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Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Evokes Mental Release

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:23:28 +0000

Peaceful, serene, strong, relaxed, pure — this is how you will feel after participating in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. This ancient method is based around the idea of “flow” and connected movements.
Like most forms of this type of therapy, it’s not just a series of “stretches” or exercises — but rather, a combination of philosophy, moral code, meditation and healthy habits. Muscle definition or flexibility may attract athletes to a yoga center, but for others it’s that spiritual meditation of this therapy that entices — resulting in a calmer mind, improved circulation and more energy.
Through active, fluid movements, six different positions and specially timed inhaling and exhaling exercises, students of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga hope to reach a state of internal cleansing, mental clarity, strength in body and connectedness with the universal soul. By following the “eight limbs” of this type of therapy, outlined by Indian sage Patanjali Maharishi, students practice the following: moral codes, self-purification and study, posture, breath control, sense control, concentration, meditation and contemplation.
In the beginning of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, the instructor will help students master “external cleansing practices.” They learn about morality and study, while practicing specific postures and breathing. Instructors help beginners find the correct positions and inspire students to live a just and moral existence.
Next, after days of mastering the proper poses and gaining strength, students will learn to control their minds. Through posture, breathing and focusing, the practice purifies the body, nervous system and mind over time.
In practice, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga involves six specific postures (otherwise known as “asanas”) that are always completed in the same order. In the opening asana, there are ten standing “Sun Salutations” or “The Primary Series,” which is intended to align and detoxify the body.
The “Intermediate Series” works on the nervous system by opening and clearing internal energy pathways. “The Advanced Series A, B, C and D” helps students achieve maximum flexibility, strength, definition and humility. Teachers emphasize the mastering of each level before moving on, with special focus and attention given to each step of progress.
The ujjayi (meaning “victorious breath”) method of exhaling and inhaling, combined with the fluid, dynamic asanas, heats the blood and generates a detoxifying sweat, or what is known as “internal cleansing.” Advanced methods of breathing techniques (bandhas) teach students how to “lock” or “seal” energy and redirect it to one of the 72,000 energy channels within the body.
To obtain maximum benefit from the asanas, learning to lock in positive energy is crucial. Nine different focus points seek to purify and stabilize the mind, facilitating concentration.
The spiritual and physical impact has roughly 16.5 million Americans practicing their “sun salutations” and “downward dogs” at their local studio of this therapy. You needn’t go to Mysore India to learn.
The yoga website can give you a listing of classes near you. Whether you’re looking for relaxation and spirituality or muscle-definition and a rigorous workout, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a great match.

Yoga Can Help With Parkinson’s Disease

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:10:08 +0000

First described as “shaking palsy” the disease that now bears his name, medical science has thus far been unable to unravel the cause or causes of most Parkinson’s cases or to devise a cure. Nonetheless, dramatic progress has been made in treating the disease, which is known to afflict about half a million older Americans, or one person in 100 over age 50. This figure does not include the untold thousands with symptoms of the disease that are not severe enough to prompt them to seek a diagnosis. But early diagnosis is important. Diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is based on the patient’s symptoms and performance on certain neurological and neuropsychological tests, along with ruling out other possible causes of those symptoms. Some cases of what doctors call Parkinsonism are caused by potent drugs used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses or they are a result of poisoning by manganese. Through medication, exercise regimens and tips on adaptive living measures, modern treatment can forestall or reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, allowing patients to lead full and active lives for years after diagnosis and often for the rest of their lives because most of its victims are elderly. The late stages of the disease, however, can leave patients vulnerable to pneumonia, blood clots and bodywide infections that can be fatal. Yoga has a major role in management of Parkinson’s as it has emerged as a beneficial alternative therapy and an ideal form of exercise for Parkinson’s patients because of its slow movements. Following the steps mentioned below could effectively help people with Parkinson’s: Concentrate on controlling your breath (Pranayama) as this form of yoga helps in moments of panic – such as feet sticking to the floor when walking. In this form of yoga, the mind is always alert. Few yoga exercises like back strengthening postures, lots of shoulder movements, breathing practices and some meditation definitely helps. One of the most useful forms of yoga used for Parkinson’s is Ashtanga Yoga. It works to strengthen the body and do increases blood circulation. Daily practice of yoga is essential since Parkinson’s itself does not necessarily weaken the muscles. Weakening of muscles is generally caused by lack of movement. Daily practice should be encouraged, but not enough to cause fatigue. Parkinson’s also result in the loss of movement of the facial muscles. Pranayama and other yoga movements could help in relaxing those muscles and bring in smile on the faces of the patient.

