Friday 28 November 2008

Yoga: Yoga For Modern City Life - Yoga Helps Ease Modern Stress

For Gail Stuart, who is finishing a beginner's series, yoga is an antidote to the stress of her job at the Medical University of South Carolina, where she works with psychiatric research. You just walk through the whole process, and you feel yourself slipping away. It's a different workout, she says, a welcome alternative to aerobics or exercise machines, which remind her of a torture chamber.

Yoga is the most prominent form of the burgeoning mind-body health movement, which includes tai chi, qigong and other meditative forms of exercise.

The practice of yoga should integrate every aspect of human existence. While many of modern Western practitioners focus on the physical asanas, for others, yoga is an all-encompassing way of life and a path to bliss.

Considering yoga's lofty goals, it's delightfully simple and can be done anywhere, anytime. Taken to its extreme, yoga encompasses everything from a moral code and dietary practices to deep meditation. Most commonly, though, it's a combination of asanas, pranayama (breathing exercises) and some meditation.

Yoga would be an effective and relatively cheap substitute for many anxious and stressed patients, although they would probably also need to be motivated to become physically fit.

By: Nicholas Tan

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Thursday 27 November 2008

Yoga: Yoga For Modern City Life - Most Urbanites Start With A Class

The best place to start is with a class, where a teacher can show you how to adapt poses using props and help you learn proper technique for the postures.

The good news is that yoga classes have never been more widely available. You'll find them at small studios, health clubs and gyms. The hard part is finding a class that's just right for you. Studios that are dedicated to yoga also foster a more dedicated practice. The same students return to class week after week, and instructors usually follow a particular discipline of yoga. Some classes are aimed at beginners.

Whether you consider a studio or health club classes, here are some tips to find qualified instructors and classes that suit your needs:

Define your goals. Do you have chronic back pain or other physical limitations. An Iyengar-based class, with its emphasis on proper form and use of props, would be ideal. Looking to improve concentration and reduce stress. Consider a class that incorporates meditation. Seeking a challenging workout. Try an ashtanga class.

Ask about the instructor's background. There is no national certification program for yoga yet, although some disciplines have their own rigorous teaching certification programs. You want an instructor who has been practicing and teaching for a long time.

Check out the space. Look for rooms that are spacious and well ventilated. Plenty of props sticky mats, straps, foam bricks, blankets and bolsters are a good sign, too. Ideally, yoga rooms are quiet, but that may not be the case in a gym setting where students have to contend with loud music and clanking weight machines.

By: Nicholas Tan

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Sunday 23 November 2008

The Human Mind and the Yoga

The human mind, in his evolutionary trial, she has been illuminated by the light of the awareness producing systems whose end is the improvement of the human condition. They are the circumstances that, they sometimes determine the geographical position, where, such systems, are manifested more clearly to the world.

This way, the Yoga finds in India the historical position of his birth remaining, subsequently also imprisoned in the religious culture of this country.

This becomes conclusive to the goals of the researcher which, today it owes for strength to pass through the Indian culture to be able to understand the goal, and to use the techniques that go to form the system of "Liberation" denominated Yoga. And when it is said "liberation" he intends to tell liberation it represents, besides, the street to indissolubly free themselves from the cycle of the Samsara or the tied up rebirths to the distorted vision of the senses that prevents the dissolution of the union with the suffering and the logging the knowledge of the Itself indefeasible.

The Yoga word, belongs therefore to the spiritual world, and, sometimes, utopian Indian, even if the Yoga more ancient, some sustain, he didn't introduce any connotation type cultural or religious.
The ancient origin of the Yoga one is surely pre-air as they testify the archaeological findings of Harrappa and I will Mohenjodaro belonging city to the civilization of the valley of the Indo that precedes the development of Vedic India.

