the required five breaths. This
practice can increase physical endurance and ability to focus on any task for a long
time without breaking the concentration.
What is the difference between core power yoga and other exercises?
Core power yoga is a vinyasa style that has a unique program offering and focuses
on core strength, balance and flow to build a solid practice based on strength and
spirit. It offers diverse classes like Hot Yoga, Yoga Sculpt, Boot camps, Teacher
Trainings and Mat Pilates. Moreover, it provides better instructors that are
personally involved in student?s progress, strong and forceful leaders who pays
more attention to the students needs. Also the teachers of this exercise work with
the students to personalize their programs and creating a sense of belonging and
community. And lastly, it provides quality facilities equipped with a unique top tier
amenities and a balance aura.
This exercise also offers great health benefits; it lengthens and stretches the
muscles and at the same time also builds stamina, strength and lean muscle and
mass. It also increases body heat that kills some bacteria and creates a finely tuned state of consciousness of the workings of the body. The focus of core power yoga is
on the coordination of the breath movement, connecting the body, mind and spirit
to the warmest level.
Core power yoga is best to those who want to improve their performance in their
chosen sports like cycling, football, swimming, skiing, running, martial arts and
various other team sports. Some training grounds in sports practice this exercise in
transition for aerobics.
Core power yoga can and does reshape your body and mind!
? Copyright Melvin Chua, All Rights Reserved.
Melvin has dozens more related articles and tips on doing yoga at his site: doing yoga, check them
out today!
February 24, 2009
The Truth about Options for Yoga Teachers, Part 6
Partner Yoga: Usually, Partner Yoga is reserved to workshops or special occasion classes. When I first practiced Yoga, as a child, we did a lot of partner work. In those days, I don?t think we were really concerned with space issues. Kids tend to gravitate toward each other like a ?litter of kittens.?
Somehow, Partner Yoga has not grown among adults in the popularity it deserves. In a Partner Yoga class, many students remark at how much they got out of each aspect, including meditation. A relaxation sequence can be performed with the crowns of the two heads being four to six inches apart. This actually creates a more intense form of relaxation.
Marie, my wife, and I used to teach these classes to singles groups. This puts a ?new twist? on the term, ?blind date.? Our Partner Yoga workshops did serve to get singles more comfortable with each other. So, Partner Yoga can be adapted and re-define the purpose of a Yoga class.
We know that Yoga training helps people in every aspect of health. However, Partner Yoga integrates Yoga with touch, bonding, and sometimes, a bit of humor. All of these, combined with Yoga practice, make for a very healthy activity. Despite all of this, Partner Yoga seems to be resigned to workshops. Partner Yoga is also a good ?at home practice? to be shared among loved ones.
Prenatal Yoga: To be blunt - If you are teaching pregnant students without their doctor’s approval, and you are not a certified Prenatal Yoga instructor, you are “playing with fire.” It is hard enough in a Yoga class to address the needs of all students. For pregnant Yoga students, I recommend a specific Prenatal Yoga class.
This may seem a bit harsh, but Yoga instructors need to protect themselves, legally, as well as the health of all their students. Once you research all the precautions and guidelines for Prenatal Yoga, you will fully understand my point.
Just to ?scratch the surface of the iceberg,? here are a few ideas to consider. Prenatal Yoga is a specialist?s field. Just because you briefly covered it in a level 1 Yoga teacher training, does not mean you should enter this field without a specialist education and certification in Prenatal Yoga.
Each trimester is handled differently. The first trimester can be as dangerous as the third trimester, if a student is not receiving specialized Prenatal Yoga instruction. The last trimester is similar to Chair Yoga, but that does not qualify a Chair Yoga instructor to work with pregnant students.
Therefore, if you feel the ?calling? to teach Prenatal Yoga, you should enroll in a Prenatal Yoga course. Once you graduate as a certified Prenatal Yoga instructor, you will be glad you did. This is a rewarding field, but you need to be trained properly to become a Prenatal Yoga teacher.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Somehow, Partner Yoga has not grown among adults in the popularity it deserves. In a Partner Yoga class, many students remark at how much they got out of each aspect, including meditation. A relaxation sequence can be performed with the crowns of the two heads being four to six inches apart. This actually creates a more intense form of relaxation.
Marie, my wife, and I used to teach these classes to singles groups. This puts a ?new twist? on the term, ?blind date.? Our Partner Yoga workshops did serve to get singles more comfortable with each other. So, Partner Yoga can be adapted and re-define the purpose of a Yoga class.
We know that Yoga training helps people in every aspect of health. However, Partner Yoga integrates Yoga with touch, bonding, and sometimes, a bit of humor. All of these, combined with Yoga practice, make for a very healthy activity. Despite all of this, Partner Yoga seems to be resigned to workshops. Partner Yoga is also a good ?at home practice? to be shared among loved ones.
Prenatal Yoga: To be blunt - If you are teaching pregnant students without their doctor’s approval, and you are not a certified Prenatal Yoga instructor, you are “playing with fire.” It is hard enough in a Yoga class to address the needs of all students. For pregnant Yoga students, I recommend a specific Prenatal Yoga class.
This may seem a bit harsh, but Yoga instructors need to protect themselves, legally, as well as the health of all their students. Once you research all the precautions and guidelines for Prenatal Yoga, you will fully understand my point.
Just to ?scratch the surface of the iceberg,? here are a few ideas to consider. Prenatal Yoga is a specialist?s field. Just because you briefly covered it in a level 1 Yoga teacher training, does not mean you should enter this field without a specialist education and certification in Prenatal Yoga.
Each trimester is handled differently. The first trimester can be as dangerous as the third trimester, if a student is not receiving specialized Prenatal Yoga instruction. The last trimester is similar to Chair Yoga, but that does not qualify a Chair Yoga instructor to work with pregnant students.
Therefore, if you feel the ?calling? to teach Prenatal Yoga, you should enroll in a Prenatal Yoga course. Once you graduate as a certified Prenatal Yoga instructor, you will be glad you did. This is a rewarding field, but you need to be trained properly to become a Prenatal Yoga teacher.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
An Objective View of Yoga
When you think of Yoga, what is the picture you see within your ?mind?s eye?? Many people still think of Hatha Yoga, and its many sub-styles, as the only Yoga around. This is due to the fact that outside India, Hatha Yoga (Union by Physical Mastery), is most commonly seen.
Therefore, this is understandable - except there are many forms of Yoga, and many are much less physical forms that are sometimes misunderstood. Yoga does not have to be practiced in an Ashram or on a Yoga mat. To be beneficial, Yoga can be practiced anywhere, at any time, in any shape or form.
Just by giving people help, without asking for anything in return, you are practicing Karma Yoga. By praying, you are practicing a form of Bhakti Yoga. Also, by seeking and finding the pure, but unobvious truth, you may be practicing Jnana Yoga, (Union by Knowledge).
Yoga literally means ?Unity? or ?Union,? but each Yoga style has within itself a unique way to achieve the union of mind, body, and spirit. Yoga is non-confronting, non-conflicting, and can be integrated with many physical disciplines and religious practices. Any style of Yoga will integrate with other forms of Yoga and healing methods.
Yoga teachers ?spread the word,? but they must teach the more popular physical aspects of Yoga, if they want to keep their students. This is why many people get an incomplete picture of a complete health maintenance system for the three aspects of mind, body, and spirit. All three aspects of health are of equal importance, but the physical aspect is more easily realized.
Whether you are a beginner, long-time Yoga practitioner, or a Yoga teacher, your knowledge will make a difference for the best. Just by showing loving kindness and mindfulness to your friends, co-workers, and family, you will alter this world.
Therefore, the proliferation of Yoga is a miracle and a gift to mankind. By helping others, you will feel gratification that is helpful to your own mental, physical, and spiritual health. In turn, you, and your actions, will evolve with loving kindness as your guide.
This is the fundamental key to good health and well being: Give to others and you will feel much better about yourself. There is a teacher within all of us, even if you only share the gift of Yoga with one friend.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: “Yoga in Practice” a free e-Book, which will be available in March of 2006.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Therefore, this is understandable - except there are many forms of Yoga, and many are much less physical forms that are sometimes misunderstood. Yoga does not have to be practiced in an Ashram or on a Yoga mat. To be beneficial, Yoga can be practiced anywhere, at any time, in any shape or form.
Just by giving people help, without asking for anything in return, you are practicing Karma Yoga. By praying, you are practicing a form of Bhakti Yoga. Also, by seeking and finding the pure, but unobvious truth, you may be practicing Jnana Yoga, (Union by Knowledge).
Yoga literally means ?Unity? or ?Union,? but each Yoga style has within itself a unique way to achieve the union of mind, body, and spirit. Yoga is non-confronting, non-conflicting, and can be integrated with many physical disciplines and religious practices. Any style of Yoga will integrate with other forms of Yoga and healing methods.
Yoga teachers ?spread the word,? but they must teach the more popular physical aspects of Yoga, if they want to keep their students. This is why many people get an incomplete picture of a complete health maintenance system for the three aspects of mind, body, and spirit. All three aspects of health are of equal importance, but the physical aspect is more easily realized.
Whether you are a beginner, long-time Yoga practitioner, or a Yoga teacher, your knowledge will make a difference for the best. Just by showing loving kindness and mindfulness to your friends, co-workers, and family, you will alter this world.
Therefore, the proliferation of Yoga is a miracle and a gift to mankind. By helping others, you will feel gratification that is helpful to your own mental, physical, and spiritual health. In turn, you, and your actions, will evolve with loving kindness as your guide.
This is the fundamental key to good health and well being: Give to others and you will feel much better about yourself. There is a teacher within all of us, even if you only share the gift of Yoga with one friend.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: “Yoga in Practice” a free e-Book, which will be available in March of 2006.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Hot Off The Press - How Hot Is Hot Yoga
The beginning of yoga goes back 2,500 years and was introduced by Patanjali of who we owe a debt of gratitude for helping us all in our quest to maintain stability in mind spirit and soul. Most importantly it is the healthy outlook on life. (mentally/physically) it gives. Hot of the press, word has it this form of exercise has taken the world by storm and still continues to do so and will for a long time to come.
Believe it or not hot yoga is a type of exercise people are practicing on such a high scale that it is becoming a craze. Hot yoga is a combination of different poses carried out in a special heated room of which the temperature is normally between 95-100 degrees.
Think sauna - think perspiration when this routine is performed. Having a towel handy is a good idea to wipe your brow or other parts of the body that needs attention in absorbing sweat loss.
Light clothing like shorts to practice hot yoga will make your experience a more comfortable one, no winter wollies please they are not needed.
Involving your self in hot yoga is a fabulous way of cleansing the body and ridding any waste toxins on the inside.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluid (water) during lessons. Bring your own thermos or bottled mineral water, by doing this you can quench your thirst thus stemming off dehydration. Before taking part in hot yoga remember that it is not advisable to consume food at least two hours before. The reason being is you have nominated your body to take part in a strenuous workout.
Cholesterol and fat levels are lowered through sweat loss, so if slimming is on the agenda then it is certainly worth checking out the Bikram yoga method.
Moves and bodily posture movements differ greatly so choosing which class is for you could prove to be a problem. Do a little research or talk to a guru in the field of yoga who can advise you on what is best for your needs, whether it is a health matter, slim down or just to claim peace of mind.
Before enrolling in a hot yoga class make sure to delve more intimately into what it entails as it may not be your cup of tea unlike it is for others. Hot yoga can be exhausting but it does have its perks giving results. Your health is so very important thus making yoga a number one priority to be taken seriously to take claim of a fit mind body and soul.
Feeling good about your self is a step forward in leading a better life. Consult your doctor on any health concerns you may have before he points you in the right direction of easing your symptoms with a dose of yoga.
100% fit mind and body is what healthy living is all about. Yoga helps you claim what is rightfully yours. A content mind the natural way. http://www.want2yoga.com Move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com
Believe it or not hot yoga is a type of exercise people are practicing on such a high scale that it is becoming a craze. Hot yoga is a combination of different poses carried out in a special heated room of which the temperature is normally between 95-100 degrees.
Think sauna - think perspiration when this routine is performed. Having a towel handy is a good idea to wipe your brow or other parts of the body that needs attention in absorbing sweat loss.
Light clothing like shorts to practice hot yoga will make your experience a more comfortable one, no winter wollies please they are not needed.
Involving your self in hot yoga is a fabulous way of cleansing the body and ridding any waste toxins on the inside.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluid (water) during lessons. Bring your own thermos or bottled mineral water, by doing this you can quench your thirst thus stemming off dehydration. Before taking part in hot yoga remember that it is not advisable to consume food at least two hours before. The reason being is you have nominated your body to take part in a strenuous workout.
Cholesterol and fat levels are lowered through sweat loss, so if slimming is on the agenda then it is certainly worth checking out the Bikram yoga method.
Moves and bodily posture movements differ greatly so choosing which class is for you could prove to be a problem. Do a little research or talk to a guru in the field of yoga who can advise you on what is best for your needs, whether it is a health matter, slim down or just to claim peace of mind.
Before enrolling in a hot yoga class make sure to delve more intimately into what it entails as it may not be your cup of tea unlike it is for others. Hot yoga can be exhausting but it does have its perks giving results. Your health is so very important thus making yoga a number one priority to be taken seriously to take claim of a fit mind body and soul.
Feeling good about your self is a step forward in leading a better life. Consult your doctor on any health concerns you may have before he points you in the right direction of easing your symptoms with a dose of yoga.
100% fit mind and body is what healthy living is all about. Yoga helps you claim what is rightfully yours. A content mind the natural way. http://www.want2yoga.com Move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com
Yoga in Practice: Ajna Chakra
Chakras are vortices located in the subtle body. Ajna chakra is located between the eyebrows. The existence of chakras is a point of contention to some. Yogis, and Yoginis, may practice balancing their chakras, while some religious fundamentalists feel this practice borders on witchcraft. However, let?s discuss one chakra that most everyone can identify with.
Ajna chakra is referred to as the ?third eye? and is sometimes called,?the mind?s eye.? Whether you believe in the existence of chakras, or not, most of us accept the concepts of intuition and insight. These concepts enable us to use self-reflection for our own advancement.
Most Yoga practitioners think only in terms of physical Yoga (Hatha Yoga), only. Yet all Yoga practitioners are aware that Yoga involves physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. Therefore, let?s use the ?window of your mind? to your advantage. Visualization is commonly used by successful people to turn thoughts into reality. Although this is a mental exercise, it is a form of spiritual innovation. This is also a formula that will continually yield success in your life.
By steadily practicing positive visualization, self-analysis, and meditation, any Yoga student should be successful within any chosen path taken during the course of his or her life. You will notice that I mention ?positive? visualization. Do you think that Tiger Woods ever focused on missing a putt or losing a golf tournament? Whatever you envision, can easily become your reality.
Therefore, always focus on achievement and success. You cannot afford to think of anything else. See yourself overcoming obstacles and living your dreams. This is what all achievers do.
Now, let?s take a closer look at intuition. If you are not an intuitive person, you should work on enhancing this quality. Balancing Ajna chakra might help you, and if this is not a possibility, you should keep a trusted intuitive person around you, when it is time to make important decisions.
This is not to say that intuition is the overriding factor in your decision making, but intuition always has weight. Intuition will help us seek and find the deeper truth in all matters. This allows us to develop our personal awareness of what is, what is not, and what could be.
As we continue our journey to find the deeper truth, we become much more aware of the many possibilities and opportunities we have to contribute to the common good of all.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Ajna chakra is referred to as the ?third eye? and is sometimes called,?the mind?s eye.? Whether you believe in the existence of chakras, or not, most of us accept the concepts of intuition and insight. These concepts enable us to use self-reflection for our own advancement.
Most Yoga practitioners think only in terms of physical Yoga (Hatha Yoga), only. Yet all Yoga practitioners are aware that Yoga involves physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. Therefore, let?s use the ?window of your mind? to your advantage. Visualization is commonly used by successful people to turn thoughts into reality. Although this is a mental exercise, it is a form of spiritual innovation. This is also a formula that will continually yield success in your life.
By steadily practicing positive visualization, self-analysis, and meditation, any Yoga student should be successful within any chosen path taken during the course of his or her life. You will notice that I mention ?positive? visualization. Do you think that Tiger Woods ever focused on missing a putt or losing a golf tournament? Whatever you envision, can easily become your reality.
Therefore, always focus on achievement and success. You cannot afford to think of anything else. See yourself overcoming obstacles and living your dreams. This is what all achievers do.
Now, let?s take a closer look at intuition. If you are not an intuitive person, you should work on enhancing this quality. Balancing Ajna chakra might help you, and if this is not a possibility, you should keep a trusted intuitive person around you, when it is time to make important decisions.
