Yoga for Teenagers

Yoga should be studied with a well qualified professional teacher who understands both the philosophy and the practical health techniques of the science. In the case of teenagers it is an ideal time to learn many things that will help in the process of ‘growing up’ and maturing in a healthy, natural way - physically, emotionally and mentally.

Because Yoga has a universal approach which embraces moral and spiritual principles, it helps to strength the spiritual and religious principles which are inherent in each person who aims at excellence. Some people mistake the teaching as a religion in itself but this is not true. Its history goes back thousands of years and although it is allied to the Hindu faith and has been preserved in India, Yoga offers simply a way of life. There should be no misconception about this point. It is best of course to meet your teacher and discuss this with them as there are many teachers with different approaches and points of view. Most teachers in western society see the need to modify and adapt the traditional Indian practices to our modern lifestyle and this has helped Yoga to become very popular.

One of the first benefits students say is that after a class or two they begin to feel freer and less stressed and in the case of young people who are just beginning to understand the responsibilities that come with maturity, there are plenty of reasons why stress builds up. However, stress and nervous tension make matters worse, so the ability to relax is one of the first tonic effects when undergoing yoga training.

There are many pointers given by the teacher as to how to improve personal health. These tips will complement what you already know about physical fitness and can be applied to physical health and nutrition; exercises with breath control (the yogic way is different from average fitness programs); mastering body posture and the many dozens of yoga postures that are taken both for health reasons and as a means of developing control over the body; breathing exercises to increase vitality or to calm the mind; concentration to help the mind be efficient and meditation to allow the mind to relax and to listen to one’s soul or inner being.

Following the principle that when the body is still, we can better be aware of our feelings and that when the emotions are calm we think more clearly. It is therefor natural that when the mind is calm, we can experience our deeper intuitive nature of our soul intelligence and receive inspiration.

Apart from the obvious physical benefits that come from the more dynamic practices, teenagers generally find the practice of meditation as one of the most interesting. It can be particularly helpful when encouraged by the thought that each of us has the seed of every human potential latent within us, awaiting its culture and development. The ancient Vedic teachings say it in this way in the Upanishads….

“In this body, in this town of spirit, is a little house shaped like a lotus. And in this house, there is a little space. There is as much in this little space (within the heart) as there is in the whole world outside - sun, moon, lightning, stars….whatever is and whatever is not yet, everything is there”.

Students begin to feel they can draw upon their inner reserves rather than over- emphasizing the importance of external and material ambitions which can often seem limited enough by circumstances to cause frustration. Many find that they have exciting experiences when they sit quietly and attune themselves in this way.

One of the most helpful ideas the philosophy offers in addition, is that each person is unique and possesses some special qualities which can be cultivated to benefit others in some way in their lives, or given to the world as a whole. Each has to discover what those qualities and talents are and so the future provides ample opportunity for adventure both inwardly and outwardly. You can make your own future as you want.

Our native culture provides the basis of a pattern for living and a lifestyle which imbues all the best thoughts of previous generations and if the traditions are followed, much benefit is gained. But we are living in a particular time when global conditions indicate a breakdown in traditional values. This is having a negative affect upon almost every culture forcing each individual to make their own decisions about the values they wish to live by in their own life. This is made more difficult by the trends of popular thought and habit which tend to sweep the nations in great waves of influences which tend to be bad more than a power for good.

It takes individual character to withstand the negative influence of one’s peers and to act, think and feel for oneself. This can often mean an unfortunate distancing of a good person that occurs by the rebellious ‘popular set’ rejecting a boy or girl who is trying harder, or conforms and is not shy to speak up for the good values of society. But that is just an example of the power than groups of people can have when they band together. Equally of course, good people standing together have equal power, but for good.

Yoga, however, focuses upon the individual and self discipline. Everyone has the potential to control their own bodies, their own feelings, their own thoughts and their actions. It is all up to us and our choices. When confused, or stressed, you will learn how to practice relaxation, or to practice yogic exercises and postures, or to take deep breaths and special rhythms, or you may meditate - all these techniques can be used on occasion and you will feel after you have applied yourself, you will feel much better - as if your personality has been ‘ironed out…smooth’ and you will feel more vital and much happier.

