Yoga is considered the most effective way to stay fit and healthy or to get healthy again. A major advantage of yoga is that you can practise it any time of the day and anywhere you wish.
Yoga techniques are helpful in maintaining your muscles, your joints and even your glands and other inner organs.
The five yoga techniques include:
* 1. posture
* 2. Movement of Joints
* 3. Deep, controlled breathing
* 4. Relaxation
* 5. Meditation
Each technique has it’s own role and function. Some techniques support each other or prepare the body for one another.
1. Postures
There are many different postures from easy to highly demanding. The essence is not to judge oneself, but to observe oneself. A less demanding posture, standing, sitting or lying executed with dedication is always more preferable and effective.
2. Movement of Joints
To achieve a certain posture, supplety of the joints is a necessity. The joints are trained, albeit in a gentle manner, to perform these postures. This training includes, amongst others, the neck, the hands, the arms and the legs and not forgetting very importantly the back.
3. Deep Breathing
Postures and movement of the joints are supported throughout by deep, controlled breathing. Let your breath flow whilst practising yoga. Remember - certain postures/movements are performed during inhaling whilst others are performed whilst exhaling. You should never hold your breath. The longer one exhales the calmer one gets.
There are also breathing techniques such as pranayama which can be executed in an upright sitting position. ‘Prana’ or breathing, supplies the body with new energy.
4. Relaxation
Relaxation after exercising is equally as important as the exercise itself. This releases the tensions built during the exercise and allows one to mentally relive the exercise.
5. Meditation
After preparing your body through posture, movement of joints, deep breathing and relaxation the spirit is ready for meditation. The yoga techniques help to increase the awareness and one can focus on concentration. Through concentrating the thoughts on one subject, the spirit calms down and as a result one feels contentment.
Stuart Perryman
Yoga: Body - Mind - Spirit
http://yoga.alluneedtoknow.info
Showing posts with label Dedication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dedication. Show all posts
February 24, 2009
The Heart of a Yoga Practice: Dedicating Your Efforts
There are a variety of reasons people begin practicing yoga. Many wonder what all the fuss is about, some have heard that it can help with flexibility and strength, and others wonder about the stress relief benefits. More than fifteen million Americans have stepped on the mat and have explored how yoga can enrich their lives, but many only see the physical benefits. Despite the growing popularity of yoga, many instructors are left wondering if many people are really missing the true purpose of the practice.
What are yoga students missing when they are only taking class to lose weight, become fit, or relieve stress? They are missing the heart of the practice and the chance to make significant positive changes in their lives. When going to a yoga class becomes something greater than just something you do for yourself every now and again, you begin to realize that it is not just about you anymore. Dedicating the practice to something greater than yourself is what draws the distinction between just doing exercise and practicing yoga.
These days, it seems that the mention of dedication, or devotion, can be a tricky subject in yoga class. People tend to be unresponsive when the idea of the divine is mentioned. It is important for yoga practitioners to know that the philosophy of yoga is inextricably linked with divinity, no matter what name is given to it or how it is incorporated. Yoga was built on the idea that there is a force greater than ourselves, and yet we are still connected to it. This is the idea of Oneness, and the idea is more than fairly comforting. Others who are religious fear a conflicting of faiths by believing in the spirituality of yoga; however, Swami Satchidananda said, ?The Truth is one, the paths are many.? Therefore, people of any faith or belief can practice yoga. Even if a practioner of yoga does not believe in any form of divinity, this does not present a problem. They must simply recognize that the nature of all beings is joy and try to connect with that.
Now that we?ve gotten that sticky subject out of the way, I want to explain this idea of dedicating your practice in greater detail. It?s not even so much about dedication as it is relinquishing or letting go of everything whether they be worries, fears, misunderstandings, or hang-ups. My teacher, Sharon Gannon, always promotes the idea that ?You?ve got to get down to get up.? What she means is that you need to be rooted in the here and now and be able to let go of all the fruits of your actions. Why, you ask? Why shouldn?t you just keep on doing yoga to perfect your chatturangas, balance longer in tree pose, and get that yoga butt? The answer is a simple one. What are all those things going to get you in the long run?
