Recently I noticed an online article on ways to boost your energy during winter. Like many people, the cooler dark days can leave me depressed and feeling frazzled. Since good mental health is essential to wellness, I read on. The article listed five things you could do to boost your mood that took only ten to fifteen minutes each. One of the items listed was a Kundalini yoga movement. It looked interesting and easy, so I tried it and it worked. It?s based upon Kundalini yoga which is a type of yoga that focuses on breathing, sound and movement. Being someone who used to meditate, this type of yoga seemed like something I might be interested in, so I did a little research on it and found that it is, in fact, a terrific way to enhance your energy level and mood.
The word yoga comes from the root Yuj which means to join and is often meant to join the conscious with the Divine Spirit. The practitioner of yoga is called a yogin. Many people are afraid to try yoga because they think it involves complicated positions that require extreme flexibility. This isn?t true with Kundalini yoga. The word Kundalini comes from the Sanskrit word ?kundal? which means ?the lock of the hair from the beloved.? The hair represents the unlimited potential inside every person. Others state that the energy is like that of a coiled up snake sitting at the base of your spine. It is the breathing, chanting and movement that releases this energy so that you can realize your full potential.
Kundalini yoga is considered the most powerful form of yoga. It is based upon Kundalini energy which is ?one?s dormant spiritual energy.? This energy is visualized as a coiled up snake at the base of the spine (the first chakra). The yogin can harness this energy by using breathing techniques, chanting and repetitive movements. It brings together the masculine and feminine powers of the body. The goal of Kundalini yoga is to move the Kundalini energy up through all seven chakras. When you reach the seventh chakra you experience enlightenment.
To practice Kundalini yoga you must know something about the spinal column, which is the location of five of the seven chakras, or energy centers. The spinal column is part of the Nervous System of the human body. The Nervous System also includes the brain and nerves. These things together are responsible for our thought, imagination, memory and intelligence. Five of the chakras are located along the spinal column. The other two chakras are located on the head ? one in the middle and one on the top. As you breathe you visualize the Kundalini energy traveling up the spine. This energy begins and ends with you. It is the awakening of the self. Often when you awaken the Kundalini energy you will feel warmth along the chakras. Others have reported they feel a tingling sensation.
Kundalini yoga is practiced with sets of postures and exercises that work on a specific area of the body, mind and spirit. Hundreds of these sets exist that can be used to awaken you to your full potential. They address every aspect of human nature from issues with your physical health to areas of mental health to your general well being. After the sets are completed the yogin then enters a state of deep relaxation often accompanied by spiritual music and sometimes a gong. Finally you end with a breath or mantra meditation.
The following is a sample set used in Kundalini yoga to reduce anxiety:
In a soft monotone, recite out loud each of the sounds at each Chakra starting at the naval point and working up to the crown of the head. Chant ?Har? and concentrate at the belly button. Chant ?Haray? and concentrate at your heart center (sternum) Chant ?Haree? and concentrate on your throat. Chant ?Wahay? and concentrate at your brow point (1/2 inch up from the eyebrows in the center of the forehead). Finally chant ?Guru? and concentrate at the top center of the head.
As with any form of exercise, precautions must be taken when practicing Kundalini yoga. You may experience heat developing in the body and may want to go slowly in the beginning. Also, some report a tingling sensation along the spinal column and in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It should gradually subside as you practice more. Last, you may experience some negative thoughts or desire to express violent emotions. These feelings also subside as you cleanse yourself of negative energy. To assist with these experiences, the beginner should practice with others and/or take classes. I looked up ?Kundalini yoga” on Google and it came up with thousands of hits, many of them being places you can take classes or receive instruction. There are even free online instructions for beginners.
Kundalini yoga isn?t just a way to revitalize yourself during the winter; it is form of yoga that can help you in all areas of your life any time of year. It certainly, for many people, adds to the overall quality of their life and their wellness. It is relatively simple and you don?t have to be in great physical shape to practice Kundalini yoga. If you can breathe, you can do this!
Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about a variety of topics, many concerning health and mood. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.
