Posts Tagged ‘yogic breathing’

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga is a science of life. The quality of our lives is improved through Yoga practice. With that said, a Yogi is one who pursues a path of harmony, tolerance, peace, compassion, loving kindness, and the cultivation of positive energy. The path less traveled is indeed a difficult one.

It is easy to be swept up in the moment. The news media indicates these are the worst of times. Yet, it must be realized that bad news has never traveled faster than it does today. In an instant, we can become “Chicken Little.” Imagine being hit on the head with an acorn and believing that the sky is falling.

As children, we might laugh at this fable; but as adults, we easily “buy in” to bad news. Some adults wear bad news on their faces, and they envision life as a daily struggle, complete with traps and pitfalls around every corner. While it is true that we should be cautious in our actions, it is also true that we cannot sit down and enjoy a steady drone of sad events.

Most of us have come to the realization that the cultivation of positive energy is essential to having the best quality life. In Yoga, we cultivate vital energy through pranayama (Yogic breathing techniques). This is an excellent way to gather and store positive energy, as well.

Yet, the cultivation and storage of positive energy, within the mind, requires some additional techniques. One method is to focus on where you are and where you want to go. This may sound easy, but some Gurus will tell you this is their key to attainment.

One point you should not focus on is the one that will cloud your judgment. This will usually cause you to take your eyes off your objective. Our objectives should be realistic, and we should not place extreme pressure on ourselves to accomplish goals. All of the little things in life should be appreciated.

As an example of this: Attaining positive feelings requires quite a bit of mental focus, while attaining Samadhi is unusual. This does not mean that attaining Samadhi is impossible, but transcending into an advanced state of consciousness requires guidance, focus, study, and work.

Why should we make the journey into a competitive race? It’s human to want everything right now, but it is not realistic. Positive energy is abundant, and it is easy to cultivate it if we stop to enjoy our lives and appreciate those around us.

Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is also known as, “OCD.”  As many of you know, OCD is often classified an anxiety disorder, in which the person affected is plagued by unwanted, intrusive thoughts.  Yoga is designed to help reduce anxiety and stressful thoughts.

It should also be known that, when someone has OCD, visiting a doctor, therapist, or counselor is a step that should be taken.  The time spent receiving professional counseling, and a plan of action, will be beneficial to the person, who suffers from OCD, and to their family members.

Below is a Yogic approach to lower the anxiety levels associated with OCD.  The results of Yoga practice are a reflection of the time spent practicing.  Usually, people take medication once a day, but practice Yoga less often.  If one practices Yoga once per day, one can expect to feel positive results.

1. Asana (Yoga posture) practice is an extremely popular form of physical exercise.  As Hatha Yoga and its many sub-styles have grown globally, asana practice benefits have become widely known.  The type of movement can be adjusted to meet the age and fitness level of the participant.

Younger people can perform flowing movement, which causes the body to stretch and strengthen.  Extreme forms of balance and muscle control help purge the body from tension, which can be caused by stress and anxiety.  At the same time, Yoga practice can be modified to help a person who is in a wheelchair.

2. Mantra is sometimes forgotten, but let’s look at one purpose of mantra.  If you close your eyes, close your ears, and make a sound, what are you thinking about?  You can only think about the sound.  This is an effective method for training the mind.

Mantra and pranayama (Yogic breathing) can be combined for maximum results.  Initial suggestions, for working with mantra, are classic pranayama techniques such as: Udgeeth (Omkar japa) and Brahmari (bumble bee breath).

3. Meditation allows an OCD sufferer to train the mind to recognize unwanted, intrusive thoughts.  To see the true value of an unwanted thought is to see it as insignificant.  The mind processes many insignificant thoughts throughout the average day.  Meditation teaches us to focus on reality.

There are many forms of meditation.  One of the easiest to learn is breath awareness meditation.  New students find it much easier to focus on their breath because it is the first thing they notice when they begin to sit still.

4. Yogic Relaxation techniques, such as: Stage-by stage relaxation, body scanning, relaxation through visualization, and Laughter Yoga are extremely useful for lowering stress levels and controlling anxiety.  The choice of which relaxation technique to use is entirely up to the individual.

For example:  Although Laughter Yoga may be very effective, some people may feel uncomfortable with it.  In this case, it would be best to choose a relaxation technique that suits the personality.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga practice is much more than practicing postures on a mat for a few hours each week. Once the mat is rolled up, we begin to apply the teachings of Yoga to life. Granted, most people will apply the physical mastery, learned from Hatha Yoga, toward other physical activities.

However, the Yogic techniques learned, can also change one’s life on a much larger scale. When you enhance the power of the mind through Yoga practice, you learn to put your dreams to good use. Each of us has a unique description of dreams and dreaming.

Let’s look at dreams while we are awake. We classify this as day dreaming or fantasy. Some of us may classify this as indulging in imaginative thoughts while we are awake. To go further, we may classify hope and aspiration as a form of day dreaming.

