Archive for the ‘About Yoga’ Category

By Dave Teitler

How to understand the real purpose of practicing yoga:

After practicing and teaching karate and tai chi for many years, I was drawn to yoga in my quest for a spiritual connection. First it was from books, then from videos and finally I started visiting local yoga studios in search of a teacher. In the beginning of my practice I was concentrating on the physical practice, and was not sure where I was going with it. I just loved the feeling of stretching and twisting my body into various postures. Soon I was addicted to the quest for perfect postures. At that point I found my teacher Alan Finger and my emphasis began to change. I realized that the physical practice was primarily meant for developing the strength of mind and body necessary to sit in meditation for at least 20 minutes and that the side effects of the physical practice like discipline, flexibility calmness and strength were secondary.

Ancient civilizations realized this and developed the Eighth Fold Path of yoga consisting of Yamas, (rules to live your life by) Niyamas, (methods of purifying the body) Pranayamas (breathing exercises for energy cultivation) Asana (physical postures) Pratyhara (withdrawal of the senses) and the three stages of meditation consisting of concentration, merging of the meditator with the object of concentration and Samadhi (realization of the true self). Real yoga was the practice of all eight paths. Just paying attention to the asana wont give you a clear picture of where your practice is going. The true test of your whole development takes place in your daily activities. Yoga aims at achieving a human beings highest state of development.

It is said by a Taoist that upon birth ones soul splits apart. Half going to the heart chakra and half going to heaven. Our lives, if we are in touch with ourselves, are based on our innate desire to bring the two halves of the soul together. In order to do that we need a modality such as yoga to open us up to our possibilities. Our lives begin to change and we slowly change the way we navigate our daily activities. This is purpose of yoga. Anyone who has natural flexibility can do yoga postures, however it takes someone who feels the calling of the soul to transcend the limited world we live in and live a life of ethics, morality, love and compassion, being thankful of each new day.

http://www.realyoga.org/

By Patresia Adams

Yoga is an ancient practice that originated from India. There are several branches and types of exercises that are performed under yoga. Kundalini yoga is a well-known branch of yoga that brings enormous health benefits. Kundalini is a Sanskrit word that means ‘uncoiled’. There is an instinctive force or energy that lies dormant as a sleeping serpent coiled at the base of our spine. A set of advanced yoga exercises under the Kundalini yoga discipline, awakens or uncoils our latent creative energy.

Kundalini is a spiritual type of yoga. It is more than the mere physical performance of poses. It contains rigorous practice of breath controlling techniques; physical exercises, meditation, and chanting “shlokas”. By doing so, we release the coiled force and draw it up through the body awakening each of the seven vital points (also known as chakras) in a body. Complete illumination occurs when this energy reaches the Crown Chakra. Complete illumination brings inner knowledge, a deeper awareness of our creative abilities and hidden potential. We become conscious of about infinite truths of the universe and our body attains maturation.

Kundalini yoga can be practiced by people of al ages. It helps you meet the challenges presented by the hectic schedule of daily life. Its practice harmonizes the glandular system, strengthens the nervous system, purifies bloodstream, expands the capacity of the lungs and maintains balance between the mind, body and spirit. In this way you become your own masters and not influenced by your feelings and thoughts. You develop a better comprehension and have the choice and the wisdom to act.

A scheduled practice of Kundalini yoga enhances vitality, prevent back aches, decrease stress and maintain youthfulness by improving spine suppleness. You feel joy, knowledge and love in their purest form. Allow Kundalini yoga, the yoga of awareness help you realize your full potential and carve a healthy future for yourself.

Divine Wellness is an interactive and leading health portal that provides instructions and advice related to Kundalini yoga, Ayurveda and alternative medicine treatment.

Visit our website for more information on Kundalini Yoga and Yoga.

Patresia Adams is a healthcare consultant working with Divine Wellness. This interactive health and wellness portal offers Live online yoga classes through high-definition video conferencing.

