The 4 Paths of Yoga

Here is written a brief explanation of each of the 4 paths of yoga. All the paths lead ultimately to the same destination - to union with Brahman or God (Yoga) - and the lessons in each path need to be integrated if true wisdom is to be attained.

Yoga will develop man as a whole - his heart, intelligence and hand. All these 4 paths can be combined into a single spiritual process (ensuring balance is always present), because the ultimate objective of all of them is the same.

Raja Yoga - (Royal Yoga) - The Yoga of physical and mental control - Meditation is the focal point of this branch of yoga. It focuses on controlling the mind in order to attain enlightenment. Hatha Yoga is the physical branch of Raja Yoga - which teaches control of the body. The word hatha means willful or forceful. Hatha Yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asana’s or postures), designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones. The postures are also designed so that energy can flow freely. Hatha is also translated as ha meaning “sun” and tha meaning “moon.” Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites. In our physical bodies we develop a balance of strength and flexibility. We also learn to balance our effort and surrender in each pose.

Compiled by the Sage - Patanjali - in the Yoga Sutras, the following 8 Limbs of Raja Yoga are a progressive series of steps which purify the body and mind, ultimately leading the yogi to enlightenment.

Yamas - or restraints (Don’ts) are divided into five moral injuctions, aimed at destroying the lower nature. They are - Ahimsa or non-violence , Satyam or truthfulness , Brahmacharya or moderation in all things (control of all senses), Asteya or non-stealing , Aparigraha or non-covetousness.
Niyamas - or observances (Do’s) are also divided into five and complete the ethical precepts. They are - Saucha or purity - this internal and external cleanliness, Santosha or contentment , Tapas or austerity , Swadhyaya or study of the sacred texts , Ishwara Pranidhana which is constantly living with an awareness of the divine Presence.
Asanas - Physical yoga Postures.
Pranayama - control of the breath.
(Asanas & Pranayama form the part of Raja Yoga known as Hatha Yoga)
Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses in order to still the mind.
Dharana - concentration. When Dharana is achieved, it leads to the next step:
Dhyana - meditation. When mastered Dhyana leads to the last step:
Samadhi - the superconscious state. In Samadhi - oneness is experienced. This is the deepest and highest state of consciousness where body and mind have been transcended.

Karma Yoga - (action) - is the path of service, and none of us can escape this pathway. The principle of Karma Yoga is that what we experience today is created by our actions in the past. So if what goes around comes around - we will be inclined to live a less selfish life. It teaches us to detach ourselves from the results of our actions, lets us let go of the ego, and purify the heart.

Bhakti yoga - (devotion) - the path of worship. Seeing the divine in all of creation - it provides us with an opportunity to cultivate acceptance and tolerance for everyone we come into contact with. It is the yoga of the heart. This is the most popular path in India, and it involves surrendering yourself to the devine through prayer, worship and ritual.

Jnana Yoga - (wisdom) - the yoga of the mind, the path of inner enquiry. This path requires development of the intellect through the study of the scriptures and texts of the yogic tradition. It involves serious study and will appeal to those who are more intellectually inclined.

Lorna Littlewing is the Webmaster of http://www.yogabhoga.co.uk, http://www.ompixels.com, and http://www.rawfoodhomepage.com

What Should a Hatha Yoga Teacher Know? - Part 2

Yoga teachers should have good working knowledge of Yoga posture alignment and know how to assist a Yoga student who is holding an asana. When you are about to give an assist - ask for permission first; as this might be considered an invasion of privacy by some of your Yoga students. Yoga teachers should not take for granted that all students want a physical assist and should respect their space.

Yogic philosophy: Yamas and Niyamas are the ethical principles of Yoga. Most of us read Patanjali?s guidelines from the Yoga Sutras. If you want to become a Yoga teacher, you should get your own copy of the Yoga Sutras. The Yamas contain the following five self restraints.

Ahimsa: A Yoga teacher should be a living example of how to avoid violence, harming, and especially killing. This principle can be carried further, as you should avoid purposely injuring yourself in any way. To avoid harming animals could also be included within this principle of Yoga. It is one more reason to consider vegetarianism or, at least, to cut back on meat consumption.

Satya: To be true and honest in every way. This is a very simplistic principle and includes avoiding deception of any kind, shape, or form. However, the truth can sometimes hurt people deeply, so you must use your best judgment when you want to avoid harming someone, but do not lie.

Asteya: This is to avoid stealing in any way. This is a simple principle, but throughout history, laws were sometimes modified to justify stealing. The problem is the desire of something - to the point of jealousy, and finally ? outright theft. The elimination of the Cathars, Africans, and Native Americans are just three examples of people who suffered from modified laws that took away their land.

Brahmacharya: To be free from sensual imprisonment and to live in moderation. At first we might think of lust, and correct this by seeing another person as more than a sexual object. However, most obesity can be found within industrialized nations, where the lust that may kill most people, is over consumption of food.

Therefore, we should strive to be moderate in eating, drinking, sex, Internet use, consumerism, computer games, television, and our behavior. With that said, the use of any illegal drugs is very far from moderate or responsible behavior.

Aparigraha: To be free from greed, wanting, hoarding, and to avoid being selfish. This is one more good reason to give to charity, and help those in need.

Yoga teachers should not only know these principles, but should live by them.

? 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: How to Develop a Home Practice

Many people ask how to start a home yoga practice so here is some information to get you going. First I will review the basics and then discuss how often to practice and what to practice. Remember though, the only right practice is regular practice! Don?t let your desire for perfectionism get in your way. Just show up at your mat and practice. Yoga is a life-long journey ? perhaps many lives!

Environment

The space should be quiet, and ideally used only for yoga. (Can be a section of any room)

Place a mat, blanket or towel on the floor.

The temperature should be moderate - not too cold and not too hot.

The room should have fresh air but not windy or cold.

Sunrise and sundown are desirable times for yoga (although any time works!)

Preparation

Wear light comfortable clothing.

A bath or shower before is good for limberness -wait at least 20 minutes after
practicing before bathing)

In the morning wash, urinate and move the bowels before practice.

Practice before eating or wait two hours after a meal.

Physical Practice (asanas)

Do not practice if there is a fever or deep wounds. Consult a teacher if there is an illness.

Spend five to ten minutes warming up/stretching before beginning practice.
Do not force your limbs into a difficult position. In time your body will open. We are after sensation not pain!

Beginners should hold each asana for 3-5 breaths. After about three months of regular practice this can be increased to 5 to 10 breaths.

Always inhale and exhale through the nostrils unless specified otherwise. Focus on making the breath slow and smooth.

At any time you need a rest come into child pose or shavasana (corpse pose)
Finish asanas with shavasana for five to ten minutes.

How often to practice.

The rule of thumb for how often to practice is simple: It is better to practice for short durations regularly than to practice once a week for a long time. In other words it is better to practice 4 times a week for forty-five minutes then to practice one day for two hours.
With that being said some people get what they need from practicing just a couple of times each week while other practice five or six times a week. It varies from person to person. On average though you will get the most benefit from your practice with average of four sessions per week. The length of time of each session depends on your experience with yoga, time constraints, level of fitness, and motivation. A good idea is to have a journal to keep track of your practice with information such as date, how long you practiced, what you practiced, how you felt during and after your practice, what thoughts came to mind during practice, how you felt later in the day as well as the next day, which postures were challenging and which were felt good.