Showing posts with label Energy Level. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Energy Level. Show all posts
March 1, 2009
February 26, 2009
Why Yoga Should Be a Part of Your Daily Fitness Routine
If you would like to really put your daily fitness routine in overdrive and get better results than you ever have in the past, you really should consider adding yoga exercises into your home fitness workouts. Aerobic exercise is great for burning calories, and strength training works very well for strengthening your muscle groups. But yoga goes far beyond either of those forms of exercise and can benefit you both physically and mentally. Let’s see how.
Physical Benefits
1. Flexibility — strength training helps improve muscle mass but it does very little to improve muscle flexibility. And studies have shown that short powerful muscles are prone to injury. So one of the major benefits of yoga exercises is the prolonged stretching found in many of the yoga positions and poses.
2. Balance — especially as we get older balance becomes more critical. It also allows you to move more easily and comfortably. Most yoga positions stress some form of balance in order to maintain the position.
3. Energy level — higher levels of energy often come through higher levels of relaxation in the body. Tension on the other hand is an energy killer. Yoga exercises help lower stress and tension and and improve oxygen flow in the blood. All of that helps lead to a higher energy level.
4. Pain management — many people today suffer with chronic pain, often in their back. Much muscle pain has its roots in tension. If you can get your muscles to relax, often the pain can even disappear. This is another great benefit of the relaxation techniques found in yoga.
Mental Benefits
1. Through the yoga positions and breathing exercises you are helped to focus inward rather than on the outward distractions of your life. This introspection can help clear your mind and focus your attention on the more important things in your life.
2. Stress levels can be greatly reduced by a regular yoga exercise routine. As was already mentioned, many yoga poses and breathing techniques encourage extreme relaxation of body and mind. This can help you let go of daily stress and it’s damaging influences.
3. Yoga can help promote a feeling of inner peace and tranquility because many yoga practices encourage time for meditation, which helps you gain control over your own thinking instead of being at the mercy of negative thoughts.
As you can see, there are lots of very good reasons for including yoga exercises in your daily fitness routine. Why not start learning more about yoga right away, and put it to work for you?
Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find free yoga exercises and free yoga poses by visiting our Home Fitness website.
Physical Benefits
1. Flexibility — strength training helps improve muscle mass but it does very little to improve muscle flexibility. And studies have shown that short powerful muscles are prone to injury. So one of the major benefits of yoga exercises is the prolonged stretching found in many of the yoga positions and poses.
2. Balance — especially as we get older balance becomes more critical. It also allows you to move more easily and comfortably. Most yoga positions stress some form of balance in order to maintain the position.
3. Energy level — higher levels of energy often come through higher levels of relaxation in the body. Tension on the other hand is an energy killer. Yoga exercises help lower stress and tension and and improve oxygen flow in the blood. All of that helps lead to a higher energy level.
4. Pain management — many people today suffer with chronic pain, often in their back. Much muscle pain has its roots in tension. If you can get your muscles to relax, often the pain can even disappear. This is another great benefit of the relaxation techniques found in yoga.
Mental Benefits
1. Through the yoga positions and breathing exercises you are helped to focus inward rather than on the outward distractions of your life. This introspection can help clear your mind and focus your attention on the more important things in your life.
2. Stress levels can be greatly reduced by a regular yoga exercise routine. As was already mentioned, many yoga poses and breathing techniques encourage extreme relaxation of body and mind. This can help you let go of daily stress and it’s damaging influences.
3. Yoga can help promote a feeling of inner peace and tranquility because many yoga practices encourage time for meditation, which helps you gain control over your own thinking instead of being at the mercy of negative thoughts.
As you can see, there are lots of very good reasons for including yoga exercises in your daily fitness routine. Why not start learning more about yoga right away, and put it to work for you?
Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find free yoga exercises and free yoga poses by visiting our Home Fitness website.
February 25, 2009
The Top Five Benefits of Yoga Exercise
Yoga has been practiced by people the world over for many centuries, and it is still very popular today. Many people use it to strengthen the mind, body and spirit connection. There are actually several forms of yoga, and a seemingly infinite array of poses and postures that can be used. But however you choose to make use of yoga exercise, here are the top five benefits of including yoga in your home fitness routine.
