Can the World Ever Live As One

Imagine There's No Heaven, It's Easy If You Try, No Hell below Us, above Us Only Sky, Imagine All the People Living for Today. Imagine There's No Countries, It Isn't Hard to Do, Nothing to Kill or Die for, and No Religion Too. Imagine All the People Living Life in Peace. Think about It.

It's hard to imagine, with the information today and even 50 years ago that most people still believe in religions all over the world, just because they were raised to believe in them. Religions of the future will have to adapt to change, a little faster as more people read articles like mine to promote education within your religion.

Find out a little bit more about Your Religious Freedom

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a religous help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Four Agreements
Gregs Videos

Best Ways to Meditate

Whether practiced as part of a religious experience or a relaxation technique, meditation is used by many to reach a higher level of consciousness, greater self awareness, inner peace, better health, or focused creativity. Learning how to meditate for maximum benefit takes practice and discipline, and developing a clear understanding some of the different focuses and philosophies of meditation can help you learn the best and most efficient ways to meditate.

How To Meditate

While there are many different "ways" to meditate, there are some consistencies in the general recommendations that can help you get the most out of your meditation. For instance, most types of meditation are most effectively done in a sitting position with a straight back. This helps your body more quickly reach a state of inner peace and concentration. Although lying down can help you relax, too, you are more likely to fall asleep in this position rather than focus on the meditation. While meditating, it is not entirely necessary to use the classic "lotus" posture with the legs crossed, but this is a common choice.

Meditation is best performed at certain parts of the day for best effect. It is best to avoid meditation immediately after eating a meal, as your body will be occupied with the process of digestion and less prepared to focus. Showering just before meditation can help your body feel fresh and prepared for the inner peace you are seeking. Many people claim that the best time for meditation is first thing in the morning, when your mind is more clear and alert.

Relaxation Meditation

To add to the relaxation meditation techniques, some suggest burning candles or incense, which can add aromatherapy effects to the meditation experience. Others enjoy using meditation music to enhance the experience-this can help mask any distracting background noise and further assist your focus on meditation. Meditation CDs can be found in many natural products stores, yoga studios, or other places that promote meditation for increased health and relaxation.

Yoga Meditation

Most types of yoga involve some form of meditation as part of the practice. Yoga meditation typically involves uniting the mind, spirit, and body and cleansing the mind. Mantras, or the repetition of a sound, word, or phrase, are often used to help focus and remove all distractions other than the purpose of the meditation, as well as very specific body postures and sequences of movements that allow for greater oxygen flow, blood flow, and energy flow.

There is no single "right" way to meditate properly, but learning to use meditation that works for you will help you attain control over your thoughts and actions more powerfully, allowing you to more completely create peace and harmony in your life. More than just simple "concentration," meditation involves using specific techniques to help your mind and body reach a higher level of awareness. Whether you choose to meditate to change bad habits or create new good ones, meditation can be an asset to your overall mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Colleen Lilly
writes a personal development and spiritual growth blog at http://www.yourmindbodyandsoul123.com

The Benefits of Yoga Practice

Practising yoga asanas, or the physical practice of yoga brings many benefits to mind, body and spirit. Yoga means union and through the breath connects the mind, body and spirit. With regular practice, yoga becomes a moving meditation with the focus remaining throughout on the breath. It is the breath which makes yoga unique and more than just a physical exercise.

Breath is what enables prana, the life force which pervades all living things to enter our body. Practising yoga therefore increases our pranic energy. Each movement is initiated by either an inhalation or exhalation and the movement flows with the breath. Breath and movement work together effortlessly to create a yoga practice.

For most, breathing is an automatic function which we give little thought to unless our breathing alters in some way; when we experience shortness of breath perhaps. Without breath there is no life and yoga teaches us to focus on our breath and to harness the power of our breath enabling us to reap the benefits. In practising yoga we are able to experience a greater sense of self as well as rewarding our body and mind by restoring balance and wellbeing.

Yoga works on many levels.

Subtle/Spiritual

Our planet is made up of energy and at the level of quantum physics we are nothing more than a ball of energy. Throughout our body there are subtle energy channels known as nadis. The three main energy channels in the body are known as sushumna, the central channel, ida, the left channel and pingala, the right channel. Sushumna runs the length of the spine from the sacrum right up to the crown of the head. The ida and pingala nadis cross over the sushumna and the points of their convergence create energy centres known as chakras.

On a subtle level, prana flows through these nadis. The energy channels and centres are affected by the physical body and mind and vice versa. When we experience a physical or emotional disorder the channels and centres become blocked. The practise of yoga works to cleanse and detox the physical body mind and by increasing the flow of prana throughout the body, clear the blockages and restore the flow of pranic energy. This in turn restores homeostasis or optimum functioning to the physical body and mind. Yoga therefore restores our natural emotional and physical balance.

A person who is often unwell physically and/or emotionally is said to have more prana outside the body and in contrast, a person who experiences physical and emotional wellbeing and is healthy both inside and out, is said to have more prana inside the body. Yoga practice and breathing techniques known as pranayama work to not only increase the flow of prana into the body but also to keep that prana flowing around inside the body. In addition, engaging energy locks known as bandhas during a yoga practice work to eliminate the toxins from the body and keep the pranic energy inside the body.

Over time as yoga practice evolves and as an awareness of self grows it becomes easier to tune in to our own energy, restoring balance and wellness from within. When we feel well from the inside our outer world inevitably follows and our life becomes healthier and much happier, more fulfilled.

Physical

On a physical level our bodies require oxygen to function properly. Full deep breathing increases the supply of oxygen to our bodies, providing nourishment and nutrients to our blood, nerves, glands and vital organs. In addition, oxygen is responsible for burning up waste matter and eliminating toxins from the body. By practising yoga and the breathing techniques used in yoga, we are increasing the supply of oxygen throughout the body, cleansing, energising, nourishing, detoxing and purifying the body. All bodily systems are strengthened and thus creating an enhanced immunity and overall greater wellbeing. Yoga works to energise, restore, refresh, revitalise, relax and rejuvenate the body.

Yoga increases flexibility throughout the body and is gentle on the joints compared to some high impact sports. Yoga actually increases lubrication of the joints.

Muscular endurance is enhanced throughout the body and muscles become more toned, and excess weight lost.

Many yoga asanas massage the vital organs of the body. This works in many ways; providing increased energy and actually contributes to delaying the ageing process, keeping us youthful with increased vitality.

Emotional

Yoga brings about many changes emotionally. Just the act of feeling a greater sense of wellbeing physically works towards improving our self esteem and confidence. Increased energy levels enable us to do more in our personal and professional lives and we find that happiness comes naturally to the practising yogi. As all our bodily systems are strengthened these too impact on our mind and emotional wellbeing. Stresses, strains and anxiety are greatly reduced. Yoga lifts depression and can help other emotional disorders. A heightened awareness of self enables one to feel in control. Ultimately, the mind influences the body and when our mind is balanced we will find so too is our body.

These are just a few of the many benefits yoga brings. Practising asanas, the physical aspect of yoga inevitably leads one to other branches of yoga and becomes a life long journey of self awareness; finding one's true self, one's dharma or purpose in life and along the way becoming happier, healthier and more fulfilled.

Namast Shelley http://www.shelleycostello.net

Shelley Costello is a Wellness Coach, incorporating Yoga, Life Coaching, Indian Head Massage, Relaxation, Meditation and Ayurveda.

The essence is of helping others to help themselves become healthier, happier and live a more fulfilled life.

Shelley is a qualified Yoga Teacher, Life Coach and Indian Head massuese. In addition, over the past two years she has studied Buddhism, meditation, anatomy and physiology, nutrition, quantum physics related to the natural laws of the universe and conscious creation techniques. She has extensive internet marketing experience and works part time as a freelance marketing consultant. She has 15 years business management experience and is currently studying courses related to wellness with the Open University, England.

For more information please contact Shelley by email at shelley@shelleycostello.net or visit her website http://www.shelleycostello.net

Yoga - Helping With Anorexia and Bulimia

We all know that long term eating disorders can be potentially harmful and dangerous to our health. The most common eating disorders are: anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa (commonly called Anorexia) - is a psychiatric illness that describes an eating disorder characterized by extreme low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight.

Bulimia nervosa (commonly called Bulimia) - is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviours. The most common form is self-induced vomiting, fasting, use of laxatives, enemas, diuretics and over-exercising are also common.

Eating disorders are better dealt with when your mind is calm. To become more peaceful and calm yoga can be of great help. It has been said that by practicing yoga regularly we can reduce depression and restore a balance of the mind.

Yoga can be a great tool and should be utilized in treating eating disorders. That doesn't mean we stop getting help from the professional medical world. But what we can do is to have the best of both worlds; the medical field of brilliant minds and the intuitive and spiritual world to help us calm our mind and lift our spirit.

Bulimia and anorexia have a very huge potential to destroy lives, and not only the lives of the sick but also the lives of their family and friends. If professional help is not sought there could be painful and tragic consequences. And there is help at hand.

So if you have an eating disorder or you know someone who has helped them by encouraging them to take up yoga. A well-maintained medical program combined with yoga can do wonders.

Everyone has the power to take control of their life. With the help and support of the medical community, their nearest-and-dearest and yoga community they have the chance to fully recover and become once again healthy and happy individuals.

If you are knew to yoga you may get confused of the different types of yoga on a market today. There is Hatha yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Scientific yoga, Bikram yoga, Power yoga, Sivananda yoga, and many others.

The most common form of yoga is Hatha and Scientific yoga which are the nearest to the true ancient form of yoga from India. The classes will include relaxation and deep breathing which are both very important to release stress and keep the mind calmer.

