Transform Your Body and Mind
Yoga Booty Ballet is a great way to slim down your body and tighten tone your muscles. Not only can it transform your body, it can also help transform your mind in the process. Yoga has been proven to have calming effects on the mind. It can help provide clarity and de-stress the body. With this specialized series of workouts, not only do you get the calming effects of yoga, but you also get the physical effects of the cardio and sculpting exercise. So, not only will you look better, you will also feel a whole lot better after doing the a Yoga Booty Ballet workout.

Have Fun
Exercising should be fun, otherwise how are you going to want to do it everyday? With Yoga Booty Ballet you will be having fun shaking your booty to the music. The routines are fun and easy to learn. They are for beginners and more advanced exercisers. You will be surprised at just how much fun you will have doing of the routines. Best of all, you can constantly shake up the workouts by adding your own flavor and mix into the routine. Yoga Booty Ballet allows for you to take control and add your own move little flair into your dance moves to make them your own personal style.

Easy to Learn
Even though the exercises are fun and you have a great time doing them, they still accomplish the results that you want. To lose weight, get fit and have the body of your dreams. The signature moves that Marloth and McDonough have come up with for Yoga Booty Ballet are especially made for burning fat and calories from your body in a short amount of time. There are 10 signature moves that are taught in ten minutes. The instructors take you through each move and they are simple to follow. These signature moves will then come into play in the workout routines that follow for the program. With easy choreography and options for beginners, you can be on your way in no time to burning fat from your body.

Tiffany Brunskole is a writer for Xtreme Team Fitness, who specializes in workout products and supplies. They exclusively carry high quality products from Beachbody such as Yoga Booty Ballet.

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Benefit Of Yoga

At the physical level, yoga and its cleansing practices have proven to be extremely effective for various disorders.

More importantly, yoga is extremely effective in:

Increasing Flexibility – yoga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that are never really on the ‘radar screen’ let alone exercised.

Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons – likewise, the well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body.

Surprisingly it has been found that the body which may have been quite rigid starts experiencing a remarkable flexibility in even those parts which have not been consciously work upon. Why? It is here that the remarkable research behind yoga positions proves its mettle. Seemingly unrelated “non strenuous” yoga positions act upon certain parts of the body in an interrelated manner. When done together, they work in harmony to create a situation where flexibility is attained relatively easily.

Massaging of ALL Organs of the Body – Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity which massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner, including those – such as the prostate – that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.

Complete Detoxification – By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.

Excellent toning of the muscles – Muscles that have become flaccid, weak or slothy are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess flab and flaccidity.

But these enormous physical benefits are just a “side effect” of this powerful practice. What yoga does is harmonize the mind with the body and this results in real quantum benefits. It is now an open secret that the will of the mind has enabled people to achieve extraordinary physical feats, which proves beyond doubtthe mind and body connection.

Yoga through meditation works remarkably to achieve this harmony and helps the mind work in sync with the body. How often do we find that we are unable to perform our activities properly and in a satisfying manner because of the confusions and conflicts in our mind weigh down heavily upon us? Moreover, stress which in reality is the #1 killer affecting all parts of our physical, endocrinal and emotional systems can be corrected through the wonderful yoga practice of meditation.

In fact yoga = meditation, because both work together in achieving the common goal of unity of mind, body and spirit – a state of eternal bliss.

The meditative practices through yoga help in achieving an emotional balance through detachment. What it means is that meditation creates conditions, where you are not affected by the happenings around you. This in turn creates a remarkable calmness and a positive outlook, which also has tremendous benefits on the physical health of the body.

These are just some of the tangible benefits that can be achieved through yoga.

Having seen this, it is educative to note why the ancient yogis performed yoga and the interdependence of yoga and meditation. The ultimate goal of the yogis was “self realization” or “enlightenment”, a concept, which perhaps is quite esoteric to you and me.

But what is interesting is that for this they had to meditate for extensive spells of time – days,weeks and much more. This required tremendous physical fitness, energy and the capacity to subsist on next to nothing. Yoga positions or asanas provided them the fullest fitness with the least metabolism or stress and meditation in turn provided them the strength and will to perform these asanas effectively – a virtuous cycle of cause and effect. This mutually symbiotic relationship helped them in their path.

