Yoga That Warms You to the Core

Defrost your frozen muscles-and tone your tummy-by generating your own heat with yoga. "These core-focused poses light a fire from the inside out," says Tara Stiles, yoga expert for the new Jane Fonda's WORKOUT Daily Yoga DVD. "They build heat in the body while also working on deep core strength." Try these moves to sculpt a sexy stomach and shake off that dead-of-winter chill.

Trikonasana - Yoga Triangle Pose

The yoga Triangle Pose is otherwise known as Trikonasana. The yoga triangle pose offers tremendous benefits as it stretches the spine and the hips, opening them out in preparation for the backbends that normally follow standing poses. The triangle yoga pose requires more balance than other standing poses. It stretches your legs, arms and torso while requiring you to stay focused. Balancing frees your mind of tension as you concentrate on maintaining the assan.

Chair Yoga For the Office

By Angelena Craig

Learning to practice Yoga while sitting in a chair has a multitude of benefits for anyone of any age, shape, size or and fitness level. Chair Yoga is sometimes called Office Yoga. It is a wonderful alternative for anyone who sits at a desk long hours and needs a way to stretch those tired muscles, particularly the back, neck, shoulders and hips, without leaving the office station... and you get all the benefits of regular yoga without ever having to change your clothes or get up or down off of the floor.

Marjariasana - Cat Yoga Pose

The cat yoga pose, which is also known as Marjariasana is a great way to get your back warmed up and relaxed. It’s a great addition to your back exercises. It directly targets muscles all along the spine, giving them a good stretch. It also helps lubricate the spine and bring the vertebrae through their full range of motion. The dynamic cat pose (alternating between cat and cow) is a good way to pump spinal fluid all over the spinal cord. It is incredibly relaxing and good for your posture.

Procedure for doing Marjariasana - Cat Yoga Pose

1. On the mat, sit on your knees.
   
2. Put your hands down so you are on all fours. Make sure that your hands are under your shoulders. Spread your legs slightly so you are in a comfortable position.
   
3. While taking a breath in, lift your head to the ceiling. Drop your stomach toward the ground. Lift your bottom and hips toward the ceiling. You want to have a nice curve to your back. Do not worry about pushing this motion, as it should come easy without a lot of effort or strain. Only move as far as your body can go comfortably.
   
4. As you breathe out, drop the head, roll the hips under and pull your spine up toward the ceiling. Try to look at your belly button.
   
5. Repeat 5 to 10 times with each breath, in and out.
   

Benefits of Marjariasana - Cat Yoga Pose

• Increases mobility of verterbrae and releases tension in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine
  
• Strengthens and tones the arms and abdominal muscles
  
• Stretches back muscles and abdominal muscles as well as the neck
  
• Increases circulation of spinal fluid and massages digestive organs
  
• Teaches correct pelvic movements for forward bends and back bends
  

Precautions with Marjariasana - Cat Yoga Pose

With a neck injury, keep the head in line with the torso.

Marjariasana - Cat Yoga Pose Video

Dandasana - Staff Yoga Pose

The Staff pose or Dandasana is a basic seated pose of Yoga exercise and can be called the father of all seated postures of yoga as all other poses originate from it. It can also be considered as the seated variation of the Mountain pose (Tadasana). The Staff pose is also known as the Stick pose as the spinal cord is to be kept in vertical position during this Yoga posture. It is performed in a seated position. It helps to strengthen the legs and improves body’s alignment. It is used as resting or preparatory posture for many Yoga exercises.

Procedure for doing Dandasana - Staff Yoga Pose

1. Sit down with your legs stretched out in front of you. Your knees and big toes should be touching and the bottoms of your legs should be touching and parallel to the floor.
   
2. Sit up straight. Place your hands around your hips, with your thumbs at the top of your hips bones and shift your hips so that your tailbone is pointing down into the floor. Keep your spine straight and lifted.
   
3. Engage your thighs muscles. Flex your feet, pointing your toes toward the ceiling and flex your thigh muscles, so that your heels gently lift off the floor.
   
4. Contract your core muscles. The core muscles are the girdle of muscles that surround your lower back and abdomen and are the key to performing all yoga poses. Engage your core muscles by drawing your abdomen toward your spine and cinching your waist as if there was an actual girdle around your middle.
   
5. Align your upper body. Roll your shoulders back and open your chest, but do not arch your back. Stack your shoulders so that they are directly aligned with your hips.
   
6. Elongate your neck. Looking straight ahead, pull your chin into your chest, so that the crown of your head is lifted toward the ceiling.
   

Benefits of Dandasana - Staff Yoga Pose

• Improves digestion.
  
• Tones the kidneys.
  
• Helps to prevent sciatic pain.
  
• Stretches and activates the muscles of the legs.
  
• Prevents tiredness in the feet by stretching the muscles of the feet.
  

Precautions with Dandasana - Staff Yoga Pose

• If you are new to yoga, put some padding, like a rolled towel or a folded yoga mat under you sit bones. This will help you to correctly align your body.
  
• If this bothers your back, it is OK to let the knees bend slightly. Just focus on flexing the feet and pushing out through the heels and you will still feel the stretch.
  
