Archive for December, 2006

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Is there a “New Age Movement,” which works toward the infiltration of other religions? Is Hatha Yoga the “scouting party” for the conquest of non-Hindu religions? Does Yogi, or Yogini, imply your religious affiliation? Is Hatha Yoga a religion, and the western public is being duped?

In the west, Yoga has been considered, by some religious fundamentalists, to be an “infiltration” of Hindu philosophy. Religion has always been a volatile subject. Yoga, of any kind, can sometimes cause extreme reactions among religious fundamentalists.

The words, “New Age Movement,” are a very broad term and can refer to any healing method or spiritual belief. It is hard to group Yoga with Wicca, Taoism, Reiki, Druidism, witchcraft, and Harry Potter fans, but somehow we have all been “lumped” together as the New Age Movement.

Although there is no common thread, Yoga practitioners who practice Christian Yoga, are also condemned by religious fundamentalists for being tolerant of eastern philosophy.

Better yet, there are accusations, which claim Hatha Yoga is part of the New Age conspiracy. Some fundamentalists believe that calling a person Yogi, or Yogini, confirms that he or she is a practicing Hindu.

Just recently, I read a statement, where the author claimed, meditation could cause spiritual harm to Christians. Yet, meditation has existed within Christianity since its beginning.

Please take a close look at Psalm 1:2 from the Holy Bible, which states, “But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.” When you meditate on the word of God, this is a noble act.

Throughout history, meditation has existed for positive reasons. Somehow the fundamentalist concept of what meditation actually is has become strangely misunderstood.

Within Joshua 1:8, it is stated, “Let not the book, of this law, depart from thy mouth: but thou shalt meditate on it day and night, that thou mayst observe and do all things that are written in it: then shalt thou direct thy way, and understand it.”

As Yoga grew in mainstream popularity, Hatha Yoga was easily embraced because most Yoga instructors worked on the mind and body connection only. There is very little mentioned within a typical Hatha Yoga class about Yogic philosophy.

In defense of Yogic philosophy, the Yamas and Niyamas (behavior restraints and ethical guidelines), are sensible guidelines, which can be found in many of the world’s religions and in ethical organizations. Universal concepts such as, telling the truth, avoid stealing, and not harming others, are good ideas.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
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How to Become a Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor
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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
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On-Site Training: http://www.riyoga.com
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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

The foundations of Yama and Niyama are, in fact, from Hinduism. Hinduism is easily the oldest of today’s major religions. Is this a bad thing? Universal principles of tolerance and non-harming are found within all religions. When one of us believes that we follow the only true path, the one true religion, or the only religion recognized by God, we all have a problem, which can erupt in violence.

The problem is intolerance – and labeling everyone, of any other religion, as inferior or less than human. This creates a polarized effect in humans and justifies religious violence. The frame of mind that states: We are going to Heaven and they are going to Hell, is dangerous to all of us, no matter where we live.

Religious intolerance, polarization, and fundamentalist ideology, are responsible for many holocausts, which have occurred globally. Wars over religion plague our history, and make fools of us all, as we never seem to learn from past mistakes.

Yet, this mentality of intolerance of others does not exist within Yoga. Yoga manages to adapt and evolve without causing harm to anyone. Yoga can peacefully co-exist beside any religion.

Most western trained Yoga teachers, and Yoga practitioners, know very little of Hinduism. Many 200-hour Yoga instructor programs teach the universal principles of Yama and Niyama, but most graduate Yoga teachers would be hard pressed to speculate, or say, much about the Vedas.

In the mind of a religious fundamentalist, the real problem is, Yoga, and all methods labeled as New Age, believe in religious tolerance. To any fundamentalist, tolerance and opening your mind is the gateway to evil.

Therefore, religious fundamentalism must label Yoga as a religion. Yoga does have historical roots with Hinduism, so this is the opportunity to label, polarize, and stir up misunderstandings.

Let’s look at Hinduism a little closer. Yes, Hinduism does have multiple Gods and Goddesses, but historically, Hinduism has not forced itself on anyone. However, Hindus have been violently persecuted over their religion. It is estimated that 100 million Hindus were killed between the 11th and 18th centuries, due to religious persecution.

Unfortunately, most of the public is not aware of all the historical and philosophical facts before making harsh pre-emptive accusations. The Indian people, Hinduism, and Yoga, have not made a habit of invading, infiltrating, exploiting, and imposing their will on other societies.

