The Five Principles of Yoga are the basis of attaining a healthy body and mind through the Practice of Yoga.

Principle 1 – Proper Relaxation:
By releasing the tension in the muscles and putting the whole body at rest, you revitalize your Nervous System and achieve inner peace, allowing you to feel relaxed and refreshed.

Principle 2 – Proper Exercise:
This principle revolves around the idea that our physical body is meant to move and exercise. Proper Exercise is achieved through the yoga postures (asanas) which systematically work on all parts of the body – stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, enhancing the flexibility of the spine and joints, and improves blood circulation. Each movement and stretch should be guided by your breath, making your movement and your breath coordinated and feel like one and the same.

Principle 3 – Proper Breathing:
This means breathing fully and rhythmically, making use of all the parts of your Lungs to increase your oxygen intake. Proper Breathing should be deep, slow and rhythmical. Yogic breathing exercises or “pranayama” teaches you how you can recharge your body and control your mental state by regulating the flow of Prana – the life force. This helps you achieve a calmer, focused mind, and increases your energy level.

Principle 4 – Proper Diet:
An improper diet results in mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness. A proper diet is one that nourishes both mind and body. It should be well balanced and based on natural foods. A proper diet in yoga also means eating in moderation and eating only when you are hungry. It should keep the body light and supple, the mind calm, and it should also help in keeping a strong immune system.

Principle 5: Positive Thinking and Meditation:
The way we think highly affects our way of life. Positive thinking and Meditation helps you remove negative thoughts and puts your mind’s thoughts in check.

http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=healthandyoga

http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=healthandyoga

Symptoms of Kundalini Awakening Real Life Experiences & Descriptions of Kundalini Rising

Are you going through a kundalini awakening episode or experience? Let’s find out…

Kundalini awakening symptoms are truly a very intriguing subject. Really there is no correct answer to the question, "What are the symptoms of Kundalini Rising?", as thankfully, each of us is absolutely unique and thus, on a unique trajectory on the path to Kundalini Awakening. That said, there are some common kundalini experiences that are often reported, which I would like to share with you in this article.

Although we can draw up endless lists of symptoms from third party accounts, I would like to instead make this series about kundalini symptoms that you or I have actually experienced. In this article, I will give a recent account from one of my students about what she experienced shortly after class, and then I will add my own kundalini experiences and observations as well.

In the comments section, I encourage you to add any kundalini awakening experiences or symptoms you have felt, so others can better understand what they might be going through. Here is the recent email I received from my student, Aida:

Aida’s Experience of Kundalini Awakening:

I am a student of the "Gentle Kundalini Class". I just finished taking a series of exercise specifically for the spine.

As I left the class I felt energized as I usually feel after each class, but this time it was a little different, I was feeling extra aware of my surrounding. Like a light turned on. My back was so straight. It lasted all day.

If I could go to class every morning I would go. It makes my day start right in every way. And there are times when I am not feeling like going to class and I push myself to go and do not regret it.

Thank you for being my teacher.
Aida D.
For those interested, here is a link to the Spinal Warmup Kundalini Yoga Kriya we did in class that day. Thank you Aida, for sharing your personal experiences with us.

This particular experience of kundalini is very interesting and significant. This is because it is the common experience of advanced meditation and of kundalini yoga. In the article, Powerful Kundalini Yoga Battles Profound Zen Meditation, I described my own such experience with kundalini awakening, but not from doing kundalini yoga, but instead from doing Silent Mind Meditation!

Aida’s experience points at the two things that all yoga and meditation boils down to. Energy and Awareness.

My favorite description of Kundalini Yoga is, "The Yoga of Awareness," and as you see from her account, she felt more aware, as the energy of kundalini had risen up her spine. In meditation, it is the same. The demand for intense awareness, in order to comprehend the thought process via direct perception, leads to energy (kundalini) rising up and elongating the spine. Awareness then follows.

Jiddu Krishnamurti describes this experience of kundlaini energy flowing up the spine as "The rush of water filling up and thus causing a pipe to stand erect."

When we insist that the spine be straight during meditation, it is simply to facilitate this awakening and thus, to assist in being more aware. I have experienced kundalini rising and puling up with such force, during meditation, that it sometimes make me feel as if I am going to be launched right off the ground or as if it’s going to pull my head off and up into the sky.

Symptoms of Kundalini Awakening:
I am going to describe some of the physical symptoms my students or I have felt due to kundalini awakening. I know there are many emotional and mental symptoms as well, and you are welcome to share those with us in the comments section below. I am grouping the experiences into 3 categories, common, uncommon and rare, according to what I have observed.

Common Kundalini Awakening Symptoms:
Tingling in the body and brain region. Also sometimes described as ants walking, tickling energy or flushes of energy. The brain being flushed with energy is quite pleasant :-).
Heat or cold in the system, or running along various channels and chakra centers.
Fluttering or twitching of muscles.
Pinching or burning in various regions of the body or brain.
Uncommon Kundalini Awakening Symptoms:
Pressure in the Third Eye Region (Ajna Chakra). This is pressure, tingling or other sensation in the center of the forehead. Can go on for years (14 years and counting so far for me). Caution: If the pressure, due to certain practices, intensifies to uncomfortable levels you feel are "immense", you should cease that practice and consult a competent kundalini yoga teacher.
Sudden bursts of energy anywhere in the body. These are almost always short lived, from a few seconds to a few minutes.
Spontaneous yoga asans or kundalini yoga movements. They may come on spontaneously, or they may take over, as if on auto-pilot when one is practicing Kundalini Yoga Kriyas or Exercises (For an example see article: Explosive Kundalini Rising in Class Today).
Kundalini Shakti rising up and elongating the spine.
Incredible feeling of love and desire for your partner (not ordinary lust, alcohol induced or otherwise :-). Usually comes upon you spontaneously, deep in the night. Sex feels like it’s the first such experience and the intense feelings of attraction emanate from somewhere beyond yourself.
Unfortunately, pain in the lower back, back of the neck and headaches.
Rare Kundalini Awakening Symptoms:
Experience of divine light within. Very intense light, usually pure white and incredibly beautiful. I call it the Radiation of the Lord.
Tremendous vibratory energy (sometimes feels like it’s coming from the inner ears). Very blissful, but can intensify to the point where it would completely overwhelm your consciousness if you let it.
Spontaneous bliss, intensely pleasurable.
This one is a bit scary. Complete paralysis of the body. Complete immobility and rigidity takes place. As with the all consuming vibratory energy, it requires some courage to allow.
This one is exceedingly rare. I have experienced it only once in my life, and have only ever read about it being experienced by one other - the master of awareness, G. I. Gurdjieff. The arms and legs churn like that of a baby. It happens naturally and cannot be simulated. It is also intensely pleasurable and quite a remarkable experience.
There are of course a wide range of transcendental experiences, some of which you will find described in the category Spiritual Enlightenment Experiences. Above, I have provide those that are more commonly associated with kundalini awakening, although many would argue, including Swami Vivekananda, that all enlightenment experiences have to do with kundalini entering the brain region in some capacity.

