Enriching Your Mind, Body and Soul With Yoga

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Enriching Your Mind, Body and Soul With The Power Of Yoga

Discover the physical and emotional benefits of Yoga that millions of people are already using!

No longer is Yoga a "fad" of the sixties practiced by celebrities. Yoga has become a mainstream practice in the West, as many have discovered the holistic health benefits that have been practiced in the east for centuries. Thousands are joining classes in Yoga each year to learn these ancient teachings. Now you can discover these ancient teachings without parting with your hard earned money for classes.

With the Enriching Your Mind, Body and Soul With The Power Of Yoga package, you will receive three guides that cover every aspect of the yoga lifestyle, including relaxation, exercise, breathing, and meditation. Whether you're using the package in conjunction with a class or on your own, Enriching Your Mind, Body and Soul With The Power Of Yoga can help you:

	Develop a fit and beautiful body
	Boost your energy and vitality at any stage of life
	Reduce stress and experience greater peace of mind
	Increase your powers of concentration and discipline

The three guides included in the Enriching Your Mind, Body and Soul With The Power Of Yoga package will enable anyone, regardless of age, sex, or physical ability, to start practicing yoga at home. Here is what you will recieve:

	Intoduction To Yoga Techniques covers all the basics and gives you everything you need to know about yoga philosophy and tradition. You will learn traditional yoga philosophy and practice in an inviting, easy-to-read way. Packed with lessons and exercises, you will love this book and refer to it time and again as you progress in your Yoga education.

	Lessons In Yoga Exercises is an illustrated guide to the common and popular physical aspect of Yoga . . . Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is comprised of stretching, strengthening and breathing exercises in upright, lying down and inverted postures. This is the Yoga that has become the most popular in the west. Lessons In Yoga Exercises is the guide to attaining physical well-being.

	Guide To Advanced Yoga Techniques provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja and Gnani Yoga. This book of timeless teachings is a treasure to be read and referred to again and again by those seeking the spiritual path. The classic Sutras cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life.

Yoga is a journey toward your physical and spiritual wellness. With these guides in hand, you will experience the health, energy, and vibrancy that yoga can bring into your life.

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Overcoming Eating Disorders Through Yoga

Over 10 million women and a million men are affected by different forms of eating disorders in the United States alone. Most of them are teens and the common illnesses are represented by anorexia and bulimia. The physical factors related to these illnesses have only been recently acknowledged as only mental factors were previously thought to be responsible for these conditions. Eating disorders are triggered by a complexity of factors including social, biological, psychological and behavioral items.

A calm and focused mind has a better chance of reducing the harmful effects of eating disorders. Yoga has been proven to reduce depression and recreate a state of balance and well being. Different yoga practices encourage heightened levels of self esteem and promote a positive view of your own body. This is a crucial factor in eating disorders and has been shown to significantly increase recuperation and healing. By eliminating self judgment, yoga establishes a strong connection between mind and body, allowing the two elements to work together in decreasing any negative effects. Anorexia affects your body’s energy levels and reduces the bone density, creating unwanted negative effects at a physical level. Regular yoga practice also increase the overall fitness level of the body, giving it a good chance of fighting against illnesses.

The yogic system identifies eating disorders as a problem related to the first chakra and different poses are used to balance it: crab, full wind, pigeon, locust, staff etc. Strengths and courage can be increased by using grounding postures such as mountain, goddess, standing squat and prayer squat. The postures reestablish the strong mind-body connections and help overcome most physical obstacles. Most back bending poses help reduce depression and forward bends usually calm the spirit and reduce the effects of anorexia.

As the mental component plays an important role in eating disorders, meditation can reduce harmful thoughts and feelings. An active, specifically targeted meditation practice will prove to be very effective. Less obvious results can also be obtain by using a general mediation technique. The yoga poses work best when the exterior elements are left aside and concentration focuses on inner aspects of yourself. Paying special attention to breathing and inner sensations will take you to a state of calmness and increased awareness. This new state will allow you to go further an explore new concepts that will enable you to achieve goals that proved problematic in the past.

Being aware of the problem and showing a constant and strong desire to change that is a great method to reduce the effects of bulimia and anorexia. An early adoption of yoga practices would make the patient more aware of the problem, thus contributing to an early cure. However, these yoga techniques are usually used in the recuperative stages of the illness. Most people suffering from anorexia or bulimia go through a strong denial stage, which aggravates their condition even more. As with all illnesses, yoga works best in the prevention stage of the problem, when the negative effects are still low and easier to eliminate.

Overcoming Obstacles In Practicing Yoga

Anyone embarking on the journey of yoga will face a series of obstacles, difficulties and detours. You will need to remove all of the following difficulties, noticed by yoga practitioners for a long time, in order to be able to fully benefit from the positive aspects of yoga. Here is a quick look at the nine major obstacles:

1. Vyadhi – This obstacle refers to physical or mental illness. Practicing yoga si even more difficult when you are not in great health. A balanced, healthy life style ensures victory on this obstacle, by preventing any form of sickness. 2. Styana – The second major difficulty related to yoga refers to an advanced state of apathy, which interferes with you willingness to commit to your responsibilities. We neglect and avoid practice by procrastinating and this, in turn, leads to coming up with excuses for not doing our work.