When we do not thoroughly read and research subjects, with impartiality, we have a problem of ignorance. Just recently, a survey about global warming stated that 10% of those people surveyed thought global warming is not a concern, at all. Do you think those ten percent are informed and observing the world with an open mind? I sincerely hope that they can swim well.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

——————————————–
How to Become a Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor
——————————————–
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
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On-Site Training: http://www.riyoga.com
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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
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By ElizabethG Morgan

Various trends and fads have come and gone with fitness and exercise which makes it very easy to be cynical about any new developments in this field. However, because of the believed benefits of both mental and physical health yoga has been able to endure and become a favorite.

Having children practice yoga is becoming an increasingly popular trend. Like adults, children do not get enough exercise according to studies by experts and they can also exhibit tension and stress – therefore the perfect solution for overworked children is yoga.

Finding the Right Place

It is important to research the yoga class you are thinking of having your kid join as with any class or group. Talk with the instructors and ask them how spiritual their classes will be since some parents may be put off by the very religious nature of the Eastern/Buddhist influence.

It is also a good idea to find out how physically demanding the class is. The more strenuous positions may be dealt with by children that are natural athletes, but children who are beginners might need to be signed up for a more basic course.

For some parents, just the thought of sending a child to a yoga class is seen as too trendy. However, there are some organizations out there that are working to make the idea of yoga for children not so foreign. Converts out of skeptics can happen if your read up on the information available.

Just as much as adults, children need to find balance and peace of mind. Since yoga is so successful with adults, a natural progression seems to be developing and adapting it for children Yoga Fitness Exercises. The benefits of yoga in young children’s health is promoted by a group called YogaKids International. The website of this large organization is www.yogakids.com where people can get information on their mission as well as locations, teachers, equipment and accreditation.

Is it Right for Your Kid?

There is a pensive, spiritual side to yoga in addition to the physical part which is the most important part of the exercise. Yoga might be a problem therefore if your child’s attention span doesn’t allow them to sit still longer than the average commercial break.

This don’t mean hyperactive children can’t benefit from yoga, it just means that you need to have a patient instructor who has prior experience in dealing with children – particularly those who are antsy at the thought of sitting on a mat and concentrating on breath when they would rather be in front of a television screen annihilating galaxies. It is this children who will benefit the most from yoga Yoga for Beginners.

Elizabeth Morgan is an expert on the Yoga for Children. Yoga Fitness Exercises and Yoga for Beginners.

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How to Become a Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor for Kids
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Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Are you ready to make a life changing resolution? What is a daily Yoga plan? How can a daily Yoga plan reduce stress and change your life?

You can make a change at any time of the year, but New Year’s resolutions are the most popular. Yet, we often see that New Year’s resolutions do not make it past Valentine’s Day. So, if you are ready to make a change and add Yoga to your life – let’s look at a way for you to be successful for the long-term.

Get a journal and prepare it for writing. I prefer to write things down, but you may prefer a lap top, personal digital assistant, or your computer. Either way, you should write your goals down – especially the amount of time you plan to practice Yoga in a studio, at home, or on the way to and from work.

You can practice Yoga all day long. When you consider the many aspects of Hatha Yoga, you can easily incorporate them into your life. Here are some examples, but remember to incorporate these habits gradually. Do not make Yoga into a task, but take the time to enjoy the aspects, which help you deal with stress and add quality to your daily life.

In the morning, upon waking, you can practice Pranayama in bed. There are many Pranayama techniques to choose from, but you may find Dirgha breath or natural breath to be easier at this time of the day. You could practice meditation upon rising, for ten to twenty minutes, if you have the time.

Once you are up and about, you could practice asana warm-ups or Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar). If you do not have time, you could be mindful of what you eat by eating in moderation and making wise choices.

You can work on your posture as you sit, stand, walk or perform any physical task. Is your back straight when you eat? Do you take the time to enjoy your food? Are you breathing correctly or are you already short of breath? Does coffee make you short of breath? Which foods cause you adverse reactions?

This self-observation is just another exercise in mindfulness, but will cause you to open a form of consciousness, which will improve your daily life.

In order for us to make changes, we must first want, plan, observe, take action, and practice each day. Yoga is not a physical exercise to be counted by the minutes you practice on a Yoga mat. Physical exercise is just one aspect of Hatha Yoga.