So if you have experienced some kundalini symptoms as well, please do share them with us below. I think it will benefit others identify if what they are going through is actually symptoms of the ever mysterious kundalini awakening.

SIDE EFFECTS of Wrong Practice of Yoga

"U.S. doctors are beginning to question the potential for injury among those who practice Bikram yoga, the New York Times reported Tuesday. Participants typically spend 90 minutes doing 26 yoga postures - positions that some physicians worry are harmful-in a very hot room."

""Heat increases one's metabolic rate, and by warming you up, it allows you to stretch more.' said Dr. Robert Gotlin, director of orthopedic and sports rehabilitation at the Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan."

"But once you stretch a muscle beyond 20 or 25 percent of its resting lenght you begin to damage a muscle."

"Each week, he sees as many as five yoga-related injuries to the knees or the lower back. Postures that require extreme bending of the knees-squats and sittingbackward on folded legs, for exeample-are the likely to cause tears in knee cartilage."

"In Bikram yoga, students practice the "toe stand pose" a single-legged sqaut and the 'fixed firm pose, ' sitting backward with bent knees."


Power yoga can cause powerful aches, pains. Ira Dreyfuss. Los Angles Times, 13 december 1998, Bulldog Edition, Section : Part A, p. A-10.


"Aging baby boomers sometimes find that the popular workout is too strenuous. Experts say instructors should spot potential problems and novices should go slow. Newcomers to yoga may find an unexpected twist-instead of growing stronger and more flexible, they get hurt. As yoga grows in popularity, instructors and students should watch out for positions that can get the student hurt, an expert warns."


Bend it like the stars and risk wrecking your health., Campbell, Denis. The Observer, 8 September 2002. Email de l’auteur : denis.campbell@observer.co.uk.


"An increasing number of yoga's army of converts are finding that contorting themselves into complicated positions can hurt their backs and knees, damage their groins, make them faint, bring on splitting headaches and tear muscles and ligaments. One even ruptured his cruciate (knee) ligament from attempting one of yoga's simpler poses." "Devotees will be horrified to learn that many of yoga's most popular positions, such as the cobra, the plough and even touching your toes, are among those likeliest to cause injury."
.
“Doctors and physiotherapists report seeing a sudden upsurge in patients suffering pain who thought yoga would make them strong and flexible like the celebrities whose endorsement of yoga has sent its popularity soaring…”


Former instructor warns of yoga's spiritual implications. Jim Brown OneNewsNow.com. February 2, 2007. [Traduction] Un ancien maître yogi avertit des implications spirituelles.

Dangerous yoga. Sharmila Ganesan. TNN. The times of India. July 2, 2007.


"Orthopaedician Dr Nandu Lad of Mumbai has come across many cases of cervical spondylitis (pain in the shoulder blade) resulting from the improper practice of yoga. Knee pains and backaches, he says, are the most common side-effects." "Patients with high blood pressure, hypertension and heart diseases are advised against performing headstands and other asanas that could aggravate their problem. Some postures may also cause internal bleeding in those with ulcers."


In over their heads: Americans' competitive nature and a dearth of seasoned instructors mean more injuries on the yoga mat. Jameson, Marnell. Los Angeles Times, 13 August 2001.

When Yoga Hurts. Times, October 4, 2007.


"But with more than 14 million people practicing yoga or tai chi nationwide, up 136% since 2000, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists and chiropractors across the country are dealing with the increasing fallout from yoga gone awry. Over the past three years, 13,000 Americans were treated in an emergency room or a doctor's office for yoga-related injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission."

Indian Gurus and unsafe yoga practice. By Indian Foundation for Scientific Yoga. Free-Press-Release.com. January 28, 2006.


"Are all yoga exercises safe to teach through the TV media and can the same exercise be taught to all people with various health conditions? This is the question which requires deeper digging into the subject of yoga itself otherwise the consequences of doing yoga practice could be more dangerous than beneficial said Subodh Gupta, Yoga expert from India." "This exercise (kapalabhati breathing technique) even though having tremendous benefits, can be equally dangerous if somebody has heart disease or problem related to hernia said Subodh." "Similarly there are number of other yoga postures which require great precautions."

Letter to the editor on the negative aspects of breath-holding from a conventional point of view. Bill Dandy. Yoga Today, February 1981, 5(10):31.

School Yoga Fitness Programs May Be Unhealthy Alternative, Author Warns. Jim Brown, literary critic on the book “Super Sized Kids”, AgapePress, October 2005.


"An award-winning medical journalist and Christian author is expressing concern that some American schools are introducing students to yoga, a practice that he maintains has spiritual as well as physical implications. "Yoga has spiritual roots," Larimore points out, noting its integral connection to Hindu religion and its popularity among many proponents of New Age spirituality. "Adherents of yoga claim that it leads to spiritual enlightenment and union with the divine," he explains. "In fact, the pinnacle of that is called Kundalini arousal; and I've got some real concerns about the spiritual roots – especially when yoga is being sold to people and those roots are hidden." The author also says intense involvement with Eastern spiritual practices is known to cause psychological and emotional problems in some people. And since yoga has religious roots, he adds, one could argue that promoting it in schools violates the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, or the so-called separation of church and state."


Stretching has its limits: Injuries are on the rise as newcomers take up yoga. Alice Dembner. The Boston Globe, 8 january, 2003.*

Prisoners take a nasty turn after yoga trial backfires Elizabeth Davies. Independent Newspapers UK Limited, August 5, 2005.


"On the negative side, Mr Hagen said, learning the ancient Indian routine – designed to harmonise mind, body and spirit – had provoked “strong reactions: agitation, aggression, irritability, trouble sleeping and mental confusion”.

"Staff at Ringerike say the deep-breathing exercises – an integral part of yoga – made some of the prisoners more dangerous by unblocking their psychological barriers and unleashing otherwise repressed emotions, such as anger, irritation or depression."

Rosen, Ellen. Trying a new sport? Sign a waiver, then hope for the best. The New York Times, 13 Aug 2005.


“A sample release, found at the Web site for the Yoga Alliance, states that the individual practicing yoga understands certain poses may in fact pose some risks." The waiver offers this instruction: ‘If I experience any pain or discomfort, I will listen to my body, adjust the posture and ask for support from the teacher. I will continue to breathe smoothly . . .’”