Lose Your Weight With Yoga

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:01:45 +0000

Are you tired of weight loss pills, surgery and dieting to reduce your weight? Then why can not you shift towards yoga which is a natural and safe manner to lose your weight. We all knew that busy schedule of life has made a gap between people to communicate and it is really very hard to find time for exercise that is so people are shifting towards diet-pills to lose their weight which is seen to have many side effects.Experts recommended yoga as a best solution for this problem because yoga tones your body in uniform manner. It can be practiced in any age to keep your body fit and fine.Yoga is an effective way from ages to maintain healthy body as it rid extra flab from body. Some of the yoga asana stimulating lethargic thyroid glands to increase hormonal secretions to reduce weight.* Bikram Yoga: It is a kind of yoga that most celebrities and athletes prefer as it helps to burn the calories to lose weight. Bikram yoga is beneficial for aerobic, cardiovascular and fat –burning.Bikram yoga is tough exercise as it takes your time to speed up. But slowly and steadily you feel relax of this kind of exercise. This exercise reduces your weight as well as your stress level. It helps to build self control, concentration and patience. * Yoga asana like Halasana, Paschimottanasana, Dhanurasana and Veerasana etc are specially meant for weight reduction. It helps you to reduce flab from your body.* Regular yoga asana of sun salutation (Surya Namaskar) helps to lose your weight. It is beneficial for lungs and also relaxes your mind.* Vaman Dhauti and Shanka Prakshalanaare some kriya’s which helps in weight reduction. Vamun Dhauti is known as the practice of vomiting water. It is believed that washing up of the entire track starting from the mouth to the digestive system whereas Shankar Prakshalanaare means conch cleaning out .In both techniques salt water is used to cleanse whole body system.* If you are a thyroid patient, you will abnormally gained weight then do Saryangasana and Matasyasana for checking hormonal secretion of thyroid gland. Sarvangasana means a pose for all parts of the body like lungs, heart and thyroid. Matasyasana relieves the stiffness of neck, spine, arch and your back.* Ashtanga Yoga: In this type of asana it focuses on synchronizing the breath with a series of different, complicated postures. Do this asana regularly and within a week you feel your body and mind to be healthy and strong.What you should not do: • Do not eat on regular timings at regular interval.• Do not eat carbonated drinks and junk food.• Do not break your routine of yoga.• Try not to consume anything between two major meals. Try to maintain a time difference of at least of 4 hours between two major meals.So for what you are waiting? Adopt yoga in your life style which is better solution for you to remain positive, active and stress free rather then doing dieting, taking weight loss pills, etc

Benefits of Yoga For Athletes

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:53:42 +0000

More and more athletes are turning to yoga as a supplementary exercise routine to fix the imbalance in their body and to improve their performance in their chosen field of sport. Whether you are a golfer, basketball, tennis, or football player, the mind body connection in yoga is an important element in producing peak performance.

Although proper breathing technique is the foundation of many sports, it is often ignored by many athletes. Yoga will help fix this lack of breathing skill and develop the correct breathing technique that is very much required in any game of sport. The integration of mind and body through correct breathing patterns helps to build stamina and endurance in an athlete. Proper breathing techniques also bring more focus and attention to the mind and sharpens one’s intuition. This gives the athlete an advantage over his rivals.

The various poses in yoga helps to build a strong mid-section and the different types of contractions of these poses and movements act as a form of resistance training to the typical gym-based workouts. But unlike in a gym, you can practice yoga outdoors without having to bring heavy equipment. Imagine doing yoga exercises by a windy beach with the sound of waves in the background, on a hill top with a great view and fresh air, or in a zen garden.