To bring your life in balance, you must identify what you do that causes your stress. This will not eliminate all of your stress, but it will identify stressful situations, which you can prevent.

This is just one example of Yogic methods applied toward better health and a less stressful life. Writing down your Yoga plan is just the start of a good habit for positive change.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

——————————————–
How to Become a Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor
——————————————–
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/
On-Site Training: http://www.riyoga.com
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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
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By Rebecca Prescott

Yoga is not a ‘remedy’ for menopause – not least because menopause represents a stage of life, rather than an illness. A woman’s experience during menopause is completely individual, and yoga is not specific like the drugs of modern medicine. There is no one set series of postures that thus make up a ‘remedy’ for the symptoms of perimenopause.

Yoga is, instead, an adaptive discipline that can support the body through the myriad of biological changes it is making. Importantly, it can also support our minds and emotions, and allow us to come to a perspective on the inner processes that are happening. Many perimenopausal women have found both the physical and less tangible benefits of yoga helpful at this time.

If you haven’t done any yoga before, it would be best to go to a class to learn. No DVD or book can quite replace watching a teacher demonstrate a posture, taking you through the different breathing practices, and offering insight into how your body is coping with the poses. It also helps to have a practical grounding like this if you’re reading yoga books, where they will present a number of different poses and variations. Learning yoga first by practicing it in class, gives you the experience to adapt what you read in books to your own needs.

There are some general points about asanas (poses), however. Back bends can be great for improving one’s mood and lifting energy levels, and forward bends are good for anxiety and stress.

There are a huge number of forward and back bends in yoga however! And different asanas require different preparatory poses, and what are called counter postures. Counter postures are an important follow-up to doing certain asanas. They can help prevent injury, just as the preparatory postures do.

There is somewhat contradictory advice given to women going through menopause who want to practice yoga. Many books encourage gentle, nurturing poses – restorative poses. But some female yoga teachers who used yoga for themselves when going through menopause found that an over-reliance on restorative postures made some menopausal symptoms worse. This included mood swings and weight gain. They found that sometimes, more activity was better.

Given that quite active physical exercise had been found to help with menopause, this observation is no real surprise. Ultimately, it depends on what is going on for each woman, and this can vary over time anyway. If you’re feeling really tired all the time, restorative poses may be best for that period. However, if you’ve got more energy, there are a number of other asanas that can really help.

For example, inversion yoga poses can be great for the hormonal systems of the body. Inversions include headstand, shoulder stand, standing forward bends, and others. With inversion poses, especially shoulder stand and headstand, it’s important to do the preparatory and counter postures. And if you have a particularly tense neck, it may be better to do a standing forward bend than downward dog (and certainly not shoulder stand or headstand), as the angle of the shoulders, combined with the weight on them, can cause tension in the neck.

Other good postures for menopause can be the standing postures – including triangle pose, half moon, and the extended side angle pose. These open up the front of the body, and the hips – which can be an area of stiffness for many women anyway!

Whatever poses you incorporate into your daily life during menopause, remember to be flexible. The needs of our bodies change, areas of stiffness change, symptoms change. Learning to respond to this, like the challenges that life can send our way, is the best way to tailor a practice to suit your needs.

References:
1. Australian Yoga Life, Nov 2006 – Mar 2007
2. A Mohan, Yoga For Body, Breath, and Mind

Rebecca writes on both yoga and menopause at these information sites.

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How to Become a Certified Hatha 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

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By Michael Saunders

Yoga is a family of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. It is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. In India and across the World, Yoga is seen as a means to both physical health and spiritual mastery. Outside India, Yoga has become primarily associated with the practice of asanas or postures of Hatha Yoga.

Like many things in life, yoga poses are cumulative. Beginner poses provide a foundation for later yoga poses. Though the only way to adequately learn a pose is from an instructor, although some can be described as examples.

The base for all standing poses is the “Mountain Pose,” which strengthens your thighs and improves your posture. Stand with your big toes touching and evenly distribute your weight throughout your feet. Press your feet into the floor, while tightening your thighs to raise them. Draw in your belly, tuck in your tailbone, stack the shoulders above the pelvis, and widen your collarbones. You might want to practice against a wall to feel how the pose aligns.

