Try Yoga and Get an Abundance of Natural Benefits

Yoga is enjoying a huge popularity across America and thousands of adults are discovering the multitude of benefits yoga provides for your spirit, your body, your mind. Why has yoga withstood the test of time for over 5000 years? Because it works.

Yoga, when done regularly and under supervision from a qualified yoga instructor, will offer you with substantial results within a few short weeks of doing it. Results that some people have claimed are the curing and relief from arthritis, asthma, back pain and bronchitis, depression, eyestrain, headaches, indigestion and insomnia.

But it doesn’t stop there. By improving circulation through the body, the heart is strengthened and oxygenation is enhanced. Medical professionals use yoga therapy to manage certain diseases of the nerves, as well as the heart and other muscles.

Over time, yoga can actually rejuvenate the body by improving your flexibility which, according to yoga principles, is a more reliable indicator of your age than the number of birthdays you’ve had.

You will also notice an improvement in your posture through yoga, because it helps strengthen the back, neck and shoulder muscles. It makes you more conscious of your body and the way it’s aligned, which makes you aware of your posture, improving it even more. The effect is that you’ll carry yourself with more confidence and will show a more attractive disposition.

Yoga shapes and tones your muscles. Many of the postures, or asanas, use your own weight as resistance; others enhance flexibility in your joints and increase your range of motion. The combined effect of these asanas is a well-toned body with increased stamina and lengthened endurance.

Yoga also helps you reduce weight and prevents obesity. The different poses stimulates the organs and glands and improves their functions. Your digestion will improve, your metabolism is faster, and your appetite will decrease.

Yoga is a very good substitute for an aerobic workout, believe it or not! When performing yoga, which usually lasts at least an hour, both your heart rate and breathing will increase. This results in increased oxygen intake and improved lung capacity.

So far, I’ve mentioned the physical benefits of practicing yoga on a regular basis, but that is not all. There are a lot more benefits to doing yoga.

Through meditation, yoga brings calmness to your mind and spirit while improving mental clarity and focus. You’ll find yourself able to concentrate better and sleep better. It’s easier to maintain more pleasant thoughts and keep yourself in a positive mood.

And it does not stop there! You become more aware of yourself and you’ll feel more vitality than ever before because your self-confidence has improved. Sex lives have been improved and credit has been given to yoga.

This is just an introduction to the benefits of yoga. The list goes on and on. Yoga is the way to harmony of mind, body, and spirit. The word yoga means ‘union’, and this is what helps you achieve union is all aspects of your life. You will only experience the benefits of yoga if you try and see for yourself.

Many of the exercises in my various programs have been inspired by yoga.

I don’t use them as is. What I did is I changed them to be more effective for the task that I want to accomplish.

One of this program is my Fibromyalgia program which has now helped thousands of people to take their life back and regain their energy.

Tags: Yoga

Breathing: The Essence of Yoga

Yoga has an extremely long history; over 6,000 years in fact! This ancient form of exercise is great for conditioning the body and the mind alike.

The practice of yoga is largely thought of as just the asanas (postures and exercises), but breath is really at the heart of yoga. Some have said “if you can breathe, then you can do yoga”. The use of breathing techniques to quiet your mind is one of the primary objectives of yoga.

By practicing yoga on a regular basis, you get to know your breath intimately. Not only will you learn about proper breathing , which will soothe and relax you, but you will bring your postures to life through the use of your breath.

Our minds tend to wander; thinking of the future and the past constantly. With yoga, you’ll train yourself to consider the present - where we are, where our bodies exist. The practice of yoga through breathing techniques helps you to draw your thoughts inward and release all of your worries and tensions.

Yoga can help to prevent stress and disease by letting you do this - letting go of these harmful, stressful thoughts, even for a short time, restores your body and mind to a healthy balanced state. Focusing on the present is what brings about this benefit.

Yoga teaches the practice of conscious breathing while doing poses - this fosters consciousness of your technique and greater mental alertness. By drawing your mind into the moment and forgetting all else, you will garner the benefits which yoga has to offer.

The following breathing exercise is a simple method of practicing yoga that will help you to let go of stress and balance your mind.

* Lie or sit comfortably and become aware of your normal state of breathing.

* Be aware of your breath while you inhale and exhale, counting to four each time. Do this several times.

* Next, make your inhalations and exhalations last for five counts each.

* After several rounds of breathing in and out for five counts, increase to six counts. Be conscious of your body at all times and don’t tense up.

* Continue increasing the count of your breathing until you get to nine. If you start to feel stressed, drop back down to a number that is more comfortable.

* Keep bringing your mind back to your body to check to see if there is any tension anywhere in your body. If so, attempt to relax that part of your body.

