The form of Yoga most people are familiar with is Hatha Yoga or Hatha Vidya. Hatha Yoga is the Yoga of postures. The picture that comes to mind whenever you see the word Yoga is of someone sitting or standing in some form of Yoga posture.
Hatha Yoga uses physical poses called Asana and breathing techniques called Pranayama. Hatha Yoga teaches that the body is the vehicle for your soul. It also teaches that meditation can bring the body into perfect health and allow the spiritual part of your brain to come forward freely.
Many believe that your mind typically ignores or suppresses the part of the brain that is spiritual and that our focus is on earthly things. In order to release this spirituality you need meditation and Yoga exercise.
Hatha Yoga utilizes all of these techniques to bind the body and soul as one. To create a union between the body and the mind takes practice. The purpose of Hatha Yoga is to perfect the body so it can be filled with your life?s force or soul.
The way it works is to use opposing energies somewhat similar to Yin and Yang to achieve the binding of body, mind, and soul. Opposing energy examples are hot and cold, positive and negative, and male and female.
The Asanas in Hatha Yoga tech you poise, strength, and most of all, balance. This improves your physical health and helps you clear your mind. Without this preparation, meditation is not as effective. The exercise portion of Hatha Yoga is all part of preparing yourself so you can meditate and become enlightened, allowing your spiritual thoughts to flow freely.
Although most people in Europe or the US use Yoga as a physical exercise primarily, the intent of Yoga is to combine all of your life forces to achieve spirituality and happiness. The following are the different aspects to Hatha Yoga;
Yama: Yama is social ethics. It teaches you nonviolence, compassion, non-deception or truthfulness, honesty, conscious and non-abusive sexuality, security, and how to eliminate greed.
Niyama: Niyama is about personal practices. It teaches purity, discipline, contentment, self-examination, and spiritual attunement with GOD.
Asana: Asanas are the physical exercises in Hatha Yoga. There are many asanas and are of varying difficulty. There are some that are less difficult for beginners that can help you work up to the more difficult asanas. This not only helps you perfect your body, but helps you clear your mind for the more meditative aspects of Hatha Yoga.
Pranayama: Pranayama are breathing practices. Deep breathing exercises help clear your mind in preparation for meditation to free your spirit.
Pratyahara: Pratyahara is withdrawing the senses to facilitate Dharana (concentration or focus)
Dharana: Dharana is meant to help you focus or concentrate better also allowing you to use chants to free your spiritual mind.
Dhyana: Dhyana is an enhanced form of meditation where the concentration is focused on a single point.
Samadhi: Samadhi teaches you how to attain the essential state of joy. The definition of Samadhi literally means transcendental bliss. The exercises in Samadhi Yoga are more vigorous than with other forms.
?Trancendental Bliss or Samadhi is a state in which the individual mind, freed for a time from all material limits takes the form of supreme, omnipotent and omnipresent mind and gains enlightenment.”
?Shri Brahmananda Saraswati (A great yogi, doctor and founder of the Ananda Ashram)
When unaffected by culture, place, time, or circumstance, these principles are universal. They constitute the Great Vow.” -Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, 2.31
The Self cannot be gained by one devoid of strength. Mundaka Upanishad iii :2:3
Robin Darch, of PRT Specialised Services Limited has a website, Yoga Tips to help you find all the information you need about Yoga and the benefits of Yoga.
Yoga Tips
Showing posts with label Physical Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Physical Health. Show all posts
March 4, 2009
February 26, 2009
How to Practice Yoga Exercises Correctly
If you have decided to improve your mental and physical health with yoga, you need to practice your yoga exercises correctly to get the most benefit and to prevent injury. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind.
* Before you begin, be sure that you are in good enough physical shape to be able to handle this new exercise routine. If you have any questions at all about that, consult your doctor and follow his directions as you get started.
* Be sure that you learn the yoga techniques from a well-qualified, capable instructor. A good instructor will be very patient with you and will help you learn not only the exercises themselves but also the proper body position and breathing techniques necessary to make them effective. It’s very important that you learn how to practice yoga correctly from the beginning if you want to get real results.
* If you attend a yoga class at a studio or gym, be sure that the surroundings are comfortable and promote relaxation. The environment in which you practice your poses and positions can have a great impact on the effectiveness of each session.
* The specific time of day that you choose for your yoga exercises is not important. Whatever fits into your schedule best will work just fine. But try to avoid exercising shortly after a full meal. Your stomach should not be full when you begin your yoga session.
* Regularity is very important if you want to get the best results. That does not mean that you cannot possibly miss a session or two along the way, but you certainly do not want to make it a habit.
* Your clothing should be light and very comfortable, although try to avoid very loose clothing like large T-shirts that can actually interfere with some poses. The material for your clothing should be breathable and wick moisture away from the skin as you perspire.
* It’s a very good idea to have a yoga mat to use as you exercise. These can help you avoid slipping as you go into and out of each yoga position, and also keep you from having to exercise on the bare floor.
* Generally speaking, very young children should not practice yoga, especially before 7-8 years of age. Pregnant women should also avoid certain poses and positions that put pressure on their abdomen.
Yoga is not hard to practice and it yields a lot of very fine benefits for young and old alike. If you approach yoga exercises with an open mind and make it a deeply personal experience, it may become one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
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.
* Before you begin, be sure that you are in good enough physical shape to be able to handle this new exercise routine. If you have any questions at all about that, consult your doctor and follow his directions as you get started.
* Be sure that you learn the yoga techniques from a well-qualified, capable instructor. A good instructor will be very patient with you and will help you learn not only the exercises themselves but also the proper body position and breathing techniques necessary to make them effective. It’s very important that you learn how to practice yoga correctly from the beginning if you want to get real results.