Power and Ashtanga yoga yoga are more aerobic-style yoga, with emphasis on cardio. Bikram yoga is performed in a heated room to accelerate detoxification.

Ms Barbara is a Certified Yoga trainer and also a Teacher in Physical Education. She is a member of REPs as Advance Instructor level 3.

She have been learning, practicing and teaching many styles of yoga for around 10 years. Her classes vary in dynamics and strength, depending on the level of students. Some classes may be very gentle and meditative, while other very powerful and strong.

For more information about the author check
http://www.yoga-london.org.uk

Yoga Pant Guide

Yoga pants do offer a bit of a different cut and some do come with cute and stylish designs, but they are also offered in a number of different fashions that have to do with the pant leg styles as well.

From the many styles you can choose long/tall, capri, loose, form fitting, the list is endless. You can even get them with fancy designs.

You might not have the body to feel comfortable in tight pants. That's fine, that's why you are doing yoga in the first place, so they even make the pants in a looser fit.

People who practice yoga or have attempted to practice yoga are probably pretty familiar with yoga pants or at least the necessity to have a pair. You may not be aware that they are available in many different styles and cuts from bootlegged to capris, as well as cut-off styles and legging types.

Total movement and flexibility is the most important aspect of the pants you buy and a pair that absorbs moisture while allowing your skin to breathe is going to create a much better experience for you as well. Whichever style you decide to go with is going to require an allowance for complete flexibility.

With all this in mind it should not be a difficult thing to find a pair of yoga pants that you like style-wise, so much so that you will not mind wearing them outside of the studio and back and forth to your home.

FOR MORE ON long yoga pants and tall yoga pants

Secrets of a Successful Personal Practice

Making gains in your personal home practice

Successful ventures into different states of consciousness usually take some planning on your part. First of all it is usually best to develop a routine consisting of a specific set of postures that you can repeat over and over again. This routine should be able to be performed without your thinking about the moves or postures involved. In Tai Chi you can work with the form and in yoga you can develop a flow sequence of postures with a vinyasa (balancing Pose like Downward Facing Dog and Extended seal) between each posture. This rebalances your body as you flow from posture to posture. The physical part of the practice should take from 25-40 minutes to perform. The breath in Tai Chi should not be tied to the movements and the concentration should be on your center of gravity while the breath in yoga should be synchronized with the expansions and contractions of the body.

Both internal arts are actually pathways into your own true nature. They are methods of calming the fluctuations of the mind so that your deeper real nature can float to the surface of your psyche. Once you are in this state of calmness most of your life decisions will come from your intuition. Your Heart Center will open up and waves of love and caring will permeate your being.

This takes a long time with a lot of home personal practice under your belt. Many people who practice these internal arts prefer to practice within a class framework. However I have found that a viable home personal practice is the best way to go.

Listed below are some tips to help you climb the mountain.
1- Find a quiet room in your house to do your practice. Dress in clean comfortable cloths and shut off any distractions.
2- Try to practice at the same time each day. This way your body is prepared for your practice.
3- Do not eat before your practice. If necessary have a fruit or a light snack. Remember your digestion will stop when your practice starts.
4- Treat your practice with respect and the dignity it deserves.
5- Be mindful of each movement and breath you take.
6- Your practice should look like a long dance done with grace and fluidity.
7- Imagine that the air has density and that you are swimming thru it.
8- Be thankful for your practice time each day.

The above directions, if followed daily for a long period of time will start the process of opening the doorway. Try to incorporate a period of meditation after each practice. Mind, body and breath will unite with your soul and your spirit will soar.

http://www.realyoga.org/

Back Pain and Being Overweight Part 1

If you already suffer from back pain, did you know that your office chair maybe adding to the problem? Your office chair may not be helping your back problem at all. In fact a low quality office chair can actually be causing more damage to an injured back. Office chairs can cause an increase in pain in the neck, back, arms and shoulders. As a matter of fact the way some office chairs are constructed, they can and extra pressure to an already aching back, and add extra stress to the spinal discs.

However, while back pain is indeed a common condition that happens to four out of five adults, what most people don't know about it is that it could be a symptom of a far more serious disorder. In fact, most chronic forms of back pain (lasting for more than two months) are actually symptoms of serious diseases, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, scoliosis, cervical spondylosis, spinal cancer, bone cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crone's disease, mittelschmerz, cervix cancer, tuberculosis, meningitis, among others. Also being overweight can cause back pain.

Because of gravity, blood in the legs wants to settle there, leaving the heart to work harder. Even when sitting for long periods can lead to back pain and weight gain. Sitting in the wrong position for prolonged periods with the neck turned up or turned down can be the cause cervical spine soreness and other problems.

Gall bladder back pain is a condition that occurs when the gall bladder is inflamed due to improper functioning. It is a sure sign of underlying problems within your gall bladder. Gall bladder back pain is one of the common symptoms of gall bladder disease, a disorder that mainly affects women (although it could affect men, as well), and causing symptoms that vary widely from discomfort to severe pain.

Baby carriers do not need to hurt your back. If you're wearing them correctly, you'll feel the weight of the baby, but it shouldn't be so painful that you need to take pain meds.
Pregnant women often complain of back pain problems. This is very common as almost as high as 80 percent of women face back pains during some stage or the other of their pregnancies.

Because if the occurring back pain is persistent e.g. Unfortunately since back muscles are the hardest working muscle group in the body, back pains are a frequent occurrence which indirectly effects it being the hardest to identify condition. So its is a good investment to learn all about back pain, the causes and the side effects of back pain, and how it is prevented or if the condition is occurring, how best to relieve the effect. Because being equipped with the proper knowledge is the best preventive measure for any ailment anytime.

Glen Wood - The Yoga Teacher. Glen is a yoga expert who loves to teach you how to lose your neck, shoulder or back pain with yoga. He is dedicated to unlocking the Real Secrets of Back, Neck and Shoulder Pain.

To help you further with your back, neck and shoulder pain you need to sign up for your FREE "Yoga and You" report at http://www.YogaTeachingwithGlen.com

Cancer Patients Get Relief From Laughter Yoga

We have had several cancer patients attend our laughter club who have cancer and are going through chemotherapy. Many dont have much to laugh about since they are experiencing great physical and emotional pain and they were very curious about the history of laughter yoga and its benefits.

The History of Laughter Clubs

The first Laughter Club started in March 1995 in Mumbai, India.

It was started by Dr. Madan Kataria, a trained medical physician.

He saw a need to have a club where people went and just laughed to obtain the medical benefits of laughter. They have now become so popular that they have grown into a worldwide movement of more than 5500 clubs throughout the world. Many of the cancer patients who attended the laughter club asked how stress could have contributed to their cancer. Many people with cancer attribute it to too much stress, but what is stress? Stress is the normal reaction of the body to an external situation which releases adrenalin. The adrenalin impacts on your emotion, which changes your perception, which impacts on your reaction. Sustained adrenalin rushes impacts negatively on your immune system and you get sick cancer! Stress weakens your immune system to enable stress-related illnesses such as cancer, blood disorders, and depression to take hold. Stress-related illnesses are also the biggest killers in the western world. More than $300 billion was lost last year in the United States alone due to stress-related illnesses.

Did you know that?

Laughter has 3 distinctions:

1. It develops a sense of humour, even if you dont have one.

2. It creates a good feeling inside of you.

3. It trains you to laugh.

Laughter Yoga has been so successful that several hospitals has implemented a program for its cancer patients to participate in while going through chemotherapy. The patients feel better, laugh more and what used to be a negative chemotherapy, have now been turned into a positive. It goes to show us that laughter truly is the best medicine!

Doug Dvorak is the CEO of DMG Inc., a worldwide organization that assists clients with productivity training, corporate humor and workshops, as well as other aspects of sales and marketing management. Mr. Dvorak's clients are characterized as Fortune 1000 companies, small to medium businesses, civic organizations and service businesses. Mr. Dvorak has earned an international reputation for his powerful educational methods and motivational techniques, as well as his experience in all levels of business, corporate education and success training.

http://www.dougdvorak.com

Back Pain Motivation Part 1

Doing yoga cultivates a balance between the flexibility and strength of the muscles of the body, often the real culprit in back pain. While yoga can confer many benefits on the back or neck pain sufferers, it can have its pitfalls. Establish a yoga practice that takes into consideration why you have back pain, and how much of it there is.

The health benefits of yoga are many and wide reaching from increasing strength and muscle tone to relieving back pain and treating serious medical conditions. To achieve all the benefits for mind and body that yoga has to offer is not as simple as doing a bit of stretching. To be most effective, yoga requires the practitioner to follow a well-designed routine of poses and their counter-poses. With back pain, that's why most people go to classes and one of the obstacles to practicing yoga at home - unless you're as experienced as a teacher - is knowing the right poses and the order to practice them.

The other aspect of Yoga is its curative power. It has been seen over a period of time that mostly people get enticed to learn and practice Yoga for its curative properties. Yoga helps manage or control many ailments including asthma, arthritis, back pain and blood pressure. Therefore, it becomes very important that the Yoga trainer should be an expert in all postures and their effects before jumping on to the career bandwagon. Generally, if somebody has a physical problem, then emphasis is laid on asanas and breathing exercises. Mediation along with breathing exercises in also practiced. If the person has mental illness, depression or anxiety, then more stress is laid on mediation and breathing exercises.

With back, neck and shoulder pain, each yoga pose is held for anywhere from five to sixty seconds. The level of difficulty and the physical comfort experienced by the student doing the exercise determines the length of time for holding the pose. Yoga should not be practiced on a hard floor. The student should always be using a mat or some other article that can be both soft and supportive. Each pose loosens up certain muscles while stretching others. Stretching is a very important part of the yoga experience. It lessens the tension of the area, increases blood flow at the same time as allowing muscles to feel this extra nourishment. It trains the body to be healthy.

