Learn About Yoga

In the West, the word Yoga is often used to convey the idea of a union between the mind and body, justifying the practice of some forms of Yoga solely for physical and mental benefits.

Yoga is more accurately translated as “Union of the individual’s atma (loosely translated to mean soul) with Paramatma (the Universal soul).” This may be understood as union with the Divine by integration of body, mind, and spirit. Thus, in essence, one who attempts yoga may loosely be referred to as a yogi or in Sanskrit, a yogin (masculine) or yogini (feminine). These designations are actually intended for advanced practitioners, who have already made considerable progress along the path towards yoga.

Diversity of Yoga

Over yoga’s long, different schools have arisen and there are many instances of sub-divisions and synthesis. Often, each form of yoga is referred to as a “path” (not necessarily in isolation) to enlightenment. So, yoga may include components of love & devotion (as in Bhakti Yoga), selfless work (as in Karma Yoga), knowledge & discernment (as in Jnana Yoga), or an eight-limbed system of disciplines that concentrates on meditation (as in Raja Yoga). They aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive. (A person who follows the path of selfless work may well also cultivate some knowledge and devotion.) Some people (particularly in Western cultures) pursue Hatha yoga as exercise divorced from spiritual practice.

Other types of yoga include Mantra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Integral Yoga, Nitya Yoga, Maha Yoga, Purna Yoga, Natya Yoga, Anahata Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Tibetan Yoga, Sahaja Yoga etc.
It is often helpful to check with the teacher to double check how these terms are being used/interpreted.

In the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions, the spiritual goals of yoga are seen as inseparable from the religions of which yoga forms a part. Some yogis make a subtle distinction between religion and yoga, seeing religion as more concerned with outward culture, values, beliefs and rituals; and yoga as more concerned with inner Self-Realization, i.e., direct perception of the ultimate truth. In this sense, religion and yoga are complementary.

Common Themes

Most forms of yoga involve the practice of concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana). Your awareness is concentrated on one particular point of sensation (such as that of your breath entering and leaving your nose). Sustained single-pointed concentration gradually leads to meditation (dhyana), in which the inner feelings are able to develop and fuse with something vast. Meditators sometimes report feelings of peace, joy, and oneness.

Knowledge of yoga – as well as consent to practice or teach it–has been customarily passed down through initiatory chains of gurus and their students. This is called guruparampara.

Notable Yogis

Many people have effected the practice of yoga, and spread awareness of yoga throughout the whole world.

Centuries ago, such individuals included Meera from the Bhakti tradition, Shankaracharya from the Jnana Yoga tradition and Patanjali, who formalized the system of Raja Yoga..

In the late 1800s, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a Bhakti Yogi, brought about a rebirth of yoga in India. A devotee of Mother Kali and a teacher of Advaita Vedanta, he preached that “all religions lead to the same goal.”

The noted Indian author Sri Aurobindo translated and interpreted Yogic scriptures, such as the Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita. His epic poem Savitri is a treasure of Hindu Yogic literature, among the longest poems ever written in English. He also founded Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, which continues to propagate the practice of Integral Yoga, which is Aurobindo’s synthesis of the four main Yogas (Karma, Jnana, Bhakti and Raja).

Other Indian yogis who inspired their countrymen include Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Sivananda who authored over 300 books on yoga and spirituality.

Gopi Krishna was a Kashmiri office worker and spiritual seeker who wrote best-selling autobiographical accounts of his spiritual experiences.

Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna’s disciple, is well known for introducing Yoga philosophy to many in the West, as well as reinvigorating Hinduism in a modern setting during India’s freedom struggle.

Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), founder of the Divine Life Society lived most of his life in Rishikesh, India. He wrote an impressive 300 books on various aspects of Yoga, religions, philosophy, spirituality, Hinduism, moral ethics, hygiene and health. He was a pioneering Yogi in bringing Yoga to the west and throughout the world. He was clear, simple and precise in all his teachings. His motto being: “Serve. Love. Give. Meditate. Purify. Realise.”

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), a practitioner of Kriya Yoga, taught Yoga as the binding force that reconciled Hinduism and Christianity. Yogananda founded the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles, in 1925. His book Autobiography of a Yogi continues to be one of the best-selling books on yoga.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada popularised Bhakti Yoga for Krishna in many countries through his movement, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, (popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement) which he founded in 1966. His followers, known for enthusiastic chanting in public places, brought Bhakti Yoga to the attention of many westerners.

In 1955, the socio-spiritual organization Ananda Marga (the path of bliss) was founded by P.R. Sarkar also known as Shrii Shrii Anandamurti. Based on tantric yoga, his teaching emphasizes social service in the context of a political, economic and cultural theory; or “self-realization and service to all.”

