Monday, 6 October 2008

MIND AND BODY YOGA

Utthita Trikonasana

This stage helps to develop a solid foundation in preparation for the final pose.

1. Place your mat against the wall.

2. Tilt the yoga block at a 45 degree angle against the wall, and check that it is stable.

3. Using your right hand on the wall for support, press your right foot into the block. Then step the left foot about 4 to 4 1/2 feet away from the wall. Align the arch of the left foot with the right heel, and turn the left foot slightly in toward the wall.

4. Tighten the knees and straighten the legs. Turn the right inner thigh out so the right knee points up toward the ceiling. Maintaining that, turn the left inner thigh out to point the left knee straight ahead. Tuck in the right buttock and press the left thigh back.

5. Tighten the legs so they support and balance the body. Exhale and extend the trunk to the right and stretch the right arm against the wall. Keep the right arm long and straight while walking the fingers up the wall to lengthen the right side of the trunk. The right hand, head, trunk and legs should be aligned. Do not lean forward or back.

6. Maintain the extension to the right side and take the right hand to the outside of the right shin. Place hand on a block or a chair. Remember to keep the legs tight and the right side of the body aligned.

7. Hold the pose for a few breaths, then exhale and extend the left hand high up the wall and in alignment with the body. Press the fingers of the left hand into the wall to open the chest and trunk.

8. Hold for up to 30 seconds with deep, even breaths. Then inhale, tighten the legs and come out of the pose. Repeat to the other side.

By Ray Madigan & Shelley Choy

THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA

Friday, 3 October 2008

YOGIC BREATHWORK

Trudy Flaherty joined us from Just Breathe Yoga to show us some yoga breathing techniques.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This breath is balancing, helps to open both nostrils, relaxing and calming.

Sit in a comfortable position, using your right hand's thumb and index finger. Bring your thumb to the right side of your nose and index finger to the left side. Close off your right nostril with your thumb. Inhale through your left nostril. Close off your left nostril with your index finger. Open and exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril. Close off your right nostril with your thumb. Open and exhale through your left nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. Continue alternating 5 to 10 times.

Fish Pose

Stretches the lungs and is said to be good for congestion.

Lie on your back, place hands, palms down under the buttocks. Come up on your elbows. Slide your body towards the back of the mat while keeping your forearms in place and puffing your chest. Drop the crown of your head back to the floor, opening your throat. To come out, press strongly into your forearms and raise your head off the floor. Release your upper body to the floor.

Contraindications: High or low blood pressure, migraines, insomnia, or serious lower back or neck injury

By www.nebraska.tv

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Thursday, 2 October 2008

DEFINING YOGA

Origins Kundalini is a holistic philosophy focused on healing and developing a pure, strong body and mind in order to receive the universal spirit and work for good in the world. Its roots are somewhat revolutionary, believed to have strong power that inspires self realization and elevated thinking, the practice was once discouraged in India and even banned from being taught. Kundalini yogis met and practiced in secret, passing traditions down verbally from teachers to students. In 1969, the master Yogi Bhajan brought the teachings of Kundalini, which literally translates to 'coiled one' and refers to the spiritual energy residing in each of us, with him from New Delhi to North America. He settled in Los Angeles, where he was dismayed to see people using drugs to pursue clarity and awareness. He made it his mission to foster a new group of teachers who could inspire others to cultivate strong bodies and enhanced intuition through healthy living, yoga and meditation. He taught them to use their practice to heal and nourish themselves, so they could engage as servants for good in the world.

What to expect Each class opens with a mantra which translates to, I bow to the universal spirit. I bow to the universal teacher that lies within me. 'Opening up to the universal teachings eliminates the ego of teacher and student,' says Seattle Kundalini teacher S. Anand Anma. 'It's not about me, it's about a universal truth coming through me.' Each class follows a basic pattern: a series, or kriya, of yoga poses to strengthen and purify the physical body, a relaxing, therapeutic shavasana, and meditation which can include chanting, mudra (hand positions), or specific eye focuses. At the end, the class sings a traditional song and closes with the phrase Sat Nam, which means, 'Truth is my identity.' Deep pranic breathing and meditation are key parts of this practice; each pose is combined with breath or meditation.

