tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239515842024-03-13T22:12:44.517-07:00Yoga Fit & HipYoga Poses, Yoga Positions, Yoga Apparel, Yoga Clothes, Yoga Pants, Yoga Styles, and Everything Else About Yoga.
A Blog by Wendy Maynard, Yoga MonkeyWendy Maynardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08886461520716709688noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23951584.post-9682114490438696422009-04-14T20:52:00.000-07:002009-04-14T20:53:24.074-07:00Yoga Poses - Four Simple Poses For Fast Stress Relief<div id="body"><p>Are you looking for stress relief? Yoga is a great help. You can get great results from even 10 to 15 minutes of yoga per day. Here are several simple poses which will calm and relax you, instantly.</p><p>1. Mountain Pose Helps You to Center Yourself</p><p>The basic yoga pose is mountain pose, but because this pose is so simple many yoga enthusiasts tend to overlook its power. Mountain pose is an essential pose for stress relief.</p><p>Try it. Stand in mountain pose, making sure that your body is correctly aligned. Your weight should be balanced on both feet with the weight distributed between the balls of your feet and the heels. Breathe evenly, without straining, and remain in this pose with your eyes shoulders and neck relaxed for five full breaths.</p><p>How do you feel now? You feel better don't you? Mountain pose has an amazing effect, and the biggest benefit is that you can use this pose wherever you are.</p><p>2. Forward Bends Give You a New Perspective</p><p>Forward bends are relaxing. They have an even more relaxing effect than mountain pose. Get up from your desk, and find some space.</p><p>Begin in mountain pose, then bend forward at your hips and let your head hang freely. Stay in your forward bend for five full breaths. Now come back up into mountain pose. No matter how stressed you are, you'll find that the forward bend has relaxed you. This is a great pose if you're nervous. It will calm you down before you give a presentation, or just before an interview with your boss.</p><p>3 and 4. Upward and Downward Facing Dog Revitalize Your Spine and Build Your Courage</p><p>Upward and downward facing dog are basic yoga poses which you'll learn in any beginners' yoga class. These are two essential poses which you should do every single day. They have a wonderful effect in revitalizing your mind and body, and in eliminating stress. This is because these two poses manipulate your spine in beneficial ways.</p><p>Your entire nervous system relies on the health of your spine. All nerves originate from the spinal cord, therefore a healthy spine means that you will handle stress well and that your whole system will be in harmony.</p><p>Practice these two poses every day, either in the morning or in the evening; just spend five breaths in each pose. Whenever you're under stress, consider yoga first. You can count on yoga to be your primary stress management tool; just ten minutes a day of yoga can make a big difference in your life.</p></div><p>Discover yourself with <a id="link_83" target="_new" href="http://www.easyfabyoga.com/blog/">yoga</a>, a gentle form of stretching. Yoga strengthens both your body and mind, and is suitable for anyone, from children to seniors. Visit Easy Fab Yoga Blog at <a id="link_84" target="_new" href="http://www.easyfabyoga.com/blog/">http://www.easyfabyoga.com/blog/</a> for daily yoga information, tips, and inspiration.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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This intense lateral stretch is named for its shape, which resembles a bar used for shutting a gate. Since this pose allows a full expansion of the lungs because it opens the side ribs, it is a gateway to improved breathing. It helps to tone the waist due to the stretch of the abdominal obliques and can help provide stability for the lower back by stretching muscles deep in the back of the waist. This can be extremely beneficial if you have a stiff back and can help prevent and/or ease lower back pain.<br /><br />Parighasana is excellent preparation for Parsvakonasana (Side Angle Pose) and Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) due to the fact that it opens the hips and creates length in the sides. It also can transform your breathing because you can now become aware of and feel the breath in the side of your body.<br /><br />This pose also provides a great stretch for the intercoastal muscles which are located between the ribs. These muscles are often neglected and tight, leading to postural problems. The rib cage expands when the intercoastals are stretched, leading to enhanced respiration. Hence, relief from asthma, allergies and colds can be realized through the practice of this pose.<br /><br />A simple awareness exercise is an excellent preparation for Parighanasana. Place your hands on your rib cage as tight to the sides of your body as you can while lying on the floor with your knees bent. Become aware of the flow of breath under your hands. Close your eyes. Feel your ribcage expand outwards when you inhale. Feel your ribs fall inwards when you exhale. Stay here for several breaths, focusing on the expansion and release of the side ribs.<br /><br />With a blanket nearby, place your mat near a wall. Perform a few rounds of Cat and Cow to warm up your spine. Inhale into Cow and then exhale and arch your back up into the Cat position. Next, limber up your body by moving from Child's Pose to Downward Facing Dog, synchronizing your breath with the movements. After a few rounds of this, rest in Child's Pose.<br /><br />Kneel on the folded blanket with your knees hip-width apart. Thighs are parallel and perpendicular to the floor and hips are directly over your knees. The lower abdomen is brought in and up as the tailbone is released down. With toes spread, press the tops of your feet, toes and shins into the blanket. Lengthen up along the spine through the top of your head upon inhaling. Upon exhaling, establish a firm foundation through the lower legs and knees.<br /><br />Keep your right knee and the top of your right thigh facing upward as you extend your right leg out to the right, keeping it in line with your upper body. Try to flatten your right foot to the floor and press it down as you bring your right leg back toward your body. Keep your left thigh straight up and down and keep pressing your left foot, toes, knee and shin into the blanket.<br /><br />Breathe in and extend your arms out to the sides, palms down. Keep the length in your spine as you stretch your hands away from each other. Bring the right hand to your right hip. Press the fleshy area of your right hand between the thumb and index finger into the crease where your leg joins your upper body. Lengthen the lower back by drawing the navel in towards the spine. Keep your gaze soft and forward.<br /><br />Breathe out as you hinge at the hip and bend your upper body over your right leg. Reach your right hand out over the right leg and rest it wherever it lands comfortably (the thigh, shin, knee, or foot). Reach the left arm up alongside the ear with palm in. As you breathe in slowly and deeply, feel the ribcage expand in all directions. Take several slow, deep breaths. Lengthen your spine with each inhalation and let yourself go deeper with each exhalation.<br /><br />Press the right hand into the right leg when you have gone as for as you can into the side stretch. Keeping your pelvis in place, rotate from the base of your spine. Keep your gaze in front of your left arm to the sky. Twist your abdomen first and then extend evenly up the spine to the crown. Feel your intercoastal muscles expand as you breathe into your left ribcage.<br /><br />Rest in Child's Pose before repeating on the other side. Parighasana may feel very different on each side. Remember to challenge yourself without straining. Incorporating this asana into a vinyasa on a regular basis will promote balance.<br /><br />Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga.tips-and-gear.com<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></div>Wendy Maynardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08886461520716709688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23951584.post-1145636850759511022006-04-21T09:27:00.000-07:002006-07-09T11:30:20.953-07:00Yoga - One Size Doesn't Need To Fit AllAlthough there are a lot of great reasons to try Yoga, most people won't even take a shot at it. I think I know why. Stay with me for a couple of minutes and I'll get there.<br /><br />Years ago, I read one of the most truth filled statements I have ever encountered. Although I usually try to avoid generalities, I believe that most of them DO have a portion of truth to them. Unfortunately, many people either don't realize that these statements are not ultimate truths or they assume that since there are times that these old adages and generalities are NOT true, not only are they false, but completely without merit.