Sims, Amy C. Treading into fitness trends with care. 22 Oct 2002. New York: Fox News.


"But the rush in popularity has led to some cases of novice instructors teaching the masses, according to Leslie Kaminoff, a yoga therapist who has treated many injured yoga enthusiasts." "And as people push themselves to keep up with advanced classes, they get hurt. ‘I’ve had clients who’ve been injured by domino effect,’ he said, which happens when students fall into each otherwhile doing inverted positions like headstands.

Yoga classes 'provoke' prisoners. BBC News Wednesday, August 3, 2005.

Doctor: ‘Hot’ yoga may be harmful. The New York Times, 30 Mars 2004.


"U.S. doctors are beginning to question the potential for injury among those who practice Bikram yoga, the New York Times reported Tuesday."


Yoga injuries increasing. BBC News World Edition, 9 Sep 2002.


“. . . doctors and physiotherapists are reporting an upsurge in the number of inexperienced studients getting injuries after straining to get into difficult positions. “The British Wheel of Yoga, the governing body in the UK, has blamed a lack of properly trained instructors."

“The most common yoga injuries are caused by repetitive strain or overstretching and occur at the wrists, shoulders, neck, along the spine, and at the sacroiliac joint (which links the spinal column and pelvis), hamstrings, and knees . . .

Yoga should heal, not hurt, says ACSM expert. Medical News Today, 8 Aug 2005.


"Yoga should heal, not hurt, according to Roger Cole, Ph.D. In his presentation at the ninthannual American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition, Cole reviewed the injuries most often suffered by yoga practitioners and recommended ways to avoid them."

""Many injuries-such as those to the knees, back, neck, shoulders, wrists and ankles-occur when practitioners try to force themselves into difficult postures," Cole said. ‘The first rule of safety is to avoid forcing your body. Instead, practice with awareness, common sense and self-respect. Yoga is supposed to teach us not to compete or show off, but to use focused attention, conscious effort and rela xation to achieve results."

"Cole also emphasized the importance of learning proper technique to keep safe in yoga. ‘Specific poses carry the risk of injury if you do them incorrectly. It’s easy to avoid problems if you know what you are doing. For example, forcing the lotus position can damage cartilage in the knees, but you can prevent this by learning ways to redirect the force away from the knees to the hips, where it is needed."

"In addition to the knees, bodily sites most prone to yoga injuries include the lower back, hamstring and sacroiliac, according to Cole. While the latter two are more commonly injured, problems with the knees and lower back tend to be more serious."
""Many common yoga injuries occur during straight-leg forward bends from a standing or seated position," said Cole. He recommends stretching moderately in such poses; bending from the hip joints and elongating the spine, and taking days off from these postures."


Watt, Laura. As temps rise, so do yoga injuries, medical experts say. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 6 May 2004.*

When Does Flexible Become Harmful? 'Hot' Yoga Draws Fire. Lorraine Kreahling. The NewYork Times. March 30, 2004.


"Each week, Dr. Gotlin said, he sees as many as five yoga-related injuries to the knees or the lower back. Postures that require extreme bending of the knees -- squats and sitting backward on folded legs, for example -- are the most likely to cause tears in knee cartilage. In Bikram yoga, students practice the ''toe stand pose,'' a single-legged squat and the ''fixed firm pose,'' sitting backward with bent knees."


Meditation

Bad VibesWarning : Meditating may be hazardous to your health. Sandy Brundage. SF Weekly. August 28, 2002.


"Usually described as a technique for self-improvement and even healing, meditation is generally presented as suitable for everyone. Just as some people are allergic to penicillin, however, somepeople react badly to meditation. These harmful effects are not limited to one form of meditation,or to long retreats rather than short sessions, and have been known for 30 years. Adverse healtheffects include psychologic and physical problems ranging from muscle spasms to hallucinations, facial tics, insomnia, spacing out, anxiety, and even psychotic breakdowns. These effects havenow been shown to have a physiologic basis, as blood flow to the brain is redistributed and brainneurotransmitter release alters . . .”

Karen Long (a pseudonym), in her mid-20s, turned to meditation as a way to feel connected." "Then I began hearing voices," she says. ... Long quit meditating. The voices stopped." "Long's experience isn't unique. Researchers have known for 30 years that meditating can have adverse health effects on some people, inducing psychological and physical problems ranging from muscle spasms to hallucinations. But around the Bay Area, eyes seem closed to the data. "A lot of people do experience negative side effects," says Dr. Maggie Phillips, the director of the California Institute of Clinical Hypnosis and a licensed psychologist in Oakland..."

"The harmful effects aren't limited to one specific technique or even long retreats." "Those effects can include facial tics, insomnia, spacing out, and even psychotic breakdowns. Dr. Margaret Singer, clinical psychologist emeritus at Berkeley, with research partner Dr. Janja Lalich, collected case histories from 70 clients seeking treatment for problems that began during meditation practice. Their research presents several examples of these symptoms and notes that prior to meditating, none of the patients had individual or family histories of mental disorders."

"Dr. Michael Persinger, a psychologist at Laurentian University in Canada, found in 1993 that meditation induces epilepsylike brain seizures in some people. His study of 1,081 students showed that the 221 meditators among them had a higher rate of hallucinating floating spots of light, hearing voices, and even feeling the floor shake.

Other studies reported that meditators complained of feeling emotionally dead and seeing the environment as unreal, two-dimensional, amorphous."

Honebrink, Andrea. Meditation: Hazardous to your health? Don’t overlook the side effects of this powerful transformative technique. Utne Reader, Mar/Apr 1994, p. 26.*

Transcendantal Meditation
Meditate, don't mediate. Jerusalem Post (Israel), 16 Auoût 2002, p. 11. par Barry Davis.



Transcendantal meditation : Dissociative bliss becomes addictive. Edmonton Sun, Canada. Apr. 17, 2006.

Steven Alan Hassan, cult counselor and mind control expert is a Nationally Certified Counselor and licensed Mental Health Counselor and has developed a breakthrough approach to help loved ones rescue cult mind control victims.

"A compendium of 75 studies of TM technique in 2000 found that 63% of practitioners suffered long-term negative mental health consequences from the repeated dissociation – or disconnection – with reality caused by going into a trance-like state."