Signature Poses Most kriya postures are designed to address specific chakras, or energy centers, in the body. One classic kriya is 'stretch pose,' in which you lie on your back with legs raised at an angle, hold your hands over your navel with palms facing in, and use a series of quick breaths through the nose to vigorously pump the navel up and down. Another posture, frog pose, is a combination of deep squats and forward folds. Anand says that she intuits the kind of practice her students need, and teaches accordingly: one day she might lead a vigorous kriya, and another day she might teach a restorative practice. Kundalini classes are open to all levels and students shouldn't be intimidated or put off by a practice that seems too difficult or too easy. 'Whether you've never been to a class or you've been coming for years, you just listen to the body and you challenge the mind,' says Anand. ''Then, when we go into the real world beyond the yoga class, we are strengthened by our experience transcending challenge.'

By Julia Steinberger

THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

YOGA AND SEX LIFE

Dr. Yvonne Kristin Fulbright, a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc, says when a person lets himself or herself stray from any exercise routine, it can be difficult to get back into it. However, the beauty with yoga is that, in taking care of a person, yoga takes care of the individual.

When it comes to sex life, yoga can result in:

Increased sensitivity

Yoga's breathing exercises help a person breathe more fully, decreasing anxiety level and blood pressure. Recent research has suggested that meditation, prayer and yoga can improve health. These relaxation activities change patterns of gene activity that affect the body’s response to stress. When a person evokes a relaxation response, the mind actively turns genes that are 'switched' on or off by stress the other way. All of this makes a person more primed for intimacy.

More powerful orgasms

Yoga's influence on orgasms is two fold. First, in strengthening the sexual core, person has greater control over pelvic floor muscles and sex organs. Harnessing this during sex helps the individual to climax more magnificently. Second, the practice enables to release muscle tension, which, in turn, rocks the body for full body orgasms.

Improved energy

In being physically active, learning how to relax and alleviating stress through breathing and by simply having fun, a person will feel more energized. Yoga is invigorating.

Body knowledge and acceptance

Yoga is about embracing a person's form. A person becomes more aware of his or her body's strengths and limits. At the same time, he or she develops flexibility, coordination, balance and physical strength.

Greater fitness

By tapping unused muscles, a person will feel fitter. In working out, body will become more toned. Better muscle tone will increase sexual response.

New sexual positions

Since a person is exercising his muscles, he will be able to engage in a greater variety of sex positions for greater pleasure.

By www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA

Monday, 29 September 2008

SIDDHA YOGA

TODAY WE spend millions of dollars to get rid of deadly diseases like cancer, AIDS and other incurable diseases. In India alone, the money spent on developing a national health system and healthcare projects, runs into thousands of crores of rupees. Even after these hefty efforts, rural India remains isolated from healthcare. The urban population always prefers private healthcare services. In addition to losing valuable foreign exchange, India is also losing manpower, as most rapidly spreading diseases are affecting the younger generation.

