Calming Yoga Poses Increase Concentration
Vrikshasana is a very accessible and powerful Yoga asana for centering and grounding your attention. This is a balancing standing Yoga...
Hatha Yoga Pradipika Summary
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is regarded as one of the three classic texts on Hatha Yoga, along with the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita. This 15th century text was written by Swami Svatmarama, and is said to be the oldest surviving text about Hatha Yoga. This text has been translated into many languages, including English.
Yoga for Headache Relief
Each of us has manuals, notes, texts, and study guides from our yoga teacher trainings, but we need comprehensive medical studies for every ailment. Many yoga instructors still do trial and error methods.
Harnessing the Power of Shiva: Dissolving into Shavasana
In a Yoga class, the same pulsation of creation, sustenance and dissolution can be replicated through an artful sequencing of Yoga asanas.. Frequently, the krama or sequencing of Yoga asanas is geared towards a pinnacle pose during the practice. This is akin to climbing a mountain; there is so much preparation necessary for scaling a high peak. In order to ensure a successful ascent of the peak, we must prepare our both our bodies and minds for the journey ahead. In the same way, sequencing a series of Yoga asanas to ensure a safe, enjoyable and successful Yoga class is an art in and of itself.
The Dance of Shiva: Natarajasana
To practice Natarajasana, or Dancer Pose, come to an equal standing position at the front of your Yoga mat. Before proceeding, find a gazing point or drishti two to three feet in front of you on the floor. If you hold this drishti point without wavering during your practice of Dancer Pose, your balance will become steadier and the fluctuations of your mind will begin to calm. With an inhale, shift your weight to your right foot and raise your left foot behind you. Grasp the top of your left foot with your left hand. Remember to keep your left foot in direct alignment with your left hip bone.
The Science Behind Yoga
The health benefits associated with yoga can help in both the psychological and physical realms of health. Many health professionals are now considering yoga as a viable treatment for stress and other debilitating ailments that could benefit from physical therapy. Science has just recently begun to unravel the enigma as to how yoga can come to cause many of these beneficial effects.
A Concise History of Hatha Yoga
Although many forms of yoga training have existed for thousands of years, Hatha (the yoga of physical mastery) is a relative newcomer in comparison to the other main systems of Yogic methodology in India. Hatha dates back as recently as the 15th century with Svami Svatmarama and is the base for many popular styles today such as Iyengar, Bikram, Kundalini, and Ashtanga.
An Introduction to Yoga History
How much time should we spend on history during a yoga instructor training course? If you want to understand the roots of what you teach, you might want to learn as much as you can.
Yogic Philosophy and Truthfulness
Other than a Yoga teacher training, the average practitioner doesn't learn much about Yogic texts or philosophy. Yoga is about more than just strengthening muscles and enjoying more flexibility.
Practice of Dharana and Balancing Poses
By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 The practice of dharana, or Yogic concentration, is the sixth limb of Patanjali's Raja Yoga system, as outlined in depth in his Yoga Sutras. Dharana is translated as concentrating with an unwavering single-pointed focus on one object or task. This inward focus arises from Patanjali's fifth limb, which emphasizes [...]