<br /><br />Most generalities, as I have stated, DO contain some truth, enough truth that we can often at least glean guiding principles from them even if we cannot live our lives exactly by them.<br /><br />Now, the statement I made mention of was, "The only job where you start at the top is digging a hole!"<br /><br />I normally would not actually say that to someone who expected to get to the top of the heap by tomorrow, but the idea behind the statement would be understood by most of us. Those people who have made it to the top of their profession, art, or even their hobby, usually put in a lot of practice time and made a lot of mistakes on their way to achieving the level of skill or competence that they have reached.<br /><br />Which brings me (finally, you say) to Yoga.<br /><br />Yoga has the potential to be one of the best physical fitness programs that anybody can practice, but many people won't even give it a chance.<br /><br />Yoga requires no special clothing, not special skill, no special equipment. It doesn't need a gym, because it can be practiced on the floor beside your bed, in the living room, or even in a large enough bathroom. Once you learn a few basic poses (asanas), you can do your yoga routine at home or on the road. You can even do some of your Yoga while riding in a car or bus. It doesn't even require a personal trainer. You actually CAN learn Yoga from a book!<br /><br />So what stops a lot of people from trying Yoga?<br /><br />To tell the truth, I think they are intimidated.<br /><br />Obviously, Yoga is not something we read about or hear about every day, so there is already a lot of misunderstanding and uncertainty about the practice anyway. On top of that, take a look at the pictures in any Yoga book and what do you see? Pencil-thin people twisting their bodies into impossible (to you and me...and I DO Yoga) positions. No way!<br /><br />Let's go back to the statement I mentioned. To get to the level where they are selected to pose for pictures for a book, they usually have had to practice for several years. When they started, some of them were as out-of-shape as you think you are now. You can bet they made a lot of mistakes along the way and some of them often thought of giving up because they weren't able to perform the asanas the way their teachers did...or the way it was done in a picture in some book. Nobody is going to begin Yoga today and be able to do the positions that way right away.<br /><br />Also, not everyone is going to be able to achieve the level of skill that they have achieved. Some of us just aren't going to realize that potential for a long time and maybe never.<br /><br />So why bother to learn Yoga?<br /><br />After all, if you can't do what the books and instructors say to do, then you have failed, right?<br /><br />Wrong.<br /><br />First of all, simply moving into your best imitation of the perfect position can begin to produce the health benefits associated with Yoga. Second, learning yoga breathing techniques and practicing this as you perform the movements and asanas (not to mention you daily activities) can also produce benefits in both your mental and physical health. Finally, continued practice of the asanas, breathing, and movements will, over time, move you closer to being able to do what the person in the picture was doing.<br /><br />Remember, nobody said you had to be able to touch your toes, you just have to reach for them, breathe properly, and do it again tomorrow.<br /><br />Yoga is actually simple and easy to learn, and can produce some startling affects in both mental and physical health.<br /><br />Why not give it a try?<br />Donovan Baldwin - EzineArticles Expert Author<br /><br />The author is retired from the Army after 21 years of service, has worked as an accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant manager, and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa for several years, and has written and published poetry, essays, and articles on various subjects for the last 40 years. He developed an interest in health and fitness in the '70s after reading numerous books, including Dr. Kenneth Cooper's "Aerobics". This has led him to continue his personal research into health and fitness for over 30 years, and to pursue course work on health and fitness, including yoga, which he practices regularly. Learn more about Yoga. Articles on Diet and Weight Loss.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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Before long, panic attacks had become part of Jeff’s life.</span> </span><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:85%;" ><br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(101, 92, 77);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Recognizing Panic Disorder</span></span><br /> Everyone sometimes feels anxious for no identifiable reason. At these times we think, “Something is happening—I must stay alert.” Panic victims share these feelings, but for them the stakes are higher. Their distress is so overwhelming that the fearful possibilities take on mammoth proportions. “I’m having a heart attack,” they think, or “I’m losing my mind.” We all experience periods of vague anxiety, which often pass without our ever discovering or having to acknowledge the causes. Panic anxiety, however, is the cue for a determined (and often desperate) search for a source.<br /> <br /> Panic attacks are characterized by rapidly escalating and overwhelming anxiety. In the beginning, panickers are rarely able to identify what has made them anxious, describing the episodes as occurring “out of the blue.” The attacks are triggered by frightening physical sensations that occur suddenly, much like an unconscious reflex. Among the most common are shortness of breath, a rapid heart rate, heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, a feeling of choking, chest pain, nausea, and dizziness. Frightened sufferers develop painfully sharp sensitivity to these sensations, often making several trips to the emergency room before they finally realize that their symptoms are panic-related.<br /> <br /> Physical sensations alone are not the core of the illness. Fearful thoughts, unpleasant emotions, avoidant behaviors, disturbing sensations, and deteriorating relationships all collude with one another to maintain panic. Thoughts such as the fear of dying or of having a mental breakdown are common. Even mild anxiety can trigger an attack, and any disturbing emotion can be interpreted as a precursor to full-fledged panic.<br /> <br /> Gradually, the fear of having an attack in public leads the panicker to avoid those places—a disorder known as agoraphobia. Problems in relationships, which may have been the original source of anxiety, become worse as panic episodes develop. Difficulty with self-assertiveness and with the resolution of conflicts increases. Friends and partners are often frustrated because they cannot understand what is happening.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(101, 92, 77);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">The Road to Recovery</span></span><br /> Fortunately, panic disorder can be treated successfully, frequently with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Panic sufferers are now turning to yoga for help as well, for yoga offers a wide range of stress-reducing tools. An ancient model of recovery can be found in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, one which is also embodied in the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha. In its briefest form, this model is an outline of the stages in the healing process, presented here as four questions:<br /> <br /> 1. What is the nature of the pain that all humans experience? <br /> 2. What is the cause of that pain?<br /> 3. What will be experienced when the pain is removed? <br /> 4. How can the pain be removed?<br /> <br /> Yoga tells us that before searching for a cure it is important to look deeply into the nature and causes of illness. It is also important to get an idea of how things will be when symptoms have been removed, because otherwise we may have illusions about what recovery will be like. For example, eliminating anxiety is not the outcome of treatment for panic—the outcome is the ability to manage anxious feelings.<br /> If we rewrite the four questions of the ancient model, focusing on panic attacks, they might read:<br /> <br /> 1. What is panic disorder?<br /> 2. What causes it?<br /> 3. What will life be like for the person who has overcome panic attacks?<br /> 4. How is recovery accomplished?