• Go slowly into and out of this stretch. Engage your abdominal and leg muscles as you come in and out of the pose.
  
• Do not bounce while stretching.
  

Dandasana - Staff Yoga Pose Video

Advanced Yoga Poses

By H. Sulanti

Regular practice of yoga strengthens the body and the mind. There are some poses in yoga which should be practiced only after one has mastered the easy yoga asanas, that is, if one has a good hold on all the arm balances, inverted poses and backward bends, it is time to move on to the next level of poses which are called advanced yoga poses. A yoga practitioner should master the basic and intermediate yoga positions before moving on to the advanced ones.

One major difference between the advanced and other ones is that the former needs immense strength and flexibility which is achieved only after regular practice of the basic as well as intermediate yoga poses for a considerable period of time. They are often very demanding and involve twisting of the body to look like some object or being from the nature.

The ability to balance the body properly is another aspect of them as almost all the advanced asanas require the practitioner to balance and control the body to a great extent. And for a proper balance during difficult poses, it is essential for the mind to work with the body which is possible only for the veterans.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the advanced yoga poses take the individual or the aspirant to the next level of existence. The advanced yoga poses involve deep levels of meditation, which allows the mind to be free from all the worldly thoughts and which also paves the way for spiritually enriching experience.

Some of the popular advanced yoga poses are:

• Compass Pose or Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana
  
• Crow Pose or Bakasana
  
• Eagle Pose or Garudasana
  
• Firefly Pose or Tittibhasana
  
• Flying Crow Pose or Eka Pada Galavasana
  
• Flying Crow Pose or Eka Pada Galavasana
  
• Forearm Stand or Pincha Mayurasana
  
• Forearm Stand or Pincha Mayurasana
  
• Headstand Pose or Salamba Sirsasana
  
• King Dancer Pose or Natarajasana Pose
  
• Monkey Pose or Hanumanasana
  
• One Legged Kind Pigeon Pose or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
  
• Revolved Half Moon Pose or Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana
  
• Scorpion Pose or Vrschikasana
  
• Side Crow Pose or Parsva Bakasana
  
• Wheel Pose or Urdhva Dhanurasana
  

It is very important for any yoga enthusiast to understand that rushing into advanced yoga poses will not help much, as the foundation of any yoga course is the performance and practice of yoga poses. Each yoga pose has its own benefits and it is important to not strain one's body during yoga which becomes a possibility if one rushes into the advanced yoga poses.

Padmasana - Lotus Pose

Padmasana or the Lotus Position has acquired its name from Sanskrit word Padma means lotus because in this asana position of the legs look like blooming lotus. This is a cross-legged sitting posture that originated in representations and meditative practices of Hinduism. This asana has been given a great importance in the Yogashastra as it is best suited for Pranayam, Meditation & concentration. This excellent posture encourages proper breathing and foster physical stability.

Procedure For Doing Padamasana - Lotus Pose

1. Sit on the floor or on a mat.
   
2. Bend your left knee as if you were sitting in a regular cross legged position.
   
3. Bring your lower right leg to your upper left leg.
   
4. Leaning back slightly, lift your lower left leg over your right shin. Rest your lower left leg on your upper right leg. You may need to reposition your lower legs slightly with your hands.
   
5. Hold for several breaths.
   
6. Repeat on the other side.
   

Benefits Of Padamasana - Lotus Pose

• Sitting in Padmasana will help to reduce excess fat in the abdomen, buttocks and thighs.
  
• This posture strengthens the thighs and calves and provides elasticity to the hamstring muscles.
  
• Padmasana develops the correct carriage of the body with perfect equilibrium since the spine has to be kept straight during the practise.
  
• The important muscles, ligaments and tendons of the lower extremities are extended and flexed while sitting in Padmasana and relaxed when it is released.
  
• This posture promotes a rich supply of blood to the organs in the pelvic and the abdomino-genital regions while the flow of blood to the lower extemities is limited.
• Since more blood is made to circulate in the lumbar region of the spine and the abdomen, the spine and the abdominal organs are toned up.
  
• It firms up the coccygeal and sacral regions of the spine and the sciatic nerve.
• It also tones up the colon.
  
• It limbers up stiff knees and ankles and improves the flexibility of the hip-joints. It relieves arthritic pain in these areas.
  
• Minor spinal deformities are set right.
  
• The erect spine prevents the compression of the abdominal viscera while sitting in this posture.
  

Caution With Padmasana - Lotus Pose

This is an advanced yoga posture and is not meant to be practiced without consulting a yoga instructor. If you are learning from home, practice the half lotus position. The lotus yoga position is not for those suffering from ankle or knee injuries.

Padmasana - Lotus Pose Video

Mayurasana - Peacock Pose

Meaning of 'Mayura', a Sanskrit word, is 'Peacock'. While doing this asana, the of body looks like a ' Peacock'.

As it is one of the difficult type of asanas, you should have prior knowledge about other easy asanas. You can sit in Vajrasana and start doing Mayurasana.