General framework for your session

Always begin your practice with easy movements and build towards the more difficult postures ending with a cool down. Imagine a bell curve: at the beginning of the bell curve is a moment of centering. As you move up the curve there are warm-ups, then opening postures which help to build heat/ flexibility/strength and at the top of the curve are the most challenging postures. Moving down the other side of the bell curve are cool down postures followed by Shavasana.

Here is a template that you can use to create your own practice session:

Theme or focus (more on this below):

Centering:

Warm-ups:

Opening postures

Challenging postures:

Cool down postures:

Shavasana:

Which postures to practice.

Sometimes it is fun to have a practice without any preconceived notion of what to do and just see what comes out. Sometime it is desirable to tune into your body and see what your body is asking for. Other times you?ll want to plan your session as indicated above. It is during these session that having theme will be helpful. Some classical themes include: backbends, forward bends, twists, balance postures, standing postures, seated postures, inversions, restorative postures, hip openers, shoulder openers, strength building postures, groin openers, hamstring openers, and postures that build energy. Linking postures together (vinyasa) is yet another way to create a practice. In the Iyengar system we focus on linking alignment cues from posture to posture. Of course you may have specific health reasons that you are working with for which it would be best to consult a qualified yoga teacher to help create a practice. I encourage you to be creative ? come up with your own themes and see how it is. It has been said that in yoga you are both the scientist and the experiment!

In my book ?Beginning Yoga: A Practice Manual? I offer 20 different practice sequences to guide your home practice as well as a chapter on how to set up a home practice.

Howard VanEs, M.A. has been studying and practicing yoga for over 13 years and is a certified yoga teacher teaching in the East Bay area of San Francisco. He is author of ?Beginning Yoga: A Practice Manual?, co-creator of the audio CD ?Shavasana / Deep Relaxation? and publisher of Yoga Health and Wellness newsletter. http://www.letsdoyoga.com email: info@letsdoyoga.com

Hatha Yoga ? A Crowd Favorite

Increasingly, you may hear about your companions enrolling in Hatha classes at the local gym. In terms of pure popularity, Hatha yoga is number one in the yoga world. As a result, the poses are known well by both beginners and experts.

Hatha yoga poses are called Asanas. The Asanas are used in combination with meditation and the breathing techniques known as Pranayama. Together they work the body to improve strength and flexibility as well as overall health, which is one of the reasons it is so popular. Hatha is a hybrid of the Sanskrit words ?ha? which means ?sun? and the word ?tha? which means the ?moon.? Together, they refer to the way that Hatha?s yoga poses often bring together opposites currents in the system.

Of the eight limbs of yoga, Hatha focuses mostly on the third, which is Asana, and the fourth, which is Pranayama. These pose and posture techniques coupled with the breathing patterns are used to clear out your body?s energy channels, known as the Nadis. This, in turn, removes obstacles that could hamper other limbs helping to improve your well being.

Hatha History

Hatha has been around since 15th century India when a yogic sage, Swami Swatamarama, detailed Hatha Yoga Pradipika, one of the most important yoga texts. The original intent of this form of yoga was to help support relaxation of the body and to support the ?contemplation of one reality.? Many of the classic Hatha yoga poses that were used at its inception, in fact, are still in use with it today. According to those first practitioners of Hatha, the postures can lead to the best in not only physical well being, but also the best state of mind you can possibly attain.

Your Hatha Path

Before beginning your journey into Hatha yoga, you need to be prepared just like with any other form of yoga. There are some basic tips that can help you have an easier, more effective, and safer experience as you begin this original yoga style.

First, remember to breathe normally while you are in and move between each of the poses. Your breaths should be deep and smooth. Try to feel your diaphragm opening and expanding as you switch from one posture to another. Hatha rarely, if ever, uses the shorter and harder yoga breathing, so stay smooth and deep.

Second, do not force any of the stretch positions in Hatha. Start with the easier ones and make sure you are moving easily and naturally into each pose and that you are holding it for 15 to 30 seconds. This will ensure that you get the most out of your yoga and minimize your risk of injury. Be patient with your body and do not attempt the more difficult poses until you are sure you are ready.

Finally, concentrate on your breathing. One of the big focuses in this particular yoga is the breathing which leads to much of the mental health benefits. Use the exercise to relax and become at peace with yourself in the moment. That is what Hatha yoga poses are intended to do for you.

Hatha has been in practice for over 600 years. Longevity like that is rare even in yoga, and can be a sign of success and true belief. If you are considering this form of yoga as for yourself, then remember: never strain, take the time to make sure you are ready for a given pose, and to concentrate heavily on your breathing. Following these tips will help you to attain the superior mental and physical well being that Hatha is said to provide.

Rebecca Prescott provides an introduction to some hatha yoga poses here. You’ll also find an article about another popular style of yoga, Bikram yoga, and weight loss benefits associated with it, here.

Yoga: Three reasons you should not do Sitting Forward Bend

Sitting Forward Bend ? (Paschimottanasana)

?Never force yourself into a forward bend when sitting on the floor?

Yogasana, the third limb of Raja Yoga also popularly understood by mass population as yoga is getting popular as never before in both eastern and western countries. The reason for Yogasana (popularly know as Yoga) to gain popularity are numerous ranging from releasing stress, flexibility to helping patient suffering from various diseases. Although the initial objective of Yogasana (Yoga) in Raja Yoga was different, however the ability of yoga to help patient with various ailments is really praiseworthy.

The Sitting Forward Bend is one of the most demanding postures of Yoga. In this pose the body is folded almost in half, providing an intense stretch to the entire back of the body, from the scalp down to the heels.
Students often struggle in this asana. If you pull yourself forward using your shoulders and arms you will create the tension through your body and you will end up tightening your muscles and this will not allow you to get into the posture any quicker. While doing this asana give some time for the muscles to stretch and to release the tension. Often, because of tightness in the back of the legs many students do not go very far forward. For those who find it difficult to do the full Sitting Forward Bend they can do the half pose using the right leg and the right hand at a time for a few breaths and than practice with the other leg and hand.

The Sitting Forward Bend stimulates the kidneys, liver, spleen and pancreas improving digestion in the body. The pose tones and massages the entire abdominal area and it relieves constipation. It stretches the hamstring muscles, lumbar and sacral regions and increases flexibility in the hip joints. Regular practice of this asana removes excess weight in the abdomen area.

Three important reasons (out of many) not to do Sitting Forward Bend:

1) A person who suffers from slipped disc and sciatica should not practice this powerful asana.

2) Anyone who has asthma should not attempt to practice this pose.

3) If you are in the first trimester of pregnancy avoid this asana as it puts stress on the womb. After the first trimester you can practice the pose very gently with your legs slightly apart.

Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.

Mr.Subodh Gupta, a Corporate Yoga Trainer 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 Yoga website http://www.subodhgupta.com/ and for Subodh Gupta Yoga article webpage http://www.subodhgupta.com/yogaarticle.html

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

Chase away the Blahs with Yoga

Yoga is a great disposition enhancer and it does it naturally. Any kind of exercise releases hormones that help ease the stress that often leads to the blahs, blues, or outright depression. Activity keeps your mind far from negative thoughts and allows you to gain insight on dilemmas in your life. People who are depressed or ?down? often lack the stimulus to exercise. It doesn?t take near as much effort to do a Yoga routine as it does to work out to a video or drive to the gym. A word of warning; if you experience more than just the occasional bout of the blahs and feel down for more than two weeks at a time, you should seek professional help. They may feel that you need treatment or therapy, and proper exercise.

