An Effective Relaxation Technique

Another excellent preliminary relaxation routine is stretching on waking up. Make it a habit never to jump out of bed in the morning. Instead, give yourself a minute or two to wake your body thoroughly. Lie flat on your back, preferably without a pillow. Breathing deeply but easily, start by consciously stretching one leg from the hip down, toes pointing so that you can feel the muscles of the calf, and the leg itself feels about an inch longer than the other.

Relax, and then repeat with the other leg. Now stretch your arms hard sideways, then over your head, tensing shoulder and neck and muscles, and arching your back like a cat. Now get up slowly, avoiding jerky motions. You have never seen a dog or cat jump up from a nap, unless it has been startled and alerted as if to danger, in which case its adrenaline is probably pouring through its body. It is precisely such harmful purposeless over-stimulation that you must teach yourself to avoid. Incidentally, this getting-up routine is worth an extra half hour's sleep.

We have already mentioned that the ancient Yogis developed their exercise techniques from observing animal life. Not only did they appreciate the genius for relaxation all animals possess. They realized that animals, utilizing their energies properly, sleeping at intervals around the clock, eating only according to need, live to five times their maturity and keep their full vigor five- sixths of their life, while men and women live to only twice their maturity and begin to lose their vitality half-way through.

Carrying their emulation of beasts and birds to a logical conclusion the Yogis became the exception to the rule. Highly cultivated, highly civilized as they are, they know enough to turn to the simple and the primitive in order to re-discover natural living and nature's laws.

Obviously the pursuit of the an of relaxation isn't a matter of physical positions alone. Since relaxation is a matter for the mind and spirit as well as for the body, other factors too are involved and they will be discussed at the proper time. But while we are still on the physiological aspects, it should be pointed out that, like proper breathing, correct posture sets up the ideal conditions for the mental and spiritual side of Yoga, since in a relaxed body the blood, stimulated by greater amounts of oxygen, flushes poisons out of every cell.

This results in a greater sense of well-being, the body becoming alert, magnificently responsive to the dictates of mind and of will. Thus the Yogi may then be likened to a consummate artist capable of drawing the best out of a perfect, responsive instrument.

The more completely you learn to control the body the more of its various functions become controllable. For instance, with the mind at peace the great Western bugaboo of insomnia quickly vanishes. Not only does sleep begin to come easily to the person who practices Yoga its very quality is different sleep that is deep, calm, profoundly dreamless and restful.

As the tone of the body improves and rest becomes more thorough, metabolism too begins to improve. There is less need for food, since whatever food is taken in is digested and utilized to the last molecule. Hence weight problems begin to disappear.

The overweight see their fat burn away while the underweight begin to gain as food begins to do them some good. Next the body, physiologically on its toes, is able to throw off infection, sore throats, migraine and the many ailments of creeping middle age. Specifically the whole gamut of joint diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism and neuritis recede under the double offensive of improved circulation and gently limbering exercise.

In India it is not at all uncommon to meet Yogis a hundred years old and older. These men, after years of study and concentration, often are capable of amazing feats. It is not rare to hear of long fasts, of breathing so controlled it approaches what in the animal world is called a state of hibernation. Yogis often also develop total indifference to pain.

The men who lie on beds of nails, who allow themselves to be buried alive for days on end, may be fakirs but not necessarily fakers. It has been done, and will be done many times again. For what they have developed is the ability to exist in a state of suspended animation.

Yoga And Spirituality

Yoga is primarily a practice comprising of a sequence of mild actions and stances that improve our body’s flexibility, posture, blood circulation etc. Many who regularly engage in Yoga often relate how the practice has helped improve their physical and emotional well being.

What even many yoga enthusiasts do not know is that the practice can often help individuals cope up with tremendous emotional trauma or sorrow. Also, yoga has been known to have a particularly marvelous effect on older individuals. As many older individuals are likely to tell you this effect is not just physical but in many ways quite spiritual. People who are above a certain age have found that yoga greatly improves their life in a manner not usually associated with an exercise regime.