This is not to say that intuition is the overriding factor in your decision making, but intuition always has weight. Intuition will help us seek and find the deeper truth in all matters. This allows us to develop our personal awareness of what is, what is not, and what could be.
As we continue our journey to find the deeper truth, we become much more aware of the many possibilities and opportunities we have to contribute to the common good of all.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Yoga in Practice: Ten Solutions for Depressed Yoga Students, Part 3
Put Ideas into Action: Procrastination in, and of itself, can cause many poor outcomes. Setting goals, and writing them down, was discussed earlier, but those steps are worthless without putting your plans into action.
The ?dreamer? who comes up with a great idea, and watches someone else put a similar idea into action, is truly depressed. Sometimes, great ideas are being worked on at the opposite side of the Earth, and it?s just a matter of who puts the idea into action first.
There are also co-workers and supervisors who will gladly take the credit for your ideas. Therefore, do not waste time or procrastinate in any way. If you make a mistake, use it to your advantage and learn from it, but don?t ?sit on an idea.?
One last point to cover on this subject is how often we judge ourselves harshly. In my Yoga classes, I often mention ?non-judgment? of others, but we are our own worst critics in this life. No one else will ever be as harsh as we can be to ourselves. So, stop criticizing your own ideas, before they get started, and put them into action.
Pranayama: Simple breath awareness alone can help relieve anxiety and depression. When you combine this with meditation, Pranayama can be a powerful tool. As a Yoga practitioner, you know many Yogic breathing techniques, but students should have a few ?go to? Pranayama techniques for daily stress and some for severe stress.
Ujjayi Pranayama would be the first selection; translated to English this means, ?victory or victorious breath.? Therefore, it is no accident that this particular Pranayama will purge depression and inner fears. As a matter of fact, Ujjayi Pranayama will instill confidence.
If Yoga students practice Ujjayi Pranayama, with an Asana sequence such as Sun Salutations or a Vinyasa series, they will conquer mild depression and develop new found confidence in themselves.
There are many more Yogic solutions for anyone to get rid of depression and gain confidence in his or her self, but these ten methods are familiar to Yoga teachers and most Yoga students. Yoga practice needs to be taken home, just like homework. If a Yoga student truly wants to see results, the practice of Yoga has to be maintained on a regular basis.
Within Yoga are many facets, but all of them lead to good health. A Yoga student who practices ?once in a while,? is better off than never having practiced at all, but should not expect to see significant results. This is why Yoga teachers have to tell their students the truth about expectations.
Do not ?sugar coat? a Yoga student?s responsibility to practice Yoga on an almost daily basis. This is also how a medical prescription works. Can you imagine what would happen if patients took their prescribed medicine once in a while?
Continuity is the key to good health and a steady Yoga practice will yield good mental, physical, and spiritual health. This is also true for everything worth attaining in life.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
The ?dreamer? who comes up with a great idea, and watches someone else put a similar idea into action, is truly depressed. Sometimes, great ideas are being worked on at the opposite side of the Earth, and it?s just a matter of who puts the idea into action first.
There are also co-workers and supervisors who will gladly take the credit for your ideas. Therefore, do not waste time or procrastinate in any way. If you make a mistake, use it to your advantage and learn from it, but don?t ?sit on an idea.?
One last point to cover on this subject is how often we judge ourselves harshly. In my Yoga classes, I often mention ?non-judgment? of others, but we are our own worst critics in this life. No one else will ever be as harsh as we can be to ourselves. So, stop criticizing your own ideas, before they get started, and put them into action.
Pranayama: Simple breath awareness alone can help relieve anxiety and depression. When you combine this with meditation, Pranayama can be a powerful tool. As a Yoga practitioner, you know many Yogic breathing techniques, but students should have a few ?go to? Pranayama techniques for daily stress and some for severe stress.
Ujjayi Pranayama would be the first selection; translated to English this means, ?victory or victorious breath.? Therefore, it is no accident that this particular Pranayama will purge depression and inner fears. As a matter of fact, Ujjayi Pranayama will instill confidence.
If Yoga students practice Ujjayi Pranayama, with an Asana sequence such as Sun Salutations or a Vinyasa series, they will conquer mild depression and develop new found confidence in themselves.
There are many more Yogic solutions for anyone to get rid of depression and gain confidence in his or her self, but these ten methods are familiar to Yoga teachers and most Yoga students. Yoga practice needs to be taken home, just like homework. If a Yoga student truly wants to see results, the practice of Yoga has to be maintained on a regular basis.
Within Yoga are many facets, but all of them lead to good health. A Yoga student who practices ?once in a while,? is better off than never having practiced at all, but should not expect to see significant results. This is why Yoga teachers have to tell their students the truth about expectations.
Do not ?sugar coat? a Yoga student?s responsibility to practice Yoga on an almost daily basis. This is also how a medical prescription works. Can you imagine what would happen if patients took their prescribed medicine once in a while?
Continuity is the key to good health and a steady Yoga practice will yield good mental, physical, and spiritual health. This is also true for everything worth attaining in life.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Karmic Yoga? the Action Reflection Mode
There are many things necessary to improve the quality of life for all beings in the world and even the earth itself. Rabbi Cooper, a Cabbalist, in his book God is A verb wrote that the Kabala is based on the precept that we are all human beings sparks of the Divine embedded in us. These sparks are the higher self and our God nature. Not only human beings contain these sparks, plants do, animals do and even stones do. To reach a platitude of enlightenment we must connect with this spark, our higher self. When we do we embrace our responsibility, which is actually more of an opportunity, to help raise up and liberate those sparks, so they can return to a higher plane of existence in the universe when they are released, thus moving the universe to a higher and higher more complete form. The universe is still in the process of being created and none of us know for certain what it is becoming, according to Rabbi Cooper and also Ph. D. Brian Swimme..
Brian Swimme, physicist and cosmologist, spoke of something similar. He said that each human is like a piece of the universal puzzle. It is our duty, therefor, to develop ourselves as fully as possible and to cultivate our uniqueness. If we don?t do that our piece will never be placed into the whole and the universe will never be complete. No one can every take our place. For Swimme, if there is sin, this is the only one. As we do Karmic Yoga we should us these ideas, and those like them, as our guide. Many people go out into the world to help. Sometimes they get paid for it. Sometimes they feel a bit guilty and put in time as volunteers to relieve that guilt. It is even a power trip sometimes. Sometimes people help others so they can get a group together to help them reach their own goal and fulfill their self interest. This, though helpful in some cases, perpetuates the power-over mentality with all of the manipulation that goes with it. It is not Karmic Yoga. One might say that it is the opposite. The difference between the two is that Karmic Yoga works from an action reflection model. The other is from a reactive model, power-over band-aid model..
The first step in Karmic Yoga is knowing oneself and one?s core beliefs about the world. It is constantly examining the core of self and identifying one?s own thoughts and feelings, i.e., what one knows to be true. From that place, full knowledge of the self, one goes out into the world and acts to fulfill the need that presents itself. After doing the work one goes back to a quite place and considers one?s actions.
One sits and thinks about their feelings during the work, the way they related to the population they are helping, and why the people are in need. If he is with a group of people working in similar surroundings or at the same place, he can do it with the group. In accordance with ones thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions, he changes the action as needed and does the inner work on whatever needs to be corrected, and then goes out and does the action again. There is a spiral that take place where the Karmic Yogini is actually learning, growing and expanding her spirituality through her actions. She is not only changing the world, but she is being changed. There is a dialectic taking place?an intimate dialogue between herself and her actions that promotes growth and enhances the quality of her enlightenment.
She is involved in inner-work, outer-work and the work of transformation as she interacts with those with whom she is working, imparting knowledge and truth which she has learned from the great mystics and sages and through life experience. She is receiving knowledge and truth back from what they have learned through life, and the mystics and sages that they have read or learned from. In that way she is raising the sparks and helping our circle rise to a higher level.
As we break down the walls between helper and those being helped and become one?one group working together to transform our communities and the world, we will never be alone. As the walls and artificial separation falls away like scales from our eyes we realize that we can never be alone, because we are all one family on this beloved earth.
As we grow in grace, in love, in faith and in power-with we are never alone for we, as Krishna Marti theme went, ?are the world.?
Dr. J. W. Gilmore is a Writer, Spiritual Director, Anti-oppression Consultant and Wellness Consultant. He is a Certified Massage Therapist and Reflexologist, a Reiki Master Teacher, a Martial Arts Instructor and a Spiritual Coach living in Costa Rica. For more article like this or similar information visit: http://www.dswellness.com
Recommended book, On Being Love?s Warrior: A Warriors Manual on Becoming the Compassionate Warrior Within, Dr. Kendall Ronin.
Brian Swimme, physicist and cosmologist, spoke of something similar. He said that each human is like a piece of the universal puzzle. It is our duty, therefor, to develop ourselves as fully as possible and to cultivate our uniqueness. If we don?t do that our piece will never be placed into the whole and the universe will never be complete. No one can every take our place. For Swimme, if there is sin, this is the only one. As we do Karmic Yoga we should us these ideas, and those like them, as our guide. Many people go out into the world to help. Sometimes they get paid for it. Sometimes they feel a bit guilty and put in time as volunteers to relieve that guilt. It is even a power trip sometimes. Sometimes people help others so they can get a group together to help them reach their own goal and fulfill their self interest. This, though helpful in some cases, perpetuates the power-over mentality with all of the manipulation that goes with it. It is not Karmic Yoga. One might say that it is the opposite. The difference between the two is that Karmic Yoga works from an action reflection model. The other is from a reactive model, power-over band-aid model..
The first step in Karmic Yoga is knowing oneself and one?s core beliefs about the world. It is constantly examining the core of self and identifying one?s own thoughts and feelings, i.e., what one knows to be true. From that place, full knowledge of the self, one goes out into the world and acts to fulfill the need that presents itself. After doing the work one goes back to a quite place and considers one?s actions.
One sits and thinks about their feelings during the work, the way they related to the population they are helping, and why the people are in need. If he is with a group of people working in similar surroundings or at the same place, he can do it with the group. In accordance with ones thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions, he changes the action as needed and does the inner work on whatever needs to be corrected, and then goes out and does the action again. There is a spiral that take place where the Karmic Yogini is actually learning, growing and expanding her spirituality through her actions. She is not only changing the world, but she is being changed. There is a dialectic taking place?an intimate dialogue between herself and her actions that promotes growth and enhances the quality of her enlightenment.
She is involved in inner-work, outer-work and the work of transformation as she interacts with those with whom she is working, imparting knowledge and truth which she has learned from the great mystics and sages and through life experience. She is receiving knowledge and truth back from what they have learned through life, and the mystics and sages that they have read or learned from. In that way she is raising the sparks and helping our circle rise to a higher level.
As we break down the walls between helper and those being helped and become one?one group working together to transform our communities and the world, we will never be alone. As the walls and artificial separation falls away like scales from our eyes we realize that we can never be alone, because we are all one family on this beloved earth.
As we grow in grace, in love, in faith and in power-with we are never alone for we, as Krishna Marti theme went, ?are the world.?
Dr. J. W. Gilmore is a Writer, Spiritual Director, Anti-oppression Consultant and Wellness Consultant. He is a Certified Massage Therapist and Reflexologist, a Reiki Master Teacher, a Martial Arts Instructor and a Spiritual Coach living in Costa Rica. For more article like this or similar information visit: http://www.dswellness.com
Recommended book, On Being Love?s Warrior: A Warriors Manual on Becoming the Compassionate Warrior Within, Dr. Kendall Ronin.
Scoliosis Exercise: Yoga as an Effective Option for Pain Relief
Scoliosis is a condition in which a person has side-to-side spinal curves in addition to the normal curves through which the lower portion of the human back curves inwards. The most effective remedy for such a condition is Scoliosis exercises. Although many exercises help in reducing the Scoliosis-related problems, yoga is considered the best Scoliosis exercise. Yoga postures are helpful since they enable us to stretch our body.
The most effective yoga exercises for the treatment of scoliosis-related problems include the Crocodile twist, the Supine knee chest twist, the passive back arch and the one leg up-one leg out posture. These exercises are very helpful in raising one?s lowered shoulder and reducing the back pain.
The Passive back arch scoliosis exercises has been found to be helpful in not only reducing scoliosis-related pain, but also the problems related to condition called pectus excavatum (sunken chest). Pectus excavatum is generally caused due to tight muscles across one?s chest and back and soft bones in the rib cage and spine.
The One leg up and one leg out scoliosis exercise have been found to be very effective in reducing muscular tension in legs. The Seated twist is a good remedy for the treatment of thoracic twist. This exercise also helps to rectify the alignment of the body and is simple to perform.
The Joint freeing series of scoliosis exercises are particularly helpful for people suffering from scoliosis with tight shoulder muscles. The Head to Knee pose helps in maintaining the alignment of the body and straightening of the spine. The spinal and the abdominal twists result in the stretching of muscles in the shoulder.
Saurabh Jain is the Executive Editor of Online Back Pain Resource. He has developed this site to provide valuable information to people suffering from back pain. This site enumerates different causes and factors related to back pain, guides through the different back pain treatments and suggests exercises for treatments of different types of back pain. The site is a free online resource for back pain and its remedies. The visitors can also find valuable information and reviews about the different equipments and therapies for back pain relief. Visit http://www.backpain-resources-online.com for more information.
The most effective yoga exercises for the treatment of scoliosis-related problems include the Crocodile twist, the Supine knee chest twist, the passive back arch and the one leg up-one leg out posture. These exercises are very helpful in raising one?s lowered shoulder and reducing the back pain.
The Passive back arch scoliosis exercises has been found to be helpful in not only reducing scoliosis-related pain, but also the problems related to condition called pectus excavatum (sunken chest). Pectus excavatum is generally caused due to tight muscles across one?s chest and back and soft bones in the rib cage and spine.
The One leg up and one leg out scoliosis exercise have been found to be very effective in reducing muscular tension in legs. The Seated twist is a good remedy for the treatment of thoracic twist. This exercise also helps to rectify the alignment of the body and is simple to perform.
The Joint freeing series of scoliosis exercises are particularly helpful for people suffering from scoliosis with tight shoulder muscles. The Head to Knee pose helps in maintaining the alignment of the body and straightening of the spine. The spinal and the abdominal twists result in the stretching of muscles in the shoulder.
Saurabh Jain is the Executive Editor of Online Back Pain Resource. He has developed this site to provide valuable information to people suffering from back pain. This site enumerates different causes and factors related to back pain, guides through the different back pain treatments and suggests exercises for treatments of different types of back pain. The site is a free online resource for back pain and its remedies. The visitors can also find valuable information and reviews about the different equipments and therapies for back pain relief. Visit http://www.backpain-resources-online.com for more information.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga through meditation works remarkably to achieve harmony and helps the mind work in synchronization with the body. How often do we find that we are unable to perform our activities properly and in a satisfying manner because of the confusions and conflicts in our mind weigh down heavily upon us?
Stress is the number one suspect affecting all parts of our physical, endocrinal and
emotional system. And with the help of yoga this things can be corrected.
At the physical level, yoga and its cleansing practices have proven to be extremely
effective for various disorders.
Listed below are just some of the benefits of yoga that you can get.
Benefits of Yoga 1: Yoga is known to increase flexibility; yoga has postures that
trigger the different joints of the body. Including those joints that are not acted upon
with regular exercises routines.
Benefits of Yoga 2: Yoga also increases the lubrication of joints, ligament and
tendons. The well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and
ligaments of the body.
It has also been found that the body which may have started doing yoga being a
rigid one may experience a quite remarkable flexibility in the end on those parts of
the body which have not been consciously worked upon.
Benefits of Yoga 3: yoga also massages all organs of the body. Yoga is perhaps the
only exercise that can work on through your internal organs in a thorough manner,
including those that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime.
Benefits of Yoga 4: Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts.
This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away
disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of
disease or disorder.
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
Benefits of Yoga 5: yoga offers a complete detoxification of the body. It gently
stretches the muscles and joints as we;; as massaging the various organs, yoga
ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body.
This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny of your body as
well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as
delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.
Benefits of Yoga 6: yoga is also an excellent way to tone your muscles. Muscles
which have been flaccid and weak are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess fats and
flaccidity.
But these enormous physical benefits are just a ?side effect? of this powerful
practice. What yoga does is harmonize the mind with the body and these results in
real quantum benefits.
It is now an open secret that the will of the mind has enabled people to achieve
extraordinary physical feats, which proves beyond doubt the mind and body
connection.
In fact yoga = meditation, because both work together in achieving the common
goal of unity of mind, body and spirit which can lead to an experience of eternal bliss
that you can only feel through yoga.
