Yoga: 2013

The History of Yoga - Where Did Yoga Come From?

No one knows exactly how old yoga is. It originated as long as 10,000 to 5000 years ago. It was passed down orally and has gone through much evolution. The earliest reference to Yoga was found when archeological excavations were made in the Indus valley - an amazing powerful and influential civilization in the early antique period. This sophisticated culture developed around the Indus river and the long gone Sarasvati river in northern India, on the border towards Pakistan and had sewage systems, baths as early as 2,600 BC.

While many religions continue to want to make yoga their own creation, it belongs to all of us. It has many facets that can be found in the Hindu and Buddhist faith, but the basic principals are universal and based on "the eight limbs of yoga", which can be found in all religions.

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The History of Yoga is defined as four periods:

The History of Yoga - Where Did Yoga Come From?

Vedic Period, Pre-Classical Period, Classical Period, Post Classical Period and the Modern Period

History of Yoga

Yoga is said to be as old as civilization itself but the oral transmission of the practice, has left several gaps in its history. Earliest archeological evidence relating to yoga's existence is found in Mohenjodaro seals excavated from the Indus valley, depicting a figure seated in a traditional yoga pose. The stone seals place Yoga's existence around 3000 B.C.

The Vedic Period

The next reference to yoga is found in the Rig Veda, the oldest sacred text in the world. The Vedas, dating back to 1500 and 1200 BC, are a collection of hymns, mantras and brahmanical rituals that praised a greater being. Yoga is referred to in the book as yoking or discipline without any mention of a practice or a method to achieve this discipline. The Atharva Veda too mentions yoga with a reference to controlling the breath.

Pre-Classical Period

The creation of the Upanishads, between 800 to 500 BC, marks the period called Pre-Classical Yoga. The word Upanishad means to sit near and implies that the only way a student could learn the truths inscribed in the texts was by sitting close to a guru.

The Maitrayaniya Upanishad outlined a six-fold path to liberation. This six-fold yoga path included controlling the breath (pranayama), withdrawing the senses (pratyahara), meditation (dhyana), concentration (dharana), contemplation (tarka), and absorption (samadhi). Patanjali's Yoga Sutra was later to mirror these paths with greater elucidation and a few additions.

Two yoga disciplines gained prominence at this time: karma yoga (path of action or ritual) and jnana yoga (path of knowledge or study of the scriptures). Both paths led to liberation or enlightenment. The Bhagavad-Gita, composed around 500 BC later added the bhakti yoga (the path of devotion) to this path.

It was at the time of the Upanishads that the idea of ritual sacrifice was internalized and became the idea of sacrifice of the ego through self-knowledge, action and wisdom. This remains an important part of yoga's philosophy today. As with the Vedas, the Upanishads contained nothing of what we would term as yoga asana practice today. The first and probably most important presentation of yoga came in the next period.

Classical Period

Written some time in the second century, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras created a milestone in the history of yoga, defining what is now known as the Classical Period. This set of 195 sutras (aphorisms) is considered to be the first systematic presentation of yoga, and Patanjali is revered as the father of yoga.

Patanjali defined the eight-limbed path of yoga (ashtanga yoga), which described a practical treatise on living and laid out a path for attaining harmony of the mind, body and soul. Strict adherence to which would lead one to enlightenment. The sutras still serve as a guideline for living in the world, although modern yoga no longer sees the need to master the eight limbs in succession.

Post-Classical Period

It was in this period that the belief of the body as a temple was rekindled and yogis designed a practice to rejuvenate the body and to prolong life. It was no longer necessary to escape from reality; instead the focus was more living in the moment and on the correct path. The exploration of the spiritual and the physical halves and the need to harmonize the mind, body and spirit led to the creation of Tantra yoga, to cleanse the body and mind, and to Hatha yoga in the ninth or tenth century.

Modern Period

Yoga in its present avatar owes a lot to learned gurus who traveled west to spread the benefits of yoga, or researched and created different schools of yoga. In 1893 Swami Vivekanada addressed the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago and spoke about Raja yoga. Swami Sivanada wrote several books on yoga and philosophy and introduced the five principles of yoga. J.Krishnamurti, the prolific Indian philosopher, influenced thousands with his writings and teachings on Jnana yoga.

The defining epicenter of modern day yoga, as practiced in the west, began with Krishnamacharya, Mysore India in 1931.

T Krishnamacharya opened the first Hatha yoga school in the 1920s. Three of Krishnamacharya's most famous pupils were-Pattabhi Jois, who developed the school of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, Indra Devi who introduced yoga to Hollywood, and B.K.S. Iyengar, who created Iyengar yoga known for its attention to body alignment and for its use of props.

Since then, many more yoga gurus have become pioneers, popularizing yoga and finding new styles in keeping with the changing times. Today there are limitless styles of yoga, all based on ingredients from the different paths of yoga (see: The Paths of Yoga).

Yoga in America has been more focused on the Asana side of the practice, but a true yogi knows there is much more to the experience. I always advise students to try different styles and you will find one that gives you the most enrichment.

Enjoy you spiritual journey...

The History of Yoga - Where Did Yoga Come From?

David Yglesias RYT is yoga teacher and made this page for his personal study on the subject and to share with his students. This page is made up of the work of many, so if you have information to add, please email me: david@yogadoral.com
http://www.yogadoral.com.

