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There are many types of yoga including Vinyasa yoga. The term “vinyasa” means “breath-synchronized movement”. This style of yoga is a dynamic connecting posture that creates a flow between static traditional yoga postures.
This is a consistent breathing meditation and a rapid breathing-oriented posed yoga.
Its another way of power yoga.

Unlike other hatha styles of yoga, attention is also placed on the journey between the postures. In hatha yoga styles, attention is placed on postures only. In a standard vinyasa, the poses are performed between repeats of “Downward Facing Dog” in a Sun Salutation: Plank, “Four Limbed Staff”, and “Upward Facing Dog”.

The vinyasa flow is a variant of “Suryanamaskara” whish is also called the “Sun salutation”. The whole method is defined by six specific series of postures combined with specific breathing patterns. These series of postures are done in the same order.

The main purpose of the Vinyasa yoga is to generate heat in the body which leads to purification of body by increasing blood circulation and sweat. It can also improve the flexibility and increases the tissue strength. This will help the student to practice advanced asanas with reduced risk of injuries.

The six series of vinyasa yoga are as follows- Read the rest of this entry »

Before starting your first yoga class its worth considering what you would like to wear to the class. Yoga involves different movements and several positions including stretches. If you are not wearing the right clothing then you might not get all the benefits that you expect from your yoga class. Here are a few recommendations-

First thing that you need to consider would obviously be comfort. The dress that you wear should be comfortable to you, especially while you perform certain stretching poses.

Cottons are preferred for proper ventilation, as they can breathe easily and keep your body cool during your yoga workout.

Pick your clothes based on the type of yoga workout that you are doing. If you are performing the workout in an air conditioned area, then you can wear tracksuit or sweatpants. In an airconditioned room, then the ideal dressing to wear would be long sleeves or elbow length. If you are practicing bikram yoga then choose a lighter dress.

The main aim of yoga is to relax your body and mind, so your attire needs to support this. So choose clothes that will relax you.

Always choose close fitting tops and bottoms. This is because when you perform inverting poses, your body parts wont be revealed if you are wearing them.

You need not worry about the shoes because yoga is mostly practiced barefoot. Generally people prefer to attend yoga classes with sandals and flip flops as they would be very easy to remove before the class.

Shorts and light tops are apt for yoga classes during vacations.

Loose clothing is preferred but do not choose dresses that are too loose for you, because they may show off more than what you want to.

Do not choose very tight clothing because they may hamper some of the poses. Also, clothing that is too tight can be stretched too far and rip during the class. Tight clothing will be too revealing and may disrupt the opposite sex in your class (if present). Your clothing should be comfortable to you and others also.
Track and jogging suits are popular choices among the yoga practitioners during winter.

Like other exercise activities, you will sweat while practicing yoga movements, so choose fabrics taking this in to consideration. Some fabrics will absorb sweat and will keep your body dry during the workout, but still can  burn those calories.

If your clothing is wet then attempting certain positions could be dangerous and the same is true if your clothing is too loose. Take suggestions regarding the clothing from your yoga teacher.

The recommendations that are listed here are only suggestions to direct you.

If you are not sure about the clothing that you have to wear for your yoga classes, perform some basic moves and test the clothing yourself. You should feel free and good when you are practicing the movements. Clothing is very important for yoga, so solicit help from your yoga teacher. All the best .

When many people hear the word “yoga” mentioned, they invariably think of extremely agile bodies twisted into contorted positions. However, there is nothing inherently complex or complicated about the practice of yoga.

Yoga is in large part, all about ‘union’. Union of the body, mind, and spirit. It is practiced not only physically but mentally, emotionally & spiritually also. One of the best ways to accomplish this unity is yoga which is essentialy a spiritual pursuit.

Taking this idea further, yoga can have the effect of strengthening the spirit. The spirit forms the core of a person, and when it is strengthened, the personal as a whole will be also. The art of Yoga poses, created so many years ago, has time-tested principles that are still very much relevant today.

