Learn About Yoga

People have always believed that yoga can do more for your body than just keeping it fit and flexible. Research now shows it can help weight control, lower back pain, insomnia and even heart disease. Studies indicate yoga helps with weight loss and maintenance. In a study of 15,000 adults, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that those who did not practice yoga gained approximately 18.5 pounds more over a 10-year period than those who practiced for at least four years. There was also a study done at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. This study found people who regularly practiced yoga and meditation, exercised and watched their diet lost more weight than those who exercised, and ate a balanced diet, but did not practice yoga.

Additionally Yoga can improve your range of motion in your hips, reducing lower back pain. A study done at The American College of Sports Medicine, suggest that yoga increases lower back flexibility and decreases pain. It was a small study conducted on older women age 44-62. Persistent back pain however should always be professional diagnosed before embracing on any exercise program including yoga. Yogas backbends and forward bends may exacerbate some back conditions.

Yoga can also calm your body and your mind, which can help people who suffer from insomnia. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD., an instructor of medicine, division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School recently published a study. He found a half hour to 45 minutes of daily yoga practice with a focus on meditation and breathing, helped chronic insomniacs sleep through the night. The subjects increased their overall sleep by 12%.

Yoga breathing can help lower your heart rate and calm your nervous system. The breathing techniques can help alleviate serious anxiety and depression and reduce stress. Practicing yoga for an hour and a half three times a week can make your heart healthier in just six weeks. A recent study out of Yale University School of Medicine had 33 men and women who practiced yoga at that rate. This lowered their blood pressure and improved their blood vessels ability to expand and contract by 17%. Researchers believe the improvements are based on the stress-reducing benefits of yoga.

About the Author:

Copyright Diet-Newsroom.com, All Rights Reserved.

This article was written by Kim Black of http://www.diet-newsroom.com which specializes in diet, health, fitness and exercise topics.

Written By: Kim Black

Your yoga practice and the way you breathe are intertwined. You won’t fully experience the benefits of yoga without first learning how to breathe properly.

Different types of yoga practice call for different types of breathing, so it is important to note from the beginning that there is no one right way to breathe in yoga. If, in your yoga practice, your goal is total relaxation then your breathing should reflect that. This means long deep breaths meant to slow your heart rate and allow you to fully relax into the yoga pose. Here are a few tips:

* The diaphragm is where the breath originates in yoga and in everyday life. When you breathe in, your stomach puffs slightly because your diaphragm is filling with air. When you breathe out, your stomach flattens as your diaphragm empties itself of air. When you breathe, be sure that your stomach is moving, that you aren’t restricting this movement in any way.

* It’s important to relax every muscle in your chest, your face, your neck, your shoulders – even your jaw – in order to benefit from a relaxing breath in yoga. One way to do this is to clench the body part in question and then let go entirely. You may not even realize that your muscles are locked until you try to contract them.

* Keep your breaths smooth and easy during your yoga practice. Everyone breathes at their own natural rate, but becoming conscious of your breath does not mean controlling it in any way. Notice your breath and relax into your own natural rhythm.

* Breathing faster, in and out, is a natural reaction to stress or excitement. It stands to reason then, that relaxing breath in yoga should accentuate the exhalation. Breathe in naturally and make sure that your exhalation is longer than your inhalation and fully empty your diaphragm and lungs of air.

* Pausing between breaths will allow you to relax even further in yoga. No need to rush through your relaxation.

* When you breathe, feel the oxygen in the lungs and visualize it reaching every extremity, every toe and finger. Let your whole body enjoy the relaxing breath in your yoga practice.

When you learn how to breathe, you will find that it comes naturally in your yoga practice and in time, will continue in your everyday life.

About the author:

Stephen Kreutzer is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides yoga tips on 123-Yoga.com.

Written By: Stephen Kreutzer

People practice yoga for a variety of reasons. Many yoga practitioners are interested in the health benefits that come from regularly performing the routines. Others want a state of harmony between inner and outer self. Still others practice yoga primarily to relax.

A State of Harmony

The profound relaxation available through yoga includes a state of clarity of mind, and of harmony with and understanding of the world. If such a state of relaxation is your goal, you will need to use most of the yoga techniques available. Pay special attention to breathing, diet, correctly performing the exercises, and meditating.

The deep, prolonged breath one learns through yoga helps the brain stay oxygenated, which contributes to mental clarity. Diet influences the structure of our body as well as our brain. The exercises (called asanas and pranayamas) were developed thousands of years ago to produce beneficial results.