David Yglesias, RYT
http://www.yogadoral.com

Thanks for the many people that helped put this history together.

Yoga Explained

People want to be healthier these days and they are starting to realize that doctors and medicine can't always do the trick. Yoga is what a lot of people are using to help fix this problem in there lives. Yoga also helps people relax and can be very helpful after a stressful day. A lot of people think that Yoga is just a bunch of very tough aerobics and exercises, but they don't realize that there is a lot more to it than that.

Yoga is a group of old Hindu spiritual practices that started in India, where it still is a tradition and is seen as a means to enlightenment. The four main types of Yoga are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga but there are many other types. In the America, the popular Yoga used by over 30 million people refers to Hatha Yoga, meaning forced Yoga.

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Current yoga practices include traditional elements that come from Hinduism, like moral and ethical principles, postures to keep the body fit, spiritual philosophy, breathing exercises and relaxing the mind through meditation.

Yoga Explained

People who commonly practice yoga see it as beneficial because it leads to better health, emotional well-being and mental clarity. Yoga is expressed differently in different cultures. In Hinduism, yoga can be seen as a practice intended to bring people closer to God. In Buddhism, since they don't perceive there being a god, yoga helps people gain wisdom, compassion and insight. In western nations, where there more of an emphasis on individualism, so yoga practice may be used more as a way to become one with themselves.

Yoga helps master the body, mind and emotions. It is said to slowly gain knowledge of the true nature of reality. Yoga can be a way of increasing one's spiritual awareness and insight. While the history of yoga strongly connects it with Hinduism, it is said that yoga is not a religion itself, but has steps which can help people of all religions, as well as those who do not see themselves as religious.

Common to most types of yoga is the practice of concentration and meditation. Meditators sometimes report feelings of peace, joy and oneness. The focus of meditation may change from school to school. Some say it's a focus on one thing and only one thing, like breathing for example and others say it's a void, or being completely empty. Another common theme is the spiritual teacher, sometimes known as the guru, or lama. The guru guides the student through yoga's discipline from the beginning.

Traditionally, knowledge of yoga and the permission to practice it or teach it has been passed down by gurus and students. The yoga tradition includes texts which explain the techniques and teachings of yoga. Many gurus write on the about it, either giving modern translations of texts, or explaining how their teachings should be followed. The yoga tradition has also been a good source of inspiration for poetry, music, dance and art.

Yoga has helped many people for hundreds of years to open there minds and start really living, in a less stressful and healthier life.

Yoga Explained

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga [http://yoga.tips-and-gear.com/]

Yoga Tips - How Long Should You Hold Yoga Poses?

Many practitioners of Hatha Yoga often wonder how long each pose should be held. During the process of holding Yoga poses (asanas), there is actually no definitive amount of time that should be applied to each move. The asana should be held as long as it is comfortable and does not cause any pain or discomfort. In addition, it should be quite easy to breathe deeply and fully while holding each Yoga pose.

There is a misconception that pain should be felt during these poses. However, it is best for the person, who is practicing, to only hold them as long as there is no pain, and they are fully comfortable. As long as your body is comfortable, the asana can be held for minutes at a time. In fact, for restorative purposes, it is recommended to hold the poses for intervals of 60 seconds, while deep breathing is practiced. Deep breathing helps open up the ribs and helps stretch the spine.

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Another way to determine how long to hold the position is to breathe in and out, up to five times during the process of holding an asana, but only if the position can be held without discomfort. Remember, the main focus is to be able to accomplish the pose while maintaining a comfortable position. Understanding safety during physical Yoga practice is vital to accomplishing these asanas, without causing any damage to the body. It is crucial to understand that Hatha Yoga is not a race, and taking the time to do the asana correctly is much more important than holding a pose for a long amount of time.

Yoga Tips - How Long Should You Hold Yoga Poses?

There are some asanas that are not meant to be done for minutes at a time. It is not always true that holding a pose for an extended amount of time is better. For example, the Peacock Pose (Mayurasana), the Eagle Pose (Garudasana), and the Crow Pose (Kakasana), are asanas that might not be executed for very long time, due to their ability to cause internal or external strain.

All of the meditative poses, however, can be held for longer periods of time, without any complications. For these types of postures, it is actually beneficial to retain the asana without needing to take a break. These poses include the Easy Pose (Sukhasana), the Corpse Pose (Shavasana), and the Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana). Asanas are meant to strengthen the mind and spirit, while toning the body, in a safe progressive manner.

Yoga Tips - How Long Should You Hold Yoga Poses?

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

Hot Yoga?

There are a lot of yoga types and one of them is the famous hot yoga. The hot yoga
is characterized by a series of yoga poses which is done in a heated room. The room
where you perform the exercise is conserved at a temperature of 95-100 degrees.
This kind of exercise gives off a lot of perspiration during a session.

Hot yoga is advantageous because it cleanses your body and gets rid of the toxins
inside your body. Since is makes your body warm, the more flexible it gets.

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When doing the hot yoga, you should have some accessories like your yoga mat and towel. Since you will be sweating severely, you should have something to wipe up
your sweat every other time.

Hot Yoga?

Some people who practice hot yoga do not wear very thick clothes because it causes
them to sweat more.

If you are going to practice hot yoga, you should be ready with your clothing. The
clothes you should wear should be appropriate. You can wear shorts during the
session.