1. Yoga not only strengthens your muscles but also increases their flexibility. Many people today use weight training to help build larger more powerful muscles. However, short and powerful muscles can be prone to injury. And flexibility is often ignored in many workout routines. Yoga can help round out your workout schedule, not only strengthening the muscles of your body but also making them flexible enough to protect you from injury as you exercise.
2. Yoga also helps increase your energy level. There is an emphasis on increasing the oxygen level in your blood while doing yoga exercises, and that in turn leads to a more energetic overall feeling. And because of the increased flexibility that yoga brings, there is a tendency to move more anyway because there is a wider range of free movement available in the body. And staying active also leads to higher energy levels as well.
3. Yoga also stimulates endocrine gland function by utilizing twisting and bending poses that activate the endocrine system and helps normalize sluggish glands.
4. One of the most popular benefits of yoga exercises is that it not only strengthens and improves your physical condition, but also helps relieve stress and tension to improve your mental outlook too. Today’s society is fast-paced and hectic, and this can take its toll on one both physically and mentally. Yoga recognizes this, and many of the slow stretching movements and deep breathing that is part of most yoga exercises help clear your mind of the cares of the day and focus it on positive things instead.
5. Closely related to your mood and mental outlook are other psychological benefits of using yoga. Very often we carry negative messages and feelings inside, and the practice of yoga helps a person better tune into the person that they are inside, increasing self awareness and self esteem.
There are lots of other advantages and benefits of adding yoga exercise into your fitness workouts, including the fact that it is both inexpensive and relatively easy to do. You may find by incorporating yoga into your daily routine, that even more benefits become readily apparent. This is fine because yoga is a deeply personal experience. It is not necessarily the same for each person who practices it. But hopefully the benefits of yoga exercise that we have covered in this article will help convince you that it should be a major part of your daily fitness routine from now on.
Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find free yoga exercises and free yoga poses by visiting our Home Fitness website.
1. Yoga not only strengthens your muscles but also increases their flexibility. Many people today use weight training to help build larger more powerful muscles. However, short and powerful muscles can be prone to injury. And flexibility is often ignored in many workout routines. Yoga can help round out your workout schedule, not only strengthening the muscles of your body but also making them flexible enough to protect you from injury as you exercise.
2. Yoga also helps increase your energy level. There is an emphasis on increasing the oxygen level in your blood while doing yoga exercises, and that in turn leads to a more energetic overall feeling. And because of the increased flexibility that yoga brings, there is a tendency to move more anyway because there is a wider range of free movement available in the body. And staying active also leads to higher energy levels as well.
3. Yoga also stimulates endocrine gland function by utilizing twisting and bending poses that activate the endocrine system and helps normalize sluggish glands.
4. One of the most popular benefits of yoga exercises is that it not only strengthens and improves your physical condition, but also helps relieve stress and tension to improve your mental outlook too. Today’s society is fast-paced and hectic, and this can take its toll on one both physically and mentally. Yoga recognizes this, and many of the slow stretching movements and deep breathing that is part of most yoga exercises help clear your mind of the cares of the day and focus it on positive things instead.
5. Closely related to your mood and mental outlook are other psychological benefits of using yoga. Very often we carry negative messages and feelings inside, and the practice of yoga helps a person better tune into the person that they are inside, increasing self awareness and self esteem.
There are lots of other advantages and benefits of adding yoga exercise into your fitness workouts, including the fact that it is both inexpensive and relatively easy to do. You may find by incorporating yoga into your daily routine, that even more benefits become readily apparent. This is fine because yoga is a deeply personal experience. It is not necessarily the same for each person who practices it. But hopefully the benefits of yoga exercise that we have covered in this article will help convince you that it should be a major part of your daily fitness routine from now on.
Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find free yoga exercises and free yoga poses by visiting our Home Fitness website.
Some Yoga DVDs to Help You Through Your Pregnancy
Yoga For Your Pregnancy
A 45 minute DVD broken up into two segments, Yoga For Your Pregnancy, is designed to limber up women who are expecting a child and revitalize their energy level. Yoga Journal’s DVD is great for beginners, featuring alternate poses for women who can’t stretch, and doesn’t expect you to be a Yoga guru.
The first section, entitled “Energizing and Stretching,” is 30 minutes long and is designed to create strength and stamina. The goal is, of course, to prepare you for the intense efforts required during labor. It is also, however, meant to help you cope with your constantly changing body.
Section Two, “Relaxing and Rejuvenating,” is focused on meditation and concentration. It is designed to help you relax and learn how to breathe in preparation for labor. This section also contains a Lamaze interview.
While this DVD is likely to disappoint regular Yoga practitioners, it is great for women who are looking for physical relief during their pregnancy and labor. With clear explanation and a relaxing teacher, Yoga For Your Pregnancy is a wonderful way to reduce the pain and stiff muscles you experience as a pregnant woman. However far along you are, you are certain to find some poses and techniques that relieve some of your problems.
Prenatal Yoga
A fantastic Yoga DVD designed for women experiencing pregnancy. This video is broken up into three 45 minute sessions, each corresponding to a trimester of your pregnancy.
Each session is hosted by a different women and is set to some nice, flowing music to really get you in the Yoga mood.
The poses are specially modified for your changing body, so you’ll be able to follow the DVD through without worrying about hurting yourself or your baby.
If you’re an experienced Yoga master, this DVD might not be your cup of tea. For those pregnant woman who are looking for a way to keep fit and relieve some of those new aches and pains, give this DVD a try.
Ian Byrd runs yogaondvd.com, a resouce for helping you find the perfect Yoga DVD for you. Read more reviews of Yoga DVDs for Pregnancy.
A 45 minute DVD broken up into two segments, Yoga For Your Pregnancy, is designed to limber up women who are expecting a child and revitalize their energy level. Yoga Journal’s DVD is great for beginners, featuring alternate poses for women who can’t stretch, and doesn’t expect you to be a Yoga guru.
The first section, entitled “Energizing and Stretching,” is 30 minutes long and is designed to create strength and stamina. The goal is, of course, to prepare you for the intense efforts required during labor. It is also, however, meant to help you cope with your constantly changing body.
Section Two, “Relaxing and Rejuvenating,” is focused on meditation and concentration. It is designed to help you relax and learn how to breathe in preparation for labor. This section also contains a Lamaze interview.
While this DVD is likely to disappoint regular Yoga practitioners, it is great for women who are looking for physical relief during their pregnancy and labor. With clear explanation and a relaxing teacher, Yoga For Your Pregnancy is a wonderful way to reduce the pain and stiff muscles you experience as a pregnant woman. However far along you are, you are certain to find some poses and techniques that relieve some of your problems.
Prenatal Yoga
A fantastic Yoga DVD designed for women experiencing pregnancy. This video is broken up into three 45 minute sessions, each corresponding to a trimester of your pregnancy.
Each session is hosted by a different women and is set to some nice, flowing music to really get you in the Yoga mood.
The poses are specially modified for your changing body, so you’ll be able to follow the DVD through without worrying about hurting yourself or your baby.
If you’re an experienced Yoga master, this DVD might not be your cup of tea. For those pregnant woman who are looking for a way to keep fit and relieve some of those new aches and pains, give this DVD a try.
Ian Byrd runs yogaondvd.com, a resouce for helping you find the perfect Yoga DVD for you. Read more reviews of Yoga DVDs for Pregnancy.
February 23, 2009
What Is Mantra Yoga?
This means chanting of phrases, words which when chanted in full attention and could give you a sense of calmness and tranquility. It can also be stated as the achievement of the ultimate salvation by the chanting of verses. Most of the chants and phrases in Vedas are used for this purpose.
This was a way to gain knowledge about the universe and find unison in you. When the mantras are chanted it helps in keeping the individual away from the material world and be focused on the essentials of life. It is also a way to supreme consciousness which was a part of mans life.
By doing the Mantra Yoga you can also achieve Samadhi which is due to the use of the words and in absolute concentration. The wandering mind makes things very hard so this mantra yoga would help in getting your concentration level on mark. Everything in the Mantra Yoga makes it very important and noteworthy to achieve that oneness of soul and mind.