Protein Powder

Lactose
Take it from me first hand if you are lactose intolerant, you will want to get the whey protein isolate. Isolate will contain less than 1% lactose, which is the sugar in milk that causes lactose intolerant individuals to get sick. Digesting a small 1% concentration of lactose is usually tolerated pretty well by lactose intolerant people.
Standard whey protein powder has about 5-6% lactose. I have heard of several lactose intolerant individuals, including myself, who have a hard time with the lactose concentration of regular whey protein powder.
Excess Protein
Your kidneys will have a very hard digesting too much of any protein. Excess protein is responsible for two reactions in the body:
Your blood will turn acidic.
Your blood pH should be in the 7.0 range. When blood becomes very acidic, the body must correct itself by making your blood more basic. The most basic available element in your body is calcium (showing off my college degree here). Your bones will release calcium into your blood, which will then bond to the acidic byproducts of the protein, turning your blood back to a neutral level. Goodbye healthy bones, hello osteoporosis.
You could develop kidney stones.
That doesn’t sound too bad, until you realize that your body is going to need to remove those little calcium deposits that are floating around in your blood. These calcium deposits end up in your kidneys to await your next trip to the restroom. I’m sure you have heard of kidney stones and now you know one of their causes. Ouch! Be sure to limit your initial intake of protein in order to ensure your body responds to well to it.
Ketosis
Another thing excess protein can do, is to put your body into a state known as ketosis. It doesn’t matter what you have heard in the past, prolonged ketosis is bad on your kidneys. Your body will begin to burn fat for energy, which is good; but this is the result of a complete lack of carbohydrates, which is bad.
Most medical resources regard ketosis as a physiological state associated with chronic starvation. Glucose is regarded as the preferred energy source for all cells in the body with ketosis being regarded as a crisis reaction of the body to a lack of carbohydrates in the diet. Ketosis would thus be a dangerous state which unnecessarily stresses the liver and causes destruction of muscle tissues.
This is still the view of the majority in the medical and nutritional science communities, although in recent years it has been challenged by a number of doctors and adherents of low-carbohydrate diets, who dispute both the body’s preference for glucose and the dangers associated with ketosis.
The Protein Shake Diet
Some people also drink straight protein shakes all day long. This wrecks havoc on your body because it loses it’s ability to properly digest fats and carbs. A good principal for protein supplementation, is that that your diet should be consistent by consuming protein, fats, and carbs in moderation.
A 40/30/30 (p/f/c) diet is much better than a protein shake diet, at least over the long term. Moderation is key for healthy eating.
In general there are no side effects related to supplementing with whey protein. Follow some of the tips above to make protein supplementation an important and useful aspect of your diet.

Mantra Yog

Mantra yoga is the chanting of mantras - words, phrases or syllables - in an attentive and thoughtful way, to attain certain goals. It is a form of meditation, in which one has to chant the mantra until he/she transcends his/her mind and emotions. In the process, the person discovers his/her super conscious. Studies suggest that the mantras possess unique healing potential, when they are chanted at a specific time. They are a tool to achieve stillness. The mantra should be discarded immediately after attaining the tranquility.

There are certain things to be considered, when following the path of Mantra Yoga. The first and foremost thing is the time, during which the mantras should be chanted. You should ensure that the mantra is recited only at the designated time. The second thing is correct pronunciation. Pronunciation is given immense priority, because not all the intended effect would come, if the mantras were not pronounced correctly. The third thing is the place, where they are recited. You should chant the mantras at a peaceful atmosphere, free of any external noises.

The mantra can be chanted in three ways. The first way is called 'baikhari', which can be chanted in a loud manner. This type of chanting is advantageous for removing unwanted thoughts from the mind, to make the meditation process easier. The second method of chanting is called 'upanshu', which involves the recitation of mantras in a very low voice, audible only to the practitioner. The third method is neither loud nor too low. It is called 'manasik', which involves the repetition of the mantra in mind. A subtle form of chanting mantras, the manasik method is used only by advanced practitioners.

Mantra Yoga is highly beneficial for improving the overall health and mental stability. It is a way to garner knowledge about the universe and find the unison of body, mind and soul within one's self. Mantras help keep the individual away from the drudgery of everyday life, the material world and deviates the focus towards the essentials of life, which are nothing but a healthy body and a peaceful mind. By chanting the words in absolute concentration, you can control your wavering mind, thereby increasing your level of concentration.

Apart from giving you a peace of mind, Mantra Yoga helps you eliminate psychosomatic disorders. It helps banish nervous tension and sedimentary problems. The holistic path of Mantra Yoga helps you to get closely acquainted to your own self. Due to the increased stability of mind, you will lead a peaceful life, which is free of tensions, anxiety and stress. Mantra Yoga is the ultimate way to achieve peace and tranquility. It increases your feeling of security and boosts your self-confidence. It eliminates negative behavior as well. It is an ultimate cure for various addictions, because it purifies you from within.

Meaning of Aum

Namaste,

Why we chant Aum. There are several reasons.

One is that Aum is a soothing sound that allows us to settle down from the busy-ness of the world and invites us to turn our awareness inward.

Another is that because we begin Aum with our mouths wide open and gradually close our lips as the sound progresses, we transition physically as well as mentally from projecting ourselves into the material outer world to redirecting ourselves into the inner world of the Spirit.

Yet another aspect I mention is that the sound ahhhh starts in our chests at the heart center (Anahata Chakra), moves upward with the ooooo sound in the throat center (Vishuddha Chakra), and ends with the sound mmmmm., which vibrates the higher centers in the head (Ajna and Sahasrara Chakras). Thus, it represents and enhances the upward movement of energy along the spine that occurs as we progress in our practice.

There are many more meanings behind the sacred syllable Aum. In the introduction to Light On Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar says, "A few instances of the various interpretations given to it may be mentioned here to convey its meaning." He then mentions these "few instances" for another page and a half.

Amongst all of these, the interpretation of Aum that is most meaningful and powerful to me is as the representation of the Primordial Vibration, the Original Sound, the First Word. Maybe it's because I'm a musician, but in explaining this aspect of Aum to my students, the image that works best for me is that of a stringed instrument. When you pluck or strike one of the strings on a guitar, for instance, the other strings, though unplucked themselves, nonetheless vibrate in resonance with the vibration from that plucked string. In a very real sense, we are-indeed all of creation is-nothing more or less than strings vibrating in resonance with the First Vibration or Word. Much of what we do in our practice of yoga, it seems to me, is to work on tuning ourselves more and more exquisitely, so that as we resonate with that First Sound, represented by Aum., we do so as harmoniously as we can. Perhaps even more important, our practice prepares us so that if and when we, ourselves, are plucked, our tone is as clear and beautiful as the Earth's song on a spring morning, and the vibrations we send out are steady and balanced, in sync with the pulse of the Great Cosmic Ooze.

