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Karma Yoga Intertwines East and West for Inner Harmony

editor — Thu, 27 May 2010 21:00:33 +0000

Karma yoga is the one type of yoga that brings the physical and the spiritual worlds together — most other types of yoga focus on either one or the other. If practiced properly, students of karma yoga can experience the harmony that comes when the physical and spiritual worlds are in balance.

The basis of karma yoga is found in ancient Hindu religions and philosophy. Over time, the practice has evolved to a meditative state that many believe can be achieved by no other form of yoga because only karma yoga combines the two main philosophies of the world. This means that it combines the theory of Western philosophy, that life should be lived with pleasure with the Eastern philosophy that life should be lived for knowledge. With karma yoga, the two philosophies become intertwined in the act of karma.

By learning karma, you are learning the knowledge of the world and living in complete and pure happiness.

The progression of your karmic growth depends solely on the way you live your life. If you live your life for wealth and material possessions then you are acquiring bad karma. If you live your life for pure happiness and love then you have good karma on your side. If you do not work on yourself and the life that you are living then karma yoga cannot help you. The type of person that you already are, reflects the results that you will see by participating in karma yoga. (...)>

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Yoga and Tai Chi as Pathways to Better Health

editor — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:13 +0000

For an investment of 20 minutes each morning, the payback is reduced stress, a sense of calm and peace, improved strength, limberness, better immune function and lower blood pressure.

It’s not too good to be true. The investment is practicing yoga or tai chi, which were developed and revised over many centuries. The October issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter includes an in-depth Special Report on Yoga and Tai Chi, covering health benefits, differences between yoga and tai chi, tips for learning postures and poses, simple stretches, how breathing enhances energy, and resources to learn more. (...)>

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Understanding the Different Types of Yoga

Barbara Holbrook — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:00:16 +0000

Yoga has become an increasingly popular way for people to build strength, flexibility and confidence. What started as meditative positions practiced by religious Buddhists and Hindus more than 5000 years ago has evolved into a physical and mental discipline practiced in gyms, yoga studios and living rooms all over the world.

There are seven major branches of yoga performed throughout the world as a form of exercise. If you’re interested in this ancient practice then it’s a good idea to explore one or two types of yoga to find the one your prefer.

Use this simple comparison of the yoga types to help narrow down the choices you’ll find in fitness magazines, gym schedules and home fitness instructional DVDs. Then try yoga and see for yourself why people return to this type of fitness over and over again.(...)>

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5 Easy Yoga Positions for Beginners

Barbara Holbrook — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:00:05 +0000

According to WebMD, close to 11 million Americans practice yoga. The health benefits of yoga are hard to ignore: increased flexibility, strength and balance; relaxation and stress relief; positive changes in mood and better focus. For beginners, choosing a type a yoga, is as individual as the reason for choosing yoga in the first place.

To help you get started on your yogic journey, we’ve round up a few yoga positions for beginners. Start with these easy yoga poses and see if yoga is a good fitness match for you.(...)>

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Yoga Poses: Child’s Pose

Barbara Holbrook — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:59:08 +0000

Child’s Pose (Balasana) is a resting pose that stretches the hips, thighs, ankles and back. It’s a good pose for relaxation and can be used if you’re tired and need a break, or between poses.

Like, Downward Facing Dog, Child’s Pose is another good yoga pose for getting blood to the brain. It can be refreshing if you’re feeling fatigued.

Child’s Pose

1. From a kneeling position, sit on your feet with your toes touching and your heels pointing out.

2. With your toes still touching, open your knees and lower your belly until it rests between your thighs.

3. Lean your forehead to the floor and reach your arms out in front of you, palms down.

4. Bring your arms around in a wide circle and bring them to rest at your sides, palms facing up.

Yoga Poses: Downward Dog

Barbara Holbrook — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:18:34 +0000

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) is often one of the first yoga positions that beginners learn. This pose helps to lengthen the muscles in your hamstrings, calves and the Achilles tendon. Downward Facing Dog is also good for strengthening your hands and wrists, decreasing back pain and elongating the shoulders.

