Yoga and Natural Beauty - A Match Made In Heaven

For those wanting to live a holistic lifestyle, practicing yoga and using organic beauty products are almost no-brainers, after all, both are good for your body and the planet. But yoga and organic beauty have more in common than you might think. So if your daily mat habit is leaving your skin ultra sensitive, adding gentle but effective organic products into your daily routine can help perfect your complexion while helping you maintain your holistic lifestyle. Here's how.

Allergies. Deep yaga breathing can help clear nasal passages, while practicing yoga in a heated room often can clear sinuses and make allergy symptoms more mild. Organic products are often more friendly to sensitive or allergy-prone skin, since they're not packed full of synthetic chemicals and fragrances. Try Dr. Hauschka Eye Solace or Logona Free Body Lotion.

Happiness/mood. By creating a strong mind-body connection (and a healthier, stronger body), yoga practice improves overall well-being and mood. Essential oils used in many organic products also have mood-enhancing properties, and the purer formulas in natural products mean they often have a more powerful effect. Try Farfalla Gemstone Oils or Rain Africa Essential Oil Uplift.

Aging. Yoga's ability to stimulate the body's detoxification process can go a long way to delay aging; there's even some anecdotal evidence that some yoga poses, particularly inversions, can stimulate blood flow to hair follicles and even revert gray hairs back to their natural color! Likewise, organic beauty products incorporate natural anti-aging ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins to give your skin a more youthful appearance. Try Juice Beauty Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer or Logona Age Protection Wrinkle Therapy.

Relaxation and stress relief. Practicing any kind of yoga is almost guaranteed to have a near-immediate impact on stress levels, relaxation, and help you sleep. Likewise, using organic products in the bath or shower, particularly those with relaxing scents like lavender and rosemary, can have an added impact. Try Dr. Hauschka Lavender Bath or John Masters Lavender Rosemary Shampoo.

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The Three Categories Of Ashtanga Yoga

Sanskrit by nature, Ashtanga means “eight limbs”. So in yoga practice, Ashtanga refers primarily to the eight limbs of yaga that is detailed in one of the greatest books of India, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This relaxation technique was first introduced in the public centuries ago in India, and is said to have originated from an ancient text named the Yoga Korunta. The text was interpreted by two of Ashtaga yoga’s masters, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Krishnamacharya.

Ashtanga yoga is in the first place a posture practice that deals primarily on the breath initiated movements experts call as Vinyasa. The breathing movements involved here are associated from one another, then speaking much of what yoga is all about – union.

Although unified, the postures of Ashtanga yoga are categorized into a number of series. There is what they call as the Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced postures; each is initiated with Sun Salutations. Standing postures govern all of these series as soon as the starting sun salutation postures are made. What is more interesting to know about each of the posture series that Ashtanga yoga possesses is that they involve certain movements that are unique from the rest. Often, the practice is closed with a finishing sequence, or the so-called back bending, such as the lotus, shoulderstand, and headstand.

For a beginner of Ashtanga yoga, it would take a number of weeks for the person to master the postures included in each series. The movements are initiated in a sequential manner, starting with those that belong to the Primary Series, which yogis refer to as the Yoga Chikitsa. These postures, if done properly, are said to help develop a calmer mind and a healthier body. It is composed of mostly hip openers and forward bends that are pretty simple for a starter to try out.

The Intermediate Series of Ashtanga yoga then involves a lot of back bends, and arm inversions and balances, as well. These poses are referred to as the Nadi Shodhana, which means “cleansing of the Nadies”. The Nadies are an energy channel that is generally subtle, but also the one from which the physical form is based The Intermediate posture series is considered as highly important in Ashtanga yoga as they are the main postures that purify and energize the body and the mind.

The Primary and Intermediate Series of Ashtanga should be performed for a number of months. Once they are mastered, they will be integrated into the body, allowing you to feel stronger than before. They also work to tone your muscles, and strengthen the various bodily organs. The Advanced Series comes in just right after the first two series are mastered. This last posture set is what yogis call as Sthira Bhaga, the ones responsible for promoting radiance.

Ashtanga yoga is valued today by many people for its athletic movements and style. Because of that, people who love order and an independent life are considered the perfect candidate for this practice.

By: Lucile Taylor

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Yoga and Yoga Meditation - Benefits For the Mind and Body

Yaga is a practice of synchronizing the body and the mind through movement, breathing, and meditation that has been around for over 5,000 years. There are many different types of yoga, including Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga, and prenatal yoga. Although the practices started in the Far East, people in the United States have seen countless benefits, both physical and mental, from practicing all these different types of yoga.

