Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The 8 Physical and Mental Types of Yoga

There are a lot of different types of yoga today, so if you are starting out and feeling confused, you are normal.

It is best to start with a type of yoga that is appropriate for your own level of fitness, physical and spiritual goals and health condition.

The 8 most common types of yoga are described in this article and briefly explained to help guide you in choosing the best type of yoga that you can start with.

Physical-Focused Types of Yoga

Iyengar Yoga: Iyengar yoga is focused solely on body alignment and executing precise movements. Yoga accessories such as blocks and straps are normally used by beginners who are not as flexible as the experts.

Yoga accessories help assist all sorts of people to be able to do the poses comfortably.

Because of its attention to details and the flexible modification of poses, Iyengar yoga is often considered a good form of exercise for people with neck or back pain, as they are likely to benefit from the random movement in the poses.

Practicing Iyengar yoga will give you a good knowledge on the classics in yoga poses so that whatever other style you eventually practice, you will have the basic fundamentals on how to do each position.

In Iyengar yoga the teacher focuses more on alignment and inner awareness. This awareness starts with the body and expands to other parts of the self as one continues to practice regularly

Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga yoga is commonly called "power yoga" because it is focused on a powerful flowing movement.

The movements include pushups and lunges, which deals with strength and stamina. Ashtanga yoga is best for people who have a strong back, or have successfully overcome back injuries and are looking for more challenging practice.

Athletic people such as runners, cyclists and gynmasts who wish to add more balance and concentration to their routines are also fans of Ashtanga yoga.

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Sunday, November 26, 2006

Yoga History 101

When you practice yoga, it is, of course, not necessary to have a full understanding of yoga history in order to fully benefit from your practice. A brief understanding of the history behind yoga, however, may increase your spiritual practice and inspire you to find out more about the tradition behind the discipline.

The first writings about yoga were written in Sanskrit in early religious manuscripts in India called the Vedas. The word ‘yoga’ has many meanings. The root of the word is ‘yug’ which means ‘to hitch up’, referring to fastening horse bridles to a carriage. But yoga also means ‘to actively put to use’ or ‘yoke’ or ‘join’. Today, it is agreed upon that yoga is a method of joining or a discipline. Men who practice yoga are called yogi or yogin and women who practice yoga are called yogini.

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Saturday, November 25, 2006

Bhakti Yoga – The Science Of Devotion

Bhakti means devotion to the Almighty. Bhakti yoga deals with devotion to God and achieving the union with Him. This is the easiest of all yoga types. This branch of yoga teaches the relation between the devotee and the divine. It does not involve any technical or complicated procedures.

There is no need of any intellectual capacity to master this yoga. It has appealed to the common man because it gives him a feeling security and develops a kind of reliance and dependence on the object of his devotion.

Bhakti yoga assumes that there is a higher power that has created the universe and is all-powerful. This power has the capacity to confer grace and mercy on him and thus protecting him from all the harms and evils.


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Thursday, November 23, 2006

Is Yoga For You?

Yoga is the most popular and fast growing exercise trend of all. Over the last few years this form has really taken off and more and more people are choosing it among all other forms of exercise. Yoga is healthy and it is fun. Your entire body will get a total workout and a great stretch when you use yoga each day.

If you are ready to take your life in a whole new direction, one that is healthy and well balanced then toga is probably for you. There are enough different kinds of yoga out there for you to try that you are sure to find one that suits both your fitness level and your pain tolerance.

There is an idea floating around among the populace that yoga is a painful experience. This is simply not the case. Yoga, if done correctly, can stretch your muscles but not hurt them. There are different forms so that everyone can find just the right kind of yoga for them.

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Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Yoga And The Breath

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.

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Sunday, November 19, 2006

The Shoulder Stand

This pose is considered to be one of the best yoga asanas and it is very popular with yoga practitioners. However, this pose must be accompanied by deep breathing, otherwise it will not be more than an acrobatic looking position. The shoulder stand pose was also adopted by gymnasiums and sports training facilities and it can be performed both by men and women with maximum efficiency.

Begin the pose by lying on your back, with the legs straight and close together and the arms parallel with the torso. Raise your legs towards the ceiling, and point your toes upward. Let the weight of your body rest on the neck muscles and on the deltoid muscles of the shoulders. Support the back and legs into the vertical position by allowing your hands to give the lower back the balance it requires. While going into the pose breathe deeply.

