* History of yoga

* Benefits of yoga

* Beginning yoga History of Yoga

The history of yoga dates back [...]]]> 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.

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Yoga, the oldest way of spiritual practice is one of the six schools in Hindu philosophy. Towards the end of twentieth century, yoga teachers moved to the West and travelers from the West to India led to the flourishing of Yoga in [...]]]> Yoga, the extreme heights of peacefulness attained through the silencing of the soul.

Yoga, the oldest way of spiritual practice is one of the six schools in Hindu philosophy. Towards the end of twentieth century, yoga teachers moved to the West and travelers from the West to India led to the flourishing of Yoga in western countries. In the West, yoga gives stress on different postures associated with it. The Bhagavad Geetha, The Upanishads, The Yoga Sutras of Patajali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Rahasya and many other Hindu texts holds writings based on Yoga.

Classification:

Karma yoga- Yoga of action

Jnana Yoga- Yoga of wisdom

Bhakti Yoga-Yoga of devotion

Raja Yoga- Yoga of meditation

Yoga, the science of liberation helps its disciples to reach the extreme point of liberation. Since Yoga has a basic therapeutic healing power, is practiced together with other medications. Ashtanga Yoga and Ayurveda is simply mixed in the practice of Yoga.

Yoga lay emphasis on the body, mind and the emotional area of a person. At the final stage the Yogi (one who practice Yoga) reaches the ‘moksha’ stage where there is no interruption of thoughts occurs. Concentration and meditation are indivisible parts of Yoga that infills the meditator with the extreme pleasures of peace and joy.

According to Hinduism, yoga is practiced to attain the union with the God and Buddhism says Yoga as a practice that deepens wisdom, thought and insight. Western countries give emphasis on individualism. Yoga is a practice to spiritual awareness and insight for a normal person.

Yoga Therapy:

Yoga Therapy is an extensive healer that promotes positive health. Anxiety, hypertension, heart problems, asthma, diabetes, etc are some of the conditions in which Yoga is applicable. Yoga therapy is approved by the Medical Researchers as it is found to be effective in most of the ailments. Yoga therapy is an effective stress manager. It includes physical postures, breathing techniques and other relaxation methods.

Sri Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Sivananda, Parama Hamsa Yoga Nanda, Mira Bhai from Bhakti tradition, Sankaracharya from jnana tradition, etc are some of the celebrated yogis of the ancient India.

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Yoga Nidra is an experiential process akin to Deep Sleep wherein you as a doer is absent and you as being is present.  It is a means to access and be your true nature knowingly.

Nidra Yoga is also experiential as it is the practice of Yoga Nidra. The [...]]]>

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Yoga Nidra is an experiential process akin to Deep Sleep wherein you as a doer is absent and you as being is present.  It is a means to access and be your true nature knowingly.

Nidra Yoga is also experiential as it is the practice of Yoga Nidra. The distinction is that Nidra Yoga is a way of being that is global in nature, like the ocean, and Yoga Nidra  is a specific meditation technique within this way of being, like a wave.

The closest translation of the word Nidra is sleep, and, the word Yoga means union or connection. In this approach the union of yoga is realized experientially as the continuity of being that unfolds when the mind is silent and there is no doer. The truth of this is glimpsed in the practice of Yoga Nidra and it is lived knowingly in daily life as the practice of Nidra Yoga.

This yoga approach is paradoxical as it uses the process of deep sleep to wake up to your true nature and cultivates a way of being that flowers in and as everyday life. It is beyond the measure of the thinking mind as it is knowing as being that embraces functioning according to the laws of natural order – for example: thoughts and memories associated with name and form are used functionally yet knowing as being means that the suffering, limitation and separation of identification via the thinking mind is absent.

In this light Yoga Nidra and Nidra Yoga are the direct, experiential approach to your true nature.

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How do you make sure that you get the great stress relief [...]]]> 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!

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