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Originating from the Sanskrit term ‘yuj’ which means to unite, Yoga is the path taken in the pursuit of uniting oneself with ‘God’ or ‘Spirit’.  Yoga is in no way a religious practice, but refers to God as being your inner spirit or soul.

The benefits of pure Yoga though definitely involving the physical being, are more about achieving inner peace and tranquility. Any one seeking to fully gain the benefits from Yoga must begin with the understanding that Yoga meditation, spiritual yoga and yoga exercises go hand in hand. One without the others is quite futile. Most of us seem to get carried away by shortcut methods, and simply follow some basic exercises while completely ignoring the holistic advantages of the system.

Being one of the five principles of Yoga, meditation is regarded as the constant observation of the mind. While the physical Yoga positions develop the human body muscles, meditation is designed to enhance the mind power. Understanding that inner peace and outer well-being are linked, and that ignoring one will automatically affect the other adversely too, is of prime importance here.

The human body is complexly linked to the soul and thus, it is impossible to expect one to flourish while the other is ignored. It is imperative that pure Yoga be adopted under the correct and wholesome guidance of learned teachers or literature, to enable you to fully understand the benefits of spiritual Yoga, and learn both Yoga exercises and Yoga meditation in sync with each other. Unless the body and soul are both worked upon simultaneously via Yoga and meditation, it is unlikely that full benefits will be reaped.

Seeking literature on pure Yoga that aims towards its holistic benefits is the first step to moving in this direction, and discovering the various stages of the human mind is the first step crucial to the understanding of spiritual Yoga.  Knowing about the science of Yoga as well as its practice, will help in reaping the benefits of Yoga in a holistic manner, and will enable you to enrich your body, mind and soul.

For a full guide to holistic yoga and yoga meditation techniques “Enrich Your Mind, Body and Soul with the Power of Yoga” will enable you to practice pure yoga in the comfort of your own home.  Find your copy at http://digitalinformationdownloads.com/wellness/yoga

<b>For a FREE mini ebook</b> from “Enrich Your Mind, Body and Soul with the Power of Yoga” go to http://digitalinformationdownloads.com/wellness/yoga and click on the FREE Ebook box.  <b>Buy now to claim your 2 free bonus books!</b>

Clancy Beck is the Chief Editor and Publisher of Digital Information Downloads, an international publishing company specializing in ebooks, audios and software. She provides information and education for anyone wanting to achieve better Health, Wealth and Quality of Life. A full catalogue of topics and titles can be seen at http://digitalinformationdownloads.com and Clancy can be contacted direct at Clancy@digitalinformationdownloads.com

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You may have heard others talk about yoga and meditation, but there may still be something mysterious about what it involves.  One common perception is that you can essentially practise yoga by simply doing the series of physical yoga positions.  There is indeed a refined system of yoga positions to be followed, but it is important to realise that yoga is immensely more than physical exercise if you really wish to maximise the benefits of holistic yoga.

The meaning of yoga, and the ultimate objective of yoga meditation, is to achieve the union of body, mind, and spirit; union of the individual with the entirety of creation; and unity of the individual with the creative force, the divinity in all there is.  By helping you achieve unity with this life force, you discover who you truly are.

One of yoga’s most important benefits comes from the use of meditation for stress relief.  Health experts believe that stress can give rise to many of the common illnesses.  Stress can lead to elevated blood pressure, faster heart rate, and production of toxic substances.  Yoga meditation induces opposite effects, relieving stress and promoting relaxation.

Yoga positions stretch and tone most of your muscles, helping you achieve overall fitness.  The exercises increase the range of motion in joints and help protect muscle from injury during more strenuous physical activities such as sports and athletics.  Many yoga positions enhance the flexibility and improve the alignment of your spine.  If you suffer from chronic back problems, you can well appreciate the relief to mind and body this can bring.

A number of yoga positions are designed to improve circulation, enhance digestion and promote more efficient elimination of toxic wastes.  Internal organs are tenderly massaged and toned, helping them to function more optimally.  It is easy to see that yoga can become the core of your health and wellness program.