By Gaylene Thoeny

If you have taken or seen a Yoga class you may have heard “Lead with your Heart Center” (or something else similar). The Heart Center in Yoga refers to the Heart Chakra. The Heart Chakra is the 4th of 7 Chakras (or Energy Centers in the body). These centers are often used as reference points in Yoga, Chinese Medicine, Thai Massage or other traditional healing methods.

We are referring to the area of the body in and around the heart and lungs, including the shoulders, upper back and chest. This area is known as the domain of human intimacy – and is associated with love, acceptance, forgiving, devotion, understanding, acceptance, peach, harmony, contentment, compassion and relationships. I feel the most important of all this is self-love, we can’t love and care for others if we don’t do the same for ourselves first!

The best thing we can do for ourselves is to open up the heart chakra, increasing blood flow to the heart, lungs and the rest of the body. This also can bring us better posture, bigger lung capacity, better circulation, making us feel better and making it possible to pass on these great feelings to others.

A simple way to open up the heart Chakra is a Chest Expansion:

1.) Starting in a neutral standing position or mountain pose

2.) Reaching out palms back behind each other

3.) Imagine that you are holding a giant beach ball behind your back

4.) Squeezing the shoulder blades together

5.) Inhaling into the expanded lungs

6.) Gazing gently up and forward and closing our eyes

7.) Taking as many breaths in and out as you feel comfortable

8.) Releasing arms down to your sides

This can be repeated as often as is comfortable. Also a great pose to use after driving, sitting at a desk or anything that makes us prone to hunching forward.

This article by Gaylene Thoeny, a 500hr Registered Yoga Teacher, yogi and mom. Go to http://www.groundingfitness.ca for more information. Gaylene specializes in yoga and lifestyle management. Creating a grounded life on and off the mat.

By Elizabeth Henshall

Lead or Self Taught Yoga Sessions?  That is the Question!

Having a yoga instructor can really help to boost your yoga practice. They will demonstrate the asanas (postures) so you can really see what you need to be doing and they will help you by watching what you do and making small corrections to keep your body aligned and safe. However Yoga is a wonderful tool for stress management that you can learn on your own with the help of a DVD or book. It all depends on you and your learning style. Think first – what way have you learnt best in the past. Do you like to experience something by actually doing it and then you learn it well? Do you like to read something about the topic and that helps you learn best? Do you like to see something being done by someone else and then copying it which is where DVD’s are so helpful?

We each have our own best method of learning and the way you learn Yoga will be no different. Of course it can be nice to combine some of these and, for instance, go to a class and also read up on it. Or go home and do your daily yoga practice with a dvd to guide you. Yoga instructors come in all shapes and sizes and with their own preferred style. Typically yoga instructors are young women and they love what they do so you can expect an enthusiastic, warm and lovely class. Also fairly typical in the yoga instructor field are old women or men who have had some background in dance or sports and who then turn to yoga. These instructors can be very suitable for an older person as they understand a lot about changes in the body and have a wide range of information to supplement their yoga knowledge.

The most important thing about Yoga and finding an instructor or teaching yourself through some other method is that you enjoy what you are doing. If you like being part of a class because it gives you structure and some social contact – like a little oasis of peace that is just for you every week – then that will be the right choice for you. If you like to create a sense of peace and enjoyment through practising quietly at home in your own space at any time you fancy – then that is right for you. If you do it in a way that you don’t enjoy you will not carry on with the practice over a long period of time (which is when you really reap the benefits!)and your body will be stiff with resistance as you do it, which isn’t nice! So think about what works for you – then make that happen. Enjoy!

Restorative Yoga Workshops and more information about how to use this form of self healing can be found on Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga. The Fifty, Fit and Fabulous programme provides a step by step approach to wellbeing through holistic care and is outlined on these sites.

By Sandra R. Infinger

It is argued among scholars that the earliest signs of yoga were evidenced in the stone seals discovered at Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300-1700 B.C.E.) sites in Pakistan. Figures were depicted in positions resembling a common yoga or meditation pose. The Buddhist texts are probably the earliest texts describing meditation techniques. They describe meditative practices and states which had existed before the Buddha, as well as those which were first developed within Buddhism. In Hindu literature, the term ‘yoga’ refers to the control of the senses and the cessation of mental activity leading to a supreme state, a spiritual discipline, a meditation.

