Archive for May 2nd, 2008

Written By Hengky Ongko

If Yoga is an interest, then it’s essential to find out which style of yoga is suited to you. There are many styles of Yoga that are practiced today. The different styles are all based on the same basic poses but they each differ slightly in their emphasis.

1) Anusara

Developed by John Friend. A tantric-based system that combines attention to alignment with awareness of energy flow in the body in order for you to realize your divine nature.

Classes vary according to the creative direction of the teacher. Each class begins with an invocation and has a heart-oriented theme. Expect a friendly (pun intended) atmosphere,

2) Ashtanga

Developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. A method in which a set series of poses is kinked by vinyasa (flowing movement) and synchronized with the breath, which produces intense internal heat and purifying sweat.

Students begin with the primary series and then move on once the poses have been mastered. There are six series in all. Classes are vigorous and challenging. Expect to perspire.

3) Bikram

Developed by Bikram Choudhury. A series of 26 poses and breathing exercises repeated twice in a room heated to 105 degrees. The purpose is to warm up the muscles quickly and promote detoxification via sweat.

Most classes do not include inversions. You will sweat more than you ever thought possible, so bring a bottle of water and towel with you. Wear clothes that will let you perspire freely.

4) Integral

Developed by Sri Swami Satchidananda. A gentle practice that integrates hatha yoga with other yoga branches, such as karma yoga (selfless service) and bhakti yoga (devotion), and emphasizes union with God.

Classes include guided relaxation meditation, chanting and pranayama (breathing practices). Ideal for people seeking a spiritual practice, and those with physical limitations. Expect to feel blissful afterward.

5) Iyengar

Developed by Sri B.K.S Iyengar. A method that teaches awareness through attention to anatomical precision and alignment in poses. Emphasizes healing physical ailments. Poses are held longer than in other yoga styles. Most classes include standing, seated, and twisting poses; backbends; and inversions. Uses props as learning tools. Expect detailed instruction.

6) Jivamukti

Developed by Sharon Gannon and David Life. Based on the principles of bhakti yoga (devotion) and ahimsa (nonviolence). Combines a vigorous flow practice with classic spiritual yoga philosophy. Each class focuses on a spiritual theme supported by music, asana and pranayama. Meditation and chanting are often included. Expect to work hard and leave feeling uplifted.

7) Kripalu

Developed by Swami Kripalu. A free- flowing form of yoga that is as much a meditation in motion as it is a series of asanas. Supports relaxation and healing.

Classes can be dynamic or restorative, depending on the teacher. Ideal for someone with physical limitation or someone interested in a meditation practice. Expect to feel peaceful afterward.

Kundalini

Developed by Yogi Bhajan. An energetic style of yoga composes of repetitive movements (like waving the arms) that differ from those in other styles and promote the release of kundalini power. Classes focus on kriyas or sequences, designed therapeutic purpose and include relaxation, chanting and the repetition of mantras. This yoga will push you beyond what you think your limits are.

9) Power

Developed by Baron Baptiste. An American adaptation of Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga is a rigorous, dynamic practice.

One of the most physically challenging forms of yoga. Poses can be advanced and held for long durations. Classes can also be spiritually intense, in a nonpreachy way.

10) Sivananda

Developed by Swami Vishnudevananda. A spiritually focused practice that emphasizes Vedanta philosophy and the recitation of mantras. Incorporates techniques from all the yoga paths-karma, bhakti, raja, and jnana yoga.

Hatha practice focuses on 12 basic poses. Also includes intense pranayama, ending in mantra meditation. Classes last two hours. Sanskrit definitely spoken here.

11) Viniyoga

Developed by T.K.V Desikachar. A method that emphasizes the unique needs of each individual. Gives practitioners the tools to individualize and actualize the process of self-discovery and transformation.

A gentle, therapeutic, healing practice that places less emphasis on vigorous movement. This practice is often taught one-on-one and is especially well suited for individuals with health problems.

12) Vinyasa

Derivative of Ashtanga Yoga. This American innovation is more freeform than its progenitor, Ashtanga Yoga.