Very often people who are depressed frequently lack the concentration to stop and try to disconnect themselves from their thoughts. Yoga is meditation in movement so it is easier to move your mind away from depressing thoughts. Yoga?s focus on balance can also help you bring back your mental strength.

Yoga has a clear-cut connection between mind, body, and spirit that no other form of exercise or meditation can attain on its own. Negative thoughts can keep us from experiencing our vital inner nature. Doubt, hopelessness, despair, apathy and either sleeping too much or not enough are all signs of depression. Yoga is designed to bring you closer to your inner self; it then is only natural that it can help with some of the symptoms of depression.

Certain postures can influence your mood and allow depression to end. One special Asana can?t cure depression or the blahs. The Asanas assist in increasing your lung capacity allowing more oxygen to reach all the affected parts of your body including your mood. Asana postures can help depleted energy levels, and sluggishness. You should ask your Yoga instructor to help you and suggest postures that would best assist you balance your moods.

The practice of yoga calms the nervous system, and allows you to comprehend the link between your mind and emotions. They can both be used to help each other. As breathing is an important part of Yoga, it can also help you to limit anxiety, calm your thoughts, and help you concentrate on positive energy rather than negative.

Any style of Yoga can help you exile the blahs. It may not be physically demanding but you will feel so much better at the end of your session. Remember, if you have a severe depressive episode; seek advice from with a professional. Consult with your Doctor before starting to practice yoga to be sure there is no conflict with any treatment you may be undergoing. If you want to try a Yoga routine specifically for depression, find a teacher who can create a personal routine for you. Yoga teachers have been extensively trained for this purpose and know which positions that are the most suitable for remedial purposes.

Ysiad writes about yoga to encourages personal health, spirituality and wellness particular for http://www.yoga.value-guides.com.

Yoga’s Eight Fold Path to Enlightenment

While many consider Yoga to be a form a physical exercise, it is also known to be an exercise in spiritual development. Most would agree that the true goal of Yoga is to provide the individual with the means to achieve inner peace and balance. To achieve these lofty goals, students are encouraged to become familiar Yoga’s eight fold path. The eight fold path consists of eight disciplines; Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samhadi.

The first fold, Yama, advises students to engage with the world from a moral standpoint, and is actually broken down into five distinct elements. The first element, Ahimsa, teaches the student to respect the world around him. The second, Satya, teaches that one should be honest with themselves and with others. The third, Asteya, teaches not to steal from another. The fourth, Bramacharya, advises against overindulgence of any form. The fifth, Aparigraha, teaches the student to live a simple life that is not distracted by material things.

Niyama, or the second fold, is considered the path of self restraint and consists of three distinct elements. Shaugh, the first element, teaches students to keep the body and mind clean and pure. Santosh, the second element, teaches the student to be happy and contented with the task at hand and to give an honest effort in all endeavors. Tapa, the third element, suggests that certain pleasures must be given up in order to attain one’s goals.

Asana is the third of the eight fold path, and it is concerned with physical training and building stamina. Asana is made up of 84 yoga poses, which are focused on developing strength, increasing health, and preparing for meditation. This stage is as much about physical conditioning, as it is mental or psychological discipline. Pranayama, the fourth fold, concerns controlled breathing. Proper breathing is important for mastering true relaxation and self discipline. The proper way to breathe while practicing yoga is to breathe in, and breathe out while pausing in between.

Pratyahara is the fifth of the eight folds, and is concerned with the individual’s control of sensory stimulation. The intent is to induce a sense of inner peace and quiet, by tuning out external stimulation. Dharana is the sixth fold, and it is primarily concerned with focusing one’s concentration on meditation. When a meditative state has been attained the student is then on to the seventh step, Dhyana. The final step, Samhadi, is attained when all previous steps have been completed and the individual experiences a true oneness with all things. The student is, as of this point, in tune with the universal flow. Namaste!

Brodi Saatpha has been practicing Yoga for many years, and one day hopes to attain true enlightenment. When she is not teaching others how to discover inner peace, she writes for yoga-insight.com ? an inspiring online magazine dedicated to educating and informing people about the history of yoga, yoga chants, yoga retreats and more.

Maintaining a Home Practice

“What’s a home practice?!” my friend Suzi from Portugal wrote, her irony not lost in the facelessness of the typed page. “Well, I guess I could say that my kids are my Yoga, as my husband is also, or the dogs, or making the beds, or doing the dishes…”

But of course, aren’t most of us householders, with Yoga as the focus of our lives being just behind round-the-world cruises and a fleet of sports cars in that ever-present lottery win fantasy? After all, for the majority of us it’s not Yoga that feeds the kids, makes the beds, pays the bills…

“The kids go back to school on Monday,” Suzi continued, a hint of relief in her words. “And then I shall be able to put my thoughts back in order.”

And that’s when it struck me - what use is this Yoga thing if it only works when we are free to clear the time and space to let it take effect? Who needs to feel the wonders of Yoga more, I wonder - the stressed business executive as she faces the demands of an uncaring world, or the reclusive monk with hour after day after month to indulge in the finest of India’s philosophies? And if Yoga only works for those with the time to follow a strict and lengthy course of behaviour, what use is it to the you or me in our everyday lives?

And yet, how useful this Yoga thing is was my very first thought after my first ever Yoga class. So strange, I thought, that I could lie there in a class full of complete strangers and yet be relaxed enough to fall asleep. There was something in this Yoga thing indeed!

Skip several months forward and, much as I still enjoyed classes, there was something limiting about the set times and places, the postures chosen by the teachers. Something inhibiting in the pace of the classes, by necessity aimed at the slowest learners, and (again, by necessity) lacking in the philosophical structure that I now know to be true Yoga. All in all, something that wasn’t quite right.

At that time, the “some is good, more is better” attitude still ran strong in me, and I tried (without much success) to go to more classes each week, desperate to find that “more” that eluded me. But gradually, over months (perhaps years), the realisation came that it wasn’t more of the same I needed, but less - and more of something different. Less them, more me…

I took my first tentative steps towards a home practice quite early, after just a few weeks of classes, when I received my first Yoga video as a present. But like a teetering toddler it continued in bursts and stumbles for over 6 months before finding its feet in any way. Even then (and even now) the falls are frequent, the merest social events or most inconsequential working demands wreaking untold havoc on my good intentions. Could this really be what Patanjali had in mind?

But something in Suzi’s words seemed to click, a connection to the very first sutra of Patanjali’s finest work. In fact, the very first word - Atha.

Now.

Not tomorrow, not next week. Not when the kids go back to school, or when work eases up and lets you home before dark o’clock.

NOW!

Yoga cannot take place another time, it must begin now with your intention to practice. Easy for me to say as I sit at the keyboard, typing ideals and impossible goals for people I don’t even know! Or is it? Where in the Yoga sutra-s does Patanjali say that Yoga must be a ninety minute class of asana-s? Or an hour? Or half an hour? Does he even prescribe that we must dedicate one minute to Yoga?

This fallacy, that we must set aside a block of time is second only to the prevailing misconception that Yoga equals asana. Together they make a deadly combination. So you’re at home, the dog’s barking, kids are screaming and tearing up the joint, dinner’s burning on the stove - right now, an hour’s asana practice is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. But can you spare sixty seconds? Or thirty? Close your eyes (oh yeah, better switch off that stove first!), take a deep breath and bring yourself just one step closer to calmness. Feel better? Of course. Was that Yoga? For sure.