Yoga's movements promote flexibility and lubrication in the joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Yoga's movements also massage internal organs and glands and tone muscles. That is, yoga is a total body workout that sends new blood and oxygen to all parts of your body- an essential part to detoxification. Yoga also benefits your endurance, energy and balance, circulatory and respiratory systems, pain tolerance, and core strength. Yoga also has the potential to positively influence your weight, posture and quality of sleep!

Mental benefits of yoga come from the harmonization of the body and the mind through meditation. Many people use yoga to decrease stress, increase relaxation, gain emotional balance, and improve concentration. Yoga also reduces anxiety attacks, blood pressure, and muscle tension while increasing self-confidence, serotonin levels, and strengthening your immune system.

So, go grab your yoga mat and start on the road to a healthier you! Although there are yoga studios, instructors and classes all over the United States, you can also practice yoga right in your living room. Yoga DVDs, books, and home programs are readily available for those who do not have enough time or flexibility to make it across town for regular classes.

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Yoga Benefits For the Mind, Body and Spirit

One of the most popular forms of exercise and fitness, yoga benefits almost everybody cutting across age groups due to its unique philosophy. The word 'yoga' comes from the word 'yug' that means to 'unite' and yoga serves to do just that. It serves to unite the body; mind and spirit into a single powerful consciousness that helps you achieve an active lifestyle among many other benefits.

Yoga Benefits

There are six different kinds of Yoga each with its unique set of benefits:

Hatha Yoga: Ideal for beginners, Hatha Yoga is also called the Yoga of postures. It includes pranayam or breathing techniques, meditation as well as different levels of Asanas as they are referred to. It includes various sub styles which include Iyengar, Ashtanga, Jiva Mukti and Kripalu, each being the same with different interpretations. This is also the best yoga for health.

Bhakti Yoga: This form of yoga is meant for people who are looking for a path to god. Also called the Yoga of devotion, it is commonly practiced amongst 'yogis' in India and its goals are spiritual and not fitness.

Raja Yoga: Also called the yoga of self control, Raja Yoga is the yoga that is based on the teachings of the Eight Limbs of Yoga and is ideal for building discipline of the mind.

Jnana Yoga: This form of yoga is centered on a man's intelligence and is also called yoga of the mind. It gives utmost importance to learning and wisdom and not so much to physical aspects.

Karma Yoga: Karma means service and Karma Yogis work towards a better tomorrow by doing good actions. This form of yoga teaches you to perform selfless service during your lifetime.

Tantra Yoga: This form of yoga is often misinterpreted as a form of sex and is much in demand. Unfortunately sex is only a small part of this yoga of rituals which is really about sacred experiences.

Each form of yoga's benefits depends on what you are looking to achieve. It is important to find a guru well versed in the kind of yoga that you want to learn. There are many commercial courses available for Hatha Yoga but for the rest, yogis are more difficult to find. Yoga has become a lifestyle statement amongst celebrities who swear by its benefits. The truth is that yoga has a very special place in today's stressful existence. In the modern day pressures, it is easy to lose oneself and succumb to depression. Yoga is a form of holistic healing that helps you become stronger in mind and body from within. Yoga benefits also include a fitter and more flexible body which helps you lead a more active and enriched life.

It is important to read up on the kind of yoga that you want to learn before embarking on this journey. For many, yoga is about weight loss while for many others, it's just the latest trend. Unless your reasons for learning or following the path of yoga are honest, it will be difficult to reap the complete yoga benefits.

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Choosing the Best Yoga DVD

When it comes to selecting the best Yoga DVD, there's no such thing as trial and error. Why not? Simply put, because they cost money and there's no point to you buying a bunch of them only to realize that you've just coughed up a couple hundred dollars and still not found something that you're happy with. And you will have to spend a bundle if you want to test drive all the yoga DVDs that are on the market today. Before investing in any yoga DVD, you need to ask yourself these questions:

What Are the Instructor's Credentials?

It is a sad fact that there will always be those who are looking for any opportunity to make a quick buck. Have you ever looked for real information regarding a so-called fitness guru and found only random sales pitches? These shysters exist in the world of yoga as well and, while they may not be able to fool a seasoned yoga practitioner, novices are often easy prey. The best yoga DVD will feature a tutor who has no problems with letting people know what their credentials actually are, and who can back up their claims. Ideally they should be certified by an accredited institution and have some prior experience teaching yoga. Given the advances in the internet, this information should not be difficult to find for a reputable individual.

What Am I Looking For?

Many people, especially novices, are under the misconception that yoga simply consists of a series of positions. While such poses, or asanas, are an integral part of yoga, there is so much more involved and the best yoga DVDs are reflective of this. Yoga is not just a physical science which targets the joints and muscles. True yoga practitioners know the value of the other aspects such as meditations and relaxation techniques. If you're going to spend your hard-earned money on a yoga DVD, you'll want the best, so look for one which covers the spiritual as well as the physical aspects. Strengthening your mind is often the key to having a having a healthy body.