The “Staff Pose” is the foundation for all seated poses and can be thought of as a seated version of the Mountain Pose. This pose strengthens legs and improves bodily alignment. Sit with your legs straight in front of you, engage the thighs, and flex your feet (your heels might leave the floor). Lengthen your spine and stack your shoulders over your hips. You might want to start while sitting on padding, and if your hamstrings are too tight, you’ll have to bend your knees some.

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Did you know?

Buddha, who is estimated to have lived 563 to 483 BC, is believed to have studied what was known of yoga at that time as part of an extensive education in Hindu philosophy. It is also very likely, given the rapid growth of Buddhism after his death and before the Bhagavad Gita was composed, that Buddhism had some influence on that work. There is a considerable overlap between the Hindu yoga tradition and Buddhism.

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Besides these two base poses, a common intermediate pose to transfer you into another pose is the “Downward Facing Dog.” This pose strengthens and stretches your entire body, and it’s also used as both a resting and standing pose. (It’s a mild inversion, so it should be avoided during pregnancy or menstruation.) From a crawling position (wrists beneath the shoulders and knees beneath the hips), curl your toes under and push back while raising the hips and strengthening your legs. Spread your fingers and press from the forearms into the floor, with your upper arms rotated outwards to widen your collarbones. Shoulder blades should be geared downwards, and you should engage your quadriceps to take pressure off the arms. Rotate your thighs inwards to keep the tail high and let your heels to the floor; though if you’re not yet flexible enough for your heels to touch the floor, don’t step forward so they do.

Most if not all yoga routines end with the “Corpse Pose,” the traditional pose of resting and rejuvenation. With your eyes closed, lie flat on your back, with feet and arms falling out to either side, slightly separated from your body, with your palms up. Relax your entire body, face included, and breathe naturally (you should feel heavy). When leaving the pose, begin by deepening your breathing. Move your outer extremities and draw the movement inwards, bringing the knees to the chest and rolling over. Slowly sit up before opening your eyes.

Michael Saunders edits a site on Yoga and Health and maintains a Website on all elements of prosperity and abundance.

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How to Become a Certified Hatha Yoga Teacher
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Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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By Dharmbir Sharma

Concentration and Meditation

This article is a continuation of the earlier article “Yoga and Ethics”.

The two components of yoga leading to the last (eighth) are concentration (dhaaranaa) and meditation (dhyaana); the last one is trance (samaadhi). As stated in the earlier article it is possible to practice meditation without going through the preceding stages. We mentioned only the first two components. The third and fourth (aasana and praanaayaam) are in the form of exercises. We used the terms lower and higher yoga in the sense of physical and spiritual. They were not meant to denigrate the beneficial aspects of exercises and meditation, but only to stress the point that they do not take one towards the main goal of yoga.

Paatanjali defines concentration as confining the mind in a limited mental area. The mental territory is vast though not infinite at the lower levels of the mind. Concentration involves limiting attention to as small portion of this territory as possible. One usually chooses an object of concentration. But there can be a movement of thought within the object itself. As long as there are thoughts they will cause distraction resulting in an interruption of concentration.

Meditation on the other hand is defined as uninterrupted flow of the mind toward the object of concentration. This means a complete cessation of distractions implying the absence of the thought process. And this is the definition of yoga itself as given in the very first sutra. Another way of seeing the distractions is in terms of the degree or depth of concentration. If the depth is not at its highest point there would be a break in the continuity of attention. So the essential difference, at least from a technical point of view, is uninterrupted flow of attention.

The use of the word attention may cause some confusion. Attention necessarily implies the presence of an object or thought. But this is true only when the mind is operating at its low levels. At the highest level attention does not require an object. This may be made clear by an analogy. Suppose a person is focusing his attention on a point. As long as it is a physical point it has an area however small and attention is spread over that area. However, when he is concentrating on a geometrical point that has no dimensions, the attention is not spread any more; it is focused on zero or nothing. This is the stage at which concentration goes over into meditation and nothing is everything.

There is another significant point to note in this connection. In concentration one has to force the mind to stay at the object or within the confined area of the mental territory. In meditation the attention and its flow toward the object is spontaneous without any deliberate effort. When the mind becomes absolutely calm without any modifications in it (complete cessation of the thought process) there is no movement and no distraction.