But what can we do to maximise the likelihood of a regular, if not daily, practice? To begin, I think taking a good long look at yourself, your environment, and your needs from Yoga, is an excellent starting point. This is a large part of what Patanjali calls Svadhyaya or self-study, one of the three essential elements of Kriya Yoga (the Yoga of action.) And the first question must be to ask yourself what you are hoping to achieve from Yoga?

Discovering your intent is a very important preparation for practice, for that determines largely what you will do, and how you will do it. If your needs are spiritual, a dynamic asana-based practice is unlikely to help you achieve that - on the contrary, if you look to Yoga as a means of physical therapy, a practice centred around chanting and prayer will probably not meet your expectations.

The next step should be to look at how you can change your life to move towards those goals.

“Having a Yoga space helps me,” said Suzanne, another friend and a Yoga teacher from North Carolina. “I have my Yoga room back again it makes a huge difference. My stepson is still in and out, so there is still some of his stuff there, but having a space that’s clear and clean and dedicated is wonderful.”

Your ‘Achilles heel’ may be very different - for me, I know that the key to a regular practice is a good night’s sleep. A night owl at heart, I prefer to stay up late but know that if I do not get up and practice in the morning before work, I am less likely to do it. Several late nights have a cumulative effect, and it then becomes a feat for me to break the ‘downward spiral’, a much greater effort to drag myself to the mat. But how do we summon that initial effort?

A story springs to mind of an in-house training course run by my work, where the old seasoned veteran is trying to teach the next batch of young whippersnappers how to do the job. As they sit in expectation he forms them in a circle and places a lit candle in the middle.

“Now I want you all to close your eyes, and think hard, and concentrate on putting out that candle with your thoughts.” A few doubtful glances, then the eyes are closed and the trainees strain their faces as they will that candle to extinguish.

“Open your eyes,” he says, but when they do the candle is still lit. “Try again, but this time I really want you all to picture that candle blowing out.” Again they try. Again the candle is still lit when their eyes are opened.

Shaking his head, this dinosaur steps into the middle of the circle, licks his forefinger and thumb, then snuffs out the flame.

“Don’t think about it! Do it!”

While self-study may prepare you for success, all the planning in the world will never take you one step closer to extinguishing that candle. What you need is Tapas - often described as fire, austerity or self-discipline - to take you to your mat. This discipline always seems to begin with a sacrifice -whether a warm bed on a frosty winter’s morning, or a few more minutes with a loved one watching the latest blockbuster. This is where the elements of Kriya Yoga begin to interact - how much do you want to reach the goals that Svadhyaya have revealed to you? Enough to sacrifice fifteen more minutes in bed? Enough to miss that wonderful movie (and associated munchies)? Only you can decide, but without that discipline your candle will still be burning every time you open your eyes.

So you’ve done the thinking (and boy did that hurt), and summoned the willpower to take you to the mat. But then the phone rings, and your boss needs you in at work immediately, or a good friend has found a crisis to distract you from your path. Surely even Patanjali cannot get you out of this one?!

This is where the third element comes rushing in to the rescue - Ishvara Pranidhana, or surrender to god. And this is where a large proportion of Yogin-s go rushing out the door, as the threat of theology looms over their favoured pastime. But far from some devotional ideal, I see the practical application of this surrender as being a simple acceptance - acceptance that sometimes (most of the time) we are in a river not of our choosing, and that we must swim along with the current or perish.
“The slump is my guru!” declared David (yes, you guessed it, yet another friend), who teaches in Utah.

Just five words, but instantly I knew what he meant. Beyond the asana-s and the pranayama, beyond meditation and chanting, Yoga has so much more to teach us. A home practice is a far greater gift than a half hour’s mat time, and often seems amplified when Swami Slumpananda is in control. The trick then is to recognise your control is gone, accept it, wait and watch. Sooner or later the Swami cuts you free, and it’s time to dish out the Tapas again!

Scott currently teaches at Kilmarnock College, Kilmarnock, on a Saturday morning during the academic term. He is also available for one-to-one sessions in order to help you develop a regular home practice, to deepen your existing practice or to tackle specific issues that cannot be addressed in group classes. You can find further details or contact him through his website at http://www.exploreyoga.co.uk

The Benefits And Importance Of Sarvangasana

It is known as the queen of asanas which works out to be very beneficial for your mind, body and soul. Sarvangasana is a combination of three parts such as “sarva” “anga” and “asana” which means “all body posture”. It is one the asana which is very important and helpful for your entire body including the pressure massages for your thyroid glands. The other benefit from this asana is the projection of stability emotionally and otherwise. Every muscle that is pushed and pulled benefits the organs inside, which in turn shows on your body and face. It soothes the nervous system which otherwise seems to be overloaded with unwanted work.

By doing this asana properly it could help you in curing your ailments related to bronchitis, asthma, heavy breathing and shortness in breath. Digestion is one of the major problems which many people face, due to fast food and other junk we fill in our stomachs. Your digestion would come in terms with your food by this asana as well as your body would be a place of better health. If you happen to be anemic your conditions could improve by simply doing this asana as well as have daily routine in dietary and exercise habits.

This asana also known as the candle stand as you have to keep your body straight as a candle. This asana also helps in regulating the sex glands which we all know would be very beneficial for future parents as well as for a good sex life. Due to good circulation of blood and purification factors the organs in the lower part of the body strengthen making your body stronger and healthier. Your neck muscles also benefit due to the stretch. It is one of the recommended poses for women after childbirth and those who go through the painful menstruation cycle.

Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yoga site opens a new door towards your knowledge about yoga. Sarvangasana is very important asana and as the name says it is an asana which is suited for your entire body.

Benefits Of Padangusthasana

This is one of the basic yoga asanas which we learn initially while learning yoga. All the yoga poses help in improving your flexibility which becomes very useful in our daily life. The asana is also known as head to foot pose. Your desire to regulate your blood pressure can be done by this asana. The pressure on your head and the stretching of the muscles relaxes your brain, making you work out things more easily and calmly. The stretching and pulling tones your body and relaxes you by making you feel at ease. The bending helps your abdominal organs as it massages the liver and spleen making it useful to the optimum level.

If done properly this asana would benefit not only body but would teach you be calm and patient. It has to be done slowly and not in a haste, if you want to receive its full benefits. The tiring muscles would be elevated and rejuvenated by this pose. The stretching of the muscles helps your hips, thighs, hamstrings, groin and calves. When these muscles are stretched they make your body more agile and fit. It helps to strengthen the other muscles which would help in recuperating your tired body. The less stress you give to your important organs it would work in a better fashion and helping your health.

With the improper diet, many of us suffer from gastric and indigestion problems. As we do not take care of our health and does not even look at the warning signs our body sends to us. This exercise helps in removing the bloating feeling caused by the indigestion and gastric troubles. It stretches most parts of your body like back, spine and legs which also plays a major role at the time of conception. Your knees are strengthened; the pressure helps in reduction of flat foot. Some other benefits are in strengthening your prostrate gland, reduction in blood pressure, helps in removing your backache, less menstrual discomfort is also provided by this asana.

Kevin Pederson webmaster for Yoga site opens a new door towards your knowledge about yoga and its usefulness in all walks of your life, be it office, home or traveling. Padangusthasana Yoga Asana would lead you towards calmness and patience.

