Yoga: Astanga Vinyasa Yoga

Astanga, or sometimes spelled ashtanga Yoga is actually taught today by a man named Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, in Mysore, India. He has brought astanga yoga to the west about 25 years ago and still teaches today at 91 years of age. Astanga yoga began with the rediscovery of the ancient manuscript Yoga Korunta. It describes a unique system of Hatha yoga as practiced and created by the ancient sage Vamana Rishi. It is believed to be the original asana practiced intended by Patanjali.

Astanga, or sometimes spelled ashtanga Yoga is actually taught today by a man named Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, in Mysore, India. He has brought astanga yoga to the west about 25 years ago and still teaches today at 91 years of age. Astanga yoga began with the rediscovery of the ancient manuscript Yoga Korunta. It describes a unique system of Hatha yoga as practiced and created by the ancient sage Vamana Rishi. It is believed to be the original asana practiced intended by Patanjali.

The Yoga Korunta emphasizes vinyasa, or breath-synchronized movement, where one practices a posture with specific breathing patterns associated with it. This breathing technique is called ujayyi pranayama, or the victorious breath, and it is a process that produces intense internal heat and a profuse sweat that purifies and detoxifies the muscles and organs. This also releases beneficial hormones and nutrients, and is usually massaged back into the body. The breath ensures efficient circulation of blood. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body and a calm mind.

There is a proper sequence to follow when practicing Astanga yoga. One must graduate from one sequence of postures to move onto the next. The Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa) detoxifies and aligns the body, purifying it so that toxins do not block. The Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodhana) purifies the nervous system by opening and clearing the energy channels, allowing energy to pass through easily. The Advanced Series A, B, C, and D (Sthira Bhaga) integrate the grace and stamina of the practice, which calls for intense flexibility.

It is best to find a trained and knowledgeable teacher to assist you through this discipline. It is an intense practice that is rigorous, six days a week. You are guaranteed to find inner peace and fulfillment with each breath you take.

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Yoga: Instant 10-minute Yoga - New Form of Yoga

Yoga began in India 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit language and means, to join or integrate, or simply union. Yoga started, as far as we know, as part of India's philosophical system, but not everyone practiced yoga, and it has never been a religion.

Yoga began in India 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit language and means, to join or integrate, or simply union. Yoga started, as far as we know, as part of India's philosophical system, but not everyone practiced yoga, and it has never been a religion.

About 5 million people in the United States do some yoga. Dance and stretching exercise classes usually have parts and pieces that come directly from yoga. If you ever go to a physical therapist, he or she may give you therapeutic exercises that are yoga postures.

There are several types of yoga. The yoga you may have seen on TV or taught at your local Y or an adult education class is called hatha yoga, or physical yoga. Sometimes it's known as the yoga for health. You may also find yoga being taught in a hospital or medical setting. Many health professionals today feel yoga can be part of a treatment plan.

Hatha yoga has three parts: a series of exercises or movements called asana (poses or postures in English), breathing techniques of all kinds, and relaxation.

Do you drag yourself out of bed on Monday mornings, exhausted before you've even begun the week. Or maybe you can't enjoy your evenings, because work drains you of every ounce of energy.

Don't worry, you can boost your energy levels and balance your body with a new form of yoga - dynamic yoga.

Its simplicity and almost instantaneous benefits have made it one of the most fashionable alternative exercises of the new Millennium. Normally known for its relaxation benefits, dynamic yoga can boost your energy levels in just 10 minutes.

It includes some of the most basic yoga postures. You can try each of them individually, or in succession, but none of them should be rushed. However, you should feel the benefits after just ten minutes.

The deep stretches and graceful movements help to unblock energy, improve muscle tone and increase your general stamina. When practised regularly, say enthusiasts, you will experience improved energy levels, greater sexual vitality and better self-discipline. In the long-term, the breathing and body exercises will help detoxify your mind of tension and strain, creating calm and an inner peace.

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Nicholas Tan has been involved in Article Writing, providing Free Articles, Internet Marketing, SEO, Adwords, & Adsense for more than 5 years and designs and develops websites. Submit your free articles and get your articles noticed! Get your Free Articles here! Submit Articles! We provide free articles and information. Check us out at Free Articles!