In Sanskrit ‘Yoga’ means to add together or unite. It is from this very word that the word ‘Yoga’ is derived. The practice of Yoga originated in ancient India thousands of years ago and has since then been recognized as a means of uniting the soul with the body and thereby finding one’s true identity.

Often the various Yogic postures are accompanied by the utterance of the ‘OM’ sound, but usually they are practiced in complete silence. Though here in the West yogic postures or asanas are what receive maximum attention Yoga in its original form also emphasized equally on practices such as breathing by means of a special method called pranayama, meditation or dhyana and tremendous concentration called dharana. As is obvious each of these practices have less to do with basic exercises and more to do with what can safely be termed ‘spirituality’.

Hence, regular practice of yoga can open up a new doorway in our lives and lead us to a level of spiritual well-being where most of us have never been before.

Due to your unfamiliarity with the word you might be wondering what Spirituality actually means. Of course we tend to use the word Spirituality quite loosely in our everyday lives but originally Spirituality refers to the attainment of a certain form of wisdom that one seeks, willingly in order to achieve equilibrium in his/her life.

Spirituality is about transcending the confines of ones own self by means of an assisting force that is in many ways far more powerful than the self itself. It is the only means of finding the true reason for ones own life and thereby achieving a form of enlightenment that grants you unconditional tranquility and boundless joy.

Spirituality is your key to coping with the surprises life springs on you in a calm and collected manner.

To gain such composure we must enhance our spiritual capacities by means of methods such as Yoga and meditation.

Meditation allows us to extend our inner tranquility to our outer space by forming a link between our mind and body. Meditation is not a religion bound practice rather it is a spiritual routine that may be carried out by one and all.

Meditation may be accompanied by relaxing music or a spiritually stirring bit of reading for best results. Many also think that the best time for meditation is sometime early in the morning or even late in the evening.

Beginners Tips For Yoga

Yoga has been around for centuries, but it has become popular over the world only during the past five years. It offers tremendous health benefits if only yoga is done regularly. For a beginner, yoga holds the door open to many possibilities, as yoga can cure a lot of health problems, help one reduce weight, and also tone one’s body.

Yoga: Types

There are many types of yoga to choose from. Since you are a beginner, you should go through all the various types of yoga and choose one which suits your personality, condition of health and fitness level.

Understand what each kind of yoga offers and select the sort which you know you will be able to perform without straining your muscles.

Yoga: Instruction

Since you are a beginner, you should definitely consult a yoga instructor. An experienced yoga teacher should supervise you while you do yoga. He or she will also help you select the type of yoga which is suited to your body’s fitness and health. It is vital that you are able to maintain the correct body alignment.

A yoga instructor will help you made adjustments so that you don’t hurt yourself, and also offer changes to the posture if you have any physical limitations. A teacher will also be able to help you get the most out of every yoga pose so that your health problems are all targeted and solved in the shortest time.

Yoga classes are offered in many gyms and studios. Since is many of these places the first yoga class is free, you can try different places and see which one suits you the best.

Yoga: Attitude

Your attitude is important during yoga lessons. You have to remember that yoga is absolutely non-competitive.

You only have to concentrate on your body and its responses to yoga. You might want to challenge your body and make it more flexible, but always listen to your body’s complaints. If you feel the slightest pain, then come out of the yoga posture or ease up a bit. As a beginner, you do not have to do each yoga pose perfectly. It is normal for your body to protest a bit. Always listen to it.

Yoga: Breathing

It is very important that you breathe properly during your yoga poses. Breathe in and out through your nose during yoga, and breathe deeply. Proper breathing will help you to feel more relaxed and also to do the yoga poses better. In case you feel a tense spot on your body, try and channel your breath to that area in order to relax it. Whenever you feel that you are not being able to breathe properly, immediately come out of the posture.

Get yourself a yoga beginner’s kit which contains a sticky mat, a strap, and a couple of yoga blocks and maybe a yoga video. Yoga is best done on an empty stomach, but do drink a lot of water before and after yoga practice to prevent dehydration.

The True Meaning Of Yoga

If you enroll yourself for a modern yoga class, you will find that it has many similarities with ballet. Most people take up yoga due to the grace, poise and flexibility it promises, like ballet. However, whatever yoga has in common with other exercises does not last beyond the first look.