Also during this period, many yogis brought greater awareness of Hatha yoga to the west. Some of these individuals include students of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who taught at Mysore Palace from 1924 until his death in 1989; these students include Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar, Indra Devi and Krishnamacharya’s son T.K.V. Desikachar.

We are pleased to offer these FREE excerpts from the groundbreaking alternative healing book “Yoga for Health and Healing.”

INTRODUCTION

Kundalini yoga is an amazing tool for recovery from physical ailments and for maintaining the body in good health. You will find in this article:

A healthy, safe alternative to Viagra, which can help you achieve a satisfying sex life,

A technique that can help you pull out of depression and have a happy emotional life,

An exercise to open the heart to the love that is the source of our being,

And a technique to experience the miraculous wellspring of divine kundalini energy that lies waiting to be tapped in each of us.

Please note that the information below is not intended to be a replacement for competent medical care. The directions stated are not intended as a prescription for any mental or physical ailments, nor does the information claim treatment or cure for any problems.

KUNDALINI ENERGY

Kundalini energy is experienced when the energy of the glandular system combines with that of the nervous system to create such a sensitivity that the brain as a whole receives signals and integrates them. The autonomic and voluntary nervous systems come under conscious control, allowing a person to become completely aware of himself and his environment. The kundalini energy is the creative potential of everyone; in its experience lies the realization of that potential.

Some say that mankind once lived in total God-consciousness. Between man and God there was no difference, except that man was manifest on this earth and God was unmanifest. Then man turned from God-consciousness to maya, the illusion of the senses, so God separated man’s consciousness into two halves. One half man uses to live his earthly life, but the higher consciousness remains sleeping until man evolves far enough to be able to use it again. The story of Adam and Eve might be said to represent this fall from grace, the garden of Eden being a state of total awareness, the apple representing maya, and the serpent representing kundalini, divine knowledge.

In fact, the kundalini energy has often been called “serpent power,” a name whose sinister implications hardly do justice to the benign reality of this energy field. The yogis of India regard it as the embodiment of “Adi Shakti,” the primal creative power. It is the energy that developed us, gave us the shape we have, and brought us on earth. It is pure energy, without residue. The word itself is sometimes translated “coil of the beloved’s hair.” In its dormant state, it lies coiled at the base of the spine.

In a functional sense, all that needs to be done to activate the kundalini is to uncoil this energy and connect it with the pineal gland at the top of our heads, which after a child reaches 8 years of age normally ceases to secrete fully. When that master gland, the “seat of the soul,” taps the energy of the kundalini, it will begin to secrete as it did when we were young. This is the state called “kundalini risen”; some call it enlightenment.

AWAKENING THE KUNDALINI

The process by which this unfolding occurs is complex. The kundalini will not awaken and rise until two energies are integrated and balanced. These two forces are apana and prana. Apana is an eliminating force; it affects functions operating on both gross and subtle levels in the body to expel negative energy and waste. In reference to the process of raising the kundalini, it might be considered the “vital air” below the navel.

Prana is the “vital air” above the navel. The life force penetrating every atom of our form, and indeed, of the universe, is stored in our bodies at the eighth thoracic vertebra, the part of the spine located near the bottom edge of the shoulder blades. This pranic center, by means of the ‘pranic nerve,’ enervates the U-shaped muscle responsible for autonomic nervous system function — heartbeat, movement of the diaphragm, responses beyond our conscious control. The ancient yogis could create pranic energy reservoirs at the “pranic cavity” and live on that reserve.

To stimulate the kundalini, one must inhale and hold the breath, directing prana down to the navel point. Then one exhales and “holds the breath out” (i.e., refrains from inhaling), drawing apana up from the base of the spine to the navel point. When prana and apana meet and unite, a tremendous “white heat” or “tapa” is created at the navel point. The combined energies are often described as the filament of sushumna (“silver cord”), a nerve current or “nadi” thought by some to correspond to the governor vessel meridian of Chinese medical theory, and by others to correspond to the central nervous system of Western medical theory. When the energies combine, this sushumna lights up like the filament in a light bulb suddenly plugged into its source of electric power. Responding to breath control and mental direction, the integrated energies depart the navel point and descend to the base of the spine, where they stimulate the dormant kundalini. Further breath control and the appl!
ication of the will cause the force to rise, along with the kundalini power, charging the higher centers of consciousness, the chakras. In this way a person’s energy can be transmuted into higher forms.