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Yoga: Cure through Yoga

Yoga in a popular position Yoga, one of the world's oldest forms of exercise, is experiencing a rebirth in our stressful modern world. You wouldn't think that a 3000-year-old exercise could increase its popularity. But yoga is now being prescribed even by some medical practitioners for a range of health ailments and illnesses, as a stress reliever and to complement other fitness programs.

Yoga in a popular position Yoga, one of the world's oldest forms of exercise, is experiencing a rebirth in our stressful modern world. You wouldn't think that a 3000-year-old exercise could increase its popularity. But yoga is now being prescribed even by some medical practitioners for a range of health ailments and illnesses, as a stress reliever and to complement other fitness programs.

Talk to anyone who practises yoga and they will quickly extoll an endless list of benefits. It seems beginners quickly become converts. They believe it is the key to good health and happiness in today's world _ a common goal for most people. But probably the greatest advertisement for yoga is the fact that it seems to have graduated from the weird and alternative ranks into a position of fairly wide community acceptance.

Housewives, businessmen, sportspeople, teenagers and the aged are all practising a variety of yoga positions, meditation and associated breathing exercises. For many, yoga becomes a way of life _ often giving a more spiritual side to people's lives, although not necessarily linked to religion. One school of belief maintains that chronic and accumulated stress is the reason for many of our modern illnesses.

Proponents of yoga argue that it has a multiplicity of techniques to counter that cause and, unlike drug therapy, attack the cause, not just the symptoms. It offers, they say, a holistic approach to health and fitness. Many professional athletes, looking for the edge have turned to yoga as a supplementary form of training. They have found that yoga aids their state of mental and physical relaxation between training sessions, and their crucial build-up to big meets, where a competition is usually won or lost in the mind.

Perhaps one of yoga's major attractions is that it combines physical and mental exercise. It is excellent for posture and flexibility, both key physical elements for most sports-people, and in some respects, there are strength benefits to be gained. Yoga teachers say that the approach of yoga therapy is one of the most effective ways of achieving the mental edge that athletes seek.

Marian Fenlon, one of Brisbane's leading yoga teachers of the past 20 years, is the author of two books on the subject and has had thousands of yoga pupils. Many of them have, in turn, become teachers. Believe it or not, she has even taught yoga to footballers. Many years ago, she took Brisbane Souths rugby league team for an eight-week course and, amazingly, it was well-received. She says there are eight components to yoga therapy - attitudes, disciplines, posture and flexibility, breathing, sensory awareness, concentration, contemplation and meditation. Yoga can play a substantial supporting role to modern medicine, and complement other fitness and exercise programs. While there is no great component of aerobic fitness in yoga therapy, it complements aerobic exercise because of breathing techniques that can be learned. So there are advantages for even the most demanding of aerobic sports - swimming, cycling and running. There are numerous documented cases of yoga relieving or curing serious illnesses - such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses like asthma and emphysema.

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Nicholas Tan has been involved in Article Writing, providing Free Articles, Internet Marketing, SEO, Adwords, & Adsense for more than 5 years and designs and develops websites. Submit your free articles and get your articles noticed! Get your Free Articles here! Submit Articles! We provide free articles and information. Check us out at Free Articles!

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Yoga During Your Pregnancy - How Safe Is It?

If you are yoga fanatic and just recently discovered that you are pregnant, you may still be able to do your yoga exercises. Contrary to what others thinks, Yoga is good for you and your unborn child. Practicing yoga will not hurt the baby! Instead you will be creating a healthy environment for the baby if you learn to do the yoga poses correctly.

A word of caution, there are some poses that you will want to avoid. You need to aware of those harmful poses and master only the poses that are suggested as prenatal yoga. Learn about these poses before you begin to do yoga. Ask your Obstetrician for recommendation. Be 100% sure that you know what you are doing, as you don’t want to hurt yourself or the baby.

Yoga is beneficial - it is a mental exercise as well as a physical one. For those who learn to utilize yoga as a meditation tool, they are able to relax and control their breathing. This will come in handy when you are in labor, particularly if you are opting to give birth naturally and without the use of any drugs. You will learn how to remain calm in your later stages of your pregnancy, as many new mothers get easily frustrated.

