For decades, the public has been aware that Yoga brings about a tranquil state of mind. Yoga principles can be applied toward every aspect of improving daily life. Yoga is much more than pictures of people performing postures - it is a complete lifestyle.
If we look at the first limb of the Eight Limbed Path, described by Maharishi Patanjali, we observe Yama (restraints). These are the moral codes of Yoga. The first among these is "ahimsa," which means no-harming.
If you spent a lifetime of non-harming, you would literally be a saint. It is nearly impossible for most of us to go a day without harming something. Our words, actions, and thoughts can cause harm to others without much effort.
For some people, it only requires them to get behind the steering wheel of an automobile. Suddenly, they become someone else. This is much like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde phenomenon. Robert Louis Stevenson would be astonished to see his novel come to life on a daily basis, in the form of "road rage."
Yet, what can we do about it? Non-harming is very difficult, so should we give up on the principle? No, because there is a solution to avoid harming others. Instead of looking at ahimsa as a mountain, that cannot be climbed, let's look at how we can make positive changes in our daily lives.
Stop thinking about what you cannot do. Instead, think about what you can do. The problem with any moral code is that we always approach it from the, "thou shalt not" point of view. Let's look at it from an entirely different angle.
If we are thoughtful, patient, kind, forgiving, and compassionate in our thoughts and actions, we do not have the time to harm other beings. Consider this: If you are truly and sincerely able to forgive someone with all your heart, you have created so much positive energy that you cannot hate him or her.
The positive energy arises within you, but when there is too much, it overflows to those around you. The problem is when someone does not truly forgive or when someone forgives with conditions. Conditional forgiveness is for temporary peace, but it does not solve a conflict.
When you can forgive others completely, that is a step toward inner calm. This does not mean we allow people to "walk all over us." Forgiveness should resolve a conflict on both sides. A state of peace requires two sides to work in harmony.
Kindness is easy enough to add to your life. Try smiling at other people for a day. Watch how much they change as a result of your facial gestures. This is a classic example of how one person can change his or her surroundings by doing something relatively small. A smile is a gesture of kindness, happiness, or compassion toward someone else.
It is hard to think negative thoughts, or harm someone, while you are in a state of kindness, happiness, or compassion.
© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Jerard
Friday, July 25, 2008
Yoga Mats
So you've decided to practice the art of Yoga? Considering the many other workouts you could choose from, Yoga is a great choice. Yoga requires coordination, balance and connection of the mind and body. The last thing you need to worry about is whether your equipment is reliable during your poses. Although there are other accessories you will need, the most vital piece of equipment is the yoga mat. There are several questions you should ask yourself before making this purchase.
What type of Yoga are you practicing?
The most strenuous forms of yoga can be more comfortable with a thicker mat or a yoga rug.
If you have joint problems, a thicker mat will give more cushion and support.
Will the yoga mat help me maintain my pose without slipping?
You can test the mat for slippage by performing the wet friction test: moisten your hand and bear down laterally on the mat's surface. The mat should be sticky enough to maintain your pose.
Consider purchasing an extra long mat or a customized one to avoid adjusting your mat during your Yoga routine.
How durable is the mat?
You want a good quality yoga mat that will hold up with repeated washings.
Try rubbing the mat with a blunt metal object such as a coin until the surface starts to tear. A strong yoga mat will take a great deal of rubbing before it tears.
Is the yoga mat in a style and color you like?
There are many colors and styles to choose from. Choose a mat you like to look at and can live with.
You could buy more than one if you're serious about practicing and just like to change your mat at times
How much should I spend on a yoga mat?
The price of a good yoga mat ranges from $20-$60 or more depending on the quality, thickness, durability and comfort you're looking for.
Don't make the mistake of buying a cheaper yoga mat if you plan on continuing yoga to avoid wasting money.
Is it easy to transport?
Your yoga mat should be lightweight and require only a small amount of storage space.
Your yoga mat is an essential piece of equipment that should be comfortable for multiple sessions of practice. After you've asked yourself the above questions, your choice of a yoga mat should be one that you can rely on and be happy with.
Also visit: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_Coates
What type of Yoga are you practicing?
The most strenuous forms of yoga can be more comfortable with a thicker mat or a yoga rug.
If you have joint problems, a thicker mat will give more cushion and support.