The Yoga one held classical, sees instead the light in the first centuries of ours, it was and one are considered of the six Darsanas or viewpoints, of the philosophical-religious thought Hindù whose codification, as all know, Patanjali is attributed to, compiler of the Yoga-sutra or Aphorisms of the Yoga of dating, happen as always when he is to contact with the Indian history, a great deal shaky.

As you is already said so many times, Yoga it is a word sanscrita that deriving from the radix of the verb Yuj points out the meeting record to yoke. Example: to yoke the oxen to the wagon. Its meaning grants to this system the role of discipline whereas you are thought about yoking the present instinctual personality in the human nature, to direct her and to finalize toward well taller purposes represented by other meanings, that we will see subsequently, attributable to the verb Yuj. The promoters of this discipline, initially train him, in circle psico-somatic, to yoke mind and body to get a perfect drive, working to depths levels toward a single idea.

They passes so to experiment a first feeling of harmonic aggregation that corresponds to a pleasant stadium in which the mind partly results reorganized. To return to the verb sanscrito Yuj, finds almost always suitable, as I told you, other meanings over the most intrinsic "to yoke" that I hold can represent steps precise and relative experiences of conscience as that above described tied up to the verb to unite or union if reported to the Yoga word.

A third interpretative proposal, note, is recognized in the word "amalgamation" that for the Yoga one it relatively represents the level of coscience of experience more advanced than, it usually follows the complete realization of the union psico-physics. In this stadium the subject after having taken meeting record of the existing dynamic interrelation among itself and what surrounds him, it also realizes strongly her as feeling. This is worth to make to fall the last resistances and contrariety toward aspects of the demonstration, naturally also toward the mens, feeling himself in amalgamation and to them legacy from something of commune.

It changes at this point her vision of the world. The words friend, hostile or indifferent they are replaced from favorable, unfavorable or neutral and, consequently introduces in him yourself more evident emotional stability. The memories, above all through the practice of the meditation, they also comes reorganize and stripped by the emotional aspect.

The heavy burden, that constitutes the depressing past in many cases, is loosened and the is often noticed to disappear some senses of guilt. The individual can start this way him toward a fourth stadium of realization that will bring him to seek the lasting joy and what is over the ordinary one or the transcendent one.

Along the street he could experiment the supreme peace, to know and to rest in the true essence of his being. Through a continuous meditation on the truth itself, that is pure eternal conscience and beyond of the psico-somatic complex and of the worldly oppressions he could reach the liberty.

In the full success of this phase the subject should return to integrate himself, or it would be reinstated better in the collectivity, he is thought I deprive of resistances, and with a clear vision of the reality.

To conclude this first party I have moreover to assert that the science of the Yoga one demands to teach a method that allows to achieve the complete union of the Itself, that is of the present spiritual reality in each of us with that general purpose whose constitution would be, according to a hypothesis of the ancient literature, reality, conscience, beatitude (Satchidananda).

This union would be the only true Yoga. The point from where he departs for this experience. A state of conscience in which the mystical ones propose him to meet and to know God. A route, perhaps to bashful, through which the produced one, for so to say, would return in the womb of the generated, rather surely melting himself in the same nature of this last losing his individual identity.

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Friday 21 November 2008

Health Benefits Of Yoga - Both For Body And Mind

Yoga has been practiced by ancient mystics and philosophers for thousands of years. Most people who hear the word yoga immediately think that this particular activity is simply a way to increase flexibility. In reality however, yoga offers so many more health benefits. Aside from its weight loss properties, yoga is also known to offer certain preventative medicine properties.

There are different kinds of health benefits of yoga. Usually, the benefits received from a type of yoga depend on the kind of yoga a person is practicing. One of the kinds of yoga that is gaining in popularity thanks to its health benefits is laughter yoga.

Yoga is often credited with physical benefits such as better flexibility, stable heart rate, toned muscle and increased stamina. In yoga sessions and class, people are taught to stretch their muscles so that they can be agile and flexible. But for new observers, the benefits of yoga only seem to be physical. Yoga offers more than the benefits to the body. Studies have shown that Yoga also provides key benefits to the mind.