Every creation, made by humans, was a result of hope and aspiration. To indulge in imaginative thought is to envision. This exercise may seem worthless to someone who has difficulty concentrating. It may also be worthless to someone who could care less about the subject.

Yoga, in all of its forms, gives each of us the ability to turn an intangible thought into a reality. The initial gateway is the mind and body connection. Whether one is present for Yoga practice in an ashram, or in daily life, we have the ability to concentrate through the use of pranayama (Yogic breathing techniques).

Pranayama is the key to becoming present in life. This is not a complicated formula. On the surface, this may not seem like much, to someone who has never established a mind and body connection. Some people go about life completely unfocused. Some of us have no dreams, hopes, plans, and we take no action to change our direction. Chances are – these people are very unhappy with life because they have no direction and no life purpose.

The next step is to find a life purpose. What are we good at? What do we want to be when we grow up? Why are we here? These questions are asked by children and adults alike, but adults are painfully aware that their time to answer these questions, about the purpose of life, is limited.

Again, Yoga gives you the tools of pranayama, meditation, and self-realization. Once you know where you are going, it is time to stand up, move forward, and take progressive action. The results of your actions will be progress and happiness. There is no guarantee of success in anything, but if we fail to act, we are guaranteed that we will never succeed.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By: Debra Janosko

“The proof is in the pudding.” I’ve heard that saying all my life and never has it proved more true than when pertaining to my personal Yoga experience.  Remember the good old days when the folks worked their 9 to 5’s and had plenty of time for family, friends, and even hobbies. Ahh! Life was good and the livin’ was easy. Today the economy is taking a beating and so are we.

Those of us who still have our jobs are having to work harder to almost make ends meet. Our work week is getting longer. Family? Oh yea, those strangers I bump into around my house from time-to-time. Sound familiar? This hectic pace is leaving many of us feeling spent and wondering how to manage the stress of it all. Our physical, mental, and even spiritual health and well being is suffering. Thankfully some of us are realizing that an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. We’ve started exercising and even eating better. While that is certainly a huge step in the right direction, it is not the complete answer.

Enter–Yoga. Yoga has entered the mainstream. It isn’t correct to say that yoga has come along way, seeing as how it is thousands of years old. Yoga is what it has always been. A Life Science. (Not a religion.) Yoga practice has the capability to help bring an individual back to a natural state of health both mentally and physically. The medical field, now more than ever, is louding the mind, body, and even spiritual benefits of yoga practice. The proof is in the pudding!

I was first introduced to yoga in the mid 1970’s through a T.V. program called “Lillias Yoga and You”. I’d rise early to practice with Mrs. Lillias Folan every morning before school. Of course, I was completely unaware of all the benefits of my new found passion. I just knew I felt good doing it. I’d breathe when Lillias said breathe. Move into postures with strange sounding names with Lillias as my guide. I loved it! I was hooked. I didn’t get a lot of positive feedback from other people. Here in the so-called, “Bible Belt”, I was told I was practicing a weird eastern religion and that I should not dabble in such things. Here it is 30 years later and while some people may still have that limited notion, thankfully more and more people are becoming educated to what yoga is and isn’t.

People are beginning to understanding that this ancient practice can not only help deal with stress but restore mental and physical health. Today there are more than six million Americans practicing yoga in one form or another. Health care providers are indorsing it and even prescribing it to their patients. Yoga has been proven helpful in treating headaches, high blood pressure, heart trouble, anxiety, and much much more. Dr. Dean Ornish, who is widely known for his work with heart patients, prescribes yoga exercises, breathing and relaxation techniques to reverse symptoms of heart disease. Research proves that stress-related diseases respond favorably to this approach. Renowned physicians Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. proclaim the limitless benefits of yoga practice in their books and television documentaries.

Cutting back to my personal yoga experience. I had let go of my yoga practice for a time. I believed the bad press that I had received concerning yoga. I finished high school, went to college, got married, had two wonderful boys, and jumped on the fast track in pursuit of the “American Dream” just like my parents before me. Oh, I should interject here that my dad had his first of three heart attacks at the age of 42. My mom died of colon cancer after suffering with heart disease for many years. She was only 62 years old when she passed. Looking at my parents medical history, I’ve realized that I have to take responsibility for my health. Yoga has become a huge part of that decision. I want to be whole mind, body, and spirit. The more I read and study yoga, the more I practice.

The more I practice, the more I learn that yoga is so much more than just a physical exercise. 15 minute sessions of Yogic breathing, (pranayama), brings such a sense of alertness and sharpness of mind. Prayerful meditation has awakened me spiritually. Just sitting quiet and still focusing on my breath tears begin to flow. In the deepest part of me God is helping me work through issues I’ve never delt with or in some cases didn’t even know existed. I feel a spiritual and physical healing taking place from the inside out. I’ve stopped trying to confine God to some preconceived traditional idea I once had. I find God to be so BIG that he fills every atom in the universe around me and inside of me.