<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(101, 92, 77);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Looking for a Cause</span></span><br /> Biologically oriented physicians have tended to attribute panic symptoms to problems of the nervous system. Jacob DaCosta, a Civil War physician, set the tone when he wrote, “It seems to me most likely that the heart has become irritable from its overreaction and frequent excitement, and that disordered innervation keeps it so.” This focus on biochemistry and physiology led to the development of tranquilizers.<br /> <br /> Not long afterwards, Freud identified a form of anxiety that appeared in discrete, time-limited episodes. “An anxiety attack of this sort,” he wrote, “may have linked to it a disturbance of one or more of the bodily functions—such as respiration, heart action, vasomotor innervation, or glandular activity.” Nearly one hundred years later, this focus on the emotional component of panic has resulted in the psychiatric diagnosis called Panic Disorder. <br /> <br /> More recently, clinicians have been exploring the role of disturbed breathing in panic attacks. As early as 1950, the physician R. L. Rice maintained that anxiety attacks were often the result, not the cause, of disturbed breathing; now psychotherapies for panic that include breath training are state-of-the-art. (Even so, very little training in this area is available to clinicians.) <br /> <br /> Those who are familiar with yoga will recognize the classic body-breath-mind triad in these three points of view. But if a single cause for panic disorder exists, it has yet to be discovered. Instead, these three areas seem to interact with one another, forming feedback loops that grow larger if not addressed in some way. <br /> <br /> For example, if someone is afraid of going to public places, then self-esteem plummets, fears increase, opportunities for relationships are limited, and panic-prone factors such as the fear of being labeled “incompetent” grow. Conversely, if the fear has been overcome, then self-esteem improves, fearful thinking is reduced, opportunities for relationships expand, and panic-prone factors are undermined.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(101, 92, 77);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">The First Steps to Recovery</span></span> <br /> We have already seen what panic disorder is and we have a general idea of what causes it. Our next step is to discover how yoga, coupled with clinical experience, can help panickers take the steps necessary to recover. The first priority is to manage the frightening physical sensations accompanying panic attacks, because they will make any other work impossible. Panickers walk on pins and needles attempting to avoid the sudden, uncontrollable symptoms of their disorder, and because these involve rapid arousal of the nervous system, it is imperative to find ways to strengthen the nerves and calm anxiety.<br /> <br /> Arousal is subtle and is triggered in a number of ways, but the key to calming it is to learn how to “talk” to the nerves, how to communicate across the great divide between voluntary and involuntary functioning. Once the panicker has learned to manage involuntary reactions, the sense of being out of control is enormously reduced. <br /> <br /> Yoga training can be particularly useful here, for yoga teaches us how to interact with the nervous system. If we want to soothe and strengthen it, we need to learn deep, relaxed yogic breathing. Regardless of the pathways of arousal, breathing is the language of nervous system balance and control.<br /> <br /> To illustrate this relationship, imagine how you would react if you were walking along a dark street, and a pointed object were thrust suddenly into your back. You might gasp, then tense your whole body. Gasping is the natural reaction to sudden fear. If you discovered that the attacker was only a friend playing a joke, you might sigh with relief. Then your breath might become agitated as your fear turned to irritation. The way you breathe reflects how you feel.<br /> <br /> This relationship between breath and nerves is a two-way street. Just as emotions create changes in breathing, so changing our style of breathing can alter the way we feel. Breathing is the only involuntary function that can be easily and voluntarily controlled. During times of panic, relaxed, controlled breathing will give us immediate access to the nervous system. This means that by changing our breathing, we can change the condition of our nerves when tension disturbs and frightens us. Then, when breathing is relaxed and the panic response has been calmed, the underlying anxiety can be gradually brought to conscious awareness for processing.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(101, 92, 77);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Learning Relaxed Breathing</span></span> <br /> Practicing yoga is a good way to learn breathing skills, for it is a gradual process, often needing considerable support over a period of time. Yoga teachers quickly recognize when a student is having trouble (as is often the case with panickers), and they know a wide variety of alternate practices that will help the student master breathing skills.<br /> <br /> The ultimate goal of breath training is to make smooth, diaphragmatic breathing a twenty-four hour habit. The corpse pose (lying on the back) and the crocodile pose (lying on the stomach with arms folded under the forehead) are both helpful training postures. Breathing with a ten-pound sandbag on the upper abdomen while lying in the corpse pose will help to strengthen the diaphragm and serve as a reminder to focus on the abdomen as well. In addition, it is helpful if the panicker learns to pay attention to breathing as often as possible during the day. Notice when the breath stops, notice when it jerks, for once an irregularity is obvious, it can be corrected. This practice not only fosters awareness, it makes the relationship between stress and breathing abundantly clear.<br /> <br /> Panickers will find that diaphragmatic breathing not only calms the effect of arousal at the time of panic, it also provides an alternative focus for attention, allowing them to focus on their breathing instead of on the panic symptoms. As diaphragmatic breathing becomes a habit, the nervous system is less susceptible to panic in the first place. It usually takes about two weeks to become accustomed to the feeling of diaphragmatic breathing, and about six months of regular practice to make it a habit.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"><br /> <span style=";font-family:times new roman,times;font-size:78%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:130%;" >Special Problems in Breath Training</span></span></span> <br /> There are a few potential problems that panickers may experience during breath training, and it is well for both student and teacher to understand them at the outset. The most common is that panickers have often developed a highly self-vigilant style that can lead to performance anxiety. (“Is it supposed to feel this way?”) Micro-managing has become a way of life to panickers. The teacher needs to be warm—reassuring but firm, letting the practice do the teaching, without becoming over-analytical. Breathing does not need to be perfect to be good enough.<br /> <br /> Sometimes panickers carry a great deal of physical tension in their bodies, and in these cases the natural unblocking effect of yoga stretches and postures can be helpful. Releasing abdominal tension while resting between postures promotes deep breathing. Covering the body with a blanket during relaxation and breath training can ease the feeling of being exposed or vulnerable.<br /> <br /> A knot may sometimes form in the abdomen during panic attacks, making breathing difficult. As the attack continues hunger for air increases, but despite the need for air the panicker may feel that holding the breath is the way to “catch” it. Relaxed, continuous breathing, on the other hand, releases the unconscious tension created by holding the breath, and with practice it is possible to actually breathe through the knot that forms in the stomach during periods of anxiety. As increased awareness makes it possible to recognize tension early, it becomes easier to remain relaxed. To establish a smooth, unbroken flow of breath, the teacher might say, “When you come to the end of the inhalation and your abdomen has fully expanded, simply relax and let the exhalation begin. When you come to the end of the exhalation and your abdomen has contracted, simply relax and let the inhalation begin. Let each breath flow into the next breath by relaxing.”