Will the yoga mat help me maintain my pose without slipping?
You can test the mat for slippage by performing the wet friction test: moisten your hand and bear down laterally on the mat's surface. The mat should be sticky enough to maintain your pose.
Consider purchasing an extra long mat or a customized one to avoid adjusting your mat during your Yoga routine.
How durable is the mat?
You want a good quality yoga mat that will hold up with repeated washings.
Try rubbing the mat with a blunt metal object such as a coin until the surface starts to tear. A strong yoga mat will take a great deal of rubbing before it tears.
Is the yoga mat in a style and color you like?
There are many colors and styles to choose from. Choose a mat you like to look at and can live with.
You could buy more than one if you're serious about practicing and just like to change your mat at times
How much should I spend on a yoga mat?
The price of a good yoga mat ranges from $20-$60 or more depending on the quality, thickness, durability and comfort you're looking for.
Don't make the mistake of buying a cheaper yoga mat if you plan on continuing yoga to avoid wasting money.
Is it easy to transport?
Your yoga mat should be lightweight and require only a small amount of storage space.
Your yoga mat is an essential piece of equipment that should be comfortable for multiple sessions of practice. After you've asked yourself the above questions, your choice of a yoga mat should be one that you can rely on and be happy with.
Also visit: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_Coates
Everything about Yoga
What is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual discipline and branch of philosophy that originated in India reportedly more than 5,000 years ago. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to yoke, join, or unite.
The Iyengar school of yoga defines yuj as the "joining or integrating of all aspects of the individual-body with mind and mind with soul-to achieve a happy, balanced and useful life."
Purpose of Yoga
The ultimate aim of yoga, they claim, is to reach kaivalya (emancipation or ultimate freedom).
The History of Yoga
There is no written record of who invented yoga because it was practiced by yogis (yoga practitioners) long before humans knew how to write. The earliest written record of yoga, and one of the oldest texts in existence, is generally believed to be written by Patanjali, an Indian yogic sage who lived somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago.
How Does Yoga Work?
Yoga uses asanas (postures), focused concentration on specific body parts, and pranayama (breathing techniques) to integrate the body with mind and mind with soul.
The Mind
Yoga focuses on the mind by teaching you to concentrate on specific parts of the body. The focus is internal, between your head and your body. The idea is to not fight any thoughts you have, but to let them come and go while the instructor leads you through visual imagery to help you focus on how your muscles feel. The result is to drift into a peaceful, calm, and relaxing state.
The Spirit
Yoga uses controlled breathing as a way to merge the mind, body, and spirit. The breathing techniques are called pranayamas; prana means energy or life force, and yama means social ethics. It is believed that the controlled breathing of pranayamas will control the energy flow in your body and lead to a deep, inner calm and sense of relaxation.
The Body
Yoga asanas (postures or poses) help condition your body. There are thousands of yoga poses to help condition the body.
In Sanskrit, these poses are called kriyas (actions), mudras (seals), and bandhas (locks).
Jeff Behar, MS, MBA regularly writes about hot topics in the areas of health, fitness, disease prevention, nutrition, bodybuilding, men's health, women's health, weight management, weight loss, vitamins and supplements and alternative medicine. His work also often appears in several of the major health and fitness newsletters, blogs, RSS Feeds, as well as print magazines, and many other online health, nutrition,and fitness websites, like http://www.musclemagfitness.com and http://www.jeffbehar.com just to name a few.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Behar
Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual discipline and branch of philosophy that originated in India reportedly more than 5,000 years ago. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to yoke, join, or unite.
The Iyengar school of yoga defines yuj as the "joining or integrating of all aspects of the individual-body with mind and mind with soul-to achieve a happy, balanced and useful life."
Purpose of Yoga
The ultimate aim of yoga, they claim, is to reach kaivalya (emancipation or ultimate freedom).
The History of Yoga
There is no written record of who invented yoga because it was practiced by yogis (yoga practitioners) long before humans knew how to write. The earliest written record of yoga, and one of the oldest texts in existence, is generally believed to be written by Patanjali, an Indian yogic sage who lived somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago.
How Does Yoga Work?
Yoga uses asanas (postures), focused concentration on specific body parts, and pranayama (breathing techniques) to integrate the body with mind and mind with soul.
