Benefits of Yoga Postures - Triangle Pose

The Triangle pose or Trikonasana is admired for its several benefits. A number of elements are put together in this position to bring about physical, mental and healing changes. This asana improves the shape of your leg muscles, spinal nerves and abdominal organs; strengthens your lower back permanently; and fully stretches and extends the whole body. It promotes three important aspects of Hatha yoga:

  • Strength- sturdiness of the legs and feet is established
  • Stability- firmness of the limbs and torso is created
  • Balance- equilibrium of the body and mind is developed
For beginners it is advisable to progress a little at a time; while adopting basic triangle posture, you should take a short step. This will prevent you from exerting strain on your legs, knees and lower back. Once flexibility of the limbs is improved, then you can easily increase your stride. As you stretch out your arms, torso and legs, during the exercise, you feel as if your limbs and torso are elongating and a rush of energy surges through them. Once you have adopted the pose, breathe deeply and experience the exhilarating sensation of:

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  • Opening of your chest, lungs and heart
  • Reassuring steadiness in your limbs
  • Conscious equilibrium (sama) of the mind and body
Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana) and Twisted Triangle Pose (Thirikonasana)

Benefits of Yoga Postures - Triangle Pose

Once you have perfected the basic pose, you are ready for Extended Triangle and Twisted Triangle postures and enjoy the unlimited benefits they offer. There are multiple therapeutic rewards and advantages for the body and the mind. The curative aspects of the posture include reduction of pain of the back, relaxation caused by neck sprains. Triangle posture benefits those who suffer from shortening of a leg due to a fractured hipbone or bone of the leg; it elongates the affected leg and corrects any other slight abnormality in the legs. Abnormality in the arms and displacement of spinal discs can also be fixed with this asana.

You will also experience some positive bodily changes through this exercise. Your legs, hips and spine will become more elastic and strong.It will render good shape to your spinal nerves and abdominal organs. Your chest muscles will broaden and the cavity within will expand. Your breathing will be regulated and powerful. Your body will feel light. Circulation of blood in the abdominal area will revitalize; appetite will become better and performance of the digestive system will enhance, relieving the body of constipation.

Benefits of Triangle pose for the brain are many. This posture frees the mind of worry and fret and enables it to focus attention to the desired object. It develops positive thinking and reduces constant anxiety over one's health. The position kindles and directs the rush of life force (pranic) towards the spleen, liver, large intestine, gall bladder, small intestine and core of the heart. It further controls the flow of energy and prepares the body for meditation. Holistically, Triangle posture shapes and purifies the body of all impairments and impurities and tunes the mind towards awareness of self; when this happens, the prime benefit of yoga, unification with the divine, is gained

Benefits of Yoga Postures - Triangle Pose

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Bikram Yoga - Is it Dangerous Or Not?

Well, you might have a slight doubt if doing Yoga can harm your body. You might ask if it is really dangerous. A lot of people have different opinions about this issue. Apparently, Yoga fanatics will definitely take no for an answer. But, there are other individuals who started to feel back aches and other muscle cramps.

Medical experts and physical therapists have also their side on this. According to them, since this activity is done in a heated room there can be some side effects to the human body. As we all know, heat increases the flexibility of the muscles, but stretching the muscles should only fall between the normal percentage of its resting length. Beyond that, it is already considered unhealthy, it can damage the muscles.

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It was found that excessive eagerness and competition among the students can cause injuries. This is because they are much enthusiastic to perform the postures and show their best to other students. There are instances that you tend to forget your limits whenever you are in the mood for exhibiting what you can do. 

Bikram Yoga - Is it Dangerous Or Not?

Whenever you attend your Hot Yoga class, you have to drink more than one glass of water. This is because you are staying in a room with high temperature; there is a tendency that you might get dehydrated. You will sweat a lot so you will loose more fluids in your body, so there is really a need to replace them by drinking lots of water.

On a positive note, Bikram Yoga is not that bad after all. There can still be countless benefits that it can do to your body. It conditions you physically, mentally and spiritually. Once you start to join classes, you can gradually see the results. However, you also have to possess the right kind of attitude. Even if you work hard on attending Bikram Yoga classes but still very pessimistic about it, you can never achieve anything. You are just wasting your time.

You do not have to worry about the bad experiences that you hear from your classmates or friends. Everyone has its own capabilities. Maybe their bodies have lower extremity when it comes to such kind of physical activity. Physical therapists say that it will all depend on the ability of the students, whether they can tolerate doing every posture or not. They just have to assess if their bodies can sustain the level of difficulty of every position. You do not have to push your limits to the top, try to do it slowly until you can perfectly do it. Being impatient can lead you to severe injury.

Always bear in mind that performing Bikram Yoga teaches you to be disciplined and focus. Doing more is not a good habit. You have to do everything in moderation. This goes whenever you perform any position in your Yoga class. Try not to overdo your stretching. You may not feel the bad effect immediately, but you will if you continuously do it. Unknowingly, you are already leading yourself to a serious damage of your muscles. Remember, you are attending Bikram Yoga classes to stay fit and healthy. Make sure that it should not be the other way around.