Well, that’s the theory of kundalini yoga. Now here are a few excerpts describing practical applications of this theory:

IMPROVING SEXUAL POTENCY: A YGOIC ALTERNATIVE TO VIAGRA

Stand with the right leg bent forward enough so that the toes can’t be seen over the knee. The left leg is straight back, with the foot flat on the floor at a 45 degree angle to the front foot. Extend the right arm straight out in front of you, parallel to the floor. Make a fist as if grasping a bow. Pull your left arm back as if pulling a bowstring back to the shoulder. Create a tension across the chest.

Face forward. Fix the eyes above the front fist to the horizon.

Hold the position for 3 to 5 minutes, then switch legs and arms and repeat.

DEALING WITH DEPRESSION

Sit with a straight spine in a comfortable, cross-legged position, or sit in a chair with your spine straight and your feet on the floor. Arms are extended straight out in front of you, parallel to the floor. Close your right hand into a fist. Wrap the fingers of your left hand around your right-hand fist. The bases of the palms touch. The thumbs are close together and are pulled straight up. The eyes are focused on the thumbs.

Now inhale for 5 seconds (do not hold the breath in); exhale for 5 seconds; hold the breath out for 15 seconds. Continue.

Start with 3 to 5 minutes and work up to 11 minutes. Build up the time slowly. In time, you can work up to holding the breath out for 1 full minute. However, take care not to hold the breath out so long as to make yourself dizzy or nauseous.

TO OPEN THE HEART

This exercise uses a “mantra” or sacred chant. The purpose of mantras is to help us identify with the infinite healing energy within us. We are all children of God, and the mantra reminds us of our divine birthright.

Sit in a comfortable, cross-legged position, or sit on a chair, with your spine straight and your feet on the floor. The chant to use is SAT KAARTAAR (“a” as in “bus”; “aa” as in “far”), which means “true doer.” As you say SAT, the hands are pressed together at the center of the chest in prayer mudra (fingertips pointing up).

As you say KAAR- the arms are extending out in front of you with palms facing out and fingers pointed straight up. As you say -TAAR the arms are moving out to the sides parallel to the floor, palms still out and fingers still pointed up. Then bring the hands back into prayer mudra. Make the transition from step to step in a flowing movement.

Repeat this process for 3, 11, 31, or 62 minutes.

AN ANCIENT YOGA EXERCISE TO RAISE THE KUNDALINI

The yoga exercise (or “kriya”) described below is probably the most powerful exercise in the science of kundalini yoga. With regular practice, “Sat Kriya” increases the lung capacity, perfects the functioning of all the body organs, stimulates circulation, generates and raises great energy, and brings the experience of kundalini energy rising up the spine. Precisely because it is a very powerful exercise, if you have a medical condition, be sure get your doctor’s approval before you try it out. Also, listen to your own body — it will tell you how long and how strenuously it wants to do the exercise.

Before practicing this exercise, inhale deeply, exhale completely, and tune in to the divine teacher within you. Talk to God in the language of your heart. Next, sitting on the heels, with a straight spine, stretch your arms straight up overhead, hugging your ears. Interlace your fingers, with only the index fingers pressed together and pointing straight up. The eyes are closed and focused at a point midway between and slightly above the eyebrows, about 1/4 inch inside the skull (the “third-eye point” or center of Christ consciousness).

Chant the sound SAT (“a” as in “bus”) from the navel point as you pull “root lock” (pull up and in on the rectum, sex organs, and navel point). Then release the lock as you chant NAAM (“aa” as in “far”). (“Sat naam” means “Truth is my identity.”) The breath will come automatically. The shoulders will naturally rise up an inch or two as the lock is pulled. The spine does not flex.

Continue for 3 to 31 minutes. Then inhale and exhale long and deep several times. On the last exhalation, hold the air out and apply root lock again. Keep the spine straight and the chin tucked slightly in. Focus on drawing energy up the spine to the third-eye point. Inhale. Repeat the breathing exercise and the lock once or twice if you wish, but never to the point of discomfort. Then relax out of the posture.

Lie down on your back, arms resting along your sides, and relax. Be sure to allow at least as much time for this relaxation as you took to do the exercise.

ABOUT SELF-HEALING

Here is a quote from Yogi Bhajan, whose teachings were the inspiration for the book “Yoga for Health and Healing”:

“The process of self-healing is the privilege of very human being. Self-healing is not a miracle, nor is it a question of being able to do something that most people can’t. Self-healing is a process that occurs through the relationship between the physical and the infinite power of the soul. It is a contract, a union — that is the science of kundalini yoga.”

“YOGA FOR HEALTH AND HEALING”

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This book will teach you easy yoga techniques to HEAL OVER 100 SPECIFIC PHYSICAL PROBLEMS — addiction, stress, headaches, backache, colds, constipation, menopause, sinus problems, and sexual potency, to name a few.

