By Nathan Biery

Yoga is suitable for everyone, of any age or physical condition. This is due to the nonstrenuous nature of our approach to exercise, even people with physical limitations can find it beneficial to practice yoga. There are many different schools of Yoga. Here is a short list of some of the most well known and they are described below:

Hatha Yoga: It is physical movements and postures combined with breathing techniques. This is style that most people associate with the practice of Yoga.

Raja Yoga: Sometimes refered to as the “royal road,” because it incorporates exercise and breathing practice with meditation, thought to produce a well-rounded individual.

Jnana Yoga: Or the path of wisdom. It is considered by many to be the most difficult path.

Bhakti Yoga: The practice of extreme devotion in one-pointed concentration upon the concept of God.

Karma Yoga: All the movements and all labor of any kind is done with the mind centered on one’s personal concept of God.

Tantra Yoga: A way of showing the unseen consciousness in form through specific diagrams, and movements. One of the diagrams that is used to show the joining of the physical and spiritual bodies is two triangles superimposed upon one another. The downward-pointing triangle represents the physical body. The upward-pointing triangle represents the spiritual body of support, energy, and vastness.

Kashmir Shaivism: It is based in emotion rather than intellect. The practice of this yoga philosophy states that everything in the universe has both male and female qualities. In Kashmir Shaivism, these male and female principles form an equal partnership, so interdependent that they cannot be separated. The attraction between them produces the ultimate union of opposites, creating the immense complexity of the universe that we enjoy and celebrate.

Yoga is not a religion. It has no fixed set of beliefs. There is no godlike figure to be worshipped in a particular manner. The core of yoga’s philosophy is that everything comes from within the individual. Therefore there is no dependence on an external figure, either in the sense of a person or god figure, or a religious organization.

The practice of yoga does not interfere with any religion. Another common belief is that Yoga is derived from Hinduism. This is a misconception. Yoga actually predates Hinduism by many centuries. Ancient text unearthed in the Indus Valley provide clear evidence of yoga have been adopted by Hinduism as well as by other world religions.

Yoga is a system of techniques that can be used for a number of goals, from simply managing stress better, learning to relax, and increasing limberness all the way to becoming more self-aware and acquiring the deepest knowledge of one’s own self. Regular daily practice of all parts of yoga produce a clear, bright mind and a strong, capable body.

Nathan Biery writes for Yoga for Fitness, a place to read about Yoga, breathing techniques,fitness and more. Plus we are constantly adding articles that can help people with many different topics.

http://www.yoga4fitness.net/

How to Become a Yoga Teacher

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Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/docs/Yoga-in-Practice-eBook.pdf

Visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org
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Sister Blog: http://yoga-teacher-training.blogspot.com/
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By Adam Maywald

The health and fitness industry are in boom these days. Aside from the proliferation of modern weight loss centers, neighborhood gyms and all sorts of diets, there are also other forms of exercise that are decidedly old, such as yoga.

Yoga is probably one of the oldest practices known to mankind but before it was just reserved to Zen masters. Times passed and soon changed things. At present, yoga is practiced by a lot of people including big names in the entertainment and sports industries and soon everyone followed suit. Often times depicted in movies as the activity that saves a crazy life of a high powered individual who no longer has time for the serene has found it in yoga. Yoga is now viewed as a hip way to de-stress. If before we find yoga only in encyclopedias or serious publications now teen magazines like Cleo, sophisticated publications like Cosmopolitan and even Oprah’s monthly carry stories about yoga.

Because of these developments, yoga studios are also sprouting like mushrooms so one should take his or her time before signing up in a yoga studio. Unlike weight loss centers, there are many variations in yoga so finding several yoga studios in the same area is no surprise. This is actually good for those wanting to sign up because the issue of accessibility is now out of question and the more pressing issue is which yoga studio to choose.

Some of the more popular kinds of yoga are Kripalu, Ashtanga Yoga, Bikram and Power Yoga. Each of these has unique qualities so it all depends on what suits you best. Apart from the kind of yoga that a studio specializes in, there is also a need to research on the background of the yoga studio where you are planning to sign up.

One of the important things to look into is how experienced are the masters who will be teaching in the yoga studio. The more experienced the yoga masters, the better because you are assured that you are in good hands. One of the most influential and innovative yoga masters is B. K. S. Iyengar Yoga and his brand of yoga – Iyengar Yoga – is what is mainly taught in The Yoga Studio. Iyengar was also chosen as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in April 2004. This is the kind of experience that you should look for in the line-up of yoga masters in any yoga studio.

Another thing that you should look for in a yoga studio is that if they have the proper props for the different classes. This is so because yoga props available in yoga studios affect the members’ level of comfortability while undergoing sessions. Proper yoga props also lessen or totally prevent injuries from happening. Yoga classes being offered should also be about progressive learning. The sessions should also focus on building strong backs because the back particularly the spine is the essence of a strong body.

Some yoga studios go as far as offer video and audio materials to members. This is very helpful so that even when members are too busy to go to the studio they can do their exercises at home or the more diligent students can study in preparation for their classes. If all the things mentioned can be found in a yoga studio then go to the next level of inquiry that is signing up and then consistently attend sessions to feel the wonderful effects of yoga.

For more Yoga resources, please visit http://www.yogainformer.com for all your yoga needs including Yoga articles, questions, forums and recent news.

http://www.yogainformer.com/

Become a Yoga Teacher

——————————————–
FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter.
Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/docs/Yoga-in-Practice-eBook.pdf

Visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org
Affiliates: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/signup.html
Sister Blog: http://yoga-teacher-training.blogspot.com/
——————————————–

Side Note: Yoga students should talk to a prospective Yoga Teacher before signing into any Yoga class package. Look for a Yoga teacher and studio that matches your specific health needs.

Yoga Teachers: You should be addressing these health needs. Think outside the box and market your health solutions to prospective Yoga students.

Namaste,

Paul Jerard
www.riyoga.com