This destructive process can be reversed by adopting the time tested 'Siddha Yoga', absolutely free of cost, according to Guru Siyag. He was addressing the 'Shaktipaat Diksha', an initiation ceremony for learners of Siddha Yoga, on the evening of September 25, 2008, (Thursday) at Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. If Siddha Yoga, based on the solid principles of Vedic science is adopted, nobody can stop India from emerging as a world power. To achieve this, we have to differentiate between the artificial Yoga and the Siddha Yoga. The Yoga being practised today is a kind of physical exercise and not the Siddha Yoga described by Maharishi Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Diseases that human beings suffer from are classified by modern medical science under two broad categories, physical and mental. These are treated with internal medicines and/or external medicines or therapeutic applications. Ancient Indian sages delved deep into the mysteries of life through meditation and learned that diseases are not caused by accidental exposure to germs or pathogens, as medical scientists believe. The sages learned that much of human suffering is actually caused by the actions of each individual in his/her past life. Each action, good or bad, leads to a reaction in the same life cycle or is carried over to the next. Since each individual is trapped in an unending cycle of life and death, human suffering through diseases and the highs and lows of life continue ceaselessly. Modern science does not accept continuance of life after physical death. That is why it looks for physical solutions to diseases but fails to come up with lasting cures. If science finds a cure for one disease, other more challenging ones crop up. This is because they refuse to believe that the root of the problem lies far beyond the physical existence of human beings. Indian Yogis however learned that beyond physical and mental afflictions lies the spiritual disease. In other words, the spiritual Law of Karma, actions of the past resulting in diseases and other forms of suffering in the present life, governs human existence and life after life, in a never ending cycle. In his treatise 'Yoga Sutra', the Indian sage Patanjali classified diseases under three categories, physical (Aadhidehik), mental (Aadhibhautik) and spiritual (Aadhidaivik).

A spiritual disease needs a spiritual remedy. Only regular practice of Yoga under the guidance of a spiritual master like Guru Siyag can help the practitioner find a spiritual remedy for all his/her afflictions. It is only the guru who can help a disciple to cut through the web of the Karmic past, get rid of disease/s and realize the true purpose of his/her life through self realization. Guru Siyag has proved in a number of cases that the practical application of Yoga can indeed heal and even cure chronic ailments such as arthritis and diabetes and terminal diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. Countless patients, practically given up for dead by doctors, have not only survived and regained good health but are also leading almost normal lives after seeking Guru Siyag's blessings as a last resort and getting initiated into Siddha Yoga. Yoga takes over and succeeds where modern medical science reaches its limitation in finding a lasting relief or cure for a disease.

It is not surprising therefore that most patients who have lost all hopes of survival even after trying out every possible medical option, usually come to Guru Siyag for help. Bhanwar Lal Jaat, a resident of Jodhpur (Rajasthan India) was one such patient who had become a full blown case of AIDS in its final stage. Doctors treating him discharged him from the hospital one day and asked his relatives to take him home as he was on the brink of death. It was in this condition that Bhanwar Lal was brought to Guru Siyag on a stretcher one October afternoon in 2002. He could neither speak nor move his limbs. He barely managed to blink his eyelids in affirmation, when Guru Siyag asked him if he could hear. Guru Siyag then gave Bhanwar Lal a divine word and asked him to silently chant the mantra continuously. Desperate to live, Bhanwar Lal did as he was told and began to show visible signs of recovery in a matter of one week to the utter astonishment of all around him. He later put on weight and regained normal health. Since then, he has been leading a normal life. He has no HIV negative certificate though. Despite the tell tale signs of Bhanwar Lal's amazing recovery from AIDS and his apparent healthy condition today, the local medical fraternity refuses to probe his case as it scoffs at the idea of a spiritual cure of a disease that even doctors in the advanced West have not been able to find.

The case of Sushila, a resident of Bikaner (Rajasthan India), who suffered from leukaemia, was also similar. In April of 2000, her WBC count had reached dangerous levels. As a last resort, her family sought alternative healing and were soon told by friends about Guru Siyag. In May 2000, Sushila took initiation from Guru Siyag. Just nine days after taking initiation from Guru Siyag, Sushila began to show amazing recovery. Within two months of practising Siddha Yoga, Sushila's WBC count was found to be within normal range. Word about the spectacular recovery of patients like Bhanwar Lal and Sushila spread like wild fire and soon desperate HIV/AIDS and cancer patients started pouring into Guru Siyag's Ashram to seek his divine help for their survival. The same has been the case with people suffering from cancer. Adhyatma Vigyan Satsang Kendra (AVSK), the spiritual organization headed by Guru Siyag, has compiled a list of the large number of terminal and chronic cases of the diseases cured. Typically, however, in almost every case of amazing recovery of a patient through Guru Siyag's Siddha Yoga, physicians have refused to acknowledge the incredible reversal for which they had no plausible explanation.