The meditative practices through yoga help in achieving an emotional balance
through detachment.
This in turn creates a remarkable calmness and a positive outlook, which also has
tremendous benefits on the physical health of the body.
yogaweb.info is a website that likes
to give information to people that needs information. On the site you can find a lot of advice and about 1000 informative articles,
daily updated.
Stress is the number one suspect affecting all parts of our physical, endocrinal and
emotional system. And with the help of yoga this things can be corrected.
At the physical level, yoga and its cleansing practices have proven to be extremely
effective for various disorders.
Listed below are just some of the benefits of yoga that you can get.
Benefits of Yoga 1: Yoga is known to increase flexibility; yoga has postures that
trigger the different joints of the body. Including those joints that are not acted upon
with regular exercises routines.
Benefits of Yoga 2: Yoga also increases the lubrication of joints, ligament and
tendons. The well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and
ligaments of the body.
It has also been found that the body which may have started doing yoga being a
rigid one may experience a quite remarkable flexibility in the end on those parts of
the body which have not been consciously worked upon.
Benefits of Yoga 3: yoga also massages all organs of the body. Yoga is perhaps the
only exercise that can work on through your internal organs in a thorough manner,
including those that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime.
Benefits of Yoga 4: Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts.
This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away
disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of
disease or disorder.
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
Benefits of Yoga 5: yoga offers a complete detoxification of the body. It gently
stretches the muscles and joints as we;; as massaging the various organs, yoga
ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body.
This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny of your body as
well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as
delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.
Benefits of Yoga 6: yoga is also an excellent way to tone your muscles. Muscles
which have been flaccid and weak are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess fats and
flaccidity.
But these enormous physical benefits are just a ?side effect? of this powerful
practice. What yoga does is harmonize the mind with the body and these results in
real quantum benefits.
It is now an open secret that the will of the mind has enabled people to achieve
extraordinary physical feats, which proves beyond doubt the mind and body
connection.
In fact yoga = meditation, because both work together in achieving the common
goal of unity of mind, body and spirit which can lead to an experience of eternal bliss
that you can only feel through yoga.
The meditative practices through yoga help in achieving an emotional balance
through detachment.
This in turn creates a remarkable calmness and a positive outlook, which also has
tremendous benefits on the physical health of the body.
yogaweb.info is a website that likes
to give information to people that needs information. On the site you can find a lot of advice and about 1000 informative articles,
daily updated.
Bhakti Yoga - The Science of Devotion
Bhakti means devotion to the Almighty. Bhakti yoga deals with devotion to God and achieving the union with him. This is the easiest of all yoga types. This branch of yoga teaches the relation between the devotee and the divine. It does not involve any technical or complicated procedures. There is no need of any intellectual capacity to master this yoga. It has appealed to the common man because it gives him a feeling security and develops a kind of reliance and dependence on the object of his devotion.
Bhakti yoga assumes that there is a higher power that has created the universe and is all-powerful. This power has the capacity to confer grace and mercy on him and thus protecting him from all the harms and evils. The devotee or bhakta is expected to make himself fit for receiving this divine grace. For this, he has to practice devotion and virtue. His ultimate goal should be to unite with this divine power and rest eternally in happiness and peace. The devotee surrenders all his motives and acts to the Divine Power. He renounces all the responsibilities towards the good or bad consequences of all his actions and ascribes it to the will of the Supreme.
Devotion and faith play a vital role in this branch of yoga. The devotee or bhakta is supposed to be highly religious, should adopt a friendly stance towards all the other living beings including animals, read religious texts, concentrate on the symbol of the Divine, think and wish well for the others etc. The beauty of this yoga lies in its simplicity. This has made it one of the most appealing of all the yoga types. Following this yoga develops the peace of mind in an individual. A peaceful individual will always think happy and prosperous thoughts and will thus lead a happy life.
Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz, mentions the importance of yoga and Bhakti Yoga . Bhakti yoga is a devotional branch of yoga which teaches a person to ascribe all the events in his life to Divine Will.
Bhakti yoga assumes that there is a higher power that has created the universe and is all-powerful. This power has the capacity to confer grace and mercy on him and thus protecting him from all the harms and evils. The devotee or bhakta is expected to make himself fit for receiving this divine grace. For this, he has to practice devotion and virtue. His ultimate goal should be to unite with this divine power and rest eternally in happiness and peace. The devotee surrenders all his motives and acts to the Divine Power. He renounces all the responsibilities towards the good or bad consequences of all his actions and ascribes it to the will of the Supreme.
Devotion and faith play a vital role in this branch of yoga. The devotee or bhakta is supposed to be highly religious, should adopt a friendly stance towards all the other living beings including animals, read religious texts, concentrate on the symbol of the Divine, think and wish well for the others etc. The beauty of this yoga lies in its simplicity. This has made it one of the most appealing of all the yoga types. Following this yoga develops the peace of mind in an individual. A peaceful individual will always think happy and prosperous thoughts and will thus lead a happy life.
Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz, mentions the importance of yoga and Bhakti Yoga . Bhakti yoga is a devotional branch of yoga which teaches a person to ascribe all the events in his life to Divine Will.
Tying Up Loose Ends: Topology Swallows Quantum Computing
The central visual image representing the art & science of Alchemy is the Ourobourus: a dragon or snake swallowing its own tail. This symbol deftly reflects the totality of the alchemical process, the ?great circulation? of Nature, by which what was ?above? as the very subtle spirit descends and becomes the ?below,? the earthy and fixed; then by reversing the process, what is below ~ fixed, heavy & earthy ~ ascends and gradually becomes volatile and subtle as the above. Hence, the circle is closed: the snake/dragon has indeed swallowed its tail. Homer, the Greek philosopher, referred to this process as the ?golden chain.? And what is represented, along with the individual internal process of the yogi or yogini, is also the chain of alchemical adepts (those able to link Heaven and Earth), beginning ~ in the classical Alchemy lineage ~ with the Egyptian Hermes Trismegistus, who wrote: ?Make what is above become like what is below, then what is below returns to what is above, thus creating the miracles of one thing.?
This same process ~ the descent of consciousness into matter, and the subsequent ascent of matter back into its more rarefied state (and, in nondual traditions, the linking of these two processes in a continuous loop) ~ is described in various other mystical traditions (most notably in Taoist Inner Alchemy texts, but also in, for instance, Patanjali?s Yoga Sutras).
In the language of Topology ~ the branch of mathematics that looks at what happens when certain geometric figures are stretched, twisted & folded (or, more precisely, when the space around these figures is distorted in these ways) ~ the Ourobourus is what?s called a ?knot? (a closed curve in three-dimensional space). A salient characteristic of knots is that they can indeed be stretched, twisted & folded into all sorts of superficially ?different? shapes, while retaining, mathematically, their ?sameness.? The central question explored within Topology is how to know when one shape is simply a ?distorted? version of another? The (very short!) answer is that this depends upon identifying what are called ?invariants? ~ characteristics which remain, across variations in a given shape/knot.
Topology has recently been employed in the service of the newly-emerging science of quantum computing, as a resource for addressing the problem of decoherence. In quantum computers (which are at this point mostly still theoretical), information is stored on sub-atomic particles. The major problem with these so-called qubits is their susceptibility to decoherence: disturbance of their quantum space/structure by the Newtonian environment. Each time such a disturbance happens, and the quantum state of the particles is affected, the information stored on them is lost or distorted.
And this is where Topology, potentially, is able to come to the rescue. For information stored on topological structures is impervious to local error, since small pieces of ?lost? information can easily be reconstructed, given what is known of the overall pattern/shape of which it was a part. (Imagine a donut, and a small piece on the surface of the donut being lost … Since we can still see what the overall shape of the donut is, we can easily replace that missing link.) So what is needed then, in terms of quantum computing, are sub-atomic particles which can be mapped topologically.
And it just so happens … that when an electron liquid on a two-dimensional crystalline surface is subjected to extremely cold temperatures and a strong magnetic force, sub-atomic particles called anyons are created. These anyons move about the surface ~ they ?dance? ~ in patterns which physicists call ?braids,? and which can be mapped topologically. As a result, these anyon braids (defining what?s called a Quantum Hall fluid) are very good candidates for storing information in a quantum computer, in a way which side-steps the problem of decoherence. (Another interesting thing about anyons is that they carry a fractional charge. Whereas protons carry a single positive charge, and nuetrons a single negative charge, anyons carry charges corresponding to any real number. Different fractional states, i.e. charges, define different ?flavors? of Quantum Hall fluid, and determine how complex a computation is possible, using that fluid as a carrier of information in a quantum computer.)
So assuming this all works out, and we?re able to use these anyon braids to store information … What would be the advantage of such a topological quantum computer? For one thing: speed. A classical/Newtonian computer operates via bits (housed in circuits or silicon chips) that are either ?on? or ?off.? In line with the so-called ?weirdness? of the quantum world, qubits (say, in the form of anyon braids housed in Quantum Hall fluid) exist in combinations of ?on? and ?off,? simultaneously (a phenomenon known as the superposition of states). This property allows a quantum computer to perform multiple computations, and get multiple answers, all at the same time. So a calculation that might take a classical computer millions or billions of years to complete, would be completed via a quantum computer in a matter of minutes!
A second advantage of such a computer is, perhaps, more aesthetic (or spiritual/philosophical) than practical. There?s a sense in which ~ by employing sub-atomic particles as our ?hardware? (and software, simultaneously) ~ we?re using nature as our computer! For the movements of the anyons has an intelligence ?of its own? … similar to when we throw a ball up in the air, the physics of its motion is ?calculated? by the medium (air, gravity, etc.) through which it travels. It doesn?t require us to transmit the appropriate mathematical formulas to it, in order to continue along its trajectory …
So how is the creation of a topological quantum computer (the projection by our collective human consciousness of a radically different model of computing/information processing) related to Alchemy & the Ourobourus (where we began this essay)? Or, in relation to my larger body of work, how is it related to the Alchemies of Taoist, Buddhist, or Hindu Yogas?
There area number of Buddhist as well as Taoist teachers who use the metaphor of a computer to describe the working of the human bodymind. Which, at this point, then begs the question: How might we (as Buddhist, Taoist or Hindu Yogis) transform ourselves (the way that we process information, i.e. relate with the intelligence/energy of the manifest world) from Newtonian/classical to topological quantum computers? Such a change will require, as we?ve seen above, a change not only in our ?software? but also, and perhaps more fundamentally, in our ?hardware? or in the relationship between hardware & software. How might I evolve from being a Newtonian machine that relates to my world in terms of a series of ?yes?s? and ?no?s? (0?s and 1?s) to a being defined by fractional charges, by superpositions, by the capacity to perform multiple simultaneous calculations (to hold simultaneously multiple points of view)?
And perhaps a part of the answer lies ~ as it does within the realm of quantum computing ~ in finding an information storage & processing medium (a bodymind!) which operates via physical/energetic patterns more than via individual bits of information … so that a stretching, bending or twisting (a ?distortion?) of the medium will not sacrifice its integrity. So that small losses of information, small fluctuations in the immediate environment can easily be compensated for by the wisdom & stability of the larger pattern. (What might this mean in terms of a physical practice such as yoga or qigong?)
And could this be part of what is being transmitted to us via the alchemical symbol of the Ourobourus? That the creation (or recognition) of patterns, and more specifically, closed loops, of so-called ?opposites? finding their unity, recognizing themselves to be two ends of the same stick … is an important key to the whole alchemical process, to spiritual and well as technological awakening? Taoist Inner Alchemy (as well as Kashmir Shaivite and other mystical) texts remind us, again and again, that the entire universe exists within and as our human bodies. The stars & all the galaxies are alive within the very structure of our cells. (According to which the Theory of Relativity should be able ~ yes? ~ to ?swallow the tail? of Quantum Mechanics, but alas …)
And perhaps what?s being pointed to also is the fact that we are indeed ~ in our manifestations within the phenomenal world ~ part of Nature, partaking of the wisdom, love & limitations of the plant, mineral & animal kingdoms … And it is in this association (rather than the escape from it, into, say, the world of machines, of ?artificial? intelligence) that lies our greatest power …
Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Buddhist, Taoist & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. For more yoga-related articles, information & musings, please visit: http://www.writingup.com/blog/Elizabeth_Reninger
This same process ~ the descent of consciousness into matter, and the subsequent ascent of matter back into its more rarefied state (and, in nondual traditions, the linking of these two processes in a continuous loop) ~ is described in various other mystical traditions (most notably in Taoist Inner Alchemy texts, but also in, for instance, Patanjali?s Yoga Sutras).
In the language of Topology ~ the branch of mathematics that looks at what happens when certain geometric figures are stretched, twisted & folded (or, more precisely, when the space around these figures is distorted in these ways) ~ the Ourobourus is what?s called a ?knot? (a closed curve in three-dimensional space). A salient characteristic of knots is that they can indeed be stretched, twisted & folded into all sorts of superficially ?different? shapes, while retaining, mathematically, their ?sameness.? The central question explored within Topology is how to know when one shape is simply a ?distorted? version of another? The (very short!) answer is that this depends upon identifying what are called ?invariants? ~ characteristics which remain, across variations in a given shape/knot.
Topology has recently been employed in the service of the newly-emerging science of quantum computing, as a resource for addressing the problem of decoherence. In quantum computers (which are at this point mostly still theoretical), information is stored on sub-atomic particles. The major problem with these so-called qubits is their susceptibility to decoherence: disturbance of their quantum space/structure by the Newtonian environment. Each time such a disturbance happens, and the quantum state of the particles is affected, the information stored on them is lost or distorted.
And this is where Topology, potentially, is able to come to the rescue. For information stored on topological structures is impervious to local error, since small pieces of ?lost? information can easily be reconstructed, given what is known of the overall pattern/shape of which it was a part. (Imagine a donut, and a small piece on the surface of the donut being lost … Since we can still see what the overall shape of the donut is, we can easily replace that missing link.) So what is needed then, in terms of quantum computing, are sub-atomic particles which can be mapped topologically.
And it just so happens … that when an electron liquid on a two-dimensional crystalline surface is subjected to extremely cold temperatures and a strong magnetic force, sub-atomic particles called anyons are created. These anyons move about the surface ~ they ?dance? ~ in patterns which physicists call ?braids,? and which can be mapped topologically. As a result, these anyon braids (defining what?s called a Quantum Hall fluid) are very good candidates for storing information in a quantum computer, in a way which side-steps the problem of decoherence. (Another interesting thing about anyons is that they carry a fractional charge. Whereas protons carry a single positive charge, and nuetrons a single negative charge, anyons carry charges corresponding to any real number. Different fractional states, i.e. charges, define different ?flavors? of Quantum Hall fluid, and determine how complex a computation is possible, using that fluid as a carrier of information in a quantum computer.)
So assuming this all works out, and we?re able to use these anyon braids to store information … What would be the advantage of such a topological quantum computer? For one thing: speed. A classical/Newtonian computer operates via bits (housed in circuits or silicon chips) that are either ?on? or ?off.? In line with the so-called ?weirdness? of the quantum world, qubits (say, in the form of anyon braids housed in Quantum Hall fluid) exist in combinations of ?on? and ?off,? simultaneously (a phenomenon known as the superposition of states). This property allows a quantum computer to perform multiple computations, and get multiple answers, all at the same time. So a calculation that might take a classical computer millions or billions of years to complete, would be completed via a quantum computer in a matter of minutes!
A second advantage of such a computer is, perhaps, more aesthetic (or spiritual/philosophical) than practical. There?s a sense in which ~ by employing sub-atomic particles as our ?hardware? (and software, simultaneously) ~ we?re using nature as our computer! For the movements of the anyons has an intelligence ?of its own? … similar to when we throw a ball up in the air, the physics of its motion is ?calculated? by the medium (air, gravity, etc.) through which it travels. It doesn?t require us to transmit the appropriate mathematical formulas to it, in order to continue along its trajectory …
So how is the creation of a topological quantum computer (the projection by our collective human consciousness of a radically different model of computing/information processing) related to Alchemy & the Ourobourus (where we began this essay)? Or, in relation to my larger body of work, how is it related to the Alchemies of Taoist, Buddhist, or Hindu Yogas?
There area number of Buddhist as well as Taoist teachers who use the metaphor of a computer to describe the working of the human bodymind. Which, at this point, then begs the question: How might we (as Buddhist, Taoist or Hindu Yogis) transform ourselves (the way that we process information, i.e. relate with the intelligence/energy of the manifest world) from Newtonian/classical to topological quantum computers? Such a change will require, as we?ve seen above, a change not only in our ?software? but also, and perhaps more fundamentally, in our ?hardware? or in the relationship between hardware & software. How might I evolve from being a Newtonian machine that relates to my world in terms of a series of ?yes?s? and ?no?s? (0?s and 1?s) to a being defined by fractional charges, by superpositions, by the capacity to perform multiple simultaneous calculations (to hold simultaneously multiple points of view)?