* Whatever your final number of breaths is, continue breathing with long breaths for several rounds, then drop the counting and breathe naturally for 10 rounds.

What you should learn from this and any other yoga breathing exercise is to still your thoughts and relax your mind so that you are conscious of your body. Over time, you will gain control of your breathing and you will be able to draw on its power to calm yourself during stressful moments.

Tags: Yoga

Origins Of Yoga

Staying fit and in good health has become a big emphasis in today’s society. Many forms of exercise have evolved in one way or another to fit the needs of those seeking to stay fit.

Not many people realize that yoga has many similar movements as ballet. Many people will begin practicing yoga for the flexibility advantages that it offers. Even though there are things that yoga has in common with other exercises, there are numerous other benefits to studying it. Its popularity has increased over the years in western society and is now considered the fashionable way to get into shape. It might seem like a new form of exercise, but it has actually been around for centuries originating from Eastern cultures with spiritual roots.

Due to Western culture modernizing yoga, much of the spiritual side of it is forgotten, and is viewed upon as simply a new form of exercising. In the beginning yoga was a spiritual practice, but the movements have remained the same. In the past, yoga was considered as a small piece of the puzzle, but today yoga is viewed the entire puzzle. The true meaning and purpose of yoga has been forgotten.

The origin of yoga can’t be traced exactly, but there is evidence of it beginning roughly around the same time when the seals of the Indus Valley civilization were discovered. Figures are depicted in the lotus position at around 300 BCE. The vedas were being written at about this same time which are the source of modern day yoga exercises. The culture of the Vedas created the ancient Indian obsession with yoga rituals and sacrifice. The importance of sacrifice is demonstrated in the yogic corpse asana.

It involves lying as if placed in a coffin, signifying death, the greatest of sacrifices. This is deeply meaningful, even though it might seem morbid today. The corpse pose meant that one understood that according to the Veda’s teachings, death leads to freedom.

The meaning of the word yoga can be translated as “union”, the joining of the spiritual and physical worlds. Versus 4:4, 13-14 of the Vedanta Sutras state that material possessions are not attractive to a free soul. The idea of this is to be able to liberate ourselves from material objects that only have meaning in this life.

In modern day yoga self-sacrifice is also possible. Through practice of stillness and asanas, our outlook can be changed. It will feel as though we are a part of the whole and we will discover that giving is the same as helping ourselves since we are all one.

Yoga, in the ancient days, was seen as a small part of a whole. Centuries ago, yoga focused on breath work and postures amid the betterment of the mind, body and spirit. But today, yoga concentrates more on postures and less on breathing. Yoga’s postures and concentration on breathing do offer tremendous advantages. The medical benefits of yoga include increase in flexibility and energy, reduces stress, improves muscle strength and tone, reduces depression, and improves balance and coordination.

Tags: Yoga

Is Yoga Improving Your Health

Yoga does not seem to command the same form of respect from modern day society as it once did in the past. It is sad that the beauty of yoga has somehow lost its brilliant luster, tarnished by the fast paced lifestyles of today’s globalization. The ancient art of yoga has been represented as a simple concept to help people gain a better understanding of the overall philosophy. The complex nature of its contents may be a little challenging for westerners to understand.

It is unwise to gain a shallow knowledge about a diverse topic and yet speak about it from an expert’s viewpoint. There is a tendency among the westerners to highlight only the physical aspects of yoga. There is more to yoga than the mere attainment of inner balance and serenity.

It originates from the Hindu religion and it is actually a part of the Hindu philosophy. Yoga as a part of India’s diverse culture and philosophy is actually a spiritual experience that includes some complicated physical moves. But the western world prefers to refer yoga as a mere physical practice. Yoga, with its strange looking symbols may seem mystical to the average Joe, but sadly, they are often misunderstood. This discipline is practiced as a popular sport. Additionally, people who desire inner tranquility would often find this practice to be beneficial and of course a lot of people have been attracted to yoga as a form of practice to achieve inner peace.

The so called experts in this industry have been quick to use these promises and people have been fascinated. Fatal errors have been detected in the practice of yoga outside of India, showing the level of misunderstanding among the western practitioners. A closer look revealed that these errors were caused by the cultural influence of each race. Apparently, the west is not prepared to spend too much time in meaningful contemplations of this philosophy, hence the resulting fatal error due to a lack of understanding.

While meditation is an integral part of the practice, the westerners with their ever busy lifestyles certainly do not posses time for such luxuries. The west seems obsessed with the desire to accumulate massive amounts of wealth and gaining power. Therefore, it is believed that the westerners will never reach the pinnacles of true wisdom dictated by the parameters of the Hindu religion. One needs to possess both time and patience to fully reap the rewards of a successful meditative session. Obviously, the people from the west have no endurance to fulfill such demands. Obsessed with the need to accumulate as much wealth as possible, therefore the thought of having to spend time in such sessions would be considered a mere waste of precious time.