Frequent yoga practice increases flexibility and range of motion and the slow movements is perfect for athletes. Many athletes are already using yoga movements as a warm up and warm down routines in their sport. Athletes in sports field such as tennis and golf will notice improvements in their swing as a result of this flexibility of the muscles and joints. In any given sport, the addition of yoga as a supplementary routine training has been known to improve the performance of the athletes.

Most athletes are involved in some form of weight training and other resistance training that uses repetitive motions that only develop certain muscle groups, while ignoring others. That creates imbalance in the body. Yoga is able to fix this imbalance and help to develop the muscles that have been ignored through the contraction of these muscles in the various poses.

Yoga is also a good workout to relieve boredom in athletes who perform the same types of exercises year in year out by adding variety. It is also an important element in recovering the body from hard aerobic and strength workouts. The numerous poses in yoga can be done in a low or high intensity workout according to the athlete’s needs. Overall, yoga is not only important in bringing in more strength, balance and flexibility to an athlete, but also brings more alertness, attention and focus that is so much needed by athletes in their very competitive world.

The Benefits of Yoga In Sports

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:46:11 +0000

The use of yoga as a supplementary exercise routine can improve the performance of any sport. Yoga is the catalyst that gives a sports player or an athlete that extra edge against the competition. The benefits of yoga in sports have been documented and attested by successful athletes and sportsmen.

In yoga, the different postures coordinate the breath with the movements and by holding the postures, the various muscles of the body are stretched and strengthened. These postures are an ideal complement to other forms of exercise, such as jogging, running, and cycling as they systematically work all the major muscle groups at the neck, back, shoulders, hips, hands, feet and even ankles.

Yoga postures affect the major and minor muscle groups as they increase flexibility and import strength. Sustained stretching and contraction of the muscle groups in the postures and the deep breathing involved help to send oxygen to the cells in the body.

Muscular strength and stamina is what most sport activity builds and often in specific areas of the body. This imbalance in muscular development can be solved with yoga as it enables the mind and body to coordinate with each other and function more efficiently. Yoga will enhance the flexibility of the muscles and joints and as a result, the athlete or sports person will be less prone to injuries. Yoga improves and complements the ability of the athlete in any sport that he chooses.

An example of a sport that is prone to uneven muscle development is golf, where the golfer only swings in one direction using the same muscle groups all the time. Yoga postures stretch the muscles and ease muscular tension on the affected muscle groups while it regulates the other muscle groups that are seldom utilized in golf. The standing yoga poses also improves the golfer’s balance and flexibility.

For cyclists, the yoga back postures can relieve stiffness of the back that is bent over the handle bars when cycling for long periods of time. Stretching poses also help to ease the stiffness in the legs and shoulders of the cyclist. Doing light yoga is perfect before and after a cycling event as a warm-up and warm-down routine.

Strenuous sports such as tennis and racquet ball can benefit with yoga as well as it enables the players to be more focused and alert as the sport requires fast reactions to the ball. The flexibility and mobility of the hips and shoulders are crucial in the success of the game and yoga certainly can improve in these departments.

The benefits of yoga in sports cannot be ignored. Its mind and body connection brings more focus, attention, flexibility, mobility, energy and strength which is very much needed to stay ahead of the competition.

Yoga Classes For Yoga Beginners

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:03:06 +0000

Yoga is fast becoming the most popular fitness activity in this recession period. People affected by the current economy, are looking to yoga classes for fast relief of their stressful conditions. It is no wonder then that yoga studios are doing a brisk business in accepting more and more yoga beginners into their programs.

Before you embark on a ‘yoga for beginners’ program, be aware of your fitness level, health condition and physical limitations. Let the yoga instructor know of your condition because he or she is able to offer corrections and make modifications if you are not doing the yoga poses correctly. The instructor is also able to help you in getting a deeper experience from a yoga pose so that you will gain more results.

