Monthly Archives: September 2010

Learning the Popular Styles of Yoga

Posted on by

Learning the Popular Styles of Yoga

There are many styles of yoga, but teachers should be familiar with the nine main forms of yoga, from India, and their relationships to contemporary styles. The nine main styles are: Bhakti, Hatha, Jnana, Karma, Kundalini, Mantra, Raja, Tantric, and Yantra Yoga. Bhakti yoga is widely practiced in India, yet barely known by the masses outside of India.


If you’re looking to become a yoga instructor, you must be thoroughly trained and ready to cater to a variety of student needs. A competent yoga instructor should be well-versed in many aspects of yoga. Different styles emphasize varying aspects of yoga. Some may focus on the coordination of breath and movement, while others focus on the proper alignment of the body. Others use atmospheric conditions as the basis of the style.


Globally, one of the most popular styles is Hatha yoga. This is a style that focuses on slow, meditative breathing and relaxed postures. A yoga instructor will slowly guide students through poses one at a time. Many people, who attend Hatha classes, appreciate the relaxed feeling they get from the exercise aspects. Some people, who try Hatha classes, do not like the slow-pace and are searching for a higher-intensity exercise.


Vinyasa yoga, sometimes called Flow or Power yoga, contains a completely different focus, in comparison to the meditative Hatha. Vinyasa is called, Flow or Power, because of its emphasis on smooth and powerful movements. The teacher will guide students through a series of poses, changing them in rhythm with the breath.


The poses run together like a dance. Vinyasa classes can be either, high or low intensity, depending upon the yoga instructor’s emphasis. Vinyasa can be very diverse because it allows the yoga instructor to interject their personality into the routines.


Vinyasa, Flow, or Power yoga, draws sequences from Hatha or Raja yoga, depending upon the instructor’s lineage. Raja is the form of yoga, which Maharishi Pantanjali describes in the Yoga Sutras. It should be noted that Raja is sometimes called, Ashtanga, which means “eight limbs.”


Ashtanga yoga can also be an athletic style of yoga. It is based on a demanding series of pose changes, sometimes connected by jumps. Designed for flexible, and usually young, bodies, Ashtanga has gained popularity in the Western world because of its intensity. Some popular students of this style are Madonna and Sting. An advantage of this style is that it can be self-led.


Usually the yoga instructor will teach students a series of poses and lead them in the routine. After mastering the poses and changes, the students can go through the routine at their own pace. Since this is done in the company of the yoga instructor, and other students, progress can be monitored and mistakes corrected.


For a completely different experience, there is Bikram yoga. Also known as Hot yoga, Bikram is a modern style, focusing on a set series of poses performed in a heated room. The creator of the style, Bikram Choudhury, designated twenty-six poses that constitute the Bikram style. The temperature of the room is ideally set to 105 degrees.


By keeping the room at a high temperature, the muscles of the body are more flexible. This is a controversial style because of an intellectual property lawsuit by Choudhury. Only those yoga instructors, certified in his method, are permitted to teach Bikram yoga.


On the other end of the timeline is Kundalini yoga. An ancient form, that is relatively new to the West, Kundalini focuses on the spiritual aspects of yoga. The yoga instructor leads students through a series of poses, making sure that movement is linked with breath.


The idea behind this discipline is to cause dormant energy in the lower body to become free and move upwards. For students seeking an athletic workout, Kundalini is not the place to look; but it is still an important style for a yoga instructor to understand.


From the purely physical yoga, to the more spiritual forms, a yoga instructor must be well versed. If you want to be a great yoga instructor, you should understand the basics of each major style, even while you focus on your favorite style. In this way, you’ll be ready to answer any student’s question and guide them to the right style.


Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. He is an author of many books on the subject of Yoga and has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Best Ways To Get Started In Yoga And Yoga Meditation

Posted on by

Best Ways To Get Started In Yoga And Yoga Meditation

Are you new to yoga, and are interested in doing yoga and yoga meditation? You may have seen the huge benefits of doing yoga, and now want to get started. So, what are the best ways to start doing yoga meditation, and doing the yoga exercises?
In this article, you will find:

* Aiming To Get The Best Out Of Yoga

* Getting Started With Yoga Classes

* Yoga Books, Yoga CD’s, Yoga DVD’s
* Aiming To Get The Best Out Of Yoga

Getting the best out of yoga requires some thought. Yoga has several areas that make up yoga, such as the yogic breathing, yogic postures, yogic diet, and they all parts which can make us do things right or wrong. The main aim with any route to yoga is to find a way which enables you to get the best out of yoga.
Though all this should not be viewed as a way to make us procrastinate from actually taking action, but to keep it in the back of our minds. There is a lot of information about yoga online, and some of this information is great, but can not really help you with all the information you need.
* Getting Started With Yoga Classes

Yoga mediation is simply meditating, the point is to relax and cause balance. However, when we look at some other aspects of yoga, we find that there are the postures, and these can be a bit more tricky.
Doing the posture correctly is something that becomes paramount. And simply following instructions may not do it justice. The best route then becomes to find a local yoga class, and get instructed by someone who knows how the postures must be done. They can also look at how you are doing the postures, and aid you in doing the postures correctly.
Another point the yoga class can help you with is with the yogic breathing. Breathing is hard to discover how to do correctly by watching a yoga DVD, whereas being at a yoga class will give you more confidence that you are doing things correctly.
* Yoga Books, Yoga CD’s, Yoga DVD’s

So, what if there are no local yoga classes? What happens then? Well, you are not at a loss, because you can still use the numerous yoga books, and CD’s, and even DVD’s. Though a local yoga class is the best option, it does not have to restrict you, if you can’t go to yoga classes.
There are some great books out there and they can help you discover yoga in the privacy of your home. You can work at your own pace, and see if yoga is something you want to pursue over the long term.

Here are some yoga and new age information that can help you in your quest:
* Find yoga classes
* Discover Yoga Meditation
* Read more articles at USA Today Articles

10 Ways to Wake Up Your Mornings

Posted on by

10 Ways to Wake Up Your Mornings

1. Get Up.

How often do you find yourself completely uninterested in getting up once your alarm goes off? There’s a reason why this happens so often. It’s not so much that you’re so tired (although if you’ve gotten less than 7 hours of sleep that may be the case), but that you have been lying flat for hours, and your blood pressure is very low. So if you compel yourself to get up, your blood pressure will rise and you will feel awake soon after. (Even if you haven’t gotten enough sleep! Trust me on this: as a midwife I routinely wake from very little sleep to see patients, and I’m always amazed at how alert I feel once I just get up.)

2. Choose an Early Morning Affirmation.

Even after you get up, it’s easy to think, “Ugh, I’m so tired. ” At least it is for me. So when that happens, I try to catch myself and say instead, “It’s going to be a great day.” The morning improves instantly. I highly recommend you do the same. Your affirmation doesn’t have to be anything profound. It just has to be something that gives you a little boost and sets a positive intention for the hours ahead.

3. Brush Your Body Too.

Along with brushing my teeth there’s another practice that I do every morning as a part of my personal hygiene: dry body brushing.

 

Dry brushing is a great tool for detoxification (your lymphatic system is stimulated and dead skin is removed, making way for better oxygenation) and leaves you feeling totally energized. You can buy a body brush in any natural foods store and instructions will come with the brush.

4. Define Your Day.

I love this quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: “Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night’s repose.”

Be like Longfellow (yes, I said “be like Longfellow”) and define your day by asking yourself, “If I could only get one task done today, what would be most satisfying?” Then make sure you carve out at least 15 minutes in the day to work on it. The earlier in your day you act the better, because you are more likely to get it done, and the satisfaction of having it done will give you a great feeling for the rest of the day.

5. Be here now.

Now that you’ve set your #1 priority for the day and planned the time to do it, let go of the sense that you must hurry and stress. Keep in mind this advice from Thich Nhat Hanh: “Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.”

Your point of power is always in the present moment – you can plan in the present moment, you can act in the present moment, but when you are anxious or worried your attention is no longer in the present.

Bring your attention back to the present moment with a simple yoga posture called mountain pose. This is actually a perfect centering practice any time you are stressed, especially when you find yourself waiting impatiently for anything (the water to boil) or anyone (your small child as he decides which underpants to wear).

