It is not advisable to mentally design a Yoga lesson plan during your commute. After all, with all of the things some of us have seen people do while driving, designing a lesson plan would not be as spectacular. Many Yoga teachers do listen to audio books in the car, but driving is living in the moment too. As a side note: It is wise to avoid listening to meditation or self-hypnosis CD?s while driving.
Your first destination may be a corporate fitness center, senior center, nursing home, church group, private session, assisted living complex, or teaching Yoga at your own studio.
Some Yoga teachers have a studio in their home, so there is no commute to deal with. Personally, I would rather get out of the house, to avoid stagnation, but some Yoga teachers love their home based studios and that is fine. If you are a late riser, you may elect to work with the corporate ?lunch time? crowd or at any one of the previously mentioned options.
If you teach full time, at the end of a day, you have taught, at least five, groups, or private students. Yoga teachers often do quite a bit of research in relation to ailments concerning their students, so that is an unseen part of the day, which may take place at a library, book store, or on the Internet.
Also, during the course of your day, you will have spaced your meals out. Some Yoga teachers keep small nutritional portions of balanced meals around for emergencies. For the most part you may eat healthy, but if you like chocolate it will still ?call out to you.?
The secret to enjoying a health life is moderation. If you have a craving do what you must, but do not over indulge. There is no need to when the coffee, chocolate, or wine will be there tomorrow. Many Yoga teachers do not look their age due to moderate diet, drinking plenty of water, and making physical activity an effortless part of each day.
The demand for Yoga teachers has also created a part time niche for some. There are Yoga teachers who work a full time job and teach in the evening, at noon, or in the morning. I did the same for many years. In the case of teaching Yoga during the evenings, it was a much needed break from the work day.
There are some Yoga teachers who teach at the same company they work full time for. So, now you can clearly see, making Yoga a part of your life by teaching has a variety of approaches. The varieties of ways to fit Yoga into your daily life are as diverse as the people who teach 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
March 1, 2009
Different Types Of Yoga Apparel
Yoga is all in rage lately. Everyday, a number of people decide to engage in Yoga for the conveniences it brings, from the physical aspect down to the spiritual and mental health.
Various forms of Yoga correspond to different people of different walks of like, ages and lifestyles. Yoga is open to all who can accommodate it. And one can perform or do Yoga as often as he wishes without restriction. The effects and benefits are seen as time goes by and it is not surprising that many people are inclined to it.
Yoga includes equipments, clothes, accessories as well as facilities to initiate learning. So how are you going to get up and choose what you wear on Yoga activities?
Yoga clothes should always be inclined to giving the best comfort. Although there is no particular Yoga clothe or apparel that you are supposed to wear during or when performing Yoga, it is necessary that you are comfortable with what you wear.
However, there are some considerations when choosing your Yoga clothes.
First and foremost is comfort.
Since you are going to perform different positions or Yoga postures, you must wear clothing that will not restrict you from moving freely in any manner. Your clothes should offer ease of movement and must be attuned to letting your different body parts to twist and stretch in various ways and postures.
It is advisable to choose a clothing which is made from pure organic cotton because this will provide maximum comfort. With this kind of material, the body is allowed to breathe as it should be. In addition, the clothing you choose must be sweat absorbent so that you will not feel sticky and moist when you sweat during the activity.
Although there are far more attractive and appealing designs of yoga clothing that you can choose from, always keep in mind to consider the clothing that fits you right and that fits your body frame.
Next consideration is the expenses.
To continue reading this article go now to http://www.yogaexercisesportal.com/How-Yoga-Apparel-Is-Becoming-Fashion.html
About The Author
Mike Mann is the writer of many helpful and detailed articles on the different types of yoga.
Various forms of Yoga correspond to different people of different walks of like, ages and lifestyles. Yoga is open to all who can accommodate it. And one can perform or do Yoga as often as he wishes without restriction. The effects and benefits are seen as time goes by and it is not surprising that many people are inclined to it.
Yoga includes equipments, clothes, accessories as well as facilities to initiate learning. So how are you going to get up and choose what you wear on Yoga activities?
Yoga clothes should always be inclined to giving the best comfort. Although there is no particular Yoga clothe or apparel that you are supposed to wear during or when performing Yoga, it is necessary that you are comfortable with what you wear.
However, there are some considerations when choosing your Yoga clothes.
First and foremost is comfort.
Since you are going to perform different positions or Yoga postures, you must wear clothing that will not restrict you from moving freely in any manner. Your clothes should offer ease of movement and must be attuned to letting your different body parts to twist and stretch in various ways and postures.
It is advisable to choose a clothing which is made from pure organic cotton because this will provide maximum comfort. With this kind of material, the body is allowed to breathe as it should be. In addition, the clothing you choose must be sweat absorbent so that you will not feel sticky and moist when you sweat during the activity.
Although there are far more attractive and appealing designs of yoga clothing that you can choose from, always keep in mind to consider the clothing that fits you right and that fits your body frame.
Next consideration is the expenses.
To continue reading this article go now to http://www.yogaexercisesportal.com/How-Yoga-Apparel-Is-Becoming-Fashion.html
About The Author
Mike Mann is the writer of many helpful and detailed articles on the different types of yoga.
Meditation through Yoga
“Stop and smell the flowers.” This old adage holds great truth and advice especially for the over-worked, over-stressed citizens of the modern world. We fill our days with fast paced activities and chores that lead to frustration, increased weight, and depression. Trying to cram too many activities in each day can have disastrous effects. Many ask how they can ward off the ill effects of stress. Besides reducing your activities you can look to the beneficial effects of meditation.
There are many ways to meditate from deep breathing to calming exercise such as yoga. Yoga has become a popular choice for many celebrities. Celebrities have stress upon their life on a grand scale. They not only have the unyielding demands of work, but also the critical and watchful eye of the critics, fans, and paparazzi. You may not have cameramen taking snapshots of you going to the grocery store, but you can have comparable levels of stress. Therefore, why not follow the celebrity craze in yoga and see if it works for you.
Yoga comes in many forms and difficulty levels. You can practice yoga at a health club or by watching yoga videos. It is recommended that beginning yogis take classes at a gym or health club. It is crucial to perform the postures correctly. A certified yoga instructor will help you to properly align your body and point out any areas for improvement. This feedback is essential so that you can receive the maximum benefits of yoga. An instructor can also talk you through meditation helping you to clear your mind and thus reduce your stress.
The basics of yoga cover four steps: breathing, meditation, posture, and relaxation. Let?s focus on the meditation aspect of yoga. The purpose of meditation is to free your mind of worries. You literally want to wipe your mind slate clean. This can prove to be difficult as thoughts about the dry cleaning you need to pick up or the work report you need to finish race around your mind. A yoga instructor or audio tape can lead you through the steps to achieving deep meditation. They will lead you through focusing on the present.
When you focus on the present you automatically release any tensions that come from activities you need to do or things you are worried about from the past. Meditation allows you to look into yourself. Your mind becomes clear as stress and tension are swept away. This is sometimes referred to as “centering” the body. Try to listen to your body. Feel how the air moves from your belly through your nose as you inhale and exhale. You are getting back to the basics of life and the building blocks of your existence.
Classic yoga meditation involves sitting cross-legged on the floor with your spine straight. Rest your hands, palm face up, on your legs. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Try to breathe from the center of your body up and out through your nose. Make sure to relax your muscles, especially your jaw. In times of stress we tend to tighten our face causing jaw muscles to become sore. Take heed of the present moment. Remove the past and future from your mind.
When you become comfortable with yoga meditation breathing techniques you can move on to daily affirmations. Sit in your meditation pose and breathe deeply to allow your mind and body to relax. Next quietly say affirmations that are broad as well as personalized to your situation. For example, you can say “I will center my thoughts on the present.” Follow this by saying “I will listen to myself breathe.” It is important to find daily affirmations that will center you as well as revolve around the positive aspects of life. Finish each daily affirmation session by being grateful for all the joyous aspects of your life. If you have time, try to meditate five to ten minutes daily.
Your yoga postures will improve with meditation practice. Strive to engage in the deep breathing and affirmation techniques daily from the comfort of your own home. Supplement these meditation techniques with an actual yoga class. Not only will you gain valuable instruction from the yoga teacher, but you will also gain support and camaraderie of fellow yogis. This support group can help to alleviate stress and keep you interested in improving your yoga skills.
Ideally, you should attend a yoga class two to three times per week. However, this may not work with your schedule. Check to see if your local gym or health club has a diverse yoga schedule. Many health clubs offer yoga classes for varying difficulty levels in the morning, afternoon, and evenings.
The combination of daily meditation and yoga classes will bring you closer to a stress free life. Your mind and body will flourish from the healthy benefits of meditation and yoga. Now take a deep breathe and get started on your journey to stress free city.
Jump Start Your Way To More Love, Health, Power & Wealth! To receive practical and easy to follow techniques that will dramatically help you create a more happy, healthy and positive life visit the Subliminal Self Help Tapes Innertransition website.
There are many ways to meditate from deep breathing to calming exercise such as yoga. Yoga has become a popular choice for many celebrities. Celebrities have stress upon their life on a grand scale. They not only have the unyielding demands of work, but also the critical and watchful eye of the critics, fans, and paparazzi. You may not have cameramen taking snapshots of you going to the grocery store, but you can have comparable levels of stress. Therefore, why not follow the celebrity craze in yoga and see if it works for you.
Yoga comes in many forms and difficulty levels. You can practice yoga at a health club or by watching yoga videos. It is recommended that beginning yogis take classes at a gym or health club. It is crucial to perform the postures correctly. A certified yoga instructor will help you to properly align your body and point out any areas for improvement. This feedback is essential so that you can receive the maximum benefits of yoga. An instructor can also talk you through meditation helping you to clear your mind and thus reduce your stress.
The basics of yoga cover four steps: breathing, meditation, posture, and relaxation. Let?s focus on the meditation aspect of yoga. The purpose of meditation is to free your mind of worries. You literally want to wipe your mind slate clean. This can prove to be difficult as thoughts about the dry cleaning you need to pick up or the work report you need to finish race around your mind. A yoga instructor or audio tape can lead you through the steps to achieving deep meditation. They will lead you through focusing on the present.
When you focus on the present you automatically release any tensions that come from activities you need to do or things you are worried about from the past. Meditation allows you to look into yourself. Your mind becomes clear as stress and tension are swept away. This is sometimes referred to as “centering” the body. Try to listen to your body. Feel how the air moves from your belly through your nose as you inhale and exhale. You are getting back to the basics of life and the building blocks of your existence.
Classic yoga meditation involves sitting cross-legged on the floor with your spine straight. Rest your hands, palm face up, on your legs. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Try to breathe from the center of your body up and out through your nose. Make sure to relax your muscles, especially your jaw. In times of stress we tend to tighten our face causing jaw muscles to become sore. Take heed of the present moment. Remove the past and future from your mind.
When you become comfortable with yoga meditation breathing techniques you can move on to daily affirmations. Sit in your meditation pose and breathe deeply to allow your mind and body to relax. Next quietly say affirmations that are broad as well as personalized to your situation. For example, you can say “I will center my thoughts on the present.” Follow this by saying “I will listen to myself breathe.” It is important to find daily affirmations that will center you as well as revolve around the positive aspects of life. Finish each daily affirmation session by being grateful for all the joyous aspects of your life. If you have time, try to meditate five to ten minutes daily.
Your yoga postures will improve with meditation practice. Strive to engage in the deep breathing and affirmation techniques daily from the comfort of your own home. Supplement these meditation techniques with an actual yoga class. Not only will you gain valuable instruction from the yoga teacher, but you will also gain support and camaraderie of fellow yogis. This support group can help to alleviate stress and keep you interested in improving your yoga skills.
Ideally, you should attend a yoga class two to three times per week. However, this may not work with your schedule. Check to see if your local gym or health club has a diverse yoga schedule. Many health clubs offer yoga classes for varying difficulty levels in the morning, afternoon, and evenings.
The combination of daily meditation and yoga classes will bring you closer to a stress free life. Your mind and body will flourish from the healthy benefits of meditation and yoga. Now take a deep breathe and get started on your journey to stress free city.
Jump Start Your Way To More Love, Health, Power & Wealth! To receive practical and easy to follow techniques that will dramatically help you create a more happy, healthy and positive life visit the Subliminal Self Help Tapes Innertransition website.
Yoga & Its Benefits to Health
Yoga is the perfect exercise blend for many active people. It is a balancing regimen that strengthens the body, focuses the mind, and helps create a felt sense of spirit. Yoga is an ancient philosophy of life as well as a system of exercises that encourages the union of mind, body, and spirit. In fact, the word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “yoke” or “union.” The ultimate goal of yoga is to achieve a state of balance and harmony between mind and body.
Yoga is the only science that teaches us to introvert in both body and mind, emerge freshed.Yoga is a system of spiritual, mental and physical training that is suitable for people of all ages. It calms the mind, attuning us to the environment, and enhances concentration and mental clarity, thus reducing stress and anxiety. A true yoga practitioner tries to develop an attitude of humility. Health is a god given priceless gift. We need to protect it all time not to achieve worldly goals alone, but to serve the divine.
Purpose of Yoga
Yoga’s purpose is to strengthen the body and make it more flexible, as well as awaken the spirit - in effect, to provide a physical, mental and spiritual system of health. Yoga improves posture, increases the intake of oxygen, and enhances the functioning of the respiratory, digestive, endocrine, reproductive, and elimination systems. It does this through physical poses (asanas), breathing techniques and meditation practice. Yoga is gentle because your mind and heart are involved.
Yoga can help reduce blood pressure and improve the efficiency of the lungs. People of all ages can do yoga, almost anyone can benefit from yoga, including the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with chronic health problems. Nevertheless, there is a mass of evidence to show that yoga can have a beneficial effect on a variety of conditions, for example, high blood pressure and diabetes. Usually obesity is one causes of Diabetes. Obesity and Diabetes are also termed as twin epidemics. Both Obesity and Diabetes is highly preventable through proper diet, exercise and lifestyle change. Yoga Lifestyle will be most suitable to facilitate treatment for this twin epidemic. Yoga cannot ?cure? diabetes, it can complement the lifestyle changes necessary to keep diabetic symptoms in check, and it can help you feel more in control of your health and well-being
Benefits of Yoga Practice
Life today is full of stress and strain, of tension and nervous irritability, of passion and hurry. If man puts into practice a few of the elementary principles of Yoga, he would be far better equipped to cope with his complex existence.
Yoga brings in perfection, peace and lasting happiness. You can have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of Yoga. You can have restful sleep. You can have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity and a high standard of health. You can turn out efficient work within a short space of time. You can have success in every walk of life. Yoga will infuse in you new strength, confidence and self-reliance. The body and mind will be at your beck and call. Body is the temple of god. So it is our duty to keep it clean, fresh, and fragrant through developing compassion and love.
Yoga gives you the capacity to face up to life’s challenges. Similarly, when you respect your body, you tend to do things that will enhance its vitality. Many people who practice yoga become vegetarians and follow a macrobiotic diet. Apart from other exercise practicing yoga is more effective. It is not that we need to practice yoga daily try finding a once-a-week yoga class.
Yoga is highly recommended for people in competitive, stressful working environments, for those who suffer from headaches, back and shoulder aches, allergies, and asthma; and for anyone over the age of 40 (although the younger, the better).
How to practice Yoga
Yoga helps people feel calmer and more relaxed, as well as being mentally alert and energetic. Although yoga is an excellent form of self-help therapy, one would be well advised to begin by attending a course of classes run by a qualified teacher. Nothing prevents you from practicing yoga at home; there are many illustrated books on the subject. However, you will benefit far more, especially as a beginner, by joining a class.
When you’re starting up, you shouldn’t do anything your body isn’t ready for. No head stands, backward bending or forcing yourself into a cross-legged position. A typical beginners’ class works on freeing up the spine, shoulders and hips and will consist of five or six standing positions, some floor positions, then relaxation and breathing at the end. Part of yoga practice is deep breathing, which helps make the body more alkaline.
A good class should have a structure: the teacher should explain a pose and then come and correct you if you are doing it wrong. When you come out of the class, you should feel good, whole and stretched, never strained.
You can find yoga classes in cities and towns all over the world. Very little is needed by way of equipment, and a yoga session can be effective even the sessions are only for short periods of time. It is however, more beneficial if you can manage daily sessions of 30 minutes or an hour. It is recommended that sessions take place either in the morning or evening. Allow three hours to pass after consuming a meal before you practice yoga. Do not take a bath or shower for at least a half-hour before or after practice.
In life, it is necessary to learn how to relax after a period of activity. People spend approximately one third of their time in sleep, trying to recoup the energy and vitality they expended during the day. Pleasurable relaxation is often mistaken for the ?true? type of relaxation. When we are calm, even soothing music is noise. Those who have practiced Yoga can appreciate total silence. Natural lovers are more sensitive to silence and one has to develop this quality from childhood. But mostly people now days think that relaxation and peace of mind can be got in clubs and pubs. After what they consider as a day of hard work, people go to drink and ultimately ruin them. Unfortunately, many never achieve this objective because they haven’t learned the essentials of relaxation. This can be achieved by practicing yoga.