Sure, nailing that Chatturanga feels great, and deepening your Hanumanasana (splits pose) can give you a bit of a rush. I?m not denying that one bit, but what is the true purpose behind the motions? Yoga practice can help you to break a cycle, stop bad habits, and transform your life. Yes, it can do all of those things, but you have to let it. You see, you can?t acquire yoga like you can dance steps or aerobic maneuvers; you have to let go of what is obscuring it. You have to let go of your preferences and simply be in the moment as a divine being.
So why do asana at all if you?re not supposed to be attached to the outcome? Because the asanas help to show you the interior of your own mind, they clearly point out what you?re holding on to and what you still need to work through. They transform you into the tree or the warrior and make you see what it is like to step outside of yourself, even for the briefest of moments. Asana also gives you the chance to see that both the world and you yourself are constantly changing. This, in turn, gives you the opportunity to find what is real and unchanging.
When you realize that the purpose of your yoga practice is not to keep you rooted in this world, but to let you move through it, you begin to have faith in your ability to reach the divine with your actions. It can ignite the soul and give you a sense of renewed dignity and worth. Because you know that you?re not just performing the motions for your own benefit, the sense of satisfaction from your practice can grow beyond the mat. For example, have you ever had the opportunity to offer selfless service to another? Maybe you?ve adopted a pet and taken on the full responsibility of loving and caring for it, and, in exchange, all you have received is unconditional love from them for giving happiness and freedom. This is what the act of devotion is all about?realizing that it?s not all about the wishes and wants you only think you need.
When you start letting go of the selfish motives for practice and try to connect with something greater, you inspire your own ability to love. This is the nature of the spirit, and connecting with that is the ultimate goal of yoga practice. Samadhi is union with the divine, a connection with the source, which is true love. Everything else is negligible. As my teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life, would say, ?The sheer desire for Oneness is the way to it.?
Realizing that all the beings in this world are connected in this way is a remarkable step for the yogi. Once the lines between ?you? and ?them? begin to fade, you realize how important it is to share love and a sense of gratitude with everyone around you.
Copyright 2006 Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna Kaivalya is an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga instructor who teaches nationally and internationally. Her favorite element of yoga is the practice of deep listening ? Nada Yoga ? which helps to connect her to the divine vibrations everywhere. To download her podcasts, contact her or to invite her to teach, please visit her website, http://www.jivadiva.com
What are yoga students missing when they are only taking class to lose weight, become fit, or relieve stress? They are missing the heart of the practice and the chance to make significant positive changes in their lives. When going to a yoga class becomes something greater than just something you do for yourself every now and again, you begin to realize that it is not just about you anymore. Dedicating the practice to something greater than yourself is what draws the distinction between just doing exercise and practicing yoga.
These days, it seems that the mention of dedication, or devotion, can be a tricky subject in yoga class. People tend to be unresponsive when the idea of the divine is mentioned. It is important for yoga practitioners to know that the philosophy of yoga is inextricably linked with divinity, no matter what name is given to it or how it is incorporated. Yoga was built on the idea that there is a force greater than ourselves, and yet we are still connected to it. This is the idea of Oneness, and the idea is more than fairly comforting. Others who are religious fear a conflicting of faiths by believing in the spirituality of yoga; however, Swami Satchidananda said, ?The Truth is one, the paths are many.? Therefore, people of any faith or belief can practice yoga. Even if a practioner of yoga does not believe in any form of divinity, this does not present a problem. They must simply recognize that the nature of all beings is joy and try to connect with that.
Now that we?ve gotten that sticky subject out of the way, I want to explain this idea of dedicating your practice in greater detail. It?s not even so much about dedication as it is relinquishing or letting go of everything whether they be worries, fears, misunderstandings, or hang-ups. My teacher, Sharon Gannon, always promotes the idea that ?You?ve got to get down to get up.? What she means is that you need to be rooted in the here and now and be able to let go of all the fruits of your actions. Why, you ask? Why shouldn?t you just keep on doing yoga to perfect your chatturangas, balance longer in tree pose, and get that yoga butt? The answer is a simple one. What are all those things going to get you in the long run?
