All About Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is a text that covers many aspects of life, beginning with a code of conduct and ending with the goal of yoga, a vision of one's true Self. The Pantajali'sYoga Sutras is probably the most authoritative text on yoga. It defines yoga as a focusing of the attention to whatever object is being contemplated to the exclusion of all others. Yoga isn't only about postures, or meditation, it is a way of life, or religion. In this influencing scripture there are eight steps to awakening or enlightenment through yoga. These eight astanga or limbs of yoga are: yamas, niyamas, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.

The yamas consist of lessons in moral and social conduct in our environment. It teaches us to restrain from lying, stealing, and greed. Non-violence and consideration toward all living things is the key. Communication with sensitivity towards others and moderation in all things we do is revered.

The niyama focuses on attitudes towards ourselves: compromising, cleanliness, serenity, devotion, and asceticism. One should study and reverence to a higher intelligence. There is an acceptance of our limitations in relation to God. It is key to have removed the impurities from the mind and body.

In the asanas, one focuses on posture practice, positioning the body while incorporating the breath to achieve a greater awareness in the mind. One is alert and relaxed without tension, while observing the reactions of the body and breath to various postures. This minimizes the effect of the external influences on the body, such as diet and climate.

Pranayama, or the restraint and control of the breath, helps with concentration, energizing and balancing of the mind and body.

Pratyahara is the relaxation of the senses, where no distractions actually activate the mind. Dharana, or concentration, is the ability to direct the mind toward a chosen object and focus in on it alone. Dhyana, or meditation, is the ability to develop focused interactions with what we seek to understand. Lastly, but most importantly, Samadhi is the ultimate state of Self-realization, or union with the Source. To learn about goldfish facts, goldfish illness and other information, visit the Interesting Animals website.

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Bending It Like Bikram - Hot Yoga, A Novice's Findings

Having been encouraged to give Bikram Yoga a try, it was with some trepidation that I climbed the stairs to the studio. For those of you unfamiliar with this fom of the ancient Indian practice, it involves doing yoga postures in a room heated to 40 degrees.

It was therefore with some trepidation that I found myself slipping into my shorts, grabbing my two towels and bottle of water and heading into the yoga room. The room itself was big with mirrors all along one wall. Picking up a rubber yoga mat I took my place among the other acolytes. Soon enough I heard what sounded like a ship's boiler roaring into life and the room started to get warm, then hot. Next news is that a very fit looking woman hoves into view with a Madonna-esque radio mic and let's us know that we are about to begin.

After a bit of preamble about not pushing yourself too hard and that just staying in the room for 90 minutes was an achievement it was time to start the first breathing exercise. This completed I was puffing like the Flying Scotsman and redder than Dennis Healey. I was also sweating up a storm. After breathing it was straight into Half Moon. You would be amazed at how difficult it is standing with your arms above your head or on one leg for over a minute. The people around me were also bending sideways like bendy pink bananas.

And so it went for about 20 minutes when we were allowed our first water break. At this point I made the rookie error of downing about a litre of water. If I wasn't nauseated before I certainly was after that bit of tomfoolery!

After our break we were taken through all manner of contortions from the punishing Triangle to the just plain sadistic Rabbit posture. In the end things settled down a tad and I was able to get into some of the postures without wondering how I would be able to get out. Apparently when you are squeezing in and out of the postures, you are dumping a lot of toxins into the bloodstream which can cause a bit of nausea.

By the time we got to the final breathing I was standing on a soaking towel in shorts that were as wet as if I had been sitting in a bath. However I felt strangely euphoric. Standing under an ice cold shower some 10 minutes later I began to feel even better. When I got outside I was feeling yet more full of beans. I was buzzing well into the evening and most of the next day. In fact I found going to sleep quite hard and I am now very familiar with the details of my bedroom ceiling.

So next day and every day for the following 10 days I returned for more hot stretching and bending action and the results have been amazing. Apart from the stone in weight that has gone somewhere, the big difference I feel is the increased energy - a total revelation. So while it can be very daunting and 26 postures done twice each in such a hot room can cause you to have many strange moments, the results have to be felt to be believed. So get yourself down to your local hot yoga studio and start puffing like the Flying Sctosman!

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As well as now being a leading light on the Bikram Yoga scene, Patrick Attlee can also show you the best hair thickening shampoo to use. Amazing eh?

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“Prenatal Yoga: ‘Ohm’ Your Way to a Healthier, More Comfortable Pregnancy”

From the moment you saw that positive pregnancy test, you knew life would never be the same. For the next nine months, you’ll be doing everything for two, from eating a healthful diet to getting regular medical care. You’ll also be exercising for two, which is why it’s critical to find a safe exercise, like prenatal yoga, that will keep you and your baby healthy and comfortable.
Prenatal Yoga is Good for You.

Like any safe exercise, yoga has a host of benefits for expecting moms. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), exercising just 30 minutes on most days of the week may help prevent gestational diabetes, which is a factor in the development of preeclampsia, a potentially serious pregnancy complication.
Studies also support prenatal yoga’s benefits. Research at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found that pregnant women who practiced yoga had lower blood pressure than those who walked for an hour each day. Thai researchers concluded that prenatal yoga shortened the amount of time participants spent in labor as well as the amount of labor pain they reported. A potentially shorter labor and perhaps less labor pain. What woman wouldn’t want that?

Yoga practice may also relieve common pregnancy aches. For example, child’s pose can help relieve the back pain that afflicts nearly 90% of expecting moms. If you suffer with sciatica, a compressed nerve that triggers shooting pain, specific forward bend poses can provide much-needed relief.

Insomnia, another common complaint, stems from a number of causes, including excitement, anxiety, and heartburn. But you don’t need to suffer through those sleepless nights— after all, you’ll have enough of those after the baby comes. The ACOG recommends using yoga relaxation techniques as a way to cope with pregnancy insomnia. These relaxation methods are a common feature in many prenatal yoga classes, and, once you learn to use them properly, they’re an effective, drug-free way to find insomnia relief.

Harry Lawrence
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Can Hot Yoga Lose Your Weight Faster?

Bikram Yoga, which is also known as Hot Yoga, is collecting more popular yoga community. One of the key reasons is that people believe that hot yoga will help you lose weight in a quick and easy way. The perception of experience ea sweating profusely in the class.

Now, is this true Bikram Yoga will help you lose weight? Read on to find out more.

Bikram Yoga class is conduct in fourth until heated 105A - F (40.5Â - C) with a humidity of 40%. Therefore, everyone will sweat like pork. Some gyms are pushing hot yoga packages to its affiliation with the party claims:
Sudais make hot yoga. The more Sudais, the more calories quemáis.
Sweating will also detoxify your body healthy circulatory system to bring positive effect on metabolism. With better metabolism, you can pour your weight easily.
Warm temperatures easily warm your muscles. For your muscles warm, you can burn fat easily.
Hot yoga will help build your mental strength and willpower that EA challenge feasible yoga in a heated environment. You can then resist temptation to over-eat and will lose weight.

Now, all of the claims are true?

Lets' look at the first and second hot spot fine yoga makes you sweat, but sweating is actually a good indication of detoxification and why you operation pierdáis weight faster? When Sudais, mainly lose water. Once you drink water to rehydrate is, you will regain the weight. Indeed, it is true that the more Sudais, the more calories quemáis. Leaving my article The Truth Behind Losing Weight by Taking a walk or Steam Bath which is based on the same concept.

Regarding the third point that warm muscles will burn fat easily. I do not find any scientific evidence about the direct correlation between warm muscles and burning calories.

Last point, hot yoga to build your willpower. I think it's possible and really work for some people, however, many other sports or activities you can do and build the same mental strength as well.

Dont 'get me wrong. I'm not that hot yoga is evil. Hot yoga, like the other types of yoga, is good. My thinking on this issue:
My concern is that people are expected to meet only after miracle short of meeting the hot yoga class. Right after the class, some people will stand fast in the scale and jumping for joy after hearing the "weight loss". These losses are temporary. As another exercise, you can only see results after address Bikram yoga several times a week and at least short months. After yoga feasible for some days, you will reveal some muscle tone or posture asanas.
Second, hot yoga should not be the only weight loss tool if you seriously want to lose weight. You need to have health eating plan and do other exercise as well. Incidentally, one other cardiovascular exercise as jogging, swimming or riding a bike in May helps lose weight faster than yoga.

Weight loss should not be the only reason comenzáis learning yoga. Yoga also helps improve flexibility and release stress. At the end of the day, it is often important to exercise to lose weight and maintain their weight. So, if you join Yoga class next time, do not expect you will experience weight loss immediately. Her gift as a bonus if you really lose weight.

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Basic Yoga skills for novices

Whenever you're exercising yoga, there are a couple of yoga methods you need to comprehend and implement. Nobody is able to escape and be free from harsh illnesses so the most useful method to escape it is to train so as to sustain fitness.