Hence Yoga is a wonderful tool for becoming better acquainted with your body, whatever your age, yoga can enhance your lifestyle. Yoga is a philosophy, not a religion. For some, the potential of union with a “supreme consciousness” is appealing; for others, it’s a supreme turnoff. Embrace as much or as little as you like … but keep practicing.
Yoga is the only science that teaches us to introvert in both body and mind, emerge freshed.Yoga is a system of spiritual, mental and physical training that is suitable for people of all ages. It calms the mind, attuning us to the environment, and enhances concentration and mental clarity, thus reducing stress and anxiety. A true yoga practitioner tries to develop an attitude of humility. Health is a god given priceless gift. We need to protect it all time not to achieve worldly goals alone, but to serve the divine.
Purpose of Yoga
Yoga’s purpose is to strengthen the body and make it more flexible, as well as awaken the spirit - in effect, to provide a physical, mental and spiritual system of health. Yoga improves posture, increases the intake of oxygen, and enhances the functioning of the respiratory, digestive, endocrine, reproductive, and elimination systems. It does this through physical poses (asanas), breathing techniques and meditation practice. Yoga is gentle because your mind and heart are involved.
Yoga can help reduce blood pressure and improve the efficiency of the lungs. People of all ages can do yoga, almost anyone can benefit from yoga, including the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with chronic health problems. Nevertheless, there is a mass of evidence to show that yoga can have a beneficial effect on a variety of conditions, for example, high blood pressure and diabetes. Usually obesity is one causes of Diabetes. Obesity and Diabetes are also termed as twin epidemics. Both Obesity and Diabetes is highly preventable through proper diet, exercise and lifestyle change. Yoga Lifestyle will be most suitable to facilitate treatment for this twin epidemic. Yoga cannot ?cure? diabetes, it can complement the lifestyle changes necessary to keep diabetic symptoms in check, and it can help you feel more in control of your health and well-being
Benefits of Yoga Practice
Life today is full of stress and strain, of tension and nervous irritability, of passion and hurry. If man puts into practice a few of the elementary principles of Yoga, he would be far better equipped to cope with his complex existence.
Yoga brings in perfection, peace and lasting happiness. You can have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of Yoga. You can have restful sleep. You can have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity and a high standard of health. You can turn out efficient work within a short space of time. You can have success in every walk of life. Yoga will infuse in you new strength, confidence and self-reliance. The body and mind will be at your beck and call. Body is the temple of god. So it is our duty to keep it clean, fresh, and fragrant through developing compassion and love.
Yoga gives you the capacity to face up to life’s challenges. Similarly, when you respect your body, you tend to do things that will enhance its vitality. Many people who practice yoga become vegetarians and follow a macrobiotic diet. Apart from other exercise practicing yoga is more effective. It is not that we need to practice yoga daily try finding a once-a-week yoga class.
Yoga is highly recommended for people in competitive, stressful working environments, for those who suffer from headaches, back and shoulder aches, allergies, and asthma; and for anyone over the age of 40 (although the younger, the better).
How to practice Yoga
Yoga helps people feel calmer and more relaxed, as well as being mentally alert and energetic. Although yoga is an excellent form of self-help therapy, one would be well advised to begin by attending a course of classes run by a qualified teacher. Nothing prevents you from practicing yoga at home; there are many illustrated books on the subject. However, you will benefit far more, especially as a beginner, by joining a class.
When you’re starting up, you shouldn’t do anything your body isn’t ready for. No head stands, backward bending or forcing yourself into a cross-legged position. A typical beginners’ class works on freeing up the spine, shoulders and hips and will consist of five or six standing positions, some floor positions, then relaxation and breathing at the end. Part of yoga practice is deep breathing, which helps make the body more alkaline.
A good class should have a structure: the teacher should explain a pose and then come and correct you if you are doing it wrong. When you come out of the class, you should feel good, whole and stretched, never strained.
You can find yoga classes in cities and towns all over the world. Very little is needed by way of equipment, and a yoga session can be effective even the sessions are only for short periods of time. It is however, more beneficial if you can manage daily sessions of 30 minutes or an hour. It is recommended that sessions take place either in the morning or evening. Allow three hours to pass after consuming a meal before you practice yoga. Do not take a bath or shower for at least a half-hour before or after practice.
In life, it is necessary to learn how to relax after a period of activity. People spend approximately one third of their time in sleep, trying to recoup the energy and vitality they expended during the day. Pleasurable relaxation is often mistaken for the ?true? type of relaxation. When we are calm, even soothing music is noise. Those who have practiced Yoga can appreciate total silence. Natural lovers are more sensitive to silence and one has to develop this quality from childhood. But mostly people now days think that relaxation and peace of mind can be got in clubs and pubs. After what they consider as a day of hard work, people go to drink and ultimately ruin them. Unfortunately, many never achieve this objective because they haven’t learned the essentials of relaxation. This can be achieved by practicing yoga.
Hence Yoga is a wonderful tool for becoming better acquainted with your body, whatever your age, yoga can enhance your lifestyle. Yoga is a philosophy, not a religion. For some, the potential of union with a “supreme consciousness” is appealing; for others, it’s a supreme turnoff. Embrace as much or as little as you like … but keep practicing.
Child Yoga - What is All the Fun About?
Many adults have taken up yoga, but yoga has not gained as the same popularity with children. Child yoga can offer many of the same benefits to kids as it does to adults.
What can yoga offer your child?
A healthier body ? Childhood obesity is on the rise and one of the main reasons for it is that kids today do not move enough. Yoga is a powerful technique for children to begin moving their bodies in ways that feel good and help them look good. Even if your child is of normal weight, yoga can help her become stronger, gain endurance and flexibility. If your child is involved in another sport, a regular yoga practice is a great cross training activity and it may help him reduce the risk of injuries.
The ability to control stress ? Today’s children are under enormous stress. They are often over scheduled, they face tough competition in school, they have to deal with peer pressure, and they are trying to find their way in the world. This combination can cause children to become stressed out. Yoga can help your child learn how to relax. When your child learns how to control her breathing and relax during her practice, she can then apply this to her world when she encounters challenging situations.
Increased self-esteem ? Yoga is a non-competitive activity. Yet it does offer your child the ability to master challenging poses (especially as he gets older). Your child can feel good about his increasing ability without having to worry about how he compares to everyone else. This experience of success can help your child feel more confident in his ability to be successful in other things too.
Greater concentration ?
The breathing and inward focus that is a main component of any yoga practice can help your child learn to focus his mind more effectively. A number of studies have shown that many children who practice yoga, especially those with problems such as ADHD, are able to concentrate for longer periods
of time.
What is a child yoga program like?
The main focus of a child yoga program is on fun. Often the children will pretend to be the animal for which the pose is named. For instance, when they are doing Cat Pose, they become the cat and may even meow. If they are doing Downward Facing Dog with their butts high in the air, they will often bark, as they become the dog. The children are encouraged to fully participate in and enjoy the ‘game of yoga.’ Sometimes the instructor will create an entire story about the poses that the children are in so as to make the class interesting and to fully engage them. The children don’t realize how much they are benefiting from the practice; the only thing they know is that they are having a good
time.
Practicing yoga at home with your child.
While child yoga classes are wonderful, they are often hard to find. Depending on where you live, you might not be able to find a place to take your child. Don’t fret. There are a number of excellent videos and books that you can get which will help you become your child’s yoga teacher.
*Find a spot in your home where you have room to move freely.
*Establish an atmosphere of fun.
*Put on the video and do the poses together, hopefully with lots of giggles sprinkled in.
*Pick out some poses from a book that you can do ? have your child choose some of the them.
*When doing the relaxation exercise, talk your child through it by describing a warm, inviting place such as a quiet field near a bubbling brook with butterflies and singing birds. Use your imagination to create a safe and friendly space and help your child experience it in his imagination.
Child yoga is an enjoyable activity that can provide major benefits to your child. It will help her grow stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally ? and she’ll have a lot of fun too!
Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.
What can yoga offer your child?
A healthier body ? Childhood obesity is on the rise and one of the main reasons for it is that kids today do not move enough. Yoga is a powerful technique for children to begin moving their bodies in ways that feel good and help them look good. Even if your child is of normal weight, yoga can help her become stronger, gain endurance and flexibility. If your child is involved in another sport, a regular yoga practice is a great cross training activity and it may help him reduce the risk of injuries.
The ability to control stress ? Today’s children are under enormous stress. They are often over scheduled, they face tough competition in school, they have to deal with peer pressure, and they are trying to find their way in the world. This combination can cause children to become stressed out. Yoga can help your child learn how to relax. When your child learns how to control her breathing and relax during her practice, she can then apply this to her world when she encounters challenging situations.
Increased self-esteem ? Yoga is a non-competitive activity. Yet it does offer your child the ability to master challenging poses (especially as he gets older). Your child can feel good about his increasing ability without having to worry about how he compares to everyone else. This experience of success can help your child feel more confident in his ability to be successful in other things too.
Greater concentration ?
The breathing and inward focus that is a main component of any yoga practice can help your child learn to focus his mind more effectively. A number of studies have shown that many children who practice yoga, especially those with problems such as ADHD, are able to concentrate for longer periods
of time.
What is a child yoga program like?
The main focus of a child yoga program is on fun. Often the children will pretend to be the animal for which the pose is named. For instance, when they are doing Cat Pose, they become the cat and may even meow. If they are doing Downward Facing Dog with their butts high in the air, they will often bark, as they become the dog. The children are encouraged to fully participate in and enjoy the ‘game of yoga.’ Sometimes the instructor will create an entire story about the poses that the children are in so as to make the class interesting and to fully engage them. The children don’t realize how much they are benefiting from the practice; the only thing they know is that they are having a good
time.
Practicing yoga at home with your child.
While child yoga classes are wonderful, they are often hard to find. Depending on where you live, you might not be able to find a place to take your child. Don’t fret. There are a number of excellent videos and books that you can get which will help you become your child’s yoga teacher.
*Find a spot in your home where you have room to move freely.
*Establish an atmosphere of fun.
*Put on the video and do the poses together, hopefully with lots of giggles sprinkled in.
*Pick out some poses from a book that you can do ? have your child choose some of the them.
*When doing the relaxation exercise, talk your child through it by describing a warm, inviting place such as a quiet field near a bubbling brook with butterflies and singing birds. Use your imagination to create a safe and friendly space and help your child experience it in his imagination.
Child yoga is an enjoyable activity that can provide major benefits to your child. It will help her grow stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally ? and she’ll have a lot of fun too!
Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.
Teaching Hatha Yoga: The Summer Slow Down
Let?s face it, Yoga teachers who live in Northern climates have been looking forward to a break from the ?winter chill.? Your Yoga students have also been looking forward to the warm weather and they want to take a vacation. What can Yoga teachers and Yoga studios do to compensate for the ?Sumer Slow Down??
You have taught your Yoga students about empowerment all year, but some students may not return to your regular classes, without a reminder. Many North Americans take a couple of weeks off in July and some summer vacations will be planned for August. Most of my friends in Europe take August off, therefore, Yoga teachers are looking at a minimum of one month during the summer that is predominantly slow, depending on your exact location and culture.
Some Yoga teachers in the Southern United States will experience a slow down, if the temperatures rise too much and too soon. Yoga classes can become sparse, especially if the temperatures jump to the 90?s Fahrenheit during late spring or early summer. So, what action can Yoga teachers take to deal with this vacation season?
How about special classes? Did you ever think about teaching Yoga classes in a pool? What about testing Yoga classes that you had not considered during a busy season? What about an ?Introduction to Hot Yoga? or a Vinyasa style Yoga class that is a little warmer than usual? What about testing a short-term Pranayama class or Yoga meditation workshop as a ?pilot class? for the busy season?
Once again, I ask you to enlarge your vision and ?think outside the box.? Do enough ground work and research to become an innovator, rather than ?follow the crowd.? Even if your Yoga classes do slow down a bit, you can cater to your ?regular students,? who are with you ?through thick and thin.? Ask your Yoga students for feedback.
One last major point to bring up: Make sure you are working on ?reminders? to your Yoga students who regularly attend classes during cooler weather. It is best to use this time to get a list of all of your Yoga students and prepare for a mailing in late August, or early September.
This is the time when children go back to school, and family plans are made for the fall schedule. If you teach Yoga for a living, your first priority is to thank your students for their past participation and remind them that you still teach Yoga.
It is very easy for anyone to forget their priorities, and Yoga students are no exception. Yoga teachers contribute to the well being of their student?s mental, physical, and spiritual health. When you see inactive Yoga students around town, they often thank you for what they have learned from you.
Therefore, do not take a summer slow down personally. This is a season that you should make the most of by taking action and testing new ideas for your Yoga classes.
? 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. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
You have taught your Yoga students about empowerment all year, but some students may not return to your regular classes, without a reminder. Many North Americans take a couple of weeks off in July and some summer vacations will be planned for August. Most of my friends in Europe take August off, therefore, Yoga teachers are looking at a minimum of one month during the summer that is predominantly slow, depending on your exact location and culture.
Some Yoga teachers in the Southern United States will experience a slow down, if the temperatures rise too much and too soon. Yoga classes can become sparse, especially if the temperatures jump to the 90?s Fahrenheit during late spring or early summer. So, what action can Yoga teachers take to deal with this vacation season?
How about special classes? Did you ever think about teaching Yoga classes in a pool? What about testing Yoga classes that you had not considered during a busy season? What about an ?Introduction to Hot Yoga? or a Vinyasa style Yoga class that is a little warmer than usual? What about testing a short-term Pranayama class or Yoga meditation workshop as a ?pilot class? for the busy season?
Once again, I ask you to enlarge your vision and ?think outside the box.? Do enough ground work and research to become an innovator, rather than ?follow the crowd.? Even if your Yoga classes do slow down a bit, you can cater to your ?regular students,? who are with you ?through thick and thin.? Ask your Yoga students for feedback.
One last major point to bring up: Make sure you are working on ?reminders? to your Yoga students who regularly attend classes during cooler weather. It is best to use this time to get a list of all of your Yoga students and prepare for a mailing in late August, or early September.
This is the time when children go back to school, and family plans are made for the fall schedule. If you teach Yoga for a living, your first priority is to thank your students for their past participation and remind them that you still teach Yoga.
It is very easy for anyone to forget their priorities, and Yoga students are no exception. Yoga teachers contribute to the well being of their student?s mental, physical, and spiritual health. When you see inactive Yoga students around town, they often thank you for what they have learned from you.
Therefore, do not take a summer slow down personally. This is a season that you should make the most of by taking action and testing new ideas for your Yoga classes.
? 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. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Yoga Mats Guide - Feel Comfortable With Yoga Mats
Yoga mats are essential to perform all yoga activities. It is the basic requirement for the people who love yoga very much. Nowadays these are very much popular because mats give the best practice at the time of doing yoga exercises. It enables you to do certain yoga practices properly and efficiently.
Yoga usually requires a lot of space but it can limit your space and enables you to stay in one place. Yoga mats are the best for yoga beginners. There are different type of yoga mats are available in the market such as sticky mat, meditation mat, deluxe yoga mat, and universal style yoga mat etc. Different types of yoga mats are designed for different purposes.
Some yoga activities create chances of sleeping or sliding so in this case deluxe mats are good because these texture mats can easily prevent from these chances. Universal style yoga mat is made up of light texture that is helpful in executing different poses. Don?t forget to take a pillow whenever you?re going to buy meditation yoga mat. Meditation yoga mat along with a pillow enables you to sit comfortably in meditation postures.
Beginner yoga mat is necessary for the people who are new to yoga. You should know your requirements before buying a yoga mat. You should prefer a yoga mat that suits your taste as well as convenience. You can also ask a yoga expert about what type of yoga mat is good for you.
About Author: Author presents a website on Yoga Mats. Website offers all information about yoga mats, best yoga mats, yoga exercise mats, gym yoga mats, extra long yoga mats, and some tips on how to buy yoga mats. You can get more info about yoga exercise mats from his site.
Yoga usually requires a lot of space but it can limit your space and enables you to stay in one place. Yoga mats are the best for yoga beginners. There are different type of yoga mats are available in the market such as sticky mat, meditation mat, deluxe yoga mat, and universal style yoga mat etc. Different types of yoga mats are designed for different purposes.
Some yoga activities create chances of sleeping or sliding so in this case deluxe mats are good because these texture mats can easily prevent from these chances. Universal style yoga mat is made up of light texture that is helpful in executing different poses. Don?t forget to take a pillow whenever you?re going to buy meditation yoga mat. Meditation yoga mat along with a pillow enables you to sit comfortably in meditation postures.
Beginner yoga mat is necessary for the people who are new to yoga. You should know your requirements before buying a yoga mat. You should prefer a yoga mat that suits your taste as well as convenience. You can also ask a yoga expert about what type of yoga mat is good for you.
About Author: Author presents a website on Yoga Mats. Website offers all information about yoga mats, best yoga mats, yoga exercise mats, gym yoga mats, extra long yoga mats, and some tips on how to buy yoga mats. You can get more info about yoga exercise mats from his site.