Profusely illustrated, this 141-page book offers simple explanations of yoga as a tool for self-healing (the electric force, the magnetic field, the life force, the chakras, the pineal gland, the nadis, and how to awaken the kundalini energy), yoga basics (kriyas, mental focus, breath techniques, mantras, postures, mudras, body locks), and key areas in the body for staying healthy.

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Phone: (877) 432-2999 (toll-free) or (310) 393-8167 (local or international)
Message or fax: (310) 362-8877
Email: mailto:yoga@2u3d.com
Web site: http://www.2u3d.com/yoga

Written By: Alice Clagett

You learn many things in a Yoga class, such as: Living in the present moment; but how can you put your Yoga into practice in today’s hectic world? We learn to meditate so the mind will stop multi-tasking, but once you leave the Yoga studio, or ashram, you have to face the world again.

So, how do you take the soothing effects of your Yoga practice and apply them to the rest of your day? Develop a system where you use your time wisely. This is the wisdom of time management, as applied to “real life.”

We’re not discussing a “catch phrase,” or short-term solution, where a manager goes to a one-day workshop on time management, and then comes back lecturing his, or her, staff, about their time management.

The irony is that, most of the time, this type of manager is aware of time management because he, or she, wastes plenty of time. This usually goes on until the next workshop, and then management will learn a new catch phrase to tell the staff what they are doing wrong.

What we are discussing is a lifestyle, and possibly a big change, just like the first time you visited a Yoga class. In a “nut shell,” we have limited time on this earth and we cannot afford to waste it thinking about future worries, past regrets, fighting with loved ones, or leaving goals on hold.

Most of us leave dreams, goals, relationships, and ambitions on the “back burner,” while the daily routine of life goes by. No wonder people complain about the monotony of daily tasks. Very often, we hear, “I don’t have time to learn new skills, go to night school, practice Yoga, or become a Yoga teacher.”

Remember when you were a child and life seemed to go by so slowly? You had time to play, watch television, listen to the radio, and lay around, without a care in the world. Now, welcome to adulthood, life is flying by at a rapid pace, and goals sometimes seem further away than ever before.

Your starting point is today. All you have to do is write your list of tasks for tomorrow. This is commonly called a “to do list.” You can post it on a piece of paper, on your desktop, in your PDA, or anywhere you will refer to it in a day.

To be honest, I put the piece of paper in my pocket and refer to it during the day. Sometimes, the lesson plan for my next Yoga class can be found in my pocket, too. This is a reflection of my time line, and my generation, but my son would put it on his PDA. Whatever you choose is fine, as long as you refer to it, and get something done.

Notice, I did not say get everything done. Somehow, life throws us curves and your “well laid” plans may not fit into the daily time frame. You learn this in your Yoga practice too. It is absolutely necessary that all of us accept change. These days, change occurs on a daily basis, so there is no need to become tense about it. This explains why so many corporate fitness centers have Yoga, or meditation programs, for their employees.

Be prepared to make modifications to your plans or “turn on a dime.” Deadlines should be taken seriously, but sometimes life gets in the way. There are times when the path you are on will have to be altered. So, be prepared to have a backup plan.

Remember the Serenity Prayer: “God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference.” It goes without saying, that you will waste a lot of time and energy, if you don’t know the difference.

The next point to cover is when to multi-task. What is this? You say, “This doesn’t sound very Yogic.” Yoga refers to “unity” or “union,” and we must exist in harmony with life as it is today. The mind naturally multi-tasks so, let’s make the most of our time.

In ancient times people multi-tasked, too. Why else would people around the world practice meditation for thousands of years? Why else would the people of India practice Yoga for over 5,000 years? Stress was one of many things our ancestors, and the ancient Yogis, have in common with us, and we know that stress is a killer. Most likely stress is linked to every ailment that connected to mankind.

True irony is when you consider planning time, and start to make excuses why you don’t have time to manage, or plan, your time wisely. If you like to watch television, you could do a little planning at the same time. Ideally, it is best to be totally focused, thinking clearly, and be in a quiet place when planning time.

However, there are other forms of multi-tasking you can do such as listening to an audio book in the car, using an exercise bike while watching television, and reading or listening to books while traveling. There are a number of Yoga, and Yoga philosophy audio books, available.

On the other hand, we know multi-tasking can go too far. I will never forget commuting into Boston, stuck in traffic, and seeing a guy next to me reading a newspaper on his steering wheel! Within the same month, I saw a motorist driving with a hamburger in one hand, and a milk shake in the other, while driving through stop and go traffic on Interstate 95!