Lest this strike you as a complete flight of fantasy, attractive, perhaps, but a little out in the ozone, let me relate it to a story I read in the paper the other day. A headline on the front page had caught my eye. "Calculating Contents of Cosmos," it said, with the subtitle "Ordinary Matter Makes Up Only 4.5 Percent, Teams Find".

Although that may sound like pretty ponderous stuff, I find articles about astrophysics and quantum physics really interesting. Not because I'm a science buff. In fact, in school I avoided mathematics-oriented sciences such as chemistry and physics like I avoid Republican fundraisers. I notice such articles, however, because ever since I read The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra a couple of decades ago, I've been fascinated by the parallels between Yogic philosophy and Western science concerning the origins and nature of the universe.

The newspaper article presented information about the current theory that the universe is made up primarily of stuff astronomers call "dark matter" and "dark energy". Only 4.5% is ordinary matter, which the author, Washington Post Staff Writer Kathy Sawyer, described as "all the shining stars and galaxies, plus people, computers, cats and so on". The "dark matter" and "dark energy" part was intriguing, but I found another piece of the story even more fascinating.

It stated that, "Three independent teams of astronomers yesterday presented the most precise measurements to date of the infant universe..., exposing telltale reverberations they called Ôthe music of creation'.... [T]he research teams reached back across time and space to take precise readings of light emitted about 400,000 years after the Big Bang explosion that gave birth to the universe."

The article quoted John Carlstrom of the University of Chicago as saying, "We're looking back as far as you can go with light-14 billion years, or roughly the age of the universe,... In a sense, [the ancient light] allows us to Ôsee' sound in the early universe."Aum.

When I read those words, I couldn't help but think of the biblical passage, John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."Aum.

I recalled also that in Genesis (1:1-3), the Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deepÉ. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

The Old Testament is saying that in the beginning, even before there was light, God, the Creator who made heaven and earth, existed. And the New Testament declares that in the beginning God was the Word. According to the Bible, then, heaven and earth-the cosmos-issued forth from the Word.Aum.

And the most current scientific beliefs described in The Washington Post article are in fundamental accord with the Bible. The entire cosmos, they say, emanates from the "music of creation". Aum.

I find it exciting that both the ancient Judeo-Christian and contemporary scientific explanation of the Creation seem to point in the same direction. And just as exciting, these explanations agree completely with the teachings and philosophy of Yoga.

B.K.S. Iyengar, for example, in Light On The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, says, "Sound is vibration, which, as modern science tells us, is the source of all creation." (This is in his commentary on the 27th sutra of the first chapter, which refers to the meaning of pranava or Aum.)

The Amrita-Bindu-Upanishad states that, "The imperishable sound [om] is the supreme Absolute."

Georg Feuerstein in The Yoga Tradition says, "The syllable om... is held to be or to express the pulse of the cosmos itself. It was through meditative practice rather than intellectual speculation that the seers and sages of Vedic times arrived at the idea of a universal sound, eternally resounding in the universe, which they saw as the very origin of the created world."

It's so fascinating that the very same things ancient (and contemporary) yogis, sages, and seers discovered by peering through their inner eye into their inner universe, the modern day scientists are discovering as they peer through their telescopes into the far recesses of the outer universe.

The great Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan says it very well: "The one who seeks truth through science, the one who searches for it through religion, the one who finds it through philosophy, the one who finds it through mysticism-in whatever manner one seeks truth, one finds it in the end."

He goes on to say, "A world in the making can be likened to a great jigsaw puzzle whose separate parts have life and are capable of independent movement. The way in which man can find his own place is to tune his instrument to the keynote of the chord to which he belongs. Sound is the force which groups all things from atoms to worlds. The chording vibration sounds in the innermost being of man and can only be heard in silence. When we go into the inner chamber and shut the door to every sound that comes from the life without, then will the voice of God speak to our soul and we will know the keynote of our life." Aum.

Ashtanga During Pregnancy: One Ashtangi’s Experience
June 6, 2006.

[Wendy Spies practiced Ashtanga through her pregnancy - all the way to the day before the birth of a healthy baby boy, and shared some really wonderful insights with us. Wendy started practicing in 1987, and plans to start teaching yoga again in June. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Thank you, Wendy, for your thorough contribution. -Ed.]

[See Wendy's follow-up article and baby's photos here (December 2007). -Ed.]


Wendy in Sarvangasana
April 23, 2006 (baby’s due date: May 13)

* how did you practice change as your pregnancy progressed – 1st trimester, 2nd, 3rd?

During the 1st trimester, my heart rate would accelerate, sometimes to the point that I’d get dizzy. You are carrying a lot of extra blood in your body at this point in the pregnancy, which causes these kinds of effects. All of changes also affected my respiration, which made it harder to keep the breath long, so often I’d hold poses for a longer number of breaths to compensate. My body shape also changed a lot in the first three months, so I learned to compensate in a number of asanas.

I wasn’t showing at all, and debated about whether or not to tell my teachers. One thing you learn when you get pregnant is that everyone has advice for you, which is always quite heartfelt, but often misguided. Some teachers advised me not to practice, and the yoga literature is full of contradictory advice about which poses to do or not to do. In retrospect, I wish I hadn’t discussed the pregnancy with some teachers, as it caused them to back off from adjustments or look at me with disapproval, at least until they were more confident that I wasn’t going to break because I was pregnant. Lino’s attitude was very different – he had me doing tick-tocks at this stage.

["Tick-tocks" means: going from standing going to a very quick handstand, dropping the feet over the head down into wheel, then coming back up into standing, then from standing dropping back into full wheel, then kicking the feet over the head back to a quick handstand then to standing -Ed.]

The whole advice battlefield had its biggest impact when I took a teacher’s advice to not practice during the first trimester. By my second day off, it was clear that my body wasn’t a fan of that idea at all. I started to get morning sickness, which I hadn’t had before, and generally felt pretty awful. After seeing the doctor, and getting the all clear, I resumed practicing, and started feeling better right away. The morning sickness never returned.


Urdhva Dhanurasana

The only problem with asking doctors about yoga is that they all have a different idea of what yoga is and it is rare that they will understand a practice like Ashtanga. David Swenson had a great suggestion – he advised me to bring in specific photos of postures or video clips into the doctor’s office and say “can I do THAT”, not to ask the general “can I do yoga” question.

The best advice I got at this stage was from my doctor and from reading an article about Nancy Gilgoff’s comments about Ashtanga while pregnant. The doctor basically chuckled at the idea that I was heeding any advice given by non-doctors. She told me my number one job during the pregnancy was to train like I was going to run a marathon – labor was going take as much work as running 26 miles, and being in good physical shape would be crucial. The best yoga specific advice was to keep doing whatever I was comfortable doing before the pregnancy, but also listening and modifying as needed as my body changed as the baby grew.