Procedure For Doing Mayurasana - Peacock Pose

• Kneel on your mat and keeping the feet together separate the knees. Lean forward and place the palms flat with the fingers pointed towards the body. Your elbows should be against your abdomen. Lean forward more so your chest is on your upper arms.
  
• Place the forehead on the mat and straighten the legs, one leg at a time. Keep the legs together. Shift your weight forward so the legs lift up automatically. Then lift your head up.
  
• Now your whole body is balanced on your hands. Try to hold the pose for a short while and also try to lift the legs up even more.
  
• Slowly lower yourself down with control. Take a few deep breaths and bring your breathing back to normal.
  

Benefits Of Doing Mayurasana - Peacock Pose

• The Mayrasana (Peacock Posture) provides exercise to all of the parts of the body.
  
• It helps in toning up of some of the internal organs like liver, kidney and pancreas
  
• Those who have stomach disorder would be benefitted by doing this asana.
  
• Mayurasan keeps the whole body in balanced and concentrated position.
  

Mayurasana - Peacock Pose Video

Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II Yoga Pose

Procedure For Doing Warrior II or Virabhadrasana II Yoga Pose

1. Stand with legs twice shoulder width apart in a comfortable straddle.
   
2. Rotate your body to the side at the waist so that you are facing one of your legs. Point the foot of the leg you are facing forward in the direction you are looking. Adjust the back foot to point diagonally between your side and front.
   
3. Adjust the back foot, bringing it close enough to you that your hips are aligned forward.
   
4. Bend your front knee so that the knee is directly above the ankle.
   
5. Rotate your body at the waist so that you are facing to the side.
   
6. Reach both of your arms out, away from your body, and hold them parallel to the floor. Turn your palms downward and keep your arms straight.
   
7. Keep your torso upright and perpendicular to the floor. Breathe deeply while maintaining this position.
   
8. Look forward in the same direction your torso is oriented, or rotate your head to one side. Keep your head pointing in any one direction while you hold the position.
   
9. Come out of the pose by rotating the body and stepping forward with the back leg.
   

Benefits of Warrior II Yoga Pose

Warrior II strengthens the legs, opens the hips and chest . Warrior II develops concentration, balance and groundedness. This pose improves circulation and respiration and energizes the entire body.

Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II Yoga Pose Video

A Downward Dog Yoga Pose - Adho Mukha Svanasana

By H. Sulanti

The Dog pose or the Adho mukha Svanasana, when performed looks very much like a dog whose forelimbs and head are in a rested position while the hind limbs are pointed upwards. In Sanskrit "Svana" means dog, "adho" means downward and "mukha" means face, hence the name Downward facing dog pose.

Step by Step

The hands should be placed directly beneath the shoulders on the floor and the knees directly beneath the hips. The fingers should be spread out with the middle finger pointing straight ahead. One should make sure that the back is horizontal and straight.

One should take care not to drop the shoulders during this asana position. Create a flow of energy through each of the arms to the respective shoulders to maintain the position. Repeat this several times to get a proper feel of the position. Once you are ready to start, inhale deeply. Breathe out along with turning the hips into a cat tilt. This should be done gently by pulling the abdominal muscles towards the spine. Gently contract the buttocks and tuck the tail bone inwards. Press the floor with the hands and also lift the back upwards towards the roof by rounding the spine upwards.

Move the head inwards. If possible place the crown of the head on the floor. If you are not able to place the crown on the floor, then leave the head hanging inwards. Gaze should be fixed between the knees.

The next step is the straightening of the elbows and the extending of the back. The legs should be straight if you are able, that is the knees are without any bend. Take a deep breath while turning your hip into a Dog tilt. Slowly, release the grip of the hips and reverse the dog tilt. The spine should be curved to resemble a smoothly arched backend. Then reverse so that your body resembles an unside down V. Now Hold in the upside down V position. At first this will be difficult but after long practice this upside down V will turn into a resting postion.

Benefits

The Dog Pose or the Adho Mukha Svanasana is a wonderful yoga pose which provides tranquillity while grounding and rejuvenating ones whole being. It relieves one of minor back aches, strengthens most of the parts of the body. This Asana pose stretches the entire back side of the body, hence strengthening the arms, shoulders, hips, hamstrings, calves as well as Achilles tendon. It also opens up the chest and improves the functioning of the respiratory system. This pose alleviate fatigue and stress. The lengthening of the spine in this pose rejuvenates each and every disc of the spine. The position also improves the blood circulation to the brain.

Yoga At Office

Working in an office or at a computer for prolonged periods of time can put strain on the neck, shoulder and back muscles which in turn can lead to tension and stiffness. This tension can cause headaches, as well as back, neck and shoulder pain. If left unattended, it could also impact your ability to function effectively at work and your overall quality of life. Simple techniques such as Office Yoga may help alleviate the pain and other symptoms by releasing tension and increasing muscle strength and flexibility.

Work is a necessity in our lives. It is better to make the best of the responsibility imposed upon us. Most of us are locked up for hours inside the office or are hooked to computers in our cubicles. Hence, physical ailments, stiffness of various muscles in the body and mental fatigue gradually make their existence, transforming our lives into a complete hell.

Doctors and psychologists have opined together that working out simple yoga postures in the office is not only effective in terms of physical exercises but also enlivens the spirit and mind of the tired employee. Simple techniques may help alleviate the pain and other symptoms by releasing tension and increasing muscle strength and flexibility. They can be performed right on the office chair, any time, any day. Take a few minutes for yourself and incorporate some Yoga into your daily routine. Here are some simple Yoga techniques for:

• Right Posture


• Stress


• Neck


• Shoulder


• Eyes

Right Posture

Neutral sitting or standing should most essentially be practiced. Often we fail to place ourselves in the correct posture whether standing or sitting and soon the problem begins. However, this simple exercise will help you to keep the position of your spine in order.

• Place your feet hip-distance apart and bend forward.
  
• Then look down at your feet. Your feet should be parallel (||).
  
• If you are sitting, keep check that your hips and your knees are in right angles.
  
• Sit straight and tall at the edge of your chair.
  

The Warrior Pose is recommended for relaxation of the upper body. Here are the steps:

• Raise your arms to the sides with fingers pointed out.
  
• Take a big step with the left foot turned out and knees bent.
  
• Your right leg should be straight and planted on the ground.
  
• Keep breathing.
  
• Keep your upper body in rest.
  
• After few minutes, switch sides. Now, extend your right leg.
  

Breathing Techniques To De-stress:

Are you yawning heavily at the start of the day or in the post lunch session?
Your stress has increased so profusely that you are falling asleep in office?
Try this breathing technique, it will surely help you to release your stress and you will be fresh to start your work again.

• Put your right thumb on your right nostril.
  
• Deeply breathe in and out the air using your left nostril.
  
• Similarly press your left nostril with your right index finger.
  
• Inhale and exhale as much as air you can.
  
• Practice this for 1 minute, if you have time, for it to be effective.
  

Neck Training:

While sitting on a chair or in front of the computer, your neck gets affected the most with terrible aching and severe cases, at times leading to spondylitis. Here is a simple way which can relieve you from the stress caused and prevent you from any kind of aching.

• Keep your hands on your waist and slowly lower your chin so that your neck is relaxed.
  
• Your entire body should be straight while you are doing this exercise.
  
• Hold 2/3 breath with you neck lowered.
  
• Gradually lift up your neck to its neutral position.
  
• Then lower you right ear to your right shoulder and repeat the same for the left side.
  
• Finally rotate your entire neck from its right to the central neutral position.
• Keep 2-3 breaths for areas where you need a relaxation.
  
• Repeat the same for the left side.
  

For Your Shoulders:

Shoulder problems often crop up when you sit in the same position for a long period of time. Here is an easy method to keep away your shoulder pains.

• Stretch your hands on both sides up to your ears, while you inhale.
  
• Drop them down to your sides in their normal position, while you exhale.
  
• The process should be gradual and raising/dropping of hands should follow your breathing.
  

Eye Exercise

Your eyes are mirrors to your soul and the most divine gift. Therefore it becomes your duty to take utmost care of them. Overusing your eyes, improper light during work and stress can harm your eyes. Here are some simple ways to prevent any kind of damage to this precious gift.

• Look forward and straight.
  
• Gradually look up towards the ceiling keeping your head & neck in the neutral position and by sucking in the air.
  
• Slowly drop your sight down on the floor while taking out the air and maintaining the position of the neck and head.
  
• Practice this at least 5 times.
  
• Then blink your eyes several times and close them to relax.
  
• Do the same side wise.
  
• Then gradually rotate your eyes in a clockwise manner.
  

Yoga Class Dos and Don'ts

By Tim Noworyta

Here are some ways to get more out of the yoga classes you attend:
DO arrive early. Getting to class about 10 minutes early can help you settle in and align your attitude with the purpose of the class. While you're waiting you can practice a pose, do a few stretches, or just sit or lie quietly, breathe, and get centered.

DON'T eat for two or three hours before class. If you practice yoga on a full stomach, you might experience cramps, nausea, or vomiting, especially in twists, deep forward bends, and inversions. Digesting food also takes energy that can make you lethargic.

DO let your teacher know about injuries or conditions that might affect your practice. If you are injured or tired, skip poses you can't or shouldn't do, or try a modified version.

DO create an intention. To help you focus, you might find it helpful to dedicate your practice to a certain intention. This might be to become more aware and understanding, more loving and compassionate, or healthier, stronger, and more skillful. Or it might be for the benefit of a friend, a cause—or even yourself.

DON'T bring pagers or cell phones to class. Leave socializing and business outside the studio, so the peace of the practice is not disturbed.

DO be quiet. It's great to share a class with people you know, but it can be distracting to yourself and others to have an extended or loud conversation.

DO bring a towel or your own mat if you sweat a lot, and arrive clean and free of scents that might distract or offend others.

DON'T push it. Instead of trying to go as deeply or completely into a pose as others might be able to do, do what you can without straining or injuring yourself. You'll go farther faster if you take a loving attitude toward yourself and work from where you are, not from where you think you should be.

DO pick up and neatly put away any props you use.