Of course meditation itself has many stages depending on at what level the mind is operating. The practitioner goes through successively higher stages and at the highest level he goes into trance. Meditation is beneficial no matter at what stage a person is; it is now a well-known fact that it leads to healthy body and mind. Not everyone can become an enlightened yogi; it takes a long time, even many lives to get to that stage. But getting started and having benefits even at the physical level is reward enough.

Although concentration is not meditation it is an essential step in the practice of yoga. It is essential for success in any effort in life. At the initial stages of meditation the books often advise to concentrate on a light or even on breath. Even if the person does not pursue the spiritual goal, the power of concentration is a great gift for physical and material goals.

Dharmbir Rai Sharma is a retired professor with electrical engineering and physics background. He maintains a website http://www.cosmosebooks.com devoted mainly to philosophy, science, and self-development.

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How to Become a Certified Hatha Yoga Teacher
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Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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By Arokiasami P. Durai

If you have observed from a distance people doing yoga poses, you would think they are latter day contortionists. You could be wrong, they are wise people who have realized well in time how easily and relatively inexpensively they can keep their bodies healthy, literally fit as a fiddle.

Yoga poses are the best way to maintain the body flexible, supple and toned up without exerting any force on the body. There is a certain subtlety in this ancient eastern system of body maintenance which keeps one in tune with nature.

Modern lifestyle takes its toll in terms of physical and mental health. Hypertension and diabetes are common ailments and the beneficiaries are pharma firms. Resources that should be spent on other productive channels are wasted in shoring up a tiring body that becomes an open invitation to premature aging and a host of diseases.

Yoga has many dimensions The word yoga means union. It meant a whole set of physical, mental and spiritual exercises developed by ancient Indian yogis as a means of realizing God and being united (‘yuj’ in Sanskrit, meaning ‘being yoked’) with Him. The yogis were performing rigorous routine of meditation in forests and mountains and being scantily clad, they devised indoor exercises now known as ‘yoga poses’ or ‘yogasanas’ to keep their body healthy and light and make it a willing instrument of their meditation.

Over the years, yoga poses (postures) got separated from the rest of the mental and spiritual practices and has become popular as fitness yoga. Nevertheless, people who practice yoga poses derive benefits of yoga like a focused mind, self-discipline, a composed temperament and a healthy view of life.

The great repose There are a hundred yoga poses. They have interesting names like Red Indians who named themselves Sitting Bull or Galloping Horse. The poses bear names like The Boat, Crow, Peacock, Lotus and so on. The last mentioned is the pose in which the Buddha is shown seated. It is the pose developed by yogis for their meditation. Legs withdrawn and feet resting on the thighs, hands placed on the thighs turned upward with thumb and forefinger closed, the spine and neck held erect, eyes lightly closed and the normally outgoing mind gathered and centred within – this is the ultimate pose of repose without and within.

But yet, before we could attain that inner repose, we have to slowly master the body through various poses and by regulation of breath which is called pranayama. Regulation of breath is said to energise the body and gradual slowing down of breathing is said to reduce the frequency of thoughts which is the necessary prelude for meditation.

The yogi among bats There is the familiar joke about bats in a cave. They were all hanging upside down as their wont. But one bat was seen standing on his feet. When the other bats asked him why, he answered, “I am practicing yoga!” That bat is the counterpart of the people who delight in doing the headstand, a difficult but a very effective pose for stimulating blood circulation in the entire body. Its modified and easier version, the “all limbs pose” is also recommended for all ages.

In a way, yoga poses are for people who want to be and dare to be different and pursue what their inner being and instinct of the body prompt them to do. It is by treating the body with respect and dignity, not by pumping iron and straining the muscular and nervous system. In the latter case, we see these people breaking down in health when they stop doing these heavy-handed exercises.

Tips for the beginner Starting practice of yoga poses is easy. But some words of caution would be necessary.

· Please do not learn from the books. One should not be one’s own Guru (Teacher) in matters of Yoga asanas, pranayama or meditation and one might end up worse than before. Look for qualified, committed, professional teachers. · If you suffer from any ailments or bodily disabilities, obtain medical advice from your physician and from your yoga instructor as to what poses would fit in with your physical condition. · Age is no bar for practice of yoga poses. You do not have to be a stripling to do it. · Your yoga instructor will tell you what kind of yoga accessories and props you need. Your dress should be comfortable enough to allow you to stretch and bend freely. · Like all other physical exercises, yoga poses should be done on a very light stomach and never after a meal. · Fix a particular time for your domestic practice to develop regularity and discipline · Such a discipline does not go with habits like smoking and drinking which have a depleting effect on the physical system

The final test The ultimate test of any exercise regimen is: Do you feel fresh and energetic or tired and exhausted afterwards? Yoga poses pass this test in flying colours.