Wearing of shorts allows your skin to breathe and give off heat. Students are the
ones who usually wear shorts. They tend to wear small clothes because they are still
vigorous and they sweat too much. If you are taking hot yoga sessions, make sure
that you drink a lot of water. If you are in the class, you can also bring along your
own bottle of water so that you can drink anytime you want. It is important to bring
along a bottle of water so that you will not get dehydrated and so that the skin will
produce more sweat. Before having a hot yoga session, you should take note that it
is not advisable to eat two hours before the class starts. This is because your body
is opt for a heavy exercise.

Bikram's method is such a good yoga style. People who want to be slim can practice
this type of yoga because their fats and cholesterol will be burned through sweat.

Although it burns your fats, you should not be burning all of it because you still
need some. Yoga started about 2500 years ago which was founded by Patanjali.
After it's discovery, it was then practiced and spread around the world. Picture
yourself doing Yoga when you are suffering from illness like Fever where your body
temperature is at 105 deg. Fahrenheit! I bet you couldn't stand this kind of heat. If
ever you will, you have over fatigued yourself.

At the compassion of the disagreement is Choudhuryís wish to put off anybody
teaching yoga in a heated room from calling their class 'Bikram Yoga'. He would like
to put to one side this title only for those teachers who are qualified by his Yoga
College of India and who stick to his arranged process precisely. This has been
handled upon because there are a lot of people who imitate his teachings.

Now that you have learned the difference of hot yoga among all other styles, think
again if it satisfies your desired to release your sweat and excess toxins. Remember
that in doing hot yoga, all your energy is taken away. If your body has not a single
energy to waste, then hot yoga is not the 'perfect' yoga style for you.

Hot Yoga?

Melvin has dozens more related articles and tips on doing yoga at his site: doing yoga [http://www.doing-yoga.com], check them out today!

Balancing Body And Mind Is Easy With The Help of Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga has been a very popular option for the people who wish to improve their spiritual health, body and mind since 15th century. This helps in striking a balance between these three components. The word yoga literally means the union or working together of mental, physical and spiritual health. It is very important for you to know about yoga asanas which are simple to follow and are beneficial for your health. The word "Hatha" denotes balance. It provides relaxation and rejuvenating to your senses. It relieves you from all types of stresses, worries, anxieties and tensions in life.

The yoga consists of stretching exercises, pranayama and meditation. With the help of this yoga, you will become more comfortable with yoga as it teaches you the most basic of yoga asanas. Anyone can practice this wonderful yoga like retired personals, house wives, public officials, students, businesspersons or and athletes. It makes you fit, active and healthy. It provides mental stability.

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Benefits of hath yoga

Balancing Body And Mind Is Easy With The Help of Hatha Yoga

Benefits of yoga have been very well known to the people for centuries. Practising hatha yoga has several therapeutic, preventive, mental and physical benefits. It heals the body and makes you feel peaceful, calm and relaxed. It improves blood circulation and provides oxygen to various internal organs.

Following are some of the major benefits of Hatha yoga:

• Flexibility: One of the greatest benefits of this yoga is that it provides agility and flexibility to your body. If you practice this yoga on a daily basis, you will observe an improvement in muscle joint mobility.

• Posture: With the help of this yoga, you can expect an improvement in your posture. Through this wonderful yoga exercise, your spine will become strong. Besides, this increases your stamina.

• If you are suffering through back or neck pain, then one of the best possible solutions for you is this yoga which you do using your hands. Stretching and breathing exercises will help you in overcoming from chronic stress and bad knees.

• Breathing exercises in this amazingly fantastic yoga provides you an inner strength to fight with different types of physical pains like shoulder pain, back pain, headache or neck pain.

• One of the most striking benefits of this yoga is that it helps you to heal several types of diseases like arthritis, fatigue, chronic, asthma, arteriosclerosis, AIDS, diabetes and obesity. If you are over -weight, then this yoga helps you to lose all extra fat from your body.

• It will boost up your metabolic rate and accelerates the digestion of food in the body. The chances of falling prey to health problems like diabetes, heart diseases and high blood pressure decrease to a great extent with the help of this yoga. The yoga also improves overall immunity of the system.

• This yoga is very good for the health of pregnant women. It saves them from several problems like backache, depression and overweight. It is observed that the women who try out hatha yoga can handle labor pains in an easier and better way.

Balancing Body And Mind Is Easy With The Help of Hatha Yoga

There are innumerable physical, spiritual and mental benefits of yoga. Hatha yoga makes you feel good and look young. It is the best way to refresh your mind and keep yourself away from health problems.

Free Yoga Exercises Routines

Who would not like to learn yoga for free? Just like everyone, you too would be interested in doing this set of free yoga exercises that are meant just for you! These yoga exercise training will instruct you on how to practice yoga; you just need to follow the instructions carefully and with confidence.

Ashtanga yoga is a series of different types of exercises which should be practiced regularly to improve an individual's health. Yoga increases the vital flow of energy and gives a peace of mind. The free exercises given below are nothing but different poses which need to be practiced correctly.

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Yoga is also a way of living life. It includes performing daily routine activities at a regular time everyday. Consider the habit of getting up in the morning. In yoga, the daily routine starts with having the a fixed procedure of practice everyday in three points; first, Japa meaning chanting some mantra over and over to maintain the same consciousness; second, study by reading some yoga scripts; and third, meditation which should be performed at a fixed time in a fixed place everyday.