DON'T enter class late or leave early; it's disruptive to others.

DO take time afterwards to think about what you did in class, so you can retain what you learned. Review the poses you practiced, and note any instructions that particularly made sense. Even if you remember just one thing from each class, you'll soon have a lot of information that can deepen your own personal practice.

Yoga Meditation - Whole Body Scan to Balance Your Energy

By Julia Denham

Are you new to yoga? Your entire yoga practice is a meditation. As you perform your yoga poses, you focus strictly on what's happening with your body and what you're trying to do. You move out of everyday consciousness into real concentration which is the basis of meditation.

There are specific yoga meditations you can do. Here is an excellent one: a whole body scan to balance your energy.

1. Sit Down or Lie Down, and Become Aware of Your Body

You can do this meditation either lying down on a flat surface, like the floor, or when you're sitting upright in a chair. If you're lying down, relax completely, and become aware of your body. Take several long slow deep breaths. Close your eyes if you wish.

2. Follow Your Energy Throughout Your Body

Starting with your left foot, become aware of it. Be aware of your toes, be aware of your ankle, then be aware of the sole of your foot.

Next, be aware of your left leg's calf muscles. Be aware of your left knee. Gradually move your awareness to the top of your left leg, and then focus your awareness on your right foot. Gradually focus on every part of your right leg, then focus on the rest of your body.

Move your awareness slowly right throughout your body, going as quickly or as slowly as you like.

3. Let Thoughts and Feelings Go

Thoughts and emotions will interrupt your focus as you move your awareness through your body. Just be aware of any thoughts and emotions, and then let them go. Return to your body scan.

4. How to Manage Strong Feelings: Welcome Them

Strong feelings will arise in you. You could treat these emotions in one of two ways. You can either let them go, or you can welcome them, and feel them deeply. Feelings and emotions are stored in your body. Every trauma you have ever experienced has laid down its traces in your body.

This is why occasionally you'll find yourself weeping, or laughing as you do yoga. You're not going crazy, you've just encountered one of these traces.

One way to remove these emotional traces is to welcome your emotions and to focus on them completely for a few moments. Some emotions are very strong, and if you feel an emotion is becoming too much for you, go back to your body scan.

However if you can welcome an emotion, and allow it, you'll find that the emotion rises to a crest and then slowly dissipates. You need to feel emotions to remove the emotional traces in your body, so never be scared of any emotions which are aroused by your yoga. They're perfectly natural.

When you've completed your whole body scan, lie still for a moment, and assess what's changed since you began the meditation. This is a powerful, balancing yoga meditation. If you're stressed, it will relax you, and if you're tired, it will energize you.

Use Yoga To Get Headache Relief

By Jaks Lloyd

Well, I think that most people do, if only occasionally, mainly because of our hectic lifestyles and associated stresses.

It's all too easy to reach for the pills but why put what is effectively poison into your body if you can help it.

If your headaches are frequent, the wisest move is to consult your doctor but if they are only spasmodic then are some very useful yoga exercises that could help to drive the stress away. As soon as you start to feel a headache coming on, and obviously if it is convenient, you should begin the following yoga exercises. Any delay will make the headache more difficult to alleviate.

Yoga Position No. 1 - Balasana (Child's Pose)

Kneel down and with your feet touching each other, sit back onto your heels. Spread your knees apart as wide as your hips. Breathe in and then breathe out and while you do so lean forward so that your body is as close as possible to your thighs. Stretching out your arms, turn your palms upwards. Relax your shoulders to the floor. You should be able to feel a stretch between your shoulder blades. Stay like this for 30 seconds to a few minutes. Slowly and gently lengthen your body and breathe in and come up.

Yoga Position No. 2 - Downward Facing Dog

Kneel with your hands on the floor just in front of your shoulders, palms spread and facing forward, knees below the hips and the toes under and forward, feet slightly apart. Inhale slowly and start to lift up your knees and heels. As you do so round the tailbone away from the pelvis and by pushing forward with the hands raise your bottom towards the ceiling and tuck the top of your thighs into your groin area. Exhale slowly and as you do so straighten your legs until the knees are only slightly bent at the same time bringing the heels back into contact with the floor. Tense the muscles of the thighs and press lightly inwards. Gradually straighten the arms using the fingers for leverage, and then close the shoulder blades against each other, slight pause before widening them and push them down towards your bottom. The back will then become straight or slightly concave. Control your head as it stays between your arms, don't just let it hang loosely. Inhale and hold for 1-2 minutes then bend the knees slowly to the floor back to the start position exhaling as you do so.

Yoga Position No. 3 - Standing Forward Bend

Stand in a relaxed position with your hands on your hips. Breath in and out, as you exhale bend forward slowly from the hips. Imagine that your body is lengthening as you lift upwards. Keeping your knees as straight as you are able, place the palms of your hands on the floor either in front of you, besides your feet or at the back of your ankles. Breathe in and lift and lengthen your body slightly, breathe out and release a little more into the pose. Relax your head completely and stay in the pose for 30 seconds to one minute. To come up, place your hands on your hips, breathe in and straighten your spine slowly.