Ironically, yoga has been implemented as fashion in the western part of the world. There is a lot of information going out promoting yoga as a form of sport. Fans of famous people who later become fake gurus are adamant about supporting their idol and his practice. The growing influence of this unhealthy philosophy is attributed to the disciples who are loyal in spreading the word about the advantages of adopting this crooked form of yogic philosophy.

Tags: Yoga

Boost Your Weight Loss Efforts with Yoga

Well known for its ability to bring down your stress level, promote flexibility and build and tone lean muscle, yoga is less known for its equally powerful effects for weight loss. You may not have heard yoga mentioned in this context, but it can be a great way to burn off calories.

Traditional yoga is not an extremely active pursuit. It works your muscles, but you rarely break a sweat just by holding a pose (unless it’s really hot in the room). But the muscle-building effects of yoga do allow you to burn calories more efficiently. So if you participate in a good aerobic workout, you will see greater results than you would if you weren’t doing yoga.

An important component of yoga is discipline of mind and body, which will help you stay committed to your exercise program and healthy eating habits. Yoga reinforces the link between your body and your mind, increasing your desire to look after your body. This is very helpful for people who want to lose weight but have trouble getting motivated.

New Yoga Varieties

If you are looking to lose weight through yoga alone, you may want to seek out some of these different yoga classes. Some of these are non-traditional, but will give you the benefits of yoga and cardio exercise at the same time. These styles of yoga include:

Vinyasa yoga - Vinyasa yoga is focused on changing from one asana to another while simultaneously doing yogic breathing. Sun Salutations are a common pose in Vinyasa yoga, but there are many other poses used. This style is sometimes practiced in a heated room to promote sweating.

Ashtanga yoga - Ashtanga is a complex style of yoga that includes six different series of poses. Each series is more complex than the previous one, so it’s important to start at the beginning and work your way up.

Power yoga - This is an Americanized version of yoga. It combines faster, more active movements with traditional yoga breathing techniques.

These yoga styles will give you many of the benefits of a cardiovascular workout such as increasing heart rate and working up a sweat, much more so than traditional styles of yoga. There is less of a conventional workout than say, an aerobics class, but they give you the best of both worlds. These are great styles for those who are a little too short on time to take two different exercise classes.

Other than being forms of exercise, yoga and aerobics seem to have little in common. But traditional yoga can enhance the effects of more intense workouts, and these newly popular styles of yoga can give you the best of both worlds. If other workout routines have left you disappointed, adding or switching to yoga might be the answer you’re looking for.

Tags: Yoga

Yoga for the Faint-Hearted

For beginners, doing yoga may seem an impossible task. It might seem scary for people who have not tried doing this exercise. They might have seen men and women wearing almost nothing and are able to twist their bodies to positions that seem almost impossible.

Yoga is among the oldest practice for self-development. Its approach is gentle, helping even the stiffest bodies to yield and become flexible in a gentle way. The key to yoga is the non-competitive way of practice. Progress comes with regular practice. It does not come from sudden exercises that force the body into intense positions even if it is not ready yet. More like a work out system, people who do this exercise have made yoga a part of their daily life.

The effects are noticeable too. Stronger muscles, greater flexibility and an inner calm cannot help but be projected outwards. Family and friends may not be able to pinpoint the difference but they will gradually notice that there is something different.

Talking about yoga, the stances are identified as asanas while the breathing is known as pranayama. Both of these helps the yoga practitioner relax the body and mind at will, increase the vitality and flexibility, and a calm feeling at times of crisis. Having a frenzied society today, one can go through the stress and strains in life having inward confidence and inner peace.

Practicing yoga with intent and focus daily brings mental clarity and confidence. This exercise can be done any time depending on the person involved. Early morning hour is the most suitable time to practice yoga. Some people experience achy and stiff bodies during the early hours of the day so practicing yoga may come later on the day.

Everyone, may it be young or old, can practice yoga. There are no limits on who can and who cannot. The most important aspect required is the desire and intent to learn. Disability or age may slow down the movement but progress can still be achieved even if the movement is minimized.

Ideally, it is beneficial for beginners to go to a class and therefore, experience expert guidance so that they know they have the correct alignment within each posture. The teacher will also explain the benefits of each posture and will show the posture in its early and more developed stages.

In some cases, like pregnancy, there are stances that are to be avoided. It is significant to let the instructors be aware of any illness or condition. This is to ensure the safety of practitioners.

The beauty of yoga is that it can be practice anywhere, at home, in the office, at a class, at the beach or even in the garden although some curious glances may be experienced. Whichever yoga discipline you decide to try and wherever you decide to practice, simply enjoy the sensation of working with your body, increasing flexibility and improving overall health.