And perhaps a part of the answer lies ~ as it does within the realm of quantum computing ~ in finding an information storage & processing medium (a bodymind!) which operates via physical/energetic patterns more than via individual bits of information … so that a stretching, bending or twisting (a ?distortion?) of the medium will not sacrifice its integrity. So that small losses of information, small fluctuations in the immediate environment can easily be compensated for by the wisdom & stability of the larger pattern. (What might this mean in terms of a physical practice such as yoga or qigong?)
And could this be part of what is being transmitted to us via the alchemical symbol of the Ourobourus? That the creation (or recognition) of patterns, and more specifically, closed loops, of so-called ?opposites? finding their unity, recognizing themselves to be two ends of the same stick … is an important key to the whole alchemical process, to spiritual and well as technological awakening? Taoist Inner Alchemy (as well as Kashmir Shaivite and other mystical) texts remind us, again and again, that the entire universe exists within and as our human bodies. The stars & all the galaxies are alive within the very structure of our cells. (According to which the Theory of Relativity should be able ~ yes? ~ to ?swallow the tail? of Quantum Mechanics, but alas …)
And perhaps what?s being pointed to also is the fact that we are indeed ~ in our manifestations within the phenomenal world ~ part of Nature, partaking of the wisdom, love & limitations of the plant, mineral & animal kingdoms … And it is in this association (rather than the escape from it, into, say, the world of machines, of ?artificial? intelligence) that lies our greatest power …
Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Buddhist, Taoist & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. For more yoga-related articles, information & musings, please visit: http://www.writingup.com/blog/Elizabeth_Reninger
How Yoga Works for Weight Loss
Yoga is probably not an obvious choice of activity when it comes to weight loss but despite the speed of the movements it is deceptively effective and here’s why.
1. Yoga strengthens and streamlines your muscles
During yoga practise you work your whole body, stretching and toning your muscles, streamlining and firming them. This gives you a lean firm body shape as opposed to the bulkier, short muscles you might get from weight training. With yoga you build strong lean muscle tissue which burn calories even while you are at rest.
2. Yoga calms you and clears your mind
If you are someone who eats due to stress and tension, then yoga will help you reduce comfort eating. The slow stretching movements and deep breathing in every yoga movement calm and relax you. The balance postures in particular necessitate that you clear your mind of all your every day cares and worries and use all your powers of concentration and focus. With regular yoga practise you will find that you become naturally more relaxed and able to cope with everyday problems.
3. Yoga normalises sluggish glands
The toning movements in yoga work not only on the muscles but also on the internal organs of the body stimulating them and normalising their function. Twisting poses, forward and backward bends and inversions are used to stimulate the endocrine system and postures like the shoulder stand and the fish help regulate the mechanism of the thyroid gland in the neck, all of which help boost your metabolism.
4. Yoga gives you energy and increases flexibility
By calming you and gently working on your muscles and increasing the levels of oxygen in your blood and to your brain, you finish a yoga practise (once you are used to the movements) feeling more energetic than when you began. This means that you tend to put more energy and movement into your day rather than sitting around feeling exhausted. And you build flexibility in your muscles and joints so that you enjoy a full range of movement your whole life. Witness the difference between the movements of a young girl and a stiff 80 year old woman. The young girl is bound to move so much more because muscles and joints are less restricted.
5. Yoga uses calories
This is where people believe that yoga is not helpful when it comes to weight loss and it’s true that aerobic exercise may very well burn more calories. However you will still use about 240 calories in an average 1 hour classic hatha yoga class and burn many more (about 400) with some highly physical forms such as astanga yoga. And you can practise yoga every day without over-exercising your muscles which is not the case for many forms of aerobic exercise
6. Yoga offers psychological benefits
Through yoga practise you tend to retune into your body and increase your self-acceptance and self-esteem. You build positive body confidence and help quiet any negative messages that may arise in your mind. Yoga teaches us to respect our bodies and this helps us when choosing our food and avoiding junk food and alcohol.
7. Yoga is for everyone
Most people can take up yoga even if they have been inactive for a while although you should always get your doctor’s approval before beginning an exercise program if there is any doubt about your health. While jogging and working out at the gym might seem too much to contemplate you can start wherever you are with a yoga class and make steady progress.
Copyright 2006, Janice Elizabeth Small
Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of “The Diet Exit Plan”, an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Get her FREE 15 page report “How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn’t want you to know” at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!
1. Yoga strengthens and streamlines your muscles
During yoga practise you work your whole body, stretching and toning your muscles, streamlining and firming them. This gives you a lean firm body shape as opposed to the bulkier, short muscles you might get from weight training. With yoga you build strong lean muscle tissue which burn calories even while you are at rest.
2. Yoga calms you and clears your mind
If you are someone who eats due to stress and tension, then yoga will help you reduce comfort eating. The slow stretching movements and deep breathing in every yoga movement calm and relax you. The balance postures in particular necessitate that you clear your mind of all your every day cares and worries and use all your powers of concentration and focus. With regular yoga practise you will find that you become naturally more relaxed and able to cope with everyday problems.
3. Yoga normalises sluggish glands
The toning movements in yoga work not only on the muscles but also on the internal organs of the body stimulating them and normalising their function. Twisting poses, forward and backward bends and inversions are used to stimulate the endocrine system and postures like the shoulder stand and the fish help regulate the mechanism of the thyroid gland in the neck, all of which help boost your metabolism.
4. Yoga gives you energy and increases flexibility
By calming you and gently working on your muscles and increasing the levels of oxygen in your blood and to your brain, you finish a yoga practise (once you are used to the movements) feeling more energetic than when you began. This means that you tend to put more energy and movement into your day rather than sitting around feeling exhausted. And you build flexibility in your muscles and joints so that you enjoy a full range of movement your whole life. Witness the difference between the movements of a young girl and a stiff 80 year old woman. The young girl is bound to move so much more because muscles and joints are less restricted.
5. Yoga uses calories
This is where people believe that yoga is not helpful when it comes to weight loss and it’s true that aerobic exercise may very well burn more calories. However you will still use about 240 calories in an average 1 hour classic hatha yoga class and burn many more (about 400) with some highly physical forms such as astanga yoga. And you can practise yoga every day without over-exercising your muscles which is not the case for many forms of aerobic exercise
6. Yoga offers psychological benefits
Through yoga practise you tend to retune into your body and increase your self-acceptance and self-esteem. You build positive body confidence and help quiet any negative messages that may arise in your mind. Yoga teaches us to respect our bodies and this helps us when choosing our food and avoiding junk food and alcohol.
7. Yoga is for everyone
Most people can take up yoga even if they have been inactive for a while although you should always get your doctor’s approval before beginning an exercise program if there is any doubt about your health. While jogging and working out at the gym might seem too much to contemplate you can start wherever you are with a yoga class and make steady progress.
Copyright 2006, Janice Elizabeth Small
Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of “The Diet Exit Plan”, an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Get her FREE 15 page report “How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn’t want you to know” at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!
Yoke Hatha Yoga with the Raw Foods for Superb Health
Since writing my two books, Beautiful On Raw: UnCooked Creations and Your Right to Be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You, about my exploration and acceptance of the raw food lifestyle, I have added another important dimension to my health regimen. Hatha Yoga. I firmly believe that Hatha yoga practice has to be an integrated part of the raw food lifestyle.
I discovered and converted to the raw lifestyle in an effort to gain the peak of health, endurance and healing that I needed to ensure that I would be able to maximize the results of my upcoming surgical ordeal.
I was born in Russia with congenital hip problems that could not be corrected. For 45 years, I lived with one leg shorter than the other. I looked and felt like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. After immigrating to the United States, I prepared for the surgery that would ultimately replace my hips and allow me to walk without a limp. I was so accustomed to my tilt that when I was at last straight, I felt as though I were going to topple over at anytime.
I was thrilled with the results of the surgery and felt that much of my ability to heal from such massive trauma was from being on the raw food diet. I had to take private yoga lessons that worked with my limitations but I have improved tremendously and would not give it up anymore than I would go back to eating cooked food.
Yoga and the raw food diet offer many similarities in the ways they benefit the body. Yoga books describe the same euphoric experiences I have found in the raw food diet. Both purify and heal the body. Both offer powerful therapeutic effects in dealing with physical and psychological problems. Both promote radiant health.
Yoga is a systematic program whose sole purpose is spiritual. However the unhealthy condition of the average human body is a major obstacle to spiritual practices such as meditation, prayer and self-realization.
Running, swimming and weight lifting are great for muscle building but do little for connective tissue. It is the flexibility of the joints and of the connective tissues that gives us the feeling of ease and lightness in the body.
Think about that thin film running under the skin when you peel back chicken skin. It is called fascia. Humans have it, too. It runs under the skin throughout the body and even envelopes each individual cell. All major systems of the body?the circulatory and nervous systems, the muscular-skeletal system, and the various organs are cocooned in connective tissue. Tensions carried through the connective tissues are responsible for all the movements of the body.
Now imagine a young plant. It is pliable and limber when it?s young, but becomes hard, dry, and brittle with age. So with the human body, which tends to stiffen and tighten as we age. The body becomes choked in a net of shrunken and rigid connective tissues like constrictive body armor that is not only solidifying but shrinking by the minute. Every system of the body, every organ, every cell is being subjected to internal strangulation.
Connective tissues are tough and fibrous. Your connective tissue doesn?t respond to brief, repetitious stretches the way muscles do. They stretch best when pulled with steady tension like rubber band. Holding postures for a few minutes with moderate stress will cause the body to develop longer and thicker tissues.
Asanas increase your strength, stamina, and flexibility. Combined with raw food nourishment, yoga postures release tension and relieves pain even more effectively. You?ll find startling the resulting enhancement in your looks, improvement in your posture, and your better skin and muscle tone. You?ll feel your vitality brought by Asanas to a new lofty height.
I owe all of my health-my transformation from distortion to harmony-to a combination of the raw food diet and Hatha yoga. I can now practice 90 minutes of serious stretching everyday. My ability to recover and heal is the result of my raw food diet. I am stretching the scar tissue and since it is stronger and more resistant than regular tissue, I would never be able to practice yoga daily without the miraculous benefits of raw foods.
Yoga postures and the raw food diet make you more alive. Each practice complements the other, bringing many of the same physical and mental benefits. Asanas and the raw food diet are alike liberating, energizing, and exhilarating. As I practice the raw food lifestyle with regular Hatha yoga, my sense of feeling clean, good, and pure gradually becomes so prevailing that it permeates every part of my life. My emotions undergo a deep cleansing and healing paralleling similar changes in my body.
Yoga postures gently stretch the connective tissues that encase our joints, renewing our physical elasticity. Asanas lubricates the body, increasing circulation and flexibility. Stretching, twisting, bending forwards and backwards, vigorously massages various organs. Holding poses combined with proper breathing move stagnated blood that improve the flow of fresh nutrients and drains away impurities. It relaxes tense, pained areas of your body and strengthens weak areas.
Both practices?asanas and the raw food lifestyle?have their limits. For example, if the ligaments or other fibrous connective tissues are shortened as a result of injury or inactivity, raw food will definitely make stretching easier. But your food won?t do your stretching for you. On the other hand, there are many people who practice asanas regularly yet still struggle to achieve their optimal weight. Adopting the raw food diet will make a world of difference in that situation. Great as are the benefits of each, they?re finite benefits. For the best possible results, use them in tandem.
Raw food will make your constriction less rigid, but it is Hatha yoga that will stretch your tissue. Raw food furnishes the body with the best material for optimal health. Hatha yoga helps the body to make the most of it.
“This article may be freely reprinted as long as the entire article and byline are included.”
Tonya Zavasta is the raw food lifestyle expert, the author of the books Beautiful On Raw: UnCooked Creations and Your Right to Be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You, named a 2004 Health Book of the Year Award finalist by ForeWord Magazine. For more information on how to reveal your Rawsome beauty visit her web-site at: http://www.beautifulonraw.com Write to: BR Publishing, PO Box 623, Cordova, TN 38088-0623, USA or Call 866-STAY-RAW
I discovered and converted to the raw lifestyle in an effort to gain the peak of health, endurance and healing that I needed to ensure that I would be able to maximize the results of my upcoming surgical ordeal.
I was born in Russia with congenital hip problems that could not be corrected. For 45 years, I lived with one leg shorter than the other. I looked and felt like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. After immigrating to the United States, I prepared for the surgery that would ultimately replace my hips and allow me to walk without a limp. I was so accustomed to my tilt that when I was at last straight, I felt as though I were going to topple over at anytime.
I was thrilled with the results of the surgery and felt that much of my ability to heal from such massive trauma was from being on the raw food diet. I had to take private yoga lessons that worked with my limitations but I have improved tremendously and would not give it up anymore than I would go back to eating cooked food.
Yoga and the raw food diet offer many similarities in the ways they benefit the body. Yoga books describe the same euphoric experiences I have found in the raw food diet. Both purify and heal the body. Both offer powerful therapeutic effects in dealing with physical and psychological problems. Both promote radiant health.
Yoga is a systematic program whose sole purpose is spiritual. However the unhealthy condition of the average human body is a major obstacle to spiritual practices such as meditation, prayer and self-realization.
Running, swimming and weight lifting are great for muscle building but do little for connective tissue. It is the flexibility of the joints and of the connective tissues that gives us the feeling of ease and lightness in the body.
Think about that thin film running under the skin when you peel back chicken skin. It is called fascia. Humans have it, too. It runs under the skin throughout the body and even envelopes each individual cell. All major systems of the body?the circulatory and nervous systems, the muscular-skeletal system, and the various organs are cocooned in connective tissue. Tensions carried through the connective tissues are responsible for all the movements of the body.
Now imagine a young plant. It is pliable and limber when it?s young, but becomes hard, dry, and brittle with age. So with the human body, which tends to stiffen and tighten as we age. The body becomes choked in a net of shrunken and rigid connective tissues like constrictive body armor that is not only solidifying but shrinking by the minute. Every system of the body, every organ, every cell is being subjected to internal strangulation.
Connective tissues are tough and fibrous. Your connective tissue doesn?t respond to brief, repetitious stretches the way muscles do. They stretch best when pulled with steady tension like rubber band. Holding postures for a few minutes with moderate stress will cause the body to develop longer and thicker tissues.
Asanas increase your strength, stamina, and flexibility. Combined with raw food nourishment, yoga postures release tension and relieves pain even more effectively. You?ll find startling the resulting enhancement in your looks, improvement in your posture, and your better skin and muscle tone. You?ll feel your vitality brought by Asanas to a new lofty height.
I owe all of my health-my transformation from distortion to harmony-to a combination of the raw food diet and Hatha yoga. I can now practice 90 minutes of serious stretching everyday. My ability to recover and heal is the result of my raw food diet. I am stretching the scar tissue and since it is stronger and more resistant than regular tissue, I would never be able to practice yoga daily without the miraculous benefits of raw foods.
Yoga postures and the raw food diet make you more alive. Each practice complements the other, bringing many of the same physical and mental benefits. Asanas and the raw food diet are alike liberating, energizing, and exhilarating. As I practice the raw food lifestyle with regular Hatha yoga, my sense of feeling clean, good, and pure gradually becomes so prevailing that it permeates every part of my life. My emotions undergo a deep cleansing and healing paralleling similar changes in my body.
Yoga postures gently stretch the connective tissues that encase our joints, renewing our physical elasticity. Asanas lubricates the body, increasing circulation and flexibility. Stretching, twisting, bending forwards and backwards, vigorously massages various organs. Holding poses combined with proper breathing move stagnated blood that improve the flow of fresh nutrients and drains away impurities. It relaxes tense, pained areas of your body and strengthens weak areas.
Both practices?asanas and the raw food lifestyle?have their limits. For example, if the ligaments or other fibrous connective tissues are shortened as a result of injury or inactivity, raw food will definitely make stretching easier. But your food won?t do your stretching for you. On the other hand, there are many people who practice asanas regularly yet still struggle to achieve their optimal weight. Adopting the raw food diet will make a world of difference in that situation. Great as are the benefits of each, they?re finite benefits. For the best possible results, use them in tandem.
Raw food will make your constriction less rigid, but it is Hatha yoga that will stretch your tissue. Raw food furnishes the body with the best material for optimal health. Hatha yoga helps the body to make the most of it.
“This article may be freely reprinted as long as the entire article and byline are included.”
