Yoga and meditation go hand in hand, but what are the different types of yoga meditation?
One of the most popular is hatha yoga. It is a form of meditation which you will perform with the help of breathing. It will help you not only in relaxing the body but also your mind and breathe. If you will perform hatha yoga regularly once in a day then you feel yourself more relaxed for more than four or five hours because it also give you peace of mind and soul.
If we compare asanas (yoga positions) with other forms of meditation then it seems completely different. Yoga is a type of exercise which is performs with fast movement under a certain amount of strain. It helps you in speeding up your breath which increases the blood circulation in your body and throws away your energies because of body exertion. After accelerating your breath it will build up your muscular parts which shows that energy movies from your muscles after the activation of your nerves of body and glands.
If you body cleansing with the help of yoga then you should do neti. It is type of yoga known as neti nasal cleansing. Neti nasal cleansing is a very simple technique which is a remedy for many diseases. It is a very powerful procedure through which you can get rid of asthma and chronic sinusitis. You can also avoid different types of allergies with the help of neti. If you have fever and have problem in your respiratory system then Neti nasal cleansing is the best solution of your disease.
If you don't like smoking and wants to get rid of this habit and do neti. It is excellent solution for quitting smoking. In this process your tendency of breathing through mouth reduces and your nose is re-sensitized. Neti helps you in teaching you mind and you can quit your old and worst habit. Yoga meditation is very good way of achieving good physical and mental health.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, November 08, 2010
12 Step Sun Salutation
One of the all-around yoga exercises is the 12-step Sun Salutation. Do it a few times when you get up in the morning to help relieve stiffness and invigorate the body. Multiple repetitions at night will help you to relax; insomniacs often find that six to 12 rounds help them fall asleep.
1. Stand with your feet slightly apart, palms together, thumbs against your chest.
2. Inhale deeply while slowly raising your hands over your head, and bend back as far as possible, while tightening your buttocks. Hold for three seconds.
3. Slowly exhale and bend forward, keeping your knees straight, until your fingers touch the floor outside your feet. (If you can't touch the floor, go as close as you can.) Bring your head in toward your knees.
4. Slowly inhale, bend your knees, and if your fingertips aren't outside your feet on the floor, place them there. Slide your right foot back as far as you can go, with the right knee an inch or so off the floor, (a lunge position). Now look up as high as possible, arching your back.
5. Before exhaling again, slide your left foot back until it is beside the right one, and with your weight supported on your palms and toes, straighten both legs so that your body forms a flat plane. Make sure your stomach is pulled in.
6. Slowly exhale, bend both knees to the floor, bend with your hips in the air, lower your chest and forehead to the floor.
7. Now inhale slowly and look up, bending your head back, then raising it, followed by your upper chest, then lower chest. Your lower body - from the navel down - should be on the floor, and your elbows should be slightly bent. Hold for three to five seconds.
8. Exhale slowly and raise your hips until your feet and palms are flat on the floor and your arms and legs are straight in an inverted V position.
9. Inhale slowly and bring your right foot forward as in position 4. The foot should be flat on the floor between your fingertips. The left leg should be almost straight behind you, with its knee slightly off the floor. Raise your head, look up, and arch your back.
10. Slowly exhale and bring your left foot forward next to your right one. Straighten your legs and stand, trying to keep your fingertips on the floor, and try to touch your head to your knees as in position 3.
11. Slowly inhale, raise your arms up and stretch back as in position 2. Don't forget to tighten your buttocks. Hold for three seconds.
12. Slowly exhale, lowering your arms to your sides. Relax. Repeat the series.
Practise this 12 step sun salutation as often as possible and you will reap the benefits.
1. Stand with your feet slightly apart, palms together, thumbs against your chest.
2. Inhale deeply while slowly raising your hands over your head, and bend back as far as possible, while tightening your buttocks. Hold for three seconds.
3. Slowly exhale and bend forward, keeping your knees straight, until your fingers touch the floor outside your feet. (If you can't touch the floor, go as close as you can.) Bring your head in toward your knees.
4. Slowly inhale, bend your knees, and if your fingertips aren't outside your feet on the floor, place them there. Slide your right foot back as far as you can go, with the right knee an inch or so off the floor, (a lunge position). Now look up as high as possible, arching your back.
5. Before exhaling again, slide your left foot back until it is beside the right one, and with your weight supported on your palms and toes, straighten both legs so that your body forms a flat plane. Make sure your stomach is pulled in.
6. Slowly exhale, bend both knees to the floor, bend with your hips in the air, lower your chest and forehead to the floor.
7. Now inhale slowly and look up, bending your head back, then raising it, followed by your upper chest, then lower chest. Your lower body - from the navel down - should be on the floor, and your elbows should be slightly bent. Hold for three to five seconds.
8. Exhale slowly and raise your hips until your feet and palms are flat on the floor and your arms and legs are straight in an inverted V position.
9. Inhale slowly and bring your right foot forward as in position 4. The foot should be flat on the floor between your fingertips. The left leg should be almost straight behind you, with its knee slightly off the floor. Raise your head, look up, and arch your back.
10. Slowly exhale and bring your left foot forward next to your right one. Straighten your legs and stand, trying to keep your fingertips on the floor, and try to touch your head to your knees as in position 3.
11. Slowly inhale, raise your arms up and stretch back as in position 2. Don't forget to tighten your buttocks. Hold for three seconds.
12. Slowly exhale, lowering your arms to your sides. Relax. Repeat the series.
Practise this 12 step sun salutation as often as possible and you will reap the benefits.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Yoga for Insomnia
Do you have insomnia? Read on to find out more about Yoga for Insomnia.
Sleep is essential and a good night's sleep can help you feel good, look good and think clearly.
But sleep does not always come easily. If you sometimes have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you are not the only one. A 1991 Gallup study found that more than a third of all Americans suffer from either occasional or chronic insomnia.
More recent studies have shown that nearly a quarter of the population regularly cannot go to, or stay asleep at night, and every year doctors write out more than 14 million prescriptions for sleeping tablets.
The causes of sleeplessness are many and varied. 'It can be due to a medical condition, such as chronic pain from rheumatism or arthritis,' says Professor Jim Horne, who runs the Sleep
Research Laboratory at Loughborough University. 'Or it can be chemical, as a result of drinking tea, coffee or alcohol. Chronic or long-term insomnia is often associated with depression or anxiety, and environmental factors certainly contribute.'
Immediate relief is available, in the form of hypnotic agents, for persons who have difficulty in falling or remaining asleep or who cannot obtain restful, restorative slumber. However, long-term improvement usually involves behavioral therapy. These therapeutic approaches must be integrated if the patient's short- and long-term needs are to be addressed.
Yoga can help you if you are an insomniac. The benefits of yoga include less stress, a greater sense of well being, more oxygen in the blood stream and so the list goes on. The breathing techniques and relaxation techniques that you use in yoga can help you to fall asleep more quickly and certain yoga poses also help insomnia as they increase the blood circulation to the sleep center in the brain.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
My Experience with Bikram Yoga
Everyone has heard of yoga and knows of it as a series of postures to stretch and rejuvenate your body. What is Bikram yoga and what differentiates it from other forms of yoga?