If you have pre-existing back pain, which style of Yoga should you seek out? Regardless of style, you may want to observe a Yoga class before trying it. You should seek out a gentle style, and you should talk to your prospective Yoga teacher ahead of time.

Glen Wood - The Yoga Teacher, dedicated to unlocking the Real Secrets of Back, Shoulder and Neck Pain.

To help you further with your shoulder/back pain you need to sign up for your FREE "Yoga and You" report at http://www.YogaTeachingwithGlen.com

Learn to Meditate to Improve Your Yoga and Relax

Yoga has become very popular as a way to tone and strengthen the body, as well as calming the mind. While it may not be as popular in some cities, here in Studio City, where I teach guided meditation for relaxation, there are 6 yoga studios within a mile of Angel City Yoga where I have my weekly meditations. It appears, at least anecdotally, that yoga may be the most popular personal fitness method.

Both yoga and meditation are considered mind-body techniques. Mind-body techniques were studied by the National Institute of Health and there is a lot of positive information in the study related to improving healing and immune system function, better cognitive functioning, heart attack prevention, deep relaxation and stress relief, and many other benefits. They are complementary because being able to focus the mind helps to improve yoga and physical relaxation and breath work improve meditation. There is even a form of yoga known as the yoga of meditation.

Some of the benefits of yoga are related to brain wave states similar to the alpha brain wave state that people achieve while in meditation. When a person is concentrating on yoga postures or on the guide's voice in meditation, he or she goes into the alpha state. The alpha state means that brain waves slow down from the normal 20 beats per second in the beta state, the normal state during full consciousness, to around 10 beats per second.

Since the mind becomes focused during yoga practice or meditation, worries and cares are forgotten and the body responds by relaxing. In the relaxed state, the immune system functions better, the heart rate slows, and cells may begin the rebuilding and rejuvenation process. In our stress filled world, with an environment that has more toxins every day, proper immune system functioning and strength are both of maximum importance to many people. That probably accounts for the new interest and why so many people are practicing yoga and also want to learn how to meditate.

While there are many ways to strengthen the body and improve the mind, one of the positive attributes of both yoga and meditation, not always found in other methods, is that they may be learned by anyone. It isn't hard to learn to meditate and there is no way to fail. Each person who meditates reaches his or her own personal level. It is the same with yoga. Unlike trying to run a mile in 6 minutes, or being able to lift 200 pounds, the goals in yoga and meditation are simply to progress at your own pace and to enjoy the experience.

Wil Langford, R. Hy., offers his guided meditations for relaxation and exploring the self. He teaches meditation and offers classes at Angel City Yoga in Studio City, California, where you can learn to meditate. Wil is also available for private lessons, guided meditation, and workshops. Wil has helped his clients to use meditation for many purposes such as, relaxation, better health, better sleep, stress relief, financial attunement, finding their life's purpose, and personal and spiritual growth. You can learn more at http://9best.info

You may also purchase his guided meditation MP3's for your own use. You may download them or play them instantly online. He offers a free report, based on the National Institute of Health report on Mind-Body Techniques where you can learn the benefits of yoga and meditation.

He is an expert on the subject of human consciousness and the author of Parts Consciousness Therapy, a guide to the self as explained in his book, "Your Loved Ones, Your Self; Finding and Raising the Family Within" at http://yourlovedonesyourself.com

Seven Reasons to Choose Yoga For a Better Body and a Calmer Mind

Yoga has been around for centuries. Embraced equally by film stars, rock stars, high powered CEOs and New Age gurus, yoga's stress-relieving, strength-building, low impact poses appeal to a wide range of individuals and body shapes. Even beginners can see and feel a difference after just a few short weeks of practice. All arguments aside, yoga works. So why haven't you tried it? Here are seven really good reasons why you should:

7.) Symptom Relief - Several scientific studies have proven that yoga practice can greatly reduce the frequency and duration of asthma attacks, as well as the amount of medication needed to control or prevent attacks. Yogic breathing, pranayama , helps to strengthen the lungs and build breath control while back-bending poses open the chest and help increase air flow. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be alleviated with certain yoga poses. The lengthening and strengthening of the tendons offered in many yoga poses aids in relieving the pain, and in restoring the grip. The slow, low-impact nature of yoga exercise lends itself perfectly to arthritis sufferers. Joint pain and swelling can be reduced from the gentle exercise and from the stress relief granted tight, tensed muscles. The stress relieving nature of yoga has been shown to reduce the severity and frequency of headaches for migraine sufferers, as well.

6.) Disease Prevention - The stress relief offered through yoga practice can reduce the risk of heart disease, the number one killer of women in the US and Canada. Of further interest to women is yoga's ability to strengthen and build bone density, preventing osteoporosis. It's believed that yoga may reduce cortisol, and thereby aid in keeping calcium in your bones. The meditative nature of yoga can help raise levels of GABA in the brain, preventing the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Lastly, yoga has been known to stimulate the pancreas in its production of insulin, lowering blood sugar levels and helping in the treatment of Type II diabetes.

5.) Good Form of Exercise - Not all forms of exercise are good for all of you. Yoga is low-impact, providing a safer way to stretch and strengthen. Yoga is non-competitive, allowing you a stress-free, introspective work-out. Yoga can be practiced indoors or out, so that it fits in with all climates and lifestyles. Beneficial yoga practice can be completed in as little as 10 minutes a day, making it the ideal exercise routine for today's busy, on-the-go world. Yoga builds balanced muscle tone, strengthens the body's core, and improves dexterity, hand-eye coordination and reaction time. It has also been clinically proven to increase joint range of motion and flexibility.

4.) Improved Body Chemistry - Yoga can have drastically good effects on your body's inner workings. The increase in movement and blood flow offered in yoga practice can lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood stream. It is believed that yoga actually increases the amount of red blood cells in your blood, providing better oxygenation of the body, as well as increasing energy and reducing the risks of anemia. The lymphatic and endocrine systems also get a boost from yoga. The lymphatic system boosts immunity and raises your body's disease fighting ability, while the endocrine system regulates hormones, and through yoga, both systems help increase the overall health and balance of your body.

3.) The Inner You - Much has been made of yoga's effects on the psychological and emotional health of its practitioners. Yoga reduces stress through its slow movements and controlled breathing. It elevates and regulates your mood with its mind-body consciousness, its ability to improve your health overall, and its introspective nature. The attention required in yoga causes one to focus inwardly, reducing stress and anxiety, building a sense of calmness, alertness and even improving your memory.

2.) The Overall Inner You - Let's recap a bit here. Yoga reduces stress, which lowers blood pressure. It stimulates your endocrine system, balancing hormone levels and lowering blood sugar. It helps increase the overall functioning and health of your circulatory and respiratory system. It lowers your heart rate. It raises your tolerance to pain. It relives certain chronic problems. It improves brain chemistry. Your internal organs receive a "yoga massage," improving their functioning and disease fighting abilities. Your gastrointestinal health improves. Overall, there isn't a body system not impacted positively by regular yoga practice.

1.) The Outer You - After examining all the things that yoga can do for the inside of you, let's see what yoga can do for you that you can actually see. Yoga can reduce the signs of aging through its detoxification of the body. Increased blood flow and oxygenation can also improve skin tone and color. Yoga helps to induce better sleep, improving overall health, awareness and skin and muscle tone. Yoga poses build strength, lengthen muscles and get the body moving, all of which cause a reduction in weight, prevent cellulite from forming and improve posture. Lastly, yoga can boost your energy, and not just your everyday, running hither and thither and yon type energy. Yoga has been proven to improve your energy and performance in the bedroom, as well. You look better, you feel better, your body is more in tune with itself and you with it - all of which leads to an increased confidence that can't be kept all to yourself.

Yoga may not be the cure of all ills, but it certainly can improve many. It's an overall workout - inside as well as outside - that shows in your face, your eyes, the way you stand, the way you move, the way you live. What are you waiting for? Give yoga a try today!

Yandara.com offers yoga certification emphasizing yoga practice, teaching skills, organizing a class, creating confidence and making postural corrections. Visit us online to learn Hatha Yoga with Iyengar-based precision alignment, emphasizing heart-felt energy.

Yoga - Where is Your Reference Point?

When you are in yoga class doing postures, vigilantly observe whether you have an urge to compare yourself with others, especially if you pretend not to care. When you discover this ingrained human urge, take a deep inhalation.

As your breath flows in, draw your awareness deep inside your heart. As you exhale, release the urge. Do the yoga only for yourself, even when a hundred other people are in the room. Your practice is for you alone. It is difficult to hear the soft voice of inner wisdom amidst the cacophony of constant comparisons. It is simply impossible to sense your soul when you are striving to be superior.

The ideal student of yoga is completely self-referential. Paradoxically, the wisdom of a master is often required to avoid the pitfalls of ego and self-delusion. However, an egoless teacher who is intent solely on guiding you to your true self is rare indeed. We must search deep and far for teachers who understand that our freedom and self mastery are more important than our submission to their authority and our exclusive adherence to their methods. While mediocre and insecure teachers love to rule others (even feigning humility at times), masters will invariably teach us how to find the teacher within ourselves. Though we often desire a quick solution from an authority, yoga teaches us that no one has all our answers; our answers are waiting inside of us. Indeed, our deepest questions arise from within -- they are really reminders that the answers must also dwell within. The true master simply leads me back to myself.