There are many mantras which can be used and are mainly in Sanskrit. The most common and used worldwide is the “Om” mantra which helps in creating that feeling of ease and calmness. These mantras can also be found in English to let each and everyone practice it.
It relaxes your body and mind and keeps you away from the distraction and a continuous focus is on the Mantra which creates the energy level making it beneficial for you. The Mantra is the only thing that remains in your mind, which increases your concentration and self-awareness level.
Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz, it is a place to find all about yoga, history of yoga, styles and importance of yoga and meditation technique through Mantra Yoga.
This was a way to gain knowledge about the universe and find unison in you. When the mantras are chanted it helps in keeping the individual away from the material world and be focused on the essentials of life. It is also a way to supreme consciousness which was a part of mans life.
By doing the Mantra Yoga you can also achieve Samadhi which is due to the use of the words and in absolute concentration. The wandering mind makes things very hard so this mantra yoga would help in getting your concentration level on mark. Everything in the Mantra Yoga makes it very important and noteworthy to achieve that oneness of soul and mind.
There are many mantras which can be used and are mainly in Sanskrit. The most common and used worldwide is the “Om” mantra which helps in creating that feeling of ease and calmness. These mantras can also be found in English to let each and everyone practice it.
It relaxes your body and mind and keeps you away from the distraction and a continuous focus is on the Mantra which creates the energy level making it beneficial for you. The Mantra is the only thing that remains in your mind, which increases your concentration and self-awareness level.
Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz, it is a place to find all about yoga, history of yoga, styles and importance of yoga and meditation technique through Mantra Yoga.
Slow Down and Increase Productivity
Have you ever thought about getting a gym membership but thought “I don’t have time”? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. What some of us don’t think about, is that when you work out at the gym on a regular basis, your energy level goes up, stress is reduced, thought process is refined, sleep pattern is regulated and you have more confidence.
In the long run, this will create more time in the day by allowing you to think faster, be more efficient, relaxed and happy, and trust that you are a together person.
Now, we know that your probably still going to put off going to the gym, but what if a similar effect could be achieved at home in a more relaxing atmosphere? Try this one:
Grab a yoga or Thai Chi tape and watch enough to learn three movements. Once you know these movements by heart, run a nice hot bath, take off your makeup and make a cup of tea. Light some candles around the tub (fresh flowers are a nice touch too) and put on some soothing music.
Repeat your three movements for five to ten minutes, making sure to concentrate on your breathing. Hop in the tub with your cup of tea and add your favourite smelly bath treat. Lie back in the bath and concentrate on your breathing again. Let the world melt from your mind for as long as you can.
Go to bed right after you get out and have a wonderful sleep. Wake up refreshed and ready to take on the world! You’ll be amazed at the difference.
Ivy Mills has been researching chemical sensitivity and natural alternatives for over five years and has brought her knowledge to the marketplace in her company, Valhalla Essences. Her personal experiences have fed a passion to help others with the same problem. Ivy welcomes others to share their stories and experiences on her blog, Peaceful Power.
In the long run, this will create more time in the day by allowing you to think faster, be more efficient, relaxed and happy, and trust that you are a together person.
Now, we know that your probably still going to put off going to the gym, but what if a similar effect could be achieved at home in a more relaxing atmosphere? Try this one:
Grab a yoga or Thai Chi tape and watch enough to learn three movements. Once you know these movements by heart, run a nice hot bath, take off your makeup and make a cup of tea. Light some candles around the tub (fresh flowers are a nice touch too) and put on some soothing music.
Repeat your three movements for five to ten minutes, making sure to concentrate on your breathing. Hop in the tub with your cup of tea and add your favourite smelly bath treat. Lie back in the bath and concentrate on your breathing again. Let the world melt from your mind for as long as you can.
Go to bed right after you get out and have a wonderful sleep. Wake up refreshed and ready to take on the world! You’ll be amazed at the difference.
Ivy Mills has been researching chemical sensitivity and natural alternatives for over five years and has brought her knowledge to the marketplace in her company, Valhalla Essences. Her personal experiences have fed a passion to help others with the same problem. Ivy welcomes others to share their stories and experiences on her blog, Peaceful Power.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