Yoga in Practice: Train Your Mind for Empowerment, Part 2

Let's look a little deeper into training your mind for empowerment and success. The mind spends much of its time evaluating and categorizing everything. This is an automatic early warning system to react to daily situations and potential emergencies.

However, the mind should be ?wired? to automatically find solutions in all situations, instead of ?freezing up.? One method is to realize when you should engage in facets of Yoga for more productive use of your time. For example: When you are too busy for Pranayama, Asana, and meditation, this is the point where you need to practice Yoga the most.

The most productive people I know make an appointment for themselves. You could write an appointment down on your daily schedule to make ?solo? time for yourself. This is time that you set aside for yourself - just like an appointment for your hair stylist. That is also why some people have a personal coach, life coach, personal trainer, or Yoga teacher.

However, this time should be used wisely, and you should be living in the present moment when you practice any facet of Yoga. After a few days, you will see your productivity increase and your sleep patterns will improve. This is possible because you are now in control of your own schedule. You will not accomplish as much - if you spend most of your time running around in circles.

Therefore, your Yoga practice should be performed on a daily basis. If you cannot do it alone, you should seek out Yoga classes or a competent Yoga teacher. Be honest with yourself and do not postpone a change of lifestyle that is in your best interest.

With reference to training your mind - you should also take the time for self analysis. How much time do you spend ?second guessing? yourself? Researching a situation is one thing, but giving up due to obstacles, is quite another. Learn to recognize, and expect obstacles, as they are on every path of life, including the Yogic path.

Affirm the positive aspects of your life every day. Let your family know that you love them. Appreciate what you have, and give thanks to God for your existence. There is always someone who has a harder life than we do. Appreciate this fact, and show loving kindness to every person you meet, regardless of their status.

Do not draw comparisons about material wealth. Most of the materially affluent people I know are very unhappy and worry about money all the time. The sad fact is material wealth does not equate to empowerment.

? 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

Ashtanga Yoga - Is It Right for You?

Ashtanga Yoga is the type of yoga which was developed and founded by K. Pattabhi Jois. This type of yoga is known as the Eight Limb Yoga which has revolved in Pattanjali’s enormous idea. It presented that the path of purification is made up of the eight spiritual practices.

The first four limbs that represent Ashtanga Yoga are ? yama, niyama, Asana and the Pranayama. These are considered cleansing practices which are externally correctable. The other set of limbs which are the ? pratyahara, dhyana, dharana are the internal practies.

These limbs can only be corrected by the proper application of the Ashtanga Yoga method. This type of yoga method is quite dangerous to the mind.

K. Pattabhi Jois said that practicing these Eight Limbs and also its sub-limbs of the external practices which include the niyama and yama is not possible. In doing so, the body should be strong so that it can perform the practices well enough. If the body is weak, and the sense organs are not functioning well, practicing will never be useful at all.

This is a philosophy that K. Pattabhi Jois has applied, this is important to understand so that in doing the practice, you are sure that the body will improve and the keep it stronger and healthier.

Vinsaya and Tristhana is practiced in Ashtanga Yoga.

The Vinsaya is a style that makes Ashtanga and its principles distinct from the others. Vinsaya means the movement and breathing which is used for the internal cleansing process. Each movement done is accompanied by only one breath. Sweat is the most important product of Vinsaya. When you produce sweat, it only means that you are successfully applying the practice. When you perform the Asanas, the body creates heat which causes your blood to boil and excrete the toxins outside of your body. The toxins are found in your sweat. So the more sweat you create, the more toxins are released.

The poses are used to fully develop the strength and health of the body. The series of practices make this possible. There are three postures used in Ashtaga Yoga.

The three are classified on different levels.

The first is the Primary Series which aims on aligning the body and also detoxifying it.

The second is the Intermediate Series opening and cleaning the energy channels which comes to the process of purifying the Nervous System.

The last series would be the Advanced Series from A to D. in this series, the grace and strength is measured.

The Tristhana is another yoga principle which represents the union of the three places of action and attention. First is the posture, second is the breathing technique ad last is the Dristhi of the Looking Place. All these three should work altogether to perform a function.

Breathing techniques are simultaneous and synchronized. It is important to make a single breath for one movement. Ujjayi Breathing is the Yoga Breathing Technique used in the application of Ashtanga Yoga. Applying this technique must be prolonged after every practice. What you need to master is holding your pose longer at the same time hold your breath. This is an amazing breathing exercise that will increase your internal fire and will strengthen the Nervous System.

Both Ashtanga and Tristhana deal with the series of Dristhi. The Dristhi is described as the point on which you gain your focus or attention while doing the Asana. This enables your mind to be purified and stabilized clearly.

Setting the mind clear and cleansing it can only be done in the Eight-Limb Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga.

yogaweb.info is a website that likes to give information to people that needs information.
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The Journey Of Yoga Through Mind

Yoga is a transformative art, and deceptively simple. At least, although the advanced yoga postures are in fact difficult to the unpracticed, and look it, the changes that yoga can bring into one’s life belie the apparent simplicity of stretching muscles.

After all, we stretch muscles at the gym during a warm up. So what is the basic difference between yoga and regular workouts, including pilates. Pilates, after all, took some of its inspiration from yoga. Or at least the aspect of yoga that is made of the physical exercises, the asanas.

Yoga integrates the breath and consciousness with physical stretches in a way that I haven’t even felt in pilates, although pilates is great as a way of strengthening the internal muscles of the body as well, particularly the pelvic floor.

But in yoga, through the breath, and focusing on it within our body, we come to a greater understanding of both our body and ourselves. We begin a more conscious relationship with our individuality. We meet that unique expression of ourselves expressing physically in that moment. And we are able to begin a process of changing that which is blocking the vital flow of our energy.

That is why it doesn’t matter what state we are in when we begin practising a yoga posture. We might be more or less stiff, or in pain, or distracted, than usual. It is a journey of discovery, not of trying to fit ourselves into an external idea, even if that idea is represented in that moment by the yoga posture we are trying to do. Desikachar writes that the body can “only gradually accept an asana”. (Desikachar) We should not strain ourselves, or judge ourselves, if we cannot fit into that posture. That posture is a possible outcome, yes, but what we do in our practice of yoga is to take the journey.

Desikachar makes another important point: “We should remain flexible so that we are still able to react to changes in our expectations and old ideas. The more distanced we are from the fruits of our labors, the better we are able to do this… Paying more attention to the spirit in which we act and looking less to the results our actions may bring us - this is the meaning of isvarapranidhana in kriya yoga”

The asanas are a way of preparing ourselves to more fully meet the challenges of life in a way that does not throw us off balance, and increases our capacity to adapt to those changes that are inherent in life. They allow us to be more sensitive and aware to what is really going on inside us, and in life itself. This growing self knowledge then provides us with a more complete picture in which our responses to whatever situations confront us more accurately reflects what is truly present. There is a deeper engagement that goes beyond the vagrancies of the mind, the self doubt, the domination of our preconceptions and expectations, or our need for something to be a certain way.

When we are distracted or preoccupied with doubts, worries, and fears, and even hope that is attached to an outcome (need), the vital energy of our whole being is leaking, diffused. Through yoga practice, we are able to clear the detritus, to redirect our diffused energy within, to sit within the body, our being, again. This is an energetic aspect of self-mastery. Integral to this is the knowledge of oneself as whole, and simultaneously a part of the wholeness that is within everything.

References: Desikachar, Heart If Yoga

If you’d like to learn more about yoga poses, see this article. This guide to locust pose yoga is illustrated and with variations for locust pose described, so that it can be adapted to anybody.