Bikram yoga is a specific style of yoga founded by Bikram Choudhury. Bikram yoga is often referred to as hot yoga as it is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees with a humidity of 50%.
The origin of this type of yoga is spiritually derived from Hinduism and regionally from Yoga College of India. Bikram yoga consists of 26 asanas or postures and two breathing exercises.
The word asana translates to the word "seat" which refers to the spirit in relation to the divine. Asanas are intended to lead back to sitting in meditation. The practice of asanas improve flexibility and tendon strength.
Asanas are meant to be done in conjunction with pranayama or breathing work. Breathing should be through the nose and natural. To receive maximum benefit from practicing asanas, all tension and tightness in the body should consciously be let go.
A glass of water before practicing asanas enhances the experience and asanas should not be done on a full stomach. The practice of Bikram yoga is meant not only to improve muscle strength and flexibility, but also to establish a balance of our physical beings in relation to the divine.
Yoga is a path to attain a balance of the body, mind and spirit. Yoga can, if done correctly, be a means to control the ongoing complaint in all of our lives, stress. Optimum health is the ultimate goal for everyone of us. Health does not just refer to our physical beings but also to our mental attitudes and spiritual growth.
Bikram yoga addresses all of these factors of our well being. When I visited my daughter in California, she signed me up for my first experience with hot yoga. Being in my fifties, I was a little concerned about the prospect of being a complete amateur at any kind of yoga and the possibility of being the oldest participant in the class.
Well, I wasn't the oldest in the class and the instructor was patient with his teaching. I was happily surprised at my ability to do so many of the postures. My self realization during the hot yoga class was my need to "stress" or hurry up at all times.
I needed to remind myself to relax, breathe slowly and through my nose. The heated room was something I thought I would not be able to tolerate. It did add to the yoga session and is probably one of the reasons I did not have aching muscles or pulled tendons the next day.
During some of the postures, I was keenly aware of my need to improve my balance and my sense of my physical position in space. For ongoing achievement of balance, I have been practicing the art of yoga via an instructional DVD in my home.
Particularly useful to me, in addition to the improvement of balance is the yoga reminds me to slow down and relax the tension in my body. The concept of the heated room in Bikram yoga is to diminish the risk of injuries and to allow you to go deeper into each posture.
The perspiration experienced during hot yoga enhances the release of toxins. The postures consist of warm up poses that can be done prior to a yoga class. There are standing poses and seated poses. The twist yoga poses have the purpose of strengthening your back, toning the abdomen and helping with digestion.
Inverted poses help you with your circulation. There's supine and backbend poses and finally the finishing poses to end your yoga session with relaxation.
Bikram yoga is designed to assist you to lose weight, tone muscles and increase blood circulation. Since this form of yoga helps lower stress levels, it can improve mental clarity and focus. This, in turn, enhances our overall levels of performance both on the job and in our personal life pursuits.
------------------------
Danna Schneider is the cofounder of http://www.dietingmagazine.com , where you can find information on weightloss products, fitness equipment and diet reviews, and dieting tips for losing weight. She also founded http://www.fitnessnewsmagazine.com , a site dedicated to the latest offerings and breakthroughs in weight loss and fitness, updated constantly with news and tips on fitness equipment, accessories, and the hottes fitness trends.
Bikram yoga is a specific style of yoga founded by Bikram Choudhury. Bikram yoga is often referred to as hot yoga as it is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees with a humidity of 50%.
The origin of this type of yoga is spiritually derived from Hinduism and regionally from Yoga College of India. Bikram yoga consists of 26 asanas or postures and two breathing exercises.
The word asana translates to the word "seat" which refers to the spirit in relation to the divine. Asanas are intended to lead back to sitting in meditation. The practice of asanas improve flexibility and tendon strength.
Asanas are meant to be done in conjunction with pranayama or breathing work. Breathing should be through the nose and natural. To receive maximum benefit from practicing asanas, all tension and tightness in the body should consciously be let go.
A glass of water before practicing asanas enhances the experience and asanas should not be done on a full stomach. The practice of Bikram yoga is meant not only to improve muscle strength and flexibility, but also to establish a balance of our physical beings in relation to the divine.
Yoga is a path to attain a balance of the body, mind and spirit. Yoga can, if done correctly, be a means to control the ongoing complaint in all of our lives, stress. Optimum health is the ultimate goal for everyone of us. Health does not just refer to our physical beings but also to our mental attitudes and spiritual growth.
Bikram yoga addresses all of these factors of our well being. When I visited my daughter in California, she signed me up for my first experience with hot yoga. Being in my fifties, I was a little concerned about the prospect of being a complete amateur at any kind of yoga and the possibility of being the oldest participant in the class.
Well, I wasn't the oldest in the class and the instructor was patient with his teaching. I was happily surprised at my ability to do so many of the postures. My self realization during the hot yoga class was my need to "stress" or hurry up at all times.
I needed to remind myself to relax, breathe slowly and through my nose. The heated room was something I thought I would not be able to tolerate. It did add to the yoga session and is probably one of the reasons I did not have aching muscles or pulled tendons the next day.
During some of the postures, I was keenly aware of my need to improve my balance and my sense of my physical position in space. For ongoing achievement of balance, I have been practicing the art of yoga via an instructional DVD in my home.
Particularly useful to me, in addition to the improvement of balance is the yoga reminds me to slow down and relax the tension in my body. The concept of the heated room in Bikram yoga is to diminish the risk of injuries and to allow you to go deeper into each posture.
The perspiration experienced during hot yoga enhances the release of toxins. The postures consist of warm up poses that can be done prior to a yoga class. There are standing poses and seated poses. The twist yoga poses have the purpose of strengthening your back, toning the abdomen and helping with digestion.
Inverted poses help you with your circulation. There's supine and backbend poses and finally the finishing poses to end your yoga session with relaxation.
Bikram yoga is designed to assist you to lose weight, tone muscles and increase blood circulation. Since this form of yoga helps lower stress levels, it can improve mental clarity and focus. This, in turn, enhances our overall levels of performance both on the job and in our personal life pursuits.
------------------------
Danna Schneider is the cofounder of http://www.dietingmagazine.com , where you can find information on weightloss products, fitness equipment and diet reviews, and dieting tips for losing weight. She also founded http://www.fitnessnewsmagazine.com , a site dedicated to the latest offerings and breakthroughs in weight loss and fitness, updated constantly with news and tips on fitness equipment, accessories, and the hottes fitness trends.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Bikram Yoga (aka Hot Yoga)
My Experience with Bikram Yoga
Everyone has heard of yoga and knows of it as a series of postures to stretch and rejuvenate your body. What is Bikram yoga and what differentiates it from other forms of yoga?
Bikram yoga is a specific style of yoga founded by Bikram Choudhury. Bikram yoga is often referred to as hot yoga as it is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees with a humidity of 50%.
The origin of this type of yoga is spiritually derived from Hinduism and regionally from Yoga College of India. Bikram yoga consists of 26 asanas or postures and two breathing exercises.
The word asana translates to the word "seat" which refers to the spirit in relation to the divine. Asanas are intended to lead back to sitting in meditation. The practice of asanas improve flexibility and tendon strength.