Tags: Yoga

The Basics Of Yoga Equipment Defined

Yoga is a fantastic way to improve your fitness and health. It is a Great way to exercise and to get into your desired shape, if you do it on a regular basis. It’s possible to do yoga without getting any equipment, but it’s recommended that you get the things you need to keep you from injury.

Stretching and exercising on a slippery surface and be harmful, and can lead to possible injury. If you want to stay exercising longer then getting a yoga mat would be the right thing to do. They provide grip to keep you from slipping and also give you grip for balance. Depending on the size that you get, is what it will cost. An average size mat cost around $40.
(more…)

Tags: Yoga

The Art Of Yoga And It’s Amazing Health Benefits

The art of yoga is a rather tough subject to discuss today. Globalization seems to have vanquished the real meaning and purpose of this miraculous ancient art. To make it easy for the common man to understand, the whole philosophy has been reduced to a simple concept. In essence, the contents of yoga, in its entirety may be a little complicated for westerners to understand.

Western civilization may find its contents to be mystical and complex, thus finds it hard to understand. To be on the safe side, it is good to gain a thorough understanding of a particular subject before you begin to speak of it from an expert’s viewpoint. Yoga is mainly perceived as a physical activity in the western part of the world. The rich philosophies behind yoga practice have been reduced into a simple form of art that focuses merely on achieving inner balance and peace.
(more…)

Tags: Yoga

Sweet Yoga

Diabetes in various forms affects up to 5percent of the world population with 12 million diabetics in Western Europe alone. Of the different ways in which diabetes presents, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is probably the most commonly encountered genetic disease. NIDDM or Type II diabetes is multifactorial, depending also on environmental factors including obesity, sedentary lifestyles and nutritional imbalances.

At the Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded by biochemist Dr. Robin Monro in conjunction with the Indian Yoga Research Foundation, studies were conducted to measure the effects of yoga practice on diabetic participants. What they found was that practicing yoga for just 30 minutes a day helps reduce blood sugar levels and alleviate stress. It was expected to find the blood sugar level reduction because exercise can greatly impact the conversion of sugar to energy and insulin sensitivity. However, what was discovered regarding stress, the diabetic and yoga,was just as beneficial.

One of the studies conducted to cure diabetes was the one set up by the Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded in 1982 by biochemist Dr Robin Monro, and an Indian yoga research foundation which discovered that practicing yoga for 30 minutes a day for one month helped reduce blood glucose levels in some diabetics.

Yoga is just one of the exercises that positively influences diabetes. Regular practice can lower stress, reduce weight, lower blood pressure and increase insulin sensitivity at the cellular level. Yoga poses that assist the body’s secretion of toxic biocellular waste and maintain healthy endocrine systems have been prescribed to combat the symptoms of diabetes. Research conducted at the Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded by biochemist Dr. Robin Monro in conjunction with the Indian Yoga Research Foundation concluded that 30-minutes of yoga practice per day over one month reduced blood glucose levels in a portion of diabetics.

At the end of the 12 weeks blood sugar levels fell significantly in all patients in the group and were slightly raised in a control group which had not joined in the yoga sessions. Three yoga students managed to reduce their medication, including one man who had not changed his drug regime for 20 years.

After twelve weeks, blood sugar levels in the yoga group participants, as recorded throughout the study, dropped significantly. The control group’s blood sugar levels remained the same or slightly increased in comparison to the yoga study group. The yoga participants were successful in managing their diabetes through the use of yoga. Three participants reduced medication dosage, including a male who had been taking the same dose for twenty years.

While yoga is not necessarily a rigorous physical exercise, its benefits are undeniable. The stress level reduction component is of utmost importance, as well as decreasing blood sugar levels. In addition, maintaining healthy respiratory, circulatory, and endocrinal systems are essential to everyone, especially those suffering from diabetes. Yoga has been found to do that and more. It may not be for everyone, but yoga is another alternative for living a health-conscious lifestyle while managing diabetes.

Tags: Yoga

Is the Concept of Ways to Alter Consciousness a New Idea?

What is this whole idea of ‘altering consciousness’ that everyone is talking about? Is it becoming psychic, clairvoyant, or meditating until we levitate? Is it increasing our memory or improving our sleep? Is it a higher IQ and better test stores? Or is it just perhaps the ability to meet our loved ones upsets with a calm demeanor, instead of a snarl and a growl. As I think about it, I wonder if it is all of this and more. perhaps altering consciousness is simply shifting our entire way of thinking, acting, and being in the world so that it works better.

If all of this is sounding very new-agey, that’s because it is.
(more…)

Tags: Yoga