Yoga has developed a rich system of exercises and techniques that are used to promote harmony and well-being of body, mind, and spirit.  By regularly performing the various yoga positions, you enhance the functioning of your musculoskeletal and circulatory systems.  By regularly practicing yoga meditation, you achieve deeper levels of relaxation and strengthen your mind’s power of concentration.  The system helps you gain soundness of body, clarity of mind, and vitality of spirit.

If you follow the holistic yoga practices regularly, you will soon find that they open up opportunities to reconnect with the self and to learn self-acceptance.  Through sustained practice of yoga and meditation, you can experience the invaluable benefits of inner peace and joy that can come with a healthier body and more self-awareness.

For a full guide to holistic yoga and yoga meditation techniques “Enrich Your Mind, Body and Soul with the Power of Yoga” at http://digitalinformationdownloads.com/wellness/yoga will enable you to practice the proven system in the comfort of your own home.

For a FREE mini ebook from “Enrich Your Mind, Body and Soul with the Power of Yoga” go to http://digitalinformationdownloads.com/wellness/yoga and click on the FREE Ebook box.  Buy now to claim your 2 free bonus books!

Clancy Beck is the Chief Editor and Publisher of Digital Information Downloads, an international publishing company specializing in ebooks, audios and software. She provides information and education for anyone wanting to achieve better Health, Wealth and Quality of Life. A full catalogue of topics and titles can be seen at http://digitalinformationdownloads.com and Clancy can be contacted direct at Clancy@digitalinformationdownloads.
The copyright of this article is owned by Clancy Beck, Digital Information Downloads, 2009.

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As most of now spend significant amounts of our working lives and our free time in transit this presents an ideal opportunity to keep our muscles both supple and relaxed and the blood circulating effectively, which is particularly important in flight. By practising a few basic routines journeys can become less stressful and more refreshing.

Here are a few simple exercises which can be done on a plane, a train or in the car (with the exception of those in the driving seat).

1.With the legs in the crossed position rotate the ankle of the foot raised from the ground, making small circles with the points of the feet. As the feet are rotated in a clockwise direction breath in. When you are ready to exhale then change the direction of the circles so that the point of your foot is moving in an anticlockwise direction. Repeat this cycle 3-6 times and then cross your legs in the opposite direction so you can swap feet. Repeat the procedure with your other foot. It doesn’t matter which foot you start with.

2.Placing your left foot on the ground for support cross your right leg over your left leg, lift your right foot pulling up the toes in the direction of the knee. Breathing out push the toes down towards the floor lifting up the knee a little at the same time. Repeat this 4-6 times and then swap feet.

3.With both feet placed on the floor and your back supported against the seat breath in deeply and slowly contract the muscles of the feet, the legs, the thighs and then the abdomen. Breath out, relax all the muscles. If you suffer from circulatory problems then only contract the muscles in the feet, legs and thighs.

4.Breathing in consciously contract all the muscles of the body starting with the feet and working upwards. Breathing out relax everything (this exercise can be quite demanding and is not advisable for those with cardiovascular problems).

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Yoga is one of the ancient exercises that can give an impressive and quick fat loss through the use of meditation. Meditation is the process of controlling the mind and body functions to develop a peace of mind.

Rooted in the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism, it originated in India for almost 20,000 years ago. Since then, it’s believed to reduce stress and improve muscular flexibility. Apart from its health benefits, it also increases mental concentration and revive our breathing process.

Hatha Yoga requires meditation to improve the body’s wellness, followers are instructed on the exercises of proper breathing and yoga positions. The positions range from easy ones to difficult ones that include bending the lower and upper body extremities.

Enthusiasts are first introduced to the concepts and beliefs of those who have been practicing yoga for a long time. Vegetarianism, Hinduistic beliefs, and spiritual power are among yoga’s introduction topics.

This type of excercise gives better weight loss results than other workouts. When done regularly, it keeps the body toned and flexible. One could also improve their body posture after a few months’ regular exercise. Not only that, they will also develop discipline from its training.