Sit or stand tall. Feel the lift through the center of your body, from the base of your hips through the crown of your head. Close your eyes and let go of the sights and sounds around you. Deepen your breath and feel the flow of your inhalation and exhalation. Feel the quiet centering and balance that comes into your mind as you breathe. If you want an extra boost, raise your arms above your head and stretch your arms up to the sky.

6. Set the Tone.

Try answering these questions to help set a positive tone for the day.

 

Who: Who do I want to be?
How: How do I want to feel?
Why: Why am I visualizing my day as I am? If I am feeling anxious and stressed, can I re-imagine things in a more positive light?

 

7. Listen.

I’ve written before of the value of listening to your wise inner self. In order to hear it you must allow for some quiet on a daily basis. So first thing in the morning, be quiet and listen. If you are short on time, even one minute is enough. In that quiet space you are most likely to hear the messages from deep in your soul.

8. Exercise.

Yes, I recommend daily exercise. I know sufficient health benefits come from exercise only 3 times a week, but if you exercise every other day it’s so much easier to say, “You know, I just don’t feel like it today. I’ll do it tomorrow.” When you do something daily you get into the mode of saying, “This is what I do.”

After you’ve elevated your heart rate for at least 15 minutes your brain is drenched with feel-good endorphins. It doesn’t matter what you do – you could do jumping jacks in your kitchen – but significantly raising your heart rate for at least 15 minutes a day is what’s important. And of course morning exercise allows you to enjoy all these benefits throughout the day.

9. Wash Your Cares Away.

As you bathe, take deep cleansing breaths and imagine that the stress from your fears, worries, and problems is flowing away, out of your body, down the drain. When you release the tension that results from emotional stress, you will manage your concerns and challenges more effectively.

10. Eat (or Drink) Breakfast.

You probably know all the reasons why breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? I always break my fast with freshly juiced beets, celery, kale, lemon, apple and lots of ginger. The fruits and vegetables have tons of vitamins and enzymes and many energizing and detoxifying benefits.

Then a little later I eat something high in fiber, like oatmeal or a banana. They fill me up and boost production of serotonin, a “happy” hormone that plays a key role in relieving stress.

Again, you do not need to adopt all of these practices, but if you incorporate even just a few of them into your daily routine, I bet you will feel more energized and happy in the morning and the positive effects will last for the rest of the day. And if you keep them up day after day, then guess what? You will have lived a happy life!

Stacey Curnow works as a certified nurse-midwife in North Carolina, and over more than 15 years her career has taken her from western Indian reservations to a center-city Bronx hospital to the mountains of southwestern Mexico.

She has been an enthusiastic student of positive psychology for years and applies it to her midwifery and life coaching practices with great success. You can find out more about her services at www.midwifeforyourlife.com.

She is the creator of a thriving blog and many of her articles have been published in print magazines and online.

She lives in Asheville, NC with her husband, young son, and Ruby the wonder chicken.

What is Laughter Yoga ?

Posted on by

What is Laughter Yoga ?

www.laughteryoga.org
The brainchild of Dr. Madan Kataria, a Physician from Mumbai, India, launched the first Laughter Club at a Park on March 13, 1995, with merely a handful of persons. Today, it has become a worldwide phenomenon with more than 6000 Social Laughter Clubs in about 60 countries.

Laughter Yoga combines Unconditional Laughter with Yogic Breathing (Pranayama).

Media coverage
This innovative concept has a worldwide following, and has been featured by many popular publications like TIME Magazine, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Daily Telegraph (UK) among others. Laughter Clubs have appeared on popular Television: Oprah Winfrey Show, BBC, CNN, ZDF (Germany) NHK (Japan), ABC News (USA) and others around the world. Many film features on Laughter Yoga and Laughter Clubs have been produced in different languages of the world. The media has been highly influential in the growth of Laughter Yoga globally.

Laughter Clubs Free for All

Laughter Yoga Clubs are Social Clubs, free for all. There is no membership fee, no forms to fill, and no fuss. These Clubs are run by volunteers trained as Laughter Yoga Teachers and Laughter Yoga Leaders. Laughter Clubs are non-political, non-religious and non-profit, and run directly by Laughter Clubs International in India, and Laughter Yoga International in the rest of the world.

