Monthly Archives: May 2010

A Novice Guide To Yoga

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For westerners yoga can seem like a very different practice. Yoga practice offers many benefits and as you read this article, you will learn more about yoga and the benefits of starting a yoga program.
Points I cover in this article:

* History of yoga

* Benefits of yoga

* Beginning yoga
History of Yoga

The history of yoga dates back to the Upanishads. The Upanishads a part of the Vedas and form part of the Hindu scriptures was written before the 7th century BCE, which makes it one of the oldest texts known to man!
For many people in the west, the meditation aspects of yoga is known, however, there is more to yoga. Doing yoga for many people practicing yoga, is also a way to spiritual growth, and spiritual enlightenment.
Benefits of Yoga

When you start to do yoga, you will find many benefits, not just spiritual or physiological, but also psychological, and biochemical, not to mention the many more benefits of you doing yoga.
Some of the benefits of yoga, you may be able to get are your mood improves and subjective well-being increases, your level of Anxiety and Depression decreases, sleep improves, pulse rate decreases, and your weight normalizes. This is only a very small handful of the benefits of doing yoga.
For people who may be looking for the health benefits which can help heal certain ailments, you may be glad to know glucose and sodium levels in the body go down because of doing yoga. So the steps you are taking now can greatly benefit your health in a positive way.
As always, remember to get these health benefits from yoga, you will need to remember to keep to practicing yoga regularly. If you have old health issues, then also make sure you speak to your doctor before embarking on any new healthy health exercise regimen, such as yoga.
Beginning Yoga

Beginning yoga is much easier today, thanks to the major interest in yoga over the last few years, more and more yoga classes are being started. The first step in beginning yoga, is to decide to start! At this point, most people may wonder if they have what it takes to start yoga, what will be involved etc. Relax, yoga classes can teach you from beginning, even if you do not know the first thing about yoga.
Whether you want the spiritual benefits of yoga or the physiological benefits of yoga, you can get them by doing yoga at a yoga class. It is best to go to a yoga class to learn how to correctly do yoga. There are many great books and videos about yoga, and they can be beneficial. However, a yoga class can help you get the right yoga postures, and get the full benefit of yoga.
Finding a yoga class can be as easy doing a search online to find local classes. Perhaps speak to someone who you know who has an interest in yoga, check local adult education institutions. As more and more yoga classes are available, you can find a local yoga class.

Visit your new age resource to do yoga meditation, find yoga classes, and biofeedback. Also find yoga mats, biofeedback equipment, and Wild Divine. http://www.biofeedbackmeditation.info is your key to BLISS.

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Yoga Nidra and Nidra Yoga – What are they?

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Yoga Nidra, Surya Namaskar, Asana and Pranayama are comprehensively described by Satyananda/Bihar Yoga

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra Meditation is paradoxical to explain because your thinking mind sees its description of being awake while asleep as contradictory. The experience itself is self-explanatory once explored as the contradiction is resolved when you see that it is your thinking mind that relaxes while you remain alert and awake as your native intelligence [some folks call your native intelligence your other than conscious mind, your subconscious mind, your super-conscious mind, and similar names].

The practice is the process of allowing your conscious/thinking mind to relax as it does in Deep Sleep with the distinction that you as a mentally active doer is absent and you as your natural being is present as that which is aware – and that which is aware is Awareness. In this way Yoga Nidra practice is a means to access and abide as your natural Awareness knowingly.

Your mind is an excellent servant and a poor master…

The other self-evident factor of Yoga Nidra practice is that when your thinking mind relaxes you do not lose consciousness as Awareness of sensations and the unfolding of life continues. In other words Awareness is its own knowing and the obvious thing that is absent in this process is the mental noise of your thinking mind as its ongoing chatter.

In this light Yoga Nidra is a meditative practice that facilitates yogic union with Awareness as your native intelligence by allowing your thinking mind to relax[in a certain way it is absorbed or enfolded into your deeper intelligence such that it is no so much absent as silently resting and available to be used as an instrument of your deeper intelligence].

Seeing is Doing

Hopefully you now see that Yoga Nidra does not negate the use of your thinking mind. Its role in the practice is twofold as follows:

  1. it is used prior to the practice to study and understand the process by reviewing information like this article and setting your Resolution and Resolve as directed [these are explained in other materials like 'The Creation Vibration' which is available at http://nidrayoga.com]
  2. and although it silently rests during the practice it is available to be used by Awareness [for example, if an alarm sounds while you are practicing, your thinking mind would be activated by Awareness to use memory of what to do in this situation to ensure your self-preservation and that of your family, etc].