Yoga Teacher Guidelines for Assisting, Part 2
The best action Yoga teachers can take is to have good liability insurance, know the law, have written and documented guidelines, enforce guidelines for safety?s sake, ?cover your back,? and continue to learn about the laws as they change.
Even if your Yoga teaching career is limited to teaching a few Yoga classes per week, as an independent contractor for a Yoga studio, or the local health club, you still need to establish guidelines. These guidelines become your ?company policy,? and need to be enforced for student protection and for your livelihood.
Here is a little additional ?food for thought.? Imagine a new student - arriving late, skipping the warm-up, who didn?t sign a release form, and no one had time to explain any precautions to him or her. This student could possibly be pregnant or have a serious medical condition.
Are you just a nice person, giving by nature, or just plain foolish, when it comes to protecting your own interests? The law does not care, and negligence is dealt with quite harshly. One lawsuit is all it will take for most Yoga businesses to permanently close. It does not matter if you win, or lose, if you have to pay an attorney to defend you. The cost of a legal defense is ?staggering.?
Now let?s get back to assisting. As a Yoga teacher, you should also get verbal permission each time you touch a student for a physical assist. So, it is always wise to ask before making an adjustment to an alignment.
Have you ever had an assist that didn?t really help much? Assisting Yoga students, into proper alignment, is an art form, and some Yoga teachers are much better at it than others. However, after what you just read, you may also be more cautious with your Yoga students, as well.
Have you ever had a physical assist that hurt you physically or in any way? Some Yoga students have, and this is why Yoga instructors should ask for feedback. Most Yoga teachers do not want to push their students beyond the comfort zone, but may not have the skill for feeling skeletal compression or muscular tightness. On top of this, some Yoga teachers don?t know the difference. This is why establishing a track record of continuing education is so important for Yoga teachers.
? 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
Even if your Yoga teaching career is limited to teaching a few Yoga classes per week, as an independent contractor for a Yoga studio, or the local health club, you still need to establish guidelines. These guidelines become your ?company policy,? and need to be enforced for student protection and for your livelihood.
Here is a little additional ?food for thought.? Imagine a new student - arriving late, skipping the warm-up, who didn?t sign a release form, and no one had time to explain any precautions to him or her. This student could possibly be pregnant or have a serious medical condition.
Are you just a nice person, giving by nature, or just plain foolish, when it comes to protecting your own interests? The law does not care, and negligence is dealt with quite harshly. One lawsuit is all it will take for most Yoga businesses to permanently close. It does not matter if you win, or lose, if you have to pay an attorney to defend you. The cost of a legal defense is ?staggering.?
Now let?s get back to assisting. As a Yoga teacher, you should also get verbal permission each time you touch a student for a physical assist. So, it is always wise to ask before making an adjustment to an alignment.
Have you ever had an assist that didn?t really help much? Assisting Yoga students, into proper alignment, is an art form, and some Yoga teachers are much better at it than others. However, after what you just read, you may also be more cautious with your Yoga students, as well.
Have you ever had a physical assist that hurt you physically or in any way? Some Yoga students have, and this is why Yoga instructors should ask for feedback. Most Yoga teachers do not want to push their students beyond the comfort zone, but may not have the skill for feeling skeletal compression or muscular tightness. On top of this, some Yoga teachers don?t know the difference. This is why establishing a track record of continuing education is so important for Yoga teachers.
? 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: Downward-Facing Dog
Most hatha yoga classes have students performing Downward-Facing Dog throughout the class. This invigorating pose is one of the foundational poses that are an integral part of many vinyasa sequences. Downward Dog livens up the body from the hips to the spine right through to the fingers and toes, making you feel more alive and vibrant.
Although the pose appears quite simple, it is actually very complex. Its benefits are also numerous. It demands a balanced effort from the arms, legs and torso and stretches and strengthens the whole body.
Downward Dog is used as a home base in many flow classes to neutralize the spine and bring it back to its natural alignment. Since it involves inversion it’s useful for beginners to experience the sensation of being upside down.
The following two versions will help you to rediscover, refine and “refeel” Downward Dog, even if you have done it countless times. This pose can uncover tightness in areas you never even knew existed. Your elbows may be weak, your lower back may round, but with time and practice the pose will provide wonderful sensations through your body, making you feel long and lithe.
The first version of the pose removes the hamstrings from the equation by bending the knees. This allows you to fully extend through your torso, giving your spine, shoulders and arms a long, full stretch.
Start by lying face down on your mat with your hands by your shoulders on the floor. Come up on your hands and knees, keeping your hand and feet in place. Your knees should be hip width and your hands should be shoulder width apart.
Your awareness should be brought to your hands and feet as they are the foundation of the pose. Spread your fingers wide and press them firmly into the mat dispersing your weight evenly across your hands. Tuck your toes under so your heels come off the floor. Lift your knees off the mat while moving your pelvis up and back and keep your knees bent. Picture yourself pushing the mat down and away from your pelvis.
Start refining the pose during the next few breaths. Check your hands to see if your index fingers and thumbs are off the mat. If they are you are bearing too much weight on the outer hands. Offset this by spreading your fingers and pushing down through your arms, trying to make a perfect palm print on your mat.
Straighten your elbows and rotate your arms away from your ears until the back of your elbows face your thumbs. Notice the sensations in your arms and shoulders and the broadening of your back.
Then shift your chest toward your legs, feeling your chest open and the armpit area lengthen. Continue to extend your arms and lift your pelvis further up and back, lengthening and unraveling your spine.
Finally release the tension in your neck, letting your head hang naturally between your arms. Stay here for 3-5 breaths and then exhale and bring your knees to the floor, resting in Child’s Pose.
Perform the first version of this pose again but lift your heels up off the floor as far as you can. Engage your quadriceps muscles of your thighs, straighten your knees and raise your pelvis to the sky. Your body should resemble a capital “A” and your pelvis should shift forward.
Roll your sitting bones up towards the sky. This should lift your heels further off the floor as the pelvis rotates. Firm your thighs and lift them up towards your hips. Draw your thighbones up into your pelvis and roll your sitting bones even higher. This will form a taller, more angled “A” shape. Use the force of your thighs to lift your legs and keep them straight and do not jam your knees back. Feel how your pelvic lift is supported by the strength of your legs.
Once again press the tops of your thighs back behind you. Do not press the knees. The pelvis should move away from your hands which will take some pressure off your arms. Stay in this position for 3-5 breaths.
The challenge of performing a classic Downward Dog is to keep your lower back from rounding when you fully extend your torso and the backs of the legs. Further practice with the two versions above will serve you well, especially if you find your lower back bulges towards the ceiling or your shoulders hunch forward. Move through versions one and two to come into the full pose.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
Although the pose appears quite simple, it is actually very complex. Its benefits are also numerous. It demands a balanced effort from the arms, legs and torso and stretches and strengthens the whole body.
Downward Dog is used as a home base in many flow classes to neutralize the spine and bring it back to its natural alignment. Since it involves inversion it’s useful for beginners to experience the sensation of being upside down.
The following two versions will help you to rediscover, refine and “refeel” Downward Dog, even if you have done it countless times. This pose can uncover tightness in areas you never even knew existed. Your elbows may be weak, your lower back may round, but with time and practice the pose will provide wonderful sensations through your body, making you feel long and lithe.
The first version of the pose removes the hamstrings from the equation by bending the knees. This allows you to fully extend through your torso, giving your spine, shoulders and arms a long, full stretch.
Start by lying face down on your mat with your hands by your shoulders on the floor. Come up on your hands and knees, keeping your hand and feet in place. Your knees should be hip width and your hands should be shoulder width apart.
Your awareness should be brought to your hands and feet as they are the foundation of the pose. Spread your fingers wide and press them firmly into the mat dispersing your weight evenly across your hands. Tuck your toes under so your heels come off the floor. Lift your knees off the mat while moving your pelvis up and back and keep your knees bent. Picture yourself pushing the mat down and away from your pelvis.
Start refining the pose during the next few breaths. Check your hands to see if your index fingers and thumbs are off the mat. If they are you are bearing too much weight on the outer hands. Offset this by spreading your fingers and pushing down through your arms, trying to make a perfect palm print on your mat.
Straighten your elbows and rotate your arms away from your ears until the back of your elbows face your thumbs. Notice the sensations in your arms and shoulders and the broadening of your back.
Then shift your chest toward your legs, feeling your chest open and the armpit area lengthen. Continue to extend your arms and lift your pelvis further up and back, lengthening and unraveling your spine.
Finally release the tension in your neck, letting your head hang naturally between your arms. Stay here for 3-5 breaths and then exhale and bring your knees to the floor, resting in Child’s Pose.
Perform the first version of this pose again but lift your heels up off the floor as far as you can. Engage your quadriceps muscles of your thighs, straighten your knees and raise your pelvis to the sky. Your body should resemble a capital “A” and your pelvis should shift forward.
Roll your sitting bones up towards the sky. This should lift your heels further off the floor as the pelvis rotates. Firm your thighs and lift them up towards your hips. Draw your thighbones up into your pelvis and roll your sitting bones even higher. This will form a taller, more angled “A” shape. Use the force of your thighs to lift your legs and keep them straight and do not jam your knees back. Feel how your pelvic lift is supported by the strength of your legs.
Once again press the tops of your thighs back behind you. Do not press the knees. The pelvis should move away from your hands which will take some pressure off your arms. Stay in this position for 3-5 breaths.
The challenge of performing a classic Downward Dog is to keep your lower back from rounding when you fully extend your torso and the backs of the legs. Further practice with the two versions above will serve you well, especially if you find your lower back bulges towards the ceiling or your shoulders hunch forward. Move through versions one and two to come into the full pose.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
Yoga Mats For Comfort And Usability
Yoga mats are very important in our every day practice. In fact, there are several types of yoga mats that are available in the market. You can choose from a variety of yoga mats that will depend on the type of yoga you want.
If you want a mat that is perfect to cover your practice area and provide steadiness when practicing the poses, Sticky Mats is just right for you. These yoga mats are thinly made and also comes in a variety of colors. It has a light feature that makes it easy for you to carry during a class.
The good thing about these yoga mats is that it has a guide which is indicated by marks that shows you where to place your feet and hand. If you are a beginner, of course you are not yet oriented and used to the hand and foot placements. These yoga mats are just perfect in mastering those poses. These mats are extensively helpful in preventing you to slip off and sliding.
However, there is a style on how to keep the mat sticky. The technique is to sprinkle a small amount of water on the mat and let it air dry. Using sticky mats is appropriate and applicable to all types of yoga.
There are also those ultra thick sticky mats which are known as the Ultra Double Thickness Mats. These yoga mats provide cushioning and stability which is very useful in applying to some certain poses. These ultra thick yoga mats are perfect for Ashtanga practitioners because they have the tendency to move or jump from one pose to another.
Most people love using the ultra thick yoga mats because it provides the most convenient cushioning that no other mats can give. Practitioners use these mats in their classes.
Travel Mats, as the name implies is perfect for traveling. If you are the travel-type person and couldn?t get away with your daily dosage of yoga exercise, this would be the perfect choice. Travel mats can be thrown in your luggage or suitcase when you are on a trip or on a vacation.
Travel mats are exclusively made because it should be handy. Its thin property is perfect to bring anywhere. You can just fold it and shoot it in your bag and you?re on the go.
If you are practicing Ashtanga or Bikram Yoga, Cotton Mats are perfect for you. Cotton Mats are made for absorbing your sweat. These cotton mats will help you to stay in shape and not slip off. If your mat is not absorbent, then it is quite dangerous because wet surface can be very slippery. The damp mat is good for gripping so that your feet and hands stay just where you place them.
The Yoga Mat Bag is a part of your daily yoga activity. It is perfect for carrying your yoga mats to work, class or anywhere you want to go. You don?t have to miss as session of your yoga practice especially if it?s something you can?t live without.
The yoga mat bag has enough space for your extra shirts, water bottle and other accessories. With your Yoga Mat Bag, you are sure that you don?t leave any.
Now that the different mats are introduced, it?s all up to you to choose the best yoga mats that is ideal for the type of yoga you wish to practice.
Learn all you need to know about Yoga - http://www.yogaadvice.info
If you want a mat that is perfect to cover your practice area and provide steadiness when practicing the poses, Sticky Mats is just right for you. These yoga mats are thinly made and also comes in a variety of colors. It has a light feature that makes it easy for you to carry during a class.
The good thing about these yoga mats is that it has a guide which is indicated by marks that shows you where to place your feet and hand. If you are a beginner, of course you are not yet oriented and used to the hand and foot placements. These yoga mats are just perfect in mastering those poses. These mats are extensively helpful in preventing you to slip off and sliding.
However, there is a style on how to keep the mat sticky. The technique is to sprinkle a small amount of water on the mat and let it air dry. Using sticky mats is appropriate and applicable to all types of yoga.
There are also those ultra thick sticky mats which are known as the Ultra Double Thickness Mats. These yoga mats provide cushioning and stability which is very useful in applying to some certain poses. These ultra thick yoga mats are perfect for Ashtanga practitioners because they have the tendency to move or jump from one pose to another.
Most people love using the ultra thick yoga mats because it provides the most convenient cushioning that no other mats can give. Practitioners use these mats in their classes.
Travel Mats, as the name implies is perfect for traveling. If you are the travel-type person and couldn?t get away with your daily dosage of yoga exercise, this would be the perfect choice. Travel mats can be thrown in your luggage or suitcase when you are on a trip or on a vacation.
Travel mats are exclusively made because it should be handy. Its thin property is perfect to bring anywhere. You can just fold it and shoot it in your bag and you?re on the go.
If you are practicing Ashtanga or Bikram Yoga, Cotton Mats are perfect for you. Cotton Mats are made for absorbing your sweat. These cotton mats will help you to stay in shape and not slip off. If your mat is not absorbent, then it is quite dangerous because wet surface can be very slippery. The damp mat is good for gripping so that your feet and hands stay just where you place them.
The Yoga Mat Bag is a part of your daily yoga activity. It is perfect for carrying your yoga mats to work, class or anywhere you want to go. You don?t have to miss as session of your yoga practice especially if it?s something you can?t live without.
The yoga mat bag has enough space for your extra shirts, water bottle and other accessories. With your Yoga Mat Bag, you are sure that you don?t leave any.
Now that the different mats are introduced, it?s all up to you to choose the best yoga mats that is ideal for the type of yoga you wish to practice.
Learn all you need to know about Yoga - http://www.yogaadvice.info
Book Review: Yoga For Regular Guys
Like most men, I was skeptical of even the though of trying out yoga, thinking it was something that would be most likely painful, and a little out of the testoserone element. Also like most men, I experience back pain from time to time, in my case thanks to protruding L4 and and L5 discs stemming from a car accident years ago. As time goes on, and your family pulls you home, getting to the gym can be hard. Home equipment isn’t necessarily practical or cost effective, so what can a man do?
Former professional wrestler Diamond Dallas Page is the man behind the concept. Wrestling fans may remember the performer as a former champion in the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling, and who later wrestled in World Wrestling Entertainment, in addition to writing his biography and branching out into acting. He is a man who started wrestling later in life at age 35, so Page was always looking for help to keep himself in the best physical condition compared to his younger colleagues. A couple of years ago, his wife suggested yoga to help him deal with the harsh pain of Page’s profession.
Now that Page is retired, he has devoted his full time to developing this concept, starting with the book, which is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers. The book is easy to follow, with 20, 30 and 40 minute routines. The text will tell you how to breathe (and it is important) and the pictures are numbered for the correct sequence. Page has put in people with all kinds of bodies, young and old, but also some eye candy for the men. Yoga For Regular Guys has a forward from Rob Zombie, and some chapters devoted to nutrition and holistic health with massage therapy an chiropractic care. After running through the 20 minute program, I can say I was sweating like a stuck pig at a luau, which was surprising. Normally for that kind of sweat I would have to hit an elliptical machine or treadmill for an hour.
After viewing Page’s website, Diamond Dallas Page.com, my main critical point is that I think he could expand on the case studies that are listed on his site. People who have tried the program have listed why they have turned to yoga, and have listed their success with how many pounds they have lost, inches lost, and other body measurements like blood pressure and body fat, complete with photographs on the website, but not so much in the book. I like to read these stories, and hope that I can count myself among success stories 3 months down the road. The nutritional information is helpful, but I have a hard time seeing most people down carrot juice on a regular basis. Perhaps some nutritional information for people who do not want to hit the extreme end of the nutrition bandwagon?
Overall, this book is excellent, and a good way for people to exercise if they are limited by traditional weight training and aerobics. You feel refreshed and that you have accomplished something at the end of a 20 minute session. Check it out today.
GL Hamilton has a BA in Recreation Management from Eastern Washington University. He publishes the blog Find A Sport http://www.findasport.blogspot.com/ to help people find a recreational activity that they can enjoy for health and fitness. Movement is an overlooked key to a healthy life.