Bikram Yoga - Is it Dangerous Or Not?

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*BIKRAM YOGA LOVER?* Get the definitive home study course on Hot Yoga. Giant 300-page book, 2 DVDs, pose chart, and more.

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Ayurveda and Yoga, Ancient Sister Sciences

Ayurveda and yoga are sister Vedic sciences that have been united for thousands of years for the sake of healing body, mind, and consciousness. Generally speaking, Ayurveda deals more with the health of the body, while yoga deals with purifying the mind and consciousness, but in reality they complement and embrace each other.

The ancient rishis (seers) were the original masters of all Vedic sciences. They understood that good health is a great asset on the path toward Self-realization. If the body is neglected it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice. Anyone who has practiced meditation for any length of time would agree to how difficult it can be to sit still for long periods of time without feeling discomfort and fatigue. Both yoga and Ayurveda are mutually supportive and offer many ways to prevent and heal various disorders as well as to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

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Besides sharing a philosophical foundation, both systems have many similarities in relation to attitude, nutrition, diet, hygiene, exercise, cleansing practices, as well as spiritual practices. Traditionally, a student of yoga would first live close to and serve the guru for many years, during which time he would learn healthy habits. The basic Ayurvedic principles for health and longevity were past on in the lineage in oral form to serve as a foundation for a life of sadhana (spiritual practice).

Ayurveda and Yoga, Ancient Sister Sciences

Nowadays, the teachings of yoga are easily available to all, and whether prepared or not we can leap headlong into its practice. This has its blessings, in the sense that more people can be turned on to the teachings, although much is often lost without the parampara, or close guidance at the feet of an accomplished master. With this in mind, modern yoga practitioners would most certainly benefit from a basic knowledge of Ayurveda to help establish a healthy daily routine and adjust their practice according to the constitution, dosha imbalance, season, and so on, to prevent disease and promote longevity.

First, let's take a look at the similarities between yoga and Ayurveda:

* Both are ancient Vedic teachings. Yoga originates in the Yajur Veda, while Ayurveda originates in the Atharva Veda and Rig Veda.

* Both recognize that keeping the body healthy is vital for fulfilling the four aims of life: Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire), and Moksha (liberation).

* Both recognize that the balance of doshas (humors), dhatus (tissues), and malas (waste products) is essential for maintaining good health.

* Both share virtually the same metaphysical anatomy and physiology, which consists of 72,000 nadis (subtle channels), 7 main chakras (energy centers), 5 bodily sheaths, and the Kundalini Shakti (energy).

* Both advocate the use of diet, herbs, asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra, astrology, prayer, puja, and rituals for healing the entire being.

* Both encourage physical health as a good foundation for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

* Both share the same view on psychology. Ayurveda embraces all six of the main schools of philosophy including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Vedanta (a non-dual philosophical and spiritual path). They both understand that the attachment to the body-mind complex is the root cause of all suffering and that the ultimate state of health is experienced when we abide in our true nature, which is total peace, regardless of the state of the physical body.

* Both use cleansing methods for the body, all of which encourage the removal of waste products and toxins through their natural routes of elimination. Ayurveda has panchakarma (five cleansing actions) and yoga uses Shat Karma (six purification measures).

Ayurvedic approach to asana practice

The use of asana, pranayama, and meditation for healing is known as Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy and has been used for thousands of years by Ayurvedic and yogic adepts. In Yoga Chikitsa, a group of yogic exercises are chosen that will best support the individual and are practiced daily. This can be done over an extended period of time in conjunction with an Ayurvedic regime and herbal and dietary therapies. Yoga Chikitsa also plays an integral role in the Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation process known as panchakarma.

For a well balanced personal yoga practice, it is important to take into consideration the individual's body structure, prakruti (original constitution), and vikruti (present constitutional imbalance). The following are general recommendations according to the predominant dosha.

Vata predominant individuals should remember to focus on calming, grounding, stillness, strengthening, and balancing while doing their practice.

Precautions for vata:

* Vinyasa or flow styles of yoga tend to move too quickly from one pose to the next and can aggravate the hyper-mobile quality of vata over time. Flow sequences can be made to be more vata pacifying if they are not excessively long, the length of time poses are held is extended, and transitions are done slowly and consciously.

* Those with lower back problems may find that bending the knees in standing forward bends can prevent discomfort.

* Back bends should be done slowly, carefully and within one's own limits.

Pitta individuals should maintain a calm, cool, and relaxed intention while doing asanas. Pitta types may benefit from trying to cultivate an attitude of forgiveness, and of surrendering or offering the fruits of their practice to the divine of to those in need of positive healing energy. Because asana practice tends to generate heat in the body, it is best to do them at cooling times of the day, such as dawn or dusk. Also, it is useful to place some emphasis on poses that help to release excess heat from the body, such as poses that compress the solar plexus and poses that open the chest like.

Kapha types tend to be sedentary and often dislike vigorous exercise. For this reason, their practice should be energetic, warming, lightening, and stimulating, providing they are physically capable. Vinyasa or flow style yoga is good for kapha because it is dynamic and moves quickly from one pose to the next, it induces sweating and gets the heart pumping.