What Level Am I Currently At?

The best yoga DVD will serve to teach you a lesson and, like all lessons, there are different levels. Specific DVDs are usually designed for beginner, intermediate or advanced students, and the poses being shown will have an appropriate level of difficulty. If you are new to yoga, you may be tempted to buy a DVD which caters for advanced students because that's the one which has the best reviews. Stick to your level of competency or you run the risk of damaging yourself or quickly losing interest because you won't be able to what the instructor is doing because you are too new.

How Much Am I Willing To Spend?

That depends on what you are buying, but you should always ensure that you get value for your money. The best yoga DVD for complete beginners are those which focus on light exercises as well meditation, so you can prepare yourself to eventually tackle the more strenuous poses. Advanced practitioners may be more comfortable with a complete system which involves easy preparatory exercises as well as more complex poses. Either way, an exorbitant price is not something that you should be willing to pay. Shop around so you get an idea of average prices. Get reviews and recommendations from trusted sources. Sometimes there may be older DVD which is just as good as, or even better than, the latest thing and you get a copy for a fraction of the cost.

The simple fact is that yoga has become increasingly popular over the years and there are always those who are ready and willing to take advantage of any trend. That's not to say that there aren't legitimate yoga practitioners out there who have developed excellent learning systems for the yoga student. Read the reviews, talk to other yoga enthusiasts, and you'll be in a better position to make a good decision.

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Yoga As An Unusual Healing Mechanism

Yoga has been recognized as an awfully effective type of alternative therapy. Today , many folk are taking help of this therapy to treat physical and psychological illnesses. Even in cases of serious physical disorders, yoga can be very helpful. It can be used to treat many diseases and physical malfunctions. Because of its utility to treat various sorts of physical complications, several bodies have come up in America. These bodies educate people about yoga as a valuable form of alternative therapy to the typical medicines and treatment alternatives. Yoga has changed into a rage in America due to its holistic technique. It is not the same as other treatment strategies that make use of oppressive drugs, that may later have significant complications.

This ancient practice of yoga has its roots in India. Yoga therapy makes use of various yogic mudras, asana and pranayama to restore inner balance and promote overall health. Whether you are dealing with a minor problem such as a digestive disorder or you are battled with a major problem like cancer, yoga is sure to provide you an appropriate solution.

They are various yoga postures that help in maintain ideal blood circulation levels. To add on, they even help in promoting optimal functioning of the endocrine glands. Regular yoga practice also helps in muscle training. It helps in strengthening the muscles. There are different yoga postures that work on specific muscles.

Yoga might be called as an alternative to anti-depression drugs utilized by stress stricken people. Yoga with it's relaxation asanas and pranyama actually is a great stress buster. It brings peace and tranquility to mind. As an instance relaxation posture or corpse pose of shavasna helps rejuvenate your mind. Yogic meditation offers an everlasting solution to depression and other sort of psychotic disorders.

Many folk baffled by stress use anti-depression treatments. Yoga can function as a great alternative option to these anti-depression treatments and tranquilizers. Several relaxation asana accompanied with pranayama help in relieving stress and stress. These yoga postures also help in restoring psychological peace. Take for instance the relaxation posture, a. K. A corpse pose of shavasana assists in rejuvenation of the mind. You could seek help of yogic mediation if you are depressed or dealing with other mad defects.

Other than many physical defects, yoga also helps deal with life threatening diseases, such as lethal cancer. Many folk diagnosed as having cancer have gained seriously from yoga and have managed to extend their lifespan. Though cancer can be cured in few cases only by drugs and surgeries, yoga is awfully useful to plug the overall well-being of the patient.

Yoga can also alleviate many other sicknesses, for example back trouble, headache, arthritis and high cholesterol. Furthermore, yoga is being used today as a complementary therapy along with the conventional approaches to treat diabetes and many cardio disorders.

So, all your concerns related to your health can be easily taken care of by yoga. It is a complete health care solution by all means.

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Is It Necessary To Wear Proper Yoga Clothes?

It is imperative to wear proper yoga clothes before doing yoga. Comfort is the keyword and whatever you wear should be such that it does not interfere with doing the poses or make you feel uncomfortable. Free-flowing robes are out and leotards are in. The material of the yoga clothes should also be such that it soaks up the perspiration and does not make you feel sore. Although there are no particular clothes which are a necessity to be worn while doing yoga, looking after the comfort aspect will make you do yoga with full concentration and ease of mind.

Which Fabric Should You Choose?

The range of fabrics used in the manufacture of yoga clothes is simply enormous. Starting with cotton, the material can also be as different as synthetics. You will be surprised to know that even hemp and bamboo are used to make the clothes. Depending on the environment in which you do yoga, the clothes will vary. However, in all cases, cotton is the popular choice because not only does it keep you cool but it also absorbs perspiration. You will feel happy to be in cotton shorts and a tank top as you can do the yoga poses easily.