Free Yoga Exercises Routines

The initial pose of these free yoga exercises should be the Corpse pose, and be repeated between other asana (yoga poses) and as a final relaxation. This pose looks easy and it's really good too. But it should be used for more than relaxing. You should use this pose for meditation while allowing your mind to gain strength and relax.

Start these yoga exercises with the warm up exercises to relax and prepare your muscles for the next exercises. After warm up you can perform the shoulder lifts the natural following exercise and the eye exercise, which can improve your eyesight and prevent tiredness. For the next exercises you can practice sun salutation which will stretch all your body muscles, this to prepare for the much more difficult exercises. Try also leg raise, which will tone your leg muscles, giving you more endurance and improved flexibility; head stand pose is also good for resting some of your organs such as heart.

Once you prepare your mind and body for more difficult yoga exercise, get going in the following manner.

Start with the bridge and plough poses; this will increase your back's flexibility. Initially, you may find it difficult to attain the final position. But with practice you will be able to reach this "asana". At first you will not be able to do it perfectly, but remember it's important to try to reach the perfect position and train your body to eventually reach the perfectly balanced position.

After this pose, try the forward bend pose to stimulate the nervous system. Then you can attempt the fish pose, it tones the chest muscles and lungs.

Next pose is called cobra pose. Women who suffer from menstrual problems can try the cobra pose, it stimulates the pelvic and lower abdomen area, improving the circulation and massaging the internal organs.

If you want to strengthen the lower back, then you should try the locust pose. Locust pose is also known to help prevent constipation.

The bow is another pose that will help your back area remain strong and flexible at the same time and abdominal fat my also be reduced if proper diet is applied. Furthering this yoga exercise you can try the half spinal twist pose for your spines.

Breathing is a very important aspect in practicing yoga. You can learn proper way of breathing and improve on it by practicing the crow pose. With this pose, you can improve your joints and arm strength too. Then you can try the hands to feet pose and the triangle. This pose requires your body's strength and flexibility.

At the end of all these yoga practice exercises, make sure that you perform the corpse pose to regain any energy that has been lost during these free yoga exercise and also to give rest to your body.

You can try all these free yoga exercises one by one and see for yourself which ones work the best for you. Once you know the poses that benefit you the most, just make sure that you do not overstretch yourself in doing those exercises and that you follow the same set of exercises regularly.

Free Yoga Exercises Routines

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Beginner's Guide to Bikram Yoga (Or Hot Yoga) - What to Expect During Your 1st Class

Hot Yoga, formally known as Bikram Yoga, has become increasingly popular in the recent years. It's a great way to improve your health and can provide a new and exciting way to get fit (or even lose weight) in the fall, as it starts to get cold outside. Being in a room that is heated to 95-100 degrees can be a unique experience to those of us accustomed to working out in an air-conditioned gym.

Preparation for your first Bikram Yoga class might make you excited and anxious, for sure. Will I be able to hold the poses? What if my breathing technique is not correct? What if I get light headed? What if the temperature of the room makes my heart race?

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There are some steps you can take in advance to help you overcome this anxiety & set yourself up for success with yoga, regardless of what your fitness goals are. You can make these changes as soon as you decide to try hot yoga & continue following this guide as you become advanced.

Beginner's Guide to Bikram Yoga (Or Hot Yoga) - What to Expect During Your 1st Class

1. Get Used to Drinking a Lot of Water Prior to Working Out. Imagine doing your normal workout routine in the sauna room. Now, imagine doing yoga in the sauna room (literally), where you are having to hold a pose and look past the sweat, discomfort, and breathing. If yoga is your thing, you will eventually learn to love this, but if you are a beginner than make sure you don't add dehydration to the list. Drink plenty of water before you try hot yoga for the first time and you will be rewarded with a fabulous feeling afterwards.

2. Eat a Snack Before Class. Having a piece of wheat toast, a granola or energy bar, a banana, or some other healthy carb before your workout will give your body more energy & keep the water from swooshing around in your stomach as you change poses. Some instructors will tell you not to eat at all, but Fit Girl disagrees. For the sake of your own comfort, a piece of toast is not going to ruin your first yoga experience. Besides, you will burn a LOT more calories in one yoga class than that toast would contain. Keep your light snack under 150 calories. Any more than that and the heat will make you nauseous.

3. Bring a Towel. You will sweat a lot, as you expected. Your body will also burn calories like crazy because it will use energy to cool you down and bring your temperature back to normal. This is where fat burning comes in - if you eat a light breakfast and do hot yoga after that in the morning, chances are you burned most of your calories sleeping and you have a low supply available from your light morning snack. So, as soon as your body burns off that snack, it will go straight for the fat reserves you have been wanting to trim. Voila! If you do yoga at night, than try to eat your carb heavy meal in the morning, eat light for lunch, and have a snack 30 minutes before your hot yoga class.

4. Wear Tight Clothes. Put on a comfortable set of shorts that hug your thighs (not running shorts) and a sports bra or fitted tank top. As you sweat, you want your clothing to absorb it quickly, so you don't have puddles all around you. You also don't want to worry about giving anyone a peek at your undergarments and as you take new poses, tighter clothing with the right coverage will allow you to focus on your workout instead of your garments.