Former professional wrestler Diamond Dallas Page is the man behind the concept. Wrestling fans may remember the performer as a former champion in the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling, and who later wrestled in World Wrestling Entertainment, in addition to writing his biography and branching out into acting. He is a man who started wrestling later in life at age 35, so Page was always looking for help to keep himself in the best physical condition compared to his younger colleagues. A couple of years ago, his wife suggested yoga to help him deal with the harsh pain of Page’s profession.
Now that Page is retired, he has devoted his full time to developing this concept, starting with the book, which is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers. The book is easy to follow, with 20, 30 and 40 minute routines. The text will tell you how to breathe (and it is important) and the pictures are numbered for the correct sequence. Page has put in people with all kinds of bodies, young and old, but also some eye candy for the men. Yoga For Regular Guys has a forward from Rob Zombie, and some chapters devoted to nutrition and holistic health with massage therapy an chiropractic care. After running through the 20 minute program, I can say I was sweating like a stuck pig at a luau, which was surprising. Normally for that kind of sweat I would have to hit an elliptical machine or treadmill for an hour.
After viewing Page’s website, Diamond Dallas Page.com, my main critical point is that I think he could expand on the case studies that are listed on his site. People who have tried the program have listed why they have turned to yoga, and have listed their success with how many pounds they have lost, inches lost, and other body measurements like blood pressure and body fat, complete with photographs on the website, but not so much in the book. I like to read these stories, and hope that I can count myself among success stories 3 months down the road. The nutritional information is helpful, but I have a hard time seeing most people down carrot juice on a regular basis. Perhaps some nutritional information for people who do not want to hit the extreme end of the nutrition bandwagon?
Overall, this book is excellent, and a good way for people to exercise if they are limited by traditional weight training and aerobics. You feel refreshed and that you have accomplished something at the end of a 20 minute session. Check it out today.
GL Hamilton has a BA in Recreation Management from Eastern Washington University. He publishes the blog Find A Sport http://www.findasport.blogspot.com/ to help people find a recreational activity that they can enjoy for health and fitness. Movement is an overlooked key to a healthy life.
Hot Yoga Therapy
Hailed in the US as one of the most popular yoga styles among movie stars, Bikram yoga has now found its way to Thailand. The instructor is Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, a former investment banker who learnt Bikram yoga while working in Hong Kong.
Benjaporn, 31, followed a training course and received certification as a Bikram yoga instructor in New York earlier this year.
Introduced to the Western world for the first time in Los Angeles in 1974 by Bikram Choudhury, this form of yoga immediately differentiated itself from other schools.
Bikram yoga does not require the numerous and complex asanas (postures). A 90-minute session is composed of just 26 simple postures and is carried out in a room heated to about 34 degrees Celsius. Thus, it comes as no surprise to hear that many people have nicknamed Bikram yoga the ?hot yoga”.
“That’s the main way in which Bikram differs from other types of yoga. I personally feel it?s a perfect combination of yoga, a work out and meditation. And that makes it even better! You get to stretch, meditate and sweat a lot. It gets rid of all the pain and aches in your muscles and also clears your mind,” says Benjaporn.
Its inventor drew up new postures and drew upon some basic yoga poses to help strengthen his muscles after a severe childhood injury crippled him. Benjaporn says that all the 26 poses of Bikram yoga are easy yet offer maximum muscle strengthening.
“You won’t find any compromising poses in Bikram yoga. That’s because Bikram himself wanted to create yoga poses that were easy for him at that time, but I assure you that all enable the same maximum muscle build-up, stretching and strengthening effect. And during the 90 minutes of our class, we want to make sure that you can complete all 26 poses without skipping or compromising any particular one to make it easier on yourself. It?s simple and I’m sure everyone will be able to follow it. Here, we encourage you to work at your own pace and stay within your own limits. But we also make sure that you don?t short-change yourself,” says Benjaporn.
Benjaporn recommends Bikram yoga to anyone in good health aged 10 and above. She also stresses that beginners should come to classes regularly ? she suggests three or four times a week ? to see and feel the improvements in their well-being.
“Most people will experience an improvement in the knee and back area. Many also say that they’ve shed some unwanted kilos. During and after class, I encourage my students to drinks a lot of fluids so they won’t dehydrate.”
Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, the Managing Director, founder and owner of Absolute Yoga Bangkok (http://www.absoluteyogabangkok.com) has trained to become the first bikram hot yoga teacher in Bangkok. After the first year, Absolute Yoga Bangkok branched out to offer other traditions of yoga and opened more locations to distinguish ourselves as Bangkok’s dedicated yoga place. Our future plans are to continue to expand both in locations and in what is most beneficial to the practioners of Thailand.
Benjaporn, 31, followed a training course and received certification as a Bikram yoga instructor in New York earlier this year.
Introduced to the Western world for the first time in Los Angeles in 1974 by Bikram Choudhury, this form of yoga immediately differentiated itself from other schools.
Bikram yoga does not require the numerous and complex asanas (postures). A 90-minute session is composed of just 26 simple postures and is carried out in a room heated to about 34 degrees Celsius. Thus, it comes as no surprise to hear that many people have nicknamed Bikram yoga the ?hot yoga”.
“That’s the main way in which Bikram differs from other types of yoga. I personally feel it?s a perfect combination of yoga, a work out and meditation. And that makes it even better! You get to stretch, meditate and sweat a lot. It gets rid of all the pain and aches in your muscles and also clears your mind,” says Benjaporn.
Its inventor drew up new postures and drew upon some basic yoga poses to help strengthen his muscles after a severe childhood injury crippled him. Benjaporn says that all the 26 poses of Bikram yoga are easy yet offer maximum muscle strengthening.
“You won’t find any compromising poses in Bikram yoga. That’s because Bikram himself wanted to create yoga poses that were easy for him at that time, but I assure you that all enable the same maximum muscle build-up, stretching and strengthening effect. And during the 90 minutes of our class, we want to make sure that you can complete all 26 poses without skipping or compromising any particular one to make it easier on yourself. It?s simple and I’m sure everyone will be able to follow it. Here, we encourage you to work at your own pace and stay within your own limits. But we also make sure that you don?t short-change yourself,” says Benjaporn.
Benjaporn recommends Bikram yoga to anyone in good health aged 10 and above. She also stresses that beginners should come to classes regularly ? she suggests three or four times a week ? to see and feel the improvements in their well-being.
“Most people will experience an improvement in the knee and back area. Many also say that they’ve shed some unwanted kilos. During and after class, I encourage my students to drinks a lot of fluids so they won’t dehydrate.”
Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, the Managing Director, founder and owner of Absolute Yoga Bangkok (http://www.absoluteyogabangkok.com) has trained to become the first bikram hot yoga teacher in Bangkok. After the first year, Absolute Yoga Bangkok branched out to offer other traditions of yoga and opened more locations to distinguish ourselves as Bangkok’s dedicated yoga place. Our future plans are to continue to expand both in locations and in what is most beneficial to the practioners of Thailand.
The Different Types Of Yoga
The practice of yoga goes back more than 5,000 years. It came originally from India and spread from there all over Asia and, in the second half of the 20th century, to Europe and the Americas. Yoga is a generic word that encompasses practically all kinds of meditations that aim at a psycho-physical improvement. In the United States and Europe most meditation disciplines are focused around the physical position that is called lotus or asanas. The breathing of the meditating person plays a very important role, because in many yoga schools or disciplines it is used to focus the mind. It may be used as a passive vector by just observing it, or it can be used in the context of breathing exercises, most of which belong to the school of pranayama.
The old English word yoke served as a linguistic bridge and nowadays yoga is associated with union. This connection might be with the absolute or God, in Hinduism called Brahman, or with the inner self. There is passive and active meditation. Passive meditation has a more spiritual aim, the contemplation and comprehension of life itself, whereby active meditation aims at a better physical condition, stress control through understanding of the processes that lead to stress, mental clarity and generally just feeling better.
There are different schools or types of yoga, which are called paths. All of them have in common the search for the path of enlightenment.
Bhakti yoga, for example, has as its aim love and devotion. The practice itself is very ceremonious, with a lot of rituals such lighting incense and chanting mantras. It is closely linked to another person, called the guru, basically a mentor or sponsor. Everybody who practices Bhakti yoga is free to develop a relationship with God as he or she understands him. And it is so attractive because at its center is the inherent desire of all creatures to love and to be loved
A meditation discipline that focuses almost entirely on the physical aspect of yoga is Hatha. The person who practices it has to be physically strong and to be able to spend a lot of time on his or her physical processes. The aim is to clean the nervous system and make the body stronger. So strong, in fact, that a yogi (a person spending many years practicing specific meditation exercises) can reach a state where he doesn’t feel anymore the heat or the cold and is indifferent to pleasure and pain.
The total opposite of this physically oriented yoga practice is Jnana yoga. Here the body is seen more like an impediment for reaching true wisdom and its unclean aspects like puss or feces are emphasized in order to cause disdain for the physical existence. Jnana is about developing wisdom and insight and the realization of the fact that what we experience here on earth is just the transcendent aspect of the eternal.
Last but not least there is Karma yoga, which is about being of service to fellow human beings and God. It is the perfect discipline for those people with a deeply developed sense of community who seek to build the kingdom of heaven here on earth.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
The old English word yoke served as a linguistic bridge and nowadays yoga is associated with union. This connection might be with the absolute or God, in Hinduism called Brahman, or with the inner self. There is passive and active meditation. Passive meditation has a more spiritual aim, the contemplation and comprehension of life itself, whereby active meditation aims at a better physical condition, stress control through understanding of the processes that lead to stress, mental clarity and generally just feeling better.
There are different schools or types of yoga, which are called paths. All of them have in common the search for the path of enlightenment.
Bhakti yoga, for example, has as its aim love and devotion. The practice itself is very ceremonious, with a lot of rituals such lighting incense and chanting mantras. It is closely linked to another person, called the guru, basically a mentor or sponsor. Everybody who practices Bhakti yoga is free to develop a relationship with God as he or she understands him. And it is so attractive because at its center is the inherent desire of all creatures to love and to be loved
A meditation discipline that focuses almost entirely on the physical aspect of yoga is Hatha. The person who practices it has to be physically strong and to be able to spend a lot of time on his or her physical processes. The aim is to clean the nervous system and make the body stronger. So strong, in fact, that a yogi (a person spending many years practicing specific meditation exercises) can reach a state where he doesn’t feel anymore the heat or the cold and is indifferent to pleasure and pain.
The total opposite of this physically oriented yoga practice is Jnana yoga. Here the body is seen more like an impediment for reaching true wisdom and its unclean aspects like puss or feces are emphasized in order to cause disdain for the physical existence. Jnana is about developing wisdom and insight and the realization of the fact that what we experience here on earth is just the transcendent aspect of the eternal.
Last but not least there is Karma yoga, which is about being of service to fellow human beings and God. It is the perfect discipline for those people with a deeply developed sense of community who seek to build the kingdom of heaven here on earth.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
Dancing To The Beat Of Music
Yoga is a form of relaxation and mediation, which can offer many benefits. It increases flexibility. Increases lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons.
Moreover, it massages the organs of the body and serves as a complete detoxifier of body toxins that exist. Furthermore, it helps in toning the muscles, and provides balancing of the nervous system. Not only that, it reduces stress because of the gentle and slow exercises that are done and executed.
So Yoga, as a whole is very advantageous especially to the persons who are so busy and do not have time to relax. This is a very effective form of relieving stress and aside from that, your physical well being is protected and improved.
Its popularity is ever increasing and thus, the need for learning it is high. There are instructional videos that help us to round out our practice in yoga. These videos provides a variety of choices which we could choose from unlike from yoga classes in which some of them gets pretty boring for some of us. There are so many various positions that are taught and performed by Yogis.
Because of its widespread and continuous popularity, millions of people around the world engage in Yoga. There are so many people that have already been blessed with its benefits. There are so many types of Yoga that are exercised by people of different walks of life, ages and lifestyles. This only proves that it is indeed for everybody. One does not need to spend so much money on paying a tutor or simply joining a Yoga class.
There are more convenient ways to learn and practice them. You can do it in your own homes, if you have a video player you can buy various Yoga Videos that are available. Moreover, there are books that serve as beginners guide or seniors guide. It suits your needs whether you are a newbie to Yoga or if it has influenced you a lot that you would not want it to end just that way.
Yoga involves both the breathing control mechanism and the physical exercises that can be done to improve one?s vitality, flexibility and strength. Since it is a form of exercise, it is usually accompanied with sound or music. Yoga music helps you set yourself in the mood to start the exercise.
With the different kinds of music, it will surely set your condition. There are various types of Yoga music like active, serene, kirtan, and mellow. Usually, it is the sounds of nature like wind chimes, chirping birds, wilderness and many others. While some are chants and Yoga music that was used back then. Yoga music brings together a mix and variety of world beat and sounds. Some are danceable and some sacred music are included.
This lets you move from the beginning to end. As a result, this enhances the flow of Yoga and your life. This is like a unifying pulse that is brought together to attain a certain atmosphere of indulgence, like the current of a river or the sound of nature when it is in bloom.
These are invigorating sounds that delight the senses and improve the movement of the body in accordance with the sound or music. Yoga music also serves as a light or inspiration for it brings back memories or thoughts.
About The Author
Mark Wilkins is the owner of http://www.bestyoga.info The Yoga Information Site.
Come visit us and get all the best yoga info you are looking for.
Moreover, it massages the organs of the body and serves as a complete detoxifier of body toxins that exist. Furthermore, it helps in toning the muscles, and provides balancing of the nervous system. Not only that, it reduces stress because of the gentle and slow exercises that are done and executed.
So Yoga, as a whole is very advantageous especially to the persons who are so busy and do not have time to relax. This is a very effective form of relieving stress and aside from that, your physical well being is protected and improved.
Its popularity is ever increasing and thus, the need for learning it is high. There are instructional videos that help us to round out our practice in yoga. These videos provides a variety of choices which we could choose from unlike from yoga classes in which some of them gets pretty boring for some of us. There are so many various positions that are taught and performed by Yogis.
Because of its widespread and continuous popularity, millions of people around the world engage in Yoga. There are so many people that have already been blessed with its benefits. There are so many types of Yoga that are exercised by people of different walks of life, ages and lifestyles. This only proves that it is indeed for everybody. One does not need to spend so much money on paying a tutor or simply joining a Yoga class.
There are more convenient ways to learn and practice them. You can do it in your own homes, if you have a video player you can buy various Yoga Videos that are available. Moreover, there are books that serve as beginners guide or seniors guide. It suits your needs whether you are a newbie to Yoga or if it has influenced you a lot that you would not want it to end just that way.
Yoga involves both the breathing control mechanism and the physical exercises that can be done to improve one?s vitality, flexibility and strength. Since it is a form of exercise, it is usually accompanied with sound or music. Yoga music helps you set yourself in the mood to start the exercise.
With the different kinds of music, it will surely set your condition. There are various types of Yoga music like active, serene, kirtan, and mellow. Usually, it is the sounds of nature like wind chimes, chirping birds, wilderness and many others. While some are chants and Yoga music that was used back then. Yoga music brings together a mix and variety of world beat and sounds. Some are danceable and some sacred music are included.
This lets you move from the beginning to end. As a result, this enhances the flow of Yoga and your life. This is like a unifying pulse that is brought together to attain a certain atmosphere of indulgence, like the current of a river or the sound of nature when it is in bloom.
These are invigorating sounds that delight the senses and improve the movement of the body in accordance with the sound or music. Yoga music also serves as a light or inspiration for it brings back memories or thoughts.
About The Author
Mark Wilkins is the owner of http://www.bestyoga.info The Yoga Information Site.
Come visit us and get all the best yoga info you are looking for.
Karma Yoga - Part 2 For Life & Spirtual Liberation
There is a story in the Ramayana, one of the great kings, Janaka, who besides being a Rishi, was also a perfect Karma Yogi. The Ramayana is one of the sacred epics of Hindu tradition and religion.
This is a story of spiritual liberation for everyone.
A Rishi is a wise and scholarly saint, who has attained all possible knowledge in a certain area. King Janaka had attained this (and more) as a perfect Karma Yogi was said to have also attained Moska, or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
What is Karma Yoga?
Karma Yoga, or the “discipline of action” is based on the teachings of the Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita, the holiest of Hindu scriptures. As one of the four pillars of yoga, Karma yoga requires the adherence to one?s duty (swadarma) while remaining detached from the reward. Simply, It is the yoga of performance of ?right action?.
What is right action?
Right action is compliance with your Swadharma (personal right duty-action). Thus each thing you do, is harmony with the Creator, Creation and your purpose for life. We all know what we should be doing. It ?feels? correct.
More specifically, and your life?s work done must be without expectations, motives, or anticipation of its outcome. Doing so, it purifies one’s mind and enables an individual to comprehend the wisdom is so doing.
Why does Karma Yoga help? What can it do for you?
Karma Yoga, practiced in daily life enables an individual worthy, through action, meditation and devotion to develop the power of reasoning, develop their intuitive power to acquiring knowledge and finally to transcend the mind itself.
What do I do next?
You practice daily the 3 Ds?Devotion, Duty and Discipline. This is the secret of performing Karma Yoga.