The great thing about yoga is that unlike any other sport or fitness program, you are not competing with any other participants but yourself. You are only concentrating on your own body and listening to it as it responds to the challenges you are putting it through. Your body will communicate with you through feelings of pain or pleasure, and you respond to this feedback from your body by doing the yoga postures correctly.

Breathing is an important element in yoga as it corresponds with each pose or posture. As a beginner you need to practice the art of breathing correctly as it helps you to get relaxed and move you deeper into each pose for a positive experience. You can actually direct your breathing to any spot on your body where there is tension and feel the effects as the feelings of tension is being released.

It is important too that you do not eat a heavy meal before the commencement of each yoga session. However, water is essential to keep yourself from being dehydrated.

If you are excited about learning yoga but are not able to find a class in your area, you may want to get your hands on an instructional yoga DVD which is widely available on the internet. The great thing about these yoga DVDs is that they come with online support so you will have assistance should you have questions later.

I have known of a group of women who pooled their resources together to purchase a set of yoga DVDs and conduct a yoga session for themselves every weekend in their homes. Doing with a group is fun as you can look out for each other if one participant is not doing it correctly. This not only makes for a good social activity but a healthy one too.

Yoga Benefits And Type For Good Health

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:50:28 +0000

Yoga through deliberation machinery remarkably to accomplish harmony and helps the mind labor in management with the body. How often complete we get back with the aim of we are unable to play our activities correctly and in a satisfying behavior for the reason that of the confusions and conflicts in our mind weigh down violently in the lead us?Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years, because historically people have known the benefits of yoga. It is important, however, to remember that there are more than 10 different styles of yoga that are most most popular, and each style has its own identity with respect to the benefits you might expect to see from their practice. I have created numerous articles describing yoga for beginners which you can search for to explain these differences, but this article is written to expound on what yoga can do for you.Have you ever noticed that doctors and medical personnel tell mothers that are giving birth to breathe deeply? Or maybe you’ve noticed that coaches tell athletes that are injured on the field to take deep breaths? That’s because when you take deep breaths your body releases endorphins. Endorphins are your body’s way of fighting pain.Like in any other activities, music plays a vital role in yoga practice and meditation. There are many forms of yoga like Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Viniyoga, Anusara Yoga , Ananda Yoga and many others. Each forms of yoga has their distinct respective utilities. In the spheres of yoga practice, the sound, when coupled with tone and rhythm, have a strong effect on mind and the body of the listener. The mantras, when chanted, create a rhythm that reaches a higher state of self consciousness. The mantra music is a strong non-verbal means of communication. It tunes the mind to non-ordinary levels of perception. The sounds and tones incorporated in a yoga music are not merely agglomeration of words. Rather, every chants and hymns contribute to create a calming ambiance, allowing one to relax. The different kinds of music has the ability to create different moods but the music which creates a greater harmony is apt for yoga and meditation. Meditation music seeks deeper into the hidden aspects of one’s being and enables the practitioner to reach the pinnacle of concentration level.The untapped energy or Prana within a human being can be awoken by awakening each of the seven chakras (Muladhara Chakra, Svadhishthana Chakra, Manipuraka Chakra, Anahata Chakra, Visuddha Chakra, Ajna Chakra and Sahasrara Chakra) through postures, movement, specialized breathing, hand gestures, body locks, chanting and sound. Full enlightenment of an individual is attained when the Kundalini energy reaches the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara Chakra). Kundalini Yoga strengthens and tones the nerves, glands and organs of the body and finally draws the mind and senses to an inward experience of deeper state of consciousness. Kundalini Yoga helps an individual to attain a feeling of bliss and awakens his dormant spiritual force.The main purpose of awakening the Kundalini and moving the energy from the lower to the higher chakras is to give the practitioner an experience of the infinite. There are two phases of kundalini awakening – Purification and Awakening. In the Purification phase, several techniques of hatha yoga such as pranayama, asanas and kriyas are practiced. In the Awakening phase, the kundalini energy starts moving up from the base of the spine towards the top of the head (sahasrara chakra). Awakening phase is marked by more advanced pranayamas, mudras and bandhas. As Kundalini Yoga practices and meditation helps this untapped energy to rise above, the practitioner experiences a distinct transformation within himself. He feels much more relaxed and less stressed.

