yogaempire.com

Yoga Basics: Your guide to the Practice of Yoga

Tony F asked:


I heard many doctors feel that the practice of meditation is good for a persons health. But the only thing I heard is that it relaxes the body so that the natural defences have a better opportunity to fend off viruses.

ExerciseTV asked:

Gay Gasper teaches you some basic yoga moves for increasing flexibility.

dingsbums asked:

funny clip – a yoga guy fights 2 kungfu-fighters from the movie “KungFu vs. Yoga” ( www.rottentomatoes.com )

LuminaChannel asked:

www.ZenPlanet.tv This is a beautiful meditation for deep relaxation. It is illustrated with beautiful pictures of nature filmed by Taho in France.

Richard Morrisson asked:


Yoga can be defined as a physical and mental exercise that helps in increasing will power of people. Most of the people believe yoga is a spiritual exercise, which enlightens the spirit and purifies the heart. For example: Doing yoga can help you increase patience and get relief from worries. Yoga has to be practiced in a peaceful environment. Most of the people prefer practicing yoga in natural surroundings. Some people prefer practicing yoga at meditation centers. Whatever may be the place, people should concentrate on the type of clothes they wear for yoga. Yoga Clothes play an important role in yoga practice. 

Clothes people wear during yoga should give them maximum comfort and help them to ease body movement. Yoga Clothes unlike ordinary clothes are made of special material.

It’s good if people wear Yoga Clothes that are loose, i.e. clothes like shorts, leotards, sweat pants, camisoles, vests, etc. Men and women generally prefer shorts when practicing yoga. Shorts allow people to see the alignment of their foot, knees and ankles. Yoga Clothes for men comprise of yoga shirts and pants. Yoga shirts need to be light and comfortable. All yoga shirts are made of natural materials and preferably are seamless. In fact that’s true with most yoga clothing. Yoga pants can be used for practicing yoga, martial arts, aerobics, dance, and exercise. Yoga pants fit easily around the waist, and permit stretches.  

Women should wear yoga shorts along with a yoga bra. Yoga Clothes should be comfortable, sweat absorbent and breathable. Women prefer stretchable cotton pants when practicing yoga. These cotton pants fit loosely around the hips, and have a flattering leg finish. Hard tail cotton pants are easily available and these pants are made of cotton Lycra blends.

Pants are usually pre-shrunk with a mix of 90% cotton and 10% Lycra. These pants are available in varying colors, and are ideal for women with varying waist sizes. People should always wear clothes that are good for all yoga exercises. They should check for yoga clothes that are form-fitting, i.e., clothes they select should be suitable and well adjusted irrespective of yoga movements.

Seb Branson asked:


several diverse forms of yoga available if you want to learn how to do yoga, but the most common form participated by most people is called hatha yoga.

Hatha Yoga

Firstly, this type of yoga concentrates on the practice of postures and the control of breathing to invigorate the subtle channels. Focusing on the third and fourth steps of the eight-fold path of Ashtanga Yoga, this type of yoga concentrates on the practice of postures and the control of breathing to invigorate the subtle channels.

If you believe that hatha yoga most suitable for you and want learn how to do yoga, it is probably a good idea to do a course or class offers hatha yoga. You can visit your local health club, search through your local phone book or local newspaper or use google to find how to do yoga classes nearby to where you live or work.

Additionally, not much in the way of equipment is needed when learning how to do yoga. More often than not yoga mats are provided for free in the classes that offer yoga or you can purchase a yoga map for very little cost.

Bikram Yoga

Bikram yoga is practised in a very hot room and is another form of yoga.

If you want to learn how to do yoga of this type then be warned that it is not for everyone. People who don’t like to perspire or find it too uncomfortable in hot humid environments generally are not keen to learn how to do yoga of this.

Bikram yoga involves a sequence of 26 standing and twisting yoga poses and includes a breathing technique called the Kapalabhati breath. The advantage of Bikram yoga being performed in a extremely hot heated room is that it helps the body to stretch more than it would under normal conditions.

Power Yoga

There also some forms of power yoga which increase the physical resilience of the participants. There is a good reason that it is called power yoga because you will be totally worn out by the end of the class. Power yoga should be undertaken with care as there is always the possibility that you could get an muscular injury don’t do it properly.

Learning how to do yoga is beneficial because it is a good form physical fitness for anyone, regardless of how old they are or what shape their body is in or whatever their fitness condition may be. In addition it is also very good in teaching relaxation techniques and soothing stress.

anonymous asked:


Most of the time, prospective Yoga teachers have a very strong foundation in Yoga; but sometimes, they originally come from a related-field, such as Martial Arts, Pilates, Dance, Gymnastics, or Fitness. This is fine, but be prepared for a “learning curve” and do not expect to learn all about Yoga in one Yoga teacher training intensive course. Even if you “lock yourself up” in an ashram for months, you should realize that learning Yoga is a life-long journey and not a race.

Now, if you come from a related field – you have a lot more mental work to do than a long-time student of Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a physical form of Yoga, but being athletic is not as important as the knowledge a Yoga teacher should possess. So, what should you know in order to become a Yoga teacher? Below is a list of what a Hatha Yoga teacher should know in order to successfully teach Yoga classes.

Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology should always be covered during a Yoga teacher training session. Yoga student safety is especially an important issue for those who will be teaching Yoga. Students are always physically different, and Hatha Yoga practice can be made to adapt to anyone – regardless of age or physical ability. Anyone who desires to teach Yoga should have a complete understanding of how the physical body works.

Asanas are the postures held during Yoga practice. Hatha Yoga teachers do not have to know hundreds of Asanas to teach a Yoga class, but they should be very familiar with 26 to 100 different Yoga postures – depending upon the style of Yoga. Yoga teachers should be able to design a lesson plan using these postures, their variations, and the many other aspects of Hatha Yoga teaching.

Yoga teachers should know how to give Asana modifications to their students. Sometimes, this could be advising a Yoga student to use a block, strap, bolster, chair, ball, blanket, or any other prop for proper alignment and safety. Other times, this might be giving a Yoga student an alternative variation of an Asana.

Yoga teachers should be familiar with contraindications for Asanas; which are cautions that can be related to a specific Yoga posture. This is very important when working with Yoga students who are pregnant, have high blood pressure, or have a specific ailment.

Yoga teachers should take the time to be familiar with each student and his or her particular health condition. This means researching health conditions that Yoga students have and staying on top of your own continuing education. After becoming familiar with an ailment; learn how you can help, but never give medical advice.

No Yoga teacher should ever put a student at risk. The body of a Yoga student cannot be forced into a position that a Yoga teacher feels is correct. Instead, the body is gently guided to its natural limits, without pain and little discomfort.

Copyright 2007 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

brianbibe asked:

laughing yoga

Clancy Beck asked:


Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuk (literally meaning “yoke” which gave rise to the modern English words yoke and union).  In yoga, your objective is to gain control of the body and the mind.  By controlling the body through yogic exercises, you eventually learn to control your mind.  Unless you can control both body and mind, you will not reap the real benefits of yoga and meditation.

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!

Hope asked:


I got craft paint in my favorite yoga pants. I am soaking them in the sink right now, do you know anything that will get it out?