You must learn the rules that you will need to follow when practicing yoga during your pregnancy. First, stay hydrated by frequently stopping for water breaks. This is because if you get too overheated, your core body temperature rises, which can harm the baby. In view of this scenario, “hot” yoga is dangerous and should be avoided while you are pregnant. Eat some extra calories since you are eating for two, however, do ensure that you exercise to burn those extra calories from yourself and the baby.

Avoid certain poses that can be harmful towards the baby. Lying flat on your back, for example, can disrupt blood flow to your brain and to the uterus. You will feel dizzy and it may cause developmental problems for your baby. This is especially true when you have passed your first trimester, as it is just not safe. Also skip positions that are inverted, or those that require great amounts of balance. Remember that your uterus and abdomen is growing in size every single day, so you will never be able to fully get used to your new shape and stay balanced.

Bear in mind that you do must not fall as you can hurt yourself and also jeopardize your pregnancy.

If the positions taught include major twisting or stretching in the abdominal region, remember that they are not meant for you to try out. Finally, avoid transitions in which you must stand quickly from a laying or sitting position, since this can be uncomfortable and dangerous as it will cause you to feel dizzy and restrict blood flow to your uterus.

Fret not, there are other yoga positions that you will find to be helpful and useful during your pregnancy. Most pregnant women will practice safe yoga like stretching their body.

Work with your yoga instructor and ask for his or her recommendations. Most importantly, always consult your Obstetrician to ensure that your pregnancy period is going to be smooth-sailing as well as you are able to stay healthy.

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Yoga Videos Part 3

Advanced Yoga: Headstand.


Agustin's Yoga Routine


Basic Tantra Yoga

The meaning of the Yoga, for a right beginning

The purpose of all the different aspects of the practice of the Yoga is that to reason the Itself individual (Jiva) with the Absolute or pure awareness (Brahman).

The word Yoga literally means "union." This union frees the spirit from every sense of separation, from the illusion of the time, of the space and of the causality. Only our ignorance, our incapability to distinguish the reality from the irreality that it prevents us from realizing our true nature.
Also in this state of ignorance, the human spirit often perceives the lack of something in the life, something that cannot be reached neither with the realization of a determined objective neither with the satisfaction of a desire. In the life of each other, the incessant search of love, of success, of changes and of happiness are the demonstration that exists in us the conscience of a reality that we warn but that we are not able to reach.

According to the Yoga teaching, reality is for unchangeable and immovable definition and therefore the world, the universe that we perceive in constant movement, is not anything else other than illusion (maya).

The universe that we perceive is only something that overlaps to the reality, that is projected on the screen of the reality as a film it's projected on the screen of the cinema. As when we walk at night we can confuse a piece of rope with a snake, so, without illumination, we exchange what it is real with what it is not, we overlap or we project our illusions on the real world.
The deceptive nature of the temporal reality reflects him in the search from the modern science of the elementary particle, indivisible, of subject.

These searches have brought to the conclusion that the subject and the energy are interchangeable and that the appearance of solidity that we perceive in the subject is created from the movement or from the vibrations: we see to stir a helix and we exchange it for a circle. Big part of what we perceive as solid it is, of fact, empty space: if we removed the whole space from the atoms that our body they form maintaining only the 'not-space', we would not even succeed in seeing what he has remained.

Yoga is a term sanscrito (from the root yuj or yug) with different meanings: to connect, to link, means used for the union, effort, method, practice, action, self-control, path to get what we don't have, what is obtainable through the knowledge and the practice, union of the individual soul with that supreme.
In the context of the Yoga philosophy, the union happens between the individual soul and the universal soul.

To begin the Yoga it is to know the way to maintain the equilibrium, the serenity, the calm, the self-control, the love; it is the tool to check it own destiny and all of our internal quality; it is To know that the simplicity and the to be satisfied damage the happiness; it is to know the correct way to use completely the strength of the thought and all the other cosmic energies.

Author bio:
Corrado Vinci is the editor of GoSubArticles. Go to the following links for to begin the Yoga and to have his benefits of yoga

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Yoga relaxation, Shavasana or the corpse pose.