5. Share Your Experience. Yoga for beginners can be more enjoyable if you are not trying it alone. Since the popularity of Bikram yoga has grown so much in the recent years, there are many beginners in classes all over the country. Chances are good that you are not the only beginner in your class. After your yoga class ends, you will have shared an amazing hot yoga experience with people whom you never met and if you don't bring a friend, you might just make one at the class. Be positive and outgoing - yoga is all about encouragement & motivation!

Side Blurb: Is Yoga a sport? Some would argue that yoga is not a "sport" but a lifestyle change, a fitness regimen, or else. We believe it is what you make of it. You decide what role yoga will play in your life. Whether you are using it in place of meditation, or if you are seeking inner body zen and peace of mind, or if you're simply mixing it up at the gym with a new workout, it is YOUR decision how you approach your experience with yoga.

Beginner's Guide to Bikram Yoga (Or Hot Yoga) - What to Expect During Your 1st Class

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Yoga Stretching Exercises Made Easy

Stretching exercises help attain a peaceful life with physical and mental well-being. In our daily life we need to do regular stretching exercise in order to keep ourselves fit and keeping away from muscle injuries and muscle stiffness. The stretching exercise should be simple, i.e. neither much more nor too little. Excess stretching exercise increases the level of blood consumption in our body. Too little stretching exercise makes our body stiff and reduces blood production and also affects the circulation of the blood.

In our modern lifestyle, we have become more sedentary and it has forced us to use the labour-saving machines. Thus we do not get much physical exercise as required for our sound living. It is due to our hectic lifestyle and increased stress levels and also lack of appropriate physical exercise.. To resolve this problem, there is an adequate method, which is said to be stretching exercise.

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To loosen up our muscles and increases the blood circulation in our body, you must become more flexible. It strengthens our muscles and also its ligaments, which ultimately results into strengthening our bones too. It also makes us physically and mentally more relaxed than as compared to other exercises.

Yoga Stretching Exercises Made Easy

Compared with other physical activities, flexibility is much easier and faster to achieve than, say, muscle building. It can be done at late afternoon or also in early evening and for the people who are not early raiser they can do it at first wake up. Warm-up of our body is an important factor for us to remember before we start stretching exercise.

During flexibility practices, we should always breathe normally and also relax at every stretch. We should not at once bounce on stretching exercise and also not stretch in excess and also too fast that our body can't bare it. However we must do it slowly and steadily according to our body stamina i.e. increase our stretch day by day. The most important stretches of our body are the back-stretches and to extend the flex and to turn around the spine also. We should also do the stretching of the backs of the legs, which tend to get tighten up.

Here are some simple flexibility exercises that make our mornings more relaxed and with fill the rest of our day with enthusiasm.

Calf Correct Foot Position

Soleus

Normal Stretch

Quadriceps Standing

Side Lunge

Leg Over

Fetal Position

Lower Back-Cat Stretch

Elbows Back

Shoulder Strangle

Bicep-Wall Stretch

Hand Down Spine

Chin to Chest Front

It is necessary to first warm-up before we start any flexibility exercises. If you avoid warm-up exercises, it could lead to be injurious to our muscles. Each of these above listed stretching exercise should be done by holding the stretch for about 20 to 30 seconds.

Lastly we can say that stretching made our life more simple and exciting as we become less lethargic and become more active in our daily routine work.

Yoga Stretching Exercises Made Easy

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Yoga - Best For Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Yoga increases flexibility, lowers stress, and increases your energy level. It is not about simply completing a stretch so that you can move on to the next one; yoga coordinates breathing with movement, allowing you to fully experience the stretch. Yoga is not only a physical exercise but a practice that creates a sense of well-being, relaxation and inner harmony. It will make your body more flexible, your mind more at ease, and will keep you looking and feeling youthful.

The word yoga means "union"; it is about the connection of body, mind, spirit, and planet. The combination of breathing and movement brings steadiness to the mind and can be used to awaken your energy chakras. The idea is to focus awareness on exactly what you are doing in the moment, to be mindful. You may find the link between the body, mind and spirit to offer a new area of inner growth and self-understanding.

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Some types of yoga involve meditation and chanting. Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body via physical exercises, or "asanas", controlled breathing, and the calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation. And traditionally, hatha yoga is used to cultivate the physical body in order to make it a healthy and fit vehicle for meditation and further energy work.

Yoga - Best For Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Hatha yoga primarily concerns itself with "asanas" or postures. The word Hatha comes from combining the two sanskrit terms "ha" meaning sun and "tha" meaning moon. As mentioned, Hatha Yoga is part of a system of yoga aimed at achieving total enlightenment. Ashtanga is a popular style of hatha yoga that incorporates a vigorous, and continuous flow of physical postures into its routine.

Yoga is a perfect workout program that's easy to learn, requires little or no equipment, and soothes your soul while toning your body. It both strengthens and stretches your entire body and requires you to balance the effort in your arms, torso, and legs so you don't overburden any one area.

Yoga is practiced barefoot, so you don't have to worry about special shoes and should be done on an empty stomach. Whatever the body can do in a yoga session is exactly what it should be doing. As you continue practicing yoga, you may find that yoga can lead to a journey within yourself, as well as a more toned and defined body.