Tonya Zavasta is the raw food lifestyle expert, the author of the books Beautiful On Raw: UnCooked Creations and Your Right to Be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You, named a 2004 Health Book of the Year Award finalist by ForeWord Magazine. For more information on how to reveal your Rawsome beauty visit her web-site at: http://www.beautifulonraw.com Write to: BR Publishing, PO Box 623, Cordova, TN 38088-0623, USA or Call 866-STAY-RAW
The Paradox of Prana & Citta
One of the fundamental principles of Yoga/Qigong practice is that prana (energy, life-force, qi) follows citta (mind, intention, focus). You can experiment with this, right now, by closing your eyes (after you read the rest of this paragraph!), and then placing as much of your attention/focus into one of your hands (say, your left hand) as you can: as you inhale and exhale, think of sending waves of love or kindness or joy (or some other up-lifting quality) into your left hand. Breathe and focus in this way, on your left hand, for a minute or two, or longer ? and notice what happens, notice how the feeling in that hand begins to transform, as it ?fills? with love/joy/kindness. Perhaps you?ll notice it feeling a bit warmer, or notice a tingling sensation, or a feeling of heaviness, or a feeling of the fingers being a bit swollen. Perhaps that hand will begin to sweat, or feel cold or clammy. Each person?s experience will be different. But what our various experiences will likely have in common is that we?ll notice that our left hand has become, almost magically, more ?alive? ~ we?re able to feel it in a more clear and immediate way.
What we?ve just experienced is ?prana following citta?: we placed our mind/attention/focus (citta) on our left hand, which generated a flow of energy (prana) into that hand, creating new and more potent sensation, of some sort. We see this principle at work in every aspect of our lives: when we?re focused on something (a project, our work, a relationship), our energy flows into that activity, and it tends to grow ?
Part of the process of a Yoga/Qigong practice, then, is to become more & more conscious of this mechanism ~ of prana following citta ~ so we?re able to use it in ways that are supportive of our practice. One aspect of the ?paradox? of prana & citta is that while this relationship can serve us in powerful & pleasant ways, it can also ~ when it?s operating unconsciously ~ be our greatest nemesis. For energy flows not only into fields/patterns that we consciously choose to focus on, but also into fields/patterns of mind/citta which we are unconsciously ?focused? on, and hence perpetuating/giving energy to. These are the samskaras (past-life tendencies) which we work/play to unravel (make conscious) within the context of our practice.
Another paradoxical aspect of this relationship is that the inverse of the original ?formula? can also be true, i.e. not only can ?prana follow citta? (the basis, for one, of Yuen Method work), but it?s also the case that citta/mind can follow (be influenced or shaped by) prana/energy. Which is why asana practice, as well as any form of energy-body ?healing? (e.g. acupuncture or Reiki), can work not only to transform our physical & pranic bodies, but can also, in the process, transform mental patterns ~ can shift our whole outlook or ?attitude? in a way which then (cycling back to the original formula) has new effects on our energy-bodies ?
So once we?re able, as practitioners, to bring body, mind & breath (like a beautiful golden braid) into a conscious relationship, what is the most skillful way to use this yogic axiom: prana follows citta (and citta follows prana)? And here, once again, we find paradox ? On the one hand, wouldn?t we want to choose, always, to focus on and therefore support/?feed? only the ?positive,? only what is ?good? or balanced or healthy? ?Keep your mind focused on the positive? is advice that forms the core of many a yogi/yogini?s daily life and practice. Yet if this is our only technique, how will those ?negative? patterns (that are wreaking havoc from the unconscious planes of our existence) ever be transformed?
The Vietanmese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh gives the following advice to his students, on this point ? When we?re beginners, he says, it?s most skillful for us to give energy to, to nourish & support, what is healthy & balanced within us. Especially valuable to cultivate is what in Buddhist language is called the ?energy of mindfulness? ~ a spacious, vibrant ?awakeness? (a fully-awakened citta). We use this energy of mindfulness, then, to ?touch? or nourish (to pay loving attention to) those ?positive? qualities which we wish to augment. And if, on a regular basis, we?re able to focus our attention on the positive, what we?ll notice happening also is that many of our ?negative? qualities will ~ simply by not being given our attention, not being ?fed? ~ quite naturally dissolve ?
But not all of them! Which is why as we become more advanced in the practice, and our energy of mindfulness becomes strong, it is appropriate to begin to use our energy of mindfulness to ?touch? (or invite into our conscious mind) not only the ?positive? within us, but also the more ?negative? or ?stuck? aspects of our bodyminds. So, for instance, at this point ~ once our ?mindfulness? is strong ~ we could choose to embrace, with our mindfulness, the mental/emotional pattern called ?anger? ? And to the extent that our mindfulness is strong, its energy will begin to transform, unwind, release those ?anger? patterns. Eventually, when our mindfulness is quite bright ? merely shining its light onto these dark/stuck patterns will be enough to ?liberate? them, instantaneously. (Much like the ?darkness? of a room is gone completely once we turn on a light!)
And as our practice becomes quite advanced ~ our energy of mindfulness very bright, the braid of body, mind & breath quite coherent, fluid & fluent ~ our Presence (awakened prana/citta) will begin to have affects not only on our ?own? bodymind, but also the bodyminds of those with whom we interact ? a wonderful (though not always immediately ?pleasant?) gift we?re able to give to ?others? ~ a lovely form of service ? Grown out of the resolved & un-resolved paradoxes of ?.
prana follows citta
Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Taoist, Buddhist & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. Her teachers include Eva Wong and Mingyur Rinpoche. For more yoga-related essays (and other wonderful things!) please visit her website: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger
What we?ve just experienced is ?prana following citta?: we placed our mind/attention/focus (citta) on our left hand, which generated a flow of energy (prana) into that hand, creating new and more potent sensation, of some sort. We see this principle at work in every aspect of our lives: when we?re focused on something (a project, our work, a relationship), our energy flows into that activity, and it tends to grow ?
Part of the process of a Yoga/Qigong practice, then, is to become more & more conscious of this mechanism ~ of prana following citta ~ so we?re able to use it in ways that are supportive of our practice. One aspect of the ?paradox? of prana & citta is that while this relationship can serve us in powerful & pleasant ways, it can also ~ when it?s operating unconsciously ~ be our greatest nemesis. For energy flows not only into fields/patterns that we consciously choose to focus on, but also into fields/patterns of mind/citta which we are unconsciously ?focused? on, and hence perpetuating/giving energy to. These are the samskaras (past-life tendencies) which we work/play to unravel (make conscious) within the context of our practice.
Another paradoxical aspect of this relationship is that the inverse of the original ?formula? can also be true, i.e. not only can ?prana follow citta? (the basis, for one, of Yuen Method work), but it?s also the case that citta/mind can follow (be influenced or shaped by) prana/energy. Which is why asana practice, as well as any form of energy-body ?healing? (e.g. acupuncture or Reiki), can work not only to transform our physical & pranic bodies, but can also, in the process, transform mental patterns ~ can shift our whole outlook or ?attitude? in a way which then (cycling back to the original formula) has new effects on our energy-bodies ?
So once we?re able, as practitioners, to bring body, mind & breath (like a beautiful golden braid) into a conscious relationship, what is the most skillful way to use this yogic axiom: prana follows citta (and citta follows prana)? And here, once again, we find paradox ? On the one hand, wouldn?t we want to choose, always, to focus on and therefore support/?feed? only the ?positive,? only what is ?good? or balanced or healthy? ?Keep your mind focused on the positive? is advice that forms the core of many a yogi/yogini?s daily life and practice. Yet if this is our only technique, how will those ?negative? patterns (that are wreaking havoc from the unconscious planes of our existence) ever be transformed?
The Vietanmese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh gives the following advice to his students, on this point ? When we?re beginners, he says, it?s most skillful for us to give energy to, to nourish & support, what is healthy & balanced within us. Especially valuable to cultivate is what in Buddhist language is called the ?energy of mindfulness? ~ a spacious, vibrant ?awakeness? (a fully-awakened citta). We use this energy of mindfulness, then, to ?touch? or nourish (to pay loving attention to) those ?positive? qualities which we wish to augment. And if, on a regular basis, we?re able to focus our attention on the positive, what we?ll notice happening also is that many of our ?negative? qualities will ~ simply by not being given our attention, not being ?fed? ~ quite naturally dissolve ?
But not all of them! Which is why as we become more advanced in the practice, and our energy of mindfulness becomes strong, it is appropriate to begin to use our energy of mindfulness to ?touch? (or invite into our conscious mind) not only the ?positive? within us, but also the more ?negative? or ?stuck? aspects of our bodyminds. So, for instance, at this point ~ once our ?mindfulness? is strong ~ we could choose to embrace, with our mindfulness, the mental/emotional pattern called ?anger? ? And to the extent that our mindfulness is strong, its energy will begin to transform, unwind, release those ?anger? patterns. Eventually, when our mindfulness is quite bright ? merely shining its light onto these dark/stuck patterns will be enough to ?liberate? them, instantaneously. (Much like the ?darkness? of a room is gone completely once we turn on a light!)
And as our practice becomes quite advanced ~ our energy of mindfulness very bright, the braid of body, mind & breath quite coherent, fluid & fluent ~ our Presence (awakened prana/citta) will begin to have affects not only on our ?own? bodymind, but also the bodyminds of those with whom we interact ? a wonderful (though not always immediately ?pleasant?) gift we?re able to give to ?others? ~ a lovely form of service ? Grown out of the resolved & un-resolved paradoxes of ?.
prana follows citta
Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Taoist, Buddhist & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. Her teachers include Eva Wong and Mingyur Rinpoche. For more yoga-related essays (and other wonderful things!) please visit her website: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger
Facts about Successful Yoga Teachers, Part 1
Should a Yoga teacher take money for classes? How do you define success for a Yoga teacher? Is it your contribution to the common good? Is it by producing successful teachers? Is it by technical prowess? Is it by how many students you have? Or, is it a combination of these factors?
First things first: Are you ?selling Yoga?? If you accept a fee for teaching Yoga, no matter how small or large, you are selling Yoga. If you do not like my frank approach to this issue, then teach Yoga for free. This is not a problem, and that is good Karma Yoga.
However, do not open next to a commercially aggressive Yoga studio or ashram. If you decide to do this, you will see your finances ?crash and burn? - while your students flock to the wealthy Guru down the street. Yoga students often think that free Yoga is ?junk.?
Once upon a time, I taught free Yoga too. It is not easy to explain a passion to your family, which drains your finances and challenges the quality of your life on a daily basis. If you keep teaching Yoga for free, you will lose a lot of sleep, before you live on the street, with the homeless, or finally, start charging for Yoga lessons.
It is amusing when very wealthy Yoga Gurus claim Yoga is not for making money. My answer: ?Excuse me, how did you acquire all that wealth?? Why would a rich Yoga Guru lead anyone to think that taking a payment for teaching Yoga is wrong?
This is why we should appreciate Bikram Choudry?s candid remarks. He says what he thinks and makes no secret about living a life of luxury, due to teaching Yoga. At least, he is honest about his ideas, and he is not a hypocrite.
Therefore, if you accept payments from your students, be honest with yourself. You can always use the money to help others, but you need to pay your overhead costs, eat, and sleep with a roof over your head, first.
If you still feel bad about taking money for teaching Yoga, please open a studio down the street from my North Providence location. We will regularly donate toward your meals at the local soup kitchens. I hope you clearly see my point. So, please do not listen to anyone who tells you that taking money for teaching Yoga is wrong.
Whether a Yoga teacher is rich or poor, a successful Yoga teacher does not worry about money ? the universe will supply it.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
First things first: Are you ?selling Yoga?? If you accept a fee for teaching Yoga, no matter how small or large, you are selling Yoga. If you do not like my frank approach to this issue, then teach Yoga for free. This is not a problem, and that is good Karma Yoga.
However, do not open next to a commercially aggressive Yoga studio or ashram. If you decide to do this, you will see your finances ?crash and burn? - while your students flock to the wealthy Guru down the street. Yoga students often think that free Yoga is ?junk.?
Once upon a time, I taught free Yoga too. It is not easy to explain a passion to your family, which drains your finances and challenges the quality of your life on a daily basis. If you keep teaching Yoga for free, you will lose a lot of sleep, before you live on the street, with the homeless, or finally, start charging for Yoga lessons.
It is amusing when very wealthy Yoga Gurus claim Yoga is not for making money. My answer: ?Excuse me, how did you acquire all that wealth?? Why would a rich Yoga Guru lead anyone to think that taking a payment for teaching Yoga is wrong?
This is why we should appreciate Bikram Choudry?s candid remarks. He says what he thinks and makes no secret about living a life of luxury, due to teaching Yoga. At least, he is honest about his ideas, and he is not a hypocrite.
Therefore, if you accept payments from your students, be honest with yourself. You can always use the money to help others, but you need to pay your overhead costs, eat, and sleep with a roof over your head, first.
If you still feel bad about taking money for teaching Yoga, please open a studio down the street from my North Providence location. We will regularly donate toward your meals at the local soup kitchens. I hope you clearly see my point. So, please do not listen to anyone who tells you that taking money for teaching Yoga is wrong.
Whether a Yoga teacher is rich or poor, a successful Yoga teacher does not worry about money ? the universe will supply it.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Yoga for Fun and Profit
Stress levels around the world are on the rise. In order to deal with this, relaxation and stress reduction therapies have sprung up from everywhere. Yoga instruction is no longer just a fringe population idea. It is now a mainstream fitness methodology. Yoga certifications are now available from many places in North America. As a result of this, yoga instructors are now available everywhere. Each gym now offers yoga classes from certified yoga instructors. It?s time we understood what this is all about and where we are going with respect to the fitness industry.
The word yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning joining or union. What are we joining? The human being consists of several entities commonly referred to as body-mind-spirit. An integrated human being is the goal of yoga. We are joining the different pieces of the human being to make an integrated, holistic being that is attuned to one goal. The body, mind and spirit are all integrated with a common attitude and viewpoint. This is different from the state of being where the body wants to satisfy one need and the mind another and the spirit yet a third. This is the state during which mental storms occur and the body responds in turn with a manifestation of that mental vortex.
Yoga seeks to align the human being using its own tool of breathing. When we breathe rhythmically, our body is more in tune with itself. We function better as an integrated being in a holistic way. Yoga was invented in India, about 5000 years ago, precisely to achieve the goal of integration. When our being is aligned our interaction with the world will be more efficient. We perform better at work and in our home life. Rela-tionships become easier. This is what yoga achieves.
In India, yoga is taught and researched as a science at a place in Bangalore called the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusamdhana Samsthan (SVYASA). This means Yoga Research Institute. One can obtain intensive instruction in yoga and therapy techniques using yoga. Recently, I completed a month long certificate course for yoga instructors at this institute. The yoga that is taught here is not just about the physical poses. The idea of yoga from the original meaning is to really integrate the whole human being. This involves all of our activities in life. We must be aligned and integrated during all of our tasks during the day. All of our activies can be divided into several broad categories. All actions like going to work, eating breakfast are classified as Karma yoga. All philosophical discussions are classified under Jnana yoga. Any devotional activities such as the singing of hymns or prayers are considered part of Bhakti yoga. The physical poses of Western ideas of yoga are a part of Raja yoga, which includes other methods for gaining mastery over the physical body. This is the original concept of yoga from India and is taught in that form at the SVYASA Institute.
The institute is named after Swami Vivekananda who was a monk and scholar of Indian philosophy. In 1893, Swami Vivekananda was invited to speak at the Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago, on the topic of Hinduism. His speech became famous for explaining the unity of religions as many paths to God, and that Hinduism in its original sense encompassed that view. Swami Vivekananda wanted the Western world to understand Indian spirituality in the correct view, as a synthesis of the four types of yoga, which ultimately leads to the goal of spiritual evolution. SVYASA is dedicated to the education and research of yoga in this context. The school retains strict attention to the original sources of yoga from Sanskrit scripture.
The teaching styles of the school and environmental factors do not cater to the Western lifestyle. Those who come from abroad must acclimatize themselves to the pure Indian way. Meals are served on the floor and must be eaten using the hands. Vegetarian Indian food is served. No cutlery is provided. Footwear must be left outside of all classes. Be prepared to literally be on your feet for long amounts of time. While the majority of the students are comfortably able to sit on the floor during the long lecture sessions, chairs are available for those who will not be able to survive in that position. The philosophy of discipline is everywhere, starting from the boot camp like nature of the roll call before each session. Students who miss a portion of the attendance will not receive their certificate. Attendance is considered a very important factor of the study. In addition, a strict code of uniforms is enforced. Women must wear the Indian dress of salwaar kameez, which is a tunic, and pant set made of 100% cotton. This dress could be modified to be more forgiving for yoga poses. Men must wear loose fitting track pants and t-shirt. This is more conducive to rigorous physical activity. It must be noted that everywhere the students of the yoga instructors course can be identified by their uniform.