What is Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga? (Part-II)

Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga has eight limbs(parts). In my earlier article, Yama and Niyama have been described briefly. Yama and Niyama are external limbs of Yoga; these are to be practised while leading social life. The rest six limbs - Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahar, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are internal limbs of Yoga. While practicing these six limbs one concentrates one’s mind on true self and realises the divine truth. In this article Asana and Pranayama have been described.

Asana(posture)

Asana is a posture of the body by which the body rests on a plane surface. For different actions man chooses different postures. For Yoga one should choose a comfortable posture by which one may concentrate mind on true self. For choosing a posture Patanjali describes - posture should be motionless and comfortable(II.46). So in Yogasana one rests one’s body in a comfortable and static posture so that all other succeeding limbs are practiced easily and one reaches upto the last limb i.e. Samadhi.

Different Schools of Yoga teach different Yogic exercises in the name of Yogasana. These Yogasana should be included in Tapa, a type of Niyama. In Tapa a practitioner imparts warmness or heat to the body through the practice of Yogic exercises and thereby the body becomes strong and diseaseless. Tapa and its exercises is external limb of Yoga; however the third limb of Yoga i.e. Asana is internal limb. Through Yogasana which involves exercise of the body, one cannot be motionless or feel comfortable. So in these postures one cannot enter into Samadhi. In true Asana rests one’s body comfortably and rises up above the gross mind, body and senses and realises the true self.

So for a motionless and comfortable Asana one should lie on a plane surface on one’s back with hands and legs streched. This is called Sukhasana. In this posture all the six internal limbs of Yoga may be practiced well. A human being may be partitioned into four - body, Prana(breath), mind, and bliss(soul). If any one of these is brought under control, others will come under control automatically. In Asana, body is kept motionless and as a result Prana(breath) and mind are brought under control. When everything is brought under control and becomes motionless, one feels the bliss of soul or true self.

Pranayama(breath control)

For common understanding Prana(life) is breath or breathing air. But in reality it is more than the air we breathe. It is the life force that moves out and moves in and these movements are expressed through the exhalation and inhalation of air. When this life force goes outside it mingles with the universal life force of all living beings and when it moves in, it touches every living cell in the body. The body functions because of this life force. The energy of this life force is unending. Through our numerous births this Prana works from birth till death. Body does not depend upon food solely, but it depends upon Prana solely. There are people who do not take food for months and years; but still they are able to work and live.

In reality body, Prana and mind are one. When any one of these three becomes motionless, the other two become motionless. In Sukhasana when the body is kept motionless for half an hour, Prana and mind become motionless. When Prana is motionless there is no inhalation or exhalation or breathing takes place in a very subtle manner. This is Pranayama. Patanjali teaches - after one rests in Asana, there is cut off in the movements of inhalation and exhalation and this cut off is Pranayama(II.49). This can be scientifically explained also. When the body is in motion, the rate of metabolism in the body is higher and so one breathes in quick succession. Conversely whe one is in rest the rate of metabolism is less and one breathes after a long pause. Again, when mind is restless, one breathes quickly and when mind is calm, one breathes normally.

Different Schools of Yoga, which teach to control breathing forcibly, only follow unscientific and impure Pranayama. By forcibly withhelding breath, one keeps carbon dioxide inside for a longer period and this may be fatal to the body cells. In pure and true Pranayama one has to do nothing. One should lie in Sukhasana and keep mind on the movement of breath across the nostrills. In this way body, mind and Prana become motionless naturally and become one. In Pranayama one concentrates mind and gives rest to this overworked Prana.

Author is a desciple of Late Munishvar Shiv kumar Shastri and practices Yoga as taught by him. His aim is to spread true spiritualism and yoga. Those who want to read more about spiritualism based on the Upanishads and Yoga based on Patanjali’s Yogasutra should go through his book ‘Quest for Truth: the spiritual and yogic way’.
http://www.bookstobelievein.com/questfortruth.php
premansu_chand@rediffmail.com

Asanas To Help You Out From Your Backache

Yoga is very important in our daily life and it can create positive impact on your health. By doing some asanas would be very good for your back. As the lifestyle and the way of working has changed which causes many of these ailments. The food habits with high on fat, cholesterol and other unwanted things just add up to your ailments.

Yoga done helps in relaxing your body and creates harmony in your body. The process of yoga is the idea about well-being in this fast and overly paced life. It gives a therapeutic feeling once you are through with it. It makes you aware about your body and needs of stretching and stress free makes it very important for everyone to give it a try at least once.

Some common poses which can be tried by you to break-free from the backache. The very common and very easy asana is the Shav asana (also known as the Corpse position) this helps in relaxing your body by lying flat on your back and relieving you from all the stress and tension. You can also do the Spinal Twist which would help in easing your tension in the upper back and shoulders, the cat stretch or cobra which increases flexibility of your spine.

Some of the other poses are the Camel pose, Cow pose, Locust pose, Lotus pose, Forward Bend, Palm Tree pose and Fish pose all these poses helps in relieving the back pain you keep complaining about. Some other poses which would help you are the Headstand, inverted poses, aswini mudra, plough these all the different poses which can be done if causes of backache is by displaced organs, weak muscles, from menstruation and other problems. Other asanas are tadasana samastithi, tadasana urdhva hastasana, tadasana urdhva baddha hastasna.

Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz ,provides information on yoga for one and all who has any problems be it back or any other problems.

What Is Yoga? Asana In the Context of the Six Yogas System

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is freedom. It is love. It is pure, radiant, unobstructed joy. It
is pure awareness, wide-awake and clear.

~ Richard Freeman, director of The Yoga Workshop, in Boulder, CO

Here in the United States, on the cusp of 2006, just about everyone has heard the word ?yoga.? For many if not most, the word conjures images of scantily-clad beings with expanding and twisting limbs: a well-worn ?scene? in health clubs, retreat centers, and yoga spaces throughout the country. In other words, it brings to mind the practice of asana ~ sequences of physical movements and postures ~ which, as it turns out, represent just a tiny slice of the entire ?pie? that is the Yoga Tradition(s) of the larger world (universe, cosmos). Now there?s nothing wrong with the practice of asana (I do it myself, and find it quite wonderful!), but it might be useful to be able to place this particular aspect of yoga onto its larger ?map? ~ to have a sense of the tradition(s) from which it arises and to which it returns, and to understand asana to be just one of many possible entry-points into this vast and beautiful territory. So let?s explore ?

The word Yoga originates from the Sanskrit word Yuj (literally, “to yoke”) and is generally translated as “union” or “integration” — to yoke, attach, join, or unite. The ?union? referred to here is that of the individual soul with the cosmos, the Supreme; of the small ?self? of ego/individual identity with the larger ?Self? or ?Spirit? of which we?ll all a part. But what does this mean? And how to we get there?! It is in the quest to answer these questions that the various Yoga traditions have arisen.

Perhaps the broadest categorization within the world of Yoga is along the lines of the great spiritual traditions of the world, and in particular, their mystical wings/branches: Those within these traditions who identify as ?mystics? are seeking yoga, or direct (unmediated) union, with the Divine. Examples of Yoga at this level include: Buddhist Yoga (e.g. the ?six Yogas of Naropa?); Taoist Yoga (commonly known as Qigong ~ the basis for all of the martial & healing arts with origins in China); and the Yogas associated with the so-called ?Hindu? traditions of India.