We’re not considering reckless multi-tasking, but consider combining tasks that don’t require 100% focus. For example, you cannot focus entirely on an audio book while driving, and you may have to listen to it quite a few times before you mentally digest all the material.

For this very reason, you should not consider listening to, and concentrating on, meditation audio books, while driving your car or operating machinery. Yoga philosophy is one thing, but trying to listen to or practice with a meditation audio book, while driving, is quite another. Therefore, be very careful about the safety factors involved in multi-tasking.

Another point to cover is logistics. When you consider where you are going, always plan to avoid “back tracking.” For example: If you are picking the kids up from school and have to get groceries, make it into a combined trip. If you make it into two trips, this is truly a waste of time. Therefore, plan your trips, whether they are time spent in a car, riding a bike, or walking.

Lastly, make time for family, friends, and loved ones.

Unify your time for a balanced life. Life is not, “all work and no play,” but life is not sitting around living the life of a “couch potato.” Remember one of the best excuses for not attending a Yoga class: “I don’t have the time.”

About the author:

Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Written By: Paul M. Jerard Jr.

As a young child Sri Chinmoy was brought up in a Hindu family. The family was of Brahmin caste but they did not adhere to the rigid caste rules and often helped those of other castes. At the age of 12 Sri Chinmoy left his village in Chittagong, East Bengal and travelled with his 3 sisters and 2 brother to join his eldest brother Hriday Ghose in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry. Sri Aurobindo was a pioneer of “Integral Yoga”

This was a modern form of yoga that did not renounce the world but sought to bring the divine into all aspects of life. For over 20 years Sri Chinmoy lived in the ashram spending many hours in meditation, achieving elevated states of spiritual consciousness. These states of self realization led to some of Sri Chinmoy’s most profound poetry. In poems such as Immortality and The Absolute we get a glimpse of the deathless state beyond mind and form.

“My eternal days are found in speeding time; I play upon His Flute of rhapsody. Impossible deeds no more impossible seem; In birth chains now shines Immortality.”

- From Immortality by Sri Chinmoy

In 1964 Sri Chinmoy travelled to America to offer the ancient spiritual traditions of India in a modern and dynamic form to aspiring seekers in the West. He has lived in New York since 1964 and has been offering meditations at the United Nations for over 30 years. Sri Chinmoy has lectured on spirituality, yoga and meditation at many universities in both America, Europe and other parts of the World. He teaches that all religions lead to the same goal and fundamentally share common values.

Sri Chinmoy’s path encompasses all 4 of the principle types of Yoga;

Bhakti Yoga – yoga of devotion Jnani Yoga – yoga of Wisdom Raja Yoga – Yoga of Philosophy Karma Yoga – Yoga of Divine Action.

Sri Chinmoy teaches that love is the most direct way to approach God. Sri Chinmoy often says that his path is in essence the path of the heart. If we cry from the depths of our heart the Supreme will respond. If on the other hand, we try to meditate using the mind, we will achieve only very limited peace. An important element of Bhakti yoga is the use of devotional music. Soulful singing is a powerful way for a seeker to approach the divine. Great Bhakti yogi’s such as Sri Chaitanya and Mirabai spent many hours singing Bhajans (devotional songs), through this singing they were able to enter into the Divine Consciousness. Sri Chinmoy is one of the most prolific composers of devotional music. Since coming to the West he has composed over 12,000 songs in his native Bengali and over 5,000 in English. Most of these songs are devotional in nature; appealing to different aspects of the Supreme or identifying with different stages of a seekers spiritual journey.

Sri Chinmoy writes on Bhakti Yoga

“Ask a man to speak about God and he will speak endlessly. Ask a Bhakta to speak about God and he will say only two things: God is all Affection, God is all Sweetness. The Bhakta even goes one step further. He says, “I can try to live without bread, but never can I live without my Lord’s Grace. A Bhakta’s prayer is very simple: “O my Lord God, do enter into my life with Thine Eye of Protection and with Thy Heart of Compassion.” This prayer is the quickest way to knock at God’s Door and also the easiest way to see God open the Door.”

As well as composing many songs Sri Chinmoy is also noted as a prolific writer and poet. He has published over 1,400 books which nearly all relate to some aspect of the spiritual life. Some books take the form of Question and Answer sessions. Sri Chinmoy is able to offer advice from the deepest spiritual perspective. Often these writings expound on common themes essential to genuine spirituality. These include disciplining the mind so that the seeker does not become beholden to negative ideas the mind can become attached to. This is a short extract from a talk entitled.