On the whole, regular practice of yoga poses tempers and tunes up the body, disciplines the mind and trains the will to apply itself to self-improving habits and style of life and lifts one’s perspectives to a higher and nobler level of existence.

http://www.yoga-swing.com; http://www.baliyogaretreat.com

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How to Become a Certified Hatha 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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By Subodh Gupta

This difficult balancing posture develops poise and gracefulness. It should be performed as if dancing, yet firmly with focused attention. It is usually performed as the final posture of a series of challenging backbends.

The Natarajasana balances the nervous system and develops mental concentration. It generates vitality and enhances the digestive power.

The Lord of Dance posture tones and strengthens the leg and hip muscles. It stretches the shoulders and expands the chest.

When done in a full version, this is a very demanding asana, requiring great flexibility in the shoulders and spine, tremendous openness in the chest, groins and front of the thighs, and great strength in the standing leg.

The Natarajasana has curative and corrective effects removing backache and stiffness of the spine. The arch formed by the back and stretched leg gently aligns the vertebrae of the spine restoring suppleness and easing strain caused by poor posture or long periods of sitting.

Note: As a beginner, be sure to keep the ankle of the raised foot flexed (draw the top of the foot toward the shin) when lifting the leg to prevent the cramps in the back of the thigh.

Three important reasons not to do the Lord of the Dance posture:

1) If you have serious lower back injury, avoid practicing this posture.

2) In case of knee injury do not attempt this posture.

3) If you have High Blood Pressure do not do this posture.

Caution: Always check with your doctor if you have any doubts or concerns regarding the suitability of this posture for you. It is best to perform this yoga posture in presence of a qualified yoga teacher.

Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.

Mr.Subodh Gupta, a Corporate Yoga Trainer has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.

For reaching to Subodh Gupta Yoga website http://www.subodhgupta.com and for Subodh Gupta Corporate yoga webpage http://www.subodhgupta.com/corporateyoga.html

——————————————–
How to Become a Certified Hatha 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
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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Any of us can make a lifestyle change, at any time, but most of us need mile stones such as a birthday, a new year, or a major event in our lives, for us to take the initiative and make a change. What can Yoga do to help you cope with the daily life cycle we know as stress?

If you plan to make Yoga a significant part of your life, you have to make it a regular routine – just like brushing your teeth. The main reason why some people see very little results from anything, is they say they have no time. Some of us make time to go to the liquor store, get lottery tickets, and then drink, but we have no time for our health.

At our wellness center, we have students and clients who practice Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, or a mixture of these methods. When we tell new Yoga students that they should practice Yoga three times per week, we often hear, “three times!”

A look of puzzlement comes over their face- as if Yoga should give instant results, when we attend classes once per week. I do understand that people are busy, but they do not take time for themselves. This cycle of stress, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, and fatigue are interlinked, but can be broken by regular Yoga practice.

Some Yoga teachers adapt a “Spartan stance,” telling their students not to bother coming to class, if they are going to practice once per week. However, recent studies have indicated that Yoga practice, once per week, slowed down middle-age weight gain. The results are clear, but how did Yoga help with weight control?

My theory is Yoga, of any kind, will cause lifestyle changes within the student. Yoga opens an awareness of daily events that contribute to bad health. When you practice Yoga, you become much more aware of what you eat and drink, how you breathe, how you posture yourself, and much more.

This changing of lifestyle does not happen in Yoga class. A Yoga class is a lesson, but the student does the “homework.”

So, how do you incorporate a Yoga plan into your life and take control of your life? You have to make a list of what you want to change and write it down. Writing objectives down is much different from wishing for change. Writing and planning should be kept in perspective. We cannot spend our lives planning; but it helps to have some direction and purpose.

What you do at this moment does affect your future. When you take the time to plan your future, you will identify daily routines, which cause stress overload.

While you are planning your week, make sure to allow for some “open time.” You can use this for Yoga, visiting, having fun with your family, or just taking time for leisure. Make sure you plan each day with moderation and enjoy your life. Now, that is a good start to a Yoga lifestyle.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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