* If you attend a yoga class at a studio or gym, be sure that the surroundings are comfortable and promote relaxation. The environment in which you practice your poses and positions can have a great impact on the effectiveness of each session.
* The specific time of day that you choose for your yoga exercises is not important. Whatever fits into your schedule best will work just fine. But try to avoid exercising shortly after a full meal. Your stomach should not be full when you begin your yoga session.
* Regularity is very important if you want to get the best results. That does not mean that you cannot possibly miss a session or two along the way, but you certainly do not want to make it a habit.
* Your clothing should be light and very comfortable, although try to avoid very loose clothing like large T-shirts that can actually interfere with some poses. The material for your clothing should be breathable and wick moisture away from the skin as you perspire.
* It’s a very good idea to have a yoga mat to use as you exercise. These can help you avoid slipping as you go into and out of each yoga position, and also keep you from having to exercise on the bare floor.
* Generally speaking, very young children should not practice yoga, especially before 7-8 years of age. Pregnant women should also avoid certain poses and positions that put pressure on their abdomen.
Yoga is not hard to practice and it yields a lot of very fine benefits for young and old alike. If you approach yoga exercises with an open mind and make it a deeply personal experience, it may become one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
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 23, 2009
Universal Laws of Yoga - Part 3
Why do some religious fundamentalists fear Yoga?
For many non-practitioners of Yoga, it is Intolerance for something they do not understand. This seems harmless at first, but cries of witchcraft are never a good omen. However, every method of healing has its critics.
Yoga has also been accused of being a ?launching point? to export Hinduism. This is very interesting, considering the large numbers of Yoga practitioners who are not Hindus. Some Yogis and Yoginis do convert to Hinduism, but the ?calling? had to come from within themselves. Within North America, most Yoga teachers are not Hindus at all and I have yet to witness religious conversion in progress.
For fundamentalist Hindus that believe Yoga and Hinduism cannot be separate, sorry to break the news, but it has already happened. Yoga was interpreted in many ways by a variety of cultures and partial facets of Yoga have grown independently. Some Hatha Yoga styles do not even practice meditation.
Yoga students outside India, pick and choose what they want to learn from Yoga. At this time, physical mastery seems to be most popular. This is why Yoga teachers outside India focus primarily on physical health. Many western students think only of Hatha Yoga, when they hear the word ?Yoga.?
This is why Yoga cannot really be controlled, regulated, or patented. How do you control people?s thoughts, actions, physical practice, prayers, meditation, or songs? The whole concept of controlling Yoga is ludicrous.
Fundamentalists of different religions work together, quite by accident, to divide the world?s religions into mobs of intolerance. Their real fear is loss of control. So they speak in ?absolutes.? For example: ?You will burn in hell, if you do not, do as I say? and ?All of the non-believers are going to Hell.?
The real problem with Yoga, for the fundamentalist of any religion, is that it can be practiced by anyone from any religion. Yoga is not exclusive: The laws are universal and interchangeable with every religion. This allows a Yoga practitioner to work independently on his or her spiritual health and work toward enlightenment.
What is wrong with working toward the common good? The idea of working toward enlightenment and self-perfection are considered blasphemy to some. However, can you imagine a world where men and women did not try to improve themselves?
The objectives of Yoga are complete heath, self-improvement, self realization, and tranquility. With these benefits acquired any Yoga practitioner can help others and work for the common good.
? Copyright 2006 by 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
For many non-practitioners of Yoga, it is Intolerance for something they do not understand. This seems harmless at first, but cries of witchcraft are never a good omen. However, every method of healing has its critics.
Yoga has also been accused of being a ?launching point? to export Hinduism. This is very interesting, considering the large numbers of Yoga practitioners who are not Hindus. Some Yogis and Yoginis do convert to Hinduism, but the ?calling? had to come from within themselves. Within North America, most Yoga teachers are not Hindus at all and I have yet to witness religious conversion in progress.
For fundamentalist Hindus that believe Yoga and Hinduism cannot be separate, sorry to break the news, but it has already happened. Yoga was interpreted in many ways by a variety of cultures and partial facets of Yoga have grown independently. Some Hatha Yoga styles do not even practice meditation.
Yoga students outside India, pick and choose what they want to learn from Yoga. At this time, physical mastery seems to be most popular. This is why Yoga teachers outside India focus primarily on physical health. Many western students think only of Hatha Yoga, when they hear the word ?Yoga.?
This is why Yoga cannot really be controlled, regulated, or patented. How do you control people?s thoughts, actions, physical practice, prayers, meditation, or songs? The whole concept of controlling Yoga is ludicrous.
Fundamentalists of different religions work together, quite by accident, to divide the world?s religions into mobs of intolerance. Their real fear is loss of control. So they speak in ?absolutes.? For example: ?You will burn in hell, if you do not, do as I say? and ?All of the non-believers are going to Hell.?
The real problem with Yoga, for the fundamentalist of any religion, is that it can be practiced by anyone from any religion. Yoga is not exclusive: The laws are universal and interchangeable with every religion. This allows a Yoga practitioner to work independently on his or her spiritual health and work toward enlightenment.
What is wrong with working toward the common good? The idea of working toward enlightenment and self-perfection are considered blasphemy to some. However, can you imagine a world where men and women did not try to improve themselves?
The objectives of Yoga are complete heath, self-improvement, self realization, and tranquility. With these benefits acquired any Yoga practitioner can help others and work for the common good.
? Copyright 2006 by 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
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