Asanas are meant to be done in conjunction with pranayama or breathing work. Breathing should be through the nose and natural. To receive maximum benefit from practicing asanas, all tension and tightness in the body should consciously be let go.
A glass of water before practicing asanas enhances the experience and asanas should not be done on a full stomach. The practice of Bikram yoga is meant not only to improve muscle strength and flexibility, but also to establish a balance of our physical beings in relation to the divine.
Yoga is a path to attain a balance of the body, mind and spirit. Yoga can, if done correctly, be a means to control the ongoing complaint in all of our lives, stress. Optimum health is the ultimate goal for everyone of us. Health does not just refer to our physical beings but also to our mental attitudes and spiritual growth.
Bikram yoga addresses all of these factors of our well being. When I visited my daughter in California, she signed me up for my first experience with hot yoga. Being in my fifties, I was a little concerned about the prospect of being a complete amateur at any kind of yoga and the possibility of being the oldest participant in the class.
Well, I wasn't the oldest in the class and the instructor was patient with his teaching. I was happily surprised at my ability to do so many of the postures. My self realization during the hot yoga class was my need to "stress" or hurry up at all times.
I needed to remind myself to relax, breathe slowly and through my nose. The heated room was something I thought I would not be able to tolerate. It did add to the yoga session and is probably one of the reasons I did not have aching muscles or pulled tendons the next day.
During some of the postures, I was keenly aware of my need to improve my balance and my sense of my physical position in space. For ongoing achievement of balance, I have been practicing the art of yoga via an instructional DVD in my home.
Particularly useful to me, in addition to the improvement of balance is the yoga reminds me to slow down and relax the tension in my body. The concept of the heated room in Bikram yoga is to diminish the risk of injuries and to allow you to go deeper into each posture.
The perspiration experienced during hot yoga enhances the release of toxins. The postures consist of warm up poses that can be done prior to a yoga class. There are standing poses and seated poses. The twist yoga poses have the purpose of strengthening your back, toning the abdomen and helping with digestion.
Inverted poses help you with your circulation. There's supine and backbend poses and finally the finishing poses to end your yoga session with relaxation.
Bikram yoga is designed to assist you to lose weight, tone muscles and increase blood circulation. Since this form of yoga helps lower stress levels, it can improve mental clarity and focus. This, in turn, enhances our overall levels of performance both on the job and in our personal life pursuits.
------------------------
Danna Schneider is the cofounder of http://www.dietingmagazine.com/ , where you can find information on weightloss products, fitness equipment and diet reviews, and dieting tips for losing weight. She also founded http://www.fitnessnewsmagazine.com/ , a site dedicated to the latest offerings and breakthroughs in weight loss and fitness, updated constantly with news and tips on fitness equipment, accessories, and the hottes fitness trends.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
What is Christian Yoga?
What is Christian Yoga? Here is a great article by Tracy Renning that explains exactly what Christian Yoga is.
Christian Yoga
Although developed entirely in the ancient Hindu tradition, Yoga has become universally accepted and adopted by many different spiritual paths and cultures. One of these is western Christianity.
For many Christians, however, Yoga is viewed as a spiritual practice quite difficult to accept within the Christian belief system. They are concerned that since Yoga comes from the Hindu religion, its purpose is for the practitioner to become nearer to God. The question for those who have doubts about accepting it; is whether or not the practitioner may be led to a different God. Because of that concern, many Christians miss out on the wonderful benefits available to them through Yoga.
Though some practitioners of Yoga feel it has no place in Christianity; there are a number of Yoga instructors who practice and teach the art. Usually, they are women and they actually using the church building as a classroom. Several well known Christian denominations embrace the practice.
They view the study of yoga as a healthy way to attain peace of mind, and therefore, a way of opening the path between the church member and God. For these Christians, there seems to be no contradiction stopping them from enjoying the benefits of Yoga. In addition, they want to enjoy all the physical pluses that come with practicing Yoga.
It should also be noted that not all people practice Yoga as a means of spiritual enlightenment; just doing the stretches and positions that make up Yoga can benefit the body without necessarily embracing the practice as a means to religious growth. There are many classes held all over the world that, in fact, focus on the physical aspects of Yoga without attention to the spiritual concerns.
Several forms of Christian Yoga are taught in a variety of classes in the United States. Many are taught by formal Yoga instructors, others are led by students themselves; and when held inside a church, whether intentional or not, the class encompasses the broader spectrum of spirituality.
Yoga dates back to Upanishad's period, and the word Yoga, itself is originated from Hindu culture. According to the religious practice of Hinduism, one can achieve freedom from limiting constraints of the flesh and the pitfalls of thought, as well as the delusions of the senses by going through the various levels of discipline available in Yoga. Based on this thinking, the art has been practiced by people throughout the ages.
In fact, some of the early Christians themselves practiced Yoga in spite of, or at the expense of considerable harassment. Even in today's society, some Christians are told by their religious leaders that they must not embrace Yoga because it would lead them away from their own religion and to the belief of another god.
Other Christians are certain that the actual description of Yoga can actually be found in the New Testament account of the life of Jesus Christ. They maintain that just as He led people on a simple path that brings ultimate transformation to one's life; Yoga is a step by step process of that same path which leads to a new life within.
Fortunately, for today's generation of Christians, the love and spirit that touched the early Christian Yoga practitioners is becoming an inherent part of the Yoga practiced now. For those people, this is an exciting time because the wonderful possibilities of Yoga, which have been hidden for all these centuries, are about to unfold.
That thought goes hand in hand with the promise left by Jesus when He said that "this heaven that is new awareness of your life is not far away; if you know the way to find it, then it is already yours."
What an incredible concept!
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Yoga for Tennis Players
Tennis players need to have fast reflexes and short bursts of strength. These short movements do not allow the muscles to extend their full length and when muscles are worked in such as strenuous manner they can become very tight and can lose their elasticity unless properly stretched.
Yoga can increase the body's range of motion so it is an ideal complementary exercise for Tennis Players.
Using yoga techniques makes it possible to retrain the muscles. Most tennis athletes play in a constant state of muscle tension. Yoga trains the body to relax muscle tension. Learning to begin your game in a relaxed state could mean gaining an extra step on the ball.
When in a ready position muscles are contracted and ready for action. To move, muscles must be relaxed and then contracted again to spring in any direction. By retraining the muscles you begin from a relaxed position, giving a quickened reaction time.
Yoga breathing exercises can help improve endurance and stamina. When exerting in sports or exercise we often hold the breath as a way to create strength. Yoga trains the body to create strength through breathing control. Holding the breath at points of exertion takes a great deal of energy that could be used during long sets or matches.
Learning the correct way while doing a yoga pose is simple. Exhale during the execution of a pose until you feel the muscles' full length of stretch (maximum resistance). Never hold your breath. Breathe normally and listen to the body. Hold for 30 seconds, then release the pose slowly. By constant practice of yoga poses you'll soon apply breathing techniques in everyday routines.
Spinal twists can be excellent for rotational sports such as tennis. They can help increase needed flexibility of the shoulders and back and hips. Remember to apply the breathing technique when using these poses.
