yoga43885

...with the Maker.

Through this ancient form of yoga, we come to the realization that God's love is the purest form of love possible, never hurtful, never deceitful, never failing, and never, under any circumstances, vindictive in any way. It is the ultimate love. Bhakti teaches us that man can achieve this love as man is created in the image of God. It is simple to deduce that, with these facts in mind, man can learn, through Bhakti, to love God as He loves us, purely and unselfishly.

The actual word, Bhakti, originates from the word Bhaj, which translates loosely into 'attachment to God.' In the actual practice of this format of yoga, there are a number of very effective and desirable outlets, such as Sakamya, Nishkamya, Japa, and Upasana, to name ...more

Pregnancy yoga - Do yoga During Pregnancy

...dy and strengthen these joints and encourage flexibility in the muscles and fascia.

There are 2 nervous systems in the human body: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic, commonly known as the "fight or flight" system, causes the blood pressure to raise, the breath rate to go faster, and stress hormones to flood into the body. In history, this occurred to prepare the body for fighting dangerous animals. But in todays world, we experience this reaction while we are sitting in traffic or feeling stressed at the office. When this system is overly stimulated, we can experience health consequences such as ulcers, migraines, and heart disease. During pregnancy, the effects of the sympathetic nervous system can be transferred to the developing baby.

The parasympathetic nervous system lowers hypertension and slows the pace of the breath. When the blood no longer has to rush to the muscles, it is ...more

yoga for Life

...ransition or under any kind of stress (whether negative or positive) can benefit from getting away from it all and into their yoga zone where they feel calm, centered and focused. Its a lot less expensive and easier to schedule than a vacation!

Many asanas combine the stretching of one muscle and the contraction of an opposing muscle. This is why yoga is often recommended for well-muscled athletes. Muscle building alone results in imbalances between opposing muscles. To maintain flexibility, body builders should make sure they are getting enough proper stretching work.

Very little equipment is needed to begin yoga. Your clothing should be comfortable but close-fitting so that you can observe your form. As you focus on proper breathing you want to be able to see your diaphragm moving in and out. yoga can be done barefoot but, for sanitary reasons, most people now prefer to wear yoga socks.

Likewise, yoga can be done on a bare floor but most people prefer to use a mat. It is not just for sanitation that mats and socks have become so popular. Many poses are sustained and at first may feel awkward and difficult to maintain. The non-slip socks and mat provide the optimal surface. Further, your portable yoga surface will be the same no matter where you take your class, making it easier to perform consistently and progress rapidly.<...more

Discovering The History And Concepts Of Different Branches of Yoga

...d this). Because of the relationship between the mind and the body, the body must be 'tamed' first through self-discipline and purified by various means (see Hatha Yoga). A good level of overall health and psychological integration must be achieved before the deeper aspects of yoga can be pursued. Humans have all sorts of addictions and temptations and these preclude the attainment of tranquil abiding (meditation). Through restraint (yama) such as celibacy, abstaining from drugs and alcohol and careful attention to one's actions of body, speech and mind, the human being becomes well to practise meditation. This yoke that one puts upon oneself is the alternate meaning of the word yoga.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras start with the statement yogas citta-vtti-nirodha (1.2), "yoga limits the oscillations of the mind". They proceed on to detailing the ways in which mind can create false ideations and advocate meditation on real objects, which process, it is said, will lead to a spontaneous state of quiet mind, the "Nirbija" or "seedless state", in which there is no mental object of focus. Practices that serve to maintain for the individual the ability to check this state may be considered Raja Yoga practices. Thus Raja Yoga encompasses and differentiates itself from other forms of Yoga by encouraging the mind to avoid the sort of absorption in obsessional practice (including other traditional yogic practices) that can generate false mental objects. In this angle, Raja Yoga is "king of yogas": all yogic practices are seen as potential tools for obtaining the seedless state, itself considered to be the first point in the quest to cleanse Karma and obtain Moksha or Nirvana. Traditionally, schools of yoga that label themselves "Raja" offer students a mix of yogic practices and (hopefully) this philosophical viewpoint.