Lastly, you act based on your Awareness. This Truth is consistent for all beings across all states of consciousness. Awareness means seeing in the most comprehensive sense of the word and this can be simply stated as: Seeing is Doing. The proof of this is experientially self-evident which means that you are not being asked to believe anything or to take a leap of faith. It is this active attribute of Awareness that accounts for the acting in all authentic meditation and Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra-1

Sound Body ~ Silent Mind

Find a Great Yoga Teacher: 5 Questions You Must Ask to Find a Qualified Yoga Teacher

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Yoga provides great stress relief and other health benefits. The Mayo Clinic recommends yoga for stress management and relaxation, and medical journal articles have proven yoga’s effectiveness in treating serious medical conditions such as arthritis, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression and multiple sclerosis.

How do you make sure that you get the great stress relief and other benefits of yoga? Easy! Ask any yoga teacher the questions listed below. If the teacher’s answers closely match the ideal answers, you have found a great teacher.

QUESTION 1: DO YOU PRACTICE YOGA NOW?

IDEAL ANSWER 1: YES, I PRACTICE YOGA EVERY DAY.

If you wanted to learn to ride a bicycle, would you take lessons from someone who wrote a book about bicycles but had never actually ridden a bike? Only if you wanted to find the quickest way to fall off the bicycle! No amount of reading or theoretical knowledge will enable you to understand how to ride a bicycle. Sooner or later you have to get on the bike. The same is true of yoga. Only someone who is currently practicing yoga can safely and effectively teach you how to do yoga.

QUESTION 2: ARE YOU CURRENTLY TAKING LESSONS WITH A YOGA TEACHER?

IDEAL ANSWER: YES, I STUDY WITH A QUALIFIED TEACHER IN A RECOGNIZED YOGA TEACHING STYLE.

Even your yoga teacher needs a yoga teacher. Why? Yoga is a process, and there is always more to learn. Everyone learns more about yoga by getting feedback from a great teacher. You want your yoga teacher to be aware of the latest discoveries on how to teach yoga. The best way for your teacher to do this is to take lessons with another yoga teacher.

QUESTION 3: WHAT TYPE OF YOGA DO YOU TEACH, AND HOW DID THAT STYLE OF TEACHING YOGA DEVELOP?

IDEAL ANSWER: I TEACH “Y” STYLE OF YOGA WHICH HAS EXISTED FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS.

If a yoga teaching style has existed for at least 10 years, the teachers in that system know the best ways to teach and the pitfalls to be avoided. In addition, if a situation comes up that your teacher does not know how to handle, your teacher will be able to ask a more experienced teacher in that teaching style for advice.

QUESTION 4: WHAT TYPE OF YOGA TEACHER TRAINING HAVE YOU HAD?

IDEAL ANSWER: I HAVE COMPLETED (OR AM CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN) A 500 HOUR TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES CLASSES, EXAMS, AND APPRENTICE TEACHING.

Suppose a pipe burst in your house and sent a fountain of water gushing through your kitchen. Uh-oh, you need a plumber! There are two plumbers in your neighborhood: Plumber Smith and Plumber Jones. Plumber Smith used to be an electrician but took a one weekend plumber certification course and is now a plumber. Plumber Jones enrolled in a year long plumbing certification course at a special plumber training school, passed the plumbing certification exam, and apprenticed for one year under a master plumber. Which plumber would you choose?

Since yoga can have an enormous impact on your health, shouldn’t you take as much care in choosing a yoga teacher as you would in choosing a plumber? Your yoga teacher should be enrolled in or have completed a yoga teacher training course that lasts at least one year, and includes classes on how to do yoga, classes on how to teach yoga, apprentice teaching under a certified and experienced teacher, and certification exams.

One of the most comprehensive yoga teacher training programs in existence is the Iyengar Yoga Teacher Certification Program. If you are new to yoga, or suffer from a disease or injury, I strongly recommend that you seek out a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher.

QUESTION 5: DOES YOUR YOGA TEACHER HAVE A KIND AND EMPATHETIC HEART?

IDEAL ANSWER: YES.

Only you can determine if the answer to this question is yes.

A kind yoga teacher really cares about his or her students.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that a teacher is quiet or a pushover. A teacher may speak loudly because your attention has wandered off and he or she is trying to get your attention back. A kind yoga teacher will carefully watch what you are doing, and guide you into doing yoga more correctly. Find a great yoga teacher, follow his or her instructions, and the health and stress relief benefits of yoga will be yours!

Get a coupon for a free yoga class or find a qualified Iyengar Yoga teacher at http://www.funnypath.com. Deborah Rummelhart is author of “Where Are My Ankles? How Iyengar Yoga Rescued Me From Stress Fear and a Very Bad Back,” which hilariously describes her experiences receiving the benefits of yoga.

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