One of the best ways to assist this process of casting off conditioning and attuning yourself to inner wisdom is to turn off commercial media, thereby guarding your mind against thoughts intended to enslave it. Commercial media is paid for by people who want you to do what they want you to do. They have profit motives. The big food companies don't really care if you become fat, and the diet companies don't care if you become thin. In fact, if everyone were thin, then the diet companies themselves would have to go on a monetary diet! Advertisers incessantly strive to convince us that we must maintain a figure that rarely fits our body's needs, and live in ways that seldom enhance our soul's purpose. For example, if my constitution is more kapha (to use the language of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of health and well-being), I feel more at peace with myself when I am slightly "overweight." If my constitution is vata, I feel healthier when I am thinner. Greedy marketers try to put everybody into their self-serving box and then shame those who are on the outside. Yoga, on the other hand, bursts boxes, freeing us to express our individuality, our unique nature. It helps us find the inner wisdom that tells us what we feel, thereby allowing us the possibility of connecting to our highest truth.

Above all, in this process, be compassionate toward yourself. Be patient. Give yourself time to unfold. When you lose the desire to be instantaneously perfect, you are less likely to become enslaved by authorities who claim to "have all the answers." Each of us must realize: "My answers for my life lie within me, and along with ardor and dedicated exploration, I must cultivate patience and compassion to let these answers, slowly but surely, reveal the wisdom within.

2008 Aadil Palkhivala

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Christian Fitness - Should it Include Yoga?

Yoga is extremely popular in the fitness world, and many wonder if it has a place in Christian Fitness. Is there such a thing as "Christian yoga" or a "Christian alternative to yoga?" While many know that yoga originated in India, few realize it is part of the Hindu religion.

Those who think yoga is little more than a series of stress-relieving stretching exercises may be surprised to learn about true foundation of the multi-billion dollar yoga craze in North America.

According to Webster's New World Dictionary, yoga (coming from an east Indian Sanskrit word which means "union with god" or "to yoke") is "a mystic and ascetic Hindu discipline for achieving union with the supreme spirit through meditation, prescribed postures, controlled breathing, etc."

As a child growing up on Long Island, I became involved with yoga at the age of seven when my mother and I began watching a daily yoga exercise program on television (thinking it was "just exercise"). For the next 22 years I was heavily involved with yoga, metaphysics and the New Age movement until I became a follower of Jesus Christ in my late 20s.

George P. Alexander, Ph.D., who taught World Religions at Biola University, is a friend of our family. Born in Sri Lanka, George grew up in India, the birthplace of Hinduism and yoga. He told us that yoga postures are actually offerings to the 330 million Hindu gods.

"Many Westerners who practice yoga today are unaware that the physical positions assumed in yoga symbolize a spiritual act: worshiping one of the many Hindu gods," Dr. Alexander said. "To a Hindu, yoga is the outward physical expression of a deep spiritual belief. You cannot separate one from the other."

Since yoga is tied so strongly to Hinduism, can there be such a thing as "Christian yoga," or would that be an oxymoron (a contradiction in terms)? Many practicing Hindus as well as Christians agree that since yoga IS Hinduism, the two cannot be combined.

Are there other ways to bring flexibility training into a Christian's fitness program without doing yoga? Yes! There are plain vanilla stretching courses as well as Christian alternatives to yoga which incorporate stretching exercises with Scripture. Practitioners meditate upon Scripture or speak verses aloud which correspond with each stretching posture. For example, in PraiseMoves, a Christian alternative to yoga, "The Angel" posture is accompanied by Psalm 91:11, "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways."

As Dr. Alexander told us, "My question for Christians who practice yoga is, 'Why would you want to better your body by aligning with a religious philosophy that contradicts the Christian faith?'" Good question.

And now I'd like to invite you to get my free "Fit Favorites Devotional" and PraiseMoves FitNews. To get yours, go to http://praisemoves.com.

Laurette Willis 2009

Christian Fitness Expert and author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at praisemoves.com. To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ.

Yoga - 3 Moves to Reshape Your Posterior Fast

Do you want to get a better butt? Do you want to get stronger from feet to fingertips?

Try these three postures. All you need is your yoga mat.

-Hip Bridge. Lie on your back. Your knees bent at 90-degrees and over inline with your heels. Have both hands on the floor relaxed, palms down. Now inhale and lift your hips, driving the heels into the ground and squeezing your glutes at the top. Hold for several calming, deep breaths and lower slowly. You can make it harder by holding a pair of dumbbells or weights on top of your pelvis as you press them towards the sky.

-Star Five-Point. With your feet wide apart, arms to the sides outstretched, wrist in line over your ankles, Your body forms a star shape as your head as the top point. Now, turn toes out and tilt your pelvis up. Squeeze those glutes and make sure you tuck your tailbone under. Squat down (plie-style) with knees overextending your toes. While Plie, sweep your arms inward toward the chest and exhale. Palms facing each other. Breath in as you return to the starting position.

-Warrior Two. If you've done a lunges, you know how you it can make your legs feel like they're burning. Well, this one I feel is tougher. Do this one 3-4 times per side. With feet wide with, turn your left foot pointing at a 45-degree angle. As you press the outer edge of your right foot, lift both arms straight about shoulder height. Bend your left knee until your thigh is parallel with the ground with knee tracking over the toes (not passing it). Keep the tummy tight, look over your left side over your hand. Keep the shoulders relaxed. You'll hold for about 12-15 seconds. Straighten left leg and repeat to the other leg.

Do these moves and you'll better from the back in no time.

As a personal trainer and boot camp instructor, I know how hard it can be to drop stubborn body fat. To get FREE powerful, life-changing strategies, videos and finally stop the weight-loss battle, visit my website at http://fastfatlossworkouts.com

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally - Exercise Your Way to Lower Cholesterol

A change in diet may help in lowering cholesterol levels but benefits are rarely maximized without the help of exercise. Exercise is extremely important in reducing the risks of heart disease.

Walking is a very effective form of exercise for lowering cholesterol. It is a low impact activity yet it is one of the best ways to promote cardiovascular health. Plus you can factor it in your daily life fairly easily - you can walk to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator and so on. As with any form of exercise, it is important to use appropriate, high quality footwear. This reduces the risk of injury while making your exercise routine more effective by helping you move efficiently.

Yoga has also been proven to be helpful in reducing cholesterol. Studies show that doing yoga exercises regularly reduces stress levels which in turn lowers the amount of bad cholesterol in our body. As with walking, yoga is easy to do. There are no special equipment needed and you can practice it at home if you do not have time to go to the gym. There are many kinds of instructional videos that can help you start out.

Swimming is another low-impact yet effective workout. It exercises the whole body and contributes greatly to cardiovascular health. Because of buoyancy in water, there is also reduced risk of injury compared to other forms of exercise.

Bicycling is an enjoyable way to lowering cholesterol naturally. Biking for 30 minutes a day, three times a week is already a good workout.

There are a few safety tips to remember if you are thinking of factoring in more physical activities into your daily life.

• Start slow. If exercise wasn't a regular part of your life and you are only just beginning to get active, start with simple physical activities like mowing the lawn yourself. Once you do choose a kind of exercise that you would like to do, gradually ease into your workout routine - usually with warm up activity - before moving onto more vigorous moves. As your body becomes more conditioned you can keep on adding more activities, starting with light-intensity workouts like walking then eventually moving on to higher intensity workouts if you feel your body is ready for a change.
• Don't overdo it. Your body will usually "communicate" with you to let you know when it is time to take a break. If you are feeling any pain for longer than an hour, it is a good idea to cut back and only get back to your routine once your body is feeling better.
• Consistency and perseverance are key. Keep doing your exercises even when you don't feel like it. If you are not up to doing your regular exercise routine, do any type of activity that will get you moving. Even a little activity each day can go along way in lowering cholesterol levels.

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major causes of heart failure. Exercises for lowering cholesterol levels do not have to be high impact ones. Even the simplest physical activities promote cardiovascular health.

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Yoga Height Increase Exercise Scams - My Story

There are numerous websites offering Yoga height Increase exercise courses at several hundred dollars -They promise to add on several inches to your height in a matter of days with as little as 5 minutes a daily exercise. I have gone through a number of these products, as a 5'4 male my stature has always been the Achilles Heel of my self esteem. Many of these programs were not only ineffective but dangerous as well -These so called Yoga Height Increase Exercises consisted of various stretches that could cause muscle tear or at the very least, strain.

Following my disappointment with these products, I would request a refund from the sellers under their 100% refund guarantee policy. After several days of waiting and having received no reply from these scam artists, I would find that their web page had been taken down and there was no trace of them or their product left.

I read of similar experiences from people like me on related forums and yahoo answers and it became clear that there was a wide group of salesmen trying to scam the likes of us of several hundred dollars of our money. I wasn't going to let these negative experiences stop me however from finding a solution to my height problem. I began thoroughly researching every product I found online before proceeding with a purchase and I advise all my readers to do the same. You must do your homework before buying any of these grow taller products online if you are going to avoid being scammed like so many of us are.

After months of research I was able to find a seller who was open to answering questions and reservations I may have had regarding his product and was transparent during the entire exchange process-including helping me with the program even after the purchase had been made. The product consists of exercises, diets and other elements that are not only comprehensive and effective but were also compiled with safety in mind.

3 Months later, I am very satisfied with the results and the pleasant, smooth transaction, and I do wholeheartedly recommend Dr Darwin Smith', Grow Taller 4 Idiots program to anyone else out there suffering from low self esteem because of their height. I do strongly encourage everyone to follow through with their own research before buying any product online, because I learned the importance of that lesson the hard way -and you should not have to.

You can follow me on my new Blog at http://yogaheightincrease.blogspot.com/

Yoga For Beginners - Three Basic Yoga Standing Postures to Improve Your Concentration and Balance

Yoga standing postures are ideal poses to help you develop your concentration skills, balance and flexibility. Through them you learn how to connect with all parts of your body. They also develop strength, confidence and focus.