Yoga Position No. 4 - The Bridge Pose

Lie flat on the floor, preferably on a yoga mat. If, required, support your neck with a folded towel or similar. Bend your knees, bringing your feet as close to your bottom as possible. Exhale slowly, pressing your feet and arms down onto the floor. Push your tailbone upwards and into the pubis, firm your buttocks and lift them off the floor. Balance by putting your hands onto your pelvic area. Keep lifting until your thighs are level with the floor. Keep your knees directly over your heels, but push them forward away from your hips. Lift up your lower hips and bring in and upwards towards your naval. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to one minute, breathe out and release, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor.

Any or all of these poses should help you to fight off your headache.

Eating Disorders And The Use Of Yoga In Prevention And Treatment

By Roy Thomsitt

It was not so long ago that eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia, were thought to be purely the result of mental conditions. More recently, though, some physical factors have been attributed to these conditions. It is now thought that eating disorders can be triggered by a multitude of factors, in combination, including those of a psychological, behavioural, social, or biological nature.

How Can Yoga Help With Eating Disorders

As with many conditions, eating orders can better be dealt with through a calm and focused mind. Depression and low self esteem are problems often associated with eating disorders, and Yoga can help with both.

It has been proven that Yoga can reduce depression, restoring a state of balance and well being in the individual. Also, there are different yoga practices which encourage heightened levels of self esteem, and promote a positive view of your own body. These are crucial factors with eating disorders, and it has been shown that the application of yoga can significantly increase recuperation and healing. Through the elimination of self judgment, yoga establishes a strong connection between mind and body. This, of course, is the natural state of wellness. By re-establishing this strong connection, mind and body will work in harmony to repair the damage.

Regular yoga practice will increase the overall fitness level of the human body, improving the immune system and giving it a good chance of fighting illnesses. This is helpful with Anorexia, for example, because the sufferer's body will experience lower energy levels, and the condition reduces bone density.

In dealing with eating disorders, the yogic system identifies them as a problem related to the first chakra. There are different yoga poses that can be used to balance it: eg. staff, crab, full wind, and pigeon. By using grounding postures (eg mountain, goddess, standing squat and prayer squat) strength and courage can be increased. What these postures do is to re-establish the strong mind-body connections, and through that connection help overcome many physical obstacles. For anorexia sufferers, most of the yoga back bending poses help reduce depression, while forward bends can calm the spirit and reduce anorexia's effects.

Because the mental state has an important role in eating disorders, meditation can be used successfully to reduce negative and harmful thoughts and feelings. An active, well targeted, meditation practice should prove to be very effective. The yoga poses work best when external factors are shut out, and concentration is allowed to focus on your inner self. Giving special attention to breathing, and also to inner sensations, will transport you to a state of greater awareness and calmness. This new state will allow you to go on further to explore new concepts, and hopefully pursue new goals that may have been impossible before.

As with many medical conditions, being aware of the bulimia or anorexia problem, and showing a constant and strong desire to defeat it, is a great method to reduce their effect. It is likely that an early adoption of yoga practices would make the patient more aware of the problem, thus making a positive contribution to an early cure. However, these yoga techniques are more usually used in the recuperative stages of the illness. That is a pity because, as with all illnesses in which it can be beneficial, yoga works best in the prevention stage, when the negative effects are still low and easier to over come.

Mudras Yoga For Your Hands And Fingers

By Carole Fogarty

Mudras are my new found love. They are now part of my daily life and the mudra I have chosen for this month promises to offer me calm, inner core strength and improved focus (yeah, no more distractions for me) plus a healthier flow of energy throughout my entire body giving me more vitality. My clever hands, thumbs and fingers have quickly got my mind into shape and the body has eagerly followed.

The ancient Indian wisdom of Mudras are definitely my new well being energy tool.

Mudras are simple and I love simple. They are gentle and gracious in their actions and can literally be done while you are standing, sitting or in meditation. All you need is five minutes.

The ancient Indian texts explain how they can support the healing of many illnesses along with balancing all your chakras and bringing harmony back into your body, mind and soul. Used as a remedy for disease they are generally practiced for 30 - 45 minutes.

What are mudras?:

Mudras are healing hand postures and are a powerful aspect of yoga. There are Indian texts which explain how mudras are an ancient science that have been used for thousands of years to restore health. Mudras are literally health in your hand. Our thumbs, fingers and the palms of our hands are constantly emitting electromagnetic currents of energy and by creating certain postures with your hands, fingers and thumbs you opening up energy channels to encourage flow and healing.

The most familiar mudra’s:

If you practice yoga or meditation you will definitely be familiar with the Gyan Mudra. This is when the thumb and index finger connect whilst the other three fingers are left open and spread. The benefit of holding this mudra while in meditation is that it increases the flow of energy to your astral self. On a physical level it improves concentration, focus and memory. This mudra I have used for many years to support my meditations

Another mudra which I have used often in certain yoga postures is to hold the hands in prayer pose over the heart chakra. For me personally this is a very nurturing and calming hand posture and tends to bring the energy of peace into my body.