Sure, nailing that Chatturanga feels great, and deepening your Hanumanasana (splits pose) can give you a bit of a rush. I?m not denying that one bit, but what is the true purpose behind the motions? Yoga practice can help you to break a cycle, stop bad habits, and transform your life. Yes, it can do all of those things, but you have to let it. You see, you can?t acquire yoga like you can dance steps or aerobic maneuvers; you have to let go of what is obscuring it. You have to let go of your preferences and simply be in the moment as a divine being.
So why do asana at all if you?re not supposed to be attached to the outcome? Because the asanas help to show you the interior of your own mind, they clearly point out what you?re holding on to and what you still need to work through. They transform you into the tree or the warrior and make you see what it is like to step outside of yourself, even for the briefest of moments. Asana also gives you the chance to see that both the world and you yourself are constantly changing. This, in turn, gives you the opportunity to find what is real and unchanging.
When you realize that the purpose of your yoga practice is not to keep you rooted in this world, but to let you move through it, you begin to have faith in your ability to reach the divine with your actions. It can ignite the soul and give you a sense of renewed dignity and worth. Because you know that you?re not just performing the motions for your own benefit, the sense of satisfaction from your practice can grow beyond the mat. For example, have you ever had the opportunity to offer selfless service to another? Maybe you?ve adopted a pet and taken on the full responsibility of loving and caring for it, and, in exchange, all you have received is unconditional love from them for giving happiness and freedom. This is what the act of devotion is all about?realizing that it?s not all about the wishes and wants you only think you need.
When you start letting go of the selfish motives for practice and try to connect with something greater, you inspire your own ability to love. This is the nature of the spirit, and connecting with that is the ultimate goal of yoga practice. Samadhi is union with the divine, a connection with the source, which is true love. Everything else is negligible. As my teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life, would say, ?The sheer desire for Oneness is the way to it.?
Realizing that all the beings in this world are connected in this way is a remarkable step for the yogi. Once the lines between ?you? and ?them? begin to fade, you realize how important it is to share love and a sense of gratitude with everyone around you.
Copyright 2006 Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna Kaivalya is an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga instructor who teaches nationally and internationally. Her favorite element of yoga is the practice of deep listening ? Nada Yoga ? which helps to connect her to the divine vibrations everywhere. To download her podcasts, contact her or to invite her to teach, please visit her website, http://www.jivadiva.com
February 23, 2009
Tips for Regular Yoga Practice
As with everything in life, yoga is effective but it will only work if you ‘work it’. For results with Yoga, as with any program, one needs to learn two simple rules; dedication and persistence. You have to be dedicated and follow the practices on a regular basis if you really want to get results. If you have bought some books on yoga and meditation, don’t let them gather dust while you plan and hope you will start the practice one day.
Yoga postures and basic meditation exercises are simple enough to learn, even for a child. The major problem with most yoga ‘drop outs’ is not getting the techniques right, as most people have aligned their minds to believe, but the ability to establish the habit of following the practices through on a regular basis. The following tips may help you to do your yoga and meditation on a daily basis.
Determination: Start your yoga with a firm determination to see it through. Yoga begins and ends with the mind, if you can convince yourself you really want to do it, then you should be able to keep the spirit. The problem with most people is that they rush into everything that sounds interesting before they are sure of whether they want it or not. These people will usually dump a program before they even really begin it. Close your eyes, search deep within you, “is yoga really important to me?” Decide you will give it a fair try and stick to that determination. There are days when you feel low and won’t want to do your yoga, remember your initial soul deep determination and you will always find the right spirit to go ahead.