“What is Yoga”

“What is Yoga? Yoga is the language of God. If we wish to speak to God, we have to learn His language. What is Yoga? Yoga is that which discloses God’s secret. If we wish to know God’s secret, we have to launch into the path of Yoga. What is Yoga? Yoga is the Breath of God. If we wish to see through God’s Eye and feel through His Heart, if we wish to live in God’s Dream and know God’s Reality, if we wish to possess the Breath of God, and finally if we wish to become God Himself, Yoga will beckon us.”

From: Yoga and the Spiritual Life by Sri Chinmoy

Karma Yoga

Sri Chinmoy leads an active life showing that an inner life of prayer and meditation can offer inspiration and help to increase our own capacities. Sri Chinmoy says that spirituality does not involve retreating from the world. Instead he advocates acceptance of the world and the inner fruits of meditation he says can be used to guide and illumine outer activities. At the age of 74 Sri Chinmoy is still very active demonstrating that age is not a barrier to continuing achievements. Sri Chinmoy is a noted weightlifter and continues to lift heavy weights saying that he does so to offer inspiration to others. Sri Chinmoy also travels extensively offering concerts of meditative music in different locations.

About the author:

Richard is a cyclist and economics Teacher. He is a member of the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Oxford UK

Written By: Richard Pettinger

You want to have a full life. You want to feel well. You want lots of energy, vitality, power, and stamina. Am I right so far? Well, the great news is that all these can be yours. Yoga applies age-old secrets to everyday life in a modern, fast-paced world. Its practical application can restore your lost youth, put new zest into your every step, and empower you to fully enjoy a sense of health, energy and creative living. All this will do wonders for your future happiness…

Sounds good, huh? Well let me tell you a little about yoga…

Yoga is an ancient health-art developed and perfected over the centuries by wise men in ancient India. Yoga is not a religion, a metaphysical doctrine, or a philosophy. It is not magic, although the amazing improvements it can make in your health, your appearance and your youthfulness may often seem magical, even miraculous…

There are many different types of yoga. Contrary to popular belief, not all types of yoga involve difficult positions and postures, uncomfortable exercises or strenuous diets…

Yoga can take years off your face and years from your body, and add years to your life. There are certain secret methods by which the Yogis keep the flexibility and “spring” of early youth in their joints and muscles and limbs well into the declining years…

It is a common sight to see, in the crowded, colorful streets of Bombay or New Delhi, Yogis well into their seventies and even their eighties, with the straight, graceful posture of a boy, walking with the elastic, springy step of youth… with firm, healthy bodies, their hair dark and glossy and un-streaked with grey. Firm, unlined faces … clear, un-dimmed eyes…

Not only does yoga make you look and feel years younger, and years healthier, but it lends your body superb health. It works like magic because it enables the body to realize its full potential of great health…

You know that Nature has built into your body certain certain “defense mechanisms” for self-repair, natural safeguards against disease. Well, modern yoga helps the body’s machinery function smoothly, efficiently, and at peak performance…

Yoga encourages your body to derive every last possible atom of nutritive value from the food you now eat (so different from the natural diet of your ancestors) … to get every second of refreshment and rest from your sleep … to attain regularity, relief from little aches and pains, the ability to sleep deep and wake refreshed that can make the difference from feeling “pretty good” to feeling “terrific”!

Yoga assists all your muscles and bones and organs to operate at their maximum potential. Yoga stimulates into peak performance the hidden abilities of your body to throw off the attacks of disease that affect so many people we know and love…

Do you suffer from insomnia and stress? Have you lost your appetite? Do you find it hard to relax? Do you smoke too much, feel “worn out” by the afternoon, find as you grow older that you cannot enjoy full life and day to day vitality?

Yoga has the amazing power to relax and refresh you, soothe your nerves, calm your mind, give you the serenity and strength and inner stamina that is part of the “Magic of the East”. Yoga prevents the premature grey in your hair, the ugly wrinkles in your face….

Yoga tightens those sagging muscles that give you that “tired look.” It puts new zest in your appetite, brings back the sparkle in your eyes, and gives that wonderful sensation of feeling “fit as a fiddle”…

If these benefits are important to you (and you’d be crazy if they weren’t) then its time you learnt about yoga!

About the Author

Dave Klein is the author of http://www.yogaology.com a site completely dedicated to yoga. Visit http://www.yogaology.com to find out how you can start applying yoga to your life to achieve maximum health and energy.

Written By: Dave Klein

Yoga is an ancient proven tradition that exists for thousands of years and also one of the most ancient cultural heritages in India. The word yoga means, “to unite”. But it does not only mean contemplation but also communion and yoking all powers of the body, mind and soul to God. It is a very ancient and efficient system of disciplines and controls designed to produce the integration of the body, mind and spirit. It also achieves higher states of awareness and self-realization by methodical efforts to attain perfection. Even at the workplace, yoga has become extremely popular in many companies, worldwide. Working eight hours a day, five to seven days a week is really stressing. And yoga can just be the answer to this. Yoga reduces stress. It improves flexibility and muscle tone, increases circulation, relieves chronic pain and alleviates anxiety-related disorders. Best of all, it cultivates physical awareness, refreshes your energy, and offers a little vacation from the everyday grind.