This pose is great after a long day at work hunched over a computer! It can increase blood supplies to the brain and stimulate the nervous system to help you feel rejuvenated and relive fatigue.

Downward Facing Dog

1. Start on your hands and knees.

2. Slowly exhale as you pull back on your knees and begin to raise up into an into an inverted v position

3. Let your head relax and hand loosely. You will feel the stretch in your legs and hips as if you are being pulled up from behind.

4. Let your heels sink into the floor and keep the weight off your arms. Keep your back straight and your arms extended but relaxed. Breathe deeply and rest while holding the pose for up to 5 minutes.

Yoga Poses: Cobra

Barbara Holbrook — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:00:23 +0000

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) is a very basic backbend that is helpful for folks with lower back pain because it increases spine flexibility. This yoga position for beginners can decrease stiffness in your lower back while strengthening your arms and shoulders.

While easy enough for a beginner, Cobra Pose is good for a variety of ailments and will likely become a part of your regular yoga routine regardless of your skill level. It helps relieve stress, opens your chest up and is a good yoga pose for dealing with menstrual irregularities.

Cobra Pose

1. Start on the floor in a lying down position, face down resting your head on your arms.

2. Look up and begin to raise your head. With your hands palm down, shoulder width apart, slowly raise your upper torso.

3. Let your lower back do most of the work as you bend backwards and straighten your arms.

Yoga Poses: Corpse Pose

Barbara Holbrook — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:00:48 +0000

Corpse Pose (Savasana), also know as Death Pose, is probably the most relaxing of all yoga positions. Almost like meditation, many find that a few minutes in Corpse Pose is as relaxing and rejuvenating as an hour-long nap. It is usually used as the ending to a yoga session, although some practitioners like to use it at the beginning as well.

While some toss this into the “easy yoga poses” category, but it’s actually deceptively simple which makes it a perfect yoga pose for beginners. This is because the true goal of Corpse Pose is to quiet your mind and be completely still and relaxed. With proper practice you will find that awareness of your body and your breathing will become more pronounced.

If you find yourself getting sleepy or feeling restless while in Corpse Pose, focus your mind on your breathing. Slowing or quickening your breath rate can deepen your meditation practice.

Corpse Pose

1. Lay down flat on your back ad let your arms fall naturally at your sides, palms up. Relax your legs and let your feet fall open.

2. Relax your body. Let it sink into the floor and become heavy.

3. Breathe naturally.

4. Awaken gently starting with your fingers and toes. Breathe deeply and feel your body come back to life.

5. Bring yourself back to a sitting position.

Yoga Poses: Mountain Pose

Barbara Holbrook — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:00:06 +0000

Mountain Pose (Tadasana) is the foundation for all the standing poses so it’s a good place to start for beginning yoga students. This yoga pose can improve posture by properly aligning your spine, strengthening your thighs and can help relieve back pain.

Over time, practicing Mountain Pose will teach you to become more attuned to your body so that you will notice when you are out of balance. Pay close attention to any tight muscles or stiffness which may indicate what areas of the body you need to work on.

When practicing Mountain Pose, reach down through your body and picture yourself rooted to the earth. Hold still and steady like a mountain.

Mountain Pose

1. Stand with your feet touching tip to tip, arms down at your side, palms facing inward and your back straight.

2. Evenly distribute your weight and feel your feet deeply rooted into the ground. Tighten your leg muscles through your calves and quadriceps with your knees slightly raised.

3. Draw in your abdomen and tuck in your tailbone.

4. Feel your body lengthen and draw your head and neck up, taller towards the sky.

Healthy Journey » Yoga

Karma Yoga Intertwines East and West for Inner Harmony

Yoga and Tai Chi as Pathways to Better Health

Understanding the Different Types of Yoga

5 Easy Yoga Positions for Beginners

Yoga Poses: Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose

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