Begin a spine twist by sitting on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you. Keeping the spine straight, bend the left leg placing the left foot on the outside of the right knee. Now, place the left hand on the floor behind you with your arm straight and the right elbow bent. Positioned on the outside of the left thigh place the right hand on the left hip.
Slowly exhale while turning the head and upper body to the left, looking over the left shoulder. Pressure from the right arm should keep the left leg stationary while pressure from the left arm and torso gives you the twist. Stronger use of both arms increases the twist. Hold this pose for 30 seconds and repeat twist on the opposite side.
A total body conditioning and flexibility routine is essential for the avid tennis player. Yoga is ideal for this and it could be the edge you need in developing your tennis game.
Yoga can increase the body's range of motion so it is an ideal complementary exercise for Tennis Players.
Using yoga techniques makes it possible to retrain the muscles. Most tennis athletes play in a constant state of muscle tension. Yoga trains the body to relax muscle tension. Learning to begin your game in a relaxed state could mean gaining an extra step on the ball.
When in a ready position muscles are contracted and ready for action. To move, muscles must be relaxed and then contracted again to spring in any direction. By retraining the muscles you begin from a relaxed position, giving a quickened reaction time.
Yoga breathing exercises can help improve endurance and stamina. When exerting in sports or exercise we often hold the breath as a way to create strength. Yoga trains the body to create strength through breathing control. Holding the breath at points of exertion takes a great deal of energy that could be used during long sets or matches.
Learning the correct way while doing a yoga pose is simple. Exhale during the execution of a pose until you feel the muscles' full length of stretch (maximum resistance). Never hold your breath. Breathe normally and listen to the body. Hold for 30 seconds, then release the pose slowly. By constant practice of yoga poses you'll soon apply breathing techniques in everyday routines.
Spinal twists can be excellent for rotational sports such as tennis. They can help increase needed flexibility of the shoulders and back and hips. Remember to apply the breathing technique when using these poses.
Begin a spine twist by sitting on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you. Keeping the spine straight, bend the left leg placing the left foot on the outside of the right knee. Now, place the left hand on the floor behind you with your arm straight and the right elbow bent. Positioned on the outside of the left thigh place the right hand on the left hip.
Slowly exhale while turning the head and upper body to the left, looking over the left shoulder. Pressure from the right arm should keep the left leg stationary while pressure from the left arm and torso gives you the twist. Stronger use of both arms increases the twist. Hold this pose for 30 seconds and repeat twist on the opposite side.
A total body conditioning and flexibility routine is essential for the avid tennis player. Yoga is ideal for this and it could be the edge you need in developing your tennis game.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
The Healing Power of Yoga
Yoga, one of the world's oldest forms of exercise, is experiencing a rebirth in our stressful modern world. You wouldn't think that a 3000-year-old exercise could increase its popularity. But yoga is now being prescribed even by some medical practitioners for a range of health ailments and illnesses, as a stress reliever and to complement other fitness programs. It is renound for having healing powers.
Talk to anyone who practises yoga and they will quickly tell you the endless list of benefits. It seems beginners quickly become converts. They believe it is the key to good health and happiness in today's world _ a common goal for most people. But probably the greatest advertisement for yoga is the fact that it seems to have graduated from the weird and alternative ranks into a position of fairly wide community acceptance.
Housewives, businessmen, sportspeople, teenagers and the aged are all practising a variety of yoga positions, meditation and associated breathing exercises. For many, yoga becomes a way of life _ often giving a more spiritual side to people's lives, although not necessarily linked to religion. One school of belief maintains that chronic and accumulated stress is the reason for many of our modern illnesses.
Supporters of yoga argue that it has a multiplicity of techniques to counter that cause and, unlike drug therapy, attack the cause, not just the symptoms. It offers, they say, a holistic approach to health and fitness. Many professional athletes, looking for the edge have turned to yoga as a supplementary form of training. They have found that yoga aids their state of mental and physical relaxation between training sessions, and their crucial build-up to big meets, where a competition is usually won or lost in the mind.
Perhaps one of yoga's major attractions is that it combines physical and mental exercise. It is excellent for posture and flexibility, both key physical elements for most sports-people, and in some respects, there are strength benefits to be gained. Yoga teachers say that the approach of yoga therapy is one of the most effective ways of achieving the mental edge that athletes seek.
Yoga can play a substantial supporting role to modern medicine, and complement other fitness and exercise programs. While there is no great component of aerobic fitness in yoga therapy, it complements aerobic exercise because of breathing techniques that can be learned. So there are advantages for even the most demanding of aerobic sports - swimming, cycling and running.
There are numerous documented cases of yoga relieving or curing serious illnesses - such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses like asthma and emphysema.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Using Yoga to get a Smaller Waist
The size of the waist is an indication of overall fitness for many people. Most health experts will tell you that a smaller waist is healthier than a big one. The reasoning behind this is that increases in fat around this area normallt result in increased health risks such as high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.
In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist signifies youth and vitality. But doing endless workouts of crunches alone will not allow you to achieve that Venus-like waist of your dreams. You will need to supplement specific waist-orientated exercises with ones from various disciplines.
Specifically you will need to work the inner girdle of muscles - commonly known as the core muscles - with slow abdominal exercises that work very deep into these muscle groups.
While usually associated with building flexibility, some specific exercises from yoga-based workouts also target the underlying core muscles around the waist.
In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist signifies youth and vitality. But doing endless workouts of crunches alone will not allow you to achieve that Venus-like waist of your dreams. You will need to supplement specific waist-orientated exercises with ones from various disciplines.
Specifically you will need to work the inner girdle of muscles - commonly known as the core muscles - with slow abdominal exercises that work very deep into these muscle groups.
While usually associated with building flexibility, some specific exercises from yoga-based workouts also target the underlying core muscles around the waist.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Using Yoga to Help Prevent Heart Attacks
Making changes to your lifestyle and your diet can not only prevent heart attacks, but can also help to reverse the clogging of the arteries, according to a small but pioneering study.
The study showed that eating a low fat vegetarian diet, taking regular moderate exercise and practising an hour a day of yoga and meditation could produce a reversal of atherosclerosis, which is a blockage of the arteries that can lead to a heart attack, in men and women who were strict in following the daily regimen.
Experts say this is the first study to report that such blockage can be reversed without using cholesterol-lowering drugs or surgery.
The study, which was conducted by Dr. Dean Ornish, director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., was presented at the meeting of the American Heart Association in New Orleans.
This is a tremendously important study in the control of heart disease. It's the very first study indicating regression of coronary heart disease without pharmaceutical intervention. The results also suggest that the current medical guidelines for changes in the habits of people with severe heart disease do not go far enough.
Previous studies have shown that exercise and diet changes can slow the progression of heart disease, but not reverse it.
While the study did not determine what percentage of improvement could be attributed to the lifestyle changes alone, the researchers noted that stress-control methods have been shown to ease recovery from a variety of disorders, including hypertension.
But some experts are skeptical of the need for stress-management methods, which are not currently among standard recommendations for those with severe heart disease.
Some experts on cardiac rehabilitation question whether most people with heart disease could follow such strict changes in their habits.