There are seven divisions of yoga. Hatha yoga is concerned primarily with the body and the asanas. Bhakti yoga focuses on the path of love and devotion. Mantra yoga has something to do with recitation and repetition of words and verses. Karma yoga is a service through action and work. Janan yoga is on the intellectual path. Raja yoga is a synthesis of Bhakti, Karma, and Janan. And Laya yoga is the secret path or known as the Yoga of Dissolution.

Yoga has many advantages over other methods of maintaining health, such as aerobics, athletics, gymnastics, games, and various other forms of exercise and is often described as the best form of health insurance for all from the age of seven to seventy seven or more because it has a lot to offer to everyone. The two main advantages of yoga are prevention of disorders and ailments and maintenance of health and fitness in daily life. Other advantages include supple joints, flexible muscles, relaxed and tension-free mind and efficiently working vital organs such as the heart, lungs, endocrine glands, liver, pancreas and good balance between various functions. When doing yoga, you will not need any costly equipment and materials, or playgrounds, gyms, etc. And you dont have to worry when is the right time to do it because you can do yoga all throughout the year. It can also be practiced inside the house or in the open, just alone or if you want, in groups. The only thing you need is a thick carpet spread on the floor and covered with a clean sheet of cloth. Remember that yoga should only be practiced on empty stomach although you can do it at any time during the day.

Everyone can benefit from yoga. It will benefit you irrespective of whether you are young or old, lean or heavily built, highly educated or unlettered, rich or poor, from higher or lower middle class, busy, over busy, or retired or worker in the factory or in the field. However, this benefit may not be possible if one does not practice the correct technique of yoga or practice it irregularly. Yoga has a wide range of technique and this can fulfill needs in almost people especially those who really have the determination and the motivation to do the techniques in a regular basis. Yoga can fulfill this need irrespective of your work, or your lifestyle. This can help everyone play his or her roles more efficiently, more smoothly and more comfortably. For more info fitness tips please check out the pilates resource center

Written By: Michael Sanford

Yoga loosens up large muscles, so they aren’t stressing smaller muscles and bones resulting in injuries. It also loosens up joints and improves circulation, which is good for health.

The procedure is to go through a contortion which stretches the large muscles causing them to loosen up. As the largest muscles loosen up, the force shifts to smaller muscles. If the position is held too long, a small muscle could get injured.

So when muscles are real stiff, a position should only be held for a few seconds. Under these conditions, you should feel your way through the exercise. Instead of trying for perfect form, you just bend enough to add some force to the largest muscles. Then you shift weight a little moving the force around to different muscles. After that, return to a resting position for a few seconds.

Yoga is a complete science of life that originated in India many thousands of years ago. It is the oldest system of personal development in the world encompassing the entire body, mind and spirit. It is the union between a person’s own consciousness and the universal consciousness.

The Ancient Yogis had a profound understanding of man’s essential nature and of what he needs to live in harmony with himself and his environment. They perceived the physical body as a vehicle, with the mind as driver, the soul as man’s true identity, and action, emotion and intelligence as the three forces which pull the body-vehicle. In order for these to be integrated, these three forces must be in balance. Taking into account the interrelationship between body and mind, the Yogis formulated a unique method for maintaining this balance – a method that combines all the movements you need for physical health with the Breathing and Meditation techniques that ensure peace of mind.

Yoga may seem like the fabled elixir of life – a cure-all solution to man’s daily problems and concerns such as illness. But actually, the benefits that Yogis or Yoga practitioners have been experiencing for thousands of years are only being gradually proven by medical science now.

The classical techniques of Yoga date back more than 5,000 years. In ancient times, the desire for greater personal freedom, Health and long life, and heightened self-understanding gave birth to this system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread throughout the world. The word Yoga means “to join or yoke together,” and it brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience.

Yoga, an ancient science, can help Women cope with health issues and help them develop the state of their body and mind. It can help alleviate the pain that goes with Menstruation, manage stress, and ensure an easier delivery among other benefits. Yoga poses are also designed to tone and exercise the muscles of the body to eliminate excess fat, and make it more flexible and stronger.

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

Written By: Jerry Hall

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.

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.

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 Choudhurys 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.

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Copyright Melvin Chua, All Rights Reserved. Melvin has dozens more related articles and tips on doing yoga at his site: doing yoga, check them out today!