To have the desired effects, yoga routines must be carried out correctly. Poor yoga practices will likely produce disappointing results.

The Keys

Your attitude and your focus are the keys to making your yoga experience deeply satisfying. Entering the profound stage of relaxation and synchronization between your inner and your outer self can occur only with appropriate action.

Relaxation is actually a necessary part of every yoga routine. The body needs to relax after practicing the exercises, especially the more demanding ones. Certain asanas require an unusual positioning of the body, which can result in discomfort if the relaxation stage is omitted.

Bridging Worlds

Yoga connects the spiritual and material worlds, and relaxation is the bridge that brings the practitioner back fully to the present reality.

As a general rule, during relaxation exercises, you will lie down comfortably and meditate. Your yoga trainer will suggest ways for you to gradually move and position your feet and arms. Yoga routines may have different relaxation exercises, but they all have the purpose of cushioning the shock of contact with the surrounding reality. Relaxation also helps to maintain a certain degree of peacefulness created by the routine.

But talk is never enough. The only way to be sure of the relaxation benefits of yoga is to try it yourself. The only thing you have to lose is your tension.

About the author:

Visit Learn Yoga to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

Written By: Ron King

Yoga has simple and effective body movements that strengthen one’s back, firm the stomach, and redistribute body weight. Yoga exercises stretch and tone the body muscles. They increase endurance and improve flexibility.

Yoga Asanas or positions are the best among all exercises for toning muscles, lubricating joints and massaging the body. Yoga postures bring physical as well as mental stability, health and vigor. These Asanas were developed thousands of years ago and have evolved over centuries. They work wonders in keeping the body healthy and the mind peaceful. Asanas exercise the nerves, glands, ligaments, and muscles. In other words, yoga exercises are the most comprehensive method of self care

Although asanas are very powerful, the effect becomes dramatic when they are done the right way. The mind must be in harmony with the body movements. For this it is essential to equip yourself with the other tools of Integral Yoga.

The aspect of Yoga that most people are aware of is “Hatha Yoga” or the Yoga of Postures. Developing a strong, healthy and flexible body is but one aspect of this ancient science. Yogis revere the body. However, they do this because they realize that a weak and tired body is a hindrance towards spiritual progress. By being mindful of their breathing while they practice the various postures, they train themselves to discipline their minds. By disciplining their minds, they are able to abide by the principles which Yoga stands for. First amongst these principles is “Ahimsa”, or peacefulness in thought, deed, and action not only to other human beings, but also to all living creatures, and most importantly to our own selves. Remember this when you tend to push yourself into a forward bend! You will be able to do it over a period of time, just be easy on yourself.

Anyone can practice Yoga. You don’t need any special equipment, clothing, or lessons; all you need is the will to pursue a healthier and happier lifestyle. The Yoga Postures and Asanas exercise every part of your body. The stretching involved helps in toning your muscles and joints, including your spine and your entire Skeletal System. Yoga not only facilitates in improving your body but also aids in keeping your Glands, Nerves and your other internal organs in radiant health.

About the Author:

Yoga is for Anyone! Find out about Yoga Exercise at http://YogaExercise.ewhy.info

Written By: Amy A.May

In the ancient India, philosophy has been traditionally divided into two main groups. These groups are called as the orthodox group and heretic group. The orthodox group believes in the authority of Vedas in all the philosophical matters. These orthodox systems are six in all. One of the most popular systems of philosophy is yoga.

It shares the following common beliefs with the other orthodox systems: * Belief in the permanent soul, which forms the basis of life. * Soul is supposed to discard one body at the time of death and enter a new one at the time of new birth. * A strong belief in the karma, which states that the events happening in a person’s life are a direct results of the events in his previous life or lives (if the person has been born many times). * A belief that the life of an individual is primarily of misery and sorrow. * A belief in the state of complete freedom from misery and sorrow called mukti or moksha.

Yoga adopts the dualistic doctrine of explaining the universe of objects and living beings. It assumes that the universe was originally created by the uniting or samyoga of two eternal realities called purusha and prakriti. Purusha forms the basis of all the spiritual objects while prakriti deals with the material objects. Prakriti and everything that comes from it has three gunas viz.: sattva, rajo and tamas in various proportions and combinations.