Yoga - Best For Your Mind, Body, and Soul

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What Is the Difference Between a CYT-Certified Yoga Teacher and RYT-Registered Yoga Teacher?

While there are no set regulations on what level of training is necessary to teach yoga, choosing to pursue teacher certification, demonstrates a commitment to yoga. CYT certification reveals that a yoga instructor has pursued a certain level of education in yoga techniques.

There are many different programs offering certification to yoga instructors, and it is up to individual organizations to decide what the appropriate professional requirements are. Globally, there is very little regulation of yoga. There are some registries, in different countries, which work to set standards for yoga teachers and the public.

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It is important to understand the difference between being certified and being registered as a yoga instructor. You may teach yoga as either a CYT or an RYT. The difference comes from being registered with the Yoga Alliance after a certain level of training has been completed, according to their requirements.

What Is the Difference Between a CYT-Certified Yoga Teacher and RYT-Registered Yoga Teacher?

The Yoga Alliance publishes their requirements for the RYT on their website. As of this writing, they are the only recognized association in the United States that registers yoga instructors. The main difference between these two acronyms comes from the RYT designation, which is a registered trademark by the Yoga Alliance.

To become a CYT, or certified yoga teacher, one goes through an educational program with a yoga teacher training school. Certification is evidence to students that you have pursued an active education in your yoga practice. Certification, as a yoga teacher, allows you to teach yoga classes and start your own practice.

The principal elements of yoga: asana, breath, meditation, mantra, and more, are focused on, in certification programs. Additionally, learning to modify poses for beginners, knowing the fundamentals of posture and alignment, how to explain a pose verbally, and correct common mistakes, is crucial to becoming a certified yoga teacher.

Many training programs set their standards the same as the Yoga Alliance, so that when the certification is completed, graduates move forward and can become registered. Other schools are extensive in their training and offer certified graduates the opportunity to gain higher credentials, in other ways, to reach their training goals. They may choose to register after further teaching.

A minimum of 200 contact (face-to-face training) hours is required by the Yoga Alliance to be considered a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). The framework of these training hours is broken down into five categories of techniques, training and practice, anatomy and physiology, yoga philosophy and ethics, teaching methodology, and practicum. The aim of this program is to have a deep understanding of yoga, as well as a comprehensive ability in teaching others.

Holding CYT, or RYT, status is an indication that you are committed to Continuing Education (CE) hours to maintain the status. Continuing your education, as you teach, is the best way to grow, while adding expertise as a yoga practitioner and a teacher. Possessing a Certified, or Registered Yoga Teacher certification, will provide comfort about competency to students seeking you out.

Consider your training to become a yoga instructor as part of a lifelong learning experience, yet one that has steps and levels to attain. Much like any other profession that requires a progression of degrees, the practice of yoga instruction begins with becoming a Certified Yoga Teacher.

What Is the Difference Between a CYT-Certified Yoga Teacher and RYT-Registered Yoga Teacher?

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA - http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com - He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Is Bikram Yoga Safe For High Blood Pressure?

Bikram is said to have wonderful effects on people suffering from high blood pressure levels. It is believed to normalize the pressure of blood over time, which makes it an excellent alternative to medication. Caution should be used though by people suffering from hypertension when practicing hot yoga.

Hot Yoga has been proven to be quite diligent in responding to high blood pressure; at times it leaves non believer medical practitioners doubtful about their b.p. monitoring kits. Bikram tends to normalize high blood pressure within two weeks of practice. People suffer from high blood pressure when the arteries shrink in size resulting in increased pressure. Normally when blood pressure levels are equal to or above 140/90, it is considered hypertension.

Yoga

Hypertension can be caused by many common factors most frequent of which are stress, injury, obesity and excessive smoking or alcohol use. So how does Bikram help high blood pressure? Well the answer is quite simple, yoga lifestyle management tends to relax both the body and mind, by going through a range of exercises that reduces the stress levels which in turn leads to normalized body functions including blood pressure.

Is Bikram Yoga Safe For High Blood Pressure?

What to avoid:

When practiced with the correct amount of caution, Bikram yoga proves to be very helpful in decreasing high lblood pressure. Although hot yoga leads its participants through a series of 26 yoga postures, hypertension patients are advised not to engage in the following poses until their pressure returns to normal levels:

The backward bending portion of Half Moon
The Standing Bow Pulling
Balancing Stick
Cobra
The third part of Locust
Full Locust
The Camel

What poses to practice:

The poses of Bikram that are encouraged by instructors to reduce hypertension are listed below, but please note that you should always seek a doctors advice before practicing any of the following:

Easy pose
Shoulder stretches
Stand spread leg forward fold
Cat Pose
Half Spine Twist
Wind Relieving Pose
Double leg raises

The above listed poses are required to be done with a specific breathing technique called the Anuloma Viloma, which is also called the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. This way of breathing requires you to inhale through one nostril, retain the breath for a few seconds and exhale through the other. It helps in bringing down the heart rate, so it is the preferred breathing technique for hypertension patients.

As with any form of treatment or wellness therapy, it is extremely important to use common sense and caution while following your yoga regime. High pressure levels, if not monitored or treated correctly can lead to other serious health problems. So please always inform your instructor if you suffer from high blood pressure and be sure to rest during each set of exercises. Initially all hypertension patients should not overdo their yoga routine. They should start by doing only 5-7 counts of each pose in the beginning and later build it up to a higher count.