A flowing sequence of asanas coordinated with the breath. Classes can be vigorous or meditative, depending on the teacher. If you like doing yoga to music, this one’s for you.

Hengky Ongko

http://1styoga.blogspot.com

Written By Kim Archer

Many of us in modern life today are under stress all time. However, we still have to stay in control. If this goes on for a long time, we can react to stress with poor eating habits, release of more stress hormones, and even by manifesting cardiac risk factors.

However, there is a way to reduce these risk factors and even reverse them without turning to prescription drugs. All it takes is some discipline and to develop some habits over your lifetime that will work in tandem with your ordinary diet and exercise programs. Yoga is one of these; it can help you relearn the state of peace and harmony that you want your mind and body to be in. It will help you relax.

Yoga is one of the most prominent forms of meditative exercise within the growing mind-body health movement. Other forms include qigong, tai chi, and other exercise techniques that include meditation. Mind-body fitness comes from Eastern philosophies and religions. These practices improve both your emotional and physical well being.

Mind-body exercise has many benefits; these benefits are showing themselves to be bona fide even under careful scientific scrutiny. In fact, mind-body exercise can do many things, not the least of which are to reduce cardiac risk and enhance mood.

Yoga’s kind, gentle movements are easy on the joints and yet still improves strength and flexibility, as well as muscle tone. In fact, it can make you more youthful than the sometimes jarring effects of aerobics, weight lifting, or running.

In fact, practicing yoga can impact every part of your existence. Most modern Western practitioners, for example, focus on the physical asanas, or positions. However, many others utilize yoga as a path to bliss and live their lives in its all-encompassing embrace.

Yoga has lofty goals indeed, but in fact practicing it is wonderfully simple and you can do it anywhere, anytime. If you take yoga to its extremes, you can utilize yoga’s dietary practices and moral codes as well as its meditative practices. More commonly, though, it’s utilized as a combination of asanas (or postures), meditation and breathing exercises, also called pranayama.

Authors have written entire books on how to breathe during yoga. When you deep breathe, you calm yourself, but you also energize yourself at the same time. You can feel very energized from a few minutes of careful deep breathing, but it’s a different kind of energy than many of us are used to feeling. Not jittery or hyper, this type of energy is calm and steady.

If you’re feeling particularly stressed, try this five-minute “breath break” to energize yourself and release stress. Read through the instructions several times before you actually try following the steps.

1. With your spine as straight as possible, sit in a chair or on the floor. If you sit in a chair, your feet should be flat on the floor with knees directly over the center of your feet. If your feet don’t rest comfortably on the floor, put a book or cushion under your feet so that your knees are perpendicular to your hips. Your hands should be on the tops of your legs, palms down, open and relaxed.

2. Close your eyes gently and simply rest them, lids closed.

3. Picture your ribs at the back, front and sides of your body. Your lungs reside behind your ribs.

4. Now, slowly breathe in, filling your lungs up from the bottom. Picture your ribs expanding out and up. Now, breathe out, slowly, with your lungs emptying from top to bottom and your ribs gently contracting back down and in. Don’t push the breath out.

5. When you first do this, do it for two or three minutes. As you become more practiced, do it for 5 or 10 minutes. When you first begin, set aside a time once per day to do this. As you become more accustomed to it and realize how good it makes you feel, you’ll want to practice it throughout your day at various times.

Kim Archer is publisher of women’s wellness site The Internet Spa at http://www.internet-spa.com/ where you’ll find the information you need to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.

Written By Katheryn Hoban

We are under the gun and deal with more stress each and every day. More deadlines keep us confined to our desk chair and much of the day to day activities of business are being conducted via e-mail, the computer-fax, the palm pilot, texting via phone, or blackberry, video conferencing, telecommuting, there are various updates, and a constant exchange of data and very little time for breaks and then many of us are eating our lunch– without ever leaving our desk.

It’s no wonder that we have more complaints than ever about poor circulation, aching back, stiff neck, tired legs, and the lack of mobility, flexibility, and an unfocused mind. We never leave our desk or that office chair!