<br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(101, 92, 77);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Beyond Diaphragmatic Breathing</span></span><br /> Many therapists have begun to use breath training in their work with clients, but few have been trained to teach more than the basics of diaphragmatic breathing. Yoga, on the other hand, offers many additional breathing and relaxation skills that can help recovering panickers. Perhaps the most effective of these is nadi shodhanam (channel purification). As its name suggests, nadi shodhanam works to unblock tensions and resistance in the energy-conveying channels of the physical and subtle bodies, thus calming and strengthening sensitive nerves.<br /> <br /> Normal breathing carries away wastes and brings in fresh energy with each breath. As energy is brought in, it must be assimilated and distributed efficiently in order to fulfill the purpose of breathing. That’s where nadi shodhanam comes in. The process of channel purification slows breathing down and focuses our attention on its flow. At the same time, according to yoga masters, this practice cleanses the subtle vessels through which physical and mental energy is passing. As these vessels become cleaner, energy moves with less effort, and its distribution and assimilation within the mind and body are improved. The result is reduced tension in the nervous system as well as a calmer mind.<br /> <br /> Nadi shodhanam is not the only yoga tool for deepening relaxation. Techniques combining postures, breathing, and systematic relaxation kindle a sense of confidence in us no matter how much daily life seems to bend us out of shape. Exercises that relax both muscles and joints, as well as the 61-points relaxation exercise, lead further toward relaxed self-awareness. These techniques can be taught once students are familiar with the beginning practices. (For a detailed description of nadi shodhanam, see the Yoga International reprint “Balancing Active and Receptive Energies: The Practice of Nadi Shodhanam.” <br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" >Expanding the Recovery Process</span><br /> Along with breath training, panickers need to begin the process of resolving their fears. Sometimes they do this work on their own or with the help of friends and family members. Often, however, a period of psychotherapy is needed because the worries and stresses that initially contributed to the onset of panic require objective attention. Before treatment these factors are outside of the panicker’s awareness for some reason. As recovery continues, however, they become the proverbial elephant in the living room—there is no way to avoid noticing and dealing with them.<br /> <br /> Often the stresses that are most difficult to recognize have to do with significant relationships. A question that can elicit awareness is, “Am I avoiding conflicts within myself?” As one panicker continued in recovery, for example, he was able to explain that his younger brother, who was in line to become a co-partner in the family business, was performing very poorly. Despite many signs to the contrary, the younger brother continued to imagine that he was doing well at his work. Addressing this problem raised many fears, for it would affect a complex web of family relationships. As a result, the older brother resisted speaking up and began having panic attacks instead.<br /> <br /> There are many possible causes of panic attacks—stressful relationships, past traumas, fear of separation from loved ones are among the most common. One panicker’s attacks began when her husband’s promotion resulted in his being away from her and their infant twins at night. Pleased about the promotion, the husband had not been willing to see the effect it was having on his family, and the wife had not been able to express her fears directly. In the course of psychotherapy, this woman learned that finding practical ways to expand the scope of awareness and implement stress-reducing changes (ask for them, create them, or compromise for them in some way), although difficult, was the most satisfying process in the entire recovery.<br /> <br /> There will inevitably be leaps forward as well as setbacks while recovery continues. This is natural, for the recovering panicker is learning to work with him- or herself in an entirely new way. Whether or not the panicker is undergoing psychotherapy, the psychological insights acquired through yoga can make a profound contribution to this process. A young student once remarked, “Yoga stands for You Oughta Get Aware,” because it provides such a wide range of tools to help everyone, including recovering panickers, do just that.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" >The Role of Meditation</span> <br /> In addition to the body and breath, yoga works with emotions, mental images, thoughts, and relationships, seeing them all as part of an integrated whole. During meditation, for example, a normally disturbing image arising in the mind is greeted by a very different reaction than might otherwise be the case. Now the body remains rested and still; the breath sends messages of steadiness and balance to the emotions and nervous system. Though the image might seem upsetting at another time, now the meditator can witness it with equanimity. This neutral reaction allows time and space for the image either to be processed or to pass through the mind without disturbance.<br /> <br /> What is more, meditation seems to pace itself; it allows the mind to gradually gather strength before bringing up the images that might prove most frightening or challenging. Trivia can be dismissed, but the thoughts and images that persist are the ones that have important consequences to us. For instance, suppose I begin to recognize a deep-seated unhappiness with my work, but at the same time I see no other way to support my family. This conflict haunts me, affecting my work and frustrating my family relationships. Panickers may force themselves to push such conflicts out of awareness because they cause a discord that seems unresolvable. Meditation will allow them to recognize it with less fear so that they can see their way through the problem.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:130%;" >Conflict Resolution</span><br /> Yoga psychology also suggests many techniques for resolving conflicts, including acknowledging and accepting the conflict in all its depth; recognizing the need for some kind of change; resisting the inclination to act out feelings or to do nothing; exploring alternatives; communicating with others without blaming them; accepting feedback from others; using discrimination in accepting or rejecting alternatives; surrendering to necessary losses; acting with determination; accepting outcomes with equanimity; working calmly on a problem even if a negative outcome, or no outcome, seems inevitable; and letting intuition suggest new possibilities. These strategies are derived from what in yoga are called the yamas and niyamas—the attitudes toward life that are the basis of all yoga practices.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica;">Finding Refuge in Our True Nature</span></span><br /> Ultimately, yoga provides a philosophy that places the relationships between body, mind, and spirit in a new perspective. The Bhagavad Gita, a classic yoga text, tells us that “No one has the power to bring to destruction this unalterable entity [our true inner self]. . . . The body-bearer in everyone’s body is eternally undestroyable.” Anxiety arises from attachment to passing and impermanent things, but the more we are aware of our own true nature, the less anxious we become.<br /> <br /> Yoga gives us a practical tool for working at this level of awareness—the mantra. This is a word or phrase that can guide and protect us. It serves as a focus of attention in times of panic, and it is a resting place for awareness leading to our true nature. Through its connection to the deep spiritual resources that lie within us, the mantra pacifies fear and encourages us to persist in the face of disturbing thoughts and upsetting emotions. <br /> <br /> We cannot prevent life from changing. Life is inherently unstable. But during periods of change we can have the courage to identify and express our needs. We can look for ways to surrender gracefully to the inevitable. We can trust, through our experience of yoga, that the essential Self within us will guide us through the emotions of change successfully.<br /> <br /> <b>Dr. Rolf Sovik</b> is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Buffalo, NewYork. He has been practicing and teaching yoga for more than twenty years. </span> </p> <p align="left"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:85%;" >This article was provided by the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/">Yoga International Article Archive</a>.</span> </p> </blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></div>Wendy Maynardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08886461520716709688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23951584.post-1142656961337128892006-03-17T20:41:00.000-08:002006-06-29T02:03:58.360-07:00Being vs. Doing<p class="articlesubtitle">To many people, there seems to be an inherent conflict between being in the present and accomplishing everything that needs to get done. But do you have to choose between your housework and meditation?</p> <p class="articleauthor">_________________________________<br /></p> <p>If you practice hatha yoga, you're no doubt familiar with this scenario: You've had an invigorating and inspiring practice session in which your mind was totally focused on your body and your breath. By the time you're done, you have a deep sense of peace and relaxation that seems to pervade every cell. You feel centered, balanced, in touch with yourself. You vow not to let this feeling slip away as the day progresses. </p> <p>But halfway through the work day, you're overwhelmed by the press of urgent e-mails and encroaching deadlines, and you've completely lost the connection and composure you had. Even more disturbing, you have no idea how to get it back. It's as if a door has closed on a deeper dimension, a place of balance and flow, and you can't figure out how to open it again. By the end of the day, you're frazzled and stressed out, and you can't wait to get home to your yoga mat.</p> <p>Of course, you don't have to be a hatha yogi to be acquainted with this terrain. Perhaps you find your connection to being through tai chi or running, walking in nature or playing with your children. Whatever the activity, you enter a zone where you feel poised, open, relaxed, and attentive. In the midst of the doing, there's a sense of enjoyment, fulfillment, and alignment with a deeper current of aliveness. But as soon as you position yourself behind the wheel of your car or sit down in front of your computer, you tense your shoulders, hold your breath, increase your speed, and lose touch with yourself. What happened, you wonder. How did I lose my balance? Where did I go wrong?</p> <b>The Crucible of Everyday Life</b><br />As a zen teacher and psychotherapist, I've worked with hundreds of meditators, hatha yogis, and spiritual seekers who agonize over this issue. They've read the latest books, heard the teachings, attended the retreats, practiced the techniques diligently, and vowed to implement them. Yet they continue to be seduced back into their old habits and routines: overbooking their schedules, speeding up to match the pace of their technological devices, completely forgetting to stop, breathe, and be present. Instead of bringing what they've learned on their meditation cushion or yoga mat to the crucible of everyday life, they lose their balance and go unconscious again and again. <p>There's no question that we live in uniquely challenging times. We're working longer hours, taking fewer vacations, and feeling more hurried and stressed than ever before. At the same time, our lives are changing more rapidly, and we can no longer rely on keeping the same job or partner for a lifetime—or even for the next few years. As a result, we're constantly confronted with major life choices that seem to threaten our physical survival and require that we spend more time than ever in our minds, assessing and deciding. "Our lives are extraordinarily complex," says psychologist Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of Inner Peace for Busy People (Hay House, 2001), "and we're being bombarded with choices, both significant and trivial, that demand a great deal of effort and energy to make."</p> <p>Not only do our lives move faster, but they also lack the flow of simpler times, when the measured rhythms of nature and physical labor modeled an intrinsic balance between being and doing. These days we're pulled staccato from one urgent input to another, from cell phone to e-mail, PalmPilot to pager, forced to mold our analog bodies to the digital age. "The sheer volume of information impinges on us and keeps us in a state of physiological arousal," says Borysenko. </p> <p>Given the unprecedented demands of postmodern life, perhaps we just expect too much of ourselves. Without the supportive structure of sacred communities like monasteries and ashrams, in a secular world that seems to be spinning insanely out of balance, is it really possible to stay consistently connected to just being while pursuing material success, a healthy body, a fulfilling relationship? "What's new to our times is not that we're having difficulty maintaining balance, but that so many people who don't live in monasteries have awakened to the spiritual dimension and don't quite know how to find a place for it in their lives," observes Buddhist psychiatrist Mark Epstein, author of Going on Being (<i>Broadway Books</i>, 2001). </p> <p> Certainly regular retreats and workshops can help. As we deepen and expand our awareness, we find it easier to notice when we're lost in striving so we can more readily reconnect with the present moment. But intensive practice is not necessarily a panacea. In fact, I've watched many clients, friends, and colleagues struggle with the transition from retreat to everyday life. "After my first vipassana retreat in 1980, I saw a legitimate way to slow down and relax," says Anna Douglas, a founding teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. "I was given permission to move at the rhythm of life. Then I entered a phase of trying to make my life like this all the time. I got rid of my belongings, became a retreat junkie, and dreaded going back into the world." As her practice matured, however, Douglas saw that she needed to integrate retreat life and daily life. "Meditation teaches us the value of being, but we need to bring this being quality into the doing world."</p> <b>The Ultimate Forgetting</b><br />The deeper question is, What prevents us? In a memorable exchange with my teacher, Jean Klein, a master of Advaita and Kashmiri yoga, I asked him whether it was possible to stay connected to being in the present even in the most difficult life situations. He invited me to see that I was trapped in a world of spiritual concepts and to notice the moments in daily life when the sense of a separate me was absent. I stopped to absorb what he had said. "Yes," I responded finally, "I know what you're talking about. But somehow I keep forgetting." "Ah, forgetting," he said, with a knowing smile. "The ultimate forgetting." <p>Despite our best intentions, there seem to be powerful inner forces at work that induce this "ultimate forgetting" and sabotage our genuine attempts to create balance and peace in the midst of activity. From my experience with clients, friends, and my own spiritual unfolding, here is a list of the most influential:</p> <p><b>Our self-worth is linked to our accomplishments.</b> As children, we're asked by well-meaning relatives, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" As adults the first words out of our mouths when we meet for the first time are "What do you do?" The message is clear: We're valued for what we contribute, not for who we really are. Since we all want to be loved and appreciated, there's an enormous incentive to work harder and faster but hardly any encouragement to slow down, do less, and enjoy life more. This further fragments our already disjointed lives and drains away the spontaneity. "Even overscheduling wonderful things can take the joy out of life," says Douglas. </p> <p><b>We're driven by a relentless inner critic.</b> Most, if not all, of us have internalized a deeply ingrained set of beliefs about duty, perfectionism, and responsibility that have been passed down through the generations. "There's a suspicion in our culture about being," says Douglas. "Our puritan ethic teaches us to be productive and responsible. Our mission in life is to acquire, to accomplish, to succeed." We're taught that we're inadequate as we are and need to improve—and spiritual teachings can merely compound this low self-worth by relentlessly encouraging us to compare ourselves (unfavorably, of course) to some lofty spiritual ideal: What, you can't stop your thoughts at will, or remain in Headstand for five minutes, or feel compassionate in all situations? Because it apparently has the best of intentions, the spiritual critic is especially insidious; while driving us to be exemplary meditators or yogis, it can cut us off from the inherent perfection of being, which is always available. </p> <p><b>We're afraid of losing control.</b> If we really slowed down to a more balanced pace and took time to enjoy life, what might happen? Would anything get done? Would we survive? Frightened of loosening our grip and free-falling into an imagined abyss,we struggle to impose our agenda on life while contracting away from the natural, ever-changing, and unpredictable flow of being. Like Arjuna on the battlefield when Lord Krishna reveals his splendor in the Bhagavad Gita, the mind is innately terrified of being because it represents mysterious, unexplored terrain. In fact, the mind's job is to resist the unknown and create a false ground of security, constructed of beliefs and identities designed to protect us from the groundlessness of impermanence and change. As the great spiritual traditions teach, however, our essential nature is far vaster than the mind can encompass. </p> <p><b>We make a strong demarcation between sacred time and secular time.