3. Sanshaya – One other major interference in the practice of yoga is related to the issue of doubting the benefits of practicing it. This problem also arises when faith in your own capabilities is low. This leads to a deviation from the original goals, making you more susceptible to outside interference.

4. Pramada – When lack of persistence and will is notices, the 4^th yoga obstacle comes in place. Yoga requires a unique approach, as it is a combination of arts and sciences. If you practice yoga without the proper emotional and mental states, you may turn its positive aspects into negative ones.

5. Alasya – A lazy and inert state of mind and body will prevent you from receiving yoga’s full benefits. Most people have a hard time dealing with their own will power, creating the perfect conditions for this obstacle to appear. The road to success is hard most of the times and a strong will power can support your ascent. A passive approach, on the other hand, will almost certainly lead to a slow and ineffective advance.

6. Avirati – Physical objects hold a magnetic attraction to the majority of people. Yoga needs you to let go of these ropes that tie you to the material world and make progress in the realm of the spirit. Removing the weight of physical things is vital while practicing yoga.

7. Bhrantidarshan – Misunderstanding the path you are taking while practicing yoga can lead to disappointment. Avoid this by keeping your hopes in good contact with reality.

8. Alabdha-bhumikatva – We are often victims of our own discouragement. When a failure occurs we fall into a state of self-depreciation and low optimism levels. Failing to reach a step on your road to achieving your ideal can lead to aggravated forms of this obstacle.

9. Anawasthitatwa – Poor yoga practice may also lead to the incapability to reach and hold a higher level of consciousness. This can be frustrating and result in disappointment.

Overcoming these obstacles is possible by helping your mind to focus on single elements a one time. Do not allow any of these obstacles to increase in power, as the others will soon follow. The passing of time and a strong will and commitment is usually very effective in dealing with the 9 yoga obstacles.

Getting Slim and Trim With Yoga

Yoga’s power to create a state of mental and physical well being may also be put to good use for taking off excess weight. Yoga promotes a healthy and balanced life style and when combined with a calorie burning program may show exceptional results. Practicing yoga will also increase your metabolism, increasing the calorie burning process, but you should not see it as an immediate results method. By following the rigors imposed by yoga you will gain a holistic, long term solution to balance your life style and keep off any excessive weight. In addition to loosing weight you will also experience an increased ability to concentrate and focus, higher resistance to stress factors and an all round healthier way of living.

Metabolism is regulated by the thyroid, a component of the endocrine system. It is responsible for the chemical processes in your body that transform food into energy. Yoga uses a series of twisting poses that stimulate the work flow of the internal organs, thus boosting metabolism to burn more calories and reduce your body weight. Improved local circulation is another direct effect of using yoga postures and this leads to a healthier, more energetic body. When the calorie intake is lower than the calorie output your body will start burning fat cells to acquire the necessary energy. A perfectly healthy and strong metabolism takes this process even further and you will see better results than traditional weight loss formulas.

Different back bends, combined with forward bends, are used to stimulate metabolism. Poses that affect the neck area, where the thyroid gland is situated, are especially useful is the weight problem is caused by a hormonal imbalance. These poses can be those of the camel, rabbit, plow, bridge and shoulder stand. Moving quickly between a series of poses can accelerate the process. For people who are significantly overweight some of the bends may prove to be a difficult task to accomplish. They should gradually increase the difficulty of the postures until they are confident enough to go to more complex exercises.

Muscles can be strengthened by using standing poses, such as the warrior. A higher endurance and increased caloric output will also result from using standing poses. Energize the body and increase your metabolism even more by using Kapalabhati and Ujjayi Pranayama.

A proper diet should also be followed to support the holistic weight loss system. Try to consume food rich in fiber, vegetables, whole grains and less high fat and processed food items. Balance is essential in all maters concerning your food and no excess should be made. Do not totally eliminate certain food items from your menu and remember that diversity is the key to an equilibrated and satisfactory diet.

A gradual approach is essential with all yoga practices. Results may not be spectacular and immediate, but this is one of the best long term weight loss methods available. In addition to weight loss you also benefit from an increased protection against adverse factors as well as a general feeling of well being and inner peace.

Taking The Sress Out Of Vacations With Yoga

Even during vacations we are still attacked by outside stressful factors which can ruin a very promising vacation. Vacation stress is a rather antagonistic expression but it is real and it can cause serious upset. There are countless reasons to get angry during your vacation: poor services, bad weather, high prices, noisy tourists, annoying insects and the list can go on an on. Yoga offers several methods of reducing the effects of such negative elements in the form of meditation, sakshin, pratyahara and pranayama.