Yoga is the coming together and oneness of body and mind. It is the consolidation of the movement (positions) and the breathing that makes the body tense and relax leading to the calmness of mind and spirit. Effectively done, it makes your whole being refreshed and rejuvenated. Yoga also gives you the ability to shut the noises of the world and get yourself into a trance of silence and solitude.

One of the most profound benefits of yoga is stress management. Imagine a stressful day at work or at home. The fast-paced environment requires you to be constantly worrying about the next thing. With yoga, you can benefit from relaxed breathing with a reasonable degree of control. Such activity allows your body and muscles to relax and think about peaceful thoughts, diverting your focus on stress. Even flexing activities could help a stressed person by loosening the tight muscles. Often when someone is stressed, the muscles are as well.

Many people feel that practicing yoga on a continual basis helps not only physical well-being, but also mental and psychological well-being. Yoga helps to calm the mind, allowing practitioners to feel a sense of inner peace and balance.

Another benefit of yoga is its power to ease muscle and joint pains. Through performing the various poses, you will increase circulation to all of the parts of your body. You will also stretch out tendons and muscles. The combined effect is a decrease in soreness and reduced joint pain. This is especially good for arthritis sufferers and those who suffer from back aches.

One of the most profound benefits of yoga that happens is the capability of putting your internal mind as well as your body into a state of harmony, mainly through the use of meditation. Meditation gives you the ability to clear your inner mind and provides much needed inner peace. The meditation aspect of yoga can assist in taking away stress that is unhealthy from both your body and your mind. There are negative aspects of stress that effects your endocrinal, emotional as well as physical systems.

By: Hutch Peter

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Wednesday 19 November 2008

Enhancing Bhaki Yoga With Kiiera Viv

Yoga is the combined practice of stretching, meditation and strengthening exercises. There are many benefits of practicing yoga and that includes mental, psychological, physical and emotional. Bhakti yoga is also called devotional yoga, it is the path for those seeking emotional fulfillment. Focus and additional energy can be provided by adding a new health product called Kiiera Viv. This is all natural, healthy and improves both mental and physical function. Viv comes in powder form that is just added to your water and is delicious as well as healthy.

Bhakti practitioners use meditation that includes visualization, feeling the presence of their god before them. Spending their time in meditation and sharing their deepest thoughts and concerns, they believe that this communing with their god and it brings about a deep state of awareness.

Practitioners believe that this connection transforms their being and improves their character. This communion with their god brings frequent periods of high consciousness. Greater practice brings greater reward, which brings the practitioner into a permanent relationship with their god.

The people who practice Bhakti believe this relationship is not static, that once they have attained this higher consciousness they must continue to work for more dimensions of love. This is an ever changing relationship and a delight to the bhakti yogi.

The yogi finds nothing else as attractive in life to him. They will go without food, sex, sleep, relationships, attachments and responsibilities. They feel all normal life experiences are now meaningless as they attempt to gain a glimpse of their god. They are searching for pure devotion and love of their god.

Bhakti is actually a religion of love for a divine being. This is a system of devotion and love with specific traditions and ways of meditation. This type of yoga stresses a balance between love and understanding, and devotion with reason.

Bhakti yoga is actually a religion of love for a divine being. This is a system of love and devotion that has specific traditions and methods of meditation. The practice of this type of yoga stresses balance between understanding and love, and devotion with reason.

Bhakti practitioners point to other people who have singled out love as the highest expression of their deity. They recognize the daily attitude of practitioners in dealings with others. Are they fair, loving and compassionate?

Practitioners look to others who have singled out love as the highest expression of their deity. They recognize the daily attitude of practitioners in dealings with others. Are they compassionate, fair and loving?