Hatha Yoga encourages its followers to be vegetarians. In line with this, enthusiasts frown upon meat and poultry products. Together with their masters, they develop a notion that animals live in the same world like humans and therefore they shouldn’t be killed for human consumption. Yoga followers love to unite not only with animals but also with nature. They believe that all should live in harmony and balance.

Before doing Hatha Yoga, stretching should be done first to avoid muscle strains. The exercises will require a person to not only stretch his body parts but also bend them. Women are not allowed to do yoga when they’re menstruating. Sick people aren’t also allowed to practice yoga.

Prenatal Yoga, one of its many variations, helps in the smooth delivery of one’s baby. Mothers who have done prenatal yoga will not only have easy delivery but also lesser weight gain after giving birth.

This excercise had proven good results from different age groups and body stages. Although doing it sounds inviting, one must ask a doctor before trying it out. People with asthma, scoliosis, and other hereditary or long-term diseases should first see a medical expert before engaging in the rigorous yoga exercises.

Yoga is known not only as a quick fat loss solution but also as a substitute for medical treatment. It’s believed to treat diseases such as asthma, arthritis, hypertension, and even diabetes. It can also cure depression and other psychological illnesses.

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So, you decide to try a yoga class at one of those yoga centers. What do you need for yoga? Is it important for a newcomer to buy all necessary equipment? Take your time! Size up a situation, may be yoga is not appropriate for you at all. It usually takes about six lessons to begin to feel the effects of yoga, so wait a little, lay aside the necessary purchases. At first you need only necessary: sensible clothing and a comfortable mat. When you find photos or drawings of those who invented yoga, you always see them sitting on some bare mountaintop without any mats. Do you want the same to be true for you? Leave your illusions, firstly you are not still an expert who can meditate sitting on the stones, secondly on such pictures inwardness of this school is meant.

Let’s not quarrel about this and pass on to the major question: what do you need for good yoga class? It is preferential to attend class on an empty stomach. If this is difficult at first time, a cup of tea or coffee, milk or fruit juice is allowable, but you should better get used not to be pressed with esurience. You can have a light meal per hour before class and a heavy meal per three hours. Take your hair back with headband, if you have long hair make a queue. Don’t wear heavy jewelry. Some advanced learners prefer to be without any makeup to feel harmony of mind and body.

Your clothing should be light, bouffant and from natural material. Take off belts, stay barefoot, but put you socks on and a warm sweater near by, you will need them for the relaxation period.

And what about the mats: today all shops (including internet-shops) offer such a large selection of yoga mats and yoga equipment that you are sure to find what you need. Consult you teacher and choose it to your liking. You can find various yoga mat sizes, thicknesses, types and styles. The price ranges are also various. The basic term: you should feel comfortable. Don’t forget to choose the class for the beginners. Yoga is a hard case please, be reasonable person. Take care about you body health but on the other hand and if something goes wrong don’t give up so soon, try again. Read more yoga and meditations tips at Yoga And Meditation Blog.

Carole is the author of some web-blogs in Health category. You can find more interesting and useful information at Beautiful Skin Blog and Ideal Weight Blog.

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Earlier in the era of Freudian psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychology used a model of the human personality that is limited to biography and to the individual unconscious as described by Sigmund Freud. But in the modern field of psychotherapy the approach to treat the individual slowly and gradually becoming more holistic. Today’s therapists believe in the eclectic approach of therapy rather than restricting themselves to one system of psychotherapy. Earlier psychotherapeutic technique of self exploration used to rely heavily on verbal exchange such as free association or face to face interviews. But now therapists have realized that by solely relying on one such technique will not help them to understand the dynamics of emotional and mental problems and their elimination from the personality. So now we find that there are some therapies available which work on the mind through the body. Therapies such as Bioenergetics, Reichian therapy, Rolfing, Psychedelic therapy, Shiatsu, Yoga etc. has added another dimension to the system of modern psychotherapy. In this article the main focus will be on the psychotherapeutic values of asana (posture) in the light of some of the body-centered therapies.