Know the Importance of YOGA MATS while you exercise

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:41:08 +0000

Exercising has become today’s necessity to keep oneself Fit & Healthy! But would you exercise on a Bare Floor or would you select the Best Yoga Mats for you?Nowadays, Yoga Mats have become very popular amongst the other Yoga Equipments. Yoga Mats are in Vogue and one should spare some time finding the right and the Best Yoga Mat for one self. 1. Why Should One Use Yoga MatsYoga mats provide ideal support and cushioning between you and that cold hard floor. Support is provided for contact points like knees, elbows and hips, any place where you do not have padding.Good Yoga mats offer cushioning that is dense yet light-weight. The “sticky” texture does a fantastic job of keeping hands and feet firmly in position. The Yoga Mat also helps you characterize your own space. The Yoga Mat settles your personal domain. As a result it is crucial to know the different kinds of Yoga Mats. This is in order to give you an idea about which Yoga Mat will serve you Best.Yoga mats decrease injuries caused by slippery surfaces. Even a carpet can potentially become slippery and cause an injury, especially in a more complicated pose.2. Types Of Yoga Mats Yoga Mats are available in various patterns and colours. Each one has a different opinion and a view to select his Best Yoga Mat.Manduka Yoga MatsGaiam Yoga MatPrana Yoga MatQuality Yoga MatSticky Yoga MatAvoid using “PVC Yoga Mats” as they are not eco-friendly.The most desirable mat available is the “Premium Black Mat”. It is preferred by many serious Yoga practitioners since it lays flat on any ground surface be it grass, sand, carpet, or hardwood floors.80% of all Yoga Practioners use the “Sticky Mats”.The “Ultra Mat” is twice as thick as the Sticky Mat, but weighs the same. It is not as dense as the standard Sticky Mat, but does provide better padding for knees and ankles.The Prana Mat is a thinner, tackier Mat, with a textured surface that provides good traction. This mat may be too thin for some, but a perfect thickness for others since you can really feel the floor when practicing.A very thin mat which folds easily is the “Travel Mat”. These mats are not recommended to be used solely while practising Yoga.Nowadays, “Unique Hand-Woven Mats” are in Vogue for Yoga.• 3. How will you choose your Best Yoga Mat!Some use rugs rather than Yoga Mats for a firm grip. The best yoga mat for you depends on your age and the type of yoga you prefer to practice. Also your personal taste in colour and brand name will help you decide the Best Yoga Mats.An ideal Yoga Mat should: • Help you hold All yoga positions without feeling the slightest of discomfort. • Should be a 3-in-1: suitable for physical positions, meditative positions AND relaxation poses. • Provide you only a Sufficient Grip in case of yoga exercises. • Be sufficiently soft Yet Firm for meditative and other squatting postures. • Be extremely comfortable and snug for relaxation and lying down postures. • Have excellent sweat – absorbent properties AND be washable. • Be sufficiently large so that you don’t feel the edges giving you discomfort as you ease yourself. Be attractive to the eye and should make you WANT to use them.Your selection of the BEST YOGA MAT should depend on how comfortable is the mat which would make your practice Comfortable, Focussed and Unhindered.

Best Way To Learn Yoga: In Your Own Home

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:31:35 +0000

There is a tendency in people to think that yoga is just about stretching. Certainly stretching is an important part of yoga and it is called Asana. Be aware though that there is a lot more about yoga than you imagine.

All the misconception about yoga is due to the fact that when you go to yoga lessons in an environment of a classroom you have a very limited time to learn and perform yoga basic positions and other positions. It is a mission impossible for the instructors to be able to assist individually all the students. There is no time to explain the positions and make the students aware what they are doing and why. The other difficulty that the instructors face is the high levels of inconsistency in students’ levels and assiduity.