Other forms of bhakti relate to the desired outcome. In other words, if an individual desires material gain they would practice Sakamya bhakti. Or if he was seeking freedom from disease there is another type of meditation, and the ministry would require a different type. Bhakti yoga practice is not only complex but also simple at the same time. On the outside it appears their only goal is the oneness with their god and a loving experience as a result of a higher consciousness. On a different level they are able to request certain desires or goals that are not really the purest form. These individuals focus more on the human desires.

By: Kiiera Success Group

Monday 17 November 2008

Yoga In India - Road to All-Round Health Benefits

Yoga is way of exercising your body and mind. It is now a world famous and extremely popular technique but its origin makes a humble story. It was practiced by Indian sages thousands of years ago. Archaeological evidence suggests that it is at least as old as the Indus valley civilization. It was the ancient Indian sage Patanjali who proposed this method of wholesome exercise. The word "yog" means union; usually, "yoga" means union God or the divine being. The objective of a yogic exercise is to unite the individual with the divine through a series of body postures meant to control the body and the mind. Yoga in India is now a part of the everyday routine of most Indians.

Yoga in India has many benefits. It helps in cleansing the body of numerous toxins, toning the muscles, strengthening the digestive system and improving the circulation of blood. It also helps in correcting body postures. But unlike other forms of exercise like aerobics and workouts at the gym, it also promotes mental peace, freeing the practitioner from stress connected with day-to-day life. There are also those who undergo yoga purely to attain moksha or salvation.

There are eight stages that yoga consists of
1) Yamas - where one learns abstinence and restraint
2) Niyamas - where one learns to live in contentment
3) Asanas - where one learns the exercises
4) Pranayama - exercises related to breathing
5) Partyahar - exercise connected with the withdrawing of senses
6) Dhrana - where absolute concentration is achieved
7) Dhyana - the satge of meditation
8) Samadhi - achieving moksha or salvation.

Yoga is not only endorsed by its practitioners; even modern science agrees that it is a form of exercise that can help you attain all-round health benefits. As such, Yoga in India is now a vital theme of her tours and travels. There are various centers in all corners of the country- Chennai, Rishikesh, Hardwar, Shivpuri and Uttarkashi are well-known centers. Apart from these places, there are many professional instructors who have been specially trained in the field and they have their private practices. They can be easily located by searching online.

Sonal Arya is offering advice for quite some time. Having completed her Ph.d in Archeology from The Jawaharlal Nehru University. She provide useful advice through her articles that have been found very useful. To find Yoga in India, famous in India, cities in India, temples in India visit http://www.famousinindia.com/

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Thursday 13 November 2008

Relax! Twelve Essential Yoga Tips to Help Working Mums Manage Stress

How many times during the day do you hear the words "... "Mum, can I have ...." "Mum, it's not fair" "mum, have you seen my .... Or the classic, "mum, I'm hungry"

It's tough being a working mum. You need super human skills to manage the varied and complex demands of parenting as well as coping with the fast-moving pressures of your job.
Some days, you wake up tried and exhausted from caring for your sick children, other days you go to bed tired and exhausted from rushing home from work to be on time to attend your daughter's Parent-Teacher's Meeting.

In the midst of all this responsibility, caring and sharing, it is very easy to run out of energy and feel emotionally drained and physically shattered.

Twelve Essential Yoga Stress-Management Techniques

In the long-run, to fully care for your family and fulfill your responsibilities at work, it is vital you make time during your day to boost your energy and care for yourself. Failure to do so means you run on "empty" and have little to give to yourself, your family and meet your work commitments. To keep your energy levels up, practice the following yoga exercises, massage tips and breathing practices throughout your day.

1. Hum. Humming in high or low pitch is an excellent way to achieve inner calm and clarity. Find a quiet place, sit comfortably. Breathe in and out, through your nose. If you wish, close your eyes. Place your little fingers in your ears. Take a steady deep breath in through your nose. As you breathe out gently "hum." You can hum in either a high pitch or low pitch. Breathe in and repeat this humming pattern for 3 - 5 more rounds. Release your fingers and sit quietly for a few moments.