Does Yoga Have A Particular Uniform?

Whatever clothes you use for sports activities can be used for yoga. Any store which sells sports apparel will give you the needed yoga clothes. You can wear the apparel according to the latest trends in the market. It is always the safer thing to do. But if you want to freak out, you can try something “different”. The colorful, glossy shirt you use for camping can be used as the yoga shirt and your warm-up pants as your yoga pants. In this way, you can experiment with other things as well.

What Does Tradition Say?

If you want to know about the traditional yoga clothes, then you have to understand that yoga was done by the yogis of yesteryear who wore free-flowing robes with a turban. These robes were loose-fitting and shapeless. But such types of clothes act as an impediment for doing yoga. They will tie you down and you might also unknowingly tear your outfit. With the advent of trendier clothes, you don’t have to worry about the traditional ones. The perfectly fitting clothes will help you to do yoga with peace of mind.

Overview

Yoga requires you to do a number of twists and turns. You have to also stretch your body in all directions. Unless you wear yoga clothes which are flexible, you will not be able to do the poses effectively. Therefore, perfectly fitting pants, tops or leotards are best for doing yoga. Ill-fitting or baggy clothes will only interfere with your doing yoga. You can make your clothes colorful to suit your mood. Simple clothes are better but you might try several designs if you want to. There are clothes for a person of any disposition. Even pregnant women can buy suitable yoga clothes. All you have to worry about is comfort. Whatever makes you feel content and happy is the perfect clothing for you.

By: MarkSmith01

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For Yoga Teachers - Can Your Yoga Students Find You?

This seems such an easy and obvious question, but you'd be surprised at the number of yoga teachers, and even studios, that don't provide some basic contact information for their students.

Maybe you're an independent yoga teacher, teaching at several different studios or out of your own basement. Wherever you're teaching, your yoga students must be able to find you. It's not enough to rely on the studios you teach through to find students for you. Hopefully, you'll build up a following of students who may want to come to your classes wherever you teach.

Or maybe you own a yoga studio and your students already know where you are. That's still not enough. Just because they know your address, they still need a reason to come to your class. You need to let people know what you offer for them. And what about soon-to-be students - they need to find you too.

In both cases, you must keep in touch with students to build long-term relationships, and you must make it easy for current and potential students to find you.

At the very least, the information that you need to make generally available is:

• Your studio name (if applicable)
• Your name
• Professional title; 'yoga teacher' is enough here or perhaps 'owner' or 'director' if you have a studio
• Phone number for business hours or your home phone number with the hours that you can reached
• Business e-mail address
• Web site address if you have one
• Include one line about what you do; what makes you different to other yoga teachers?; what you have to offer that other yoga teachers or studios do not?

There are various ways of getting this information to people, including:

• Business cards - these are essential; they have all the basic information there
• Phone book listing
• Website - more and more people are using the web to find yoga classes and teachers and schedules and so on
• Have flyers or large size postcards made with this information and distribute them locally
• Promotional materials such as fridge magnets or key chains

It's vital that this information gets to those who need it, or may need in the future, or who can give it to friends and family who are considering doing yoga. Getting this information out into the world is just the first step in establishing successful long-term relationships with your students, current and future.

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Advantages of Yoga For Sportsmen

More sportsmen are turning to yoga as an extra exercise routine to mend the variation in their body and to boost their performance in their chosen field of sport. Whether you are a baseball, basketball, tennis, or football player, the mind body connection in yoga is a vital component in producing peak performance.

Although correct respiring technique is the bedrock of many sports, it is usually ignored by many sportsmen. Yoga will help fix this shortage of respiring talent and develop the proper respiring method that is very much required in any game of sport. Many sportsmen are already using yoga movements as a warm up and warm down routines in their sport. Athletes in sports field like tennis and golf will notice enhancements in their swing as a result of this pliability of the muscles and joints. In any given sport, the addition of yoga as an extra routine training has been known to boost the performance of the athletes.

Most sportsmen are involved in some type of weight coaching and other training and other weight lifting that only develop certain muscle groups, while ignoring others. Yoga is ready to fix this imbalance and help to develop the muscles that have been ignored through the contraction of these muscles in the assorted poses.

Yoga is also a good workout to alleviate boredom in sportsmen who perform the same sorts of exercises year in year out by adding variety. It's also a vital component in recovering the body from hard aerobic and strength workouts. The many poses in yoga can be done in a low or high power workout according to the sportsman's desires. Overall, yoga is not just significant critical in bringing in more strength, balance and flexibleness to a sportsman, but also brings more alertness, attention and focus that is so much-needed by sportsmen in their very competitive world.

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