As attendance is strict, so is the keeping of students on the grounds. While exceptions can be made for justifiable reasons, students cannot usually leave the campus for any reason after the start of the course. The campus is 32 km north of the major city of Bangalore. Fortunately, Bangalore boasts many amenities including an international airport. The city of Bangalore itself is very multicultural. One can find the modern world mixed with the original flavour of India everywhere. The SVYASA institute has a city office in Bangalore from where a bus is arranged to take travellers to its campus outside the city in a place called Geddallahalli. The name of the campus is Prashanti Kutiram, which means abode of peace. While the name is very amenable to yoga studies, I found that one needs to practice yoga in sincerity to find the true peace, which is only inside the human being.
For further questions on yoga or SVYASA Institute, please email Shanti Consulting at speaksamskrit@yahoo.ca
A variety of personal interests and professional paths have led the author to her current role as a personal trainer and lifestyle consultant with over 20 years experience. Siva is an author, lecturer and Can-Fit-Pro certified personal trainer who specializes in body-mind-spirit consulting and training women. Currently she is writing a book entitled Body, Mind, and Spirit Fitness, which discusses her particular style of training the complete being, rather than just the physical body.
Siva is a yoga instructor, an expert on East Indian Philosophy and teacher of Sanskrit. She holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Toronto and has balanced her time between personal training and engineering for over 20 years. In February 2005, Siva spent an intensive month studying a course for Yoga Instructors, at the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Institute in Bangalore, India to further her interest in yoga as a science of holistic living and not merely as yoga postures.
For more information on yoga visit http://www.getshanti.com
The word yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning joining or union. What are we joining? The human being consists of several entities commonly referred to as body-mind-spirit. An integrated human being is the goal of yoga. We are joining the different pieces of the human being to make an integrated, holistic being that is attuned to one goal. The body, mind and spirit are all integrated with a common attitude and viewpoint. This is different from the state of being where the body wants to satisfy one need and the mind another and the spirit yet a third. This is the state during which mental storms occur and the body responds in turn with a manifestation of that mental vortex.
Yoga seeks to align the human being using its own tool of breathing. When we breathe rhythmically, our body is more in tune with itself. We function better as an integrated being in a holistic way. Yoga was invented in India, about 5000 years ago, precisely to achieve the goal of integration. When our being is aligned our interaction with the world will be more efficient. We perform better at work and in our home life. Rela-tionships become easier. This is what yoga achieves.
In India, yoga is taught and researched as a science at a place in Bangalore called the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusamdhana Samsthan (SVYASA). This means Yoga Research Institute. One can obtain intensive instruction in yoga and therapy techniques using yoga. Recently, I completed a month long certificate course for yoga instructors at this institute. The yoga that is taught here is not just about the physical poses. The idea of yoga from the original meaning is to really integrate the whole human being. This involves all of our activities in life. We must be aligned and integrated during all of our tasks during the day. All of our activies can be divided into several broad categories. All actions like going to work, eating breakfast are classified as Karma yoga. All philosophical discussions are classified under Jnana yoga. Any devotional activities such as the singing of hymns or prayers are considered part of Bhakti yoga. The physical poses of Western ideas of yoga are a part of Raja yoga, which includes other methods for gaining mastery over the physical body. This is the original concept of yoga from India and is taught in that form at the SVYASA Institute.
The institute is named after Swami Vivekananda who was a monk and scholar of Indian philosophy. In 1893, Swami Vivekananda was invited to speak at the Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago, on the topic of Hinduism. His speech became famous for explaining the unity of religions as many paths to God, and that Hinduism in its original sense encompassed that view. Swami Vivekananda wanted the Western world to understand Indian spirituality in the correct view, as a synthesis of the four types of yoga, which ultimately leads to the goal of spiritual evolution. SVYASA is dedicated to the education and research of yoga in this context. The school retains strict attention to the original sources of yoga from Sanskrit scripture.
The teaching styles of the school and environmental factors do not cater to the Western lifestyle. Those who come from abroad must acclimatize themselves to the pure Indian way. Meals are served on the floor and must be eaten using the hands. Vegetarian Indian food is served. No cutlery is provided. Footwear must be left outside of all classes. Be prepared to literally be on your feet for long amounts of time. While the majority of the students are comfortably able to sit on the floor during the long lecture sessions, chairs are available for those who will not be able to survive in that position. The philosophy of discipline is everywhere, starting from the boot camp like nature of the roll call before each session. Students who miss a portion of the attendance will not receive their certificate. Attendance is considered a very important factor of the study. In addition, a strict code of uniforms is enforced. Women must wear the Indian dress of salwaar kameez, which is a tunic, and pant set made of 100% cotton. This dress could be modified to be more forgiving for yoga poses. Men must wear loose fitting track pants and t-shirt. This is more conducive to rigorous physical activity. It must be noted that everywhere the students of the yoga instructors course can be identified by their uniform.
As attendance is strict, so is the keeping of students on the grounds. While exceptions can be made for justifiable reasons, students cannot usually leave the campus for any reason after the start of the course. The campus is 32 km north of the major city of Bangalore. Fortunately, Bangalore boasts many amenities including an international airport. The city of Bangalore itself is very multicultural. One can find the modern world mixed with the original flavour of India everywhere. The SVYASA institute has a city office in Bangalore from where a bus is arranged to take travellers to its campus outside the city in a place called Geddallahalli. The name of the campus is Prashanti Kutiram, which means abode of peace. While the name is very amenable to yoga studies, I found that one needs to practice yoga in sincerity to find the true peace, which is only inside the human being.
For further questions on yoga or SVYASA Institute, please email Shanti Consulting at speaksamskrit@yahoo.ca
A variety of personal interests and professional paths have led the author to her current role as a personal trainer and lifestyle consultant with over 20 years experience. Siva is an author, lecturer and Can-Fit-Pro certified personal trainer who specializes in body-mind-spirit consulting and training women. Currently she is writing a book entitled Body, Mind, and Spirit Fitness, which discusses her particular style of training the complete being, rather than just the physical body.
Siva is a yoga instructor, an expert on East Indian Philosophy and teacher of Sanskrit. She holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Toronto and has balanced her time between personal training and engineering for over 20 years. In February 2005, Siva spent an intensive month studying a course for Yoga Instructors, at the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Institute in Bangalore, India to further her interest in yoga as a science of holistic living and not merely as yoga postures.
For more information on yoga visit http://www.getshanti.com
Yoga, Hernia and Madonna
Energizing Yoga, the oldest system of personal development needs no introduction nowadays and is becoming popular all over the world because of its tremendous physical and medical benefits. People are practicing yoga exercises in millions all over the world, thanks to the media which is highlighting the benefits of yoga for general public.
However, like every other science, yoga is also a precise science. The question is: ?Are all yoga exercises safe to be practiced by all people with various health conditions??
?This is the question which requires deeper digging into the subject of yoga itself, otherwise the consequences of doing yoga practice could be more dangerous than beneficial? said Subodh Gupta, the Yoga expert from India.
?While some of the yoga exercises can be taught easily without much complication and have various benefits, others can be very dangerous for people who are having problem of Hernia. For example, the yoga exercises like Sun Salutation, Cobra pose, Locust pose, Bow pose, Standing Forward Bend and Kapalabhati few to name are strictly not recommended if somebody is diagnosed with hernia as these exercises may make the hernia problem worse? said Subodh Gupta, the Yoga expert based in London.
Considering the fact that over half a million hernia operations were performed in the United States last year and more than 2 percent of British people are affected by hernia, the question to ask is if all yoga practitioners are aware of their health condition and precautions before beginning the Yoga exercise. Madonna, the famous singer who practices Ashtanga yoga regularly recently had an operation for hernia ( Ashtanga yoga exercise series is a system developed by Mysore based famous Indian Yoga guru Shri K Pattabhi Jois ). In fact, the famous Ashtanga yoga series which involves jumping can be very dangerous for people who are having problem of Hernia? according to Subodh Gupta. Hernia develops when the outer layers of the abdominal wall weakens, bulge or actually rip. Among many reasons for hernia the most common is straining due to: jumping, defecation, coughing, lifting heavy objects, etc.
?Are precautions for various yoga exercises safely delivered by yoga Gurus?? ?Are yoga practitioners listening precautions before starting their yoga practice??
?Well, this is a serious point to consider by all who are teaching yoga and also for people who are practicing yoga. The practitioners need to understand that their ignorance and lack of yoga knowledge may lead them straight into an operation room?.
A noble effort has been done by some of the renowned yoga gurus from India and the teachers from the West to spread the awareness of yoga but unless Yoga exercises are done with precautions, more and more people will get injured without realizing.
Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert from India, for all those who are learning yoga without taking precautions.
Mr Subodh Gupta,is consultant with The Times of India group.He has been Interviewed by various TV channel channels in India and London. Mr Gupta has organized more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management.
Please click here for reaching to Subodh Gupta website
http://www.subodhgupta.com and for blog http://subodhguptayoga.blogspot.com
However, like every other science, yoga is also a precise science. The question is: ?Are all yoga exercises safe to be practiced by all people with various health conditions??
?This is the question which requires deeper digging into the subject of yoga itself, otherwise the consequences of doing yoga practice could be more dangerous than beneficial? said Subodh Gupta, the Yoga expert from India.
?While some of the yoga exercises can be taught easily without much complication and have various benefits, others can be very dangerous for people who are having problem of Hernia. For example, the yoga exercises like Sun Salutation, Cobra pose, Locust pose, Bow pose, Standing Forward Bend and Kapalabhati few to name are strictly not recommended if somebody is diagnosed with hernia as these exercises may make the hernia problem worse? said Subodh Gupta, the Yoga expert based in London.
Considering the fact that over half a million hernia operations were performed in the United States last year and more than 2 percent of British people are affected by hernia, the question to ask is if all yoga practitioners are aware of their health condition and precautions before beginning the Yoga exercise. Madonna, the famous singer who practices Ashtanga yoga regularly recently had an operation for hernia ( Ashtanga yoga exercise series is a system developed by Mysore based famous Indian Yoga guru Shri K Pattabhi Jois ). In fact, the famous Ashtanga yoga series which involves jumping can be very dangerous for people who are having problem of Hernia? according to Subodh Gupta. Hernia develops when the outer layers of the abdominal wall weakens, bulge or actually rip. Among many reasons for hernia the most common is straining due to: jumping, defecation, coughing, lifting heavy objects, etc.
?Are precautions for various yoga exercises safely delivered by yoga Gurus?? ?Are yoga practitioners listening precautions before starting their yoga practice??
?Well, this is a serious point to consider by all who are teaching yoga and also for people who are practicing yoga. The practitioners need to understand that their ignorance and lack of yoga knowledge may lead them straight into an operation room?.
A noble effort has been done by some of the renowned yoga gurus from India and the teachers from the West to spread the awareness of yoga but unless Yoga exercises are done with precautions, more and more people will get injured without realizing.
Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert from India, for all those who are learning yoga without taking precautions.
Mr Subodh Gupta,is consultant with The Times of India group.He has been Interviewed by various TV channel channels in India and London. Mr Gupta has organized more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management.
Please click here for reaching to Subodh Gupta website
http://www.subodhgupta.com and for blog http://subodhguptayoga.blogspot.com
Facts about Successful Yoga Teachers, Part 3
Do successful Yoga teachers produce more successful teachers? The short answer is, ?Yes, they do.? Tirumalai Krishnamacharya produced many good Yoga teachers, but how many of us could match his accomplishments? Among his many Yoga students are four Master Yoga teachers: Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar, Indra Devi, and T.K.V. Desikachar.
Therefore, most of the Hatha Yoga sub-styles of today have been affected by Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. His legacy has cast a long shadow, and his accomplishments may never be matched. To some, this is success and to others, success is simply helping people with health and well being.
While others, might consider Bikram Choudhury, to be the most successful Yoga teacher of our time. It is said that his style produces, in the neighborhood of, 900 Yoga teachers per year. Not bad, considering he had a serious knee injury as a teen and made quite a come back. He aggressively markets his style of Yoga, has patented his asana sequence, has been in the American ?lime light,? and lives a very wealthy life.
So, this is a very different form of success. In his own right, Bikram Choudhury is one of the most successful Yoga teachers of this time, and he has produced many more successful Yoga teachers. Success means many things to many people, and we each have a different viewpoint of the meaning of success. Success can be easily classified into physical, mental, spiritual, and material categories.
What about Yoga teachers who demonstrate technical prowess? Yes, a Yoga teacher who understands alignment should be successful. Unfortunately, perfect alignment is not abundant. The human body has many imperfections, and this can be a struggle if a Yoga teacher becomes a perfectionist.
This can sometimes affect the ego of a Yoga teacher for the worst. The teaching style should still be compassionate - when assisting or demonstrating Yoga techniques. When an instructor of Yoga becomes arrogant and self-absorbed, he or she will start to lose students, among many other things.
Is success measured by how many Yoga students you have? To put it simply: ?No.? Many successful Yoga teachers have small schools, but their agenda is not materially based. They enjoy helping others and improving the lives of their Yoga students. This is definitely success and gratification.
However, if you want to earn a living - have financial obligations, or just want to be comfortable, your life will be much easier, when you have more Yoga students.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Therefore, most of the Hatha Yoga sub-styles of today have been affected by Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. His legacy has cast a long shadow, and his accomplishments may never be matched. To some, this is success and to others, success is simply helping people with health and well being.
While others, might consider Bikram Choudhury, to be the most successful Yoga teacher of our time. It is said that his style produces, in the neighborhood of, 900 Yoga teachers per year. Not bad, considering he had a serious knee injury as a teen and made quite a come back. He aggressively markets his style of Yoga, has patented his asana sequence, has been in the American ?lime light,? and lives a very wealthy life.
So, this is a very different form of success. In his own right, Bikram Choudhury is one of the most successful Yoga teachers of this time, and he has produced many more successful Yoga teachers. Success means many things to many people, and we each have a different viewpoint of the meaning of success. Success can be easily classified into physical, mental, spiritual, and material categories.
What about Yoga teachers who demonstrate technical prowess? Yes, a Yoga teacher who understands alignment should be successful. Unfortunately, perfect alignment is not abundant. The human body has many imperfections, and this can be a struggle if a Yoga teacher becomes a perfectionist.
This can sometimes affect the ego of a Yoga teacher for the worst. The teaching style should still be compassionate - when assisting or demonstrating Yoga techniques. When an instructor of Yoga becomes arrogant and self-absorbed, he or she will start to lose students, among many other things.
Is success measured by how many Yoga students you have? To put it simply: ?No.? Many successful Yoga teachers have small schools, but their agenda is not materially based. They enjoy helping others and improving the lives of their Yoga students. This is definitely success and gratification.
However, if you want to earn a living - have financial obligations, or just want to be comfortable, your life will be much easier, when you have more Yoga students.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
The Benefit of Yoga - Fight or Flight?
Medical conditions can be vastly improved through the benefit of yoga. Yoga can lessen the negative effects of such conditions as lung disease, Parkinson’s, insomnia, high blood pressure multiple sclerosis, and even joint pain. The benefit of yoga is being recognized today as a viable alternative not only by the yoga community, but by many medical doctors.
Stress is the leading cause in many illnesses today. An astonishing factor in today’s world is noted by the Surgeon General who estimates that “80 percent of the people who die of non traumatic causes actually die of stress diseases”. In this fast paced world, it is little wonder that people are turning to alternative solutions.
The use of the benefit of yoga is just one such solution. Since stress is developed in the mind, it is only natural that conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, several auto-immune diseases, some types of diabetes mellitius, some cardio-vascular diseases, and irritable bowel syndrome would be at the forefront of human conditions and the quality of life today.
Outside stress is reflected in the reaction of our nervous system. The input stimuli, known as “Fight or flight” affects both our metabolism and well being. When faced with danger, whether real or imagined, the mind prepares the body for execution of one of these two conditions. Manifestation is in the form of increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and the shutting down of unnecessary bodily functions, such as digestion. All systems are focused on one of two things - either “flight” or “fight.” Breathing becomes shallow, muscles tense in anticipation of action, and blood flow to vital organs is decreased. The digestive and elimination process shuts down. This can be a good thing - our body is prepared to defend itself.
However, problems arise when this condition is long term. The “flight or fight” scenario is only meant to be a very short term event. One can see that long term exposure to this situation will have very adverse effects on the body. Yoga can change that.