Yoga poses that address specific doshic problems can be easily added to an Ayurvedic regime and integrated into an existing yoga routine, or they can be organized as a small session with the help of an Ayurvedic clinician who knows each individual case well and can help set up a well balanced program according to the needs of each client.

Ayurveda also offers Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy, for specific doshic disorders. It is advised to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner for an individualized regime.

Ayurvedic Approach to Pranayama (breathing techniques).

The ultimate goal of pranayama is to calm the mind and prepare it for meditation. It also has a therapeutic effect on the physical body as well. It is not essential to do a pranayama practice according to dosha, but knowing its effects on the body is a valuable tool for management of the doshas. Below is a general list of pranayama and bandha exercises according to dosha.

Vata: Nadi Shodhana, Kapala Bhati, Agnisara Dhauti, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha Mudra.

Pitta: Sheetali or Sitkari, Nadi shodhana.

Kapha: Bastrika, Agnisara Dhauti, Kapala Bhati, Ashvini Mudra (contracting and releasing Mula Bandha), Ashvini Mudra, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha Mudra.

Furthermore, the Four Purifications taught in our workshops is an ancient method from the Ashtanga Yoga for purifying the gross and subtle body in order to prepare it for more advanced practices. They are tridoshic and safe for everyone, providing they are performed correctly.

Meditation According to Dosha.

These spiritual paths and their meditation techniques can be practiced by anyone, regardless of their prakruti. This list is only intended to give an idea on how dosha can support or influence one's spiritual practice. Many traditions of yoga blend various aspects of the paths listed here.

* Vata: Kriya Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga and other structured techniques help to keep vata stabilized and focused.

* Pitta: Jnana Yoga and Vedanta are good for pitta types because they often have sharp intellects and have a keen interest in self-study (Atma-vichara).

* Kapha: Bhakti yoga is natural for kapha types because they are often loving and devotional by nature.

Ayurvedic and Yogic Diet.

Ayurveda is more concerned with food being constitutionally balanced, while Yoga promotes a diet that is sattwic (light and pure). A combination of both aspects is the best choice for a yogi or anyone wanting to make real progress on a spiritual path.

Ayurvedic diet:

* According to dosha.

* Primarily vegetarian (meat is used as medicine, mainly for extreme deficiencies).

* Primarily cooked (raw food in moderation, especially for vata types).

* Containing six tastes.

Yogic diet:

* Sattwic vegetarian diet.

* Easy to digest.

* Simple meals (to limit desire).

* Both cooked and raw.

* Foods recommended in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika consist of rejuvenating substances such as wheat, whole grain, white basmati, corn, raw milk, raw sugar, butter, ghee, honey, dried ginger, mung beans, pure water, vegetables.

* Fruits, roots and nuts.

* Avoiding excessive hot, sour, salty, fermented, and fried foods.

* Avoiding tamasic (dulling) foods like meat, onions, garlic and mushrooms as a regular part of the daily diet.

Cleansing in Yoga and Ayurveda.

Ayurveda and Yoga both emphasize cleansing of the body for health and support of spiritual practices. Their methods are similar and work by expelling excess dosha and ama, or toxins, using the body's natural routes of elimination.

The yogic method is known in the Ashtanga tradition as Shat Karma, or six cleansing measures. These are:

1. Neti (nasal cleansing):

Jala neti (salt water flushing of the sinuses).

Sutra neti (nasal cleaning with string).

2. Dhauti (washing the GI tract).

Teeth, tongue, eyes, ears and forehead.

Agnisara Dhauti.

Vamana Dhauti (vomiting salt water).

Vastra Dhauti (washing with a cloth).

Varisara Dhauti (washing with water for purgation).

3. Basti (enema).

4. Trataka (forehead wash, gazing into a candle flame).

5. Nauli (intestinal washing, abdominal rolling).

6. Kapala Bhati (skull shining).

The Ayurvedic method for cleansing and rejuvenation is known as panchakarma (pancha karma), or five cleansing actions. This program is usually done for a week or two, but can also be done for longer periods depending on the case. The five actions of this method are:

1. Basti (Enema).

2. Nasya (Nasal application of herbs and herbal oils).

3. Vamana (Therapeutic vomiting).

4. Virechana (Purgation).

5. Rakta Moksha (Blood letting).

It is obvious that Ayurveda and yoga not only complement each other. Both sciences actually embrace each other as they share similarities and fundamental principles on many levels. Ayurveda and yoga should go hand in hand if we want to achieve optimal health, peace, and longevity.

Ayurveda and Yoga, Ancient Sister Sciences

Vishnu Dass, NTS, LMT, CAyu, is an Ayurvedic practitioner and educator and the Director of Blue Lotus Ayurveda - Natural Health & Rejuvenation - an Ayurvedic clinic in Asheville, NC, that offers holistic health care, panchakarma (for deep detox and rejuvenation), rejuvenating therapies, diet and lifestyle counseling, yoga and yoga therapy, therapeutic massage & bodywork, workshops, and more. For more information, articles and products, visit: http://www.bluelotusayurveda.com and http://ayurvedayogashop.com