"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."Albert Camus
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Bhakti Yoga - The Science of Devotion
Bhakti means devotion to the Almighty. Bhakti yoga deals with devotion to God and achieving the union with him. This is the easiest of all yoga types. This branch of yoga teaches the relation between the devotee and the divine. It does not involve any ...
Tatami flooring for Yoga, Martial Arts and Judo schools
InterlockingFloormat.com is expanding their partnership with all Yoga, Martial Arts, Judo, Karate, Aikido, Tae Kuan Do, and exercise schools. The partnership program will promote all Yoga and Martial Arts schools on its partner webpage. All instructors ...
Yoke Hatha Yoga with the Raw Foods for Superb Health
Since writing my two books, Beautiful On Raw: UnCooked Creations and Your Right to Be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You, about my exploration and acceptance of the raw food lifestyle, I have added another important ...
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Did you know that over fifteen million people practiced yoga in 2003, according to a landmark study by Yoga Journal Magazine. And the numbers are expected to increase dramatically in subsequent years. Your own experiences probably confirm this study - maybe you practice yoga, know someone who does, or just take a walk along any busy main street - your bound to see someone carrying a yoga mat. In fact you can't even open a magazine or newspaper without finding an article about yoga. So, how does a 5000-year-old spiritual practice become today's hottest mind/body trend?
Perhaps the best way to understand yoga's popularity is to go right to the people who practice it. If you ask them why, some of the more common replies you might hear are "flexibility, increased energy, improved focus, reduction of the symptoms associated with stress, and an overall good feeling." The fact is that yoga can have a rejuvenating effect on all systems of the body including the circulatory, glandular system, digestive, nervous, skeletal/muscular, reproductive system and respiratory system.
On a physical level - according to the U.S. Dept. on Aging there four components to good physical health: Strength, flexibility, balance, aerobic capacity. It is interesting to note that yoga can accomplish all these things and no fancy piece of equipment is needed - other than your own body and a yoga mat.
Over the last 100 years our lives have become very fast paced: cell phones, computers, internet, television. This along with a strong work ethic often results in people out of balance - people experiencing a lot of stress. Consequently, there is a strong need to de-stress - to quiet our minds and rejuvenate our bodies. And yoga helps achieve this - helping us return to a state of balance and health.
Yoga brings us into the moment - it is very difficult to practice and be thinking about what happened at work today or the party tomorrow night. Becoming present
in itself is a great release from stress. At its best, yoga meets the student where they are - so it is adjusted to the student's level and capacity. That doesn't mean it is particularly easy or particularly challenging - it can be either or both on any given day.
Then there is the therapeutic component. Yoga can be used successfully with conditions such as insomnia, back problems, digestion problems, asthma, improving circulation, anxiety, weight loss, just to name a few.
Basically yoga is non -competitive; it is not about winning or losing - you can go at your own rate. Of course people still compete with themselves though and compare their posture to others in class.
In addition many of us are yearning for something more. Many of us have shied away from organized religion yet seek a spiritual practice that connects us to ourselves as well as something larger - a spiritual practice that is non-dogmatic, without many rules. While most of the yoga practiced in health clubs is primarily the physical aspects of yoga - the philosophical side seeps in. And for those that want to learn more about the philosophy of yoga information and classes are readily available to them. At its simplest level yoga quiets the mind and opens the body - setting the stage for withdrawing deeper inside oneself - to a place of peace, a place of balance, a place of health. It is here where the divine within us can be more easily discovered.
There are many different styles of yoga and it never needs to be boring - it can be slow and gentle, it can challenge your strength, it can be aerobic or vigorous or it can be very introspective. There is as style to match most personalities. There is yoga for seniors, pre-natal yoga, postnatal yoga, power yoga, gentle yoga, etc. There are classes that focus on back care, yoga done in groups and one-on-one, privately with an instructor. The yogic scriptures say there are some 84,000 postures and variations. The field of yoga is huge and there is always, always something new to learn.
The media has also helped spread the message of yoga and the fact the celebrities like Madonna and Sting practice yoga doesn't hurt either!
About the Author
Howard VanEs, M.A. has been studying and practicing yoga for over thirteen years and is a certified yoga teacher teaching in the East Bay area of San Francisco. He is author of "Beginning Yoga: A Practice Manual", co-creator of the audio CD "Shavasana / Deep Relaxation". He is also a former psychotherapist. http://www.letsdoyoga.com>http://www.letsdoyoga.com email: info@letsdoyoga.com 510-587-3399
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Should yoga be an Olympic sport?KING5.comBoth are competitive yoga athletes, two of the best in the country. "Well basically what it is, you pick a routine that's 7 postures, a 3 minute routine and there's a panel of judges and they judge you on strength, flexibility balance, and grace,” said ...and more » |
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Yoga May Improve Symptoms of Rheumatoid ArthritisWebMDBy Laird Harrison May 24, 2012 (Honolulu, Hawaii) -- Young patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may feel better after practicing yoga for just six weeks, a new study shows. Researchers reported their findings here last week at the American Pain ...and more » |
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Laughter yoga gaining currency as natural stress relieverTimes of IndiaINDORE: Laughter yoga is fast emerging as the healing balm for people having their life full of stress. This therapy has attracted a lot of people from all walks of life barring age as they find it a natural stress reliever. |
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