Asanas along with pranayama is the central technique of hatha yoga; a branch of yoga that aims to change the mental patterns by working through the postures. In yoga mind, body and energy are considered to exist in one continuum. In hatha yoga the individual work on the body through different posture to alter the patterns of energy, and by altering the flow of energy one changes the patterns of awareness. The science of hatha yoga says that the gross physical body has its subtle counterpart in the form of energy and mental bodies and the conditions of energy body determine the state of physical and mental bodies. Like the other schools of psychotherapy the goal of hatha yoga is also to transform the consciousness and personality. Asana aims to expand the feelings and the awareness. Through the different postures an aspirant of yoga brings about a change in his attitudes, feelings and behavior. Through the technique of asana the practitioner of yoga uses the body as an instrument to transform the mental and the energetic patterns in the body. Sw. Ajay in his book writes; “posture is an expression of a psychological state. Modern psychologists know that a person’s posture can tell a great deal about his inner feelings and his attitudes about himself and others”, he further writes “and this is also true that assuming a specific posture can also bring about a particular mental-emotional state”. We all know on the basis of our own experiences that we do express our attitudes, feelings and emotions through our postures and gestures. A specific posture reflects a particular state of mind and feeling. Therefore if we adopt a posture we not only change the mental and emotional states but we also change the energy dynamics, because specific mental and emotional state corresponds with the specific pattern or state of energy in the body. Today all different available techniques of body work use body to bring about a desirable change in personality.

Body as a log book
Body-centered psychologists who employ body-work techniques, claim that we store lots of information about our past experiences, inner tendencies, attitudes etc. in our body. Alexander Lowen a renowned body-centered therapist who developed the system of bioenergetics says in his book, “A person’s attitude towards life or his personal style is reflected in the way he holds himself, his carriage and in the way he moves”, again he writes, “a person is the sum total of his life experiences, each of which is registered in his personality and structured in his body. Just as a woodsman can read the life history of a tree from a cross section of the trunk showing its annual growth rings, so it is possible for a bioenergetic therapist to read a person’s life history from his body.” Now we reach a point from where we can say that listening to the body means attending to the messages of the mind which are encoded in the language of the body. Because mind expresses itself in the body, through the language of sensations, feelings, breath, gesture, posture and movements.

Concept of body armoring
It has been the observation of the body-centered therapists that we store emotional tensions in the muscles of the body. And as this tension escalates our natural expression in the form of gestures and movements is disturbed. It makes us off balance and destabilize physically and mentally as well. Wilhelm Reich, who developed Reichian Therapy in 1940s, which is a deep emotional release therapy, found in his therapeutic sessions a functional identity of a person’s character with his bodily attitude or muscular armor. Armoring refers to the total pattern of chronic muscular tensions in the body. They are defined as armor because they serve to protect an individual against painful and threatening emotional experiences. Reichian therapy and Bioenergetics, a therapy developed by Alexander Lowen, both study the human personality in terms of the energetic processes of the body. Reich believed that neuroses exist only when there is repressed excess energy. The relation of energy to personality is clearly manifested in a depressed person. Alexander Lowen writes in his book Bioenergetics; “although the depressive tendency result from the interplay of complicated psychological and physical factors, one thing is absolutely clear. The depressed individual is energetically depressed.” They (Lowen and Reich) emphasize that the lack of free flowing energy causes many emotional and mental problems. The blocking of this bio-energy is due to the armoring that results from energy being bound in a muscular contractions/tensions and not being allowed to flow through the body. This armoring is the natural pattern of muscular tensions that manifest when we are threatened or feel to be threatened. In response to threatening emotional conditions our bodies get tensed in preparation for the fight or flight. But it becomes a problem only when it becomes chronic or permanent. In this condition we suppress our natural feelings and emotional expressions. To further explain this I would use the expression that the suppressed feelings and emotions crystallize in the form of muscular armoring. It has also been seen by these therapists that the neurotic tendencies are anchored in the armor and that as the armor dissolves, the suppressed emotional energy is released and once again the individual starts to feel the flow of energy.