Mission – World Peace

The goal of Laughter Yoga is to bring good health, joy and world peace through Laughter. Laughter is universal with no language and cultural barriers. Laughter Yoga Clubs are fast growing into a worldwide community of like-minded people who believe in unconditional Love, Laughter and Fellowship. Every first Sunday of May is celebrated as World Laughter Day. In the year 2000, nearly 10,000 people laughed together in Copenhagen, Denmark to set a Guinness Book Record.

Life Changing Experience

Throughout India, thousands of Laughter Yoga Clubs meet every morning in public parks. Most Laughter Club members proudly report that they have not missed a day in five years or more. They say it makes them happy, healthy and energized – effecting a transformation in their lives. The Laughter Yoga session each day, results in positive energy that makes it easy to cope with stress of daily life and saves them from depression. In fact, the impact of laughter is so profound that many practitioners claim they no longer need anti-depressants. The sustained positive emotions keep them coming back for more.

Participants of Laughter Yoga report significant general health improvements. Many have felt a reduction in the frequency of respiratory infections like common cold and flu, and some others reported overcoming depression, relief/cure from chronic medical problems. With people’s committed participation, Laughter Yoga has helped many people become healthier.

Scientifically Proven

Clinical research on Laughter Yoga methods, conducted at the University of Graz in Austria; Bangalore, India; and in the United States has proved that Laughter lowers the level of stress hormones (epinephrine, cortisol, etc) in the blood. It fosters a positive and hopeful attitude. It is less likely for a person to succumb to stress and feelings of depression and helplessness, if one is able to laugh away the troubles.

Laughter Yoga in Schools

In India, Laughter Yoga has been introduced in many schools of Surat, Baroda and Bangalore. The school schedule includes ten minutes of Laughter in the Morning Assembly, followed by five minutes of Laughter Session in the classrooms both at the beginning and at the end of the day. This routine has shown that the mood and atmosphere gets energized. Teachers and students are happier together, with a more positive outlook, and improves communication, discipline and attendance. Academic results have also shown improvement. Outside India, Ithaca College, New York and in Minnesota in the United States are fast becoming popular with the college students.

Laughter Yoga and Business World

Scientific research reveals that Laughter can help resolve many major issues at the workplace, yet, till now there has been no reliable and effective system to deliver laughter. Humor was the only tool available, but it is not reliable and seldom leads to continuous hearty laughter. Laughter Yoga is a breakthrough laughter delivery system that can enable a person to laugh continuously for 15 to 20 minutes with short breaks of Yogic Breathing. Many Laughter Yoga professionals have presented sessions to the business community, with positive results.

The concept is gaining popularity in companies and corporations in India, Denmark, US and many other countries. It is a powerful force for improving staff performance at the workplace. This was recently confirmed by studies in India and the USA, that showed a substantial stress reduction and enhanced productivity by the staff after just three weeks of Laughter Sessions.

Seniors and Laughter Yoga

Laughter Yoga is being practiced by Seniors in many aged care facilities in Canada, USA, Israel and Europe. There is a distinct rise in life expectancy with improvement in health care, and advancement in medical technology. In fact, ten years from now the number of older people would have almost doubled. Faced with age and age-related troubles, Seniors find their physical and mental faculties on the decline. Since the cognitive abilities in seniors are compromised due to senile dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, they find it difficult to comprehend humor. Therefore, Laughter Yoga is the ideal form of exercise routine that can help them to get complete health benefits of Laughter.

Laughter Yoga and Cancer Patients

A significant number of Laughter Club members around the world suffer some kind of cancer, and laughter has brought a new hope in their lives. Many have reported that regular Laughter Sessions have benefited them tremendously. Cancer is the next biggest killer after Depression and Heart problems. Scientific research has proved that laughter has a profound impact on the immune system that influences the course of survival of cancer patients. Laughter Yoga has been effectively implemented in many Cancer Hospitals, helping the patients and their caregivers, cope with pain and trauma. Swedish Cancer Hospital in Chicago, USA, conducts Laughter Yoga regularly during the chemotherapy sessions.