Sattvaguna deals with all that is pure and holy while rajasguna deals with all the rich and royal qualities and tamasguna deals with all the baser qualities like greed, lust, anger, fear etc. The samyoga of the purusha and the prakriti is virtual. It does not exist but only the ignorant mind thinks it is real. This is due to the illusion called avidya and binds the purusha and causes him to transmigrate from one body to another in the various births. Once the avidya is dispelled completely, one can break free from the cycle of bith and death and can achieve moksha. This is easily achieved by following the eightfold path given by Patanjali in his Yogasutras.

About the author:

Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz it is a place to find all about , yoga,importance of yoga and meditation technique through Mantra Yoga. Yoga is one of the orthodox branches of Indian philosophy that accepts Vedas as the originator

Written By: Kevin Pederson

When it comes to promoting relaxation and reducing stress, nothing beats yoga. Unfortunately this isn’t the case for everyone. Most people who quit yoga think they fail because they are unable to get the positions and technique right. In fact, the reason they fail is that they put too much importance on getting the positions and technique right. I do not profess to be a master of yoga. In fact, I am a beginner, with very little skill. However I have taught drumming for many years, and the pitfalls are similar. Here is my advice for yoga beginners.

Week 1 – Enjoy the activity:

Grab a beginner yoga video and set up your mat in a place that you can be comfortable and alone (there’s no room for self-consciousness in this step). Go through the exercises, but act as though you are a six year old having fun, rather than an adult worrying about technique. Try all of the positions, don’t worry if there are some you can’t perform right away, modify as necessary.

Week 2 – Examine the sensations:

By this time your body has probably memorized the routine (if you have been having fun and not obsessing about technique, your body will have learnt the movements quickly). Try to concentrate on your breathing. Be aware of how oxygen and energy are flowing to, from, and through the various body parts. Feel the release of tension and sensations in your muscles.

Week 3 and beyond – Observe the instructor

Most likely you have been improving your technique throughout, without even trying. You have probably figured out which yoga exercises are the easiest for you, and which are more difficult. Concentrate on the position you are most comfortable with. You are most likely so at ease with this position that you don’t even have to think about it anymore. The breathing and motions should be second nature by now, so you can begin to observe and emulate details in the instructor’s technique. Continue this step for each exercise.

Many people will try to learn yoga, and other activities, by only using the method I explained in week three. Many instructors are guilty of teaching this way. Unfortunately, beginners who start by obsessing about their technique may never enjoy what is described in week 1 or week 2.

About the Author

Mark Altman is the webmaster of www.soundsleeping.com, a web page containing free relaxing music, sleep-aids, relaxation advice, stress reducing tips and an active discussion.

Written By: Mark Altman

The ancient book of Gita, which is the treatise on the living has led a great stress on the karma. Karma is defined as the action and its fruits. Ancient Hindu saints have believed that a man’s life is the direct result of his karma. Good thoughts, words and deeds lead to good and happy life while bad thoughts, words and deeds lead a person to disaster. This has been postulated in the 18th century by Isaac Newton, who gave his law as “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

The branch of yoga that deals with karma is called as the karma yoga. Usually you are bound by the cravings and desires associated with your act but you can free yourself by doing the act but dissociating yourself from its consequences. This is the basic concept behind karma yoga and the person who follows this path is known as karma yogi. His behaviour is of indifference and while the world may think he is not interested, in reality he has mastered his desires and has developed awareness of the real significance of the events that occur around him.

This yoga involves doing your duty without any reservations but is free of the cravings of the results that are obtained from the act. This attitude is difficult to acquire because we are taught to hanker after the fruits of the labour and any failure to obtain the desired results leads you to frustration and negative thinking. Also, constant attachment to the results leads you to stress, competition and aggressiveness. This has led to increased incidences of stress, diabetes, depression, heart ailments and suicides and has led many youngsters to use drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. Hence following the teaching of Krishna in Gita, wherein he advises Arjun: “You are entitled to an action but not its fruits” will lead you to a happy and stress free life.

A karma yogi realizes this and hence he follows the path of detachment. But this does not make him dull or inefficient. On the contrary, he channelizes his entire energy into the tasks at hand with complete vigour as his energy is not dissipated and gives it a best shot. Hence the results of his actions are the best and he gets good fruits. He does not run after pleasure but pleasure follows him. This makes him a pleasant person to be around and thus enjoys success in his life.

About the author:

Kevin Pederson is the webmaster of Yogawiz, that provides information on Yoga and Karma . Karma Yoga is another powerful yoga, where the action is done without expectation of fruits which leads to greater success and happiness in one’s life

Written By: Kevin Pederson