The Mind
Yoga focuses on the mind by teaching you to concentrate on specific parts of the body. The focus is internal, between your head and your body. The idea is to not fight any thoughts you have, but to let them come and go while the instructor leads you through visual imagery to help you focus on how your muscles feel. The result is to drift into a peaceful, calm, and relaxing state.
The Spirit
Yoga uses controlled breathing as a way to merge the mind, body, and spirit. The breathing techniques are called pranayamas; prana means energy or life force, and yama means social ethics. It is believed that the controlled breathing of pranayamas will control the energy flow in your body and lead to a deep, inner calm and sense of relaxation.
The Body
Yoga asanas (postures or poses) help condition your body. There are thousands of yoga poses to help condition the body.
In Sanskrit, these poses are called kriyas (actions), mudras (seals), and bandhas (locks).
Jeff Behar, MS, MBA regularly writes about hot topics in the areas of health, fitness, disease prevention, nutrition, bodybuilding, men's health, women's health, weight management, weight loss, vitamins and supplements and alternative medicine. His work also often appears in several of the major health and fitness newsletters, blogs, RSS Feeds, as well as print magazines, and many other online health, nutrition,and fitness websites, like http://www.musclemagfitness.com and http://www.jeffbehar.com just to name a few.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Behar
Yoga for Beginners
People have many reasons for thinking about starting yoga. Maybe like me, you were advised by your midwife to take-up yoga as a form of relaxation during pregnancy.
Perhaps you are overweight, have a stress-related medical condition and been advised by your doctor to "exercise and relax more." Or you may have seen an article in your favourite magazine featuring Madonna practicing yoga.
Maybe you are a parent and have to juggle the demands of parenting with a hectic work schedule. This can be exhausting and leave you with little time to care for yourself, relax and, recharge your batteries.
Yoga is the ideal form of exercise to help you relax, strengthen and nurture your body and calm your mind. To the novice student, it can be quite bewildering to know where to begin when want to start practicing yoga.
Types of Yoga There are various styles and different approaches to yoga. In essence, postures (known as asanas) breathing exercises, relaxation and in some cases meditation and chanting form the basis of all yoga styles.
However, different schools of yoga place difference emphasis on these aspects. Some yoga teachers, may focus more on breathing techniques (known as pranayama ), whilst another may pay more attention on the alignment of the body in the poses.
Yoga classes can be taught in rooms which are heated more than 100F (Bikram Yoga, as developed by Bikram Choudury) or more traditionally, classes can take place in your local leisure centre or yoga studio. You can even have private 1-2-1 yoga lessons in the comfort and convenience of your home.
Given the array of styles and classes, how do you choose which style/class is "right for you?" How do you know what qualities to look for, what questions to ask when enquiring about a particular class?
So before you pick up the phone, or click on a prospective teacher's website email address for further information, make sure you have this list to hand as a guide to help you chose your style of yoga.
Five Things You Need To Know Before You Start Your First Yoga Class.
One: It is always best to learn yoga from a qualified yoga teacher. Ask your prospective teacher where they trained, how long their course lasted and what subject areas where covered. Also, find out how long your prospective teacher has been practicing yoga and who inspires her to continue with her practice.
Two: Enquire whether your prospective yoga teacher or yoga studio runs classes specifically for beginners'. A beginners' class will be tailored to ensure you learn the foundations of yoga in a safe manner.
Three: Check out the average number of people who attend the class. As a beginner, look for a class that isn't too crowded - between seven to fifteen students - this allows the teacher to get to know you, observe your practice and make appropriate adjustments to your technique.
Four: The class needs to be at a time and venue which is convenient for you. Maybe you prefer to take a class on the way to or from work, or a class which is near your home. Anything too far, difficult to reach or held at an inconvenient time for you, makes it harder for you to start and integrate the class into your daily routine.
Five: Talk with your prospective yoga teacher. This gives you the opportunity to see how comfortable you feel working with the teacher. By talking, you will also find out more about their particular style of teaching, experience and to share any health related matters you may have.
It may take you time and energy to find a class or yoga teacher suited to your individual needs. Preserve. Once you start, you will feel lighter, calmer and glad you took the time to find a class and teacher suited to you.