</b> Sure, it's OK to be present on my meditation cushion or yoga mat, we tell ourselves, but the rest of the time I have too much to do. So we compartmentalize our lives into sacred and secular, being and doing, and reserve our sadhana for certain prescribed periods each day. The secret is to view every moment as fertile ground for practice, as yet another opportunity to wake up to the beauty and sacredness of life. </p> <p> <b>We lack the commitment or motivation to stay present.</b> Despite our repeated vows to remain balanced in all situations, our loyalties are divided between our spiritual aspirations and the fleeting satisfaction of excitement, accomplishment, and acquisition. "Why do we get knocked off our center? Perhaps we don't have a wholehearted commitment to a path or a teacher," suggests John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga. "When I've had dry periods, I've found that I've lost touch with my commitment to my teacher or my love for my path. When I rededicate myself with passion, I feel rejuvenated and more motivated to stay connected." An oft-repeated Tibetan Buddhist slogan echoes Friend's remarks: "Everything rides on the tip of your motivation." But motivation is not some quality that can be cultivated—it comes from deep inside, from suffering or desperation, from what the Tibetans call bodhichitta (the heartfelt wish for the happiness of all beings), from trust in our teachers, and from a profound desire to wake up and be free. Unless we keep asking ourselves, "What are my priorities right now?" we tend to lapse back into old unconscious patterns.</p> <p><b>We don't recognize being in the midst of doing.</b> Many people mistake being for a familiar feeling or experience they've had in meditation or yoga practice, such as peace, relaxation, or a pleasant current of energy. Then they try to "reconnect with being" by recapturing the buzz. But feelings have an annoying habit of coming and going and resisting our attempts to control or reproduce them. Being is much more immediate than that—it's the pause between thoughts, the space in which everything comes and goes, the stillness underlying all activity, the awareness that's looking out through our eyes right now. Immediate though it may be, it nevertheless eludes our efforts to "make it happen" or grasp it conceptually—and it's so subtle and empty of content that the mind may overlook it. If we open to our experience just the way it is, however, we can attune to being. Paradoxically, this simple attunement often, though not always, gives rise to the very experiences we were trying to reproduce in the first place. </p> <p><b>We're addicted—to speed, achievement, consumption, the adrenaline rush of stress, and, most insidiously of all, to our minds.</b> At the heart of our resistance to being—indeed, at the heart of our speed and our stress—is the incessantly chattering "monkey mind," which is obsessed with past and future, loss and gain, pleasure and pain. The mind is terrified of the present moment, which is where being inevitably occurs. In fact, it's the mind that gives doing a bad rap, because the attachment and struggle it generates makes many forms of doing so unpleasant. This compulsive mind constructs a separate sense of self, often called the ego, that's trapped in a world of psychological time, surrounded by other separate selves that threaten its survival. It then invents the spiritual search and other self-improvement schemes as an attempt to escape the trap it has created for itself. The only way to kick this addiction to the mind and its creations, advises Eckhart Tolle in <i>The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment</i> (New World Library, 1999), is to awaken to our identity with something much vaster—being itself, our essential nature.</p> <b>Portals to Being</b> <p>From the highest spiritual perspective, we can never lose our connection with being. In fact, the separation between being and doing is just another fabrication of the mind. No matter how still we try to become, doing is always happening: The heart is beating, the lungs are breathing, the internal organs are functioning, the eyes are blinking. In the words of the Bhagavad Gita, "Not even for a moment can anyone remain without performing actions. Everyone is unwittingly made to act by the primary qualities born of nature." In the end, any attempt to be, whatever that might mean, is just another form of doing.</p> <p>So the question is not, Are we doing or being? But rather, How do we relate to our actions? Do we identify ourselves as the doer, the separate individual who struggles to achieve and survive, or do we remain unattached to the fruits of our actions, as the Gita and other sacred texts recommend, and identify as the observer or witness of life as it unfolds?</p> <p> "You can learn to be and do at the same time," notes Rodney Yee, coauthor of Yoga: The Poetry of the Body (St. Martin's Press, 2002) and director of the Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California. "If you're flowing down a river, you're just being, yet you're moving downstream. The present moment is like that. If you concentrate your attention in the moment, you're totally present, yet it's not stagnant or fixed. The stillness is the state of mind that observes the movement." </p> <p>However, until we experience this stillness—which is actually not an experience or mind-state, but the deeper stillness of being that underlies and pervades all experience—we can't realize the union of doing and being that the great spiritual texts describe. Where do we discover this stillness? In the timeless moment, the eternal Now, free of the conceptual overlays of past and future. As the scriptures remind us, time is merely a creation of the mind, and only the Now exists. When we awaken to our identity with this timeless dimension, the problem with finding a balance between doing and being drops away as the separate self-sense dissolves, and all that's left is simply life living itself.</p> <p>This may sound like a lofty, unattainable state. However, both meditation and hatha yoga, if practiced without effort or struggle, can be living portals to the Now. "Asana practice is the continual refinement of staying present with the mind so time stops," says Yee. "When you're just being, you lose the aspect of time, but you don't lose movement. When the mind stays steady on the moment, there is no time." </p> <p>In Zen, the corresponding approach to meditation is called "just sitting." There's no attempt to achieve some particular state of mind, not even satori, but merely a steady presence in the Now. Of course, this practice needn't be confined to the cushion: In everyday life it takes the form of "just walking," "just eating," "just driving." In other words, total absorption in every activity without separation.</p> <p>Ultimately, the attempt to find balance becomes irrelevant when we recognize that reality is by its nature a seamless, indivisible union of the two—the dance of Shiva and Shakti, the meeting point of consciousness and its manifestations, the absolute and the relative, the timeless and the time-bound. "For me, being and doing are complementary and come out of the same spirit, the same universal presence," says Friend. "At the ultimate level consciousness is spacious, vast, luminous, completely free. Out of this ground of being everything arises: material reality, thought, emotion, activity."</p> <p>Even though we may appear to lose our equilibrium again and again, our search comes to an end when we awaken to a deeper dimension. This is the supreme view taught by the great masters and sages of every spiritual tradition. "The reason everything looks beautiful is it is out of balance, but its background is always in perfect harmony," observes Zen master Shunryu Suzuki in his classic book of talks, <i>Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind</i> (Weatherhill, 1997). "This is how everything exists in the realm of Buddha nature, losing its balance against a background of perfect balance." </p> <p> Stephan Bodian is a personal coach, Dharma teacher in the Zen tradition, and the author of several books, including <i>Meditation For Dummies </i>(Hungry Minds, Inc., 1999). </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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I have done yoga a handful of times, and each time I promise myself I will enroll in a class.