The benefits of Guru Siyag's divine powers can be extended to a greater number of people in India and even abroad. However, his repeated attempts to reach out have run into a wall of indifference erected by the bureaucracy, politicians and the urban elite, which has no real faith in the healing powers of the divine force. It is in the face of this persistent indifference and even a degree of hostility at home in India that Guru Siyag is now trying to reach out to the West to take the benefits of Siddha Yoga to humanity around the world. He is aware that people with the scientific approach in the West have an open mind about probing new horizons of knowledge even if such knowledge doesn't fit into the rigid criteria of physical science but gives the desired results all the same.

By www.merinews.com

THE LATEST SIDDHA YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA

Friday, 26 September 2008

YOGA FOR OLDER WOMEN

A study has concluded that women over the age of 65 may benefit from regularly practising yoga.

Conducted at the Temple University in Philadelphia, the research found that the women who did yoga increased their walking speed and the length of their stride, reports Dallas News.

In addition, flexibility was improved in the hip flexors, ankles and big toe joints. This led to body weight being even better distributed on the subject's feet.

Dr Song, who was involved in the study, commented: 'This might be good to continue to investigate, if yoga is an appropriate intervention for minimising the risk of falling.'

Yoga may be an attractive workout option for the money conscious keep fit fan as all that is needed is a yoga mat and fitness DVD.

By www.totallyfitness.co.uk

THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA

Thursday, 25 September 2008

YOGA AND DISEASE

THE VIRAL load test medical diagnosis laboratory reports of several patients suffering from AIDS/HIV disease have proved that Guru Siyag's Siddha Yoga can save mankind from this deadly disease. Not only AIDS/HIV, there are medical diagnosis lab reports clearly indicating the cure and improvement in patients suffering from so called incurable diseases like cancer, arthritis, hepatitis B, haemophilia, diabetes, high or low blood pressure. These reports tell the success story of Siddha Yoga in curing incurable diseases, without administering any kind of medicine and without spending even a single penny from the patient's pocket. The reports are available for viewing at the Adhyatma Vigyan Satsang Kendra, Jodhpur.

Jawaharlal Bohra, a share market broker from Mumbai got cured from cancer and hepatitis in 1998, Ramkishor from Nagaur got rid of high BP and mental tension in 2007, Vikas Kumar from Jodhpur was relieved from migraine in 2004, Lundaas Sant from Shergarh got cured of cancer tumour in 2008, Dalaram from Jalore got rid of AIDS in 2006, Jamtaram from Jalore was cured of AIDS in 2008. There are hundreds of such examples of suffering from incurable diseases in the past who are living a healthy life even today.

Maharishi Patanjali's Yoga Sutra clearly states that yoga is meant for the complete development of human being, and it is not just the cure of diseases. Aas these diseases are hurdles in the way of complete development of human being, these are cured in the first part of the process of Siddha Yoga. Mahrishi Patanjali's Yoga Sutra describes yoga as 'Chitta ki vrittion ka nirodh hi yog hai'.

The list of diseases cured by Guru Siyag's Siddha Yoga is never ending, as it not only eradicates all sorts of physical, mental and spiritual diseases, but also aims at all round and complete development of the human being.

Guru Ramlal Siyag from Rajasthan, is the founder and patron of Adhyatma Vigyan Satsang Kendra, Jodhpur. He describes Siddha Yoga as a process based on the solid principles of Vedic science. It aims at the complete development of human being. Guru Siyag clarified it as the 'next development in humans', as man is a transitional being, and not yet complete. As per the law of nature each and every thing in this universe is subject to continuous change. Some changes occur at high speed, hence they can be observed or felt by man in his life span, for example, the transformation of a seed to a big tree. On the other hand, changes in things, which take place at a very slow speed, take years to complete and cannot be observed or felt during one’s life time. For example, the development of the living organism, starting from a single celled 'amoeba', then developing into fish, tortoise, four legged animals, monkeys, gorillas, and through millions of years of development process, the living organism or the being has attained the form of human being.

By www.merinews.com

THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA