Types of Yoga - Richness in Variety

Yoga is a family of ancient spiritual practices originating in
India. It is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. In
India and across the World, Yoga is seen as a means to both
physical health and spiritual mastery. Outside India, Yoga has
become primarily associated with the practice of asanas or
postures of Hatha Yoga.

In the United States the American Fitness Professionals &
Associates offers Yoga Certification for intructors.

Name a method or philosophy, and it'll have countless
variations. Yoga is no exception. Each of the most popular types
of yoga stresses different things, making it ideal for different
people. However, all forms stress correct fundamentals and pose.

Iyengar involves the use of props and slow pose progression so
correct form is learned, making it useful for beginners or
people not used to exercise. The many props also assist people
with back or joint problems.

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Yoga Benefits - Part I

As any enthusiastic practitioner of Yoga will tell you, physical
and mental therapy is the most important benefit of yoga. Aging,
largely an artificial condition caused mainly by
auto-intoxication or self-poisoning, has people scared of the
process. What they do not realise is that the aging process can
be slowed down by practicing yoga on a regular basis. And, no
doubt, medical research will tell you that a clean, flexible and
well lubricated body plays a significant role in reducing the
catabolic process of cell deterioration. However, to derive the
maximum benefits from doing yoga, one must combine the practice
of yoga asana, pranayama and meditation.

Doing pranayama, asanas and meditation daily helps in diverse
ailments, such as, diabetes, blood pressure, digestive
disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma,
varicose veins and heart conditions. Scientific tests have
proven a yogi's increased abilities of consciously controlling
autonomic or involuntary functions, such as temperature,
heartbeat and blood pressure. Currently, research into the
effects of yogic practices on HIV is underway and has indicated
positive and promising results.

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Yoga Bolsters: How To Choose The Right One To Help Improve Your

What Are Yoga Bolsters?

Yoga Bolsters are essentially cushions that support your body
when you perform yoga poses, especially the more difficult
asanas. Depending on the yoga pose, bolsters help by supporting
and stretching your back, chest, abdomen, hamstrings, and other
parts of your body. For example, placing a bolster underneath
your back helps stretch your chest, extend your spine and
stretch your thighs.

Why You May Need Yoga Bolsters

To support and provide comfort for your body when performing
difficult yoga poses.

How To Choose The Right Yoga Bolster

Yoga bolsters come in various shapes, sizes, textures, and
colors. These factors will help determine the one you choose for
yourself.


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Yoga and Meditation - Part III

While, meditation can take the consciousness beyond conscious,
sub conscious and unconscious states to super consciousness, the
question is how can one achieve that?

It can be achieved through meditation and the first step in the
process is to select an object to concentrate on, with the help
of your eyes, nose, ears, mouth and touch, as follows: * Eyes -
fix your gaze upon the selected object, * Mouth - recite a
mantra or sloka aloud, * Ears - listen to the mantra, as you say
it, or put on an audiotape of the mantra. * Furthermore, empty
the mind of all thoughts, and do not think of anything else,
only concentrate on the selected object as part of the mediation
process.

You can select any object to concentrate upon, the only
requirement being that it must impart tranquility and serenity
to the mind. For instance, you may select a picture of a
favourite deity and while concentrating on it, recite or listen
to a mantra dedicated to that particular deity. However, to
achieve success, one must ensure that the mind is only filled
with thoughts of the deity and nothing else.

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Try Yoga for Chronic Constipation

Chronic constipation may perhaps be the main cause of most
ailments common to humans. From the common cold, acne to even
depression, avoiding constipation may perhaps be the first step
for prevention of illness.

It must be noted that the average person is constantly carrying
10-15 pounds of un-eliminated feces in their bowels. This in
itself has a toxic effect on the blood stream. Experts in
autopsy have stated that in 60-70% of the colons examined,
foreign matter such as worms and decades old feces-stones have
been found still present within.

Now, Chronic Constipation may be caused by:

1. Failure to pay attention to the desire for bowel movement.

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Working Principles Behind Yoga

Yoga is a sacred practice and a healing tool of growth and
transformation. It honors the individuals spiritual, emotional,
psychological and physical process of human evolution. Yoga
gives you the courage to undertake your own journey towards the
Self. Yoga fills you with a feeling of coming home. You will
discover a powerful tool, probably the path you are searching
for. Especially if you have a sense of purpose to learn, you
will receive great satisfaction in practicing and working with
individuals and groups.

Further, Yoga is a complex integrated system that has a history
of 5,000 or more years. Beginners can easily be snowed under by
the vastness of Yoga practice, its philosophy, and literature.
However, here are the key working principles that will help you
understand better the different aspects of Yoga.