Devotion
Is gained through, if nothing else, understanding the magnitude and greatness of the Creator?s work. This is the first step to becoming a Karma Yogi, and you cannot proceed without it. It never fails, even just to glance at the heavens, and let one?s mind wander, you will become devoted. The more you reflect on creation, the more you are drawn to the creator.
Duty (swadharma).
Often “duty” is referred to as “righteousness”. You will incur demerit if you shun your duty. In Karma Yoga, the whole thing is about achieving merit, Your duty is towards God, or Self, or the Inner Teacher who teaches you through all the specific circumstances of your life as they appear. Karma Yoga teaches that God is the doer, not you
Discipline. Each work you do, each task is a sort of teacher or lesson. You know you can learn different skills by doing different jobs.
You also know that each job has different requirements in terms of time, degrees of concentration, skills or experience, emotional input and output, physical energy, and will.
A Karma Yogi will do whatever job or task well, and in full compliance according to your Swadharma.
The message of Karma Yoga is this:
When you do any action that is in harmony with the Creator and Creation, you are never egotistically motivated.
You also no longer maintain compulsive desires relative to the future. With this eradication of compulsive desire, you are able to live in the ever-present, with the understanding that present actions influence the future, so you live without being bound to the future.
It is a basic spiritual law that all desires carries within themself the motive force for their fulfillment.
That is, if an experience is possible to have in this natural world, and we desire it, we are subconsciously pushed toward it or attract it to ourselves.
Spiritual liberation
The adherence then, to correct action, through Karma Yoga can lead then to our ultimate spiritual liberation.
More FREE Information
On karma yoga and other alternative health and spiritual matters, go to our website for free articles, downloads and magazines:
http://www.net-planet.org
This is a story of spiritual liberation for everyone.
A Rishi is a wise and scholarly saint, who has attained all possible knowledge in a certain area. King Janaka had attained this (and more) as a perfect Karma Yogi was said to have also attained Moska, or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
What is Karma Yoga?
Karma Yoga, or the “discipline of action” is based on the teachings of the Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita, the holiest of Hindu scriptures. As one of the four pillars of yoga, Karma yoga requires the adherence to one?s duty (swadarma) while remaining detached from the reward. Simply, It is the yoga of performance of ?right action?.
What is right action?
Right action is compliance with your Swadharma (personal right duty-action). Thus each thing you do, is harmony with the Creator, Creation and your purpose for life. We all know what we should be doing. It ?feels? correct.
More specifically, and your life?s work done must be without expectations, motives, or anticipation of its outcome. Doing so, it purifies one’s mind and enables an individual to comprehend the wisdom is so doing.
Why does Karma Yoga help? What can it do for you?
Karma Yoga, practiced in daily life enables an individual worthy, through action, meditation and devotion to develop the power of reasoning, develop their intuitive power to acquiring knowledge and finally to transcend the mind itself.
What do I do next?
You practice daily the 3 Ds?Devotion, Duty and Discipline. This is the secret of performing Karma Yoga.
Devotion
Is gained through, if nothing else, understanding the magnitude and greatness of the Creator?s work. This is the first step to becoming a Karma Yogi, and you cannot proceed without it. It never fails, even just to glance at the heavens, and let one?s mind wander, you will become devoted. The more you reflect on creation, the more you are drawn to the creator.
Duty (swadharma).
Often “duty” is referred to as “righteousness”. You will incur demerit if you shun your duty. In Karma Yoga, the whole thing is about achieving merit, Your duty is towards God, or Self, or the Inner Teacher who teaches you through all the specific circumstances of your life as they appear. Karma Yoga teaches that God is the doer, not you
Discipline. Each work you do, each task is a sort of teacher or lesson. You know you can learn different skills by doing different jobs.
You also know that each job has different requirements in terms of time, degrees of concentration, skills or experience, emotional input and output, physical energy, and will.
A Karma Yogi will do whatever job or task well, and in full compliance according to your Swadharma.
The message of Karma Yoga is this:
When you do any action that is in harmony with the Creator and Creation, you are never egotistically motivated.
You also no longer maintain compulsive desires relative to the future. With this eradication of compulsive desire, you are able to live in the ever-present, with the understanding that present actions influence the future, so you live without being bound to the future.
It is a basic spiritual law that all desires carries within themself the motive force for their fulfillment.
That is, if an experience is possible to have in this natural world, and we desire it, we are subconsciously pushed toward it or attract it to ourselves.
Spiritual liberation
The adherence then, to correct action, through Karma Yoga can lead then to our ultimate spiritual liberation.
More FREE Information
On karma yoga and other alternative health and spiritual matters, go to our website for free articles, downloads and magazines:
http://www.net-planet.org
Yoga for Pain
Is Yoga really a cure for pain? What kind of Yoga teacher should you visit for pain management? What style of Yoga would be best, if you are constantly feeling pain? In which cases would Yoga not be advisable for students in severe pain? Let?s look at some pain management solutions that Yoga has to offer.
Is Yoga really a cure for pain? Many Yoga students swear by the results they have received from regularly attending Yoga classes, two or three times per week. In truth, Yoga has its limits ? just like any diet. Can you imagine if you were going to diet wisely once a week? You can imagine the results.
Therefore, the real dilemma, with Yoga practice, is getting a student to practice on a regular basis. Also, Yoga, much like any prescription drug, cannot promise to be a ?cure-all? for every ailment. Yoga can promise to be a diversion from pain and help students to manage it better, with no adverse side effects.
The lifestyle changes that occur after regularly practicing Yoga, will cause Yoga students to evaluate everything they do, and everything they eat. Yoga is not just another exercise program or some fad that just came along within the least decade. According to some archaeological findings, Yoga has been in existence for over 5000 years. Show me an exercise fad with those credentials!
What kind of Yoga teacher should you visit for pain management? The Yoga teacher you select, for pain management, should be knowledgeable in the use of props. The prospective Yoga teacher should understand that each posture can be modified for the needs of the specific student. In other words, if you detect a ?it?s my way or the highway? attitude, get as far away from that Yoga teacher as you can.
The most important component in a Yoga teacher?s personality, who helps students with ailments, is compassion. If you don?t see, feel, or hear any compassion, this is the wrong match for your needs. Yoga can be customized for the specific needs of students. The Yoga teacher, who has not yet felt any pain, is going to have less empathy for students who are in pain. So, an ?elite? Yoga teacher, who can perform every asana imaginable, and has the body of a competing Olympic gymnast, may not exactly understand your pain.
What style of Yoga would be best, if you are constantly feeling pain? There are a number of styles to consider that can be easily customized for your specific needs. Here are a few to consider: Restorative Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Yoga Therapy, and Tri-Yoga. Please keep in mind that these styles will vary according to the Yoga teacher?s interpretation of the style?s principles.
In which cases would Yoga not be advisable for students in severe pain? Sometimes, physicians do not recommend Yoga in cases of severe pain, such as in the case of extremely severe arthritis. The reasoning is that any movement will cause a great deal of pain in the joints. If your physician tells you not to practice a gentle form of Yoga, you should at least ask why. If you are not satisfied with the answer, you should seek a second opinion.
If you are feeling pain, and want to take positive action, you should consult your physician, and if agreed by your physician, explore your options with a local Yoga teacher, who teaches a gentle style and has a history of helping Yoga students with ailments.
? 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
Is Yoga really a cure for pain? Many Yoga students swear by the results they have received from regularly attending Yoga classes, two or three times per week. In truth, Yoga has its limits ? just like any diet. Can you imagine if you were going to diet wisely once a week? You can imagine the results.
Therefore, the real dilemma, with Yoga practice, is getting a student to practice on a regular basis. Also, Yoga, much like any prescription drug, cannot promise to be a ?cure-all? for every ailment. Yoga can promise to be a diversion from pain and help students to manage it better, with no adverse side effects.
The lifestyle changes that occur after regularly practicing Yoga, will cause Yoga students to evaluate everything they do, and everything they eat. Yoga is not just another exercise program or some fad that just came along within the least decade. According to some archaeological findings, Yoga has been in existence for over 5000 years. Show me an exercise fad with those credentials!
What kind of Yoga teacher should you visit for pain management? The Yoga teacher you select, for pain management, should be knowledgeable in the use of props. The prospective Yoga teacher should understand that each posture can be modified for the needs of the specific student. In other words, if you detect a ?it?s my way or the highway? attitude, get as far away from that Yoga teacher as you can.
The most important component in a Yoga teacher?s personality, who helps students with ailments, is compassion. If you don?t see, feel, or hear any compassion, this is the wrong match for your needs. Yoga can be customized for the specific needs of students. The Yoga teacher, who has not yet felt any pain, is going to have less empathy for students who are in pain. So, an ?elite? Yoga teacher, who can perform every asana imaginable, and has the body of a competing Olympic gymnast, may not exactly understand your pain.
What style of Yoga would be best, if you are constantly feeling pain? There are a number of styles to consider that can be easily customized for your specific needs. Here are a few to consider: Restorative Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Yoga Therapy, and Tri-Yoga. Please keep in mind that these styles will vary according to the Yoga teacher?s interpretation of the style?s principles.
In which cases would Yoga not be advisable for students in severe pain? Sometimes, physicians do not recommend Yoga in cases of severe pain, such as in the case of extremely severe arthritis. The reasoning is that any movement will cause a great deal of pain in the joints. If your physician tells you not to practice a gentle form of Yoga, you should at least ask why. If you are not satisfied with the answer, you should seek a second opinion.
If you are feeling pain, and want to take positive action, you should consult your physician, and if agreed by your physician, explore your options with a local Yoga teacher, who teaches a gentle style and has a history of helping Yoga students with ailments.
? 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
Got Only 15 Minutes To Exercise? Then Try This From Yoga
We live in a sound-byte age where our daily demands leave us with little time for exercise, at least in the mornings when it may perhaps be most efficient.
However, Yoga offers a systematic combination of poses, deep breathing and meditation that you could practice in 5-10 minutes-or less depending on your choice-and will also leave you invigorated and eager to step into the day feeling more energized.
So what is this quick routine I am talking about? It is known as the Sun Salutations.
They are very simple to learn and just about anyone, regardless of their fitness or flexibility levels can learn these simple exercises. In actuality, if you are familiar with ?burpies? (the calisthenics exercise), they do derive their origin from them.
Besides being an exercise routine, they are quite indispensable as they do the following.
-They alleviate disorders of the skin and waist.
-They mildly exercise the legs and arms at the same time increasing the circulation and restoring flexibility to the limbs.
-They are one of the best ways to burn calories and reduce weight and are often recommended for obesity and depression.
-They are an effective way of loosening up, stretching and massaging all joints and internal organs of the body.
-They stimulate and balance all the systems of the body including the endocrine, circulatory, reproductive and digestive system.
For directions on how to perform them, study, memorize and practice the following:
1. Stand straight with the palms together as in a prayer position.
2. Inhale and stretch the arms above the head.
3. Exhale and bend forward while touching the toes.
4. Inhale and stretch the right leg away from the body in a big backward step and keep the hands and left foot firmly on the ground. Bending the head backward the left knee should be between the hands.
5. Inhale and hold the breath. Move the left leg from the body and, keeping both feet together and the knees of the floor, rest on the hands (arms straight) and keep the body in a straight line from head to foot.
6. Exhale and lower the body to the floor. In this position, only 8 portions of the body come in contact with the floor: the two feet, two knees, two hands, chest and forehead.
7. Inhale and bend back as much as possible bending the spine to the maximum.
8. Exhale and lift the body of the floor. Keep the feet and heels on the floor.
9. Inhale and bring the right foot along the level of the hands; left foot and knee should touch the ground. Look up, bending the spine slightly (same position as #4)
10. Exhale and bring the left leg forward. Keep the knees straight and bring the head down to the knees as in the third position.
11. Raise the arms overhead and bend backward inhaling. As in Position 2.
12. Exhale and drop the arms and relax.
You have now completed one round.
Perform as many rounds as possible in multiples of 3. Ideally you want to aim for 6 rounds minimum and up to a maximum of 30. It only takes about 5-10 minutes, depending on your speed and intensity and is best practiced with as little clothing as possible before an open air window first thing in the morning.
So when you?ve got little time to spare but need to be energized the way perhaps only physical exercise can, why not try the Sun Salutations. Your body will be glad you did and so will your mind.
Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com For more Yoga tips and information on Yoga for beginners, stop by his website today.
However, Yoga offers a systematic combination of poses, deep breathing and meditation that you could practice in 5-10 minutes-or less depending on your choice-and will also leave you invigorated and eager to step into the day feeling more energized.
So what is this quick routine I am talking about? It is known as the Sun Salutations.
They are very simple to learn and just about anyone, regardless of their fitness or flexibility levels can learn these simple exercises. In actuality, if you are familiar with ?burpies? (the calisthenics exercise), they do derive their origin from them.
Besides being an exercise routine, they are quite indispensable as they do the following.
-They alleviate disorders of the skin and waist.
-They mildly exercise the legs and arms at the same time increasing the circulation and restoring flexibility to the limbs.
-They are one of the best ways to burn calories and reduce weight and are often recommended for obesity and depression.
-They are an effective way of loosening up, stretching and massaging all joints and internal organs of the body.
-They stimulate and balance all the systems of the body including the endocrine, circulatory, reproductive and digestive system.
For directions on how to perform them, study, memorize and practice the following:
1. Stand straight with the palms together as in a prayer position.
2. Inhale and stretch the arms above the head.
3. Exhale and bend forward while touching the toes.
4. Inhale and stretch the right leg away from the body in a big backward step and keep the hands and left foot firmly on the ground. Bending the head backward the left knee should be between the hands.
5. Inhale and hold the breath. Move the left leg from the body and, keeping both feet together and the knees of the floor, rest on the hands (arms straight) and keep the body in a straight line from head to foot.
6. Exhale and lower the body to the floor. In this position, only 8 portions of the body come in contact with the floor: the two feet, two knees, two hands, chest and forehead.
7. Inhale and bend back as much as possible bending the spine to the maximum.
8. Exhale and lift the body of the floor. Keep the feet and heels on the floor.
9. Inhale and bring the right foot along the level of the hands; left foot and knee should touch the ground. Look up, bending the spine slightly (same position as #4)
10. Exhale and bring the left leg forward. Keep the knees straight and bring the head down to the knees as in the third position.
11. Raise the arms overhead and bend backward inhaling. As in Position 2.
12. Exhale and drop the arms and relax.
You have now completed one round.
Perform as many rounds as possible in multiples of 3. Ideally you want to aim for 6 rounds minimum and up to a maximum of 30. It only takes about 5-10 minutes, depending on your speed and intensity and is best practiced with as little clothing as possible before an open air window first thing in the morning.
So when you?ve got little time to spare but need to be energized the way perhaps only physical exercise can, why not try the Sun Salutations. Your body will be glad you did and so will your mind.
Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com For more Yoga tips and information on Yoga for beginners, stop by his website today.
Three Reasons You Should Not do Cobra
The Cobra Pose ? (Bhujangasana)
?The Cobra pose destroys all diseases and increases body heat?.
In a Sanskrit language Bhujanga means a cobra hence the name, mostly used in the West. In the Bhujangasana the body is facing downward while the upper body is curling up and back resembling a snake with its head raised ready to strike. This pose is mostly practiced as the first in the series of backward bending asanas followed by Locust and Bow postures.
Before attempting this powerful movement of the Cobra pose the warm up of the muscles of the back is strongly recommended. During holding the pose the legs do not remain passive; they are extended down from the hips. While you start lifting your upper body from the floor be aware of the point where you have extended as far as you can without straining your back. Keep your elbows slightly bent and do not push it up over your zone limit. The best way to check if you are not too high is to take your hands off the floor for a moment so that the height you find will be comfortable and safe.
During Bhujangasana the spine receives a powerful backward stretch which increases flexibility of the spine, strengthens the spine and rejuvenates the spinal nerves. Each vertebra of the spine is given a rich supply of the blood. This posture is excellent tonic for women as it tones the ovaries and uterus and it helps to alleviate the menstrual problems. By regular practice of the Cobra pose the backache can be removed.
Three important reasons not to do the Cobra pose:
1) This asana should not be attempted by pregnant women at all cost.
2) A person suffering from Hernia should not practice this pose.
3) If you have injured your back please, avoid this posture.
Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.
Mr. Subodh Gupta, consultant with The Times of India group and has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.
For reaching to Subodh Gupta website http://www.subodhgupta.com/ and for Subodh Gupta article webpage http://www.subodhgupta.com/yogaarticle.html
?The Cobra pose destroys all diseases and increases body heat?.
In a Sanskrit language Bhujanga means a cobra hence the name, mostly used in the West. In the Bhujangasana the body is facing downward while the upper body is curling up and back resembling a snake with its head raised ready to strike. This pose is mostly practiced as the first in the series of backward bending asanas followed by Locust and Bow postures.
Before attempting this powerful movement of the Cobra pose the warm up of the muscles of the back is strongly recommended. During holding the pose the legs do not remain passive; they are extended down from the hips. While you start lifting your upper body from the floor be aware of the point where you have extended as far as you can without straining your back. Keep your elbows slightly bent and do not push it up over your zone limit. The best way to check if you are not too high is to take your hands off the floor for a moment so that the height you find will be comfortable and safe.