Yoga is looked upon as to the supreme technique to stay healthy and fit. The most useful plus in relation to it is you could use in your home or anyplace you like to practice it. At the same time you save your valuable time as you could exercise it whensoever you like.

Many people choose training yoga to maintain a beneficial and healthy way of living.

Good condition is crucial in practicing yoga. Yoga skills are helpful in preserving good organs and other areas of the body like the strength of muscles, limb joints, fluid drainage, skin and vital organs. Those are the most important goal for studying yoga skills.

Following are some yoga skills which you are able to exercise in your yoga training. Despite your full diary or the noisy place in which you reside, preserving these yoga skills will aid you in attaining it.

The 5 yoga techniques cover: poise, relaxation method, focusing, air intake and movement of ligaments. Every technique features its own purpose and function.

The motion of joints is labeled the 'sandhichalana'. That is one of the yoga techniques that center on the limb joints. The ligaments go through overall motion that cause the mobility of the hand joints, motion of the neck and the movement of the legs.

When loosening up, there are some yoga techniques which can heighten your meditation skills and keep your focus from being broken. Rather, they aid in keeping concentration.

The Hong-Sau is a Yoga technique which assists and centers on the interior power of your attention. That method assists you to let go of thought and combat every diversion in order that you are able to focus on the objective which you are trying to achieve. That assists you to gain Divine Consciousness which comes from inside you.

The Aum Technique amplifies your consciousness that is exterior to the restrictions that your mortal coil and intellect produces. That aids you in keeping a powerful state of mind and renders you personal wisdom as to what Divine consciousness in reality means.

There are a few age old yoga methods which you are able to practice. Even though there are numerous yoga methods to select from, employing these methods may not be comfortable for you particularly if you're a novice.

Through getting focus in the yoga classes, you are able to supercharge your consciousness by reflecting intelligibly with some new methods on the way you can be focused in any situation. You ought to be capable of working out what leads you to become tense and the technique to dissolve it.

Following a difficult day of work, you must look for new methods to remain tranquil and stress free. Meditation is your most advantageous instrument and solution.

The main aim of these yoga techniques is to sharpen your consciousness for ultimate well being. You should be capable of discovering the way to efficiently release the tension inside your being and educate yourself to escape it in any given circumstance. To attain that, your mind, body and spirit should be hones.

Skills are naturally helpful although they are basically useless if you aren't able to implement them. The most beneficial technique ever is to develop your own unique yoga skills which will aid you in experiencing the process with success.


Nigel Nix has been learning Yoga for 5 years and you can find out more about Yoga For Anxiety

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An Overview of the Yoga History

We may have been practicing yoga for quite some time now, but to understand it better we have to look further into its origins and roots. An overview on yoga history will help us appreciate the yoga tradition better. Although, some researchers say that yoga dated as early as the first Indian civilizations, there is no proof to this.

Yoga history has traces in some Indian religions. In Hinduism, Shamanism, Jainism and Buddhism yoga means spiritual discipline. The earliest sign of a yoga practice can be seen in Shamanism. Both yoga and shamanism has similar goals that focus on the effort to improve the state of body and mind. Another similarity they both have is that they try to improve the overall health conditions of each member. However, this does not mean that to practice yoga is to enter a new religion. Yoga is for all and is universal. No matter what are your beliefs, you can still practice yoga.

Yoga history has also left some solid clues or hints behind like artifacts and documents depicting yoga postures. After a careful study, researchers have found out that these items dates back in 3000 B.C.

In the oldest existing text, the Rig-veda, has evidences that it utilize some yoga principles. Rig-veda is compilation of hymns that include prayers for divine harmony and greater being. Rig-veda is the sacred scripture of Brahmanism that is the basis of present day Hinduism. It also contains the oldest known yogic teachings.

During the time of Brahmanism, the yoga practice is now widely used by Vedic people or Vedas followers. This is the clear part of the yoga history. Vedas followers rely on to dedicated Vedic Yogis to help them live in divine harmony.

Later on, practice for experiencing greater state of consciousness is improved by the traditions of Upanishads. During the 6th century B.C., a Buddhist prince studied yoga and achieved enlightenment at the age of 35. He is now known as Buddha or the enlightened one. At 5th century B.C., a yoga scripture was created and known as Bhagavad-Gita or the Lord's song. This scripture is dedicated entirely to yoga and includes some yoga history information that tells us that it has already been an ancient practice, even before the creation of the Bhagavad-Gita.