The second trimester wasn’t dramatically different from the first, but there was definitely more compensation for my growing abdomen. Some of the twisting postures became quite difficult, and I started to make simple adjustments to postures like Utthita Trikonasana by widening my stance. By the end of the second trimester, Anne had me modifying Marichasana C & D by twisting in the opposite direction, which kept my belly from interfering, but kept the basic structure of the asana intact.

The third trimester was a different story altogether. Padmasana was now completely gone (which was a bit shocking, because I had heard that pregnancy opened the hips – it does, but in an unpredictable way). My vinyasas now involved stepping back and forward – no jumping at all. My shoulders and arms got stronger because of the extra weight, but that also caused my shoulders to get much tighter.

Betty Lai has a detailed article about practicing while pregnant on Ashtanga.com. I practiced with Jois during his world tour this year, a few weeks before giving birth. What I found interesting was that he adjusted and modified many postures that I was doing which differed from the advice given in the article. So, again, what is appropriate for one person is not for another and teachers’ advice changes with time and experience as well.


Sirsasana

* later on did the baby react to certain postures? which ones?

In general, the baby loved practicing. Like any kid, he was huge fan of the big movements, especially inversions. The first time anyone saw the baby move was in the end of second trimester when Philippe strolled by while I was in Sirsasana, and saw some movement in my belly that definitely wasn’t bandhas! Through most of the pregnancy, though, the baby wasn’t reacting to postures, and was calm throughout practice. But in the last two weeks, I was feeling movement in almost every posture, which was probably a combination of the asana and the natural movement of the baby moving into “launch” position.

* what was hardest about practicing pregnant?

The difficult things for me were: not practicing too hard and calmly letting postures go. Also, getting used to people staring and not minding that almost everyone is more concerned about your baby than they are about you (while they might not make that explicit or ever admit even to themselves).

* did some postures get easier?

I am “blessed” with very tight hips relative to other parts of my practice. All of the postures that depend on open hips got easier for me, but I was still careful to maintain integrity in the poses. So, asanas like Supta Kurmasana, Baddha Konasana, Upavistha Konasana, and Janu Sirsasana C got slightly easier. It didn’t happen nearly as quickly as I expected, these postures really only came very, very late in the pregnancy and have luckily stuck around afterwards (for now). One of the things people warned me about was the relaxin (a hormone released during pregnancy) allowing postures to become much easier and that causing the integrity of the joints and your strength to dissipate. However, for me, that wasn’t really the case. Due to the extra weight I became very strong and less flexible in many ways due to this strength. Also, because I was practicing every day, the shifting of weight in my body did not lead to problems with balance like it might have otherwise. However, after delivery, the dramatic weight shift did cause my balance to become greatly compromised. I am still trying to regain my Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana.

YOGA IN PREGNANCY

Introduction
To bear a child is undeniably the ultimate dream of the majority of women. It is an almost divine fulfilment that she hopes to attain through this act of procreation. Fear and apprehensions often cloud the mind, the moment pregnancy is confirmed. Will I be able to take this responsibility? Will it be a male or a female? will it be a healthy child? and so on. Child birth is surely the greatest act performed by women. It can be a great emotional experience. The physical and psychological aspects can’t be separated. For most of women labour is a time of apprehension of fear and agony. But with a proper antenatal preparation the majority of women can have and labour that is easy and painless or almost painless and she can actually enjoy the labour and experience a sense of fulfilment.
In the years between the puberty and pregnancy the girl gathers information from many sources : from her schoolmates, from her elder sisters. She overhear the gossip about pregnancies and births. She reads about the subject in news papers and magazines. She watches television. The information is absorbed by her brain and that conditions her mind. The information may be favorable, description of happy and normal birth, but on the other hand it may be of tragedies, of sickness in pregnancy, of a long difficult labours, of still births and deaths and fetal abnormalities and above all, of pain. The word 'labour' itself conveys an impression of unpleasantness. It's a result of her experience and environment during years before her pregnancy, during her antenated period and even during her labour. Patient may be conditioned favorably or unfavorably. If unfavorably, at the contraction of the uterus result will be pain and difficulty. If patient has a pain in labour then fear, apprehension and tension appear which result in release of adrenalin, leading to ischaemia and spasm of the uterus which results in more intense pain, and ultimately prevent desired progress in a process of labour. The end result is long and painful lobour. 'Accept life as it is.' Put in your best efforts wherever it is possible and then let your positive spirits overtake you. Yoga always emphasizes this. It is the mind which makes or breaks a situation. The essence of harmoniously handling a glorious pregnancy lies in the ability to gain complete control over the mind, then the body follows willingly.
During last few decades, the research in yoga has proved beyond doubts, that yoga helps to prevent and cure many chronic ailments. Yogic practices integrate the body, mind and spirit. They bring harmony, develop a restful and positive attitude towards life. This comprehensive programme of yogic practices designed for pregnant women will help, them to have correct posture flexibility of spine improve their breathing capacity, to manage stress. It helps to build immunity, inner strength, improve control over body and emotions. In short it is the best preventive and curative therapy for many ailments that can occur during pregnancy. It will also ensure the baby's healthy growth.

The course comprises of -
1) ASANAS
2) PRANAYAMA - Deep breathing exercises.
3) MEDITATION
4) YOGA NIDRA

Most important
1) Patient must consult her obstetrician before starting yogic practices.
2) Patient can start practices immediately after confirmation of pregnancy. However obstetrician knows best about the patient. As per his advise patient can start yoga practice at a later date. But this postponement apply to practice of asanas only.
3) Patient can start other parts of practices immediately.


1) ASANAS :
Asanas are specific body poses designed to improve the awareness and muscular flexibility. They also control and regulate breathing process and open the energy channels, thus harmonizing the functioning of body, breath and mind. While selecting asanas a special effort is made to consider the prenominal changes in anatomy, physiology and endocrine systems and the restrictions in physical activities due to pregnancy.
Effects of asanas :
1. Performing asanas regularly will boost the confidence of the patient
2. They make spine strong and flexible, ensures correct posture and establish balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic system.
3. Regular practice of asanas improves blood circulation, tones up the muscles of spine, abdomen and pelvis which helps to support the added weight of uterus
4. Prevents common ailments like backache, leg cramps, breathlessness, oedema feet, etc.
5. Regular practice of asanas will hasten the post partum recovery.