During Bhujangasana the spine receives a powerful backward stretch which increases flexibility of the spine, strengthens the spine and rejuvenates the spinal nerves. Each vertebra of the spine is given a rich supply of the blood. This posture is excellent tonic for women as it tones the ovaries and uterus and it helps to alleviate the menstrual problems. By regular practice of the Cobra pose the backache can be removed.
Three important reasons not to do the Cobra pose:
1) This asana should not be attempted by pregnant women at all cost.
2) A person suffering from Hernia should not practice this pose.
3) If you have injured your back please, avoid this posture.
Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.
Mr. Subodh Gupta, consultant with The Times of India group and has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.
For reaching to Subodh Gupta website http://www.subodhgupta.com/ and for Subodh Gupta article webpage http://www.subodhgupta.com/yogaarticle.html
Teaching Hatha Yoga: Religion and Western Culture
When you teach Hatha Yoga, you are asked many questions. Although public awareness of Yoga, and its teachings, has increased, many people are just discovering some of the benefits within the many styles of Yoga. Therefore, you have to be prepared for the unexpected questions that arise about the mysteries of Yoga.
Once in a while, the question of religion does come up. Many times, Yoga teachers are asked if they are a Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist. To the public?s amazement, many Yoga teachers come from all of the major religions in the world. There is no single religion that all Yoga teachers participate in.
How can this be? Some Gurus preach that Yoga should be founded within a particular religion. Some Yoga teachers read the Rig Veda, Bhagavad Gita, and speak Sanskrit words, so they must be covertly teaching Hinduism, or some other religion, right? Wrong - some Yoga teachers do teach religion in their classes, and some do not.
If your Yoga teacher has the Vedas, Torah, New Testament, Holy Quran, and the Gnostic Gospels, in his or her library, what does that mean? It means that your Yoga teacher likes to read, study, and does not have a closed mind. That is all it means, unless your Yoga teacher preaches religion as part of his or her practice.
If a Yoga teacher does preach religion within Yoga classes, this should be easy enough to see and hear. In Yoga studios that reside in the Americas and Europe, this may not be what most Hatha Yoga students are seeking. Each student has the right to leave, but the public should be made aware that a Yoga studio is conducting religious classes.
Many of these potential Yoga students are not seeking religious conversion, religious instruction, and live in a culture with a strict separation of religion from government. This means that religion in the West is often compartmentalized.
For example: If a concerned doctor recommends Yoga to a patient with back problems - the patient is not being referred to a Yoga studio for religious instruction.
Therefore, if you teach a form of religious Yoga in the West, be honest about it. Most students, from western cultures, are in Hatha Yoga classes for the physical and mental aspects.
If you want to teach Yoga as spiritual health, get the proper training first, and give the public ?fair warning.? Teaching good virtues is one thing, but teaching religion to your Yoga students is quite another. This is the ?line in the sand? that some Yoga teachers should never forget.
The answers to spiritual enlightenment are within all religions, but it is up to Yoga students to pursue their own religion and find the answers to their spiritual health. There is no single ?man made path? to spiritual health, enlightenment, or union. This is a myth that, as a species, we never seem to learn.
Throughout our history, Holy wars are always justified by both sides. Of course, the other side is always less human, less understanding, evil, and ignorant of the true path. ?The world would be a better pace without the unbelievers;? is always a good battle cry.
Religion is too volatile a subject to discuss within a multi-cultural Hatha Yoga class. Therefore, if you are going to mix any religion with Yoga practice, it should be taught within a sectarian atmosphere.
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. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Once in a while, the question of religion does come up. Many times, Yoga teachers are asked if they are a Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist. To the public?s amazement, many Yoga teachers come from all of the major religions in the world. There is no single religion that all Yoga teachers participate in.
How can this be? Some Gurus preach that Yoga should be founded within a particular religion. Some Yoga teachers read the Rig Veda, Bhagavad Gita, and speak Sanskrit words, so they must be covertly teaching Hinduism, or some other religion, right? Wrong - some Yoga teachers do teach religion in their classes, and some do not.
If your Yoga teacher has the Vedas, Torah, New Testament, Holy Quran, and the Gnostic Gospels, in his or her library, what does that mean? It means that your Yoga teacher likes to read, study, and does not have a closed mind. That is all it means, unless your Yoga teacher preaches religion as part of his or her practice.
If a Yoga teacher does preach religion within Yoga classes, this should be easy enough to see and hear. In Yoga studios that reside in the Americas and Europe, this may not be what most Hatha Yoga students are seeking. Each student has the right to leave, but the public should be made aware that a Yoga studio is conducting religious classes.
Many of these potential Yoga students are not seeking religious conversion, religious instruction, and live in a culture with a strict separation of religion from government. This means that religion in the West is often compartmentalized.
For example: If a concerned doctor recommends Yoga to a patient with back problems - the patient is not being referred to a Yoga studio for religious instruction.
Therefore, if you teach a form of religious Yoga in the West, be honest about it. Most students, from western cultures, are in Hatha Yoga classes for the physical and mental aspects.
If you want to teach Yoga as spiritual health, get the proper training first, and give the public ?fair warning.? Teaching good virtues is one thing, but teaching religion to your Yoga students is quite another. This is the ?line in the sand? that some Yoga teachers should never forget.
The answers to spiritual enlightenment are within all religions, but it is up to Yoga students to pursue their own religion and find the answers to their spiritual health. There is no single ?man made path? to spiritual health, enlightenment, or union. This is a myth that, as a species, we never seem to learn.
Throughout our history, Holy wars are always justified by both sides. Of course, the other side is always less human, less understanding, evil, and ignorant of the true path. ?The world would be a better pace without the unbelievers;? is always a good battle cry.
Religion is too volatile a subject to discuss within a multi-cultural Hatha Yoga class. Therefore, if you are going to mix any religion with Yoga practice, it should be taught within a sectarian atmosphere.
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. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
How Yoga Will Enhance Your Abilities in Other Sports
The whole idea of using one form of exercise to enhance another is not new, but it is becoming more universal. Bicycling magazines are full of articles about how riding your mountain bike will improve your road bike skills. Snowboarding magazines will show the benefits of skateboarding?no surprise there.
Every couple of years, I will laugh when I read a sports section headline stating that? A new revolutionary training idea has hit the National Football League”?fifteen or twenty 400 pound lineman are then shown taking a ballet class or step aerobics. It almost seems faddish to be unusual in your cross training. Oh well, thankfully they come and they go.
All, and I do mean all, sports use muscles. When overworked constantly those muscles will tighten and shorten. The ultimate result is often an injury if not treated properly.
Yoga is now recognized as the ultimate solution to this problem and more and more athletes are turning to it for relief, if not as part of their regular pre-training.
Since bicycle racing is my preferred sport, I peruse several national and international cycling magazines regularly. Recently, I discovered numerous ads for videos, DVD?s, and books touting the benefits of different forms of yoga for different types of cyclists. Among the disciplines discussed were Hatha, which was used for the cyclist wanting stretching techniques that were easy to use before and after a training ride or race. Ashtanga lent itself more toward the endurance athlete who would be competing in hot summer criteriums and road races.
The advantages of incorporating yoga into any training regime are many; let?s cover a few of them:
? Calming the mind brings focus and concentration to your sport of choice.
? Slow movement combined with stretching allows the athlete to be very aware of their body and it?s needs.
? Stretching lengthens the muscle and brings balance to the tissues.
? Learning balance poses increases mental and physical acuity for competitive sports.
? Post-event stretching is as old as the hills, but when only four or five yoga poses are used muscle recovery is improved, lactic acid is removed, the muscle is lengthened once again and strength is enhanced.
It doesn?t really matter if your sport is skiing, mountain climbing, football, baseball, tennis, rollerblading, hockey or poker (Hey, they get tight neck muscles, right?) there are benefits to adding yoga to your routine.
For me, the advantages were revealed with more flexibility during and after a race. My muscles rebounded quicker, with less soreness and I was able to ride again sooner without the usual pain. My race results are also better; okay, I?m still middle of the pack, but improving, which is always a good thing. Give it a try; you too, may be surprised with the gains.
In the end it?s one man?s opinion?mine.
Keith Edwin Renninson is co-owner, along with Jeffrey Forman, of Golden Years Videos, LLC a production company dedicated to offering exercise videos for those over 50 or of any age who are rehabilitating from an accident or illness.
Renninson is an avid exercise and yoga enthusiast. Now in his late 50?s; he still races bicycles and regularly skis the black diamond runs in Colorado where he lives. For many years, a bona fide gym rat, Renninson still loves to lift free weights and use exercise machines.
You can contact Renninson or read more about his company and the videos they have available at: http://www.goldenyearsvideos.com
Every couple of years, I will laugh when I read a sports section headline stating that? A new revolutionary training idea has hit the National Football League”?fifteen or twenty 400 pound lineman are then shown taking a ballet class or step aerobics. It almost seems faddish to be unusual in your cross training. Oh well, thankfully they come and they go.
All, and I do mean all, sports use muscles. When overworked constantly those muscles will tighten and shorten. The ultimate result is often an injury if not treated properly.
Yoga is now recognized as the ultimate solution to this problem and more and more athletes are turning to it for relief, if not as part of their regular pre-training.
Since bicycle racing is my preferred sport, I peruse several national and international cycling magazines regularly. Recently, I discovered numerous ads for videos, DVD?s, and books touting the benefits of different forms of yoga for different types of cyclists. Among the disciplines discussed were Hatha, which was used for the cyclist wanting stretching techniques that were easy to use before and after a training ride or race. Ashtanga lent itself more toward the endurance athlete who would be competing in hot summer criteriums and road races.
The advantages of incorporating yoga into any training regime are many; let?s cover a few of them:
? Calming the mind brings focus and concentration to your sport of choice.
? Slow movement combined with stretching allows the athlete to be very aware of their body and it?s needs.
? Stretching lengthens the muscle and brings balance to the tissues.
? Learning balance poses increases mental and physical acuity for competitive sports.
? Post-event stretching is as old as the hills, but when only four or five yoga poses are used muscle recovery is improved, lactic acid is removed, the muscle is lengthened once again and strength is enhanced.
It doesn?t really matter if your sport is skiing, mountain climbing, football, baseball, tennis, rollerblading, hockey or poker (Hey, they get tight neck muscles, right?) there are benefits to adding yoga to your routine.
For me, the advantages were revealed with more flexibility during and after a race. My muscles rebounded quicker, with less soreness and I was able to ride again sooner without the usual pain. My race results are also better; okay, I?m still middle of the pack, but improving, which is always a good thing. Give it a try; you too, may be surprised with the gains.
In the end it?s one man?s opinion?mine.
Keith Edwin Renninson is co-owner, along with Jeffrey Forman, of Golden Years Videos, LLC a production company dedicated to offering exercise videos for those over 50 or of any age who are rehabilitating from an accident or illness.
Renninson is an avid exercise and yoga enthusiast. Now in his late 50?s; he still races bicycles and regularly skis the black diamond runs in Colorado where he lives. For many years, a bona fide gym rat, Renninson still loves to lift free weights and use exercise machines.
You can contact Renninson or read more about his company and the videos they have available at: http://www.goldenyearsvideos.com
Getting Healthy with Yoga
People have always believed that yoga can do more for your body than just keeping it fit and flexible. Research now shows it can help weight control, lower back pain, insomnia and even heart disease. Studies indicate yoga helps with weight loss and maintenance. In a study of 15,000 adults, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that those who did not practice yoga gained approximately 18.5 pounds more over a 10-year period than those who practiced for at least four years. There was also a study done at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. This study found people who regularly practiced yoga and meditation, exercised and watched their diet lost more weight than those who exercised, and ate a balanced diet, but did not practice yoga.
Additionally Yoga can improve your range of motion in your hips, reducing lower back pain. A study done at The American College of Sport?s Medicine, suggest that yoga increases lower back flexibility and decreases pain. It was a small study conducted on older women age 44-62. Persistent back pain however should always be professional diagnosed before embracing on any exercise program including yoga. Yoga?s back bends and forward bends may exacerbate some back conditions.
Yoga can also calm your body and your mind, which can help people who suffer from insomnia. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD., an instructor of medicine, division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School recently published a study. He found a half hour to 45 minutes of daily yoga practice with a focus on meditation and breathing, helped chronic insomniacs sleep through the night. The subjects increased their overall sleep by 12%.
Yoga breathing can help lower your heart rate and calm your nervous system. The breathing techniques can help alleviate serious anxiety and depression and reduce stress. Practicing yoga for an hour and a half three times a week can make your heart healthier in just six weeks. A recent study out of Yale University School of Medicine had 33 men and women who practiced yoga at that rate. This lowered their blood pressure and improved their blood vessels? ability to expand and contract by 17%. Researchers believe the improvements are based on the stress-reducing benefits of yoga.
? Copyright Diet-Newsroom.com, All Rights Reserved.
This article was written by Kim Black of http://www.diet-newsroom.com which specializes in diet, health, fitness and exercise topics.
Additionally Yoga can improve your range of motion in your hips, reducing lower back pain. A study done at The American College of Sport?s Medicine, suggest that yoga increases lower back flexibility and decreases pain. It was a small study conducted on older women age 44-62. Persistent back pain however should always be professional diagnosed before embracing on any exercise program including yoga. Yoga?s back bends and forward bends may exacerbate some back conditions.
Yoga can also calm your body and your mind, which can help people who suffer from insomnia. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD., an instructor of medicine, division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School recently published a study. He found a half hour to 45 minutes of daily yoga practice with a focus on meditation and breathing, helped chronic insomniacs sleep through the night. The subjects increased their overall sleep by 12%.
Yoga breathing can help lower your heart rate and calm your nervous system. The breathing techniques can help alleviate serious anxiety and depression and reduce stress. Practicing yoga for an hour and a half three times a week can make your heart healthier in just six weeks. A recent study out of Yale University School of Medicine had 33 men and women who practiced yoga at that rate. This lowered their blood pressure and improved their blood vessels? ability to expand and contract by 17%. Researchers believe the improvements are based on the stress-reducing benefits of yoga.
? Copyright Diet-Newsroom.com, All Rights Reserved.
This article was written by Kim Black of http://www.diet-newsroom.com which specializes in diet, health, fitness and exercise topics.
Kundalini Yoga - Some Basics
Recently I noticed an online article on ways to boost your energy during winter. Like many people, the cooler dark days can leave me depressed and feeling frazzled. Since good mental health is essential to wellness, I read on. The article listed five things you could do to boost your mood that took only ten to fifteen minutes each. One of the items listed was a Kundalini yoga movement. It looked interesting and easy, so I tried it and it worked. It?s based upon Kundalini yoga which is a type of yoga that focuses on breathing, sound and movement. Being someone who used to meditate, this type of yoga seemed like something I might be interested in, so I did a little research on it and found that it is, in fact, a terrific way to enhance your energy level and mood.
The word yoga comes from the root Yuj which means to join and is often meant to join the conscious with the Divine Spirit. The practitioner of yoga is called a yogin. Many people are afraid to try yoga because they think it involves complicated positions that require extreme flexibility. This isn?t true with Kundalini yoga. The word Kundalini comes from the Sanskrit word ?kundal? which means ?the lock of the hair from the beloved.? The hair represents the unlimited potential inside every person. Others state that the energy is like that of a coiled up snake sitting at the base of your spine. It is the breathing, chanting and movement that releases this energy so that you can realize your full potential.
Kundalini yoga is considered the most powerful form of yoga. It is based upon Kundalini energy which is ?one?s dormant spiritual energy.? This energy is visualized as a coiled up snake at the base of the spine (the first chakra). The yogin can harness this energy by using breathing techniques, chanting and repetitive movements. It brings together the masculine and feminine powers of the body. The goal of Kundalini yoga is to move the Kundalini energy up through all seven chakras. When you reach the seventh chakra you experience enlightenment.
To practice Kundalini yoga you must know something about the spinal column, which is the location of five of the seven chakras, or energy centers. The spinal column is part of the Nervous System of the human body. The Nervous System also includes the brain and nerves. These things together are responsible for our thought, imagination, memory and intelligence. Five of the chakras are located along the spinal column. The other two chakras are located on the head ? one in the middle and one on the top. As you breathe you visualize the Kundalini energy traveling up the spine. This energy begins and ends with you. It is the awakening of the self. Often when you awaken the Kundalini energy you will feel warmth along the chakras. Others have reported they feel a tingling sensation.
Kundalini yoga is practiced with sets of postures and exercises that work on a specific area of the body, mind and spirit. Hundreds of these sets exist that can be used to awaken you to your full potential. They address every aspect of human nature from issues with your physical health to areas of mental health to your general well being. After the sets are completed the yogin then enters a state of deep relaxation often accompanied by spiritual music and sometimes a gong. Finally you end with a breath or mantra meditation.