In nature, the countermeasure for “fight or flight” is known as the “relaxation response” or parasympathetic nervous system. The main nerves of the parasympathetic system are the tenth cranial nerves, or the vagus nerves. They originate in the medulla oblongata. Parasympathetic stimulation causes a slowing down of the heartbeat, lowering of blood pressure, increased blood flow to the skin and viscera, and peristalsis of the GI tract - the exact opposite of “fight or Flight” symptoms. Yoga induces this response by teaching the pupil to breathe deeply and relax muscles. The benefit of yoga is clear. The body recovers faster, and the harmful effects of stress are reduced.
Yoga subscribes to the theory that by using breathing and relaxation techniques, the harmful effects of stress on the body can be eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced. Through meditation and calming of the spirit, yoga teaches us to face the situation of “fight or flight” from a threat to a challenge. One is able through practice to focus on finding a solution, rather than creating an immediate response to the stimuli. One learns to be proactive, and take care of the stressors in their lives.
The benefit of yoga is undeniable. By utilizing the techniques of this ancient practice, anyone can achieve the balance and harmony so needed in their lives. Remember, however, that just one thing is not the solution to all of life’s problems. By combining yoga with the miracles of modern medicine and traditional healing remedies, the average person in today’s world will enjoy a longer, happier life.
Alden Smith is a published and award winning author who has built the website http://www.benefitofyoga.blogspot.com to inform and educate the person wishing to learn more about the benefit of yoga.
Stress is the leading cause in many illnesses today. An astonishing factor in today’s world is noted by the Surgeon General who estimates that “80 percent of the people who die of non traumatic causes actually die of stress diseases”. In this fast paced world, it is little wonder that people are turning to alternative solutions.
The use of the benefit of yoga is just one such solution. Since stress is developed in the mind, it is only natural that conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, several auto-immune diseases, some types of diabetes mellitius, some cardio-vascular diseases, and irritable bowel syndrome would be at the forefront of human conditions and the quality of life today.
Outside stress is reflected in the reaction of our nervous system. The input stimuli, known as “Fight or flight” affects both our metabolism and well being. When faced with danger, whether real or imagined, the mind prepares the body for execution of one of these two conditions. Manifestation is in the form of increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and the shutting down of unnecessary bodily functions, such as digestion. All systems are focused on one of two things - either “flight” or “fight.” Breathing becomes shallow, muscles tense in anticipation of action, and blood flow to vital organs is decreased. The digestive and elimination process shuts down. This can be a good thing - our body is prepared to defend itself.
However, problems arise when this condition is long term. The “flight or fight” scenario is only meant to be a very short term event. One can see that long term exposure to this situation will have very adverse effects on the body. Yoga can change that.
In nature, the countermeasure for “fight or flight” is known as the “relaxation response” or parasympathetic nervous system. The main nerves of the parasympathetic system are the tenth cranial nerves, or the vagus nerves. They originate in the medulla oblongata. Parasympathetic stimulation causes a slowing down of the heartbeat, lowering of blood pressure, increased blood flow to the skin and viscera, and peristalsis of the GI tract - the exact opposite of “fight or Flight” symptoms. Yoga induces this response by teaching the pupil to breathe deeply and relax muscles. The benefit of yoga is clear. The body recovers faster, and the harmful effects of stress are reduced.
Yoga subscribes to the theory that by using breathing and relaxation techniques, the harmful effects of stress on the body can be eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced. Through meditation and calming of the spirit, yoga teaches us to face the situation of “fight or flight” from a threat to a challenge. One is able through practice to focus on finding a solution, rather than creating an immediate response to the stimuli. One learns to be proactive, and take care of the stressors in their lives.
The benefit of yoga is undeniable. By utilizing the techniques of this ancient practice, anyone can achieve the balance and harmony so needed in their lives. Remember, however, that just one thing is not the solution to all of life’s problems. By combining yoga with the miracles of modern medicine and traditional healing remedies, the average person in today’s world will enjoy a longer, happier life.
Alden Smith is a published and award winning author who has built the website http://www.benefitofyoga.blogspot.com to inform and educate the person wishing to learn more about the benefit of yoga.
The Benefits And Importance Of Sarvangasana
It is known as the queen of asanas which works out to be very beneficial for your mind, body and soul. Sarvangasana is a combination of three parts such as “sarva” “anga” and “asana” which means “all body posture”. It is one the asana which is very important and helpful for your entire body including the pressure massages for your thyroid glands. The other benefit from this asana is the projection of stability emotionally and otherwise. Every muscle that is pushed and pulled benefits the organs inside, which in turn shows on your body and face. It soothes the nervous system which otherwise seems to be overloaded with unwanted work.
By doing this asana properly it could help you in curing your ailments related to bronchitis, asthma, heavy breathing and shortness in breath. Digestion is one of the major problems which many people face, due to fast food and other junk we fill in our stomachs. Your digestion would come in terms with your food by this asana as well as your body would be a place of better health. If you happen to be anemic your conditions could improve by simply doing this asana as well as have daily routine in dietary and exercise habits.
This asana also known as the candle stand as you have to keep your body straight as a candle. This asana also helps in regulating the sex glands which we all know would be very beneficial for future parents as well as for a good sex life. Due to good circulation of blood and purification factors the organs in the lower part of the body strengthen making your body stronger and healthier. Your neck muscles also benefit due to the stretch. It is one of the recommended poses for women after childbirth and those who go through the painful menstruation cycle.
Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yoga site opens a new door towards your knowledge about yoga. Sarvangasana is very important asana and as the name says it is an asana which is suited for your entire body.
By doing this asana properly it could help you in curing your ailments related to bronchitis, asthma, heavy breathing and shortness in breath. Digestion is one of the major problems which many people face, due to fast food and other junk we fill in our stomachs. Your digestion would come in terms with your food by this asana as well as your body would be a place of better health. If you happen to be anemic your conditions could improve by simply doing this asana as well as have daily routine in dietary and exercise habits.
This asana also known as the candle stand as you have to keep your body straight as a candle. This asana also helps in regulating the sex glands which we all know would be very beneficial for future parents as well as for a good sex life. Due to good circulation of blood and purification factors the organs in the lower part of the body strengthen making your body stronger and healthier. Your neck muscles also benefit due to the stretch. It is one of the recommended poses for women after childbirth and those who go through the painful menstruation cycle.
Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yoga site opens a new door towards your knowledge about yoga. Sarvangasana is very important asana and as the name says it is an asana which is suited for your entire body.
What is Yoga?
As part of the Hindu religion and way of life, traditional yoga philosophies require students to attain complete peace in body and mind through behavior, diet and meditation. In Sanskrit the word Yoga translates to union or unite.
Most people in the United States are interested in what is known as Hatha Yoga, the practice of poses (asanas) with particular attention being paid to breathing. Practicing asanas is one of the 8 “limbs” of yoga. Traditionally practiced to achieve unity between the body and mind, which in turn elevates the spirit.
Many people are intimidated to practice yoga due to the misconceptions that one must be naturally flexible to do so, or that ones religious beliefs will be challenged. Some refer to yoga as merely stretching; I do this myself to cut down on the intimidation factor for others. Stretching is, of course involved, but yoga is the practice of poses or postures, with attention being paid to breathing. The goal is to develop a balance of strength and flexibility within the body. I can only say in reference to the religion factor that although yoga is a part of the Hindu religion, it is not in itself a religion, and some of the benefits obtained by a regular practice would only, in my opinion, enhance and strengthen your religious convictions, whatever they may be.
Click: Yoga-411 to learn about yoga. Get motivated with articles, tips and resource information on Yoga. Great for beginners!
Most people in the United States are interested in what is known as Hatha Yoga, the practice of poses (asanas) with particular attention being paid to breathing. Practicing asanas is one of the 8 “limbs” of yoga. Traditionally practiced to achieve unity between the body and mind, which in turn elevates the spirit.
Many people are intimidated to practice yoga due to the misconceptions that one must be naturally flexible to do so, or that ones religious beliefs will be challenged. Some refer to yoga as merely stretching; I do this myself to cut down on the intimidation factor for others. Stretching is, of course involved, but yoga is the practice of poses or postures, with attention being paid to breathing. The goal is to develop a balance of strength and flexibility within the body. I can only say in reference to the religion factor that although yoga is a part of the Hindu religion, it is not in itself a religion, and some of the benefits obtained by a regular practice would only, in my opinion, enhance and strengthen your religious convictions, whatever they may be.
Click: Yoga-411 to learn about yoga. Get motivated with articles, tips and resource information on Yoga. Great for beginners!
Yoga and Personality Development
What is personality?
Human personality is a very complex topic by itself. There are many
definitions of personality. For the sake of simplicity we can consider it as a
collection of physical, mental and behavioral traits and patterns that we
exhibit in our life.
Often personality development is either misunderstood or ignored. It is
acknowledged mostly in professional fields. Companies conduct training programs
on communication skills, leadership skills, and creativity and so on. They
collectively call these trainings as ?Personality Development?. Unfortunately
they are talking about only one side of the coin. No doubt that these traits are
important but they are just ?external?. These programs miss the more important
factor ? body and mind. There are hundreds of books available in the marked who
are supposed to tell you ?how to win? or ?how to be happy? but how many really
get benefited just by reading the books? Books will tell you to think positive
but the poor individuals do not know how. Just by thinking that ?I will think
positive? you can not be positive. It requires practice and fine tuning of body
and mind. Unless you have proper foundation of body and mind you simply can not
build any superior personality infrastructure.
Do I need personality development?
Majority of people feel that they already have a developed personality and
they don?t need to enhance it further. After all they are working in
professional and personal sector for years! But let me tell you that if you are
thinking on the same lines then its time to introspect. The first step in
personality development is to acknowledge that you need to improve your
personality.
How do you know whether you need fine tuning of the personality? Just sit
peacefully and try to answer the following questions:
* Do you feel that you work hard but still don?t get expected returns?
* Do you often feel that you deserved a promotion but somebody else
grabbed it instead?
* Do you feel drained after your job hours?
* Do you feel stressed ? physically and mentally?
* Does your job affect your health?
* How are your interpersonal relationships?
* Do you feel void ness in your life?
* Do you often feel unhappy (many times not knowing why)?
* Do you feel that you can not deliver 100% of your potential?
The answers to the above questions will tell you whether there is any
friction within yourself.
The yogic view of of personality
As per Yoga the human body consists of five sheaths or layers. They are:
* Conscious physical sheath (Annayama Kosha
* Subconscious physical sheath (Pranamaya Kosha)
* Mental sheath (Manomaya Kosha)
* Intellectual Sheath (Vigyanmaya Kosha)
* Blissful sheath (Anandamaya Kosha)
The Annamaya Kosha is related to our conscious physical deeps including
walking, talking, viewing and other such functions. These are the functions that
we perform using our physical body deliberately.
The Pranamaya Kosha deals with physical activities that we do in subconscious
state. Digestion, movement of the heart and lungs fall in this category. We
never do any deliberate efforts for these actions; still the body knows how to
perform them.
The Maniomaya Kosha deals with mind, emotions and thoughts. All our gross
thinking and emotions fall in this category.
Intellect is that faculty that decides what is good and what is bad. It is
the ability for rational thought or inference or discrimination. The Vigyanmaya
Kosha helps us to identify true from false. We can choose the correct path in
this “maya” filled world with the help of nourished Vigyanmaya Kosha.
Anandamaya Kosha or bliss is a pure state of happiness and joy which is
beyond any material pleasure. Samadhi or deep meditation gives such a joy.
The Anandamaya Kosha is the innermost sheath wrapped by other sheaths in
succession.
If you observe carefully you will realize that each sheath affects certain
part of our personality. Accordingly we can classify our personality as follows:
* Conscious physical personality
* Subconscious physical personality
* Mental personality
* Intellectual personality
* Spiritual personality
How Yoga can nourish these personalities?
The conscious as well as subconscious physical personality can be greatly
improved by Yoga postures. Yoga postures stretch your body and induce
relaxation. They affect the vital force or Prana and cause it to flow in
specific parts of the body. They are excellent remedy for back aches, digestion
problems and heart problems. The modern life forces us to sit at a place without
much physical activities. Yoga postures can strengthen the joints and various
parts of the body.
The mental personality is greatly affected through Pranayama and
concentration. Our mind remains focused at our work and in home enabling us to
do the things with full dedication and interest. In naturally results in better
personal and professional gains.
Meditation enriches the intellectual personality. Your mind becomes calm and
clear. You can think with more care and affection for others. Maya can not
delude you any more. Your decisions prove to be correct.
Finally, the deep meditation or Samadhi brings you the ultimate bliss. The
joy that is impossible to achieve through worldly enjoyments. This is the final
aim for any Yogi.
In summary practicing Yoga regularly nourishes all these five personalities
and makes your life joyous, happy and healthy.
Bipin Joshi is a .NET Trainer and consultant by profession and run his own consulting firm - BinaryIntellect Consulting. His serious journey with Yoga started in the year 1995 when he came across Hathayoga Pradipika. Inspite of his busy professional schedules he studied many texts on Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Upanishads and Bhagvat Gita. He runs a web site dedicated to Yoga, well-being and spirituality at http://www.binaryintellect.info When away from computers he spends time in deep meditation exploring the Divine.
Human personality is a very complex topic by itself. There are many
definitions of personality. For the sake of simplicity we can consider it as a
collection of physical, mental and behavioral traits and patterns that we
exhibit in our life.
Often personality development is either misunderstood or ignored. It is
acknowledged mostly in professional fields. Companies conduct training programs
on communication skills, leadership skills, and creativity and so on. They
collectively call these trainings as ?Personality Development?. Unfortunately
they are talking about only one side of the coin. No doubt that these traits are
important but they are just ?external?. These programs miss the more important
factor ? body and mind. There are hundreds of books available in the marked who
are supposed to tell you ?how to win? or ?how to be happy? but how many really
get benefited just by reading the books? Books will tell you to think positive
but the poor individuals do not know how. Just by thinking that ?I will think
positive? you can not be positive. It requires practice and fine tuning of body
and mind. Unless you have proper foundation of body and mind you simply can not
build any superior personality infrastructure.
Do I need personality development?
Majority of people feel that they already have a developed personality and
they don?t need to enhance it further. After all they are working in
professional and personal sector for years! But let me tell you that if you are
thinking on the same lines then its time to introspect. The first step in
personality development is to acknowledge that you need to improve your
personality.
How do you know whether you need fine tuning of the personality? Just sit
peacefully and try to answer the following questions:
* Do you feel that you work hard but still don?t get expected returns?
* Do you often feel that you deserved a promotion but somebody else
grabbed it instead?
* Do you feel drained after your job hours?
* Do you feel stressed ? physically and mentally?
* Does your job affect your health?
* How are your interpersonal relationships?
* Do you feel void ness in your life?
* Do you often feel unhappy (many times not knowing why)?
* Do you feel that you can not deliver 100% of your potential?
The answers to the above questions will tell you whether there is any
friction within yourself.
The yogic view of of personality
As per Yoga the human body consists of five sheaths or layers. They are:
* Conscious physical sheath (Annayama Kosha
* Subconscious physical sheath (Pranamaya Kosha)
* Mental sheath (Manomaya Kosha)
* Intellectual Sheath (Vigyanmaya Kosha)
* Blissful sheath (Anandamaya Kosha)
The Annamaya Kosha is related to our conscious physical deeps including
walking, talking, viewing and other such functions. These are the functions that
we perform using our physical body deliberately.
The Pranamaya Kosha deals with physical activities that we do in subconscious
state. Digestion, movement of the heart and lungs fall in this category. We
never do any deliberate efforts for these actions; still the body knows how to
perform them.
The Maniomaya Kosha deals with mind, emotions and thoughts. All our gross
thinking and emotions fall in this category.
Intellect is that faculty that decides what is good and what is bad. It is
the ability for rational thought or inference or discrimination. The Vigyanmaya
Kosha helps us to identify true from false. We can choose the correct path in
this “maya” filled world with the help of nourished Vigyanmaya Kosha.
Anandamaya Kosha or bliss is a pure state of happiness and joy which is
beyond any material pleasure. Samadhi or deep meditation gives such a joy.
The Anandamaya Kosha is the innermost sheath wrapped by other sheaths in
succession.
If you observe carefully you will realize that each sheath affects certain
part of our personality. Accordingly we can classify our personality as follows:
* Conscious physical personality
* Subconscious physical personality
* Mental personality
* Intellectual personality
* Spiritual personality
How Yoga can nourish these personalities?
The conscious as well as subconscious physical personality can be greatly
improved by Yoga postures. Yoga postures stretch your body and induce
relaxation. They affect the vital force or Prana and cause it to flow in
specific parts of the body. They are excellent remedy for back aches, digestion
problems and heart problems. The modern life forces us to sit at a place without
much physical activities. Yoga postures can strengthen the joints and various
parts of the body.