My chosen mudra for this month is the Prana Mudra:

I have chosen just one mudra this month to practice and absorb myself into. The prana mudra or life mudra seemed the obvious choice for me as I can get easily distracted and felt I needed more internal stability.

When doing this pose I sit on my meditation cushion in a peaceful environment (the kids are at school) calm my breathing, focus on my breath and place my subtle awareness on the energy currents being created with this pose. I'll observe the sensations, the blocks and the lightness flowing to different parts of my body. I'll do my best to just let thoughts float by and stay calm and centred. My intention is to repeat this pose twice a day for five minutes at a time. I’ll keep you posted with my progress and share my experiences before I move onto another mudra next month . All mudras will be filed under healing mudras.

The benefits of the prana mudra:

This particular mudra is said to benefit and increase the life force energy within you. Strengthen immunity, muscles, eyes and remove nervousness.

Nervousness or anxiousness can be an indication of weakness and reveals itself by being easily distracted due to lack of internal stability. This mudra strengthens the base chakra which will in turn strengthen and calm your inner core. The finger positions stimulates the nourishing energy in the pelvic flow and gently increases vitality and assists in reducing fatigue.

Keen to learn more about mudra’s:

My research, reading and study of mudra’s is in full swing. I’ll be featuring once a month a specific healing mudra that I am personally working with.

In the meantime I’ve ordered a book, DVD and a card set from amazon which I must say looks absolutely fabulous by Sabrina Mesko. She was taught sacred mudra techniques by a Master of White tantric yoga; Yogi Bhajan who then gave her the responsibility to share it with the western world. She is also an executive member of the world yoga council in India so I figured her books and DVD was a great place to start.

I’ve also enquired about her practitioner training program which looks like being held in 2008 in America. Now that is something I would definitely be keen to put on my schedule for 2008.

Tips for Yoga Beginners

By Maggie Spilner, Prevention

Try to force yourself into a yoga posture to look like the instructor or a picture in a book, and you may end up in worse shape than if you had run a marathon.

"Yoga is meant to be a nurturing form of exercise, not a rigid imitation of poses," says Richard Faulds, author of the upcoming Kripalu Yoga: A Complete Guide to Practice On and Off the Mat (Bantam, 2004). It's very possible to stretch and strengthen your body without having to touch your nose to your knees or your feet to your head.

Here's how to help ensure that you leave yoga class serene, not sorry!

Style Guide: Look for gentle styles such as Kripalu, Viniyoga, or Integral Yoga. Bikram, Ashtanga, and Power Yoga are generally too vigorous for beginners and inflexible people.

Teacher Training: Find an experienced, certified yoga instructor who asks about your physical limitations and will modify pace or offer alternative poses to meet your needs. To find a certified instructor in your area, go to the Yoga Alliance Web site, or call them toll-free at (877) 964-2255 (from the US) or (610) 777-7793 (from Canada).

The Warm-up: Ten minutes of easy movements will increase circulation, lubricate joints, and ready your body to stretch. Poses should progress from simple to more difficult.

X-rated Postures: These poses can place tremendous strain on joints and disks: the plow, full shoulder stand, headstand, and full lotus. Beware!

Back Protection: Keep knees slightly bent, and hinge from the hips when bending forward from standing positions. When arching backward in any pose, concentrate on opening the front of the body by lengthening from the navel to the sternum. Don't overarch the lower back, which compresses lumbar disks.

Knee-savers: Don't lock your knees in standing postures, despite what a teacher may say. If you feel any strain during sitting or kneeling postures, place a cushion or folded blanket under your bottom.

Neck Care: Always keep your neck in alignment with the rest of your spine when arching backward. Don't let it flop back or down.

Your Limits: Get to know your body and its injury-prone zones. Back off from any movement that causes pain or cramping. Don't compare yourself with others.

Hands On or Off: Many teachers assist students during classes. In general, a light touch that brings your awareness to an area and allows you to make your own adjustments is safest. Teachers who adjust you by moving your body for you or forcing you into a posture may cause injuries. Just say no!

What Is Iyengar Yoga?

By Mike Selvon

Belur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar, founder of Iyengar yoga, has been practicing this relaxation technique for over 60 years and is considered to be one of the foremost meditation instructors in the world. He was born into a poor Iyengar family in the village of Belur Karnataka, South India. Iyengars are a community of Brahmins (a priestly class) who study the vedas and ancient religious texts that indicate a Supreme Being, as well as subsidiary gods, whose existence depends upon the all-powerful God.

After receiving spiritual treatment, B.K.S. Iyengar survived malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid fever and malnutrition. He began teaching this meditation technique in 1937 and has since traveled the globe, spreading his ideas to the Western world.

He has won several awards and published fourteen books, including "Light On Yoga," which has been dubbed "the bible of yoga." Time Magazine called Iyengar one of the "100 most influential people" in 2004. Iyengar yoga is one part spirituality and one part physical fitness, paving the way toward a united mind and body.

Spiritually, Iyengar meditation is based upon Patanjali's eight limbs of raja yoga. The first is Yama, meaning physically and mentally abstaining from the following five things: violence toward others and oneself, from coveting others' belongings, from sexual intercourse, from attachment to possessions and anything that is untrue.