When you are new to yoga it can be quite challenging to stay still, focus and balance in a standing pose.

The following standing sequence is designed to help you develop the inner strength and focus needed to do standing balancing poses.

As with all forms of exercise, please exercise caution and respect for your body.

1. The Mountain Pose/Tadasana

The mountain pose forms the foundation of all standing poses. It teaches you to stand correctly and forms the starting point for the Sun Salutation and for all the standing poses. If you think of how strong and solid a mountain is, this image will stand you in good stead as you practice this pose

Coming Into The Pose:

a) Stand with your feet together. If it is comfortable for you, have the big toes, inner ankles and inner heels touching. Spread the weight evenly over the feet.

b) Tighten your kneecaps and pull up the thigh muscles and your lower abdomen.

c) Breathe and feel your spine lengthening, let your tailbone sink and lift in the front of the body. Feel your chest opening. Allow your arms to hang down the sides of the body with the palms facing the legs, fingers gently extending towards the floor.

d) Relax your shoulders, allow your shoulder- blades to slide down. Relax your face, lengthen the back of your neck and look straight ahead

e) Stay steady in this pose for 3 - 10 rounds of deep abdominal breathing.

2. Tree Pose/Vrksasana

This posture tones and stretches the leg muscles and teaches balance. It also encourages calm and inner balance.

a) Stand in tadasana/mountain pose and 'root' your left leg into the mat.

b) Gently lift your right leg and place the sole of your right foot high on the left inner thigh (or anywhere between the ankle and thigh, if that is more comfortable.)

c) Inhale and stretch your arms over your head with the palm facing one another. If this feels uncomfortable or unsteady, bend your elbows and press your palms softly together in prayer position.

d) Stay in this pose for 3 - 10 rounds of deep abdominal breathing.

e) Keep the tail bone tucked under and feel the sole of your standing foot connecting with the ground.

f) Come out of the pose and repeat on the opposite side.

3. Standing Forward Bend Pose/Uttanasana

This pose gives your spine an intense stretch. It develops suppleness in the legs, hips and spine. Because the head is down the increased flow of blood to the head soothes the brain. This is a lovely pose to release pressure and tension in the back, shoulders and neck muscles.

a) Stand in the mountain pose with your feet slightly apart, directly in line with your hips. Your arches are next to each other and the toes level. Keep the knees and legs straight.

b) Lift your arms over your head, fold your arms - and take each hand onto the opposite elbow. Inhale and draw up your knees, thighs, lower abdomen and spine.

c) Exhale and extend your truck forward from your hips. Fold forwards and extend your trunk down to the floor, keep the legs straight and extend the trunk and arms nearer to the floor.

d) Take 5 - 15 breaths, relaxing and releasing tension from the back, shoulders and neck each time you breathe out (if this posture strains your back, take the feet wider apart and turn the toes slightly inwards and rest the front of your ribs

Regularly practice these three yoga standing postures and with time, you will notice how much calmer, relaxed and balance you feel. When you feel like this, it is much easier for you to concentrate and focus and life flows with ease.

Ntathu Allen, Yoga and Meditation Teacher works with women who want a richer, more fulfilling life for themselves and their families. She teaches you easy yoga postures, meditation practices and relaxation techniques to help you live a healthier, wealthier and happier stress-free life. To find out more go to: http://www.yogainspires.co.uk and sign up for your copy of Ntathu's free monthly yoga Inspires enewsletter. The newsletter contains a goldmine of tips, techniques and strategies you can use to become healthier, wealthier and happier.

Email: ntathu@yogainspires.co.uk
http://www.yogainspires.co.uk

Yoga Postures For Eating Disorders

Yoga postures may help prevent and overcome the problem of eating disorders. There are different forms of eating disorders affecting over 10 million women and a million men and most of them are teens. The common and widespread eating disorders are represented by anorexia and bulimia.

The factors that are associated with these types of disorders have been recently recognized as only mental factors, which were earlier thought to be responsible for these conditions. Eating disorders are complex and chronic illnesses that are caused by social, biological, psychological, and behavioral items.

A calm and focused mind has an improved possibility of reducing the destructive effects of eating disorders. It is also proved that yoga will reduce depression and restore a state of balance and well-being.

Increase the Levels of Self Esteem by Using Yoga Postures

Various yoga postures will help to promote heightened levels of self-esteem and encourage a positive view of your body. However, this is a crucial factor in eating disorders and has been shown to radically increase recovery and healing.

Yoga establishes a strong relationship between the mind and the body, allowing these two elements to work mutually in order to decrease any negative effects.

Regular yoga practices increase the overall fitness of the body by providing a good chance of combating against illnesses such as anorexia, which affects the energy levels of the body, reduces the bone density, and creating negative effects.

The system of yoga categorizes eating disorders as illnesses related to the primary chakra and there are various poses such as crab, full wind, pigeon, locust, staff can be used to balance it. Using grounding postures such as goddess, standing squat, mountain and prayer squat can increase strengths and courage.

The yoga postures restore the strong mind-body connections and also conquer most physical problems. The depression can reduce by using back bending postures and forward bend postures generally reduce the anorexia effects and tranquil the spirit.

As the mental factor plays a significant role in eating disorders, yoga postures such as meditation helps to reduce destructive thoughts and feelings. An energetic, particularly targeted meditation and yoga postures will be very effective.

Less obvious outcomes can also be obtained with the usage of a general meditation technique. The yoga postures work better if the exterior elements are left aside and the meditation focuses on inner characteristics of you.

Paying a special attention towards breathing and inner feelings will provide a condition of calmness and increased awareness. This new condition allows you to further discover new concepts, which will facilitate you to accomplish the goals that were problematic in the past.

Being aware of the eating disorder problem and having a stable and powerful desire to overcome that problem is a great method of reducing the bulimia and anorexia effects. And an early implementation of yoga techniques can make the patient to get more awareness regarding the problem.

However, these yoga postures are typically used in the recovery stages of the problem. Most of the anorexics or bulimics go through a strong rejection stage, which intensifies their disorder condition all the more. Yoga postures works best in preventing the problem, when the negative effects are low and easier to eradicate.

Orit is a psychotherpist with over 22 years of counseling experience currently focusing on recovery from eating disorders. Orit has completed an M.A. degree in Counselling Psychology at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. She is a member in good standing with the Academy of Eating Disorders (AED) and the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP) as well as a Certified Clinical Member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists. (OACCPP). She was a student of psychodrama as well as other body-oriented therapies.

Visit our website: http://newrealitiescalifornia.com/

How Yoga Can Help Your Life

A lot of people want to live a healthier life. They want to be more flexible, be able to climb a flight of stairs without running out of breath and feel energetic all day long. The major problem is that usually people do not have hundreds of dollars to spend on a gym membership or the time it takes to dedicate their lives to working out on a daily basis. Either that or they feel uncomfortable working out in a gym environment. Being surrounded by muscular men and women can be an intimidating experience, to say the least.

The best way to alter your lifestyle is to find something you enjoy doing. It is far easier to work up the energy to do something if you are enjoying what it is you are doing. And that is really the bottom line.

For many people, Yoga is the answer to their prayers. If you have some extra money, you can join a class, but if you do not, you can always pick up a Yoga book at the nearest bookstore or library. Yoga can be done at home, too, which makes it a convenient pastime. A good Yoga mat and some Yoga blocks is pretty much all the equipment you need in order to get started, and they are relatively cheap to buy.

How Yoga Will Benefit You

Yoga will help build flexibility in your joints as well as build strength and endurance in your muscles. Stretching may not look particularly hard, but it is harder than it looks. Yoga will also teach you breathing techniques to help calm your frazzled nerves in times of stress. In today's economic environment, we need all the stress busting tips we can get.

Yoga also helps detoxify the body. Stretching muscles joints and massaging various organs will ensure that you get maximum blood flow to your organs and muscles, which in turn help your body flush out any toxins lingering in these areas.

If you are looking to work up a sweat, you can try Power Yoga, which is a form of Yoga that combines Yoga and aerobics in order to give you the best work out possible. However, if you are just starting out, it is probably a good idea to start out in a regular Yoga class, since Power Yoga is intense and can lead to injury if you are not careful.
Yoga is a safe and fun way to increase the amount of exercise you do. It will help you burn off excess fat, make you more flexible and ensure that your body has the necessary blood flow to flush out toxins.

Obviously, there are a lot of women who do Yoga, but it is also great for men to do it too. If you are a guy who loves to lift weights and build muscle, than Yoga is great, not only will it help your muscles develop, but also Yoga will prevent you from becoming stiff. What is the point of building all the muscles if you can't even straighten your arm out? With Yoga you can build the flexibility to compliment those muscles.

Steven is passionate about living a healthy life, and helping other people find ways to improve their own health. Hiking, running and sports are a normal part of Steven's life. Steven also enjoys finding new exercises to incorporate in his daily workouts. He has also completed the in home p90x fitness routine and the 10 minute trainer routine.

Yoga - Creating a Comfortable Practice

Yoga is becoming more and more popular here in the western hemisphere and rightfully so. When yoga is done correctly with centering, breath work, asana, and final relaxation otherwise known and Sivasana, we learn to relax and let go of stress as well as tone and stretch our muscles, loosen and make space in our joints, and create a more healthy body and mind. Through the physical practice of yoga, or asana, coupled with conscious breathing, we learn to be less reactive and more deliberate and aware of our actions. The more diligent the practitioner is about their practice the more they are able to bring the discipline and principles they learn on the yoga mat, into their daily lives.