Yoga encourages you to face your difficulties and fears and resolve them. If you haven’t a person to whom you feel free to talk out privately, one whom you trust completely, then you can always write out your thoughts in your special personal diary or communicate with your wiser soul self or with God in your prayers and meditations. Why not join a Yoga class today!

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Yoga

Yoga Equipment - What You Need To Get Started

One good thing about yoga is that it can be practiced almost anywhere, without all those yoga equipments, and by all people of all ages.

When doing yoga it is best to wear loose and comfortable clothing. Yoga is traditionally done and practiced barefoot, but if this does not suit you, you can just wear socks or soft-shoes.

It is also best to practice yoga on an empty stomach. Empty your stomach, clean your nostril and throat, and consume a glass of warm water 15 minutes before you start.

You may drill on energy bars, fruits or drink a glass of water an hour before class to avoid getting hungry or dehydrated during yoga sessions.

It is said earlier that you basically don?t need anything in order to practice yoga. All you need is the desire and the attitude to really be into yoga and expand your self awareness.

But this does not completely eliminate the need for different yoga equipment. This yoga equipment helps you do your postures properly.

It helps you achieve the proper alignment, balance and makes the pose a little bit easier to do. The use of Yoga equipments also lessen out the stress and strain from doing your yoga positions.

Yoga equipments help you support your muscles and refrains you from any muscle injuries. Yoga equipment also helps to save energy by exerting less effort on a pose.

After a thousand of years in existence, Yoga has already been part of everybody?s lifestyle from any part of the world. From India, yoga has evolved through the years and reaches the United States and other countries extending a different yet proven
effective form of achieving self balance that results to utmost health be it physical,
mental or spiritual.

Now millions of people around the world practice Yoga to cope with stress, feel renewed and energized, release tension, achieve a healthier and fitter body and gain a deep sense of self-knowledge.

Doing yoga is not just about postures, there is also one vital part of yoga that we can never live without, and these are yoga equipments.

When starting out yoga you should know the basic yoga equipments that you will need.

YOGA MATS: these yoga equipment provides cushioning on a hard floor, this specially needed if your yoga studio floor is made up of cement or hard wood floor.

This yoga equipment is also provide traction for your hand and feet thus prevents you from slipping or sliding on a wrong position when your doing your yoga postures

YOGA BOLSTERS: This yoga equipment provides support for your spine, abdomen and legs in a number of different poses.

Yoga bolsters helps you achieve the utmost result of your practice.

YOGA BLANKETS: this yoga equipment helps you feel relaxed and comfortable which is essential in the practice of yoga.

Yoga Mats also provides added warmth and softness to your yoga mat, making you feel more relaxed and comfortable.

YOGA STRAPS: this yoga equipment is either made out of cotton or nylon. This allows you to grasp your body part which you cannot.

Yoga straps give you added flexibility and holds your pose a little bit much longer.

Yoga equipment may not be a requirement for doing yoga but through times they have been proven to be helpful in their own simple ways.

They have been useful to yoga practitioners especially to those who are suffering from ailments and the elderly.

Most yoga equipments are made to provide support to help you feel relaxed and feel deeper into the pose or do the pose better.

Learn all you need to know about Yoga - http://www.yogaadvice.info

Yoga for Fun and Profit

Stress levels around the world are on the rise. In order to deal with this, relaxation and stress reduction therapies have sprung up from everywhere. Yoga instruction is no longer just a fringe population idea. It is now a mainstream fitness methodology. Yoga certifications are now available from many places in North America. As a result of this, yoga instructors are now available everywhere. Each gym now offers yoga classes from certified yoga instructors. It?s time we understood what this is all about and where we are going with respect to the fitness industry.

The word yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning joining or union. What are we joining? The human being consists of several entities commonly referred to as body-mind-spirit. An integrated human being is the goal of yoga. We are joining the different pieces of the human being to make an integrated, holistic being that is attuned to one goal. The body, mind and spirit are all integrated with a common attitude and viewpoint. This is different from the state of being where the body wants to satisfy one need and the mind another and the spirit yet a third. This is the state during which mental storms occur and the body responds in turn with a manifestation of that mental vortex.