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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Yoga Relaxation

Reviews show that people tend to practice yoga for a variety of reasons: many of them are interested in the health benefits they obtain, after regularly performing the routines, other are seeking the much desired state of harmony between the inner and the outer self, while another percentage of the practitioners carry out yoga sessions in order to relax.


It is always better to have compositions with as little corrections in it as possible. This is why we have written this composition on #KEYWORD #with no corrections for the reader to be more interested in reading it.

The state of profound relaxation is achieved either by means of exercising or by correct meditation practices. The result is a sublime state of clearness of the mind, of profound harmony and understanding of the world.

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Monday, November 13, 2006

Yoga Equipment

The degree of preparation for practicing yoga is minimal. It is true that you have to mind your diet, but however, mental preparation is by far more important. Still, when it comes to yoga equipment, there are a few things to keep in mind. These things are not mandatory, but recommended, in order to increase the level of efficiency and comfort.

Never be reluctant to admit that you don’t know. There is no one who knows everything. So if you don’t know much about yoga, all that has to be done is to read up on it!

This is a dependable source of information on yoga. All that has to be done to verify its authenticity is to read it!

* Yoga clothing: there is no such thing as a strict rule regarding the type of clothes that one has to wear, while performing yoga exercises. Nevertheless, practice has demonstrated that comfortable, loose, breathable clothes are the most convenient ones for carrying out this routine.

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Sunday, November 12, 2006

Shoulder Lifts

A high percentage of yoga practitioners declare that they practice yoga for its beneficial results on their health. Thus, many consider yoga a great modality of reducing stress, strengthening the muscles, reaching profound relaxation and improving one's meditation techniques.

Due to the everyday problems and worries, a lot of people have to deal with stress and discomforts. Thus, they realize that it is harder for them to concentrate on things, they become more and more restless and they are unable to relax anymore.

So after reading what we have mentioned here on yoga, it is up to you to provide your verdict as to what exactly it is that you find fascinating here.

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Thursday, November 09, 2006

Yoga Standing Poses

Some of the most efficient poses are the standing positions. They offer excellent stretching of the muscles and they have noticeable effects on the promptness and accuracy of the nervous system. Most standing poses manage to improve the asanas and they offer you an increased chance of mastering equilibrium, both physical and mental. In the following paragraphs we will have a look at two of the most important standing poses, the Mountain pose and the Triangle pose.

The mountain pose (known as the Tadasana) got its name from several defining attributes that share the symbols of the mountain. The pose benefits from a high level of relaxed strength and a feeling of invulnerability. Much like a mountain, the person practicing this pose will be surrounded by stillness and will feel a pronounced sensation of balance. The clarity and profound vision offered by this pose enable you to go deeper in your inner feelings and connect with your inner self on a very profound level.

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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Yoga for men

All social categories and age groups can enjoy yoga as a hobby or even as a life style. Yoga practitioners studied the physical and psychological differences between men and women for a long time. In general, men are known to be less emotional then women and they often suppress their emotions. This can lead to stress and, ultimately, to an increased risk of heart problems.


The higher physical strength of men is acknowledged by most dedicated yoga practices. This is why some of the poses dedicated to men involve more muscle power and stamina. Many male yoga practitioners have found that a combination of yoga and weight training can provide them with the necessary vitality and positive thinking.


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Thursday, November 02, 2006

Yoga Seated Poses

Having been given the assignment of writing an interesting presentation on yoga, this is what we came up with. Just hope you find it interesting too!


Failure is the stepping stone to success. So if you do fail to understand this article on yoga, don’t fret. Read it again a few times, and you are sure to finally get its meaning.

Self-praise is no praise. So we don’t want to praise ourselves on the effort put in writing on yoga. instead, we would like to hear your praise after reading it!

Perhaps you may not have been interested in this passage on yoga. In that case, please don’t spread this feedback around!

The succession of poses is important in yoga, as each preceding pose prepares the body for the next level of intensity. The seated poses work best when started with the Sukhasana, a very easy pose that allows the body to adapt to the higher demands of the following positions. Sitting in Sukhasana has positive effects on the neck muscles, as well as the upper spinal muscles.

Read Full Article at : Yoga Tips