Asana and the character armor
As per the system of depth psychology we cut off ourselves from the most vulnerable aspect of our mental contents (through suppression or repression), which are the chief source of anxieties, tensions and conflicts in our psycho-physiological system in order to maintain the level of integration or to keep ourselves centered. At the physical level we do suppress our emotions/feelings in different areas of the body. In day to day life a tensed and stressed person uses characterological body posture, gesture and arrhythmic, labored breathing to remain in the self created defensive mode of speech, action and behavior. In people with neurotic behavioral patterns, it has been seen that at the physical level, using their posture and the breath they cut off themselves from reality and their own feelings.

Self expression is the expression of one’s own feelings. Depressives, for example, suppress their expressions excessively, which means they suppress their feelings as well. It is well known that the depressed person is closed off and the closing off is also reflected through his posture. And in this state by constricting the muscles and holding the tension in the body he wards off any feeling or sensations that flow through the body. In this condition the natural expression of feelings and flow of energy are blocked. Therefore their immediate requirement is that of movement of the body and its energies.

Different postures of yoga evoke specific attitude, mood and feeling in the practitioner. Once a posture is adopted and is sustained immediately the patterns of thought, attitude, feelings and the breath start to weave around the posture. And there is a distinct shift in the quality of awareness as the energies within start to move. Each posture of yoga work at specific region of the body and the pattern of breath which is specific to the posture concerned, affect the energy of those concerned parts of the body. As it is known to both body-centered therapists and hatha yoga practitioners, the breath is the main mobilizer of energy in the system.

Through asanas we work on the mind, by assuming repetitive gestures, postures and movements of body and the breath. Secondarily postures are also used to release the tensions that we store in the muscles. As a result of that sensitivity and awareness expand, and one responds to his life events in a more balanced, and efficient way.

Asana as a re-centering tool
Like all the other practices of yoga the goal of asana is also to expand the awareness, to deepen the understanding of one’s own self. Through asanas we work on the muscles, joints and organs of the body and bring them into the state of health. And in due course we release the tensions stored in the body, bring the breath back to its natural rhythm and harmony and allow the energy to flow freely through the psycho-physical systems. Once a natural and spontaneous free flowing movement of energy is initiated, there lies a possibility that the individual would enjoy the state of spontaneity, freedom and harmony that he failed to enjoy before. One of the chief features of asanas is that they enhance the level of flexibility in the body. Asanas are done slowly with awareness and the aspirant tries to hold the final position without creating any discomfort in the body. Therefore they become handy tool to increase the level of awareness and relaxation, which ensue when the points of tension are diluted or removed from the body. Secondarily, asanas help to ground the awareness of the practitioner in the ‘here and now’ situation, in this way it helps the individual to shift his awareness and energy out of the vicious pattern of obsessive thoughts which revolve around one issue all the time.
Sw. Satyananda Saraswati says in his book ‘Asana, pranayama, mudra bandha’; “in hatha yoga asanas refer to specific body positions which open the energy channels and psychic centers (also known as chakras or vortices of energy). They are tools to higher awareness and provide the stable foundation for our exploration of the body, breath, and mind and beyond. The Hatha Yogis also found that by developing control of the body through asana, the mind is also controlled.” In yoga psychology an asana represents a state of consciousness and a qualitative state of awareness. In yogic tradition it is said that there were 8,400,000 asanas which represents 8.4 millions incarnations. And if we go for the symbolic meaning of the statement we would find that symbolically they represent the broad band of awareness. The somatic psychology of hatha yoga says that assuming a gesture brings about a specific state of awareness, which is free from the trouble created by the pairs of opposites (dvandv?nabhighat?h). The above statement makes it clear that asanas help to overcome the habitual tendencies, by overcoming the effort (p?ayatna ?aithalyam) and releasing the tensions and signs of stress points from the body. As mentioned earlier, the body is the instrument through which we act out our desires and exercise our will. The gestures and the postures are the revealed states of feelings and the mind. When we practice asana and get established into it by repeated practice, it helps us to create and fixed a repetitive postures and the gestures which can snap us out of the instinctual habit patterns and establishes a more refined awareness. Therefore it is proven to be a very reliable tool to remold the personality.
Another therapeutic benefit, as mentioned earlier is its role in enhancing and deepening the sensitivity and awareness of the body. People who are chronically stressed, they lose contact with their body and hence with reality in the condition of complete break down. The heightened tension and stress dramatically reduce the level of sensitivity and physical awareness. Christine Caldwell explains in her book ‘Getting our bodies back’; “…tensing a muscle will, in the short run, increase sensation in that area. The nerves in the muscles get very active… giving the brain sensory feed back about the contraction. However, if the tension continues and become chronic, the nerve will tend to exhaust themselves and will only send sensory messages if there are large charges in the amount of tension. In other words, when tension becomes chronic our nervous system begins to ignore it and pay attention to other things.” Here in this case asanas can help to refocus the attention of the practitioner onto the present moment. And enabling him to be one with the body and start to relive the body. Asanas bring the body into the listening mode. Once the movement is initiated and rigid armoring is broken there is free movement of feeing and the breath. And as the two starts to flow together, the entire body becomes alive, the sensations are again triggered. As Caldwell says, “movement, sensation and breath are the offspring of aliveness/awareness. They can form the basis of curiosity, responsiveness, openness, and participation with life.”