The study of yoga is synonymous with growth. I can think of no other animal that grows as much as a caterpillar turning to a butterfly. A caterpillar grows to about 27,000 times the size it was when it first emerged from its egg? If a human baby weighed 9 pounds at birth and grew at the same rate as a caterpillar, it would weigh 243,000 pounds when fully grown. If we were to even try to compare our own spiritual growth with that of the expansion of a caterpillar in its process of growth, we would be completely overwhelmed. In truth, we expand much more than this. Just like the caterpillar, which literally is turned inside out into a completely different form of life, we are turned inside out also, to view our world in a whole new way. Although the caterpillar is able to transform itself into a butterfly in approximately two weeks, and our spiritual process can take many lifetimes, we are both undergoing a tremendous transformation. Such transformations can be seen in these yoga videos.

Our own spiritual metamorphosis can be visualized as the same type of revolution that happens within a chrysalis. When we initially start to develop new patterns of thought, and new ways of seeing things, our egos feel very threatened. This is why sometimes, when we undertake a wholehearted approach to changing ourselves we feel like we’ve been rolled over by a ten thousand ton truck. Our ego is trying every tactic possible to destroy these new (and delicate) ways of seeing the world. Similarly, when a caterpillar fist builds its cocoon, new cells called ‘imaginal cells’ begin to form. These cells are so totally different from what the caterpillar knows that its immune system sees them as a disease and tried to destroy them. The new imaginal cells are persistent though (as we must be in our spiritual quest) and soon the immune system of the caterpillar cannot destroy them fast enough. More and more of them survive to create what the caterpillar will soon be instead of itself. Once the imaginal cells have developed a strong minority, they begin to form together. This can be seen as a similar process to the forming of universal consciousness. The little imaginal cells group together and start to resonate the same frequency, passing information from one cell to another in a more expeditious way. Eventually a long string of imaginal cells forms just like our very own DNA does! Eventually the string of imaginal cells realizes it is something very different from a caterpillar. It is meant for more grandiose things (as are we). The realization of this fact leads to the caterpillar becoming a butterfly. It eventually becomes more of a butterfly than it is a caterpillar, but it takes overcoming itself to do so.

If we were to imagine this metaphor as a translation for what happens within us spiritually, we can begin to see how we eventually become Gods having a human experience instead of human’s having a Godly experience. We start to realize, first one by one, then in small groups, then in large masses, that we are all one. We are Infinite Capacity. We are Infinite Love.

This is where you have to become a little but of a rebel. You have to be an imaginal cell. You have to shun the norms of society and take on a completely new outlook even though everyone around you is shouting at the top of their lungs, “You are only a caterpillar!” there have been social and spiritual deviants in the past, and they were killed just like the earliest imaginal cells in the caterpillar, Mahatma Ghandi, President Kennedy, and Benigno Servillano A. Aquino, Jr. were willing o sacrifice themselves in order to awaken the true nature of all of us. People like Nelson Mandela and Chadrel Rinpoche have been jailed when they were not killed so that society could try to silence the greater message they have to tell the whole. But there are larger groups of us now. We have begun to form a string that is unbreakable. We cannot be killed because our message has affected enough of the group consciousness that it no longer wants to fight but become what is in its truest nature – a spiritual force so strong that it leads only to peace and love for all sentient beings. The old order of crime and anger, war and greed is over. All around us we can the external symptoms that this order is collapsing and waiting to be transformed into a level of complexity and order.

It may seem that we are in times of chaos, but can you just imagine what it feels like to the caterpillar inside its chrysalis? It has to be eaten alive by its own immune system to become something radically different. It is absolute mayhem, I am sure. Society is perhaps reaching its own fevered pitch of change. We can each be imaginal in our own right, though, and be part of the change that gives the human race wings to fly up out of poverty and hatred. We are metamorphosing into our grander selves, into Bodhisattvas and then into Buddhas. From this vantage point we are again like butterflies, influencing the grandest things just by the smallest flap of our wings. In 1969 Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has”.