The study showed that eating a low fat vegetarian diet, taking regular moderate exercise and practising an hour a day of yoga and meditation could produce a reversal of atherosclerosis, which is a blockage of the arteries that can lead to a heart attack, in men and women who were strict in following the daily regimen.
Experts say this is the first study to report that such blockage can be reversed without using cholesterol-lowering drugs or surgery.
The study, which was conducted by Dr. Dean Ornish, director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., was presented at the meeting of the American Heart Association in New Orleans.
This is a tremendously important study in the control of heart disease. It's the very first study indicating regression of coronary heart disease without pharmaceutical intervention. The results also suggest that the current medical guidelines for changes in the habits of people with severe heart disease do not go far enough.
Previous studies have shown that exercise and diet changes can slow the progression of heart disease, but not reverse it.
While the study did not determine what percentage of improvement could be attributed to the lifestyle changes alone, the researchers noted that stress-control methods have been shown to ease recovery from a variety of disorders, including hypertension.
But some experts are skeptical of the need for stress-management methods, which are not currently among standard recommendations for those with severe heart disease.
Some experts on cardiac rehabilitation question whether most people with heart disease could follow such strict changes in their habits.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Yoga and Chakras
Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning spinning wheel. These are a system of seven energy centers located along the spine. Each chakra corresponds to an area of the body, a set of behavioral characteristics and stages of spiritual growth.
Practicing yoga and focusing your energies during different postures can help you to align your chakras and get all the wheels spinning in the same direction and speed. Understanding how to fine tune and control your chakras through yoga and meditation can help bring balance and peace to your mind, body and spirit.
The seven chakras are:
- Muladhara- base of the spine;
- Svadhisthana- abdomen, genitals, lower back/hip;
- Ajna- brow;
- Sahasrara- top of head, cerebral cortex.
- Manipura- solar plexus;
- Anahata- heart area;
- Visshudha- throat;
These chakras are associated with a different part of the body along the spine from the perineum to the crown of your head. Each chakra is associated with a particular body location, a color, a central emotional/behavioral issue, as well as many other personal aspects including identity, goals, rights, etc.
Through the movements and postures of yoga, you can learn to focus your concentration and energy to and from the various chakras in your body. This can allow you to compensate for areas that may be out of synch with the rest of your body or not active at all. By balancing the energy among all seven of the chakras, balance can be achieved. This spiritual energy is known as Kundalini energy. In its dormant state, it can be visualized as a coiled up snake resting at the base of your spine, the Muladhara chakra. Since the chakras act as valves or pumps regulating the flow of energy through your system, controlled and purposeful movements such as yoga can be extremely beneficial in realigning your chakras in a way that can cause great benefits to you in your physical and emotional wellbeing.
Monday, September 03, 2007
What is Naked Yoga or Nude Yoga?
I have heard of this myself and often wondered what exactly naked Yoga involved and why exactly would someone want to do this? Here is an article by Uma Gupta that explains naked yoga.
Nude Yoga and Naked Aerobics
We all came in our birthday suits - That's how God made us! Nudity is completely natural. In fact clothes can be disturbing, certainly so in aerobics - it prevents airflow around the body. Clothes also invite - encourage growth of germs - microscopic fungi and bacteria, especially in warm humid areas. People who do naked aerobics can sweat freely people who perspire in clothes are not pleasing to our nose. Those who perspire naturally smell better!
There are benefits of being nude too. For instance, wearing shorts and trousers will raise the temperature of the testicles (in males, of course). This then results in hindrance of sperm growth thereby reducing the sperm shack and male hormones which in turn reduces fertility. It can also cause impotence in both genders. Not just accidental nudity, this is purposeful.
More advantages : No sweaty clothes to wash; Cheaper designer-competitiveness; no fighting for a place with Peter Alexander fashion designer (though I love designer clothes myself). In fact this is goal-orientated, if I may say so because you can concentrate more on building those muscles or firming those gluts.
Naked aerobics yoga is a good exercise and does exist. In fact, quite a few people really prefer doing nude yoga. It helps articulate your natural emotions and let you speak for yourself. Nudity adds to the physical and emotional health of the individual. After all, it’s nice to feel the natural air slapping on your skin and feeling the sweat roughly come out of the inside. As long as you don’t mind dangly bits sometime getting in the way or seeing the nether regions that would be exposed in a simple exercise such as ‘touch your toes’.
Nude Yoga is nourishing and exfoliating. You will feel its effect on your body and notice that the body has changed because you have bared it all. A sizeable number of men and women in the U.S. find nudist yoga as a source of great relaxation and mental peace. There’s a significant increase in nudist yoga practitioners or seekers; so many nudist yoga classes are conducted the world over. There are many naturist clubs and resorts where nude exercise is encouraged and welcomed. There are videos and books available as well to help you pursue this style of exercising.
If embarrassment be thrown to the dogs would you wear clothes at all times?
Reprint of this article permitted without any modification and keeping all content with links and author’s name intact
http://www.articles-abundant.com/ is an avid reader and writes on a variety of subjects with a view to share knowledge and help citizens of this world live a harmonious happy life. http://www.family-healthclub.blogspot.com/ STAY HEALTHY.
Nude Yoga and Naked Aerobics
We all came in our birthday suits - That's how God made us! Nudity is completely natural. In fact clothes can be disturbing, certainly so in aerobics - it prevents airflow around the body. Clothes also invite - encourage growth of germs - microscopic fungi and bacteria, especially in warm humid areas. People who do naked aerobics can sweat freely people who perspire in clothes are not pleasing to our nose. Those who perspire naturally smell better!
There are benefits of being nude too. For instance, wearing shorts and trousers will raise the temperature of the testicles (in males, of course). This then results in hindrance of sperm growth thereby reducing the sperm shack and male hormones which in turn reduces fertility. It can also cause impotence in both genders. Not just accidental nudity, this is purposeful.
More advantages : No sweaty clothes to wash; Cheaper designer-competitiveness; no fighting for a place with Peter Alexander fashion designer (though I love designer clothes myself). In fact this is goal-orientated, if I may say so because you can concentrate more on building those muscles or firming those gluts.
Naked aerobics yoga is a good exercise and does exist. In fact, quite a few people really prefer doing nude yoga. It helps articulate your natural emotions and let you speak for yourself. Nudity adds to the physical and emotional health of the individual. After all, it’s nice to feel the natural air slapping on your skin and feeling the sweat roughly come out of the inside. As long as you don’t mind dangly bits sometime getting in the way or seeing the nether regions that would be exposed in a simple exercise such as ‘touch your toes’.
Nude Yoga is nourishing and exfoliating. You will feel its effect on your body and notice that the body has changed because you have bared it all. A sizeable number of men and women in the U.S. find nudist yoga as a source of great relaxation and mental peace. There’s a significant increase in nudist yoga practitioners or seekers; so many nudist yoga classes are conducted the world over. There are many naturist clubs and resorts where nude exercise is encouraged and welcomed. There are videos and books available as well to help you pursue this style of exercising.
If embarrassment be thrown to the dogs would you wear clothes at all times?