Written By: Melvin Chua

Yoga is a science of health and spirituality that originated many thousands of years ago in India. The ancient yogis sought to harmonize the body, mind and soul in an effort to achieve health, long life, and ultimately, enlightenment. Thus, the Sanskrit word yoga means union with or to join. This union with the divine is achieved through the disciplined practice of specific exercises, meditation and breath work.

Yoga is essentially a lifestyle, dealing with all the aspects of our being. The physical postures, or asanas that are widely perceived as yoga, are just one aspect of a very profound science of life. The Eight Limbs of Yoga, articulated by C.E. Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra, describe the eight aspects of a yogic lifestyle. These aspects guide the yogi on a path self-development to harmonize the body, mind and spirit and attain enlightenment.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

The first limb, yama, focuses on one’s behavior in the world and attitude towards those around him or her. The five yamas are: ahimsa or nonviolence, satya or truthfulness, asteya or non-stealing, bramacharya or non-lust, aparigraha or non-possessiveness.

The second limb, niyama, refers to one’s behavior and attitude towards oneself. There are five niyamas: sauca or cleanliness, santosha or contentment, tapas or austerity, svadhyaya or study of the sacred text and of oneself, and isvarapranidhama or living with an awareness of the divine.

Asanas or physical poses are the third limb. Asanas are designed to bring strength, vitality and relaxation to every bodily system.

Pranayama, or breathing exercises, encompass the fourth limb. Through disciplined regulation of the breath–the duration of inhalation, retention and exhalation, one strengthens and cleanses the nervous system. The result is increased life-force and a calmer mind.

The fifth limb is prathayara or withdrawal of the senses. One’s focus goes inward, losing awareness of what is going on outside of oneself.

Dharana, or concentration is the sixth limb. One trains the mind to focus without distractions.

Dhyana, or meditation is the seventh limb. In meditation one practices constant observation of the mind, stilling the mind in order to heighten one’s awareness and oneness with the universe.

The final limb, the ultimate goal of yoga, is samadhi or enlightenment. It is the achievement of oneness with the universe in which one experiences a state of peace, utter contentment and completion.

Yoga as it was designed and practices by the ancient yogis encompasses all these aspects of the self and of life. It is a spiritual path and a lifestyle meant to lead the student towards health, self-knowledge, and union with the divine.

The ancient yogis sought to harmonize the body, mind and soul in an effort to achieve health, long life, and ultimately, enlightenment. Visit WayofYoga.com to find out how you too can do the same.Yoga is a lifestyle choice and health decision http://www.wayofyoga.com

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Written By: Dayna Schueth

At first glance, Martial Arts and Yoga seem like opposing forces and philosophies, but these two health maintenance systems have more in common than meets the eye. For a moment, consider the similarities between Tai Chi and Hatha Yoga. Within the warm up, you notice very similar movement, philosophy, and principles.

Why does “climb the mountain” stance look so much like Warrior I posture? Is it coincidence, luck, or a common link? Why does Kundalini have movements that resemble punching, kicking, and martial arts foot work? Are Kung Fu forms an extension of Vinyasa? Each has been referred to as meditation in motion.

The place of origin, for most Asian martial arts, is agreed to be the Shaolin Temple. Apparently, the monks at the Shaolin temple had become very proficient at meditation, but had not developed a health maintenance system to sufficiently train their bodies.

In the sixth century A.D., Bhoddidharma, a visiting Buddhist monk, from India, began to teach the monks at the Shaolin temple, in Hunan Province, a form of physical health maintenance, which is believed to be Yoga. It is also said that Boddidharma was a member of the Warrior caste. Therefore, he should also have had working knowledge of Kalarippayat; an indigenous Indian Martial art.

Boddidharma is said to have reached a level of meditation that was very advanced. The body can be trained to a point, but the mind should also be trained as well. This is a cornerstone to all martial arts training. How often have we heard about the three conflicts of mind, body, and spirit?

This is why each martial arts school should encourage a Yoga class. The healing aspect of Yoga is very beneficial to all martial artists – regardless of their style. Some martial arts centers have incorporated Yoga as part of the class schedule. The reason was to attract mothers, who were hanging around the waiting area, to pick up their kids.

While there is a demand for Yoga classes among women, some martial artists, both male and female, will join in to feel the healing benefits, meditate, increase flexibility, and much more. The fact is, much like martial arts, there are many styles of Yoga.

Some are very physical and demand a lot of endurance. So, there is no end to the possibilities of where the need for Yoga can fit within a martial arts studio. After all these years, it looks like Yoga and martial arts will be together again.

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Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Written By: Paul M. Jerard Jr.