</p><p>Unfortunately, I've never made good on that promise.</p><p>In an effort to motivate myself, I decided to find out more about yoga as a profession. Perhaps unveiling the truth behind the physical and mental benefits would finally get me to make a commitment. An invitation by local yoga instructor Amber Gibson to a class proved to be just the kind of experience that I was looking for.</p><p>Gibson started doing yoga at 15, but like many people, didn't stick with it. After 10 years of inconsistent practice, she finally committed to making it a more stable part of her daily routine.</p><p>"Yoga made me more aware of things, and whenever I was consistently doing it, I felt like I could better handle whatever life threw at me," she said.</p><p>After a few months of attending classes, she was asked to teach. She took an at-home certification class, and within months realized she wanted to know all that she could about the many forms of yoga.</p><p>"Yoga incorporated my interests in health, fitness and spirituality," she said, "and I wanted to share those benefits with other people."</p><p>Gibson currently teaches classes two classes a week, soon to be four, and usually has between eight and 12 students per class. She is trained in two forms of yoga styles, Vinyasa and Hatha.</p><p>We practiced Vinyasa in our session, and Gibson exhibited saintly patience with me as I lost my balance, my footing and -- almost -- my interest, all during my first "cosmic dancer."</p><p>Determined to figure out how she kept that smile on her face, I pressed on.</p><p>Since becoming an active yogini, Gibson has been able to quit smoking, deal with stress and anxiety better and become more toned physically. The physical benefits, she said, almost equal the mental.</p><p>After doing a bit of research on foodanddiet.com, I found out that a one-hour yoga session can allow you to burn up to 400 calories, twice the amount than a person burns playing baseball or golf and the same amount of calories burned doing moderate calisthenics.</p><p>For me, stretching and breathing sounds pretty good when faced with the option of jumping around for an hour.</p><p>Gibson thinks people are often misled about the nature of yoga, mistaking it to be about flexibility.</p><p>"It's about learning to quiet your mind and get in touch with yourself," she said.</p><p>"People today live so externally. It's hard for some people to just sit and be. Yoga helps change that."</p><p>After trying a few more moves, I actually forgot that I was there on assignment. I made a mental note: Exercise that gives a workout to the mind as well as the body is a glorious thing.</p><p>Gibson, who is currently a certified instructor, plans to attend workshops and intensive teacher training to become a registered yoga teacher.</p><p>"Everyone comes to class for different reasons," she said.</p><p>"Having a variety of training helps you to accommodate everyone's needs."</p><p>She said to put herself "out there" and build a student base, she hangs fliers, established a Web site and hands out business cards on a regular basis.</p><p>"You have to be a people person. Networking is a big part of building classes."</p><p>After class was over, I witnessed Gibson chatting with students about a variety of topics, and saw how capable she was at putting people's minds at ease about their performance. As I left class that night, I felt peaceful and relaxed, similar to the feeling when you've just stepped out of a jacuzzi.</p><p>The next morning was a different story. As I struggled to get out of bed, every muscle in my body feeling like it was on fire, I had to remind myself that the pain was a good thing.</p><p>All in all, the experience was motivating and enlightening. Gibson taught me a lot of little tricks about stretching and breathing, proving herself to be a motivating teacher that offers great advice. Her patience, mental and physical balance and caring nature are a credit to her profession.</p><p>As for me, I have once again made a commitment to myself to enroll in a class. I figure if yoga can do for me what I've seen it do for others, I have nothing to lose.</p><p>Except, of course, the 10 pounds I've gained since Christmas.</p>By <a href="mailto:jcummings@journalandcourier.com">Jackie Cummings</a><br /><p class="byline">jcummings@journalandcourier.com </p> <span class="date">March 13, 2006</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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The many different branches and schools of Yoga all have the same goal which is the complete integration and perfect functioning of body and mind.<br /><br />Because Yoga integrates and strengthens all aspects of our mind, body and awareness, the benefits from the practice of Yoga are wide and far reaching with improvements in cardiovascular efficiency, the respiratory system, muscular and structural flexibility and suppleness, greater emotional and mental balance, increased energy, reduced stress, increased mental clarity, and improved health.<br /><br />The clothing that you wear when practicing Yoga should help you on the Path and not be a distraction. Your yoga clothing should allow you to move easily and freely in the different asana postures without strain or restriction. Keep these qualities in mind when selecting your yoga clothing:<br /> </p><ul><li><b>Comfortable.</b> Yoga clothes should be comfortable and allow free movement for your body in the various Yoga positions. Some people prefer loose fitting clothing that allows plenty of room to move and some prefer close-fitting, stretchy clothing with a bit of lycra so your clothes don’t get in the way of your movements. Either can work well and it is largely a matter of choice. Make sure that your clothing also is suitable to your level of modesty and that as you stretch and bend your clothing doesn’t expose more of yourself than you feel comfortable with.<br /><br />When choosing your yoga wear chose clothing made with pure organic cotton or hemp as these provides maximum comfort by allowing the body to breathe properly which is an essential for yoga apparel. Another important feature of Yoga clothes should be sweat absorbency to help keep you dry and comfortable. Besides being softer, the longer fibers of organic cotton have much greater moisture absorbency than chemically grown and processed conventional cotton. Hemp has the greatest absorbency of all the natural fibers and is a good choice for yoga and activewear clothing.<br /><br />For ladies, it is wise to invest in a good sport bra which can help considerably with support and comfort. This will enhance and bring self confidence during your yoga practice.</li><br /><li><b>Healthy.</b> Our desire to improve our health through the practice of Yoga should be supported by wearing healthy, organic clothing. Cotton is the most popular natural fiber but conventionally grown and manufactured cotton is the most chemically-intensive fiber grown with devastating consequences to the environment. Conventionally grown cotton consumes 25% of the pesticides used in the world. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found that the nine most common pesticides are highly toxic – five are probable carcinogens.<br /><br />Protect your health and the health of the environment by selecting organically grown and manufactured clothing.</li><br /><li><b>Durable.</b> The stretching, bending, and twisting of some yoga asanas can strain some seams and fabrics. Select well-constructed clothing with double seams and durable manufacturing. The longer fibers of organic cotton and hemp are naturally stronger, wear longer and are more comfortable. </li><br /><li><b>Life Sustaining.</b> Practicing yoga will help us establish balance within ourselves and a balanced lifestyle in harmony with our environment. Part of this balanced lifestyle is acknowledging the right of all people to be paid a fair and just wage for their labors. When purchasing your yoga clothes look for clothing that has been manufactured in a Fair Trade, non-sweatshop environment.</li></ul>We can gain many benefits to mind, body, and spirit from the practice of yoga. Get the most from your yoga practice by selecting yoga clothing that will help give the maximum experience. And enjoy.<p>Michael Lackman is a long yoga practicioner. He is also the founder of <a target="_new" href="http://www.lotusorganics.com/">LotusOrganics.com</a>, an online organic clothing store offering purely beautiful and healthy organic clothing for yoga, exercise, casual wear and sleepwear.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></div>Wendy Maynardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08886461520716709688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23951584.post-1142218891220517502006-03-12T19:01:00.000-08:002006-03-12T19:01:31.310-08:00Weight Loss Through Yoga<p>As yoga becomes more mainstream, among claims made by its many adherents is that it helps with weight loss. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center set out to find out. 15,500 people between the ages of 53 and 57 were asked about their exercise, diet and weight histories. The results showed that those who practiced yoga lost ten pounds over a period of five years. Those that did not averaged a thirteen and a half pound gain during that same time period.</p><p>That's the good news. The bad news is that its not necessarily clear whether the results of the study show a cause and effect between practicing yoga and losing weight. One of the co-authors of the study, Alan Kristal, believes that the weight loss cannot be attributed to the caloric burn of yoga practice.</p><p>"Except for very strenuous yoga practices, you don't really burn enough energy to make any difference in terms of weight," said Kristal. Rather, Kristal believes that by putting people more in tune with their bodies, reducing stress, and avoiding bad habits yoga helps them avoid overeating.</p><p>Another possible explanation is that fit, healthy people are more likely to take up yoga than those who are out of shape. If the group practicing group was in better shape to begin with, then the results of the study are what you would expect. More studies will be required to prove a causal link between starting a yoga program and losing weight.</p><p>However, just because there no proven link between yoga and weight loss does not mean that yoga isn't beneficial. Just the stress reduction and increased flexibility associated with yoga can contribute to wellness. Not to mention the emotional satisfaction and enjoyment that comes from yoga. Yoga can certainly be a part of a sensible plan for health, but should not be relied on exclusively if weight loss is the goal. Healthy diet and a sensible aerobic exercise regime are still a necessary part of a balanced lifestyle.</p><p>(c) 2005 Yoga-Daily.com</p><p>J. Morgan writes regularly on health, fitness and weight loss. He also maintains and edits the popular yoga news and information website "Yoga Daily" at <a target="_new" href="http://www.yoga-daily.com/">http://www.Yoga-Daily.com</a>.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></div>Wendy Maynardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08886461520716709688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23951584.post-1142218777259044652006-03-12T18:59:00.000-08:002006-06-24T01:58:24.723-07:00Yoga Accessories- Getting What You Really Need<p>Unlike some other sports, you don’t need a lot of yoga accessories when you practice. With yoga, your body is really the most important ‘equipment’ that you need. There are some items that are basic and which can help you be more comfortable and safer in your practice.</p><p><b>Standard Yoga Accessories</b></p><p><i><b>Clothing</b></i><br />Your clothing should be comfortable and breathable and allow you to move freely. You don’t want anything that is going to get in the way of your movements or that will bunch up or create a distraction. For instance, oversized, loose fitting tee shirts can fall towards your face during some inversion poses and cause you to pay more attention to whether or not anything is showing, than to the actual asana. If you are taking a class, your instructor might want you to wear something form fitting in order to check your alignment.</p><p>Shorts are often a good choice, if the whether permits, because you tend to get very warm from doing the asanas and your body temperature heats up. In some types of yoga, such as Bikram, shorts are really a necessity because of the level of heat in the room.</p><p>Although yoga is usually practiced barefoot, some people wear cotton socks or soft yoga shoes.</p><p><i><b>Mat</b></i><br />Yoga mats are typically used during practice, especially in a class. They offer some padding so you are not lying or sitting directly on a hard floor. They also provide some level of sanitation, since a number of postures require you to put your head on the floor.</p><p>A mat also gives you traction during your poses. When your body heats up, you have a tendency to sweat, which could cause you to slip if you were directly on a floor. The mat helps minimize potential slipping and can add to the safety of your practice. There are a variety of different mats you can use.</p><p><b>Optional Yoga Accessories</b></p><p><i><b>Yoga Mat Bag</b></i><br />It helps you carry your yoga mat to and from class. Some of them also have room for other items such as a change of clothes, your keys, and wallet.</p><p><i><b>Yoga DVDs</b></i><br />If you are not taking classes, they can provide you with wonderful instruction, often from top teachers.</p><p><i><b>Yoga Props</b></i><br />There are a variety of props that can help you with your form, especially if you are a beginner.</p><p>One of the least mentioned, but what I feel is one of the most important yoga accessories, is a water bottle. During your practice, your body will likely sweat and release toxins. Water is necessary to help you flush out the toxins and replenish any lost fluids. After your practice you will probably be thirsty, so cool, refreshing water will seem like a wonderful reward after all your hard work.</p><p>When you begin practicing, you may decide to just buy the standard items. As you advance, you will very likely decide to purchase some other yoga accessories to help you develop and grow.</p><p>Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Here website <a target="_new" href="http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/">http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com</a> is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></div>Wendy Maynardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08886461520716709688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23951584.post-1142218643914049162006-03-12T18:57:00.001-08:002006-07-09T12:28:40.736-07:00Yoga Mats - Are They All Created Equal?<p>Yoga mats are a basic part of every practice. What you might not realize is that there are several types of yoga mats that you can choose from.</p><p><b>Sticky Mats</b><br />These yoga mats offer a covering for your practice area, as well as some stability for you when doing poses. They are thin, lightweight, and come in a variety of colors. Some of them have guide marks on them to illustrate proper hand and foot placements. In order for these mats to be sticky and prevent you from slipping and sliding, you need to sprinkle them with a small amount of water and let them air dry. You can use these mats for most types of yoga.</p><p><b>Ultra Double Thickness Mats</b><br />These yoga mats are basically sticky mats that are ultra thick. They provide both stability and cushioning which is useful in certain poses. They can be a great choice for Astanga practitioners who often jump from one pose to another. I personally love the ultra thick mats because of the extra cushioning they provide. It is the only type I take with me to classes.</p><p><b>Travel Mats</b><br />This type of yoga mat is great to throw in your suitcase or carryon luggage when you are on the go, so you can practice no matter where you are. Travel yoga mats are very thin. You would use one either on a carpeted floor or on top of a towel or blanket on a floor that isn’t carpeted.</p><p><b>Cotton Mats</b><br />These yoga mats are excellent for those types of yoga that traditionally cause you to sweat a lot such as Astanga or Bikram. Because they absorb sweat, they help keep you from slipping and sliding during these heat-producing practices. They work best when they are sprinkled with a small amount of water. The damp mat gives you a good amount of traction so your hands and feet stay where you place them. Many of them have lines in the patterns, which can help with your body alignment.</p><p>Cotton mats also provide cushioning. They can substitute for blankets by helping to bolster your body during certain asanas. Some people use cotton mats over sticky mats during their practice.</p><p><b>Yoga Mat Bag</b><br />A yoga mat bag is a great accessory for carrying your yoga mat or mats to class, work, or anywhere else you need to go. Many have extra space where you can put your keys, water bottle, and tee shirt. The bag protects your mat and helps make it easier for you to transport your yoga gear.</p><p>Now that you know about the different yoga mats that are available and what each one does, you choose the right mat or mats for you.</p><p>Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website <a target="_new" href="http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/">http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/</a> is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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