Reprint of this article permitted without any modification and keeping all content with links and author’s name intact
http://www.articles-abundant.com/ is an avid reader and writes on a variety of subjects with a view to share knowledge and help citizens of this world live a harmonious happy life. http://www.family-healthclub.blogspot.com/ STAY HEALTHY.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
How Yoga can help with Stress
Tense, nervous and anxious, we are caught up in the hellish grind that drives us inevitably into "stress," because our constant state of anxiety stops us from facing up to the relentless demands of modern life which, behind a friendly and comfortable exterior, conceals an inhuman machine and an unrelenting struggle for existence. Is it really surprising, then, that millions of people live with the depressing feeling that we are "out of step," overlaid by apparently impossible tasks with which we cannot possibly cope, and from which we can never escape.
Tranquilizers, or what is often referred to as the "happy" pills, bring temporary relief; but in the long run the cure is worse than the disease, since it does no more than damp down the roots of our anxiety and nervousness without eradicating it. There are two types of remedy, both preventive and curative: controlled breathing and relaxation. The latter is the most direct cure.
Relaxation is essential to true yoga, and without it there is no chance of happiness, peace, or health. Tense people, even when we have everything to make us happy, keep happiness at arm's length. Relaxation is also the source of creative thought. We should all learn to relax our bodies consciously every day for a few minutes, so that we remain relaxed afterward in any situation.
We must first understand the underlying techniques in order to grasp their purpose and apply them wisely. Then we can study the methods that lead toward this restful state, which is better than sleep itself. The art of relaxation can be acquired, and those experiencing the euphoria it brings for the first time find it to be an eye-opener. The body, which had become lifeless and heavy is limp and relaxed while the spirit seems to soar, freed from material affairs, and outside its earthly shell.
There are two types of muscle: First is the voluntary ones attached to the skeleton that allows us action and movement at will. They are able to contract and shorten with lightning speed when stimuli are applied to the relevant nerve; second, there are the plain or unstriped muscles, which surround the ducts of the body. These powerful muscles contract and relax slowly in automatic movements, and are free from voluntary control, although a yogi can reach a state where they can be controlled.
In relaxation it is the first group, with which we are concerned, and we must be careful to dissociate the muscle from the nerve that stimulates it to action. We may compare the muscle to an electromagnet and its nerve to the electric wire that connects it to the mains of the brain, and from there we can go on to examine the different states in which these voluntary muscles may be found.
Tranquilizers, or what is often referred to as the "happy" pills, bring temporary relief; but in the long run the cure is worse than the disease, since it does no more than damp down the roots of our anxiety and nervousness without eradicating it. There are two types of remedy, both preventive and curative: controlled breathing and relaxation. The latter is the most direct cure.
Relaxation is essential to true yoga, and without it there is no chance of happiness, peace, or health. Tense people, even when we have everything to make us happy, keep happiness at arm's length. Relaxation is also the source of creative thought. We should all learn to relax our bodies consciously every day for a few minutes, so that we remain relaxed afterward in any situation.
We must first understand the underlying techniques in order to grasp their purpose and apply them wisely. Then we can study the methods that lead toward this restful state, which is better than sleep itself. The art of relaxation can be acquired, and those experiencing the euphoria it brings for the first time find it to be an eye-opener. The body, which had become lifeless and heavy is limp and relaxed while the spirit seems to soar, freed from material affairs, and outside its earthly shell.
There are two types of muscle: First is the voluntary ones attached to the skeleton that allows us action and movement at will. They are able to contract and shorten with lightning speed when stimuli are applied to the relevant nerve; second, there are the plain or unstriped muscles, which surround the ducts of the body. These powerful muscles contract and relax slowly in automatic movements, and are free from voluntary control, although a yogi can reach a state where they can be controlled.
In relaxation it is the first group, with which we are concerned, and we must be careful to dissociate the muscle from the nerve that stimulates it to action. We may compare the muscle to an electromagnet and its nerve to the electric wire that connects it to the mains of the brain, and from there we can go on to examine the different states in which these voluntary muscles may be found.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Yoga in a Few Minutes Each Day with Ina Marx
Ina Mirx is 68, looks 35, and can do things with her body that a 16-year-old farm hand can't do, but she wasn't always fit-as-a-fiddle.
At the age of 30, while pregnant, she was forced to jump from the third story of a burning hotel. She landed on concrete, fractured her spine and pelvis, broke several ribs -- and lost her child.
Over the next 10 years Marx tried nearly every kind of regimen to rescue herself from this state. Nothing worked, and she eventually reached such desperation that she attempted suicide, twice. Then she discovered yoga -- her salvation.
With new confidence and a new lease on life, she began teaching yoga and has also written two books, Yoga and Common Sense
and Fitness for the Unfit
.
With her special yoga program, she combines the physical aspects of Hatha Yoga with Raja Yoga, the meditative side.
Her method is specially designed to reach out to all those who have been left in the dust of the high-energy, high-impact state of modern fitness programs, and those who need to relax and unwind in a short amount of time to relieve a lot of stress quickly.
What's more, the best thing about Marx's form of yoga is that a few stretches a day, for a few minutes a day -- at home or in the office -- can lead couch potatoes and grouches to a very bright light at the end of the tunnel.
At the age of 30, while pregnant, she was forced to jump from the third story of a burning hotel. She landed on concrete, fractured her spine and pelvis, broke several ribs -- and lost her child.
Over the next 10 years Marx tried nearly every kind of regimen to rescue herself from this state. Nothing worked, and she eventually reached such desperation that she attempted suicide, twice. Then she discovered yoga -- her salvation.
With new confidence and a new lease on life, she began teaching yoga and has also written two books, Yoga and Common Sense
and Fitness for the Unfit.With her special yoga program, she combines the physical aspects of Hatha Yoga with Raja Yoga, the meditative side.
Her method is specially designed to reach out to all those who have been left in the dust of the high-energy, high-impact state of modern fitness programs, and those who need to relax and unwind in a short amount of time to relieve a lot of stress quickly.
What's more, the best thing about Marx's form of yoga is that a few stretches a day, for a few minutes a day -- at home or in the office -- can lead couch potatoes and grouches to a very bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Yoga for Women
If a woman wants to live a healthy life devoid of any stress, she should start her day with some gentle yoga practise.
First of all, when you roll out of your bed, sit on a yoga mat on the floor and hug your knees to your chest. Then raise your legs in the air and stay this way until your head clears. Then stand up and drop your forehead as near to your shins as possible until you feel ready to tackle the day ahead.
Waking up doesn't have to consist of pouring coffee down your throat to shock yourself into life.
Many women start working against themselves as soon as they wake up - caffeine, cigarettes, intensive exercises or no exercise at all. There are a lot of faddish like get fit programs around today have a very violent approach - e.g. do 50 leg raises or pound your body jogging on the pavement or jump around to a rhythm not of your own making.
Your approach to fitness and well-being and to life in general should be a more gentle one - working with concentration and determination at your own pace without competing with anyone else. Don't be ruthless with yourself and you won't be ruthless with other people.
Your routine should ideally center on 28 postures drawn from the 5,000-year-old technique whose name comes from the Sanskrit for sun, moon and join together. The exercises should range from deep breathing to pretzel-like stretches.
Yoga provides many benefits and is a great start to your day because:
- It helps you maintain flexibility, build strength and muscle definition and even
- It is strenuous, but not painful, and it gives every inch of your body a terrific workout.