2. Pretend to chew a large piece of gum, really chew this piece of gum, stretching your mouth and smacking your lips together. Chew for at least 30 seconds.

3. Massage your cheekbones, forehead and temples with your fingers and thumbs. Be aware of the texture of your skin as your gently massage your eyebrows, bridge of your nose and then walk your fingers around your ears and massage your ears.

4. Take deep breaths regularly through out the day. This will help to nourish and revive your spirit

5. Sit on chair, bend forward and hold your ankles or shins. Arch your back, relax and repeat 3 - 5 times

6. Raise both arms above your head. Place your left hand on your right wrist. Gently stretch to the right. Keep your body strong and straight. Breathe into the stretch. Switch sides and repeat.

7. Sitting on a chair, cross your left leg over your right knee. Place your right hand on the crossed knee. Gently turn your body to the left and look behind you. Allow your shoulders to be relaxed as you relax and breathe into the pose. Inhale. Release your arms and legs; return to centre. Exhale. Switch legs and repeat on the opposite side.

8. Have a loving bath. Add four to six drops of bergamot, lavender, ylang ylang, or rose essential oil to your bathwater. These aromatic oils are uplifting and help to refresh your mind.

9. Massage your shoulders. Squeeze the upper back and shoulders between your thumb and forefingers. Massage slowly and rhythmically.

10. Stand or sit in a comfortable position. Breathe in through your nose and shrug your shoulders up to your ears, slowly breathe out as you lower your shoulders. Repeat 5 - 7 times.

11. Smile and laugh often. Share happy thoughts and jokes with others. Laughter instantly elevates your mood and makes your eyes sparkle. You will feel more at ease in yourself and not worry so much about trying to fit in.

12. Sit or stand comfortably, scrunch your face up, like a dried prune. Open your eyes look upwards; open your mouth, stretch out your tongue and Roarrrrrr like a lion. Repeat until you feel powerful, calm and in control.

To help you manage your stress and give your best to your family and others, it is vital you make time to rest and recharge and care and nourish yourself. Make it a habit to regularly do these easy yoga exercises, massage tips and breathing techniques through out your day. You will feel energized, relaxed and raring to go.

Ntathu Allen, Hatha Yoga Teacher designs personal yoga exercise programmes for beginners. She helps you learn easy yoga postures which improve your flexibility, breathing practices to release stress and meditation techniques to soothe and calm your mind. To find out more go to:> http://www.yogainspires.co.uk and sign up for your free monthly yoga and health newsletter, "Healing for the Soul," full of wellbeing and holistic healing tips and; yoga exercises to energise and nurture your soul.

Email:> ntathu@yogainspires.co.uk

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Tuesday 11 November 2008

Yoga In America?

Yoga does not seem to command the same form of respect from modern day society as it once did in the past. The real meaning of this ancient concept has been inundated by the quick-fix approach mentality of the modern day globalization. The ancient art of yoga has been represented as a simple concept to help people gain a better understanding of the overall philosophy. Yoga in its true form may be a little complicated for the western world to understand. It is a very dangerous and unethical to merely dabble on the surface and then talks about this subject as an expert! Yoga is often viewed as a physical journey, instead of a spiritual one in the western part of the world. It is represented as a physical activity that is directed towards the achievement of inner balance and meditative states of mind.

It originates from the Hindu religion and it is actually a part of the Hindu philosophy. In India, yoga is considered a very spiritual experience that has a physical aspect to it. But the western world prefers to refer yoga as a mere physical practice. Yoga with its strange looking symbols may seem mystical to the average Joe, is often enough to perk up a considerable level of interest in the hidden aspects of this ancient practice, but sadly, they are often misunderstood. Operating from the wrong paradigm, yoga became a form of sports in the western world. It also does a good job attracting those who wish to obtain inner peace and balance in the midst of the hectic modern lifestyle.