I started yoga teaching 10 years ago after completing my Post Graduation in Yoga Psychology from Bihar Yoga Bharati (Deemed University). After completing the study there I started sharing my learning with yoga aspirants, in the same university as Lecturer in the Dept. Of Yoga Psychology. The field of yoga has been an awakening and life transforming experience for me. It opened a completely new perspective to see the reality and participate in the flow of life! And I do believe that every particle in the UNIVERSE is participating and contributing to the eternal flow of life..

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Aside from spirituality concerns, others are cynics because they think yoga involves just sitting in a room doing a bunch of stretching while chanting to new age music, and they want to walk away from the gym feeling like they worked hard. While this type of dry yoga class is certainly a possibility, there are also classes that will leave you dripping with sweat while licking the edge of your empty water bottle for remnants. The point is that there is something for everyone, so if the first class doesn’t meet your fancy, try another teacher, studio or type of yoga. There is sure to be one that fits your personality and goals.

There are many different aspects to the general term “yoga,” but what most of us conjure up is a particular form of yoga known as Hatha yoga. According to the Yoga Journal, Hatha yoga refers to a set of physical exercises known as asanas or postures, and sequences of asanas, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones. The postures open the main channel of the body, the spine–so that energy can flow freely. Practicing yoga has the potential to provide myriad benefits:

• Increased Flexibility – Yoga positions lead to a greater range of motion and over time, you will likely gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders and hips.

• Body Awareness – You often have to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment while practicing yoga, and this will give you an increased awareness of your own body. This can make you more comfortable in your own skin, leading to greater self-confidence.

• Detoxification – By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body.

• Muscle toning – Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways and some require you to move slowly in and out of poses, both of which increase strength and help shape long, lean muscles.

• Mental Calmness – Yoga is intensely physical, and concentrating so intently on what your body is doing brings an amazing sense of calmness to the mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques and disengagement from your thoughts, which help calm the mind.

• Better Breathing - Yoga breathing exercises, called Pranayama, focus the attention on the breath and teaching you how to get the most out of your lungs. This obviously benefits the entire body.

• Stress Reduction – Physical activity in general is a great stress reliever but this is particularly true of yoga. Your problems and stressors often seem to melt away while doing yoga because of the great concentration the practice requires.

If learning about these yoga basics has put your concerns to rest and piqued your interest, a cute new yoga outfit is always a great way to truly get those yogini juices flowing. Other than that, all you really need to get started is a good yoga mat. Most gyms and yoga studios have mats that you can borrow, but if you plan on becoming a “regular,” it’s usually best to invest in your own mat.

Quick Yoga Tip: Do not eat for at least 2 hours before your yoga class. All of the twisting, turning and posing can make you feel quite unpleasant on a full stomach.

Amber O’Neal is a fitness & nutrition expert and owner of Cafe Physique. Her business specializes in nutrition & wellness coaching, personal training, and yoga/pilates training. Cafe Physique is headquartered in Atlanta and offers coaching services nationally via phone and email. Visit www.CafePhysique.com for more information.

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