The practice of asana, as it?s best known in this country, falls into the last of these categories: the Hindu Yoga traditions. But this tradition itself has numerous aspects. One way of looking at it is through the lens of ?The Six Yoga Systems,? which can be understood as six different doorways, entry-points, portals, or vehicles through which a practitioner might approach, engage with, and enter the territory of Yoga.

The Six Yoga Systems

1.Hatha Yoga is the category under which asana falls. One way of translating the word ?Hatha? is to break it into two parts: ?ha?=sun and ?tha?=moon. Sun and moon, in this context, refer to the two opposite currents that regulate all processes in our body: the ?masculine? and the ?feminine,? or ~ in terms of subtle anatomy, the pingala and the , the two nadis, or channels of energy, whose union within the central channel of the shushumna nadi is ~ for those practicing in this tradition, the very definition of Yoga. Aside from being, in the way described above, a vehicle for mystical union, the asanas ~ on a more mundane level ~ are great for improving health & strengthening the nervous system ? and this is understood to be the first and a necessary step along this path. Forms of Hatha Yoga being practiced in the United States today include: Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, Kripalu, Bikrams, and Anusara (to name just a few!).

2.Raja (royal) Yoga is often referred to as the ?crown of Hatha Yoga.? What makes it the ?crown? is its addition ~ to the physical practices of Hatha Yoga ~ of a kind of mental training intended to improve concentration to the point at which it flows into meditation and, finally, samadhi (which is, for this tradition, the ultimate definition of Yoga). Raja Yoga is known also as Ashtanga (eight-limbed) Yoga. These eight limbs include:

1. Yamas, or Restraints (harmlessness, truthfulness, non-stealing, control of senses)

2. Niyamas, or Disciplines (cleanliness, purification of body, mind and nervous system, study of metaphysical principles, contemplation on God)

3. Asanas or Postures

4. Pranayama, or Un-binding of breath and life-currents

5. Pratyahara, or Turning the attention within, by reversing the flow of the energy of the sense organs

6. Dharana, or Concentration

7. Dhyana, or Meditation, i.e. prolonged periods of perfect concentration and contemplation

8. Samadhi, or Mystical Union

The exposition of Raja Yoga is contained, most famously, in the sage Patanjali?s Yoga Sutras.

3. Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga of Devotion, of love for the Divine in its embodied forms. Radha and the other Gopis are ~ in their relationship to Krishna ~ the archetypal, quintessential Bhaktas, for it is through their love and devotion and delight in the presence of Krishna that they come to know themselves as Divine. Selfless love, compassion, humility, and purity, along with this desire and serious intention to merge with God, are qualities which are cultivated along this path. (Amachi, Shree Ma, and Karunamayi are three contemporary Teachers of this path.)

4.Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of Knowledge) is a Yoga that uses the intellect as a tool to understand that our true Self is behind and beyond our mind. It is, in other words, a path which uses the power of the intellect to ~ ultimately ~ free us from conceptual elaboration of all sorts, and allow us to relax within the space beyond all concepts of mind. For the purpose of this sort of Self-discovery, Jnana Yoga probes the nature of the Self through the question “Who am I?” Thus Jnana Yoga is sometimes called the Quest for the Self or the Inquiry into “who we are.” (Shankara ~ a yogi ?claimed? by the Buddhist as well as the Hindu traditions ~ and, more recently, Ramana Maharshi are two well-known practitioners of Jnana Yoga.)

5.Kriya Yoga is a yogic system covering a wide range of techniques, including mantras and techniques of meditation for control of the life-force (prana). The term ?Kriya? is often used in reference to (intended or spontaneous) actions which free the body and/or mind of obstructions. The goal ~ as in all forms of Yoga ~ is to unite with pure Awareness (God). Since pure Awareness is our original condition, it is also, within this system, referred to as Self-awareness. (Yogananda?s Self-Realization Fellowship is one example of a modern organization devoted to this form of practice.)

6.Karma Yoga is the Yoga of work/action, of selfless service. Practitioners of Karma Yoga engage whole-heartedly in the ?mundane? work of the world, for the benefit of all fellow human (and non-human) beings, and devote the fruits of their labors to the Divine. In this action of letting go of hope/fear around future outcomes, attention is brought more and more completely into the present moment, which is the Heart of the Divine. And so in giving away all fruits of labor, the practitioner ~ paradoxically ~ receives, continuously, the greatest of gifts, the greatest wealth: the treasure-house called Yoga, the radiant ?aliveness? of the Present Moment.
Yet another way of dividing the Yogic pie (so delicious!) is into the two categories of (1) Yoga as path, which including all the various sadhanas (techniques & practices), schools & historical traditions; and (2) Yoga as fruition, which includes the various siddhis, accomplishments or fruits, of practice, as well as the ultimate ?fruit? of Mystical Union itself ~ the final goal ~ which, once received, transcends even the path/fruition polarity. At that point ~ the realized Masters tell us ~ one finds oneself in a place both new and quite familiar ? a place eluded to, perhaps, by the Sufi mystic/poet, Jelaluddin Rumi, in this poem of his:

Out beyond ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing,
there is a field. I?ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn?t make any sense.

Hope this overview (my Karma Yoga for the day!) is useful and/or interesting to you ? And if you?d like to learn more about these and other Yoga Traditions, one great resource is Georg Feuerstein?s book The Yoga Tradition.

Namaste! (the spark of Divinity in me bows to the spark of Divinity in you!)

Elizabeth Reninger holds a Masters degree in Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Taoist, Hindu & Buddhist varieties ~ for more than twenty years. Her teachers include Richard Freeman and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. To read more of her yoga-related essays, please visit her website: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger

The Blissful Body of the Yogi(ni): Yidam Practice & Yoga Asana

Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, a Tibetan yogi often compared to the great Milarepa, when addressing the issue of Yidam practice within the Vajrayana vehicle of Tibetan Buddhism, has said: It is the blissful body of the yogi or yogini that is the true Deity. So what might this mean? And how, if at all, is it (or could it be) related to the practice of Yoga asana? Let?s explore ?

Yidam practice unfolds in two stages: (1) The Generation or Creation Stage, in which the specific deity that one is working with is created, i.e. given a ?form? within the imagination of the practitioner; and (2) The Completion Stage, in which that created form of the deity is dissolved: resolved into emptiness, and (its residue, its true intelligence) light/radiance. The practice also, over time, evolves from one in which the deity is merely a conceptual projection, to one in which the ?natural deity? appears, non-conceptually, before the practitioner, as a visible aspect of his/her own radiance.

Yidam practice as a whole is based, in large part, upon a productive use of the imagination. It takes that capacity (and strong tendency) most of us have to make mental pictures, and uses this as a tool to align us with, open us to, a reality that is deeper, more profound, and ?truer? than the one we?re habitually ?tuned into.? The imagined forms of the deities have the quality of being able, potentially, to act as portals, or gateways into these deeper realities ? to put us in touch, directly, with aspects of awakened mind.

Now it?s important to notice the distinction between ~ on the one hand ~ this Yidam-practice way of using our imagination (as a very specific form of mental training, which ultimately can liberate us), and ~ on the other hand ~ a use of the imagination which amounts to no more than (habitual, and often largely unconscious) fantasizing. To engage in fantasy is ~ from the perspective of Buddha Dharma ~ a non-productive use of the imagination: one that takes us further into the territory of conceptualization, mental elaboration, and as such further and further away from a reality which has the potential to liberate us.