Ten Key Fundamental Principles.

1. Yoga is traditionally a liberation teaching. It guides you to
free yourself from your historical limitations of who and what
you were to become something greater and better.

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Introducing Yoga Beliefs

It has been rightly said: "Pleasure is a sense of moreness."
Every time you feel pleasure, you will find the word "moreness"
covers the case. It will cover the lowest condition of pleasure,
the pleasure of eating.

You are becoming more by appropriating to yourself a part of the
Not-Self, food. You will find it true of the highest condition
of bliss, union with the Supreme. You become more by expanding
yourself to His infinity.

When you have a phrase that can be applied to the lowest and
highest with which you are dealing, you may be fairly sure it is
all inclusive, and that, therefore, "pleasure is moreness" is a
true statement. Similarly, pain is "lessness".

If you understand these things your philosophy of life will
become more practical, and you will be able to help more
effectively people who fall into evil ways. Take drink. The real
attraction of drinking lies in the fact that, in the first
stages of it, a more keen and vivid life is felt. That stage is
overstepped in the case of the man who gets drunk, and then the
attraction ceases. The attraction lies in the first stages, and
many people have experienced that, who would never dream of
becoming drunk.

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Yoga Clothes Need To Move With You, Your Favorite Jeans Will Not

A pair of jeans and a button up shirt and the full lotus
position is not a pretty picture and worse still, if you do get
there, getting back to your start position could be worse. Your
normal street clothes are not what you want when practicing the
art of yoga. Your body builds up in flexibility while you are
doing yoga and so must your clothes. They must be able to move
with your body and the more advanced you get with your yoga
positions, the more movement you need in your clothes. To start,
you don't need to go out and buy yoga specific clothes, you
could even have suitable pieces in your wardrobe already. It is
so important that you practice your yoga in something that you
are comfortable in when performing the various positions. Your
yoga clothes need to support, move with the body, not ride up
leaving bare skin exposed to the elements.

You will probably find there are clothes in your wardrobe that
will suffice for the first few weeks and then when you decide
you are going to continue with the yoga lessons, with some
guidance from your instructor, you should seek the yoga clothes
that will be suitable.

What To Look For When Shopping For Yoga Clothes.

When you are looking for yoga clothes, keep in mind the primary
purpose of what you will need the yoga clothes to achieve for
you. You will need the clothes to move with you in a myriad of
positions and poses so the fabric will need to have a softness
and flow to it, with body.

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Dos And Donts While Practicing Yoga

Ask ten different people to define their personal fitness and
health goals and you will certainly get ten different replies.
For some, fitness would mean being able to walk to the car
without passing out. Health would probably mean not catching a
cold from a sneezing co-worker. Others might consider themselves
weak and spiritually unhealthy if they cant bench press 400
pounds and maintain a yogasana for long. The point is, whether
you consider fitness and health four-letter words or primary
life goals, there is a Yoga class out there thats right for you.

Yoga as a form of physical fitness is still underrated. The
greatest misconception is that Yoga isnt really exercise. That
along with sore muscles that you didnt expect to be sore, youll
have a clearer head and will sleep better from just that one
class. Contrary to all that you will probably discover that your
ability to concentrate improves. There are many options for
participating in Yoga classes and most of the bigger membership
health clubs offer yoga on a regular basis.

Instead of benefiting, faulty practice is more likely to invite
trouble. Bad temper, agitation and heaviness indicate incorrect
Yoga practice. If these happen, you should stop and seek the
guidance of an experienced teacher.


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Get Into Asana Twists For A Yoga-Calm Mind

The most popular form of yoga in the western world is hatha
yoga, which concentrates on a series of poses, or asanas,
designed to increase flexibility, boost energy levels, improve
balance and tone muscles.

In this form of yoga, the body is seen as an energy system,
divided into areas or chakras. Each asana focuses on increasing
energy flow to a particular chakra to stimulate organ function,
enhance blood flow, and work specific muscles to generally
improve your wellbeing in that chakra.

There are a huge variety of asanas and each person requires a
tailored program of poses to address their particular aims or
health concerns. Asanas are divided into broad categories with
certain properties. One of the major categories is asana twists
which are designed to extend and open the spinal channel, tone
the abdominal muscles and untwist the mind.

The aim of most asana twists is to bring the shoulders to a
right angle with the hips. The pose will be held for between
thirty seconds and a minute and with each outward breath we
should aim to twist a little further towards our goal. Asana
twists can be performed standing or sitting.

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