Let's Assess Doing Yoga Without Clothing Shall We?

If one looks at the other articles I may have written on this site, you will see that I recently wrote about chair yoga. Well, another form of this ancient exercise is one that apparently is gaining a lot of popularity, it’s known as Nude Yoga.

Not that I’m much of a guru to pass judgment, but if I were to be asked what I thought about doing yoga poses without clothing I would say, I think the concept is...okay, especially if privacy is involved.

Heck, on some hot summer afternoons, I’ve done some poses naked…in my room.

Moreover, the word gymnasium is from latin which means to 'exercise nude' and yes without the constriction of clothes, you could derive a lot of benefits from executing some yoga poses without clothing, but folks, really...moderation is still of an essence.

Now, I did look at some sites on the subject of naked yoga and doing yoga poses without clothing and its objective is to enable you to feel free in your body and to do the poses and exercises without restrictions brought about by Yoga clothes.

Needless to say, this poses a new challenge for Yogis, since the concept of practicing Yoga while being naked is hard to grasp for most people,

Let’s face it, not unless one is used to it, doing yoga poses without clothing in a class can be really distracting. Worse thing is the fact that the discomfort may hinder you from getting or feeling the essence of Yoga practice.

Still, those parties who advocate doing yoga positions naked, state that the important thing about Nude Yoga is its principle. It is doing Yoga poses and exercises with freedom from restrictions of clothing. Understanding and accepting this concept can greatly help people in joining a Nude Yoga class without the feeling of discomfort or self-consciousness.

Suffice it to say that one must really be willing to open one’s mind to the possibilities eh?

In Friendship.

Aje

By: Foras Aje

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Foras Aje is an independent researcher and co-founder of BodyHealthSoul LLC. Stop by His Yoga for Beginners Blog today for more information on yoga positions nude.

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Destination Yoga! New Trend In Yoga Fitness

Yoga has rapidly become the most popular self-development practice in the world. Just Google it on the Internet and you’ll find over 72 million hits! The latest trend in yoga is destination yoga. You’ve heard of destination weddings, well, now many devote yoga enthusiasts are seeking out yoga holiday spots or retreats. I found one such retreat nestled in the rolling hills of Umbria, Italy. Billed as the ultimate in luxury yoga retreats, La Preghiera Country House Estates offers an exclusive group of yoga enthusiasts the opportunity to experience yoga in the heartland of Italy, with time off for exploring the nearby medieval villages.

La Preghiera is located in the heart of the Umbrian countryside about 40 minutes from Perugia, the medieval center of Umbria and 2.5 hours north of Rome. Low cost flights from London Stansted via RyanAir fly into Perugia on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. La Preghiera ( “The Prayer” in English), originally a 12th Century monastery, has been restored to an elegant country house estate - bed and breakfast accommodation with impeccable rooms and service. Normally booked solid, La Preghiera is opening up one of its highly sought after yoga retreat (September 2nd - September 9th) to new guests who wish to experience yoga in the tranquility of the Umbrian countryside. The retreat includes 7 nights private luxury accommodation, copious breakfast buffet, light lunch on 6 days, 3-course dinner on 3 evenings at La Preghiera, and private minibus transfers on 4 evenings to a local medieval village or town. Participants can even rent the property’s Jaguar to explore the area or can choose just to relax at poolside. The 12 yoga classes (90 minutes morning classes and 60 minutes evening classes) include: Asanas (Physical Movements), Pranayama (Breathing Practices), Chakra Balancing, Meditation and Relaxation. Beauty treatments, such as a body massage, head and shoulders massage, body scrub, facial scrub, manicure or pedicure, are available at an additional cost. Private airport transfers to the property can be arranged as well.

Jan Foglia, who has international qualifications from the Sivananda Yoga Vedenta Centre and the British Wheel of Yoga, supervises and instructs. Jan started her career over 30 years ago with Iyengar yoga and later gained her qualification in Sivananda Hatha yoga. She also practices Ashtanga and Dynamic yoga forms and has a well-rounded knowledge in meditation, chakra balancing and pranayama (breathing techniques).

So what’s the hoopla all about? Dating back over 5000 years, yoga is the oldest defined practice of physical wellbeing and self- development. It is also therapeutic for many injuries and medical conditions. Yoga has proved to be helpful in reducing stress, reducing pain, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, reducing anxiety and muscle tension, increasing strength and flexibility, slowing the aging process, improving sleep, and helpful in dealing with allergies and asthma symptoms. It’s an excellent alternative form of healing that is very suited to the needs of thyroid patients, individuals suffering from bi-polar disorder, depression, chronic fatigue and osteoporosis. It improves the immune system and circulation. The art and science of yoga, is like a meditation itself, the more you practice it, the more you feel its enlightening and transforming effects. Virtually everyone can see physical benefits from yoga, and its practice can also give psychological benefits, such as a sense of wellbeing, and spiritual benefits, such as a feeling of connectedness with God or Spirit, or a feeling of transcendence.

Does a more peaceful atmosphere make a difference in your workout? I doubt it but it can't hurt. Here’s your chance to try it out and attend one of the most exclusive yoga retreats in Italy.

By: Sara Lucci

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Sara Lucci lives in Umbria with her husband and two teenage sons. She searches for the best Umbria has to offer. To find out more about La Preghiera, visit www.lapreghiera.com Email: info@lapreghiera.com

 

Awakening The Female Serpent....uplifting Divine Powers

The 6 Chakras are also called the 6-fold wealth. In spiritual science it is called Sham (mental control), Dama (sense organ control), Uparati (dispassion), Titiksha (forbearance), Shradha (faith), Samadhan (concentration). Sham means serenity. It means destruction of agitation, tension, anguish and anger. Dama means mastery of the sense organs and stopping them from straying towards their respective objects. Uparati means fighting against vileness, wickedness etc of the mind.

Titiksha means calmly enduring all obstacles that come in the way of attaining higher goals of life. Shradha means deep faith in all sacred activities. Samadhan means overcoming greed, delusion and arrogance. In reality awakening the 6 Chakras automatically results in purification of one’s character, actions and qualities.

By warding off the separating nature of the gigantic cosmos and one’s individual body via activation of the 6 Chakras and Kundalini, it has to be correlated and by overcoming its unconscious nature, there is a method of activating it in totality. Those 8 Sidhis (divine powers) mentioned by Adi Shankaracharya in his poem “Soundarya Lahiri”are attained by activating the 6 Chakras, Sahasrar and the inner soul. These Sidhis are 1) Janma Sidhi (seeing a glimpse of past births) 2) Shabda Jnana Sidhi (knowing the hidden meaning behind words heard by the gross ears) 3) Shastra Sidhi (true knowledge of scriptures) 4) Sahan Sakti (the power to endure hardships and obstacles in life) 5) Tapah Shakti (enduring worldly heat and calamities) 6) Shaap Shakti (the power to curse others or give a boon). 7) Vidya Shakti (knowing the thoughts of the minds of others) 8) Vijnan Shakti (the power to know the secrets and mysteries of the cosmos).

In reality Lord Sankaracharya in his eulogy of the Kundalini has very emotionally said:
Whatever I am today is because of your grace on an illiterate person like myself.

Kundalini Shakti has been described even by other religious leaders. Amongst them the Sufi school of thought is very close to Indian philosophy. Darashikoh (elder son of Shah Jehan) despite being a Sufi was also a scholar of Upanishads. He had also studied Yoga and Tantra texts and has given a commentary in the Persian language. He has commented on the Kundalini Shakti in his book “Risala-Ai-Hukmanama” and describes 3 centers as Dil-E-Muddavar, Dil-E-Sarovari, Dil-E-Nilophari. These correspond to the Brahmagranthi, Vishnugranthi and Rudragranthi. They are also called Sahasrar, Anahat and Mooladhar Chakras. Sheikh Mohamed Iqbal in his book “The Development of Metaphysics in Persia” writes how Hindu philosophy is food for deep thought for followers of other religious sects. A scholar called Al Brooni had translated Yoga Sutras and Sankhya Sutras in Arabic language in the 11th century.

According to Tibetan texts the chief energy centers of the human body lie in the head, throat, heart, solar plexus and center of the genital organs. Even in Greek philosophy 6 energy centers have been elucidated. Great anatomists have correlated the secret energy centers, described in Yogic texts as Chakras and Kamals, to the electrical flow, endocrine glands and other autonomic ganglia. That spot and shape named “Cusos”in Japan can be correlated to glands and Chakras. The famous psychologist Benjamin Walker in his book “Encyclopedia of Esosteric Man” says that the endocrine glands with their hormones and energy of the 6 Chakras play a major role in rise/fall, qualities, actions, nature and personality of mankind.

Kundalini is the vital force fire which when ignited like a latent spark in the pyre of vital force (i.e. the genitals), pierces the 6 worlds and reaches the 7th world of Brahmaloka. There its form becomes that of Fire of Brahman. The vital force fire radiates the special qualities of the body and mind. The demigods and Rishis drink this very Soma Juice. The Brahmarshis by sacrificing the soul in God establish the important Advaita State (non-duality) wherein the individual soul merges in God and thus becomes God. This description of Spiritual Yajna has been detailed elaborately but also with a little control and it is also called Soul Yajna.

The vital force fire attracts and pulls towards itself the material potentials of the bodily power in the form of divine glories (Vibhutis) in the innermost core of the soul. It gives one a chance to drink the nectar like Soma Juice and thus transform lowliness into greatness.

Kundalini is Shakti (Parvati) and Sahasrar is Shiva. Due to the union of Shiva-Shakti, 2 boons are obtained. And they are Ganesha the Lord of a wise intellect and Kartikeya the Lord of all energies. The spiritual aspirant sees his body overflowing with Vaishwanar Mahamaya and in the Brahmarandhra one can visibly notice divine consciousness manifesting just like the manifestation of the river Ganges. All this is equivalent to Soma Juice for earth denizens and for heavenly denizens it is nectar. In Spiritual Science both Soma and nectar are 2 entities of one stature.

Where the human brain is said to be situated on the Sahasrar there a sort of pulpy material is seen in the bones of the skull. But its true greatness is very widespread. One major part of it is called “Silent or Dark Area” which constitutes 87% to 93%of the head region. The Silent Area (i.e. right parietal cortex, corpus callojum and limbic system etc.) takes up much more space than both the conscious and unconscious parts of the brain put together. The centers of divine powers are within these areas. Psychological sciences can only research into the conscious and unconscious mind. This superconscious mind is totally beyond their ken and reach.

Kundalini Yoga is very much a part of Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is closer to Tantra Science. Its cause is many practices like Mohan, Ucchatan, Vashikaran etc with which one can attack someone and cause his downfall.

When Robert Fabian a Secret Agent of Scotland Yard was in Africa he saw so many Tantrik acts being executed which led to the death of many people. He has delved deep into these incidences in a book written by him.

Hence only a serene aspect of these practices is seen in direct cures. The rest is kept a top secret because if it gets into the hands of a vile charactered person, it can only result in disaster. That bomb which aids in shattering huge mountains so as to create roadways can also be misused to shatter schools, hospitals etc. so as to cause the downfall of others. The reason why certain spiritual practices are kept a secret is that it should not lead to someone’s downfall. There is a story of the churning of the ocean in Indian Mythology (Puranas) wherein the demigods and demons together churned the ocean so as to obtain 14 jewels.

A dross pit has been spoken of in the cave of the vagina of Kundalini. This is Kurma (tortoise). The churning rod which was called the mount Mandarachal is in reality the Merudand. The serpent was used as a rope to churn the ocean. That is the Ida and Pingala of 3 ½ snake-like coils. Due to churning and rotation a lot of energy manifested. In sexual play too there is a lot of churning and in Kundalini Yoga there is churning of the vital force (Pranas). >From them, both nectar as well as poison manifest. If on misusing these secret sciences (like in Vamachar Tantrik practices) one destroys another person this means that poison has manifested and if it is aptly utilized for cosmic welfare, it definitely is nectar. Pious folks make apt use of it and vile men misuse it. Hence there is a policy of hiding it/covering it like one hides one’s genital organs.

The sleeping serpentess first attacks that very person who tries to wake her up so as to harass that person. Misuse and causing harassment is like inciting the serpentess. In order to show off miracles and cause others’ downfall many foolish men misuse it. The sexual passion also augments and can become lewd in that onrush.

In Henry Oslo’s book called “Notes on Spiritual Physiology” it is written that the sexual passion in men and women commences from the sacrocarxial region of the lower half of the Merudand. The laxness and onrush in this area depends on sexual passion. When this area gets distorted anyone can become full of lust with sex or become a eunuch. Hence Yogic texts ordain that this region should be made powerful via Yogic exercises like Mooladhar Bandh, Shakti Chalini Mudra, Vajrasan and Padmasan. Through these methods of Kundalini awakening the flow has to be raised upwards. If this is not adhered to, the flow falls down and thus the spiritual aspirant at a very young age feels the weakness of aged people.

The word Kundalini means “to sit in an enclosure”. The female serpent makes an enclosure and sits in it yet its hood is higher up. This is its front part. She commences running from here on and after waking up, goes to the Sahasrar Kamal of the Brahmarandhra. Then she goes to the grey matter and ultimately sticks to the reticular activating system. This spiritual practice is described in Shiva temples via various pictures and images. Kundalini is that in which one finds water. Shiva’s form is like that of the Kailash Mountain and round like a crystal Shivling. t is set up in the middle of a water pot.

The living being too sits down by enclosing Kundalini. One fails to gauge as to how many things it has control over. But the reality is this that it cannot even subdue its own body. He only shoulders the burden of sins and pious deeds along with its atonements.

One of the conclusions of Kundalini awakening is not to make the periphery of “I-ness” very short. He should not continue sleeping. He should awaken himself and carry out such pious deeds wherein other people bound by the walls of selfishness too awaken. They should induce others to walk on that path wherein the awakened Kundalini goes to the Sahasrar so as to unite with Lord Shiva dwelling there. Thus the spiritual practices of a spiritual aspirant can touch the highest peaks of spirituality. Ultimately the age-old dream of great leaders and thinkers of the world viz. “A beautiful borderless world” can definitely be realized.

By: Yuga Rishi

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AUTHOR: Shriram Sharma Acharya, founder of the International Gayatri Family, was a great Yogi, seer and incarnation of God who wrote volumes of scientific literature mainly on spiritual subjects for world welfare and peace. For more scientific e-books visit: www.shriramsharma.com/ (GOOGLE PR 4) KEYWORDS: Kundalini Yoga Gayatri e-books biography Guru world peace mind psyche god nerve subtle consciousness soul divine trance endocrine glands ESP Chakras plexus meditation concentration intellect prophecy thought thinking Cheiro Nostradamus Aurobindo bliss brain Vedas solar sun energy sacred pure sense organs Prana Avatar Upanishad light cell hypothalamus pituitary transformation futurist prediction serpent power life human ethics integrity character vagus Tantra Mooladhar atom neutron proton DESCRIPTION: Free e-books on Future Scientific Religion, Gayatri Science & Kundalini Yoga correlated to Neurosciences-ESP, Endocrinology, Anatomy, Psychology & Sociology for world peace.

 

Take Yoga Asanas Step By Step

Yoga is gaining popularity globally. If you are the one who is keen to take up yoga exercises you are going the right way. Yoga has been found helpful not only in keeping you in good shape but also in preventing various complications. It's not only you but thousand others who take refuge in yoga every day in America to attain physical as well as mental rejuvenation.

In order to practice yoga you may enroll yourself in Yoga classes being run in your locality. A beginner is first taught basics of yoga including basic postures and mudras. If you are willing to learn yoga by yourself, you better go for beginner's yoga videos. You can practice yoga while watching these videos. But while learning yoga on your own you must not take plunge into complex yoga practices at first. As your exercise tolerance increases gradually so you should first take up simpler forms of asana and other yoga exercises.

First thing that you probably learn as a beginner is yoga's way of saluting sun and moon. Then you are made to do relaxation exercises. In earlier phase of yoga lessons you are also imparted various breathing techniques.

Gradually in beginner's classes you learn asana that could be performed easily. For example you are made to practice Savashana and Padmasana that are easier to follow. After first few classes you might be directed to do yoga postures of crouching and stooping.

Beginner's yoga movements are aimed at enhancing body flexibility. Once you get the required flexibility and tolerance, you can go for complex or difficult yogic practices.

In beginner's yoga sessions you also get to know basic body balance postures. There could be various other basic positions ranging from standing poses to various bending and sitting positions.

Once you are through with the first week of yoga classes, you are accorded with a little higher level of exercise that is taking different yoga turns and twists.

Meditation of various kinds, happen to be an integral part of beginners practices.

Beginner's yoga is basically meant to make folks accustomed with yoga. Once desired level of comfortability and familiarity is achieved you can go ahead with elevated genres of yoga. If you face a little discomfort in doing yoga, don't give up the practice. A little perseverance would make you comfortable with it and all benefits are yours.

Lastly all beginners are most welcome to the world of yoga. By taking up yoga you are helping yourselves with holistic health improvement.

By: Javier Fuller

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To get more information on yoga, yoga postures and yoga tips visit www.therealyoga.com/

 

How To Choose The Best Yoga Videos

Finding the best yoga videos is not as easy to walking down to your local video store and wandering over to the exercise aisle. Not all such videos on the market are ideal for effective home practice. In order to make sure you get the best yoga videos for your home, consider a few things you should really look for.

Easy To Understand

First of all, a quality yoga video will be easy for you to follow. You should be able to understand what is being done, how the positions are achieved, how long you should hold each one, and how often you should do it. It should also be easy to follow into each subsequent move. If you cannot understand the video, then it has failed on its most basic level.

Secondly, videos should provide not only easy to follow instructions, but also easy to understand demonstrations. You should be able to, by watching, understand the basics of achieving each pose and each transition. You should also understand, from watching, the breathing patterns and focus. If you can understand the verbal instructions, but the demonstrations are unclear then your video is no better than a book on yoga.

Next, there should be easy modifications offered in the best yoga videos. Yoga can be difficult, so beginners to it may frequently need modifications to their practice so that they can understand even that which they cannot complete. No matter what your ability level may be, you want your video to be able to apply to you. Once you buy a video, it should be of use to you at every stage as you progress further into yoga. Choose a video that will grow with you.

Teaching Qualilty

In a quality video, the yoga should be taught in a student centered manner. Though that seems like it should go without saying, you will see a number of yoga videos that are just a fancy way of showing off the instructor’s ability in yoga. Such videos do little if any good and in many cases may even be counterproductive for you. The idea of having the yoga video is to help your development, not to put you in awe of someone else’s level of flexibility or fitness.

Finally, high quality yoga videos should feature prominent and well qualified instructors. They should not only be practicing instructors, but should probably have achieved great success in their yoga education. You always want to learn from someone at as high a level as possible. By simply reading the back of the box, you will often get an overview of the teacher’s qualifications so that you can make an intelligent decision as to whether or not you want this person to help you practice yoga in your home.

Finding the best yoga videos really isn’t easy. However, when armed with the tools above, you can more accurately assess a video’s value. Look for something you understand visually and orally, that you can use at any level, and that features a successful teacher while staying student centered. When you find that you will have found the best of the best yoga videos for use at home and between private sessions or classes.

By: Rebecca Prescott

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Rebecca Prescott presents more information on the best power yoga videos, and a hatha yoga DVD guide here. Her yoga tips site presents articles on yoga poses, types of yoga, breathing, and more.

 

Beat Depression With Yoga

The kids are out of control, your job is a hassle and to top it all off, you have no time for yourself. If anyone told you that you could reach a state of physical and emotional bliss, you'd say they were nuts. But believe it or not, you can beat the blues with yoga!

Yoga is a great mood enhancer that requires no drugs or medications. Like all forms of exercise, yoga releases hormones that help ease feelings of stress that often lead to the blahs, blues, or outright depression. Being active keeps your mind away from negative thoughts, and allows you to gain a greater and clearer perspective on the problems you are facing. People who are depressed, or simply feeling "down", often lack the motivation to exercise. That's why yoga can be such a great option. It takes far less effort to complete yoga routine as it takes to out to a video or drive to the gym.

A word of warning; if you suffer from more than just the occasional bout of the blues, and feel down for more than two weeks at a time, you should seek professional advice. A doctor or therapist may feel that you need a combination of medication or therapy with exercise.

When you're feeling down, it's hard to think positively. People who are depressed often lack the concentration to detach themselves from their thoughts. Yoga is a "moving meditation", so it is easier to take your mind away from negative thoughts. Our essential inner nature can be blocked by negative thoughts. Apathy, despair, doubt, hopelessness and sleeping too much or too little are all signs of depression that must be addressed. Yoga is designed to bring you closer to your inner truth, naturally helping with some of the symptoms of depression. With a focus on balance, yoga can help to restore mental stability.

There is a definite connection between mind, body and spirit that indicates people can beat the blues with yoga. No other form of exercise alone can achieve these same benefits. Certain Asana yoga postures can influence your mood and help to relieve depression, although Asana can cure depression altogether. Asana postures can help increase low energy levels and relieve lethargy. They are also helpful in opening lung capacity to allow more oxygen to reach all parts of your body, and even your mood. Ask your yoga instructor to help you learn the postures that will balance your moods.

It's also possible to beat the blues with yoga because of the calming effects yoga has on the nervous system. Proper breathing techniques are important elements to practicing yoga, as these can help curb your anxiety and quiet your thoughts, allowing you to concentrate on positive rather than negative energies. As you learn more about yoga, you'll come to understand the connection between your mind and your emotions, and you'll find that they can help each other.

If you think you may be suffering with severe depression, seek professional advice. Yoga is a drug-free alternative that can be safely practiced in conjunction with any medication or therapy your doctor orders. Some yoga routines are specifically designed to alleviate depression and taught by instructors who have been extensively trained to understand the most therapeutic positions.

Even performing the most basic yoga routines can help lift your spirits. While not physically demanding like other forms of exercise, yoga will make you feel much better at the end of a session. Try it and you'll find that you can beat the blues with yoga!

By: Dorothy Williams -

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Dorothy Williams is a writer for several online magazines, on recreation and sports and hobbies and recreation topics.

 

Men Do Pilates Too

Pilates is one of the fastest growing fitness prototypes the world has ever seen. It provides core conditioning, flexibility, strength and mind-body awareness. Unfortunately, the Pilates repertoire of movements, though well suited for dancers, has not always worked as well for men unless special modifications are made.

Men especially find an increase in the risk of low back pain with Pilates. Men are often extremely tight in the low back and hamstrings due to postural issues and demonstrate upper body kyphosis (rounding of the shoulders). Men can also be "flat backed" meaning the hamstrings, gluteals and other lower back and pelvic muscles are tight and weak which contribute to low back pain.

Here are some tips for men when choosing a Pilates class:

* Choose a class designed for men only.

* Choose a small class where individual attention is available.

*Stress maintaining a neutral spine (normal curve) which is difficult for men for reasons described above. Your instructor may make such modifications as placing a towel under the lower back.

*If you have rounded shoulders perform repetitive flexion movements.

* If you have a flat back back without a normal curvature your instructor may place a small towel under the middle of the back to provide awareness of what a neutral spine feels like. Avoid moves like the roll up.

* Don't go beyond what your core muscles can handle. Poor alignment or form are indications of weakness, muscle imbalance and fatigue. Always stop and correct faulty technique rather than continue just to finish a set.

The above are just a few guidelines for men performing the art of Pilates. Men can gain everything from Pilates that women can but caution must be taken when dealing with certain exercises that specifically put strain on men's lower back.

By: Robert Palmer

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Dr Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. For more cutting edge fitness and health information go to www.aerobic-exercise-coach.com

 

A commitment to yoga can change your life forever

Discover how a commitment to yoga can change your life forever by Jez Heath

While it’s true that you’ll get out of your yoga practice only as much as you’re willing or able to put into it, a committed approach to your practice can help you in ways that you’ve never expected. Indeed practicing yoga could be the platform and motivation you need to completely transform your life.



The basic benefits of yoga are widely documented and have been extensively researched. Research into the more controversial benefits of yoga continue – at the time of writing, pubmed.org (a Service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of health) listed more than 900 research papers investigating the benefits of yoga. A search on the internet typically reveals benefits which include:

• Increased fitness





• Increased strength





• Fat reduction and weight loss





• Relief of back pain





• Better relaxation

Individually these benefits sound like compelling reasons to practice yoga and may be exactly what you are looking for. But yoga is an all encompassing approach to health and well-being – the word itself literally means union, and when we look at the impact practicing yoga can have on our lives, we should also take an all encompassing approach. While yoga alone cannot work miracles, it may be the foundation, along with some self belief, to help you:-



Earn more money - Practicing yoga increases your ability to relax and cope with your daily stresses. It also helps to develop a meditative ability allowing you to slow or clear your mind of constantly racing thoughts. After a hard days work, these are exactly the techniques you need so you can unwind, and recharge through longer and deeper sleep. If you can achieve that then you’ll feel more refreshed, energised and motivated each day, improving your focus and concentration. You can channel this in what ever direction you want including working towards a promotion, searching for your ideal job or starting your own business.