Be organized: Things go smoothly and are more interesting when they are well organized. Make a regular schedule for your yoga practice and stick to it. The mere fact that you will always look forward to the period of your daily yoga practice will always keep it in your consciousness. You will get best results from yoga if you do your practice daily. No matter how busy you are, keep some time free during the day and reserve this time for your practice of yoga and meditation. It is better if you can get up early in the morning or late in the evening, when there will be fewer distractions.
Free your Mind: It is not enough to reserve a time for yoga if you can’t put your all into the practice. When you decide to do your yoga practice and meditation, remember that the next couple of minutes have been reserved for the development of your mind and personality. It would be pointless, if your body were doing the practice while your mind were busy sorting out some other worries. Once you begin your daily yoga practice all other worries and responsibilities should be tucked somewhere else until you are through.
Add Some Color: Learning how to give and share is an important part of the personality yoga seeks to create in you. Add some color and fun into your daily yoga practice by involving your friends who would also benefit from practicing yoga. The enthusiasm of others would rub off on you any day you feel low and don’t want to continue with your practice. Yoga is not what you keep to yourself - bring in one or two friends.
Learn Patience: It took you several years to build up your present personality and physical structure. You can’t change it overnight. Although, with yoga you don’t have to wait for that many years to change yourself because the regular and systematic practice of yoga postures and basic meditation can help you to make great changes within the shortest possible period. It’s being human, sometimes you feel like you are getting results and other times, you feel like nothing is changing. You shouldn’t worry so much about the short-term effects, what really matters is the ultimate goal you want to achieve. It takes a little time, but with dedication and persistence, your most profound yoga dreams will be achieved.
Yoga postures and basic meditation exercises are simple enough to learn, even for a child. The major problem with most yoga ‘drop outs’ is not getting the techniques right, as most people have aligned their minds to believe, but the ability to establish the habit of following the practices through on a regular basis. The following tips may help you to do your yoga and meditation on a daily basis.
Determination: Start your yoga with a firm determination to see it through. Yoga begins and ends with the mind, if you can convince yourself you really want to do it, then you should be able to keep the spirit. The problem with most people is that they rush into everything that sounds interesting before they are sure of whether they want it or not. These people will usually dump a program before they even really begin it. Close your eyes, search deep within you, “is yoga really important to me?” Decide you will give it a fair try and stick to that determination. There are days when you feel low and won’t want to do your yoga, remember your initial soul deep determination and you will always find the right spirit to go ahead.
Be organized: Things go smoothly and are more interesting when they are well organized. Make a regular schedule for your yoga practice and stick to it. The mere fact that you will always look forward to the period of your daily yoga practice will always keep it in your consciousness. You will get best results from yoga if you do your practice daily. No matter how busy you are, keep some time free during the day and reserve this time for your practice of yoga and meditation. It is better if you can get up early in the morning or late in the evening, when there will be fewer distractions.
Free your Mind: It is not enough to reserve a time for yoga if you can’t put your all into the practice. When you decide to do your yoga practice and meditation, remember that the next couple of minutes have been reserved for the development of your mind and personality. It would be pointless, if your body were doing the practice while your mind were busy sorting out some other worries. Once you begin your daily yoga practice all other worries and responsibilities should be tucked somewhere else until you are through.
Add Some Color: Learning how to give and share is an important part of the personality yoga seeks to create in you. Add some color and fun into your daily yoga practice by involving your friends who would also benefit from practicing yoga. The enthusiasm of others would rub off on you any day you feel low and don’t want to continue with your practice. Yoga is not what you keep to yourself - bring in one or two friends.
Learn Patience: It took you several years to build up your present personality and physical structure. You can’t change it overnight. Although, with yoga you don’t have to wait for that many years to change yourself because the regular and systematic practice of yoga postures and basic meditation can help you to make great changes within the shortest possible period. It’s being human, sometimes you feel like you are getting results and other times, you feel like nothing is changing. You shouldn’t worry so much about the short-term effects, what really matters is the ultimate goal you want to achieve. It takes a little time, but with dedication and persistence, your most profound yoga dreams will be achieved.
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