The following is a sample set used in Kundalini yoga to reduce anxiety:
In a soft monotone, recite out loud each of the sounds at each Chakra starting at the naval point and working up to the crown of the head. Chant ?Har? and concentrate at the belly button. Chant ?Haray? and concentrate at your heart center (sternum) Chant ?Haree? and concentrate on your throat. Chant ?Wahay? and concentrate at your brow point (1/2 inch up from the eyebrows in the center of the forehead). Finally chant ?Guru? and concentrate at the top center of the head.
As with any form of exercise, precautions must be taken when practicing Kundalini yoga. You may experience heat developing in the body and may want to go slowly in the beginning. Also, some report a tingling sensation along the spinal column and in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It should gradually subside as you practice more. Last, you may experience some negative thoughts or desire to express violent emotions. These feelings also subside as you cleanse yourself of negative energy. To assist with these experiences, the beginner should practice with others and/or take classes. I looked up ?Kundalini yoga” on Google and it came up with thousands of hits, many of them being places you can take classes or receive instruction. There are even free online instructions for beginners.
Kundalini yoga isn?t just a way to revitalize yourself during the winter; it is form of yoga that can help you in all areas of your life any time of year. It certainly, for many people, adds to the overall quality of their life and their wellness. It is relatively simple and you don?t have to be in great physical shape to practice Kundalini yoga. If you can breathe, you can do this!
Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about a variety of topics, many concerning health and mood. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.
The word yoga comes from the root Yuj which means to join and is often meant to join the conscious with the Divine Spirit. The practitioner of yoga is called a yogin. Many people are afraid to try yoga because they think it involves complicated positions that require extreme flexibility. This isn?t true with Kundalini yoga. The word Kundalini comes from the Sanskrit word ?kundal? which means ?the lock of the hair from the beloved.? The hair represents the unlimited potential inside every person. Others state that the energy is like that of a coiled up snake sitting at the base of your spine. It is the breathing, chanting and movement that releases this energy so that you can realize your full potential.
Kundalini yoga is considered the most powerful form of yoga. It is based upon Kundalini energy which is ?one?s dormant spiritual energy.? This energy is visualized as a coiled up snake at the base of the spine (the first chakra). The yogin can harness this energy by using breathing techniques, chanting and repetitive movements. It brings together the masculine and feminine powers of the body. The goal of Kundalini yoga is to move the Kundalini energy up through all seven chakras. When you reach the seventh chakra you experience enlightenment.
To practice Kundalini yoga you must know something about the spinal column, which is the location of five of the seven chakras, or energy centers. The spinal column is part of the Nervous System of the human body. The Nervous System also includes the brain and nerves. These things together are responsible for our thought, imagination, memory and intelligence. Five of the chakras are located along the spinal column. The other two chakras are located on the head ? one in the middle and one on the top. As you breathe you visualize the Kundalini energy traveling up the spine. This energy begins and ends with you. It is the awakening of the self. Often when you awaken the Kundalini energy you will feel warmth along the chakras. Others have reported they feel a tingling sensation.
Kundalini yoga is practiced with sets of postures and exercises that work on a specific area of the body, mind and spirit. Hundreds of these sets exist that can be used to awaken you to your full potential. They address every aspect of human nature from issues with your physical health to areas of mental health to your general well being. After the sets are completed the yogin then enters a state of deep relaxation often accompanied by spiritual music and sometimes a gong. Finally you end with a breath or mantra meditation.
The following is a sample set used in Kundalini yoga to reduce anxiety:
In a soft monotone, recite out loud each of the sounds at each Chakra starting at the naval point and working up to the crown of the head. Chant ?Har? and concentrate at the belly button. Chant ?Haray? and concentrate at your heart center (sternum) Chant ?Haree? and concentrate on your throat. Chant ?Wahay? and concentrate at your brow point (1/2 inch up from the eyebrows in the center of the forehead). Finally chant ?Guru? and concentrate at the top center of the head.
As with any form of exercise, precautions must be taken when practicing Kundalini yoga. You may experience heat developing in the body and may want to go slowly in the beginning. Also, some report a tingling sensation along the spinal column and in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It should gradually subside as you practice more. Last, you may experience some negative thoughts or desire to express violent emotions. These feelings also subside as you cleanse yourself of negative energy. To assist with these experiences, the beginner should practice with others and/or take classes. I looked up ?Kundalini yoga” on Google and it came up with thousands of hits, many of them being places you can take classes or receive instruction. There are even free online instructions for beginners.
Kundalini yoga isn?t just a way to revitalize yourself during the winter; it is form of yoga that can help you in all areas of your life any time of year. It certainly, for many people, adds to the overall quality of their life and their wellness. It is relatively simple and you don?t have to be in great physical shape to practice Kundalini yoga. If you can breathe, you can do this!
Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about a variety of topics, many concerning health and mood. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.
Raja Yoga ? Gaining Complete Control of Mind for Deep Meditation
Raja Yoga involves exact meditation techniques which lead to experiences of the truth and finally achieve liberation.
The basic breathing techniques of Raja yoga to gain control over the mind and experience deep meditation are outlined below.
Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, and Raja Yoga are considered the four main yogas, but there are many other types. (The word “yoga” ? from the Sanskrit root yuj (”to yoke”) ? is generally translated as “union of the individual atma (loosely translated to mean soul) with Paramatma, the universal soul.” This may be understood as union with the Divine by integration of body, mind, and spirit.
Raja Yoga involves exact meditation techniques which lead to experiences of the truth and finally achieve liberation, described in Hindu thought as moksha. ( or liberation from the cycle of birth and death).
Raja Yoga is a very practical guide for gaining control over the mind.
Raja Yoga getting control of the mind
Without this control, meditation is not possible, and therefore the goal of any yoga, unattainable.
Moreover in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah,” or, “The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga! Raja Yoga shows how to achieve this.
8 Principles of Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga is also known as Ashtanga (8 limbed) Yoga which refers to the eight principles which are:
Yama; or the Code of conduct ? that is, self-restraint
Niyama; religious observances - commitments to practice, study and devotion
Asana: integration of mind and body through physical activity
Pranayama: regulation of breath leading to integration of mind and body
Pratyahara: abstraction of the senses, withdrawal of the senses of perception from their objects
Dharana; concentration, one-pointedness of mind
Dhyana: meditation (quiet and non-sensual activity that leads to samadhi)
Samadhi; the quiet state of blissful awareness, superconscious state
It must be remarked that although called eight-limbed, it is really a Royal Road to self-realization, with each limb leading into the next, ending with the goal, or Samadhi (and the union sought).
Raja Yoga taking control
More easily explained, first you must learn self-control.
Without it nothing that follows is possible. In conjunction with the self-control, you must practice religious observances, and seek to expand your quality of devotion. These two lead to Asana, or an integration of mind and body.
At this stage, you are ready to begin control over the breath, which is main life force that animates our existence.
As in each subsequent practice led the way to the next, so this stage prepares one for crucial stage of meditation.
Control of the breath is basic to this, and indeed, automatically assists in the next phase of Pratyahara, where you learn to turn off all the senses, and become internalized (not affected by sensatory stimulation).
This is the control you need to approach Dharana, or single-pointedness. From this point, meditation is said to begin. All the rest was preparatory for it and to it.
Raja Yoga getting to meditation
Finally one arrives at Dhyana, which is mediation. Your senses are internalized, your breath is controlled, your mind is thus free from the ?stuff? that keeps it perpetually busy.
Once in true mediation, the road leads directly to Samadhi. In Samadhi you are in harmony with all creation, and non-creation, and are yourself the five principles or Yamas, which are:
Ahimsa - of the refraining from injury (non-life supporting action)
Satya ? which is truthfulness
Asteya ? of the freedom from stealing
Bramacharya ? which is living within the Self (moderation; abstinence)
Aparigraha ? or the freedom from attachment to possessions
Having attained this, you are considered in perfection and able to feel one with your creator. This is the goal of all yoga, but in Royal Yoga, the path is easily set out, and if followed without deviation, you may arrive just there.
More on Yoga
For more on Yoga and other alternative fitness health and well being topics, visit our website for features, articles, and magazines:
http://www.net-planet.org/newage.html
The basic breathing techniques of Raja yoga to gain control over the mind and experience deep meditation are outlined below.
Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, and Raja Yoga are considered the four main yogas, but there are many other types. (The word “yoga” ? from the Sanskrit root yuj (”to yoke”) ? is generally translated as “union of the individual atma (loosely translated to mean soul) with Paramatma, the universal soul.” This may be understood as union with the Divine by integration of body, mind, and spirit.
Raja Yoga involves exact meditation techniques which lead to experiences of the truth and finally achieve liberation, described in Hindu thought as moksha. ( or liberation from the cycle of birth and death).
Raja Yoga is a very practical guide for gaining control over the mind.
Raja Yoga getting control of the mind
Without this control, meditation is not possible, and therefore the goal of any yoga, unattainable.
Moreover in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah,” or, “The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga! Raja Yoga shows how to achieve this.
8 Principles of Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga is also known as Ashtanga (8 limbed) Yoga which refers to the eight principles which are:
Yama; or the Code of conduct ? that is, self-restraint
Niyama; religious observances - commitments to practice, study and devotion
Asana: integration of mind and body through physical activity
Pranayama: regulation of breath leading to integration of mind and body
Pratyahara: abstraction of the senses, withdrawal of the senses of perception from their objects
Dharana; concentration, one-pointedness of mind
Dhyana: meditation (quiet and non-sensual activity that leads to samadhi)
Samadhi; the quiet state of blissful awareness, superconscious state
It must be remarked that although called eight-limbed, it is really a Royal Road to self-realization, with each limb leading into the next, ending with the goal, or Samadhi (and the union sought).
Raja Yoga taking control
More easily explained, first you must learn self-control.
Without it nothing that follows is possible. In conjunction with the self-control, you must practice religious observances, and seek to expand your quality of devotion. These two lead to Asana, or an integration of mind and body.
At this stage, you are ready to begin control over the breath, which is main life force that animates our existence.
As in each subsequent practice led the way to the next, so this stage prepares one for crucial stage of meditation.
Control of the breath is basic to this, and indeed, automatically assists in the next phase of Pratyahara, where you learn to turn off all the senses, and become internalized (not affected by sensatory stimulation).
This is the control you need to approach Dharana, or single-pointedness. From this point, meditation is said to begin. All the rest was preparatory for it and to it.
Raja Yoga getting to meditation
Finally one arrives at Dhyana, which is mediation. Your senses are internalized, your breath is controlled, your mind is thus free from the ?stuff? that keeps it perpetually busy.
Once in true mediation, the road leads directly to Samadhi. In Samadhi you are in harmony with all creation, and non-creation, and are yourself the five principles or Yamas, which are:
Ahimsa - of the refraining from injury (non-life supporting action)
Satya ? which is truthfulness
Asteya ? of the freedom from stealing
Bramacharya ? which is living within the Self (moderation; abstinence)
Aparigraha ? or the freedom from attachment to possessions
Having attained this, you are considered in perfection and able to feel one with your creator. This is the goal of all yoga, but in Royal Yoga, the path is easily set out, and if followed without deviation, you may arrive just there.
More on Yoga
For more on Yoga and other alternative fitness health and well being topics, visit our website for features, articles, and magazines:
http://www.net-planet.org/newage.html
Yoga as an Aid to Bust Stress
Stress is a physical and psychological condition that demands more from the body. Under these conditions a variety of changes happen in the body the increases the hormonal reactions to meet that demanding situation. A stress busting therapy should be able to cope up with the physical and the psychological needs of our body.
Yoga is the best remedy for beating stress in your daily life. Yoga has a lot of postures, breathing exercises and meditation that helps you to beat stress from your daily life. Lot of asanas are available in yoga for reducing stress. You can use these asanas to deal with stress. Yoga promotes self-awareness and during the process it helps you to deal with stress in your day to day life.
It was practiced traditionally in the eastern countries and now it is picking up in the western countries. Understanding the benefits of yoga, now many companies are sponsoring yoga courses for their employees. The workers who are practicing yoga are more relaxed and hence their productivity is increased. Moreover they are more healthy and creative. This has driven more and more companies to go after yoga for their employees.
The techniques in yoga that are used to relieve stress include controlled breathing, physical movement, stretching, mental imagery, and meditation. Combining all these in the yoga practices enables the person who is practicing it to beat stress. With regular practice of yoga you can unite your mind, body, and spirit. Although it is used in the earlier days for spiritual transformation, now you can use it to beat stress and have a good physical being.
There are many benefits of practicing yoga. Some of the benefits are reduced stress, cure from diseases, lowering the blood pressure, spiritual growth, sense of well being, reduced anxiety, increased flexibility & strength, relieved asthma and allergy symptoms, slowed aging process and sound sleep. It is sure that you get more benefit than the effort that you put in practicing yoga.
In practicing yoga there are poses that serve in the form of exercises and there are poses that are done for purely spiritual purposes. The poses can be done faster in some exercises, while in some they are done slowly with a breathing process in them. Both the types have their own benefits. Among the numerous benefits that you get out of yoga stress relief is just one.
You need to spend some time daily or on alternate days to practice yoga. You have to do them properly and for that it is better to learn yoga from a master who is good in yoga. Although it can be practiced on your own, we may not be sure about the correctness of the poses that we do. Hence initially it is better to learn from a master and then practice it at home when you find some time. Some people may have physical limitations to do some poses. Regular practice of yoga gives you an psychological edge over others who are not practicing it.
There are pill and herbs available in the market that are used for stress reduction in a person. Although you can go for this option, yoga is the best method as it gives you other benefits when you do stretching exercises, breathing exercises, meditation and guided imagery. Moreover practicing yoga requires commitment and effort to do it regularly and to get the benefits out of it.
You can do yoga after a hectic day at office or after a busy weekend. This would relax you and relieve you off your pain. There are different kinds of poses in yoga that can be used to relax you. You can perform a simple search in the internet to locate the websites that give you information on the different poses that are used for stress reduction.
Books and videos for reducing stress through yoga are also available in the market. You can make use of these and practice yoga postures that are given in it. It is always better to find a teacher who can teach you the poses properly. You can find out a yoga studio in your locality using the internet. There are many sites that lists down the courses offered at different locations. You can use these websites to find out one that is near your locality.
To learn more about various yoga exercises and to stay fit visit simple yoga exercises to stay fit. Signup now at yoga beginners guide and get your free copy of the best selling ebook titled “A Beginner’s Guide to Yoga”.
Yoga is the best remedy for beating stress in your daily life. Yoga has a lot of postures, breathing exercises and meditation that helps you to beat stress from your daily life. Lot of asanas are available in yoga for reducing stress. You can use these asanas to deal with stress. Yoga promotes self-awareness and during the process it helps you to deal with stress in your day to day life.
It was practiced traditionally in the eastern countries and now it is picking up in the western countries. Understanding the benefits of yoga, now many companies are sponsoring yoga courses for their employees. The workers who are practicing yoga are more relaxed and hence their productivity is increased. Moreover they are more healthy and creative. This has driven more and more companies to go after yoga for their employees.
The techniques in yoga that are used to relieve stress include controlled breathing, physical movement, stretching, mental imagery, and meditation. Combining all these in the yoga practices enables the person who is practicing it to beat stress. With regular practice of yoga you can unite your mind, body, and spirit. Although it is used in the earlier days for spiritual transformation, now you can use it to beat stress and have a good physical being.
There are many benefits of practicing yoga. Some of the benefits are reduced stress, cure from diseases, lowering the blood pressure, spiritual growth, sense of well being, reduced anxiety, increased flexibility & strength, relieved asthma and allergy symptoms, slowed aging process and sound sleep. It is sure that you get more benefit than the effort that you put in practicing yoga.
In practicing yoga there are poses that serve in the form of exercises and there are poses that are done for purely spiritual purposes. The poses can be done faster in some exercises, while in some they are done slowly with a breathing process in them. Both the types have their own benefits. Among the numerous benefits that you get out of yoga stress relief is just one.
You need to spend some time daily or on alternate days to practice yoga. You have to do them properly and for that it is better to learn yoga from a master who is good in yoga. Although it can be practiced on your own, we may not be sure about the correctness of the poses that we do. Hence initially it is better to learn from a master and then practice it at home when you find some time. Some people may have physical limitations to do some poses. Regular practice of yoga gives you an psychological edge over others who are not practicing it.
There are pill and herbs available in the market that are used for stress reduction in a person. Although you can go for this option, yoga is the best method as it gives you other benefits when you do stretching exercises, breathing exercises, meditation and guided imagery. Moreover practicing yoga requires commitment and effort to do it regularly and to get the benefits out of it.
You can do yoga after a hectic day at office or after a busy weekend. This would relax you and relieve you off your pain. There are different kinds of poses in yoga that can be used to relax you. You can perform a simple search in the internet to locate the websites that give you information on the different poses that are used for stress reduction.
Books and videos for reducing stress through yoga are also available in the market. You can make use of these and practice yoga postures that are given in it. It is always better to find a teacher who can teach you the poses properly. You can find out a yoga studio in your locality using the internet. There are many sites that lists down the courses offered at different locations. You can use these websites to find out one that is near your locality.
To learn more about various yoga exercises and to stay fit visit simple yoga exercises to stay fit. Signup now at yoga beginners guide and get your free copy of the best selling ebook titled “A Beginner’s Guide to Yoga”.