Disciples of yoga are often fascinated by the claims made by their yoga instructors. Outside of India, that there is a high level of misunderstanding of its true nature, hence the monumental amount of mistakes that can be found in its implementation. Closer observation reveals that the unique culture of each race has dramatically influenced the way yoga is practiced. Apparently, the west is not prepared to spend too much time in meaningful contemplations of this philosophy, hence the resulting fatal error due to a lack of understanding. For instance, meditation is the crux of this philosophy but busy Americans do not possess the time to spend in a few hours of relative sessions every day. The west seems obsessed with the desire to accumulate massive amounts of wealth and gaining power, which is a priority according the principles of Hinduism. Unless these values are changed, it is impossible for westerners to achieve the true wisdom and enlightenment as defined by the parameters of the Hindu religion. Patience and time is crucial for meditation. The westerners do not view investment in such contemplative moments for the attainment of philosophical wisdom to be beneficial.

Here, yoga as been practiced by those who desire to look good and stay in style. There are plenty of materials promoting it as a form of sports; you can practice yoga anywhere and anytime you want. Fans of famous people who later become fake gurus are adamant about supporting their idol and his practice. Obedient disciples of this distorted form of yoga have become agents of growth of this unhealthy philosophy.

By: Sam Nickel

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Saturday 1 November 2008

Health Benefits of Yoga - Reducing Stress and More With Laughter Yoga

There are different kinds of health benefits of yoga. Usually, the benefits received from a type of yoga depend on the kind of yoga a person is practicing. One of the kinds of yoga that is gaining in popularity thanks to its health benefits is laughter yoga.

It is said that children laugh around 400 times each day. Anybody who has been around children know they are typically carefree and full of energy. On the other hand, studies have shown that adults laugh only about 15 times a day on average.

Because adults must deal with more stress, it is understandable that they laugh less. However, one of the key points of laughter yoga is that the more a person laughs, the better they will be able to reduce the stress they feel.

In addition to reducing stress, laughter yoga is also said to be able to boost a person's immune system, strengthen his or her heart and improve overall circulation. A person who wants to try out this kind of yoga to improve his or her health can try the following:

  • Find a class - Laughter yoga is usually most effective when it is done as part of a group, rather than a person doing it on her own. Because laughter yoga includes more than just laughing, an experienced yogi can help a person get the most health benefits.
  • Get ready - Just like any other form of yoga, a person who hopes to truly be able to receive some health benefits of yoga that focuses on laughing must be able to take the time to warm up. When warming up, a person should clap twice, saying "Ho, Ho." Then, he or she should clap three times while saying, "Ha, Ha, Ha."
  • Breathing is important - Breathing is important in any kind of yoga. In laugh yoga, a person can breathe deeply by drawing in a large breath through his or her nose that immerses his or her lungs. Hold the breath for about 10 seconds, and then slowly exhale. Pay attention to the way the air leaves the lungs. This process should be repeated three times.
  • Laugh - This is easier said than done. The fact is that a person who is not comfortable acting "silly" in a group may need some time to get used to this kind of yoga. The best way to get used to doing this yoga is to realize that everybody else looks just as silly. A person should start the laughing by raising his or her arms in the air and laughing heartily as he or she throws his or head back. Use the other people in the group. People can shake hands, nod, wave and laugh at each other.
  • Learn to laugh silently - Laugh yoga does not simply focus on the noises a person makes. Rather, it focuses on the way a body functions as it laughs. Laughing silently can allow a person to get a good abdominal workout, It can also allow a person to work out his or her facial muscles.

If a person has participated in yoga for years, he or she must remember that laughing yoga does not replace all of the health benefits of yoga that has been previously been practiced. A person who is looking to stay flexible will likely want to continue to do other types of yoga.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and fashion. For more of her useful articles on yoga and Pilates, please visit Yoga Supplies, home to many useful articles about health and fitness.

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