- It is very helpful in strengthening a body that has been plagued by injury.
Try to spend 30 to 90 minutes on your yoga routine, before you have breakfast, five or six days a week.
Avoid the temptation to only go with your strong points - like weight-lifting if you've got great muscles. It's the thing that you find the hardest that you need to work on the most.
Don't space out during your yoga practise. Use that time to have a private conversation with yourself: 'How is my balance and coordination today?' , 'How do I feel physically and mentally?', 'Is there something I should pay special attention to?'
First of all, when you roll out of your bed, sit on a yoga mat on the floor and hug your knees to your chest. Then raise your legs in the air and stay this way until your head clears. Then stand up and drop your forehead as near to your shins as possible until you feel ready to tackle the day ahead.
Waking up doesn't have to consist of pouring coffee down your throat to shock yourself into life.
Many women start working against themselves as soon as they wake up - caffeine, cigarettes, intensive exercises or no exercise at all. There are a lot of faddish like get fit programs around today have a very violent approach - e.g. do 50 leg raises or pound your body jogging on the pavement or jump around to a rhythm not of your own making.
Your approach to fitness and well-being and to life in general should be a more gentle one - working with concentration and determination at your own pace without competing with anyone else. Don't be ruthless with yourself and you won't be ruthless with other people.
Your routine should ideally center on 28 postures drawn from the 5,000-year-old technique whose name comes from the Sanskrit for sun, moon and join together. The exercises should range from deep breathing to pretzel-like stretches.
Yoga provides many benefits and is a great start to your day because:
- It helps you maintain flexibility, build strength and muscle definition and even
- It is strenuous, but not painful, and it gives every inch of your body a terrific workout.
- It is very helpful in strengthening a body that has been plagued by injury.
Try to spend 30 to 90 minutes on your yoga routine, before you have breakfast, five or six days a week.
Avoid the temptation to only go with your strong points - like weight-lifting if you've got great muscles. It's the thing that you find the hardest that you need to work on the most.
Don't space out during your yoga practise. Use that time to have a private conversation with yourself: 'How is my balance and coordination today?' , 'How do I feel physically and mentally?', 'Is there something I should pay special attention to?'
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
A Ten Minute Yoga Routine
Whether you are a stay at homeMom with a new baby or working too many hours at the office, you can do Yoga any time in almost any place! You can do yoga stretches and postures in bed or even while driving to work.
Hundreds of Yoga practitioners use their lunch hour to squeeze in a little exercise Yoga style!
I occasionally use my lunch hour for Yoga, said John Ray White, 35, who works at the Arkansas attorney general's office. Downward facing dog and sun salutation are two of the postures she practices every day.
Practicing yoga in the middle of day some people think is the break that they need to face the afternoon, said Ray.
Here are a few poses you can do to get started.
Kick Back Log-on Pose
Interlace your fingers behind your head. Relax your elbows and shoulders. Smile, breathe and stretch your elbows back. Let the tightness release slowly.
E-mail Meditation
While reading your e-mail, remember to breathe slowly and focus your attention on your breath. Make the out-breath two times longer than the in-breath. This will immediately calm you.
Photocopier Stretch
Place your hands on the edge of the copier. Stand back with feet apart. Drop your head and chest. Breathe and relax your shoulders.
Close-the-deal Warrior Pose
Raise your arms to the side with fingers pointed. Take a big step to the side, with your right foot out and knee bent, your left foot planted, left leg straight. Keep the upper body straight and strong, shoulders relaxed. Relax into the stretch -- don't hold your breath. Return to a standing position, switch sides and repeat.
Hundreds of Yoga practitioners use their lunch hour to squeeze in a little exercise Yoga style!
I occasionally use my lunch hour for Yoga, said John Ray White, 35, who works at the Arkansas attorney general's office. Downward facing dog and sun salutation are two of the postures she practices every day.
Practicing yoga in the middle of day some people think is the break that they need to face the afternoon, said Ray.
Here are a few poses you can do to get started.
Kick Back Log-on Pose
Interlace your fingers behind your head. Relax your elbows and shoulders. Smile, breathe and stretch your elbows back. Let the tightness release slowly.
E-mail Meditation
While reading your e-mail, remember to breathe slowly and focus your attention on your breath. Make the out-breath two times longer than the in-breath. This will immediately calm you.
Photocopier Stretch
Place your hands on the edge of the copier. Stand back with feet apart. Drop your head and chest. Breathe and relax your shoulders.
Close-the-deal Warrior Pose
Raise your arms to the side with fingers pointed. Take a big step to the side, with your right foot out and knee bent, your left foot planted, left leg straight. Keep the upper body straight and strong, shoulders relaxed. Relax into the stretch -- don't hold your breath. Return to a standing position, switch sides and repeat.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Preventing Lower Back Pain with Yoga
Twenty percent of all those who undergo surgery for lower back pain will get no relief. The remaining 80 percent will have problems ranging from mild to severe. All will have trouble with spinal flexion.
Yoga does not offer cures. It simply promises that if you faithfully practice these asanas every day, there will be no pain and you will build up a strong and supple spine, restructuring posture and body image. Once you have back problems you must remain conscious all through the day of how you stand, sit and lie down.
Here are a few guidelines:
Yoga does not offer cures. It simply promises that if you faithfully practice these asanas every day, there will be no pain and you will build up a strong and supple spine, restructuring posture and body image. Once you have back problems you must remain conscious all through the day of how you stand, sit and lie down.
Here are a few guidelines:
- Sleep on a firm (not necessarily hard) bed, with a flat pillow under your head and a thicker one under your knees. This will help the spine to reposition and adjust itself.
- Do not wear high heels as this promotes lumbar lordosis and throws the spine out of balance.
- Do not go in for break-dancing, strenuous aerobics, jogging, running or anything where you need to bounce or jiggle. Guarded activity is the key here.
- For lower back pain, sitting is the most painful. Sit on a firm seat, not squashy cushions, and sit on your buttock bones. Do not loll back on the tailbone or lower spine. Wedge a rolled towel or small cushion behind your back to keep you upright. Sit as often as possible in The Diamond Posture (Figure 1) in order to benefit the sciatic nerve and to cure a convex or a lateral curvature of the spine.
- When the pain is acute and you can neither sit nor stand in comfort, rest in bed, take whatever anti-inflammatory or analgesic medications your physician prescribes, and wait until the pain is milder before starting on these postures.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Yoga for Office Workers - The Side Angled Stretch
I'm going to talk about some poses that are beneficial to people who spend most of their day sitting in an office working on a computer. The first pose is the Side Angled Stretch.
First stand straight against the wall and stretch the feet about three to four feet apart. Inhale and raise arms up to shoulder level, palms down. Point right foot to the right and slightly turn in left foot. Bend right knee to form a right angle, with thigh parallel to the floor and the shin vertical. The knee should be directly above the ankle. Stretch the back leg and tighten the knee.
Breath out deepluy and stretch your right hand down to rest on floor behind right foot. Turn your head to look up and press your left hip flat against wall with left hand. A strong pull should be felt all along the left side. When you feel comfortable, stretch the left arm up and press it against your ear so that from left heel to left hand the body is stretched and extended. Hold this position for a slow count of 10, making sure that upper shoulder, hip and bent knee are pressed against the wall. Inhale and return to starting position. Exhale and repeat on left.