Even though yoga is now touted as the modern chic way to achieve fitness and health benefits, yoga is a centuries old Eastern practice with deep spiritual roots, combining different cultures and traditions.

But because of the Anglicization of yoga, it has lost a great part of its spiritual aspect, and has become just a new form of exercise to the western world. The meaning of yoga has been lost though the ritual itself has been preserved unchanged.

In the olden days, yoga was viewed only as a small part of a larger whole, such as the branch of a tree. But now, the West views yoga as the tree itself, the essential deeper meaning has been lost.

Even though the development of yoga cannot be traced to the exact moment in time, it is roughly taken to be at the time of the discovery of the seals of the Indus Valley civilization which depicts figures in the yoga posture (asana) of the lotus pose at about 3000 B.C.

Around this time, the Vedas were also being written and these are the sources of the current yoga postures. The Vedas gave rise to Vedic yoga which created the old Indian obsession with ritual and sacrifice. The yogic corpse asana shows the importance given to sacrifice.

It involves lying as if placed in a coffin, signifying death, the greatest of sacrifices. This is deeply meaningful, even though it might seem morbid today. The corpse pose meant that one understood that according to the Veda’s teachings, death leads to freedom.

Yoga means ‘union’ and sacrifice was seen as something which would join the physical and the spiritual. The Vedanta sutras (verses 4:4, 13-14) say that the free soul is not attracted to material possessions. By wanting us to liberate ourselves from being attracted to materiality, compassion wants us to be self-sacrificing. This spirit of unselfishness and giving must needs be compassionate.

Even today, modern yoga does make this possible. Through the medium of the asanas and stillness, we can change our awareness and thus, our outlook. We will feel ourselves to be part of the cosmic whole, and see how giving to others is also giving to ourselves, as we are all one.

Yoga, in the ancient days, was seen as a small part of a whole. Millennia ago, yoga focused on breath work and postures amid the betterment of the mind, body and spirit. But today, yoga concentrates more on postures and less on breathing.

Yoga’s postures and concentration on breathing do offer tremendous advantages. The medical benefits of yoga include increase in flexibility and energy, reduces stress, improves muscle strength and tone, reduces depression, and improves balance and coordination.

Balancing Work And Life With Yoga

After a surge of interest during the consciousness-conscious 60's, yoga began to fall out of favor. Exercisers apparently lost patience with the activity, which offers slow but steady results, and turned to the fast pace and quick shape-up of aerobics.

Now yoga is back-less mystical than in the past, less reminiscent of gurus in pretzel positions, and more attractive than ever to people who are interested in working out rather than working toward some spiritual goal.

Once you step out of the metaphysical atmosphere, yoga is a great stretch and flexibility program. Yoga is increasingly being used by those who are having a trouble in balancing their work and personal life.

A stressful working environment and a hectic schedule has a telling impact on the personal lives of the modern day executives and so they are turning to yoga to bring about a peace of their mind and to adopt a perfect work-life balance.

Also, many disgruntled runners, weight trainers and aerobic dancers complain that instead of reducing the stress in their lives, their exercise regimes add more.

People rush to work out every day at lunch, force themselves to keep up and then rushed back to work. Surely, it does something good for them, but it is just another pressure. Yoga is less competitive, less stressful, and above all gives a wonderful feeling of being.

Indeed, the healing aspect of yoga is a key to its renewed popularity. The strained knees, aching backs and neck pains generated by the push for fitness and the stress of making it in a competitive world have inspired a packaged set of a book and audio cassettes. Some orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors and neurologists are now referring patients to specific yogis during treatment.

Growing interest in the mind-body connection is fueling a major comeback of the ancient practice, boosted by research suggesting it can reduce stress and blood pressure, improve work performance, even slow effects of aging.

Several techniques are now being taught in mainstream hospitals and businesses; books about them are brisk sellers and discussion groups have sprung up on the Internet. Even the Army is interested - it has asked the National Academy of Sciences to study meditation and other new age techniques that might enhance soldiers' performance.