Most first time practitioners are surprised at how difficult yoga can be when they begin the practice of yoga. First, we must learn to slow our thoughts down and be present in the moment. This in itself is a feat, which is why all yoga classes should start with a few minutes of centering before the physical part begins. Sit quietly with an erect spine or lie on the floor on your back and consciously release the thoughts and tensions of the day. Be sure your phone is turned off. Just allow yourself to be in the moment. Feel your weight touching the floor and consciously examine what it feels like to be in your body. Enjoy this.

As you become more aware of yourself relaxing, begin to notice your breathing. Feel the air fill your lungs. Notice as the rib cage expands and contracts with each inhalation and each exhalation. Consciously relax your shoulders, chest, arms, and upper back. See if you can slow your breathing and allow the breath to move down into the lower part of your torso as you breathe. Slowly and gently fill yourself with air. Feel the belly and the rest of your torso rise and fall with each breath. Be completely focused on what it feels like to breathe. If other thoughts float into your awareness, and they will, instead of trying not to think about them, just focus more on the breath. The more focused you are on the breath the less power other thoughts will have to distract you from your practice. Once you are relaxed, centered and focused, you are ready to begin the asana part of your practice. There are other breath techniques and exercises used in the practice of yoga. These are best learned in a class with an experienced teacher.

In asana, we find ourselves in all sorts of new shapes and physical configurations. Some of these shapes are difficult and may require using muscles in ways they have never been used before. As you become more familiar with the poses of yoga and the correct way to attain these shapes, asana will become easier for you. Remember to be aware of what the body is feeling in each pose. Remember to keep the breath moving in a comfortable, relaxed way through the body as you practice the poses. Remember to work at your own physical level. If you take the poses too deeply and are feeling pain, you are working too aggressively. When we work too aggressively we have the possibility of injuring the body by tearing tendons, ligaments, and muscles. This obviously is counterproductive since injury will only slow down ones progress and put them out of commission for the time it takes to heal. Pay attention to the breath as you move through the poses of yoga. If the breath becomes strained, choppy, or if you become breathless, you may be pushing the body into places it is not ready to go yet. If you are pushing your practice too hard, you will feel it in the body as well. If this happens, don't overreact, back out of the pose a few inches, take a breath, examine what you are feeling, realign the body, and see if you can move toward the pose again. Unless you are experiencing real pain, this technique will usually get you back on track. Of course, if you are in real pain, take yourself out of the pose completely and consult an experienced yoga teacher for advice. When yoga is practiced with respect to the body, the possibility of injury is minimized and the potential for progress is increased.

The Yoga experience is unique to each individual. If you are a seasoned yoga practitioner, you already know the benefits of having a personal yoga practice. If you are a beginner, I think it is best to start your yoga journey under the tutelage of an experienced yoga teacher. There are many wonderful yoga videos on the market but most of them do not give instruction on how to get into and out of the poses safely. An experience yoga teacher will also benefit his or her students with knowledge and advise that would otherwise not be available to them. Whether you are a veteran yoga practitioner or just starting your practice, counsel from an experience instructor is always valuable.

Here are some other ideas that may help you to minimize the distractions of the body and mind so that you may enjoy a deeper, more satisfying yoga practice.

- Wear comfortable clothes that will move with you, like bike shorts or close fitting sweats and a tank top or tee shirt and no shoes or socks. Clothing that is too loose with get in your way. Clothing that is too tight will be constricting. The asanas of yoga, or yoga postures, will bring your body into many different configurations. If your shirt is too low cut, you may fall out of it in forward folds. Remember to wear appropriate undergarments with shorts, especially if you prefer loose-fitting garments.

- Do not eat heavily at least 2 hours before the beginning of class. Practicing yoga on a full stomach may create an uncomfortable situation in the body. A light snack is ok.

- Proper hydration is important when doing any strenuous physical activity. Be sure to hydrate before and after class. Muscles stretch and work better when they are appropriately hydrated.

- Empty the bladder and bowel before class starts. If you need to relieve yourself during class, take a bathroom break whenever it is needed but be sure to leave the studio as quietly as possible.

- Arrive to class on time or a little early so that you have an opportunity to get centered and let go of the thoughts and tensions of the day. If you start your practice centered it is easier to stay there throughout the class.

- It is always best to have your own essentials for yoga like yoga mats, yoga blankets, straps, and blocks. Most yoga studios have equipment for loan but many people may have used the equipment before you. There may be bacteria and possibly rashes, viruses or other skin disorders present from those who have used the equipment before you. These maladies can transfer to you. Make the commitment and buy your own essentials.

- Do let your teacher know about any recent injuries or health issues that you have that may affect your yoga practice.

- Pushing yourself to extremes in an asana (yoga pose), is counterproductive. Yoga is a non-competitive activity. You will progress further, faster, and avoid the risk of injury if you take a respectful and loving attitude toward your body.

- Don't compare yourself to others. Being able to do a posture to its fullest depth is not what makes one a progressed yoga practitioner. Yoga is about breath, focus, and discipline. If you are breathing, focusing and working honestly and appropriately to your own capacity in the body, you are doing Yoga. The goal in yoga should be to become more fully yourself, not like somebody else.

Grace Vitale is the founder of Lights of Yoga, Ltd. and Truly Namast Natural Skin Care Products. She has been a yoga practitioner since 1986 and still teaches and gives yoga workshops in the Cleveland, Ohio area. She has also studied and worked with aroma therapeutic essential oils since the mid 1970's and has created a high quality line of skin care products. Her latest product was developed to help soothe burns caused by radiation treatment. To see the Truly Namast line of natural skin care products go to http://www.trulynamaste.com

Who Would Take an Online Yoga Instructors Course and Certification Program?

Experienced Yoga practitioners make up the largest number of graduates, who pursue Yoga instructor certification online. Some of these Yoga teacher interns have decades of experience. This is followed by Yoga instructors who have been teaching Yoga for years, but who do not have a Yoga instructor certification.

How is it possible for someone not to have certification, and still be a teacher, training his, or her, students in Yoga? Until recently, many traditional Yoga teachers did not have a formal certification, or diploma, to hang on the wall.

Independent study requires a lot of discipline to follow assignments through. A Hatha Yoga certification home study course is not something a novice would pick up and easily grasp. The many aspects of mantras, chakras, mudras, bandhas, doshas, Yamas, and Niyamas, without a foundation of Yoga practice, would be difficult for a beginner to understand without guidance.

Therefore, aspiring Yoga instructors, who choose an online Yoga instructors course and certification program, are, most often, self starters. Many people who take courses for Yoga certification online are working moms and dads.

On-site certification programs, which enable a person to start teaching Yoga, may require that person to be away from their family for weeks, months, or years. Some countries have very little Yoga instruction at all. Certification, through online Yoga teacher training courses, can also be a very attractive option for International students.

Recently, I was talking with a Yoga teacher, who explained to me that the nearest Yoga teaching certification, in Ontario, is more than four hours away. Her round trip would be more than eight hours of driving. This commute made a Yoga certification home study course her best option.

Some aspiring Yoga students have the goal of certification as an instructor of Yoga - but at what price? Keeping a family together and raising children responsibly are priorities in life.

Many companies will not understand, if an employee announced to management, that he or she was leaving for an extended period of time to pursue Yoga teacher training certification programs in San Francisco. Unless you already live in the Bay area, holding down a job, and participating in Yoga teacher training certification programs, in San Francisco, may not be an option.

There are many options for Yoga instructors training courses and certification programs, but the best Yoga certification program is the one that fits your lifestyle. Teaching Yoga is a rewarding past time, but sacrificing your marriage, family, and career, is not good for your well being.

Yoga teachers are like everyone else; they do not live a one dimensional life. You do not have to give up your identity in order to become a certified Yoga instructor.

Copyright 2006 Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Teaching Hatha Yoga - Contraindications For Inversions

What is an inverted posture, or an inversion, in a Hatha Yoga class? Technically, any posture (asana), in which the head is below the heart, is an inversion. Whether you stand on your head, bend forward, or bend back, if the head is below the heart, you are performing an inversion.

This also means that Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and Fish (Matsyasana) are also inversions - although both postures are mild in comparison to Head Stand (Sirsasana). If you bend back far enough in Camel (Ustrasana) -that is also an inversion.

This is not meant to beat a dead horse, but inversions are not for everyone. When you perform any Yoga technique, there should be a clear intention. If the risks outweigh the benefits, there is no logical reason why a teacher or student should practice a technique. The following contraindications are specifically related to inversions.

General Guidelines for all Inverted Postures

If you have any of the following conditions, please omit inversions or work with a competent teacher who will modify your practice. To identify a competent Yoga teacher is not difficult. Is the teacher really interested in his or her students? Is your safety a primary guideline in class? If not, please seek the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher, who cares for his or her students.

If you are a teacher, you should make it a point to know about the physical condition of each student. This means that new students, who show up late, disrupt your classes, take risks if they have any medical conditions, and will hold you liable if anything goes wrong.

The solution: Do not teach students who you have not talked to before class. A student's medical condition is information that you must know in order to teach Yoga safely. In the following cases, inversions should be omitted, adjusted, or modified, depending on the health condition of a student.

In the case of neck problems, eye problems, a previous stroke, high blood pressure, heart problems, sinus problems, and epilepsy, inverted asanas should be omitted, adjusted, or modified. If a student is pregnant, she should be practicing with a prenatal Yoga specialist.

In the case of menstruation, there is much controversy. About a contraindication for menstruation: At this point, there is no hard data or research that would warrant an official warning.

Therefore, it might be wise to let students know about the controversy. Students should be made aware and make a decision based upon their own thoughts and research. You could easily design an informative handout for students and encourage them to research all of these contraindications.

