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Yoga

Leg Raises(Yoga Exercise)

Description of the Asana.

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The simple exercises prepare the body for asanas, strengthening in particular the abdominal and lower back muscles.Releves back pain.

Single Leg Raising

Inhaling raise the right leg as high possible; then, exhaling, lower it down. Repeat with the left leg. Perform three times.
Inhaling, raise the right leg, then clasp it in both hands and pull it toward you, keeping your head down. Take a few breaths.
Now raise your chin to your shin and hold for one deep breath; then exhaling, lower the head and, leg. Repeat three times each side.
Double Leg Raising

Lie flat on the floor inhaling, raise both legs, keeping your knees straight and your buttocks on the floor ; then exhale and lower them. Repeat ten times.

Note: Make sure that your lower back remains flat on the floor while you bring the leg down,to avoid injuring your spine.

Source:   www.allayurveda.com

Categories
Yoga

The Sun Salutation (Yoga Exercise)

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The Sun Salutation or the Surya Namaskaar limbers up the whole body in preparation of the Asanas. Each position stretchs the body in a different way alternately expanding and contracting the chest to regulate the breathing . If practiced daily it will bring great flexibility to your spine and joints and trim your waist .

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Description of the asana
1. Stand erect with feet together and palms in the prayer position in front of your chest. Make sure your weight is evently distrubuted. Exhale.
2. Inhaling, stretch your arms forward, then up and back over your head and bend back slowly from the waist.
3. Exhaling, fold forward, and press your palms down, fingertips in line with toes-bend your knees if necessary.
4. Inhaling bring the left (or right ) leg back and place the knee on the floor. Arch back and look up, lifting your chin.
5.Retaining the breath, bring the other leg back and support your weight on hands and toes. Keep your head and body in line and look at the floor between your hands.
6. Exhaling, lower your knees, then your chest and then your forehead, keeping your hips up and your toes curled under.
7. Inhaling, lower your hips, point your toes and bend back. Keep legs together and shoulders down. Look up and back.
8. Exhaling, curl your toes under, raise your hips and pivot into an inverted “V” shape. Try to push your heels and head down and keep your shoulders back.
9. Inhaling, step forward and place the left (or right ) foot between your hands. Rest the other knee on the floor and look up, as in position.
10 Exhaling, bring the other leg forward and bend down from the waist, keeping your palms as in position 3.
11. Inhaling, stretch your arms forward, then up and back over your head and bend back slowly from the waist, as in position2.
12.Exhaling, gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides.

Source:/www.allayurveda.com

Categories
Yoga

Yoga

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Most people, specially from western worlds, think of yoga as merely an eastern exercise program. Nothing could be further from the truth. The underlying purpose behind the practice of yoga – the literal meaning of yoga is `joining’ – is to reunite the individual self (Jiva) with the absolute or pure consciousness (Brahma).

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Union with this unchanging reality liberates the spirit from all sense of separation, freeing it from the illusions of time, space and causation. Since according to yogic philosophy the human body and mind are part of the illusory world of matter, with a limited time span, while the soul /spirit is eternal and passes onto another world when this body wears out. Thus, central to yogic philosophy are the concepts of Karma (cause- effect relationships) and Reincarnation.

Yoga is therefore regarded as a divine science of life, revealed to enlightened sages in meditation. First textual mention in the Vedas was corroborated by oldest archeological evidence of seals from the Indus Valley dating back to around 3000 B.C. The Upanishads that followed the Vedas provide the main foundation of Vedanta philosophy (that espouses the idea of an absolute consciousness called Brahma) and yoga teachings.

Around the sixth century B.C. appeared the massive epic The Mahabharata written by sage Vyasa and containing The Bhagavad Gita. Apparently a set of battlefield instructions on one’s duties in life, they are very allegorical in showing how the challenges of life have to be faced – so much so that it is often considered the best book on management ever written. The Gita contains yoga terms and concepts to enable the reader face life similarly.

The backbone of Raja Yoga is furnished by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, thought to have been written in the third century B.C. The classical text on Hatha Yoga, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika which describes the various asanas and breathing exercises which form the basis of the practice of modern yoga, was compiled much later by a yogi named Svatmarama.



In the modern perspective, Yoga is one of the most effective and wholesome forms of experience to control the waves of thought by converting mental & physical energy into spiritual energy. Yoga eases away pent-up tension, rejuvenates the body & soul, enhances concentration, cures diseases and keeps a hold on the aging process.