The creation of the Yoga Sutra marks the classical period of yoga history. It defines and standardizes classical yoga. From this, we can find eight underlying principles of yoga and these are:

- Yama
- Asanas
- Samadhi
- Niyama
- Samadhi
- Dhyana
- Pratyahara
- Pranayama

The writer of Yoga Sutra, Patanjali, focused on meditation setting aside asanas and so are his followers. It was later on that the balance between the body and mind has been rekindled.

During the post classical period of yoga, the 8 principles has been reduced to 5 and continued to be practiced by yoga followers. Up to this day, yoga continues to spread and develop not just in India but also throughout the world.

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Three Yoga Techniques to Suit your Exquisite Preference

Many people practicing yoga techniques had reached to the point where they are seeking more advanced yoga exercises. Most yoga sessions focus on the meditation and breathing exercises. These basic yoga techniques give emphasis on providing relaxation and flexibility to the body in order to attain beneficial health effects. There are other yoga techniques which exceeds the norm of the commonly used yoga postures namely Ashtanga yoga, Bikram Yoga and Kundalini yoga. The asana poses involved in these yoga practices require proper concentration and dedication to achieve mastery of the involved yoga techniques.

Ashtanga Yoga - Muscle Building Yoga Technique

This yoga technique is much different from other forms of yoga exercises. The asana postures to be performed in this yoga exercise focuses on enhancing the strength and endurance of the practitioner's body. The Ashtanga yoga technique is often restricted to those with proficient body status, due to the intensity involved in performing the difficult poses on this exercise. The yoga sessions for this yoga technique are often subjected to a fast pace of exercise procedures which would perfectly suit those people who are into building up their body's strength and stamina.

The level of difficulty offered by the Ashtanga yoga asana postures gave it the name "athlete's yoga". The yoga techniques to be performed in this type of exercise require hard work, constant practice and great concentration. This is a good choice for people who are physically fit.

Bikram Yoga - Heating while Bending Yoga Technique

This 90-minute yoga session involves flexing your body while inside a sweltering room. The training room for this yoga technique is preheated to at most 105 degree Fahrenheit and 40 percent humidity. For those people who are interested on this extraordinary yoga experience, preparation is very crucial to survive this yoga technique. Students of Bikram yoga sessions should follow important reminders before starting the yoga exercises. Due to the heated environment, this yoga technique regulates breathing and releases the body's fluids at faster rate compared to other yoga techniques. The extreme temperature applied with the constricting movements benefits the body's blood flow. This yoga technique is advisable to those who can endure heat while performing the asana postures.

Kundalini Yoga - Releasing Inner Body's Potential Yoga Technique

The postures involved in this yoga technique excite the endocrine and nervous system of the body. This is a very interesting type of yoga exercise since it gives serenity and ecstasy to the body if mastered. Kundalini yoga techniques compose of unique poses, meditation and chanting. The chanting is considered as the most crucial part of this yoga exercise. The chanting provides the practitioner to experience inner peace and at the same time enhancing the body's senses. Most Kundalini yoga sessions require the assistance of a professional guru. This yoga technique is an excellent choice for those who want to experience the soothing effect of concentrated meditation.

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Abhyasa for Health

The mind of such a person stops running about, and becomes steady and still very easily. The process of steadying the mind is called abhyasa in yoga terminology. It is made of three stages respectively called dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Dharana is a state of mental concentration in which the mind, which has stopped running after the objects of enjoyment (due to vairagya) gets associated with a restricted area of operation, which may be an idol or a picture. or any symbol like a cross, or dot, and so on. This is a state of absorption of the mind in an engrossing topic. All thoughts are here concerned about a single topic. For example, one may fix the mind on some areas in the body, such as any one of the six chakras, the tip of the tongue or nose, the midpoint between the eyebrows, the heart, and so on, or on, an attractive idol of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, or a picture of the rising sun. No thought other than those that are in some way or the other related to the object of concentration, is allow to arise in the mind. This is not an easy thing to do because of the habit of mind to move continuously from one thought to another. But an individual from whose mind vasana or trishna has completel retired, can easily apply his mind to any limited topic (desha), just as a trained horse can be made to follow any specified path, by carefully controlling his actions.