2) PRANAYAMA :
Pranayama is a deciplined yogic breathing practice, in which breathing process in conciously regulated. But it is important to learn a under expert guidance only.
Effects of Pranayama
1. It induces tranquility, relaxation and a feeling of well-being.
2. It tunes up the nervous system, improves emotional stability. It also helps to eliminate anxiety, fears and phobias. Enhances efficiency of C.N.S. and there by bring relief from ailments like, insomnia, High blood pressure, breathlessness.
3. It improves breathing capacity and also increases stamina and vitality.
4. Most important of all it helps greatly in promoting an easy delivery with minimum distress and fatigue during labour.

3) MEDITATION :
When you are no longer distracted by external stimuli and when your mind is completely controlled and remain effortlessly at one point, that is meditation. To develop such a one pointedness of mind focus your attention on an objects like your own breath, or a flower or a candle flame, or a mantra or any object that can easily be focused upon. If attention gets diverted and it will - do not get discouraged, gently bring your mind. back to your chosen object. You will experience inner silence and peace. Human beings have on in built ability to re-establish physical and mental equilibrium through persistent meditation. Regular practice of meditation will induce deep sense of rejuvenation and relaxation. Pulse rate, Blood pressure and oxygen requirement comes down. Mind becomes more relaxed and receptive and can quickly pick up autosuggestions.
Guidelines For Meditation :
1. You must learn the art of meditation under an experienced teacher.
2. Practice mediatation regularly and preferably at the same time every day. (early morning is the best time for this)
3. Sit with your spine straight and erect.
4. A mantra like AUM, Soham, or a Gurumantra can be used as an object of meditation. Its power lies in its vibrations when uttered verbally or mentally.
5. Practice for about 8 to 10 minutes initially. You can extend your time later on as per your need and capacity.

4) YOGA – NIDRA :
Yoga-nidra is a systematic method of inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Usually practiced in Shavasana or sitting position for 20 to 30 min Yoga teacher can guide you through recorded instructions. Listen the instructions and follow them mentally. It is important to remain awake and aware during the practice. A very special feature of Yoga-nidra is 'Sankalpa' which means a 'resolve' The relaxed body and mind are ideal soil for making a resolve. The 'Sankalpa' is affirmation of a statement, short, positive, precise about what you want to achieve. Your statement may be something like autosuggestion They are easy to memorise and recite e.g.
''I am becoming happier, healthier and more relaxed.''
''I and my baby are experiencing immense joy happiness"
However these auto suggestions can be recited any time during a day. Repeated recitation of auto suggestions, especially when, your mind is relaxed sinks easily into subconcious mind and direct the concious mind to transform the positive thought into reality. Best time to repeat autosuggestion is in the morning or at bed time when body and mind are relaxed and receptive. Regular practice of Yoga-nidra helps to create the most favorable conditions for fetal growth and development.

TIPS TO HELP LABOUR PROCESS
1. Have a family member for emotional support.
2. Yogic postures like marjarasana, Namaskarasana, Sulabh utkatasana fascilitate labour.
3. Keep Yogic breathing, Mukha dhauti is a very effective breathing pattern to release tensions and soften the process of labour. This can be practiced 5/6 times.
The intensity of pain varies from person to person. The more apprehensive and exitable person, the more is the feeling of pain. If person takes a philosophical and relaxed attitude saying, ''OK, this pain is inevitable, but it is temporary and I can cope up with it.'' With yoga practice and meditation the intensity of pain reduces considerably. Yogic practices during pregnancy prepares the mind and body and take the person to a higher level of mind control.


Following Auto suggestions are repeated at the time of labour.
'Something wonderful is going to happen today'
'I am on a way to experiencing a happy motherhood'
'The power of my mind and body are helping my baby come into this beautiful world.'
'I am fully aware and relaxed.'

POSTNATEL ASANAS
Start with Leg raising exercises from 5 th day
Hastha padangusthasana
Konasana
Hastapadasana
Parvatasana
Paschimottanasana
Sarvangasana
Halasana, Shalabhasana
Makarasana

- DR. U. S. DHONDYE (M.D., D.G.O.)

Yoga Practice

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Himalaya Mall Perfomance

Yoga Practice

Yoga Beauty Tips

Feeling Good is Looking Good
Aside from feeling great yoga can help fight the aging process by using anti-gravity exercises.

Yoga As Part Of An Anti-Aging Plan
Yoga produces physical fitness, encourages overall health of mind and body, helps keep the intellect stimulated, helps with the removal of toxins from the body, increases flexibility and helps improve the effectiveness of the immune system.

Yoga for Weight Loss
Yoga is particularly useful if you're a comfort eater - someone who eats whenever they're stressed. Your yoga exercises help you to calm down.

Balance with Yoga
To be in balance with yourself, your environment, your thoughts, your goals, your values… that is beauty.

Confidence with Yoga
There is nothing more beautiful and sexy than someone with confidence.

The Skin You're In
Since stress is one the biggest causes of emotional, spiritual and physical sickness it also plays a role in the quality of our skin. Yoga helps relax the muscles in your face.

Watering Your Skin
If you want to know the importance of water, just add some to your thirsty plants and watch them grow tall and strong.

Saving Face - Avoiding Premature Aging
It is not possible to escape the process of aging and getting old, but we can avoid it from coming early.

What type of yoga should you use for depression?

Not all yoga is the same. Since its introduction to the West, yoga has branched off into a variety of styles and flavors. The type of yoga you choose should reflect your physical requirements as well as your spiritual interests.

Some kinds of yoga are very physically strenuous and can potentially create more stress if you are in a class where everyone is powering through a challenging set, leaving you feeling inadequate or overwhelmed. Yoga styles such as power yoga or ashtanga can be quite physically challenging. Yoga flow classes may be more about losing pounds and sweating out calories than creating mental peace and clarity. Unless you are already an athlete and looking for a strenuous workout, you might consider trying a more relaxed style.

If you are just starting out with yoga, you might try a beginner's yoga class or a gentle yoga class. Restorative yoga classes can be wonderfully rejuvenating; they consist of gentle poses, often using bolsters and props to allow you to rest and relax in the pose.

Kundalini yoga is a form of yoga that involves dynamic, repetitive movements and breath work to move the energy and lift the spirit. It is the only form of yoga that specifically targets certain glands in the brain, such as the pituitary and the pineal glands, to activate them for improved health and well-being. (For an excellent book on the subject, see Meditation as Medicine by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. and Cameron Stauth.)

Ideally, if you are looking to yoga to improve mental health, consider finding a class that combines some meditation before or after the postures. Meditation has also been shown to increase positive emotions such as loving-kindness and happiness in some studies.