The great majority of establishments that offers yoga lessons are doing it more as a complement to the gym center. They are now offering yoga as a trendy way to lose weight or just to relieve stress.

Yoga has a lot more than just stress relief, a way to stretch or lose weight. Yoga is a science to take you to an optimum health and personal transformation. When you think that it can transform you into a better person emotionally and physically it is easy to realise the need to learn it properly. Respect your pace and take the necessary time to learn in detail the yoga basic positions.

The yoga online course is structured in a 3 week program that will give you a comprehensive and easy to follow guide to yoga basic positions. Three things struck me the most in this course first was clarity to show me what yoga is really about, the yoga basic positions were finally explained and showed properly and the results in my personal life became so obviously that I had people asking me what I’ve been doing.

Other advantage of the course is that you can learn at your own pace unlike in a classroom that you have to follow the group. This is a must because not everyone can perform the yoga basic positions at the same pace. Some people need more time to get to the proper position and sometimes you need to stay more in one position because it gives you the relaxation you need for that moment.

In the comfort of your home you will learn powerful positions that will allow your body to cleanse and purify plus all the techniques to stretch your body and stabilize your mind.

You will learn all about the foundations of a healthy diet according to the yoga principals.

This is an amazing program that you cannot afford to miss. It is a life changing course that will transcend your expectations.

A Leading Fitness Guru shares the benefits of Yoga

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:20:48 +0000

Mickey Mehta is India’s leading Holistic health and fitness guru. Having revolutionized the concept of Wellness, he has been associated with Femina Miss India, Grasim Mr. India, and various other Reality shows on TV, including Fame Gurukul, Channel V – Pop stars, and Channel V – Get Gorgeous.

He is the only privileged health exponent in India to be interviewed on CNN, CNBC and BBC and has also been interviewed extensively on almost all radio stations and all TV channels.

Here Mickey Mehta talks about the benefits of yoga:

Bikram Yoga: Developed by Yogiraj Bikram Choudhary and taught in 1,200 Bikram Yoga schools in the US, it is called “hot yoga” as the asanas are practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Chowdhary, the heated environment acts as a powerful tool to enhance self-realisation and helps the body tissues to stretch.

Iyengar Yoga: Developed and cultivated by BKS Iyengar over the last 60 years, this form focuses on perfect alignment and precise body movements. This style of yoga uses props such as bands and straps.

Ashtanga Yoga: Commonly called power yoga, it focuses on powerful movements such as push ups and lunges, which require strength and stamina. Ashtanga Yoga is appropriate for people who are already athletic and want to add flexibility, balance and concentration to their exercise routines.

Hatha Yoga: “Ha” denotes the pranic (vital force) governing the physical body, and the “tha” denotes the chitta (mental) force, thus making Hatha Yoga a catalyst for the two energies that govern our lives. Hatha Yoga harmonises and purifies the body systems and focuses the mind in preparation for advanced yoga.

Bhakti Yoga: This form of yoga relies on devotion and complete faith. The faith is generally in God or the supreme consciousness. The person interested in following this path should have a very strong emotional bond with the object of his faith and meditate till he reaches a state of self-realisation.

Kundalani Yoga: This system of yoga is concerned with the awareness of the six chakras or psychic centers that exist in the body. The basic method of awakening involves deep concentration on these chakras and forcing their arousal.

Sivananda Yoga: This system pioneered by Swami Sivananda teaches the five basic principles of proper relaxation, proper exercise, proper breathing, proper diet and positive thinking with meditation. 12 basic postures, relaxation, breathing, chanting and spiritual teachings are included.

Viniyoga: Its taught in small groups and on a one-to-one basis. It aims to develop a personal approach to yoga and also includes therapeutic, philosophical and spiritual teachings. It was developed by Desikachar who is the son of the late, great yoga teacher Krishnamacharya.

Karma Yoga: This system of yoga relates to daily activities we perform from morning to night. In Karma Yoga there is a certain philosophy to life and action. Its not what you do but how you do it that is significant. It’s a yoga of non-attachment and yet perfection in action.

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