Details differ, but a common theme is relaxing the body while keeping the mind alert and focused on an object, sound, breath or body movement. If the mind wanders and it always does you gently bring it back and start again

Stress-related problems account for 60 percent to 90percent of U.S. doctor visits, and mind-body approaches often are more effective, and cost-effective, than drugs or surgery.

For example, 34percent of infertile patients get pregnant within six months, 70percent of insomniacs become regular sleepers and doctor visits for pain are reduced 36percent.

Basic Sitting Postures of Yoga With Benefits

JANU SIRSASANA : Correct Foot Placement

Sit up straight with legs evenly extended in front. Bend the right leg at the knee and place the foot so that the heel is in the right groin and the front of the foot touches the left thigh. Turn the foot so that the bottom of the foot is facing upward and press the knee back to form an obtuse angle with the body. This position will be difficult at first; don't force it. Put a folded blanket under the knee and also under the hips. Gradually the knee will move farther back. Just keep the foot correctly positioned.

JANU SIRSASANA : Correct, perfect posture

Having positioned the foot and knee correctly, stretch the left leg out, keeping the leg firmly on the mat. Settle the heel firmly and stretch the toes up. (The heel should pull gently away from the ankle.) Now inhale and bend forward over the straight leg, catching the foot with both hands if possible. Beginners should bend only as far as they can without rounding the back. When this posture is done correctly and completely, the body will roll forward over the extended leg, absolutely flat from the tail bone to the head. Stay there breathing normally for as long as you can. Inhale, release the handhold, come up smoothly, straighten the bent leg and relax. Repeat on other side.

JANU SIRSASANA : Wrong posture

The heel is not positioned against its own thigh. The knee has not been pushed back as far as possible to form an obtuse angle. The back is humped and curved because the pelvis is jammed and unable to lift properly. Instead of a smooth, complete stretching of the spine, the lumbar is over-stretched and the rest of the spine constricted. The left leg is not flat on the floor.


TRIANG MUKHAIPADA PASCHIMOTTANASANA : Sitting, forward-bending pose over one leg

This posture generally follows the previous one. Sit with your legs stretched in front. Bend the right leg so that the right foot is near the right hip. The toes should point back. The right calf presses against the right thigh. The body will tilt in this position so put a small folded towel under the left buttock to keep the hips level and the forward stretch even and extended. Hold the left foot with both hands, inhale and bend forward, keeping both knees together as you stretch forward over the straight leg.

Many students will find it difficult in this position to even take hold of the foot of the outstretched leg. Do not despair. Just hold the knee, shin or ankle, and sit, breathing deeply, in whichever position represents your best extension. If the back is tight and the spine inflexible, this will take time. Release the hold and straighten the bent leg. Repeat on the other side.

Yoga Advice For Beginners

As you now know (if you didn’t know it when you started reading, that is!), yoga is a very interesting and ancient approach of uniting the body and the mind. It has proven health benefits, including emotional and physical improvements.

The chances therefore are, if you’re on the verge of starting a yoga program (perhaps at a local center or you’ve purchased a video or DVD and want to try it at home), you’re excited, optimistic, and anxious to get going!

Yet it’s wise to note that, before going into yoga practice, you should ask yourself some important questions. These questions don’t have a right or wrong answer.

They are merely meant to stimulate your own thoughts and give you the mindset that you need in order to succeed as a student of yoga for the long term.

Here are the basic questions that you should ask before starting any yoga program:

* what are my reasons for starting a yoga program? Are they realistic?

* If my yoga program involves some degree of physical strain, such as certain postures in hatha yoga, have I received medical clearance from a qualified and certified health professional to ensure that I don’t injure myself?

* Are my goals for pursuing a yoga program (or programs) clear and positive? Do I know what I want to achieve?

* Am I prepared to commit the time necessary to really get the most of out of my yoga experience?

* Are there people around me who might negatively try and talk me out (or mock me out) of pursuing this path of personal development? Should I either avoid such people, or ask them to respect what I’m choosing to do?

Please note that these are just basic questions; and this isn’t an exhaustive list. The point here is really that you should be clear and confident about your choice of experiencing yoga.