With the variety of yoga styles available, you may have to try out a few different classes to see what appeals to you the most. Do not be discouraged if you aren't immediately drawn to the first class you attend. Be aware that not all yoga classes are equal. Some classes include pranayama breath work and others do not. Some include chanting and others do not. You may even find yoga classes in your area specifically for Christians, while others may be more secular. It's a good idea to check out a few studios and classes and find the one that resonates with you the most.

Remember, yoga alone cannot cure depression if you are otherwise treating your body and your mind badly. Alcohol, drug use (including mind-altering prescription drugs), poor diet, lack of sleep, and other bad habits can negate the positive effects of yoga.

Doing yoga regularly will also make a huge difference in its effectiveness. Ideally, practice yoga for at least 20 minutes daily, or at a minimum three times per week. You can supplement outside yoga classes with a simple, at-home practice. With the popularity of yoga soaring, DVDs and books on yoga are plentiful.

There's a reason why people who practice yoga often credit it for changing their lives. Unlike no other exercise on the planet, yoga provides physical as well as emotional benefits that can create true happiness and well-being. Best of all, you can do it at home for free, with no negative side effects.

Yoga Side Effects be cautious

When practiced with regularity and properly, yoga can have dramatic and extremely positive effects on the human body, mind, and spirit. People who practice yoga often swear by it and claim that it is the root of all that is good in life; they even argue that practicing yoga can have a direct effect on other aspects of life including finances, career, and relationships. However, it is important to know that there can also be negative side effects to practicing yoga, especially when it is not practiced correctly. Ensuring that yoga poses are performed correctly is essential to experiencing the benefits of the practice.

When a person decides to engage in a yoga workout, many times it is at home with a DVD, no instructor, and very little knowledge of the basics behind the yoga philosophy. This can be quite dangerous and result in serious injury. As with any exercise program, it is extremely important to consult with a physician before structuring a yoga workout regimen. This way, any concerns or health risks can be laid out on the table before the yoga program is begun, and practice may proceed with safety in mind.

In addition to discussing the potential yoga workout program with a physician, it is also recommended that beginners work with an instructor or take a class to become fully knowledgeable of the different poses and proper movements. The most common negative side effect from practicing yoga is physical injury. Typically, these injuries can include, but are not limited to wrist pain, neck pain, back pain, tearing of ligaments and tendons, pulling muscles, ankle pain, knee pain, and vertigo. Other injuries that can occur include biorhythmic imbalance and the emaciation of adipose tissue.

Gastric problems may also occur from practicing yoga. This is especially true with certain types of yoga, namely Hatha yoga. Typically, if Hatha pranayama techniques and poses are not performed in a certain sequence, serious gastric discomfort and symptoms like nausea and sour stomach may appear. In more severe cases, vomiting can occur.

These physical injuries usually occur when yoga poses are not done correctly or when the body is pushed too far during a pose. It is essential that there is a warm up period before engaging in any serious yoga workout, to reduce the risk of such muscular and ligament damages. If such care is not taken, even more traumatic injuries can occur such as internal bleeding, muscle strains, and ruptures. Furthermore, pushing oneself too far during yoga can result in broken or fractured bones. These injuries may require months of recuperation or even surgery.

The negative side effects of yoga are not always physical. Mental instability can also be a side effect of practicing too much yoga or practicing it incorrectly. Some negative, and severe, side effects can include pseudo death, pseudo psychosis, confusion, increased anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal patterns, depression, homicidal urges, and feelings to self-mutilate. Headaches, temporary blindness, sexual pains, and social issues may also arise. A combination of these symptoms when caused by yoga is typically what is known as Kundalini Syndrome, which stems from performing Kundalini yoga poses incorrectly or too often.

link for power yoga pics

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2063964&id=1133656721&ref=mf

Links for PowerYoga perfomance at Himalaya Mall Ahmedabad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyS3bosoaYI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_gfj2sK95E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KXcW8OSp4U

Regards,

Samarth

Tips on poweryoga

Yoga isn’t just about calming meditation anymore. Power yoga is becoming increasingly popular as a fantastic and healthy way to burn calories, shed excess pounds, and stay fit. Many health clubs nationwide are jumping on the power yoga bandwagon. This is a great form of exercise for men and women – young and old – fit and out of shape. Vinyasas moves, also referred to as “yoga flows,” are the posture sequences used during a power yoga workout. Each posture, or “vinyasa,” flows smoothly into the next one. Breathing is very fundamental to all forms of yoga, and that absolutely includes power yoga with vinyasas moves. Here are some tips for getting the most out of power yoga:

If you are working out at home, turn up the heat. Hopefully, you are able to turn your thermostat up so that the heat is isolated to whatever room you are exercising in. Otherwise, be sure to forewarn your family members or housemates before your crank it up to eighty degrees! You will find that at many power yoga classes, turning the thermostat to about eighty degrees is commonplace. It causes your muscles to actually be more relaxed, and also, you will inevitably sweat more and therefore burn more calories. If you are a beginner, start off by just doing the vinyasas moves without increasing the heat, and after about one week, try turning the heat up by two degree increments in the following power yoga sessions until you are up to eighty degrees.Take your time and be patient with your body as you adjust to the vinyasa positions. You may not have the flexibility yet to achieve perfection in your postures – and that’s okay. Don’t try to contort your body into positions that it doesn’t want to be contorted into. Only go as far as you can go. Pushing yourself to do your best is one thing, but working your body to the point of physical injury is quite another. Too many beginners try to jump in head first to power yoga and they wind up getting hurt, and giving up. The key when you are just starting out is to learn to master your movements and your breathing. Remember: good things come to those who wait. Hang in there – before you know it, you’ll be moving your body in ways you never even imagined possible.

Develop a vinyasas sequence prior to beginning your workout, rather than just making the transitions up as you go along. Your workout will be much more structured and effective if you have a “game plan.” There are several great yoga videos and DVDs that can aid you when you are just beginning with power yoga. Some of the best ones to try out are Rodney Yee’s Power Yoga Total Body (61 minutes long), The Firm: Power Yoga (33 minutes long), and Ashtanga Yoga Beginners Practice with Nicki Doane (59 minutes long). Once you are familiar with the moves and techniques, and you have mastered concentration over your breathing, you can begin to do some power yoga independently, without a video. However, if you like having the video as a guide, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with it.

If you can afford a membership to a gym or yoga center, then you should invest in some power yoga classes. It’s great to train with a qualified and experienced yoga instructor. A professional will be able to help you to adjust your body into the correct formations and they will also be able to point out any areas that you are falling short in. If you’re out of shape, just look around at the experienced members of the class and the instructor for inspiration – they’ve probably got nice toned and lean bodies with great definition… and you can have that too if you stick with power yoga!