So how does any of this relate to the practice of Yoga asana? We could, first of all, consider each specific asana as a deity-form: something we construct/project (a la the Creation Stage) and then dissolve (a la the Completion Stage). And certainly asana practice is based largely upon a distinction between productive and non-productive alignments/uses of the body. The productive alignments (a la the productive uses of mental imagination) are those which have the potential to open us into a reality deeper than the mere physical, e.g. to the level of the Central Channel/Shushumna Nadi, and the subsequent conscious flow of that awakened energy outward, into the whole network of nadis within the subtle body of the yogi or yogini. The non-productive alignments (a la fantasies), on the other hand, simply keep the energy of our subtle bodies circulating unconsciously (divorced from the ?truth? of the Shushumna Nadi) in old samskaric patterns, i.e. keep us circling on the wheel of bith-and-death which in Buddhism is called Samsara.

And in the same way that in deity practice there is an evolution from the deity as a mere conceptual projection (though a potentially productive one!) to the non-conceptual appearance of the ?natural deity?; just so in our asana practice we often begin with a rather ?outside-in? approach, in which the asana is actually a form of conceptual projection, i.e. it?s an ?idea? we have (from our teacher, or books, or whatever) that we put forth in the form of an arrangement of (the appearance of) bones, muscles, etc. ? but it?s not yet ?real? or ?natural.? As our asana practice matures, more and more we?re able to work from the ?inside-out,? in which the asanas emerge spontaneously, non-conceptually, as aspects of our natural intelligence/radiance. Our movements in and out of the asanas are infused with the spirit of what in Taoism is called Wu Wei: an effortless effort which quite naturally produces the ?correct? alignments (as opposed to ?imposing? those alignments based upon some external ?moral code? of asana practice).

So how then do we progress from a conceptual to a natural way of expressing our asana practice? From the poses as mere conceptual projections to expressions of an awakened bodymind? A practitioner of the Generation Stage of Yidam practice might move in this direction by finding the Completion Stage within the Creation Stage, by finding the dissolution of the form as an inherent aspect of the form itself (much as ~ in Taoist theory/practice ~ Yang is an inherent aspect of Yin: they inter-are). In this same way, our asana practice might re-member the dissolution of form within every form/asana taken. And might ~ to extend the principle ~ put into conscious and ever-evolving relationship all opposing movements ? So little by little our ?ideas? about the ?right way? to do the pose are replaced by an ever-more-subtle tremoring which spontaneously aligns us in a way that allows our conceptually projected ?body? to dissolve into the blissful body of the deity: an aspect of our own radiance, pouring forth, shedding itself continuously, for the benefit of all living beings.

One of the initial trainings in Dream Yoga ~ once the practitioner is able to be lucid (i.e. awake) within the dream ~ is to transform the body: to change the shape of ones body into the body of a bird; into an airplane (and fly to Paris!); or ~ relevant to our current exploration ~ into the shape of a deity, which ~ in the context of dreaming ~ is quite easy to experience and understand as being an ?empty form,? i.e. a form made only of color, light & energy (much like a rainbow). In this same way, our vinyasa ~ our movement in and out of asanas, upon the thread of our awakened breath ~ might become, with practice, a kind of ?Rainbow Painting? (I?ve borrowed the phrase from a book with this same title written by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche): merely a ?play? in color, light and energy, a toggling back and forth between the display of empty forms (the specific asanas), and the bliss which is the residue of their dissolution.

And this, perhaps, represents ~ simultaneously ~ the ?waking up? of the dream of our asana practice, and the ?waking up? of the dream of our Yidam practice; represents the ?waking up? from the dream/fantasy of religious practice into the blissful radiance of the Present Moment ? Amen and Sobeit.

Elizabeth Reninger has been exploring yoga ~ in its Hindu, Buddhist & Taoist forms ~ for more than twenty years, and is a student of Richard Freeman and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. She is also a published poet, and currently resides in Boulder, Colorado. For more essays on yoga-related topics, please visit her website at: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger

Yoga in Practice: Living in the Present Moment

When one of us decides to pursue the study of Yoga, we find ourselves living and learning Yoga every day. On or off the mat, Yoga students can apply their practice to the many lessons life has to offer. The result of all this learning, and applying Yogic principles to life, is a major leap in self-improvement.

You can learn from your past, live the present moment in harmony, and plan your future, with an improved perspective of each. Past, present, and future are valuable, but each is important in a different way.

Let?s first address the past. Many people are ?prisoners? to their past. When you look at past lessons, mistakes, and set-backs, each is as valuable as any form of higher education. This becomes life experience, and you should make the most of any form of education; otherwise you are wasting your life experiences, twice - first by learning them, and then later by regretting, blaming, and second guessing yourself. On top of this, you can create poor mental, physical, and spiritual health.

This is the exact opposite from what you are taught in a Yoga class. Yoga teaches you to unify these components of health, and this will enable you to improve your entire being. Put past worries, adversity, and pains behind you.

You can save them in a ?mental file,? much like a valuable book. This teaches you not to repeat the same mistake twice. Remember that the past is filled with accomplishments, too. If you can read these words, you must be accomplishing quite a bit.

Be fair with yourself and try not to be so critical. Let go of guilt and forgive yourself for being human. If you start to sink into deep dark past regrets, practice pranayama; breath awareness is the key to bringing you into the present.

This is much similar to what you might do when holding an asana for an extended time during your Yoga practice. This will also allow you to focus on the most important time of all ? the present moment.

The present is the time for action, and you must be proactive in order to succeed in life. Good reactions will save your life, but proactive behavior requires planning, innovation, vision, and perseverance. You must focus on the present to see opportunities which are right in front of you.

Life is filled with many obstacles and you have to be ready for the daily challenge. You cannot change the past, but you can change the present and future. Every successful person has faced criticism, failure, and self-doubt.

When you let negative thoughts into your heart and mind, you cannot think clearly. You cannot act now, and this affects your ability to plan for the future. How can you visualize success, if you are letting fear and self-doubt control your life?

Fill your mind with passion that motivates you to step forward and plan your future. When you meditate, take the time to visualize your success, achievements, and goals as vividly as possible. When you practice meditation and Yoga in this way, you will find yourself enjoying life, helping others, and on your path to success.

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

Does Yoga Mean Women in White Tights?

Have you ever heard the word yoga and thought about that woman in white tights on the cereal box? The next thought that comes into your mind is ?Wait, I can?t even touch my toes. I would look really silly in a yoga class. Forget it. Chanting is not for me.? Think again. This article will tell you what yoga is. It is not about women in white tights. It is not about auditioning for Cirque du Soleil either. It is not about chanting words you have no idea about.

Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning joining. By doing yoga we are joining together the various facets of a human being. We are made up of body, mind and spirit. By doing yoga we join these three parts together to form an integrated human being. The actual pose or asana part of yoga is only a method by which we can integrate the human being. In essence, yoga means to attain a sense of balance, focus and improved breathing. If we all did a structured breathing exercise which would improve lung capacity and increase circulation, then that would be yoga. In fact, the first step in doing yoga is to understand breathing and its effect on the human body. Physiology tells us that the functioning of the human body is highly dependent on our breathing.

We know that when we are anxious, our breathing is short and fast. When we are relaxed it is long and deep. The latter produces a more efficient human body and cells respond to that efficient infusion of oxygen to perform at their peak level.

For more information please check the website.

http://www.getshanti.com/