The benefits of this posture are that it tones every muscle, tendon and joint in the body. The heart is revitalized and strengthened, and, if crooked, the spine is stretched and realigned. The hip joints, which can weaken with age, become stronger and more flexible. The neck is stretched and made more flexible, easing the pain of stiff, tense muscles and spondylosis. Thighs, hips and waist are firmed. Even digestion is improved.
Be sure to lie down and relax after your yoga practice. Relaxation after exercising helps the body to recover, regulates the flow of blood, and calms and soothes the mind. That way you don't feel tired but refreshed and invigorated.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Lower Body Yoga Positions
Just as a tree needs to set down deep roots so it will not fall over as it grows, you need to find a comfortable position for the lower half of your body that you can sustain for 5,10,15 minutes or even longer. The great meditators have come up with traditional postures. Although they may appear different from the outside, these postures have one thing in common: the pelvis tilts slightly forward, accentuating the natural curvature of the lower back.
The following poses are arranged more or less in order, from the easiest to the most difficult to do. The lotus, though difficult, has some definite advantages and you can work up to it by stretching your hips using the yoga exercises. You should not worry about which looks the coolest; just experiment until you find the one that works best for you:
Easy position: Not recommended for extended periods of sitting because it is not very stable and does not support a straight spine. Sit on your cushion with your legs crossed in front of you. Your knees do not have to touch the floor, but do keep your back as straight as you can. You can stabilize the position by placing cushions under your knees; gradually decrease the height of the cushions as your hips become more flexible which will naturally occur over time. When your knees touch the ground, you may be ready for Burmese or lotus position.
Burmese position: This pose involves placing both calves and feet on the floor one in front of the other. Though less stable than the lotus series, it is much easier to negotiate, especially for beginners. With all the cross-legged poses, first bend your leg at the knee, in line with your thigh, before rotating your thigh to the side. Otherwise, you risk injuring your knee, which is built to flex in only one direction, unlike the ball-and-socket joint of the hip, which can rotate through a full range of motion.
Quarter lotus: Exactly like half lotus except that your foot rests on the calf of your opposite leg, rather than on the thigh.
Half lotus: Easier to execute than the famous full lotus and nearly as stable. With your buttocks on a cushion, place one foot on the opposite thigh and the other foot on the floor beneath the opposite thigh. Make sure that both knees touch the floor and your spine does not tilt to one side. To distribute the pressure on your back and legs, remember to alternate legs from sitting to sitting, if you can. In other words, left leg on the thigh, right on the floor, then left on the floor and right on the thigh.
Full lotus: With your buttocks on a cushion, cross your left foot over your right thigh and your right foot over your left thigh. It is best to alternate legs in order to distribute the pressure evenly. Full lotus is the most stable of all the poses, though it should not be attempted unless you happen to be particularly flexible.
The following poses are arranged more or less in order, from the easiest to the most difficult to do. The lotus, though difficult, has some definite advantages and you can work up to it by stretching your hips using the yoga exercises. You should not worry about which looks the coolest; just experiment until you find the one that works best for you:
Easy position: Not recommended for extended periods of sitting because it is not very stable and does not support a straight spine. Sit on your cushion with your legs crossed in front of you. Your knees do not have to touch the floor, but do keep your back as straight as you can. You can stabilize the position by placing cushions under your knees; gradually decrease the height of the cushions as your hips become more flexible which will naturally occur over time. When your knees touch the ground, you may be ready for Burmese or lotus position.
Burmese position: This pose involves placing both calves and feet on the floor one in front of the other. Though less stable than the lotus series, it is much easier to negotiate, especially for beginners. With all the cross-legged poses, first bend your leg at the knee, in line with your thigh, before rotating your thigh to the side. Otherwise, you risk injuring your knee, which is built to flex in only one direction, unlike the ball-and-socket joint of the hip, which can rotate through a full range of motion.
Quarter lotus: Exactly like half lotus except that your foot rests on the calf of your opposite leg, rather than on the thigh.
Half lotus: Easier to execute than the famous full lotus and nearly as stable. With your buttocks on a cushion, place one foot on the opposite thigh and the other foot on the floor beneath the opposite thigh. Make sure that both knees touch the floor and your spine does not tilt to one side. To distribute the pressure on your back and legs, remember to alternate legs from sitting to sitting, if you can. In other words, left leg on the thigh, right on the floor, then left on the floor and right on the thigh.
Full lotus: With your buttocks on a cushion, cross your left foot over your right thigh and your right foot over your left thigh. It is best to alternate legs in order to distribute the pressure evenly. Full lotus is the most stable of all the poses, though it should not be attempted unless you happen to be particularly flexible.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Yoga - a cure for Stress?
Yoga is a 3,000-year-old, Hindu discipline of mind and body became known originally in the Western society with the hippie generation of the Sixties and early Seventies. Its image as a mystic practice is disappearing as fast.
As an effective method of stress management, yoga is spreading into the business world, the helping professions, nursing and old age homes, and is used in the treatment of alcoholics, hyperactive children and youngsters with learning disabilities. Yoga centers are getting stiff competition from adult education classes of community colleges, boards of education and parks and recreation departments.
The meaning of yoga is union of the body, mind and spirit with truth. There are many kinds of yoga to study, and there can be endless years of practice for the willing student.
Hatha Yoga is among the most popular forms in the west. It emphasizes the practice of postures, which stretch and strengthen the body, help develop a sense of balance and flexibility, as well as body awareness and mental concentration. All forms of yoga incorporate the practice of proper breathing techniques for relaxation, to rest the mind from its constant chatter, to experience an internal calm, and to energize and purify the body.
A lot of people are exercising for the psychological benefits and trying many of the Eastern activities, like yoga and tai chi. Yoga seems to have a calming effect on people.
Yoga techniques work on children as well as adults. When your children are quarreling, ask them to stop what they're doing, raise their arms over their heads, lean forward and breathe deeply to help diffuse their anger. It definitely helps them to calm down!
As an effective method of stress management, yoga is spreading into the business world, the helping professions, nursing and old age homes, and is used in the treatment of alcoholics, hyperactive children and youngsters with learning disabilities. Yoga centers are getting stiff competition from adult education classes of community colleges, boards of education and parks and recreation departments.
The meaning of yoga is union of the body, mind and spirit with truth. There are many kinds of yoga to study, and there can be endless years of practice for the willing student.
Hatha Yoga is among the most popular forms in the west. It emphasizes the practice of postures, which stretch and strengthen the body, help develop a sense of balance and flexibility, as well as body awareness and mental concentration. All forms of yoga incorporate the practice of proper breathing techniques for relaxation, to rest the mind from its constant chatter, to experience an internal calm, and to energize and purify the body.
A lot of people are exercising for the psychological benefits and trying many of the Eastern activities, like yoga and tai chi. Yoga seems to have a calming effect on people.
Yoga techniques work on children as well as adults. When your children are quarreling, ask them to stop what they're doing, raise their arms over their heads, lean forward and breathe deeply to help diffuse their anger. It definitely helps them to calm down!
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