Write a book, learn to dance - As outlined above, regular yoga practice can help you increase your energy, motivation and focus as well as improving your concentration – all of which can be used to develop your personal hobbies and interests, whatever they may be, mental activities or physical ones.



Spend more time with your friends and family - Promotion and money aren’t your motivators? How about using your increased energy levels to bring greater balance between your work and personal lives, allowing you to spend more time with the people that matter.



A shot of self confidence – performing regular exercise, combined with the positive effects yoga has on metabolism and appetite, can help with weight (fat) loss. Combine that slimming with the toning effect yoga has on your muscles and you can start to develop the body you want in no time – and be feeling better about yourself just as quick. What better boost is there to your self confidence?



Depression relief? – Yoga postures are designed to stretch, compress and massage your internal organs and glands. This stimulation is thought to help balance hormone levels in the body, which can help to achieve a more balanced emotional state.



Quit smoking – As well as strengthening your resolve to quit through the increased motivation, energy and focus, yoga breathing techniques (pranayama) are ideal to help you pass the cravings that at the biggest hurdle to quitting smoking.



As you can see, the benefits of yoga go far beyond simply improving your wellbeing – the benefits can be channelled to help you to make fundamental improvements to your whole life. When the rewards are so great, it’s not difficult to understand why people become so enthusiastic about yoga.


Jez Heath is the founder of Total.Yoga.Practice, an online yoga center providing streaming yoga video instruction. Total.Yoga.Practice's yoga instuctors include, Varun Veer, a professional Yoga instructor with more then 30 years of practice experience. He is the author of 2 books and many yoga videos. Visit Varun at www.TotalYogaPractice.com.


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How To Choose Your Yoga Clothing...(Cause we NEED to Workout!)

Choosing Yoga Clothes For Beginners Yoga by Ann Marier -

America is fat. Fat, fat, fat. Are we doing anything about it? Well yes, we are. We are doing a lot. It is just not enough. Even with the multitude of diets and exercise routines out there we, as a nation, are still fat and something needs to change.



We all want to become healthier, happier, fitter, and more spiritual people. This is, after all,the 21st century, and I think I can safely say that the practitioners of yoga are on the forefront of leading the new spiritual revolution.

Click here for more on "Advanced Yoga Techniques"

However, do you really want to be spiritual at the expense of being cute? It's all right to try to be Buddha, but do we really want to look like him? Do you really want to learn beginners yoga without having the chance to wear cute yoga clothes?



For me, you cannot be spiritual without being fashionable at the same time. I know for many people this will sound like a contradiction, but to me it is not a contradiction at all. After all, the level of spiritual knowledge that you possess will show through in your interactions with other people. If you do not wear clothing that flatters you and makes you seem accessible and appealing, you will not be able to share your spiritual experiences as readily. And anyway, what is a better place for cruising for the young, attractive, and sensitive man or woman than beginners yoga classes?



When I wear my yoga outfit, I am making sure that my inner state of bliss finds its counterpart in the experience of anyone who is looking at me. In other words, my yoga clothes make me look hot. One of the best ways to find good yoga clothes is in a specialty store. Their staff will be more than willing to help you with choosing yoga clothes for beginners yoga. Really, almost anything used for sports can be yoga clothes.



There are certain styles that are popular, and it makes sense to stay as close to those styles as possible, but there's still room to experiment. Any store that sells exercise clothing will be an invaluable source. For example,initially for beginners yoga you can use warm-up pants as yoga pants. That high tech, synthetic shirt that you use for camping? It might just make the perfect yoga shirt. As long as you have a keen eye for fashion and a practical sense of what is required for yoga, you will have no trouble at all making interesting and innovative outfits. Of course, when selecting yoga clothes, you should keep in mind that there is no need to sacrifice comfort for fashion. On the contrary, if you wear clothes that appear to be uncomfortable, they will also be unfashionable.



Yoga clothes have to be comfortable. They need to be stretchy so that they move with your body as you go through the different moves. Look for pants that fit loosely, not tightly. This is not a nightclub or a fashion show. Keep the shape of your thighs to yourself and buy a decent pair of pants. Beginners yoga is really just the start of your new healthy life.


Ann Merier writes articles about the home and family health in general. Her latest articles are about Beginners Yoga,Others include mothers day, diabetes,detox diets. Yoga Mothers Day


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