History of Yoga
Yoga is a union of body, mind, and spirit. The history of yoga is long and steeped in tradition. Yoga is an ancient system of health and fitness which originated in India. The word yoga has its first mention in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the sacred texts. Those that study Yoga estimate it’s age to be four thousand year.
The history of Yoga can be divided into four main periods which are the pre-classical period, classical period, post-classical period and modern period. In the history of yoga, the book is called the yoga sutras. The history of yoga would not have been completed in the classical stage of yoga.
The word Yoga literally meant the Yolk that joins something together, such as an ox to a cart. The idea is that yoga unites all aspects of being into one.
What most people envision to be Yoga, those contortionist postures, is really only one small aspect of a much larger field of practices. The methods of yoga includes ethical disciplines, physical postures, breathing control and as well as meditation.
The 20th century witnessed a renaissance of yoga that caused a globalization of this ancient tradition. Modern approaches to yoga have created a clear delineation between the Hindu religion and the practice of yoga. Through the practice of yoga, an individual can gain information about physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being.
Over the long history of yoga, different schools have emerged, and there are numerous examples branches and philosophies that have spawned. Ultimately, all agree on one common element the fundamental purpose of yoga is to foster harmony in the body, mind, and environment.
Today yoga is accepted as a comprehensive exercise to promote control of the body and mind. More than just a means of being fit and trim, yoga can help you live a healthy, whole, and empowered life. In recent decades, yoga has greatly and swiftly evolved. Yoga is the most diversified spiritual practice in the world. The living tradition of yoga now recognizes no borders as it continues to spread globally.
Rob Daniels is a long term practitioner of Yoga and Pilates additional articles available at Pilates Shop http://www.pilates-shop.net and Yoga Store http://www.yoga-store.net.
The history of Yoga can be divided into four main periods which are the pre-classical period, classical period, post-classical period and modern period. In the history of yoga, the book is called the yoga sutras. The history of yoga would not have been completed in the classical stage of yoga.
The word Yoga literally meant the Yolk that joins something together, such as an ox to a cart. The idea is that yoga unites all aspects of being into one.
What most people envision to be Yoga, those contortionist postures, is really only one small aspect of a much larger field of practices. The methods of yoga includes ethical disciplines, physical postures, breathing control and as well as meditation.
The 20th century witnessed a renaissance of yoga that caused a globalization of this ancient tradition. Modern approaches to yoga have created a clear delineation between the Hindu religion and the practice of yoga. Through the practice of yoga, an individual can gain information about physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being.
Over the long history of yoga, different schools have emerged, and there are numerous examples branches and philosophies that have spawned. Ultimately, all agree on one common element the fundamental purpose of yoga is to foster harmony in the body, mind, and environment.
Today yoga is accepted as a comprehensive exercise to promote control of the body and mind. More than just a means of being fit and trim, yoga can help you live a healthy, whole, and empowered life. In recent decades, yoga has greatly and swiftly evolved. Yoga is the most diversified spiritual practice in the world. The living tradition of yoga now recognizes no borders as it continues to spread globally.
Rob Daniels is a long term practitioner of Yoga and Pilates additional articles available at Pilates Shop http://www.pilates-shop.net and Yoga Store http://www.yoga-store.net.
Seeing Through Different Eyes - Inversion Yoga Poses
Headstand (salamba shirshasana) is one of the yoga poses that are considered inversion poses. Inversion poses involve any asanas that lift the feet above the head. Other inversion poses that are well known include shoulderstand (salamba sarvangasana) and half shoulder stand (viparita karani). But even lying on the floor with your legs on a chair is an inversion pose.
The concept behind inversion poses is expressed in yoga texts as viparita karani. Viparita karani is translated as meaning ‘opposite process’. This simply means facilitating a different perspective. From the purely physical point of view, this different perspective in inversion poses is literal - in terms of looking at the world from a different physical viewpoint - as well as involving the body being supported in a different way.
But as yoga is more than simply physical exercises, there are other processes that are assisted. A lot of yoga is designed to help us change mental habits as well as physical habits. Through increasing our ability to adapt to change, instead of being stuck in old habitual responses, we increase our capacity for growth and transformation. This applies in all areas of our lives.
There is a theoretical concept in yoga about why inversion postures help. Ayurveda considers that many of the body’s impurities are in the lower abdomen. When we raise our feet above the head, gravity is assisting us to move these impurities towards what the Ayurvedic system calls agni, or ‘fire’. Agni particularly relates to our ‘digestive fire’, and is thus located above our lower abdomen.
So, by being upside down, and by using the deep and slow breathing typical of yoga, we help ‘burn off’ the impurities that were previously stuck.
Improved circulation is a more readily apparent and less ‘esoteric’ benefit of inversion yoga poses.
Whilst inversion postures have many health benefits, the ability of an individual to receive those benefits depends as much on their capacity to comfortably hold these sometimes difficult postures. For example, headstand and shoulder stand should simply not be done if people are pregnant, have neck pain, high or low blood pressure, neck injuries, or are menstruating. And neither of these postures should be attempted without the appropriate preparatory postures. Otherwise the risk is there that an injury, or stiffness, particularly to the neck area, will result.
Likewise, if doing these postures is very uncomfortable and difficult, more benefit will be derived from doing either the modified versions, or simply working on other yoga poses that strengthen these areas.
There are several important prerequisites for getting the most benefit fro inversions. The first one, a strong neck, I’ve mentioned. The others are a strong back and abdominal muscles, and the capacity to breathe well whilst in the posture. The latter is going to get better with practice, both of yoga itself and the inversions. It is also somewhat tied into having a strong back. Our back and stomach muscles will provide the support to hold the legs straight, which inturn opens up the thoracic cavity, and increases our ability to breathe well whilst upside down!
Tips for Doing the Inverted Postures
For Half Shoulder stand:
* Lengthen the exhale
* Don’t lock the chin
* Keep your weight not on the head but on the wrists and elbows
* Don’t try to pull your torso (and legs) into the vertical like in full shoulder stand if you have difficulties with your neck. By doing so, you’re placing more pressure on your neck.
* Make sure you do the appropriate balancing postures afterwards. These include shalabhasana and bhujangasana
For Shoulder stand:
* Don’t worry so much about keeping your elbows and arms parallel. This will create more tension in your neck if you’re not proficient in this posture.
* Do the appropriate balancing postures. These are the same as for half shoulder stand.
For Headstand:
* Don’t ever make adjustments whilst in headstand. If you feel your alignment is not quite right, come down and do it again.
* Never do this posture first up, or without the prerequisite postures. It will lead to stiffness in the neck at best, and injury at worst. And the negative effects can build up over time. This posture is never done traditionally without preparation, and there is reason for this.
* Use a wall for support as a learning stage
* Support your head with all of your fingers, including the little fingers and thumbs
* Finding the right position for your head will make sure weight is distributed evenly, and ensure you don’t have to overly press down with your elbows to compensate
* Think of the support for the whole body as being distributed evenly across both elbows and the head
* Don’t hold your weight too much on the back of your body. It will place too much pressure on your neck.
* Don’t use props that allow the neck to be free. It will lead to the neck muscles contracting
* Use the balancing postures. Shoulder stand is the traditional, but Mohan recommends half shoulder stand instead
* Rest your neck before doing the balancing postures, however. Lie down with your legs bent.
* Other balancing postures include chakravakasana, dvipada pitham with the arms, and shalabhasana
There may be fears or a sense of limitation about doing inversion poses that will be confronted. Sometimes, it’s best to start an asana gradually. Shoulder stand comes with a few variations that you can use to build up strength and flexibility, as well as overcome any fear based feelings about the posture and your ability to do it.
Overcoming the fear, and finally being able to do a difficult pose that you thought you couldn’t, can create positive psychological effects. When we prove to ourselves that our fears don’t bind us, that we can move beyond our limitations, we are more able to make changes in other areas of our lives where before we thought it just wasn’t possible.
References: A.G.Mohan, Yoga for Body, Breath, and Mind
If you’d like instructions on how to do shoulder stand, complete with pictures, click here. For information on ashtanga yoga, check out this article on the truth and myth of ashtanga yoga, as well as it’s origins. Rebecca Prescott runs the website http://www.yogatohealth.com
The concept behind inversion poses is expressed in yoga texts as viparita karani. Viparita karani is translated as meaning ‘opposite process’. This simply means facilitating a different perspective. From the purely physical point of view, this different perspective in inversion poses is literal - in terms of looking at the world from a different physical viewpoint - as well as involving the body being supported in a different way.
But as yoga is more than simply physical exercises, there are other processes that are assisted. A lot of yoga is designed to help us change mental habits as well as physical habits. Through increasing our ability to adapt to change, instead of being stuck in old habitual responses, we increase our capacity for growth and transformation. This applies in all areas of our lives.
There is a theoretical concept in yoga about why inversion postures help. Ayurveda considers that many of the body’s impurities are in the lower abdomen. When we raise our feet above the head, gravity is assisting us to move these impurities towards what the Ayurvedic system calls agni, or ‘fire’. Agni particularly relates to our ‘digestive fire’, and is thus located above our lower abdomen.
So, by being upside down, and by using the deep and slow breathing typical of yoga, we help ‘burn off’ the impurities that were previously stuck.
Improved circulation is a more readily apparent and less ‘esoteric’ benefit of inversion yoga poses.
Whilst inversion postures have many health benefits, the ability of an individual to receive those benefits depends as much on their capacity to comfortably hold these sometimes difficult postures. For example, headstand and shoulder stand should simply not be done if people are pregnant, have neck pain, high or low blood pressure, neck injuries, or are menstruating. And neither of these postures should be attempted without the appropriate preparatory postures. Otherwise the risk is there that an injury, or stiffness, particularly to the neck area, will result.
Likewise, if doing these postures is very uncomfortable and difficult, more benefit will be derived from doing either the modified versions, or simply working on other yoga poses that strengthen these areas.
There are several important prerequisites for getting the most benefit fro inversions. The first one, a strong neck, I’ve mentioned. The others are a strong back and abdominal muscles, and the capacity to breathe well whilst in the posture. The latter is going to get better with practice, both of yoga itself and the inversions. It is also somewhat tied into having a strong back. Our back and stomach muscles will provide the support to hold the legs straight, which inturn opens up the thoracic cavity, and increases our ability to breathe well whilst upside down!
Tips for Doing the Inverted Postures
For Half Shoulder stand:
* Lengthen the exhale
* Don’t lock the chin
* Keep your weight not on the head but on the wrists and elbows
* Don’t try to pull your torso (and legs) into the vertical like in full shoulder stand if you have difficulties with your neck. By doing so, you’re placing more pressure on your neck.
* Make sure you do the appropriate balancing postures afterwards. These include shalabhasana and bhujangasana
For Shoulder stand:
* Don’t worry so much about keeping your elbows and arms parallel. This will create more tension in your neck if you’re not proficient in this posture.
* Do the appropriate balancing postures. These are the same as for half shoulder stand.
For Headstand:
* Don’t ever make adjustments whilst in headstand. If you feel your alignment is not quite right, come down and do it again.
* Never do this posture first up, or without the prerequisite postures. It will lead to stiffness in the neck at best, and injury at worst. And the negative effects can build up over time. This posture is never done traditionally without preparation, and there is reason for this.
* Use a wall for support as a learning stage
* Support your head with all of your fingers, including the little fingers and thumbs
* Finding the right position for your head will make sure weight is distributed evenly, and ensure you don’t have to overly press down with your elbows to compensate
* Think of the support for the whole body as being distributed evenly across both elbows and the head
* Don’t hold your weight too much on the back of your body. It will place too much pressure on your neck.
* Don’t use props that allow the neck to be free. It will lead to the neck muscles contracting
* Use the balancing postures. Shoulder stand is the traditional, but Mohan recommends half shoulder stand instead
* Rest your neck before doing the balancing postures, however. Lie down with your legs bent.
* Other balancing postures include chakravakasana, dvipada pitham with the arms, and shalabhasana
There may be fears or a sense of limitation about doing inversion poses that will be confronted. Sometimes, it’s best to start an asana gradually. Shoulder stand comes with a few variations that you can use to build up strength and flexibility, as well as overcome any fear based feelings about the posture and your ability to do it.
Overcoming the fear, and finally being able to do a difficult pose that you thought you couldn’t, can create positive psychological effects. When we prove to ourselves that our fears don’t bind us, that we can move beyond our limitations, we are more able to make changes in other areas of our lives where before we thought it just wasn’t possible.
References: A.G.Mohan, Yoga for Body, Breath, and Mind
If you’d like instructions on how to do shoulder stand, complete with pictures, click here. For information on ashtanga yoga, check out this article on the truth and myth of ashtanga yoga, as well as it’s origins. Rebecca Prescott runs the website http://www.yogatohealth.com
Yoga, The Hot New Trend?
Yoga, as most of us know, is the ancient practice of breathing, meditation and a performing of certain postures. Practicing yoga has gained popularity in recent years and is now starting to gain a lot of attention from the material world. This has its serious practitioners concerned that the reason behind it’s use will be lost in the grab for cash. Many people that practice yoga, or are attempting to learn it, are people that are well educated and are usually found to be doing above average financially. They are also the types of people willing to spend more money on things that are perceived to be better for the environment. Yoga is now becoming an ‘in’ thing to do. Because of this a good many people are jumping on the bandwagon and have started to sell all of the ‘extras’ that are used to enjoy yoga. Entrepreneurs are pursuing this market with a vengeance. These include: books, videos, music, clothes and even the toe socks are making a comeback. A lot of entrepreneurs are happy that they are able to adhere to yoga’s natural healing principles while also turning a great profit. And a lot of investors are now being attracted to this trend as a means to make some serious cash.
Americans alone spend over $2.95 billion a year on yoga classes, clothing, videos, equipment, yoga holidays and more. Aging baby boomers have found it to be a less aggressive way to stay fit.
A study found that approximately 16.5 million people are now practicing yoga in the United States in gyms, in studios, or at home, this is up a whopping 43 percent from a study done in 2002.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, the company Lululemon Athletica has found there to be a rise in sales of yoga apparel to $100 million since they opened in 1998. People are snapping up the trendy pants and tops to wear to yoga class and they are becoming more and more popular for wearing to the grocery store or even to wear out to dinner.
Spas are finding that combining yoga classes with massage, facials and alternative treatments such as acupuncture, are a way to utilize a whole mind and body renewal process.
While spas are enjoying the money to be made by using yoga as a part of their product package, many consumers are now coming to enjoy it’s many benefits and to realize that there are less stressful ways to stay fit and healthy.
Even some schools are now starting to teach yoga. They are realizing that it is the essence of what’s missing in the lives of many modern teens: a connection between their mind and body. An ancient art that has been used for centuries to learn and enjoy a peaceful time, while reducing stress and to cultivate an enthusiasm for exercise. This could not have been rediscovered at a better time. After all, it is not news to anyone that has seen the stories on television that kids and teens are fatter and less active than ever these days.
According to a study done in 2002 by the National Center for Health Statistics it was found that 16% of young people ages 6-19 are overweight. The figures are probably much higher today and we all know just by walking around town that more and more adults are overweight too.
In a time when everything is rush rush and we are all eating more fast food than ever, while leading more and more stressful lives; maybe we all just need to take a little time to relax. Enjoy some yoga and de-stress.
Ahhhh, it makes a body feel good.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
Americans alone spend over $2.95 billion a year on yoga classes, clothing, videos, equipment, yoga holidays and more. Aging baby boomers have found it to be a less aggressive way to stay fit.
A study found that approximately 16.5 million people are now practicing yoga in the United States in gyms, in studios, or at home, this is up a whopping 43 percent from a study done in 2002.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, the company Lululemon Athletica has found there to be a rise in sales of yoga apparel to $100 million since they opened in 1998. People are snapping up the trendy pants and tops to wear to yoga class and they are becoming more and more popular for wearing to the grocery store or even to wear out to dinner.
Spas are finding that combining yoga classes with massage, facials and alternative treatments such as acupuncture, are a way to utilize a whole mind and body renewal process.
While spas are enjoying the money to be made by using yoga as a part of their product package, many consumers are now coming to enjoy it’s many benefits and to realize that there are less stressful ways to stay fit and healthy.
Even some schools are now starting to teach yoga. They are realizing that it is the essence of what’s missing in the lives of many modern teens: a connection between their mind and body. An ancient art that has been used for centuries to learn and enjoy a peaceful time, while reducing stress and to cultivate an enthusiasm for exercise. This could not have been rediscovered at a better time. After all, it is not news to anyone that has seen the stories on television that kids and teens are fatter and less active than ever these days.
According to a study done in 2002 by the National Center for Health Statistics it was found that 16% of young people ages 6-19 are overweight. The figures are probably much higher today and we all know just by walking around town that more and more adults are overweight too.
In a time when everything is rush rush and we are all eating more fast food than ever, while leading more and more stressful lives; maybe we all just need to take a little time to relax. Enjoy some yoga and de-stress.
Ahhhh, it makes a body feel good.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
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