The mental personality is greatly affected through Pranayama and
concentration. Our mind remains focused at our work and in home enabling us to
do the things with full dedication and interest. In naturally results in better
personal and professional gains.
Meditation enriches the intellectual personality. Your mind becomes calm and
clear. You can think with more care and affection for others. Maya can not
delude you any more. Your decisions prove to be correct.
Finally, the deep meditation or Samadhi brings you the ultimate bliss. The
joy that is impossible to achieve through worldly enjoyments. This is the final
aim for any Yogi.
In summary practicing Yoga regularly nourishes all these five personalities
and makes your life joyous, happy and healthy.
Bipin Joshi is a .NET Trainer and consultant by profession and run his own consulting firm - BinaryIntellect Consulting. His serious journey with Yoga started in the year 1995 when he came across Hathayoga Pradipika. Inspite of his busy professional schedules he studied many texts on Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Upanishads and Bhagvat Gita. He runs a web site dedicated to Yoga, well-being and spirituality at http://www.binaryintellect.info When away from computers he spends time in deep meditation exploring the Divine.
The Benefits of Yoga ? Yoga for All
Yoga is an ancient exercise, which was originated in India 5,000 years ago. Yoga is an applied science of the body and mind. Practicing yoga creates a balance between the body and mind. Yoga helps in internal as well as external strength. It balances the yin and yang. Yoga teaches about healthy body and healthy mind. Good health means calm mind.
The balance between mind, body and soul is established by yoga. Yoga was developed thousands of years ago by yogis. There are thousands of yoga asanas (exercises) and each has its own significance. Yoga can be done in the morning or in the evening. A trained instructor is required to teach the person. There are various breathing exercises, which help in relaxing the whole body. There are many standing exercises, deep breathing exercises and exercises, which are done sitting and lying flat.
There are many yoga institutes in US. There are various types of yoga, like kundalini yoga, hatha yoga etc. People with diseases and pain, whether it is migraine or arthritis, can utilize yoga as it can help in healing. By doing yoga the body?s immune system functions well and the healing properties in the body is enhanced. Meditation helps in improving a person?s concentration and memory.
Yoga also helps in muscle flexibility, stamina, lowers fat, improves blood circulation, lowers bad cholesterol levels and makes the mind calm. Everybody can do yoga and attain its benefits.
Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1621.html
You are welcome to republish the above article only if you add our hyperlinked URL.
The balance between mind, body and soul is established by yoga. Yoga was developed thousands of years ago by yogis. There are thousands of yoga asanas (exercises) and each has its own significance. Yoga can be done in the morning or in the evening. A trained instructor is required to teach the person. There are various breathing exercises, which help in relaxing the whole body. There are many standing exercises, deep breathing exercises and exercises, which are done sitting and lying flat.
There are many yoga institutes in US. There are various types of yoga, like kundalini yoga, hatha yoga etc. People with diseases and pain, whether it is migraine or arthritis, can utilize yoga as it can help in healing. By doing yoga the body?s immune system functions well and the healing properties in the body is enhanced. Meditation helps in improving a person?s concentration and memory.
Yoga also helps in muscle flexibility, stamina, lowers fat, improves blood circulation, lowers bad cholesterol levels and makes the mind calm. Everybody can do yoga and attain its benefits.
Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1621.html
You are welcome to republish the above article only if you add our hyperlinked URL.
The Truth about Options for Yoga Teachers, Part 3
Power Yoga: Many things come to mind when we hear the words ?Power Yoga,? but the roots of Power Yoga are usually related to Ashtanga Yoga. This is not always the case, but more often, than not, Power Yoga is an offshoot of Ashtanga Yoga.
Thinking about Power Yoga may conjure up vivid images of Yoga teachers like Beryl Bender Birch, Bryan Kest, or Baron Baptiste. This is a vigorous form of Ashtanga Yoga with a Western ?twist.? Classes are usually filled with younger adult Yoga students and active athletes.
These are not classes for Yoga students with ailments, or for beginners who just ?jumped off the couch.? Power Yoga is a fantastic system of Yoga exercises, but if you are going to teach any form of Power Yoga classes, you have to be completely honest with prospective students. The physical challenge of a Power Yoga class is not for everyone who wants to learn a form of Hatha Yoga.
For example: A middle-aged, inactive, beginner Yoga student, should be guided to a gentle Yoga style, if he or she wants to pursue the study of Hatha Yoga. This student will learn the basics, safety guidelines, and contraindications that apply to his or her body. After a few months of regular practice, this Yoga student will see the path of infinite possibilities open, and then make an educated choice from what he or she has learned.
The injury of a student, due to the desire for a Yoga teacher?s desire to ?fill up classes,? is morally and ethically wrong. Complete honesty with students is not often taught when we are trained to become a Yoga teacher. Yoga teachers are often trained to be gentle guides along the path toward total health.
Being completely blunt about a prospective Yoga student?s limitations - might be bad for business. However, whenever a student is injured, the Yoga instructor will often feel remorse, even if the situation was completely unforeseen. The above-mentioned scenario, of an unfit student going into a vigorous Yoga class, can easily be seen. If you do not have a questionnaire for new Yoga students, you should design one now, even if you have never had a single problem.
This is not meant to ?steer you away? from teaching Power Yoga classes or to prevent you from learning to become a Power Yoga instructor. Power Yoga classes are very rewarding to participate in and to teach.
When considering the needs of new Yoga students, always be diplomatic, and guide potential Yoga students toward their best choice. Unfortunately, this sometimes means we must guide them to the Yoga teacher down the street.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Thinking about Power Yoga may conjure up vivid images of Yoga teachers like Beryl Bender Birch, Bryan Kest, or Baron Baptiste. This is a vigorous form of Ashtanga Yoga with a Western ?twist.? Classes are usually filled with younger adult Yoga students and active athletes.
These are not classes for Yoga students with ailments, or for beginners who just ?jumped off the couch.? Power Yoga is a fantastic system of Yoga exercises, but if you are going to teach any form of Power Yoga classes, you have to be completely honest with prospective students. The physical challenge of a Power Yoga class is not for everyone who wants to learn a form of Hatha Yoga.
For example: A middle-aged, inactive, beginner Yoga student, should be guided to a gentle Yoga style, if he or she wants to pursue the study of Hatha Yoga. This student will learn the basics, safety guidelines, and contraindications that apply to his or her body. After a few months of regular practice, this Yoga student will see the path of infinite possibilities open, and then make an educated choice from what he or she has learned.
The injury of a student, due to the desire for a Yoga teacher?s desire to ?fill up classes,? is morally and ethically wrong. Complete honesty with students is not often taught when we are trained to become a Yoga teacher. Yoga teachers are often trained to be gentle guides along the path toward total health.
Being completely blunt about a prospective Yoga student?s limitations - might be bad for business. However, whenever a student is injured, the Yoga instructor will often feel remorse, even if the situation was completely unforeseen. The above-mentioned scenario, of an unfit student going into a vigorous Yoga class, can easily be seen. If you do not have a questionnaire for new Yoga students, you should design one now, even if you have never had a single problem.
This is not meant to ?steer you away? from teaching Power Yoga classes or to prevent you from learning to become a Power Yoga instructor. Power Yoga classes are very rewarding to participate in and to teach.
When considering the needs of new Yoga students, always be diplomatic, and guide potential Yoga students toward their best choice. Unfortunately, this sometimes means we must guide them to the Yoga teacher down the street.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Points To Be Followed Before Learning Yoga
Once you have decided to practice yoga for better living and spiritual health, you need to take care of the following points so as to prevent injuries to your physical self:
? Physical condition of the individual: usually, it is recommended that people with normal health practice do yoga practice. But if you are suffering from some physical problems and are using yoga to cure it, you need to follow certain precautions since performing yoga practices without proper precautions may lead to harmful effects on the body. This is because the internal organs like heart, lungs, kidneys etc. are involved and may get harmed if you do not practice yoga properly. Hence it is recommended that you follow the yoga techniques under the expert guidance.
? Right advice: it is important for you to get the proper instructor to teach you the yoga techniques. Usually, people who choose the profession of a yoga teacher do not understand the scientific basis behind the yoga practice and just impose their opinions and likes and dislikes on the students. They bring an element of mystery, charge exorbitant fees and introduce rites and rituals which are not a part of yoga.
? Age and sex: yoga can be practiced by anybody irrespective of age and sex. However it is important to note that certain yoga techniques should not be followed under certain circumstances. Women, who are pregnant or menstruating, should avoid the poses which lay a great stress on the abdomen. Children below eight years should not practice any yogic technique but yogic breathing should be introduced only after twelve years. Very young and old should avoid the poses with the intense twists. After a certain age avoid strenuous practice but you can practice pranayam, dhyana and simple postures.
? Place and surroundings: the place for yoga should be well protected from, animals, rodents and insects. If you choose the indoor room, keep it well lit and should be airy. If you choose the outdoors, the surroundings should be quiet. But avoid the outdoors if it is cold, rainy or very hot. The ground chosen should be plain and flat.
? Time: morning is the ideal time for the practice since it incorporates regularity, but evening time can also be chosen since the body is already warmed up. Your stomach should not be completely full. So if you have had a meal, you can perform yoga after five hours.
? Diet: take simple and nutritious diet. Do not overeat. Keep chillies and spices to the minimum. It is not important to be vegetarians but do not eat more than your body?s requirements.
? Interval: it is advisable to be regular but if for some reason like a lot of work in office or sickness or any other reason you need to skip a day or two it is fine. But once the reason is over, go back to your original routine. Avoid taking long and frequent gaps.
? Clothing: choose light and loose fitting clothes. If you live in a hot climate, you can opt for the sleeveless shirt or a vest. However, in temperate climate, your clothing should offer protection against the cold weather but at the same time do not hinder the movements.
? The seat: always perform the yoga practice on the mat or a carpet but never on the uncovered floor.
? The order of different techniques: when you are combining different techniques like surya namaskar, weight training etc. with yoga, keep a rest period of fifteen minutes between the two. Within the yoga practice, start off by postural techniques, followed by breathing techniques and the techniques of mental concentration in the mentioned order.
Kevin Pederson is the webmaster of Yogawiz where you can find loads of information on basics of yoga, asanas and poses, and yoga precautions that aim towards harmonizing your mind, body, and soul.
? Physical condition of the individual: usually, it is recommended that people with normal health practice do yoga practice. But if you are suffering from some physical problems and are using yoga to cure it, you need to follow certain precautions since performing yoga practices without proper precautions may lead to harmful effects on the body. This is because the internal organs like heart, lungs, kidneys etc. are involved and may get harmed if you do not practice yoga properly. Hence it is recommended that you follow the yoga techniques under the expert guidance.
? Right advice: it is important for you to get the proper instructor to teach you the yoga techniques. Usually, people who choose the profession of a yoga teacher do not understand the scientific basis behind the yoga practice and just impose their opinions and likes and dislikes on the students. They bring an element of mystery, charge exorbitant fees and introduce rites and rituals which are not a part of yoga.
? Age and sex: yoga can be practiced by anybody irrespective of age and sex. However it is important to note that certain yoga techniques should not be followed under certain circumstances. Women, who are pregnant or menstruating, should avoid the poses which lay a great stress on the abdomen. Children below eight years should not practice any yogic technique but yogic breathing should be introduced only after twelve years. Very young and old should avoid the poses with the intense twists. After a certain age avoid strenuous practice but you can practice pranayam, dhyana and simple postures.
? Place and surroundings: the place for yoga should be well protected from, animals, rodents and insects. If you choose the indoor room, keep it well lit and should be airy. If you choose the outdoors, the surroundings should be quiet. But avoid the outdoors if it is cold, rainy or very hot. The ground chosen should be plain and flat.
? Time: morning is the ideal time for the practice since it incorporates regularity, but evening time can also be chosen since the body is already warmed up. Your stomach should not be completely full. So if you have had a meal, you can perform yoga after five hours.
? Diet: take simple and nutritious diet. Do not overeat. Keep chillies and spices to the minimum. It is not important to be vegetarians but do not eat more than your body?s requirements.
? Interval: it is advisable to be regular but if for some reason like a lot of work in office or sickness or any other reason you need to skip a day or two it is fine. But once the reason is over, go back to your original routine. Avoid taking long and frequent gaps.
? Clothing: choose light and loose fitting clothes. If you live in a hot climate, you can opt for the sleeveless shirt or a vest. However, in temperate climate, your clothing should offer protection against the cold weather but at the same time do not hinder the movements.
? The seat: always perform the yoga practice on the mat or a carpet but never on the uncovered floor.
? The order of different techniques: when you are combining different techniques like surya namaskar, weight training etc. with yoga, keep a rest period of fifteen minutes between the two. Within the yoga practice, start off by postural techniques, followed by breathing techniques and the techniques of mental concentration in the mentioned order.
Kevin Pederson is the webmaster of Yogawiz where you can find loads of information on basics of yoga, asanas and poses, and yoga precautions that aim towards harmonizing your mind, body, and soul.
Yoga in Practice: The Impact of Yoga Teachers on Society - Part 2
Now, let?s cover the next issue of Anti-Aging and Yoga. With regular Yoga practice, your health will be the best it can be. Joints are lubricated, muscles are toned, bones have to bear weight in strengthening postures (asanas), and internal organs are massaged. This activity also aids the immune, digestive, and elimination systems.
However, the physical aspect of Yoga is often considered to be the lesser of the three main aspects, when compared to the mental and spiritual aspects. Yoga styles - such as, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Jnana Yoga, offer much more in relation to the spiritual and mental facets of Yoga
Selfless service, or Karma Yoga, is the ability to give and help others without expectation. You give and forgive people because it is right to do. If good things happen to you as a result, this is fine, but you do not seek rewards for giving.
Jnana Yoga: Union by knowledge ? requires a Yogi who is pure of heart and the intelligence to find the ?real truth.? The real truth may not be ?politically correct.? This is especially true when history is most often recorded by the victors.
Meditation creates rational thought and is one of the keys to Jnana Yoga. This will also aid you in your connection to spiritual health. Meditate on God long enough and you will realize our petty human differences are an illusion held together by the ego.
The multitudes of religions that worship God are worshiping the same Supreme Being. It does not matter if you call this God, Allah, Brahman, Jehovah, Yahweh, or something else. However, this is truly ironic when we choose to kill others in the name of God.
Therefore, let?s get back to other ways that Yoga teachers and Yoga practitioners have changed, and will continue to change, the world. It is by becoming living examples of tolerance and non-judgment. If all you do is display loving kindness, forgiveness, and mindfulness to others, you are a living example of integrity.
Yoga teachers have the ability to influence humankind toward world peace on a small scale. When you are kind to others, you set a chain reaction into motion. Loving kindness is contagious and makes the world a better place.
Much like the counter-culturists of the past; Yoga teachers and Yoga practitioners do not have to operate within the confines of a system. A social worker or school teacher may feel like, ?their hands are tied by the system,? but Yoga teachers have much more freedom to change the world - one person at a time.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
However, the physical aspect of Yoga is often considered to be the lesser of the three main aspects, when compared to the mental and spiritual aspects. Yoga styles - such as, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Jnana Yoga, offer much more in relation to the spiritual and mental facets of Yoga
Selfless service, or Karma Yoga, is the ability to give and help others without expectation. You give and forgive people because it is right to do. If good things happen to you as a result, this is fine, but you do not seek rewards for giving.
Jnana Yoga: Union by knowledge ? requires a Yogi who is pure of heart and the intelligence to find the ?real truth.? The real truth may not be ?politically correct.? This is especially true when history is most often recorded by the victors.
Meditation creates rational thought and is one of the keys to Jnana Yoga. This will also aid you in your connection to spiritual health. Meditate on God long enough and you will realize our petty human differences are an illusion held together by the ego.
The multitudes of religions that worship God are worshiping the same Supreme Being. It does not matter if you call this God, Allah, Brahman, Jehovah, Yahweh, or something else. However, this is truly ironic when we choose to kill others in the name of God.
Therefore, let?s get back to other ways that Yoga teachers and Yoga practitioners have changed, and will continue to change, the world. It is by becoming living examples of tolerance and non-judgment. If all you do is display loving kindness, forgiveness, and mindfulness to others, you are a living example of integrity.
Yoga teachers have the ability to influence humankind toward world peace on a small scale. When you are kind to others, you set a chain reaction into motion. Loving kindness is contagious and makes the world a better place.
Much like the counter-culturists of the past; Yoga teachers and Yoga practitioners do not have to operate within the confines of a system. A social worker or school teacher may feel like, ?their hands are tied by the system,? but Yoga teachers have much more freedom to change the world - one person at a time.
? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
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