How can you mimic the imaginal cell more completely? Do your hatha yoga practice daily. It will keep you in alignment with the greater picture. You can meditate with a friend, or commit an act of kindness toward a stranger. You can give someone a smile or a compliment when they are complaining or sad. You can volunteer in your community. There are a million ways that you can shorten our time within out spiritual chrysalis. Your bravery and foresight will be the overriding factor which makes the world steer away from its path of self-destruction and into the light of creation. We were meant for this all along.

Practicing yoga is an experience inand of itself, but to enhance this experience you should consider buying a yoga mat. A mat specifically designed for yoga not only provides your a comfortable resting point but also helps you define a special place reserved for your yoga practice. However, it’s important that you choose the right mat, select the best type and take good care of it for the long haul. This article will look into the many aspects of getting a yoga mat for your practice that will help you make the most out of your meditation.

There are several factors that you should consider when you’re buying a yoga mat. First of all, you need to make sure that the mat is long & wide enough to accommodate your whole body, so do check it’s dimensions. Also, since Read the rest of this entry »

Yoga has been practiced for ages and is known to strengthen the mind along with the body. Yoga poses are unique and of many different types. The Sanskrit word, which is used to define them, is “Asana”. Yoga has become extremely popular form of exercise over the world due to positive affects of Asana. Engaging in yoga with the right postures helps your body overcome problems such as backache, being overweight and hypertension. In this article we will look into how yoga poses can bring about profound changes in your body and lead you to good health.

Yoga will benefit you in many ways by making it easy for you relieve stress, attain inner peace and tone the bodies muscles. Yoga postures and positions form the building blocks of the art of Yoga. So before you can go ahead and master Yoga poses, it’s important for you to learn and practice the right postures. This will not only help you safely make use of yoga poses, but also effectively assist you in becoming proficient in applying them the way they are intended.

Another very important step when learning yoga poses is learning to control your breathing, without effort. By breathing properly, a yogic is able to reach beyond the physical dimension, achieve mental stimulation, growth and relaxation.

The most common & useful type of yoga is “Hath Yoga”. It’s the basic form of practice we know of today. Hath yoga is simple yet very effective in refreshing and stimulating your mind & body through the use of healing yoga poses. One of the many benefits you get out of practicing yoga is relief from common body problems.

The art of yoga is marvelous when it comes to attaining the right balance and developing a deep sense of calm. However, it should be practiced with the correct poses in their appropriate manner. For example, “Fighting the Cobra” is a posture that provides minor back pain relief and at the same time tones your abs. Yoga cannot be termed as an exercise but rather a way to achieve balance by bringing together your mind & body with your spirit. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s well known that pregnancy is a journey for the mother to be. It’s a physical experience as well as mental. Women tend to naturally adjust themselves to the daily bodily changes and become more aware and in tune with them. But, at times they do need help to really adapt to these vital changes. Yoga can effectively help them understand these, as it’s turns out to be an excellent exercise for pregnant women. It can be safely done during the whole course of pregnancy. Even though it offers many benefits, there are certain precautions which should be taken into consideration before starting. In this article we will discuss how you can use yoga to get the most out of this special experience called pregnancy.

For pregnant women, yoga can help them understand their bodies and get in touch with their inner self in order to get the best results. With regular practice, it can help them reduce swelling, insomnia as well as back & leg pains. You can practice the general yoga in the first two months of pregnancy. However, it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor and also seek advice from an experienced yoga teacher. The moderate set of exercises can be practiced at any hour of the day, any number of times, preferably daily, The aim should be to basically strengthen the back, abdomen and the limbs. Also, breathing exercises, when done twice a day, can be very beneficial. The mother and the child both benefit from this as the breathing exercises provide them with more oxygen and energy. There are a number of benefits pregnant women get when they practice yoga regularly. Read the rest of this entry »

Pilates is often referred to as yoga, although the Pilates exercise routine has no real connection with yoga. It works differently and with a different approach. The common point, which you notice between Pilates and yoga, is that they both emphasize on mental focus and controlled breathing during practice. There are some similarities as well as differences between them, but both offer excellent benefits to the practitioner. In this article we will delve into the nits and grits of yoga Pilates and in the process understand the fundamentals, which make them the most efficient techniques for achieving sound physical and spiritual health.