Preventive Value

* Yoga helps to bring natural order and balance to the neuro-hormones and metabolism in the body.
* At the same time, these exercises improve endocrine metabolism, thus providing you with a preventive shield.

Curative Value

* Yogic postures activate the energies that have accumulated and stagnated in the energy pockets of the body – since left inert, these energies create various ailments.
* Yogic exercises cleanse your body, mind and consciousness by venting toxins from the body

Principles of Curative Yoga
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Abstinence (yama)
Observance (niyama)
Posture (asana)
Regulation of breath (pranayama)
Withdrawal of Senses (pratyahara)
Concentration (dharana)
Meditation (dhyana)
Super Consciousness (samadhi)


1. Proper relaxation

Releases tension in the muscles
Helps letting go of all worries
Ensures conservation of energy
2. Proper exercise
Yoga postures – to be performed as per body constitution.
Yogic consultation is a must.
Correct postures work systematically on all parts of the body. Stretching and toning the muscles & ligaments. Keeping the spine and joints flexible. Improving the blood circulation.
3. Proper breathing (pranayama)
Brings an extraordinary balance in the consciousness
Teaches you to control your mental state by regulating the flow of the life force.
4. Proper diet
Chart out a well-nourished balanced diet.
Keeps the body light and supple and the mind calm.
Resists ailments.
5. Positive Thinking & Meditation

Removes negative thoughts. Stills the mind.
You attain super-consciousness. A state beyond time, space and causation.

Source:www.allayurveda.com

Categories
Yoga

Some Breathing Exercises For Body & Soul

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The essence of yoga lies in BREATHING.Get to know it like your best friend because it will always be there for you as long as you live.Breathing is healing,soothing,cleansing and wholesome, bringing freedom to the body and mind.Take a pause to notice how many times you freeze to breathe……The answer , never.

In Yoga the mouth is rarely used for Asanas/Postures. Breathing Exercises help to :

1. Strengthen lungs and build resistance to conquer respiratory disorders.

2. Stimulate optimum oxygen and blood circulation to different parts of the body.(anatomically and physiologically)

3. Realise that your breath is your life force , or prana , which when awakened increase your life span.

Let me jot down a very few out of many breathing exercises that can be regularly practiced to help fight psychosomatic disorders like anxity,asthma,pain,cancer,constipation,depression,fatigue,headaches, hypertention,insomnis and obesity.

DEEP BREATHING:
———————-
Standing tall on your feet,with erect spine and gaze straight,bring your arms with palms joined in front in line with the shoulders.

Inhail deeply, spreading your arms away from each other and exhale deeply while brining them back togather to the starting position.

Coordinate your breathing with the movement of your arms.

Repeat 10-20 times.

Feel the deep sense of freedom and control over your breathing, specially after an exhausting day at work.

YOGA BREATHING:
———————-
The poster is same as deep breathing .

Place your arms by the sides and keep your eyes closed.Inhale slowly to raise both the arms togather and exhale smoothly by brining them back to the start position.

Coordinate your breathing .

Repeat 10 times with ease,as it detoxifies the mind and body.

DEEP BREATHING WITH RESISTANCE.
———————————————-
Holding the same poster ,first the palm like a shell brining it close to the mouth and keep eyes open.

Inhale from the mouth and exhale from blowing the air from the mouth right into the clenched fist that acts as a resistance to the blowing.

Blow with cheeks puffed like blowing air into the balloon.

Repeat 10 times.

This exercise immediatly refreshes the whole face and head with blood.Lungs regain their tone and strength. Deep blowing also stregthen the cervical spine (neck) muscles.

Source:Meera Vaghani’s (Yoga therapist) journal on The Telegraph, (e mail:yoga therapist,at12@abpmail.com)

Categories
Yoga

Control your temper (Through Yoga)

Simple Yoga to Control Anger which harms you all the time:

The next time you get angry, think of yoga. Unless and until you learn the tricks of controlling your anger, you are likely not only to lose control over your life but also ruin your relationship with people who are close to you.

Anger is a very strong emotion. Technically, it is a response to some actual or perceived injury, about which we feel the need to retaliate immediately. It is a reaction to the non-fulfilment of something that we desire. In most cases, our ego comes to the forefront, which acts as a negative catalyst. Later on, after calming down, we regret this reaction and its consequences.

Anger is such an unbridled energy that it has the power to destroy reason and our ability to respond to a situation in an appropriately mature manner. We say things without really meaning to, only to repent later on for having said them, but very often the damage has already been done. Words, once uttered, cannot be withdrawn, and the reaction to anger is usually anger.