Laughter Yoga in Prisons

Laughter Yoga is being practiced in several prisons in India, Europe and USA. British actor John Cleese visited Mumbai Prison in the year 2001 during the making of a documentary for BBC, on Human Expressions. He found that laughter had a profound impact on the prisoners, and the atmosphere in general lightened. With the rise in crime all over the world, the prisons are overburdened with prisoners, harboring negative emotions and thoughts. Laughter Yoga is a great method of dissipating negative feelings of anger and frustration. Many prisoners in India have found Laughter Yoga an effective tool to release their negative emotions. There have been positive changes in prisoner attitude, better prisoner-staff relations and reduced violence.

Laughter Yoga with Physically and Mentally Challenged

Laughter Yoga has made a major difference in the lives of many people with physical and mental disabilities in India, Canada, USA and Portugal. In fact, in Bangalore, India, the introduction of Laughter Yoga for the mentally and the physically challenged children has revealed a marked improvement in their motor and expressive skills besides control of hyperactiveness. Many such people who come to these sessions in wheel chairs have shown tremendous improvement in their physical condition and mental health. Laughter Yoga has also been introduced in many schools for the Blind, and among the deaf and mute children, to help them cope with their disabilities and generate a more positive attitude, that will help them to enhance their wellbeing.

http://www.laughteryoga.org/
Laughter Yoga is a revolutionary idea – simple and profound. An exercise routine, it is sweeping the world and is a complete wellbeing workout.

The brainchild of Dr. Madan Kataria, a Physician from Mumbai, India, launched the first Laughter Club at a Park on March 13, 1995, with merely a handful of persons. Today, it has become a worldwide phenomenon with more than 6000 Social Laughter Clubs in about 60 countries.

Universal Principles of Yoga: Forgiveness

Posted on by

Universal Principles of Yoga: Forgiveness

Yogic philosophy has many components, and similarities, to classical western philosophy – yet Yoga still remains somewhat of a mystery. Is Yoga a threat to any of today’s Western religions or is it a compliment?


Let’s take a close look at the component of forgiveness and see how the teachings of Yoga will improve your life for the best, regardless of your religion.


Why is it so hard for people to forgive themselves or others? It is easier today than it has ever been for people to shut off the outside world and play with “electronic toys.” Why should today’s children try to develop social skills or bonds with their peers? They have all they need, or do they have everything?


Due to consumerism, today’s children are bored by all the toys, but they are stimulated by action with each other. Children, who sit in front of the television, often complain about boredom. When they play real games, go to a Yoga class, or participate in dance, music, or a sport, you see healthy and vibrant children.


The consumption of electronic gadgets has led adults and children to think about: “Me, myself, and I,” more than ever. In this social climate, why should anyone forgive? Why should adults or children take a Yoga class, when there are so many more toys to play with?


Intolerance is a natural part of humanity, but consumerism has led to a self-centered path, where the world is wrong and I am right. It is easy to see how fundamentalism can weave its way into this social climate. Why forgive when you can get revenge? Why talk when you can sue?


This is why Yoga can help heal today’s world. Yoga teaches us about the law of Karma. Today, we may say, “What goes around comes around,” but “What we sow, we shall reap,” is a scarier thought. Karma is the law of cause and effect.


You can see the path humankind is on, but what can you do about it? It starts with each of us. Open your heart and bond with your children. Make time for family and friends. Shut the electronics off and work on your spiritual, mental, and physical health. Yoga is about good health in many different aspects.


We live in an electronic world, but we know it is not entirely healthy. We cannot run and hide from electronics, consumerism, and materialism when we are surrounded by it, but we can make wiser choices about our free time.


Yoga offers adults and children insight. This allows all of us to better ourselves and put past mistakes behind. We all make mistakes because we are human.


Forgiveness allows us to leave hate behind and spend our energy on more constructive pursuits, such as enjoying time with our friends or family.


This is just one more reason why the universal principles of Yoga pose no threat to any religion. Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Moslems are taught the same, or similar, moral codes. We have to forgive each other and learn to live in peace.


Copyright 2007 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

More Philosophy And Universal Principles Of Yoga Articles