Activity is the law of life and it is carried out at the expenditure of energy produced by a certain amount of wear and tear of all the organs of the body, and particularly at the expense of the voluntary muscles. During waking hours we perform all sorts of co-ordinated movements which are dependent on the contraction and relaxation of opposing sets of muscles and thus a certain amount of recuperative time is given to the muscles which are relaxed. If the contraction of a muscle is prolonged too long or carried out more frequently than a muscle is accustomed to, we feel a sensation of fatigue which is due to the accumulation of waste products of contraction. In the relaxed position of a muscle the circulation of the blood is not obstructed.

The constant supply of blood energizes the muscle by giving up its oxygen to it and in exchange carries away the products of metabolism, or renders them inert. The chief advantage of relaxation is that it gives in a minimum time a maximum amount of renewed strength. Sleep is a great energizer as all the voluntary muscles are then at rest and recuperative processes go on unconsciously. During sleep, the subconscious mind, not being under the control of consciousness, wanders away from the body. If we could obtain the same relaxation which we get in sleep by resting at will, the sub-conscious may be made to remain in the body and vitalize and control the activity of all the involuntary organs in the body.

This conscious rest can be obtained by practicing Shavasana or the corpse pose.

Technique: Lie supine, i.e., flat on the back with the hands and legs fully extended. Keep the feet apart by about nine inches with the toes directed outwards. This position helps to relax the muscles of the lower extremities. Keep the hands close to the body with the palms pointing upwards and with the fingers slightly flexed. The face should be turned sideways by rotating the head on its own axis. This will help to relax the muscles of the neck. To relax the face muscles let the jaw drop down by keeping the mouth slightly open. Keep the eyes closed and the body quite motionless. The relaxation of the trunk-muscles is dependent on correct breathing. The muscles of the thorax and the abdomen normally begin to relax during expiration and maximum relaxation is reached during the suspensionary period occurring between the respiratory cycles. It is not possible to suspend breathing for a long time. A short inspiratory effort followed by a prolonged expiratory one will maintain the relaxation of the trunk-muscles for a longer time than their contraction in a short inspiratory effort. Even in this relaxed position of the body the muscles still remain alert for any stimulus that they may experience, because the vitality of the muscles in the form of voluntary nerve-force is still present. The next effort should then be directed towards devitalizing the muscles so as to completely relax them in the true sense. To achieve this, the nerves supplying the muscles must be made non-Impressionable to both, the afferent (in-going) and efferent (out-going) stimuli. To begin with, try to devitalize a group of muscles at a time. Devitalizing should be carried out in the following order. First the lower extremities, then the upper extremities, neck, face and lastly the trunk. The thought of devitalizing a particular group of muscles must synchronise with deep inhalation which helps to draw the vitality of the part (Prdna) upwards and this Is made apparent by a sinking feeling in that part. This makes the muscles non-impressionable to afferent impulses. Keep steady the vitality thus withdrawn at a point near the root of the nose by directing the gaze there with the eyes closed, and then slowly exhale.

This prevents the generation of a reflex impulse froih the brain and in the absence of this the devitalized part remains completely relaxed. By this process not only are all the voluntary muscles relaxed, but at the same time that concentration of the mind is achieved which is so highly prized by spiritual culturists for developing further the more advanced and spiritual stages of Yoga. When success in relaxing the muscles of the different parts of the body has been achieved, then an effort should be made to relax the muscles of the whole body at the same time. This is the true aim of Shavasana. With perfect relaxation of all the muscles of the body, the breathing becomes slower and shallower and the body becomes like a corpse. Whether the body is perfectly relaxed or not can be tested by telling some one to lift after a stipulated period either the forearm or a leg to a certain height and then let it go. If the body is in a truly relaxed condition, the limb raised will fall to the ground like a dead-weight. Retain the pose from three to six minutes taking into consideration the fact that in this pose the time seems abnormally long.

This pose, if rightly practiced, is extremely refreshing after any kind of exertion and is so soothing to the nerves that sleep is often induced during its practice. This tendency to go to sleep should be checked very determinately. As a therapeutic measure Shavasana should be practiced to reduce high blood pressure and for the cure of neurasthenia.

Chaker Saaf,
Founder of: yoga-health-beauty-energy.com

You deserve a healthy and active lifestyle.

Sign-up right now for Chaker Saaf's FREE yoga e-course to find out how to relax, keep your health, beauty and gain more energy– Go here:
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