Lastly, never put a student at risk. If you have serious doubts about a student's ability to safely perform an inverted asana, because of a health issue, you should omit it or insist on a doctor's note.

Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html

How is Your Back Pain? Part 3

Learning what it feels like to relax your mind and your muscles will help you to recognize when you are becoming overly tight in other situations and will help you prevent injury; to notice when a muscle is too tight for good performance. This calms and unifies the body and mind to maintain energy balance, while it massages and exercises the joints and internal organs. As mentioned earlier, reiki is an ancient form of natural, energy-based healing involving the laying on of hands by the practitioner, which promotes a deep sense of relaxation and helps the client access their abilities to promote their own healing in body, mind and spirit.

Yoga has been a mode of exercise that has been in use for ages, and believes in the union of the spirit, body, and mind to create peace within the self, through the practicing of asanas and other meditative exercises. If therefore that yoga, by keeping your body healthy and in shape reduces the possibility of your getting back trouble, and prevents other ailments, then yoga is well worth the effort with the results gained. You will feel younger and stronger, helping you to lead a greater and more fulfilling life. Thus it can be said that practicing yoga is not only healthy for the body but for the mind as well.

Exercise

For acute back pain (sciatica) keep the body moving and encourage long exhalation that stretches the sciatic nerve by extension exercises. Of all the exercises available in the market place, one of the most popular choices of gentle exercises is yoga. This form of exercise also works to improve muscle strength and posture, as well as promoting overall alignment. However, those practicing yoga, hold the belief that by using these techniques and dealing with the back pain through exercises, you can help decrease the amount of time needed for recovery. There are various levels of difficulty, but the student should always be physically comfortable, while performing the exercise. As you exercise, you are stretching some muscles and loosening others.

You can learn to use your breath to support stretching and strengthening exercises. Your body begins to heal and rebalance itself with these targeted exercises combined with conscious breathing.

Neutral spinal curves can change for the better with exercise and training; and sometimes for the worse with injury, aging, poor posture habits or a disease. If yoga is properly taught and properly adapted for every individual, then clearly it's a blend of relaxation and physical exercise that can improve pulmonary function, muscular endurance, and strength.

Glen Wood - The Yoga Teacher. Glen is a yoga expert who loves to teach you how to lose your neck, shoulder or back pain with yoga. He is dedicated to unlocking the Real Secrets of Back, Neck and Shoulder Pain.

To help you further with your back, neck and shoulder pain you need to sign up for your FREE "Yoga and You" report at http://www.YogaTeachingwithGlen.com

Namaste Yoga - What is It?

The name, Nameste yoga, is derived from a popular Indian salutation. Nameste is translated as "I bow to you" and is used most often when a person is greeting another person or when someone is departing.

This form of yoga is one of the most beneficial types of yoga. It is loosely based on Hatha Vinyasa, which is another specific type of yoga. Hatha Vinyasa uses breathing as a guide from which the body will follow. Yoga has been found to be a very effective exercise overall, but this particular type of yoga has been known as one of the most popular for all the health benefits it gives a person. Historically, the origin of Nameste yoga can be traced back to around three-thousand years ago.

One of the most popular Nameste yoga poses is struck when a person holds both hands in a praying motion around the level of the heart. Then the person, with their eyes shut and head bowed lifts their hands up to the middle of their forehead between the eyes. This motion is repeated most often at the end of a session while a person is practicing their breathing techniques. This pose is thought to give a person a chance to disconnect from their body and feel their connection to the outside world. It should be noted that this same pose is also used to say hello or goodbye.

The specific practice of Nameste yoga is most often utilized in within other popular yoga practices. In a yoga class, for instance, the goers might greet one another respectfully in the pose and then move on to another pose as a derivative of their greeting. The group might go through the entire class and then at the end, again find themselves in the Nameste pose to respectfully say goodbye to each other.

If a person needs to find alternative ways to relax after a long day, yoga would be the activity to take on. The principles of yoga are a certain way of life, not simply an exercise class that you attend and then forget when you walk out the doors. This practice asks you to be aware of your existence in a way that allows all worries to slip away. Overall, anyone to dedicates themselves will feel the wide reach of benefits from yoga practices. People who have practiced yoga consistently have noticed an increase in flexibility, reduced signs of stress, lowered blood pressure, lower cholesterol and reduced signs of aging as well as a changed view of life. Truly, yoga can be a much needed retreat from the busy, non-stop lives we lead. If this is something that has peaked your curiosity, go give a try.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about namaste yoga, please visit New Age Ideas for current articles and discussions.

How to Lose Weight Yoga Style - The Easy Way!

When most people picture yoga, they envision half-naked fakirs doing fantastical backbends or sitting in the "lotus" pose and chanting the "Om" mantra over and over. While yoga can include backbends and lotus poses, lose weight yoga is not solely about getting tied up in knots while chanting "Om".

Yoga exercises range from amazingly simple to exceedingly complex; each of them helping you to become physically flexible while staying mentally focused. It is this mind/body connection that helps you lose weight; yoga style.

Lose Weight Yoga Style - The Mind/Body Connection

One of the best things about practicing yoga is that it puts you in touch with your body. When you do yoga, you discipline yourself and you find that you actually like it. The time you spend doing yoga and meditating sets a belief in your subconscious mind that you are capable of taking care of yourself.

People who do not practice yoga and are not in touch with their inner selves will often find themselves straying towards the refrigerator even when they are not really hungry. Yoga practitioners on the other hand, are more disciplined; they can recognize genuine hunger pangs and will only give in to the urge to eat when really hungry.

Lose Weight Yoga Style - The Muscle Factor

Some yoga poses including the plank pose helps build muscle all over your body. In fact, if you only want a way to tone your arms, shoulders, chest and abs, the plank pose itself will do that for you. The good news about building muscle is that muscle burns fat. You burn an additional 50 calories a day for every pound of muscle you put on.

If you haven't yet found an exercise program that you like, try yoga. You really can lose weight yoga style!

Vanessa Raven is a well-known weight loss consultant and the author of the popular FREE report:

"36 Potent Fat Burning Foods To Lose 10 Pounds In No Time Flat!"

Download your complimentary copy now at http://www.YouCanLose10Pounds.com and receive a FREE subscription to the "You Can Lose 10 Pounds" email newsletter!

Kundalini Yoga for Beginners

Kundalini Yoga has been called the most powerful type of yoga, and the mother of all yoga styles. This type of yoga seeks to awaken a powerful point located at the base of the spine, called the Muladhara Chakra. Kundalini derives from a Sanskrit word: "kunda", which means "pot". It utilizes Kundalini Sadhna, the energy coiled like a serpent three and a half times around the base of the spine. Each of the three coils of Kundalini Yoga has a name. They are known as the three Gunas: Sattva, Tamas, and Rajas. The half coil is the Vikritis.

The region of the body referred to as the Kundalini region is located in different areas in men and women. In males, the Kundalini is located in the perineum, between the anus and testicles. In women, it's located between the vagina and clitoris.

Kundalini yoga is a symbol of power and equality for both sexes, although each energy is said to be different. Masculine power is called Siva, while feminine power is referred to as Sakti. These powers form the elemental source of all energy when united. Although the Kundalini region is located near the genitals, this is not where that union occurs. Instead, it happens in the brain, and is said to be the source of affection and other feelings, love, and energy. Kundalini Yoga is thought to help eliminate negative feelings like jealousy, anger, depression and sorrow.

Kundalini Yoga is said to reward people who maintain their awareness, helping them to undergo a spiritual transformation. When this energy is awakened, it's believed to produce a hissing sound, much like a serpent, as it moves from the Muladhara Chakra, to the Brahma Nadi, and then to the Sahasrara Chakra. Kundalini Yoga was introduced by Yogi Bhajan, in 1969, and includes mantras, meditation, breathing exercises, and classic yoga asanas. It's important to remember that Kundalini Yoga, despite its name, doesn't focus solely on the Kundalini poses. It also includes a heavy emphasis on breath and chant.

Kundalini Yoga's primary target is the nervous system, via the spinal cord. The theory is that the nervous system provides the primary controls for our bodies. This makes it responsible for our imaginations, intelligence, memories and thoughts. It's made up of our brain and the nerves, the most important of which is the spinal cord. Because this cord is composed of delicate tissues, it's important to have the correct care for it. Kundalini Yoga attempts to give the spinal cord this kind of care.

While it's possible to learn about the awakening of Kundalini energy through books and other information, having a good teacher is much more effective. Mastering Kundalini awakening should come from experience. After a series of trials, this awakening will take place. Just be careful not to be overly focused on getting this result, since that can hinder the actual awakening. Focusing your concentration is the best way to experience the health and spiritual benefits of Kundalini Yoga. Find a teacher and learn this fascinating technique as soon as you can.

Want to learn more about how yoga can change your life? Check out Sarah Russell's new book - The Beginner's Guide to Yoga and Meditation - at:

http://www.Mind-Body-Connection.com

Yoga For Our Children - And Our Future

Does it seem to anyone else like so many things in are world are going wrong at the same time? The economy is declining, gas prices are astronomical (At times, over $5.00 a gallon where I live), the war in the Middle East, global warming... And the list goes on. It can be pretty depressing at times.

Yet, when I go to the park with my kids, there are still people laughing, playing and having a good time. Watching the pure joy in children as they slide down a slide or try to swing so high on the swing that they go over the top (Did you ever try to do that when you were a kid?) reminds me that there is still beauty and hope in our world. Children are indeed so much of our future. And the best part is, we have the chance to shape who they become. Whether you have kids or not, we all have the potential to influence them. Is there a teacher you remember from school who changed your life? Or maybe some adult who taught you something you never forgot? We all have had those special people in our lives.