As an individual proceeds deeper in the process of concentration, the mind becomes steadier, and, out of the limited set of thoughts concerning the same topic only one single thought starts arising in the mind time and again. This is the state of dhyana in which the mind becomes very stable like the flame of a lamp in a very calm atmosphere, and its contact with the object of experience becomes intense and complete. There are two varieties of dhyana as explained in the Shandilyopanishad, namely, sagwwdhyana and nirgunadhyana. The former involves stillness of the mind associated with an object of experience that can be grasped through the sense organs, e.g. it may either be seen with eyes, or touched with the hands or at least it can be thought of as having certain qualities. The latter variety implies complete absorption of the mind into itself. This is a state in which the mind is not associating with any object, external or internal, or perceptible through the senses. The mind becomes completely still in this state. It is supposed that such a still and silent mind becomes so sensitive as to be able to understand any event, past, present or future, that might have happened anywhere in the universe. We may quote, for example, an incident mentioned by Kalidasa in his Raghuvamsha. King Dilipa, as the story goes, was not having a child. He went to his guru Vasishtha for a remedy, and told him the reason of his sadness. The rise, on this, stood till for a few moments and came to know, through concentration of the mind, why king Dilioa was not getting a son.

Whether such a thing is possible through dhyana, is a question on which opinions may differ. Science, it may be said, has not yet succeeded in gathering sufficient information which may confirm this belief. But we may still come across many people in India who would defend such possibilities heart and soul.

Let us now see how dhyana is turned into what is called samadhi. This is a state that can be achieved only by a mind which is purified like a gem or crystal. When all the impurities of the mind are completely washed away through dhyana, the mind shows a capacity to grasp any object very clearly and vividly.

When a crystal (which is colourless in itself) is placed adjacent to a flower, it shows in itself the colour of that flower very completely, so much so that one feels as if that is its own colour. Similarly, a mind that is purified by dhyana, when cast on any object of thought, can establish such an intimate contact with the object that it becomes completely identified or one with it. This is known as tadatmya of the mind with the object. It indicates complete stillness and steadiness which is accompanied by silencing of the breath. In that state, the consciousness of one's own existence vanishes. This is called "sabija samadhi", because it always involves some object of experience or some thought on which the mind is concentrated.

Nirbija samadhi (also called "sahajavastha") is a state very different from this. It is lot a state of concentration but the state of liberation in bodily existence (jivan mukti).

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Yoga for Digestive Disorders

Yoga is an extremely very old form of exercise which has great abilities to give solutions to several health related problems even today. This is the basis why huge numbers of people have been practicing yoga on a regular basis for years and living a healthy life, not just healthy body but as well strong mind.

Yoga plans at working towards bringing stability in mind and body of an individual, 'yoga' the word itself means union, i.e. combination of body and mind for a healthy living. There is no organ in the body that yoga movements do not address. Yoga movements can offer relief almost from any ailment, connecting to any organ of the body.

This applies still to gastrointestinal troubles faced by us frequently. Yoga for digestive system has a set of workout or positions, 'asanas' that can give you complete relief, be it the irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, heartburns, etc.
Yoga and ayurveda in mix can not just offer you relief but as well provide you with ideal medication and absolute cure from several stomach and digestive order connected ailments.

Yoga for digestive disorders is a set of exercises; your yoga teacher will educate you. These 'asana' need to be done accurately as taught by the instructor so that you can get absolute relief from your problems, the instructor will educate you how long you necessitate to remain in a certain position, the inhalation during this position and the way to bring yourself to normal position.

Yoga exercises are not similar to allopathic medicines which usually give you short term but immediate relief, these exercises will take a week to become totally helpful, but you can be certain that you will be totally cured from your gastro-intestinal problems. As a novice you will have to work towards perfecting your asanas once that it done, you are permissible to practice yoga all by yourself at home.

Yoga treatment prescribes several asanas that might affect your digestion troubles, these range to deep breathing exercises to boost oxygen in blood as well as bring breathing in sync with the metabolic system (pranayam) also as several asanas that address stomach troubles directly similar to the 'Dhanurasana' which makes you put entire weight on your stomach, thus toning stomach muscles and making these stronger also as to digest food improved and cleanse system of left over food, etc. for basic there are asanas similar to the 'ardha dharnurasan' half of the dhanurasan where you necessitate to lift only the upper torso to rest its weight on stomach.

Approximately all gastro-intestinal ailments such as the ulcers, indigestion, GERD, digestive disorders, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, etc. all can be treated by yoga exercises. You can begin feeling the change within a day or two of initial the exercises.


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