It’s not hard to ignore the fact that over the past 2 decades, yoga & Pilates, haVE achieved a cult following. However, it’s important to notice that there is a good amount of differences between the two age-old arts of exercise and meditation. Studies show us that yoga began in South Asia and Pilates was born in Germany, a completely different continent. Although yoga can be easily traced back to the Indus valley civilization, the person who discovered/founded the practice of yoga is still unknown. On the other hand, it has been well documented that Pilates was the brainchild of Joseph Hubertus, which he founded in 1880. The key difference between yoga and Pilates is, while yoga tends to concentrate on uniting the mind, body and the spirit, Pilates solely focuses on the physical body. Given that, we still cannot ignore the positive changes we go through from practicing yoga Pilates.

The main focus of regular practice of yoga Pilates is maintaining good, optimum health with a proper well being. It revolves around helping the practitioner achieve enhanced body flexibility. Once you start practicing it on a daily basis, you will very soon notice a deep, positive change in your physical as well as your mental life. What’s more, the threat of injuries is lessened to a great extent in yoga Pilates because of the stretching that is involved. One of the most radical benefits that you will experience when you practice yoga Pilates is improved body balance. Also, yoga Pilates concentrates on certain well structured breathing methods which help you relax and calm down, leading to sounder sleep. We can also examine the benefits of yoga and Pilates individually for better understanding.

Yoga allows the energy inside your body to move a lot more freely than before, which basically means that your physical health & well-being is improving. Many negative blocks such as stress, tension and anxiety and other such emotions slow down and halt the free energy movement in your body. Yoga works on these key areas to give you improved energy flow and a balanced mental and spiritual health. It will help you prevent your body from being rigid. When we talk about Pilate exercises, we see them branch out in to several forms. For example, dancers usually prefer stretching exercises as it helps them get in tune or in sync with their bodies. Pilates also utilizes machines, which makes it very much similar to weight training. The trend these days in Pilates is the use of mats, such as the  for enhanced comfort.

Yoga Pilates can definitely prove to be a wondeful pursuit if you want to balance your health using these tried and tested forms of exercise. It all boils down to how much of effort you are ready to put in to actually make that big, happening change in your life. Leading a positive life requires the right techniques, and yoga Pilates does offer them. Start now and you should be on your way to living a perfectly balanced life.

It’s hard not to notice the many types of yoga meditation that have gained immense popularity across the globe. Yoga meditation is a way to control your mind by channeling the energy inside your body for your own benefit. This in itself is not an easy task, since the mind is never constant. It’s always moving and is extremely easy to divert. Taking up yoga can be a life changing experience, and as you progress you will discover methods like mantra meditation which will not only help you grow spiritually but also let you envision a successful life. In this article we will be exploring how yoga meditation can positively affect your lifestyle and give a whole new meaning to inner peace.

There are a few things that you should keep in mind when you start practicing meditation in yoga. To practice yoga, you will need to have a private place where no one will disturb you. Also, your yoga poses should be correct, so that your breathing cycle isn’t affected in any way. Your focus should solely be on your mind, this will allow you to cleanse your heart with your mind & senses alone. As you get comfortable, make sure your head, neck and body is in a straight position.

The mind needs to be completely free from feelings of fear, hatred, and any negativity that you might have. This will give you a way to meditate on the internal energy and help you find the real you, bringing you in sync with your true purpose. You need to have utmost control over your mind, body and movement. The ultimate goal of your practice would be getting your mind steady, so that gradually you can get rid of any materialistic thoughts that you might have. Once you are comfortable with the basics, you can move on to the other yoga meditation types, such as the mantra meditation.

Mantra meditation holds an important place in the yogic tradition, as it Read the rest of this entry »