Ntathu Allen c. 2008
Registered Polarity Practitioner and Hatha Yoga Teacher, Ntathu inspires and supports you in your health and wellness journey. She offers private 1-2-1 yoga at home sessions, yoga at work and yoga for children. Through the practice and teachings of Yoga and Polarity Therapy Treatments, she helps you learn simple yoga stretches, meditation and relaxation techniques which you can use to release stress, boost your energy, relax and, feel more alive. Email ntathu@yogainspires.co.uk to sign up for your free Yoga and Polarity monthly enewsletter, "Healing for Soul" - full of simple health building exercises, relaxation techniques and inspirations which you can use to reduce stress, boost your creativity and experience inner and outer peace.
Email: ntathu@yogainspires.co.ukhttp://www.yogainspires.co.ukPhone: +44 7973 777 882 +44 20 8432 3429
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ntathu_Allen
Perhaps you are overweight, have a stress-related medical condition and been advised by your doctor to "exercise and relax more." Or you may have seen an article in your favourite magazine featuring Madonna practicing yoga.
Maybe you are a parent and have to juggle the demands of parenting with a hectic work schedule. This can be exhausting and leave you with little time to care for yourself, relax and, recharge your batteries.
Yoga is the ideal form of exercise to help you relax, strengthen and nurture your body and calm your mind. To the novice student, it can be quite bewildering to know where to begin when want to start practicing yoga.
Types of Yoga There are various styles and different approaches to yoga. In essence, postures (known as asanas) breathing exercises, relaxation and in some cases meditation and chanting form the basis of all yoga styles.
However, different schools of yoga place difference emphasis on these aspects. Some yoga teachers, may focus more on breathing techniques (known as pranayama ), whilst another may pay more attention on the alignment of the body in the poses.
Yoga classes can be taught in rooms which are heated more than 100F (Bikram Yoga, as developed by Bikram Choudury) or more traditionally, classes can take place in your local leisure centre or yoga studio. You can even have private 1-2-1 yoga lessons in the comfort and convenience of your home.
Given the array of styles and classes, how do you choose which style/class is "right for you?" How do you know what qualities to look for, what questions to ask when enquiring about a particular class?
So before you pick up the phone, or click on a prospective teacher's website email address for further information, make sure you have this list to hand as a guide to help you chose your style of yoga.
Five Things You Need To Know Before You Start Your First Yoga Class.
One: It is always best to learn yoga from a qualified yoga teacher. Ask your prospective teacher where they trained, how long their course lasted and what subject areas where covered. Also, find out how long your prospective teacher has been practicing yoga and who inspires her to continue with her practice.
Two: Enquire whether your prospective yoga teacher or yoga studio runs classes specifically for beginners'. A beginners' class will be tailored to ensure you learn the foundations of yoga in a safe manner.
Three: Check out the average number of people who attend the class. As a beginner, look for a class that isn't too crowded - between seven to fifteen students - this allows the teacher to get to know you, observe your practice and make appropriate adjustments to your technique.
Four: The class needs to be at a time and venue which is convenient for you. Maybe you prefer to take a class on the way to or from work, or a class which is near your home. Anything too far, difficult to reach or held at an inconvenient time for you, makes it harder for you to start and integrate the class into your daily routine.
Five: Talk with your prospective yoga teacher. This gives you the opportunity to see how comfortable you feel working with the teacher. By talking, you will also find out more about their particular style of teaching, experience and to share any health related matters you may have.
It may take you time and energy to find a class or yoga teacher suited to your individual needs. Preserve. Once you start, you will feel lighter, calmer and glad you took the time to find a class and teacher suited to you.
Ntathu Allen c. 2008
Registered Polarity Practitioner and Hatha Yoga Teacher, Ntathu inspires and supports you in your health and wellness journey. She offers private 1-2-1 yoga at home sessions, yoga at work and yoga for children. Through the practice and teachings of Yoga and Polarity Therapy Treatments, she helps you learn simple yoga stretches, meditation and relaxation techniques which you can use to release stress, boost your energy, relax and, feel more alive. Email ntathu@yogainspires.co.uk to sign up for your free Yoga and Polarity monthly enewsletter, "Healing for Soul" - full of simple health building exercises, relaxation techniques and inspirations which you can use to reduce stress, boost your creativity and experience inner and outer peace.
Email: ntathu@yogainspires.co.ukhttp://www.yogainspires.co.ukPhone: +44 7973 777 882 +44 20 8432 3429
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ntathu_Allen
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