Yoga seeks to align the human being using its own tool of breathing. When we breathe rhythmically, our body is more in tune with itself. We function better as an integrated being in a holistic way. Yoga was invented in India, about 5000 years ago, precisely to achieve the goal of integration. When our being is aligned our interaction with the world will be more efficient. We perform better at work and in our home life. Rela-tionships become easier. This is what yoga achieves.

In India, yoga is taught and researched as a science at a place in Bangalore called the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusamdhana Samsthan (SVYASA). This means Yoga Research Institute. One can obtain intensive instruction in yoga and therapy techniques using yoga. Recently, I completed a month long certificate course for yoga instructors at this institute. The yoga that is taught here is not just about the physical poses. The idea of yoga from the original meaning is to really integrate the whole human being. This involves all of our activities in life. We must be aligned and integrated during all of our tasks during the day. All of our activies can be divided into several broad categories. All actions like going to work, eating breakfast are classified as Karma yoga. All philosophical discussions are classified under Jnana yoga. Any devotional activities such as the singing of hymns or prayers are considered part of Bhakti yoga. The physical poses of Western ideas of yoga are a part of Raja yoga, which includes other methods for gaining mastery over the physical body. This is the original concept of yoga from India and is taught in that form at the SVYASA Institute.

The institute is named after Swami Vivekananda who was a monk and scholar of Indian philosophy. In 1893, Swami Vivekananda was invited to speak at the Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago, on the topic of Hinduism. His speech became famous for explaining the unity of religions as many paths to God, and that Hinduism in its original sense encompassed that view. Swami Vivekananda wanted the Western world to understand Indian spirituality in the correct view, as a synthesis of the four types of yoga, which ultimately leads to the goal of spiritual evolution. SVYASA is dedicated to the education and research of yoga in this context. The school retains strict attention to the original sources of yoga from Sanskrit scripture.

The teaching styles of the school and environmental factors do not cater to the Western lifestyle. Those who come from abroad must acclimatize themselves to the pure Indian way. Meals are served on the floor and must be eaten using the hands. Vegetarian Indian food is served. No cutlery is provided. Footwear must be left outside of all classes. Be prepared to literally be on your feet for long amounts of time. While the majority of the students are comfortably able to sit on the floor during the long lecture sessions, chairs are available for those who will not be able to survive in that position. The philosophy of discipline is everywhere, starting from the boot camp like nature of the roll call before each session. Students who miss a portion of the attendance will not receive their certificate. Attendance is considered a very important factor of the study. In addition, a strict code of uniforms is enforced. Women must wear the Indian dress of salwaar kameez, which is a tunic, and pant set made of 100% cotton. This dress could be modified to be more forgiving for yoga poses. Men must wear loose fitting track pants and t-shirt. This is more conducive to rigorous physical activity. It must be noted that everywhere the students of the yoga instructors course can be identified by their uniform.

As attendance is strict, so is the keeping of students on the grounds. While exceptions can be made for justifiable reasons, students cannot usually leave the campus for any reason after the start of the course. The campus is 32 km north of the major city of Bangalore. Fortunately, Bangalore boasts many amenities including an international airport. The city of Bangalore itself is very multicultural. One can find the modern world mixed with the original flavour of India everywhere. The SVYASA institute has a city office in Bangalore from where a bus is arranged to take travellers to its campus outside the city in a place called Geddallahalli. The name of the campus is Prashanti Kutiram, which means abode of peace. While the name is very amenable to yoga studies, I found that one needs to practice yoga in sincerity to find the true peace, which is only inside the human being.

For further questions on yoga or SVYASA Institute, please email Shanti Consulting at speaksamskrit@yahoo.ca

A variety of personal interests and professional paths have led the author to her current role as a personal trainer and lifestyle consultant with over 20 years experience. Siva is an author, lecturer and Can-Fit-Pro certified personal trainer who specializes in body-mind-spirit consulting and training women. Currently she is writing a book entitled Body, Mind, and Spirit Fitness, which discusses her particular style of training the complete being, rather than just the physical body.

Siva is a yoga instructor, an expert on East Indian Philosophy and teacher of Sanskrit. She holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Toronto and has balanced her time between personal training and engineering for over 20 years. In February 2005, Siva spent an intensive month studying a course for Yoga Instructors, at the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Institute in Bangalore, India to further her interest in yoga as a science of holistic living and not merely as yoga postures.

For more information on yoga visit http://www.getshanti.com