Is Bikram Yoga Safe For High Blood Pressure?

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

YOGABODY Naturals LLC is a yoga educational and nutritional supplement company aimed specifically at students of yoga asana. Founded by Lucas Rockwood in 2007, the YOGABODY community now includes over 10,000 students and teachers worldwide. "Powerful Yoga for Real People."

Are You Willing to Follow Eight Yoga Exercises For the Lower Back?

EXERCISES FOR BACK RELIEF

Many people believe that rest is best for a painful back, but actually, what your back really needs when it's hurt is exercise. Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury. This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. Studies have actually shown that you can heal your back pain faster and get back to your regular activities with just two days of rest. This article will focus on Yoga Exercises. Remember to contact your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

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YOGA EXERCISES FOR YOUR BACK

Are You Willing to Follow Eight Yoga Exercises For the Lower Back?

A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses will be most helpful in relieving back pain. It is best to do these exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, you should consult an expert. Even just one or two sessions with a yoga instructor can help, as an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here are some of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.

CORPSE: Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, arms resting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out for a few seconds while allowing any tension to leave the body.

CAT STRETCH: Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.

WIND-RELEASING POSE: Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale, return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.

SAGE TWIST: Warning for this pose-it involves twisting your back, so you should take particular care not to twist too far or you risk aggravating any existing back pain. This should be a gentle stretch; twist just as far as is comfortable. Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee. Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee. Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder. This is where you need to be careful not to twist too far. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat on the opposite side.

PALM TREE: Stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet. Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. Stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. Stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching part if you need to.

FISH POSE: Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side. Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.

LOCUST: Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet. Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain. Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.

BENDING FORWARD POSTURE: Stand up straight with feet together and arms hanging loosely along your sides. Breathe in deeply and raise your arms straight above your head. While breathing out, bend forward and touch your toes if you can. If you can't reach your toes, grab hold of your ankles or calves. To complete the pose, you should touch your head to your knees, but this may be too difficult for many who suffer from lower back pain. Your movements during this pose should be smooth, not jerky.

Are You Willing to Follow Eight Yoga Exercises For the Lower Back?

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Yoga at Work - How Sitting at a Desk Affects Your Body

If you are one of the millions of people who work a 9-to-5 desk job, you probably already know some of the ways that your body is affected by sitting still all day. You may have a stiff neck or back, tightness in your shoulders or soreness in your wrists and forearms. By taking a look at the way your body is shaped and comparing it to how you position yourself at your desk, you can alleviate tension and be a healthier, more comfortable and more productive worker.

The spine is naturally shaped like an "S" with your head on one end and your tailbone on the other. The top curve of your spine is called the cervical curve, and includes seven vertebrae. The shape of these seven vertebrae give your head the ability to move up and down (the "yes" movement), back and forth (the "no" movement) and around in a circle (what I like to call the "whip your hair around" movement).

Yoga

The middle of your spine is called the thoracic curve, and includes twelve vertebrae. These vertebrae are shaped to allow forward and back bending, side bending and side rotation or twisting. The bottom of the spine is called the lumbar curve, and includes five vertebrae with a more limited range of motion. At the base of your spine is your sacrum and coccyx (tailbone), which are made up of fused vertebrae.

Yoga at Work - How Sitting at a Desk Affects Your Body

When you sit at a desk, the three curves of your spine may round or compress. If you tend to lean forward in your seat or rest your elbows on your desk, you may be exaggerating the curve of your cervical spine and rounding your thoracic spine. This motion lengthens the muscles of your neck and back, and they become weaker over time.

If you notice that you lean your shoulders back and your stomach moves toward your keyboard, you may be exaggerating the curve of your thoracic spine, putting excess pressure on the back of your thoracic vertebrae.

If your monitor is too low or your keyboard is too high, you may slouch in your seat or hunch your shoulders to compensate, causing tension in your neck, back and shoulders. If your monitor is too far away and you have trouble seeing what's on your screen, you may be more prone to lean forward.

By noticing how you sit and making adjustments to your desk and posture, you can prevent future aches and pains. There are also many yoga postures that you can do right at your desk to stretch out tired muscles and create space between your vertebrae. If your back feels tight, a simple standing forward bend (Uttanasana is the name of the yoga pose) will help to stretch out your thoracic and lumbar spine. If you tend to round your back at work, try doing a seated version of Cat (Marjaryasana) and Cow (Bitilasana) pose right at your desk. These two yoga poses stretch all three curves of your spine and relieve tension between your vertebrae.

If you're interested in learning even more yoga poses to do at work, there are some instructors who will even come right to your office to give corporate yoga classes in a boardroom or empty office space.

Yoga at Work - How Sitting at a Desk Affects Your Body

Mariellen Brown is a New York City-based designer and writer. She is currently working toward her 200-hour teacher training certification from ISHTA Yoga in NYC and hopes to someday teach corporate yoga classes.

Bikram Yoga DVD - Learning the Basics in Your Home

Normally, in this kind of physical activity, there are studios that are designed purposely for it. The place is spacious enough, so that students will not look crowded during the exercise. But, learning Bikram Yoga can already be done in your home. You can now find Bikram Yoga DVDs out in the market. These DVDs are perfect for those people who have hectic working schedules.