Meditation is also a recommended practice when vacation stress factors become active. Meditation helps you prepare for any potential stressful situations and is invaluable during and after these obstacles are gone. A detached state of consciousness that allows you to get a better understanding of the realities around you is referred to as sakshin. Pratyahara is a state of peace obtained by reducing to a minimum all outside intereferences. The mind gets calm and relaxed, focusing towards the inside of your own body. By using pranayama you are able to calm yourself in almost any difficult situation by regulating your breathing and thus harmonizing the energies in your body.

Being prepared for any stress factors is vital for a successful vacation. Anticipating a potential problem doesn’t mean worrying about it before hand. It means that when the problem does occur you should already have a good understanding of why it happened. You will always get much better results by addressing an issue with a clear and calm head, rather then acting on an impulse.

When a situation occurs try to “step out” of your body and see yourself in that particular setting. Objectivity is hard to reach, especially when it comes to your own self, but it helps to get a neutral perspective on things. Directing an action by the guidelines of an objective mind will prove more successful than jumping in head first into a situation. Concepts like “I couldn’t help myself” should be constantly discouraged from your own vocabulary and thoughts. Take control of your inner self and you will have better control of what’s outside your body in the surrounding world. You should first feel you body’s reaction to an outside element and only react afterwards, when a clear judgment dictates what to do. Breathing techniques are of great help when it comes to relaxing an impulsive spirit and bringing calm to a particular event or situation.

You need to interrupt the actions of your subconscious mind before you are able to take control of a situation. Initial responses are hasty and often very hard to avoid, but it is essential that, through practice, you get a constant feeling of control over your reactions. The first reaction to a negative element can be either that of fighting back or that of fleeing. In any of the two cases a considerable amount of tensions fills you body, and it could be days or weeks before you manage to get over this unfortunate event. A calm and balanced response has chances of eliminating any sort of tension before it even gets a chance to start growing. Remember that most vacations are short and you can’t afford to spend half of your stay in a negative mood. After all, you are there to try to recharge your energy, not to try to waste it on meaningless tensions.

Yoga Breathing For Better Health

The respiratory system is an amazing process by which the body takes air from the environment into the body to feed the blood and cells with oxygen, and then expels air containing carbon dioxide and toxins back out into the atmosphere. This process is called gaseous exchange. This takes place in the lungs. The complete process involves the nasal passages, the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs and muscles; diaphragm, external and internal intercostals, transverse abdominal, scaleni and sternomastoids.

The physiology:

Inhalation: The diaphragm contracts and flattens; this reduces the pressure in the chest cavity thus increasing the volume of the lungs. Air is drawn in to equalise the pressure. Inhalation comes as a natural result of a full exhalation.

Exhalation: The diaphragm relaxes and rises, the pressure in the chest cavity reduces and the air is forced from the lungs.

In yoga, the breath is the vital link between the mind and the body. Basic breathing does not contain ratios or restrictions, the purpose behind basic breathing is to establish a practice for life; using the breath to manage your response to situations, particularly in challenging or stressful situations, and to help relaxation.

These practices include; simple breath awareness, nostril breathing, linking breath to movement, lengthening the breath, the complete yoga breath.

The Yoga Breath

In yoga a complete breath has 3 physiological phases;

Diaphragmatic (abdominal)

Thoracic (ribcage)

Clavical (upper chest/collar bone)

These phases need to be experienced independently. When this skill is achieved, the breath needs to move in one smooth wave.

Inhale – abdominal – thoracic – clavical

Exhale – clavical – thoracic - abdominal

Yoga Guide for Day-to-Day Practice

Yoga Guide for Day-to-Day Practice

This is almost a complete outline of the essentials of the practice of Yoga. But, when you

actually begin to practice it, you will find it is very difficult. So, you have to be very honest in your pursuit. Swami Sivananda taught us that Sadhana has three prongs, like a Trisula (trident):

A Daily Routine of Practice. Have a fixed procedure of practice every day. One must keep fixed hours and discipline his personality. In daily routine, three items should be very important:

(a) JAPA - chanting some Mantra over and over to maintain the same consciousness (this is often useful when meditation is difficult);

(b) STUDY - reading scriptures or texts on Yoga, e.g. Upanishads, Bhagavadgita, The

Sermon on the Mount, The Imitation of Christ;

MEDITATION - should be performed at a fixed time and in a fixed place every day (you should not change the place); face the same direction daily (either the East or the North) and sit in the same Asana (i.e. posture) every day.

An Annual Resolve. Vow to give up bad habits like harming or hurting others, telling lies, and incontinence; these three must be given up (slowly) by degrees. Ahimsa, Satya,

Brahmacharya are to be practiced. If you break this resolve, you should fast one day.

Because of the fear of fasting, you will be careful not to break the vow.

A Spiritual Diary. When you go to bed every night you should review what you have done since morning. This diary may consist of questions you may ask yourself, e.g. “How many times have I forgotten God today?” “Did I get angry today?” etc.

With these methods, you can take to serious Sadhana, or practice of Yoga. And when your efforts are followed with earnestness of purpose, you shall achieve success in this very life.