My body is stronger and healthier. I am convinced that I will never know the illnesses that plagued my parents. Yoga has yielded such great rewards in my life. Yoga practice introduced me to myself. I am learning to love and accept myself and in doing so, love and accept others without judgments.

The mental, physical, and spiritual benefits to that alone are huge. It’s amazing. My first introduction to yoga was thirty years ago. I never could have imagined what was in store. I have found proof of health and wellness in yoga practice. I have found a life’s purpose in sharing yoga’s health benefits with others. There’s proof in the pudding. MMM, Sweet Yoga Pudding. Come to The #1 yoga studio in Northeast Mississippi and taste for yourself. I’ll have a mat waiting for you.

Mineral Springs Yoga and Health Center
Debra Janosko, E-RYT, CYT-500, Yoga Therapist
Owner/Instructor
Luka, MS 38852

http://www.mineralspringsyoga.com

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Have you noticed a need for a stress management workshop in your local area? Maybe your students have requested one from you or a local business has offered you the opportunity to present a workshop. There is no time like the present to plan one.

After all – Yoga has so many effective techniques to help reduce stress levels, that you should not have any difficulty with postures, Yogic breathing (pranayama), relaxation techniques, or meditation. Yet, what tips can you offer students to carry into their everyday lives?

Every Yoga technique you teach is ineffective, until a student takes his or her practice into daily life. The following are six tips that will help your students reduce their stress levels on the very first day.

1. Wake up a few minutes earlier, with a song of thankfulness in your heart. Thank God for the day, your family, your friends, and your daily activities. Be grateful, even if you have experienced disappointment at times. A positive frame of mind sets the tone for the day.

2. Allow yourself the pleasure of having breakfast at the kitchen table. Be mindful of every moment. If it is possible, enjoy the company of your family at breakfast. Too many families are on the go and never seem to have a chance to share time with each other.

3. If you travel by car, listen to relaxing music or invest in an interesting audio book. It is inevitable that you will see drivers who will cut you off. Therefore, your primary focus should be on the road, but enjoy your commute and take the time to learn, when possible.

4. Take the time to recognize daily stress triggers at work, school, or activities. The process of stress trigger identification process, allows you the opportunity to consider whether it is worth carrying around with you. For example: You meet a rude driver in another car. Do you let it bother you for the rest of the day? You have the option to “drop the ball,” and you do not have to pick it up.

5. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. In Yoga, we often talk about “non-judgment.” The one person we judge the harshest is usually oneself. Do not expect to be a saint. It is always good to aspire toward sainthood, but forgive yourself and forgive others, too.

6. Give any help you can to those in need. You cannot give away everything, but how much do we really need? Be moderate in your lifestyle, and you will see many opportunities to help those around you.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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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

Here is a fresh viewpoint about Yoga’s holistic approach toward heart health.

Are you tired of watching commercials about how your “bad diet” causes all of your heart problems? What about people who eat healthy and have heart disease?

These commercials are usually prescription drug advertisements, which profile everyone with heart disease in a negative light. They profile you as negligent, and smother you with guilt, by giving you a solution to all of your problems with a pill.

Let’s face it – there are times, in life, when each of us may have to take a prescription. Pharmaceutical drugs save lives, whether we want to take them or not. Yet, there are adjunct solutions to heart health, and Yoga is one of them.

Yoga has many ways to address your heart health. Most of the Yogic methods address stress, and anxiety, that can damage your heart over time. Many people do not realize the amount of heart damage that stress causes over the long term.

In Yoga, there are healthy vegetarian diet options, which you can adopt for life. Most people will readily admit that vegetarian diets will extend your life and decrease your chances of heart attack. This does not mean that a vegetarian diet insures that you will never have a heart attack.

Sorry, there are no “guarantees by the manufacturer” on your heart. Sometimes, the heart just stops. Your heart runs on electricity, and without it, your heart will stop. Some newborn babies have congenital heart defects. In fact, the heart is a very fragile mechanism.

Yet, what if you eat a vegetarian diet and have a genetic heart defect in your family tree; are you still at risk because of genetics? Unfortunately, heredity can override the positive conditions you place on your heart. Yet, giving up is not an option, if you want to live.

Therefore, a diet with reduced, or no meat, increases your chances of heart health. If you come from a meat-eating culture, this can be difficult, but not impossible. At home, you can substitute veggie dogs, veggie sausage, and veggie burgers, for meat. There are many competing brands these days, and they offer many choices.

Even restaurants offer more vegetarian choices than they did ten years ago. At most local restaurants, you can easily order meals without the meat. Last year, I noticed many new vegetarian choices in the parks at Disney World.

Obviously, keeping your body in motion will help your heart. Yoga asanas and flowing posture sequences will help, but these methods also purge your mind of negative thoughts. With that said, practice any time you have the time.

If you are new to Yoga, please find a local instructor to teach you how to meditate, the intricacies of Yoga Nidra (Yogic sleep), and Pranayama (Yogic breathing). All of the above methods will reduce your risk of heart attack.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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