Hatha Yoga is a particular system of yoga that focuses on the purification of the physical body as leading to the purification of the mind and vital energy. Hatha Yoga marks the development of the full body postures now in popular usage. In its many modern variations, Hatha Yoga is the style that many people associate with the word ‘Yoga’ today.

Most people think of yoga as ‘the twisting of ones body into pretzel form’. The true definition of yoga is the union of ones mind, body, and spirit. It is the coming together of the three in one accord that make it possible for ‘the twisting of ones body into pretzel form’. It would be impossible to start out in pretzel form unless, of course, you are a contortionist. So, let’s start with the first principle:

Positive Thinking and Meditation

According to history, Yoga was first referenced as a form of meditation. Meditation has been defined as the self-regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now. The various techniques encompass a wide range of disciplines that may emphasize different goals such as a higher state of consciousness, greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind.

Proper Relaxation

One of the definitions of relaxation is ‘the freedom from activity’, which, for some people in today’s world who are trying to balance home, family, and work, is the equivalence to sleep. Another definition of relaxation is ‘a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry’. You should be able to easily reach that level of relaxation if you started with the first principle: Positive Thinking and Meditation.

Proper Exercise

If you cringe when the word exercise is mentioned, then yoga is for you. Yoga involves creating a balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility through the performance of poses and postures. In simpler terms: strengthening through stretching. The more you practice, the more flexible you become and the more body strength you develop.

Proper Breathing

We all know that breathing is a natural reflexive action. Most of us go about our daily routine without being mindful of our breathing. Yet the average person is unaware that there is a proper way to breathe. We come into the world as good breathers; inhaling and exhaling from our abdomens. Over time, we unlearn this process due to adverse external influences such as stress. Through Yoga you will relearn that slow, deep breathing allows the abdomen to expand bringing into the lungs the amount of oxygen needed to nourish all the cells of the body. It also slows down the heart rate, relaxes muscles and calms the mind.

Proper Diet

Along with breathing, eating is another reflexive action. And, just like breathing, over time we begin to develop an improper means of mollifying our hunger pangs by indulging in junk foods and fast foods. An improper diet has many adverse effects on the human body. Overall, it’s an auto-intoxication, which means self-poisoning. All of the body organs are effected by this auto-intoxication. A proper diet does not mean giving up everything that tastes good. Also, the average person will eat all of what’s in front of them rather than eating until they are full. It’s more a habit than a means to suppressing their hunger. They continue to eat even after they are no longer hungry. An improper diet is learned, therefore, you just need to unlearn it. Take time to look at how and what you eat. Then just slowly begin to give up those bad habits. I don’t recommend anyone going on a crash diet. That too is harmful to the body. It took time for you to learn your bad eating habits, it will take time to unlearn them.

When you consider the 5 basic principles of Yoga, it should be evident to you that gaining total balance of the whole person is a concept that is necessary to the well-being of every human. A beginner’s yoga practice should start you off slowly, as should any new exercise program. Yoga has postures and breathing techniques for almost all diseases, health disorders, allergies, pains, and so on. Many of the exercises are simple and will prove to have a qualitative influence on whatever ails you.

And why not get the whole family involved! Yoga is for everyone of all ages.

I’ve had depression most of my life. The depression has caused other illnesses, as well. Over the years I struggled through it all, mostly for the sake of my dogs. I eventually found an alternative means of healing. I’m no longer on medications. So, I started a website about alternative healing methods. It’s not just about you, it’s about You and Yours. Your health is effected by your surroundings, and in turn, your surroundings are effected by your health. My website is about you, your family, your home, your pets, and your job. You’ve probably tried everything else. Try my website, http://www.healthyyouandyours.com  You just might find the answers you’ve been looking for, the answers you’ve been hoping for.

