Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Ashtanga Yoga - What's It All About
...In sanskrit, Ashtanga Yoga means "eight limbs," with Ashta meaning eight, and Anga meaning limbs. These eight limbs are meant to help a devotee t Ashtanga Yoga live a healthy life. One of the main intentions for this type of yoga is to help minimize stress and anxiety in one's life, and to strengthen our endurance. In Western Yoga circles, many people practice power Yoga which is essentially a form which is modeled after traditional Ashtanga Yoga. There are eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, which work in the following way:
The first limb is Asana, which is the discipline of performing Yoga exercises in order to better your spirit and your body. The second limb is Niyama, which is for taking control of your entire life by learning personal restraint. Niyama is a combination of joy, patience, self-study, purity and the love of god. The third limb is Yama, which involves enabling us to dwell on all the good in human behavior, and is comprised of non-violence, celibacy, truthfulness, staying clear of envy, avoiding jealousy and possessiveness, and resisting stealin...more
The Roots of hatha Yoga
...moon concept upon which its name is based, hatha Yoga take energies that are in opposition dark and light, yin and yang, fire and ice and uses them to find a balance between the mind, body, spirit, and external forces of life.
A variety of breathing techniques, meditations, and poses all help to drive the person doing hatha Yoga to a path of enlightenment. Among some of the most practiced poses are Bhujangasana, also known as the Cobra; the Eka Pada, also known as the one-legged king; the Halasana, also known as the Plow; the Padmasana, also known as the lotus; and the Simhasana, also known as the Lion.
hatha Yoga, like the word yoga itself, greatly uses the concept of unity, the unity between man and nature as well as the unity within each person: without unity between the mind and the body, its hard to accomplish anything. Depending on the individual, hatha Yoga may be used to unite people with different things. For some, hatha Yoga may be used to form a union with God, the Self, ones True Nature, or the Divine. For others, hatha Yoga may b...more
The Purpose of Yoga - Anger Management Secrets Of Pranayama
...o two ratio of inhale to exhale has still been maintained, but the sequence has been modified for those who have a shallow breath. When possible, the breath can be lengthened as the lungs get used to harnessing the air flow.
Extended breath retention may have to be modified to meet your needs. In the case of dizziness, pregnancy, high blood pressure, and breathing disorders, you should consult with a physician before practicing breathing techniques.more
teaching Yoga To Students With Parkinson's Disease
...and camel pose. All poses can be modified to meet any student's needs. Also suggested are the boat, bow, and bridge poses.
The bow pose increases muscle strength in the back, upper legs, hips, and abdominal muscles - improving the center of balance. The camel pose also strengthens the back and increases flexibility of the spine - complementing the bow pose. Each of these poses strengthens the body, or stimulates the nervous system, in a way that will benefit a practitioner with Parkinson's.
Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / aura Publicationsmore
