Yama and Niyama in Yoga
...e selfish motive. A yogi or a student of yoga has very few basic needs. He has learnt the art of loving himself as well as the others. Hence he does not feel the need to exploit or steal from others.
Brahmacharya (Celibacy): sex has been defined as one of the vital necessities of human existence. It ranks next only to food. Since ancient times, very few people have been able to master their sexual urges. If not satisfied, these urges lead a person to depravation and develop psychotic tendencies. yoga lays a great stress on the celibacy. It considers not only the act of sex itself as sexual but even thinking, talking and looking at opposite sex as a part of sex and hence has to be avoided. Patanjali has declared that brahmacharya increases the mental strength also called veerya in an individual.
Aparigraha (Non-gathering): this yama means not going on collecting wealth and objects just for enjoyment. yoga teaches one to collect wealth and objects just to meet his primary needs. This is important because greed causes distraction and thus leads to increased strain on his mind and body.
The above mentioned points deal with vairagya or the negative aspects of ones behaviour. Now we take a look at some of the niyamas or the...more
There's Help for Asthma in yoga
...Perhaps it was predestined that I should have had asthma as a kid, discover yoga as an adult, correct my respiratory health with it and now be blessed to write about my experiences with using yoga (amongst other things) to control my asthma symptoms.
If this is the case, then I am honored. Either way it goes, I can say with much confidence that based on my experiences, one helpful exercise for alleviating Asthma symptoms and dealing with its many inconveniences is yoga.
Owing to its gentle poses and stretches and the deep breathing involved in yoga, certain poses-when used correctly-can be very helpful for smoothening the chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (airways) that causes swelling and narrowing (constriction) of the airways as is the case in Asthma patients.
Furthermore, when using yoga as an exercise for asthma control, one need not worry about the common exercise-induced asthma attacks that may come as a result of vigorous activity as these poses are very calm and involve very little motionhey, its yoga after all.
Now, friends, based on my experiences and several studies that support these facts, the following poses can be a powerful add-on therapy to reduce the fre...more
yoga in Practice: Ten Solutions for Depressed yoga Students, Part 3
... facets, but all of them lead to good health. A yoga student who practices once in a while, is better off than never having practiced at all, but should not expect to see significant results. This is why yoga teachers have to tell their students the truth about expectations.
Do not sugar coat a yoga students responsibility to practice Yoga on an almost daily basis. This is also how a medical prescription works. Can you imagine what would happen if patients took their prescribed medicine once in a while?
Continuity is the key to good health and a steady Yoga practice will yield good mental, physical, and spiritual health. This is also true for everything worth attaining in life.
Copyright 2006 Paul Jerard / Aura Publications<...more
Bikram Yoga - Sweating You Way To Radiant Health
... blood and increase circulation. The static holds increase muscle tone and bring a sense of vibrance and well-being to the psyche. The sweating cleanses the body of toxins, and for this reason be sure to drink plenty of water and carry your own towel to the class. Bikram actually guarantees that you will be relieved of the symptoms of disease if you follow his program exactly.
In the realm of fitness, there are new fads being developed every day. Every so often, a new system will emerge and everyone you know is discussing it. However, few of these new fads will withstand the test of time. Bikram Yoga is one system which is technically sound and which was developed in Yoga with the assistance of some of the greatest teachers of the 20th century. The benefits of Bikram Yoga are manyfold, and they are based upon its differences. Be sure to check for Bikram Yoga classes in your area and take advantage of this restorative practice.<...more