In general, when you want to learn to do the Bikram Yoga, you attend classes. You will get a certain schedule of sessions that will fit into your daily schedule. However, if you happen to own a Bikram Yoga DVD, you would not have to go through all of these. You just have to watch it in your home, and begin to do it alone. In this manner, you can perform it anytime of the day. You need not to miss any class due to unavoidable circumstances.

Yoga

If you are still a beginner, the DVD is very useful. There are people who are hesitant to attend the class because they are still new to it. This is because executing the different postures of Yoga seems to be awkward if you are not used to them. If you happen to own a video of Bikram's method, you can try doing the positions in your home. In this case, you will not have any qualms performing them. You can even have a practice, so that once you attend the class personally, you do not look naive about what is happening in the studio. You already have the idea how it goes.

Bikram Yoga DVD - Learning the Basics in Your Home

Practicing Yoga in your home is an advantage to you. This type of Yoga is considered to be very intense. You expect the level of difficulty of the succeeding postures increases. Thus, constant practice will aid you in familiarizing them. You have to remember that, Yoga instructors can not fully focus on teaching all of their students one by one. They might be checking you from time to time but they do not give their complete attention exclusively to you. There is a need for you to learn the steps alone. This Bikram Yoga DVD will serve as your guide in learning the whole method.

There are a lot of shops that sell Bikram Yoga DVDs. These discs are very informative. They present other necessary links for a better understanding of Hot Yoga. They do not just show the different body postures, they also have Bikram Choudhary's life and his other related experiences. It shows the evolution of Yoga and the different methods. Songs that are played during the session are included as well. These DVDs come at a reasonable price. With all these features, you will definitely have no regrets getting one for yourself.

Bikram Yoga DVD - Learning the Basics in Your Home

Bikram Yoga Poses * DOUBLE YOUR FLEXIBILITY* in 28 days... 7 Secrets of Nutrition and Flexibility. Free 7-day email course at link above.

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

"Powerful Yoga for Real People" - Lucas Rockwood

Different Types of Yoga/Dosha Formed By Moon in Astrology

The Moon is the lord of sign Cancer, significator of fourth house and mother, represents our deepest personal needs and our subconscious mind. It is a universal feminine energy representing protection, responsiveness and nourishment in our life.

Imagination, character, religious acts and mental capacity are indicated by Moon. Blood, uterus, menses, stomach, urinal and breasts are influenced by the strength of Moon in the chart.

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The association/position of Moon with respect to different planets/houses formed different types of yoga /dosha causing auspicious and adverse influences in the life.

Different Types of Yoga/Dosha Formed By Moon in Astrology

Specific types of yoga/dosha formed by Moon:

Sunafa yoga: planet/s other than Sun is in 2nd from the Moon formed Sunafa yoga, this yoga indicates sportsman, self -made, rich healthy, equivalent to king, learned and egoistic person.

Anafa yoga: planet/s other than the Sun is in 12th from the Moon formed Anafa yoga represents attractive personality, wealthy, good morality.

Dudhara yoga: Planets other than Sun are in 2nd and 12th from the Moon is called Dudhara yoga. The native having this yoga in the chart will be intelligent, rich, having transport business, peaceful Family life and owing very strong personality.

Kendrum yoga: When no planets other than the Sun in 2nd/12th from the Moon than Kendrum yoga are formed. This yoga induces sudden loss, anxiety and stress in the life. Poverty, struggle, mental tension, melancholy nature, constant failures and inconsistent in activities are represented by this yoga.

Amavasya yoga: When Moon and Sun are conjunct in a same sign, Amavasya yoga is formed. Due to supreme power of the Sun Moon loses its virility and show its characteristics will drastically nullify. Mind and the mother are severely affected. The house the moon owns in the chart is also affected badly.Usually the native may have deep interests in literature and reading and have excellent writings skills.

Grahan yoga: When Moon combined with Rahu/Ketu, Grahan yoga is formed. This yoga offers hurdles and suffering to the native, the parents and relatives will also suffer. It indicates inconsistent occupation besides greedy and jealous nature of the native.

Vish yoga: Moon conjuncts Saturn in a house causes Vish yoga or poison combination yoga. This yoga destroys native's auspicious karma; it can make the native mentally and emotionally weak, he may be strict and discipline in nature and can be a good administrator.

Punaraphoo yoga: Any type of relation between Moon and Saturn in the chart establishes Punaraphoo yoga, which causes delay in marriage.

Chandra Mangala yoga: If Mars conjoins the Moon this yoga is formed. This yoga represents earning through unscrupulous means, a seller of women, treating mother harshly and misbehaving with relatives. Restlessness and fickle tendencies are shown by this yoga.

Shakata yoga:Moon is posited in 6th/8th/12th house from the Jupiter, Sakata yoga is formed. This yoga indicates a difficult life and fluctuating fortune

Amala yoga: A benefice placed 10th from the ascendant/moon formed Amala yoga. Represents compassionate and benevolent nature of the native.

Pathira yoga: Mercury in its own/exaltation sign placed quadrant to the ascendant/Moon, formed Pathira yoga. The native's educational achievements will be uncountable and he will get high authoritative position in his life.

GEETA JHA [SPIRITUAL HEALER]

INDIA

Different Types of Yoga/Dosha Formed By Moon in Astrology