The second limb is called Niyama, referring to the five observances: cleanliness of body and mind, satisfaction with what one has, penance and mental control, introspection and surrender to God. Asana refers to posture and position (ideally an erect stance with relaxed muscles) and Pranayama is the directed control of one's breath, which is so vital to successful yoga practice.

Pratayahara calls for the quieting of senses connected with the outer world. Only then will Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (oneness with the Supreme Being) naturally follow.

In practice, Iyengar yoga is characterized by the use of belts, straps, sandbags, benches and blocks to aid in performing 200 asanas (postures) and creating body alignment. Equally important are the 14 pranayamas (breaths). Less emphasis is placed on muscular effort and more importance is given to finding the ideal position.

Standing yoga poses can build strong legs, improve circulation and coordination and help students with skills they can take to other forms of this meditation. The instruction is rigorous, compared to other styles, with highly trained and certified teachers actively placing students into the right positions and correcting misalignments. Beginners will surely get individualized attention and the most out of their instruction if they attend Iyengar meditation classes.

The benefits of Iyengar yoga include: increased circulation and comfort, better posture, stronger muscles, better balance and coordination -- in addition to feeling more at peace, with less stress and anxiety.

Prenatal Yoga - How it Can Help You During Your Pregnancy

By Patrick Attlee

Yoga originated in India more than 5000 years ago. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning union. A regular yoga practice can yield many benefits from increased relaxation to a stronger, more supple body. People who practice regularly also notice that their weight stabilizes.

People often ask if yoga is appropriate during pregnancy. As long as simple precautions and common sense are followed, prenatal yoga is a fantastic way of staying fit during your pregnancy and will help prepare you for labor.

Without doubt the most important thing to remember when performing yoga poses is to breathe. Few us breathe properly today, we are very uptight and constricted as a rule and tend to breathe from our chests. If you look at a sleeping baby, you will see her tummy rise and fall - this is where we have forgotten to breathe from. Yoga breathing fixes this, thereby relieving tension and ensuring that oxygen rich blood is circulating in your body which is obviously very beneficial for your baby. Yoga breathing can also make your labor much more manageable. When my wife was recently giving birth to our daughter, yoga breathing techniques were central to her strategy. She gave birth without any drugs, gas or air.

As with any physical exercise, you need to take general precautions when you are pregnant. Any poses that mean lying on your back for extended periods should be avoided. Unless you are accustomed to inversion postures, you should not practice them while pregnant. Deep forward or back bends may also not be appropriate, as they may put too much strain on the abdominal muscles. As with everything associated with pregnancy, listen to your body at all times and do not push yourself. You should finish a yoga session in a state of deep relaxation, not heading for the freezer to get an ice pack!

As your body changes in each trimester, you will want to adapt your yoga practice accordingly. In the first trimester, it will likely be possible to perform poses that involve deeper stretching. Standing postures are very beneficial as they will strengthen your legs and improve your circulation. Spine strengthening poses may also be tried. In the second and third trimesters you may want to look ato postures that will help open your hips, for example, Triangle Posture. At this point you should take with your back and forward bends. At all times listen to your body and focus on your breath - this cannot be overstated. Once your breathing is out of control while in a posture you are not receiving any benefits. Back off until your breath returns to normal. Yoga is not about how deep you go, someone in the full expression of the posture will be getting just the same benefits as someone who is only in the first 5 percent of a pose but is working up to their limit.

Discover the 3 Most Popular Forms of Yoga

By Veronica Volk

Everyday life can be hectic with all that there is to deal with, such as jobs, families, and relationships. Therefore, it is important to find a way to get rid of the built up tension and stress within the body; it is not healthy for you. Yoga is known to help to relieve body stress, but it also provides other benefits.

For beginners to yoga, here is a short and quick overview of the 3 most popular Yoga types that many people choose as a starting point:

1) Hatha Yoga - This is the most popular and commonly practiced form of Yoga, and it's a combination of asanas synced with a balanced breathing. It combines meditation, pranayama (lengthening of the breath), and relaxation techniques. This make Hatha Yoga perfect for de-stressing the body and bringing a sense of peace of mind.

2) Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - This form of Yoga helps to build strength and power; it is widely practiced among athletes and those looking to get more from their physical workouts. The focus here is to build a strong level of stamina from within and internally improve the body's health. Ashtanga Yoga is comprised of many different postures where bandas (seals) and ujjayi (victory) are used as a means of raising the body heat to cleanse to the body of toxins.

3) Kundalini Yoga - This type of Yoga is commonly known as the "Yoga of Awareness" because it helps to awaken blocked energy. It is a combination of physical and meditative balance, which improves the mind-body connection; it helps a person to become one body, mind, and spirit as it helps an individual awaken the unused or blocked energy. This deep state of relaxation results from a carefully structured combination of asanas, mantra chanting and pranyama.

You might want to spend a week practicing Yoga at a retreat center to make your experience more fulfilling. You need to be somewhere peaceful so that the calmness around you can surround you, and take your mind and body to a new higher level.