What if the next generation of national leaders had a deep personal sense of inner peace and connectedness with others? What if yoga and meditation was a regular part of their lives? How might this change our world? We all impact others in our own way. You have the opportunity to share yoga with kids (part of your dharma, perhaps). I'd like to introduce you to some ways to bring yoga to kids in your community as a means of not only making some extra money, but also of changing our world.

Kids yoga programs are very popular in many communities (as well as being profitable). There are a couple of different structures that work well for these programs. In a minute, we'll talk about after-school programs, but let's start with camps. Since there's still a month left before many kids return to school, you may consider a summer camp program (It's not too late - Most parents wait until the week before a camp to register their kids). How it works is you offer a 2 to 4 hour per day kids yoga camp for a week. Each day, the kids do some yoga, holistically-oriented activities and learn some (Don't worry, you're not trying to get kids to do yoga for 4 hours!) A typical camp day will include two 20-30 minute yoga sessions, a craft activity, a relaxation walk, some yoga-type games, chanting, meditation (very brief), humming/singing, breathing practices, journaling, drawing and whatever else you can think of. The activities will vary depending on the age range (usually age groups of 6-11 and 12-15 work well). The goals are to get kids to connect with themselves, AND to have fun doing it (It's not at all to get any pose perfect). The idea is that if kids enjoy what they are doing, they will continue it later in life when they can go deeper and refine their practice. For now, our goal is fun. The next important thing is to understand why parents send their kids to things like yoga.

Parents send their kids to yoga so their kids will have an enriching activity, AND so the parents can have some time off. Remember, the parent is your customer even though their kids are the ones in class. ALWAYS aim to understand and serve your customer's needs. Emphasize that it gives parents a few hours off with the knowledge their kids are receiving a personally and spiritually wholesome experience. Cost should average about $10/hr. (i.e. A 4-hr. per day camp would cost $200 for the week). Feel free to add a materials fee, if needed. Another variation is to offer 3-day and 4-day options (the cost per day increases if a kid is enrolled for fewer days). If you have the Yoga Studio Owner's Success Program, session 7 give more details about how to set up pricing so it's sure to be profitable (see link below for more info).

But what about after the summer? Once school begins, the same activities and structure can be used for after-school kids yoga programs. The schedule generally changes from being one intensive week to being a couple of days each week after school (i.e. Tue. and Thu. 3:00-5:00). One key is that these are yoga programs. This means that parents have to sign kids up for a month at a time (or three month's at a time). You can even put them on auto-renew, if you like. Be sure you know what the local school schedules are before scheduling after-school classes. Of course, schedule these during times that you have an unused studio (or in place of unpopular adult classes).

You can get even more kids into after-school yoga if you have the space for babysitting for younger kids (A room with toys and hiring someone to watch them). Again, this gives parents the chance to drop off all their kids and get some of that coveted free time.

Use your imagination to expand on these ideas in whatever way works for your studio. Don't be afraid to try new things. But do some calculations first and figure out how many kids you need enrolled to make it profitable. If it doesn't reach this level, you simply cancel the class. Many studios have found kids programs to be very popular and profitable. In addition, it can be a draw for adults too (they come to classes because their kids are there). Whatever direction you choose, be sure to decide on your next action step right now. A small step is better than no step at all.

Please email me and tell me if you're doing a kids program. What works well in your program? I look forward to hearing from you soon. My very best to you until next month.

Namast,

Coach Al Lipper

P.S. Please let me know what other studio business topics would you like to learn more about in the future? Most of my articles come from reader and client questions. You may email me at: coach@CenteredBusiness.com

About Coach Al:

Al Lipper is a master business coach, business teacher and writer. For free resources on running a yoga studio as a successful and fun business, visit www.CenteredBusiness.com

Coach Al Lipper

Business Coach for Yoga Studios
Destiny: Success
Website: http://www.CenteredBusiness.com
Email: fcoach@centeredbusiness.com
Telephone: (805) 544-3938

Coach Al Lipper of 'Destiny: Success' helps Yoga studio business owners smoothly run and expand their yoga studio business. He helps stressed and overwhelmed yoga studio business owners who spend most their time wrapped up in daily business tasks, who can't handle any more clients, or who can't make any more money out of the yoga studio.

Coach Al helps clients find new yoga business strategies which result in generating more clients, increased profits, and more free time for the business owner. The amount invested was small compared to the results. Contact him today to discuss your yoga studio challenges at (805) 544-3938 or visit CenteredBusiness.com.

The Secret About Yoga

Power Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Basic Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga: No, it's not the little green dude from STAR WARS. And no, as some tend to be easily confused, it doesn't come in flavors. So what, in essence, is Yoga? I'm glad you're thinking along those lines... let's take a little journey to India.

Etymology of the Word Yoga

Derived from the ancient tongue of Sanskrit, yuj, the root of the modern and contemporary term of yoga, carries with it many different meanings. Yuj itself would be considered a verb in many Latin-based languages, meaning "to control," "to concentrate on" or "to yoke." It has been concluded that other meanings represent the action of a uniting or joining, as well as conceptual definitions of a "mode, manner or means."

History of Yoga

When considering the root of the word yoga, it is easier to grasp its original intention. Originating in India, Yoga is in actuality not just something, but some things. The ancient practices that are still utilized today are believed to offer great insight and spiritual enlightenment as to the very nature of existence, through a process of deep meditation. It has many ties to personal beliefs as well as popular world religions.

The dates of such a practice have been traced as far back as 3000 BC, where archaeologists have found multiple seals of the Indus Valley Civilization depicting individuals and god-like beings in meditative postures. As early as 900 BC, ascetic practices were recorded in the Brahmanas, part of the Vedas.

As time passed, evidence of practices in the Hindu religion became more prominent. This was especially true, as this concept of what is now considered "yoga" continued to grow and change as is evidenced in the middle Upanishads c. 400BC. Further "defined" by the Bhagavad Gita (c. 200BC), which translates to "The Song of the Lord" and which offers the first glimpse of a "codified" yoga, the book included many meanings to the modern term, yet focused on on three: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

Different Types of Yoga

As the practice of yoga grew throughout India, it would become integral to everything from Hindu and Buddhist religious practices, the reaching of Moksha or to simply offer better overall health and physical performance through the practice of posturing. Presently, an individual looking to participate in the practice of yoga can find several different types, all of which are all generally based on a series of Asana, or "sitting postures."

Yoga practices such as Hatha Yoga (Ha meaning sun and Tha meaning moon -- and if found in certain Sanskrit dictionaries, Hatha = Forceful), is what the Western world has widely accepted as "yoga," and is practiced for physical and mental health throughout that part of the globe. Hatha takes on new meaning for those looking for religious and mental enlightenment through the practice of yoga, as it was developed as, for lack of better terms, a stepping stone to Raja/Astanga Yoga.

Power Yoga and Bikram Yoga

Several yoga practices have become popular in the western world, an include both power yoga and Bikram yoga. Power Yoga, depending on the instructor, is simply a method in which the postures are repeated, and/or held longer, in order to create a strength training program out of a yoga class or private study.

Bikram Yoga is also known as Hot Yoga, and was developed by Bikram Choudhury. It is generally practiced in a room that is heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with a relatively low humidity. The class is then led through a series of 26 postures. Due to the heat, the elasticity of the muscles are released to their full potential (based on each individual's personal potential), as the class continues. Such a class is great for muscle and mental endurance training, as well as for working on flexibility.

Goals and Point of a Yoga Practice

From enlightenment to tighter buns, yoga goals are as unique as the individual. Several people have strayed from practicing yoga because it has been derived from spiritual practices. Of course that's not a bad thing, but apparently some people are worried that they'll melt if they tune into something deeper than their biceps and triceps.

Truth be told, if you want faster results in a weight training program, or in a weight loss program, consider getting into a few yoga classes each week. Everyone from "Suzie Homemaker" in the Midwest to elite dancers in NYC, will experience that the more "types" of exercise you throw at the human body, the faster and more positive the muscles respond. This has to do with a little something known as Muscle Confusion.

Yoga Equipment

You don't need to take out a second mortgage to snag some great yoga equipment, and it all starts with a mat. Cheap enough and worth every penny! Guys new to the practice of yoga might catch themselves thinking, "I'll just tough it out on the hardwood...." Nope. It'll cost you less than 15 bucks, and save your knees and elbows from a terrible fate.

Going one step further, if you're the type of person who sweats a lot during physical exertion, consider a simple yoga mat blanket. Not only are blankets nice for absorbing sweat, water from a bottle, lotion from your hands, etc., they are a must if you're considering a Bikram class. As fun as "Slip 'n' Slides" are, that's the last thing you want your yoga mat to become during class.

Yoga Straps and Yoga Blocks are also very helpful for maintaining poses for longer durations while avoiding muscle strain in the process, and can be of great help to newcomers and the experienced alike.

List of Basic Yoga Poses

Uttanasana - Standing Forward Bend or Bend

Paschimottanasana - Intense stretch of the west

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog

Bhujangasana - Cobra

Dhanurasana - Bow

Halasana - Plow

Vajrasana - Diamond Pose

Shavasana - Corpse Pose

Trikonasana - Triangle Pose

Virabhadrasana I - Warrior I Pose

Virabhadrasana II - Warrior II Pose

Tadasana - Mountain Pose

Balasana - Child's Pose

Virasana

List of Advanced Yoga Poses

Bakasana - Crow/Crane Pose

Garudasana - Eagle Pose

Tittibhasana - Firefly Pose

Shirsasana - Head Stand

Pada Galavasana - Flying Crow Pose

Natarajasana - King Dancer Pose.

Matty Byloos writes and manages the Green Blog known as: Easy Ways to Go Green, as well as the Organic Food Blog: Organic Eating Daily