So a vicious cycle drags us into a vortex of negative reactions. An angry personality can be transformed significantly by following a yogic approach. Yoga helps us to harness this raw energy through a combination of asanas, pranayama, relaxation, diet, and regular reflection about attitudes and expectations.

Bhramari Pranayama  click to see

The best time for this pranayama is late at night  before you retire for the day, or early in the morning   when it is relatively silent outside. If you are extremely tensed up, you can do it for up to half-an-hour. However, it must be done sitting down. Once again, if you have heart ailments, avoid breath retention.



Advasana   click to see
Lie down on your stomach, with the forehead resting on the floor. The big toes should be touching each other and the heels should be allowed to flop to the sides. If you find difficulty in breathing, place a pillow under the chest.
Breathing: As you breathe naturally and without extra effort, notice the gentle rising and falling of the spinal column.

Surrender yourself to the floor and gradually start breathing longer and deeper. Try to breathe steadily. You can continue in this position for as long as you wish.
Benefits: This is a position of surrender and makes the mind calm down rapidly. If you have a short temper, this asana will help to a great extent. When you feel that you are on the verge of an emotional outburst, move away from the situation and lie down in advasana. Keep focusing on the incoming and outgoing breath rather than your agitated thoughts.
Shashankasana (Rabbit posture)
You can easily visualise an angry person, animal or bird, but you will find it very difficult to visualise an angry rabbit. This is what Shashankasana helps you to achieve.

Do this asana for a few minutes every day. If you find it difficult to bring your forehead to the floor, use a cushion for support. Keep the big toes together and the heels outwards and sit with the buttocks in the space between the heels. Try to settle down in this posture, allowing the spinal column to stretch fully. Continue sitting in this manner for a few minutes.

Breathing: Breathe in a relaxed and normal manner.

Sheetali Pranayama
Sit in any comfortable cross-legged posture, close your eyes and relax the body. Put your tongue out as much as possible and turn the sides of the tongue upwards, trying to bring the edges together to form a tube.
Breathing: Inhale deeply through this tube, draw in the tongue, close your mouth and then exhale through the nostrils. When you are inhaling through the tube, there should be a sound of air rushing in. Once again, open the mouth, form the tube, inhale, close the mouth and exhale through the nostrils. Continue this for one to two minutes.

During the summers, you can do this pranayama for a longer period.

WARNING: People with low blood pressure and respiratory tract disorders should avoid doing this asana. Those with heart diseases should not attempt breath retention.The best time for this pranayama is late at night   before you retire for the day, or early in the morning   when it is relatively silent outside. If you are extremely tensed up, you can do it for up to half-an-hour. However, it must be done sitting down. Once again, if you have heart ailments, avoid breath retention.

Nasikagra Drishti
This is an excellent practice for calming down an angry personality, but people suffering from depression should avoid doing this.
Sit in a comfortable meditative posture, with the head and spine upright. Place the hands on the knees in any mudra, close the eyes and allow the body to relax.
Open the eyes slightly and focus the gaze at the nose tip, without strain. If you are doing this correctly, you will see a double outline of the nose like an inverted V. Concentrate on the tip of the V-image and try not to allow the mind to wonder.

After a few seconds, gently close the eyes and let them relax for a while. This completes one round. Repeat the practice for five minutes.

Bhoochari Mudra
Sit in any comfortable meditative posture, head and spinal column upright and eye closed. Open the eyes and raise the right hand so that the elbow points outwards, the palm faces downwards and the thumb touches the top of the upper lip. A dark background helps.

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Focus the gaze on the little fingertip and continue to gaze at it intently for as long as you can, without blinking. Lower the hand and continue to gaze at the place where the fingertip was, without blinking, for as long as you can. As you do this, remain aware of any thoughts that are passing through your mind. Try to observe them as a witness, without involvement.

Continue this practice for about five minutes.

Cool tips

 1. Talk less. Don’t get into arguments. Think objectively.
2. Try to see the flip side of life. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
3. Reduce the intake of foods such as meat, fish, eggs, onion, garlic, masoor dal, cauliflower, oily and spicy foods.
4. Whenever you feel that you are beginning to lose your temper, become silent and reflect on your expectations. Go for a brisk walk. Be patient.
5. Reflect upon the idea âs you cannot change the world, but you can change yourself if you want to try.

Source:The Telegraph-Calcutta India

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