Well good news for you. I have a few great stretches that can be done in the chair or in and around the chair. It takes anywhere from 3-7 minutes of your time. Do you think you can spare a few minutes? Great! Let’s get started.

Over the next few weeks I’m going to show you many easy stretches that you can do right at your desk. Let’s start with some easy and good ones for the back:

Easy back stretches:

(Spinal Twist)

Step One: Push your chair back from your desk for the time of stretching.

Step Two: Uncross your legs and sit with your legs slightly open, which is chair or hip width. Put your feet solidly on the ground. Your hands can rest on the tops of your thighs for now. During the stretching please breathe in and out through your nose only.

Step Three: Take yourLEFT hand and cross it to your right knee. Now take your right hand and hold firmly to the back of the chair. Push your left hand against your right knee, and twist your body. You will look over your right shoulder. Hold for approximately 5-15 seconds. Breath in and out only through your nose. Release and put your hands back on your legs

Switch Sides-

Step Four: Take yourRIGHT hand and cross it to your Left knee. Now take your Left hand and hold firmly to the back of the chair. Push your right hand against your left knee, and twist your body. You will look over your left shoulder. Hold for approximately 5-15 seconds. Breath in and out only through your nose. If you can. Release and put your hands back on your legs. You can repeat for as long as you need to. It helps to release the spine and back.

New Stretch:

(Bending to the Side)

Step One: Sit with your legs slightly open, which is chair or hip width. Put your feet solidly on the ground

Step Two: Take your RIGHT hand and place it on the chair seat beside your leg. Hold on to what you find there. You may have to shift in your seat to get some chair space on the side of you.

Step Three: Take your Left hand and arm, and bring it over your head towards your right side. Bending now to the right, and extending your arm and palm of your hand down towards the floor near your RIGHT side. You are stretching the left side of your body and back with this stretch by bending over to the right. Hold for approximately 5-15 seconds. Breath in and out only through your nose. Release and put your hands back on your legs. You can repeat for as long as you need to.

Switch Sides-

Step Four: Take your LEFT hand and place it on the chair seat beside your leg. Hold on to what you find there. You may have to shift in your seat to get some chair space on the side of you.

Step Five: Take your Right hand and arm, and bring it over your head towards your left side. Bending now to the left, and extending your arm and palm of your hand down towards the floor near your LEFT side. You are stretching the right side of your body and back with this stretch by bending over to the left. Hold for approximately 5-15 seconds. Breath in and out only through your nose. If you can. Release and put your hands back on your legs. You can repeat for as long as you need to.

Let’s proceed with one more stretch for today. We will maintain and use the same sitting position.

New Stretch-

(Stretch your arms upward and interlock your hands over your head)

Step One: Lift your arms over your head and extend them upward as far as you can. Interlock your fingers. With your fingers clasped stretch from side to side as you breathe in and out through the nose. As you can. Do that several times back and forth from the right to left.

Step Two: Now stop your arms in the middle (arms still upward with your fingers still interlocked above your head.) Lean your arms and hands backward and push your chest slightly forward. Hold for a few seconds. Release.

Ahhh!! Doesn’t that feel better already?! By now with these simple stretches you got some blood flowing. That is one of the key points. It’s very important to leave your desk once and awhile too. Continue breathing and get that oxygen to your belly if you can.

Until next time.

Yoga Kat–aka Katheryn Hoban is a yoga teacher and Reiki Master Teacher with fourteen years experience. She teaches children’s yoga ages 3-6, and Adults privately in NJ. She is the author of the book -Masters of Consciousness-A Guide Book for the Cosmic Traveler. She has created a children’s affirmation CD (ages 3-6) and an affirmation CD for adults. Yoga Kat is available for speaking or writing and can be reached at or 201 970-9340 or go to http://www.thecircleofpeace.com and sign up for our newsletter or send an e-mail to circleofpeace@aweber.com and click on e-mailed link. See me discussing from my book on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwHX0F1WpcY