By Richard John Anderson

The life of a modern person is quite a stressful one there are always so much we need to get done in a day plus all the other life pressures like finances, family, etc. So it would take pretty good reasons to convince a person to add something else to already busy schedule, so why would we even think about regular Yoga training sessions. Here I will try and examine the main benefits of Yoga and what it can add to our life.

Point One: Physical Health

One of the reasons why we keep this busy lifestyle is to create wealth for ourselves and our families. But have you ever heard a saying “health is your wealth”? Well trust me it is true. It does not matter how much money you have you will not be able to use them if you are dead and neglecting your health is one of the quick ways to get there. The question we have to ask ourselves is not whether we can afford the time for exercise but it is whether we can afford not to. Health is a sliding scale and it is important to remember how much health affects our everyday life and work. The healthier you are the better you can concentrate on your work you also have more energy to get more things done in a shorter time frame, which means the healthier you are the more productive you become.

Yoga is one of the easiest and best ways for us to look after our physical wellbeing. The reason for this is that yoga exercises are so incredibly simple that they can be performed by even the most out of shape person and the more regularly you exercise the healthier you become. Yoga is also an efficient way of releasing stress and tension. During our normal workdays certain blockages develop around the body and that’s results in a number of vital organs not getting enough oxygen and other nutrients they need to function efficiently. Yoga designed to stretch different muscle groups in a particular ways that will remove these blockages from the body and the blood flow will bring all the oxygen and other nutrients to all body organs.

The benefits from yoga are both immediate and also long term. In a short term you will get an improvement in a blood flow extra energy and generally your body will function better as blood can deliver oxygen and other nutrients to all body organs. Another immediate benefit is the release of tension from muscles and reduction of stress. The long term benefits will be ongoing benefits and your digestive system will also function more efficiently, which has innumerable health benefits. You general flexibility and coordination will also improve.

Point Two: Mental Health

Have you ever thought about the importance of breath? We all aware that when someone stops breathing they will die, just thinking about this simplistic understanding tells us how important it is to breath. But proper breathed are often ignored. It is quite important not only for multiple health benefits but also for strong mental advantages it provides us.

Yoga exercises will normally begin with the breathing exercises. This simple exercise of taking a deep breath and then slowly releasing it, it is incredibly calming and relaxing, and the breathing exercises are a vital backbone of Yoga. The key to this is that it concentrates all our attention to one simple action of breathing. We become quite aware of the life giving benefit of a controlled and deep breathing cycle and we are able to achieve a level of calmness that we often don’t find in our everyday lives. That calmness itself is a major stepping-stone to achieving focus.

For us the ability to focus is possibly the single most important skill in a work environment. There are always so many things happening around us so much that we need to do that is quite difficult to focus your mind on a single task we are in process of doing because of all other things which we have in the back of our minds. Yoga teaches you the technique of how to quickly clear your mind and then focus on a single current task. It is also a good provider of personal discipline. The self discipline that is learned from focusing on the body and becoming a master of oneself is one of the major benefits of Yoga.

Point Three: Happiness

Happiness is something which is quite often sacrificed in the short term in exchange for some mystical hope that everything will come together in a future and everything will be ok. Yoga will not move you closer to that point in future, but it will help you to develop a strong sense of self and a connection with yourself so you can become more content with your current situation. The more you practice yoga you will find yourself more comfortable spending quality time alone and with other people. Your sense of self worth will increase and you will perform better in social situations. This is probably the most important skill that yoga can teach you.

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Benefits of Yoga

By Madan G Singh

Yoga is an art that is entirely Indian in origin and practice. The origins of Yoga are buried in antiquity, but most famous saints and rishis have practiced this art. Yoga has two dimensions which are physical as well as spiritual. This is peculiar to the exercise systems that originate from the orient. The western world cannot fathom how an exercise system can have spiritual overtones as well.

The science of Yoga is an ancient science that has been practiced in India since time immemorial. The Vedas allude to this and many men even after decades of study have not been able to unravel the mysteries of this system.

The physical side of yoga concerns a set of poses that are to be retained for some length of time for their beneficial effects to take place. Western physical exercise systems like weight training require repetitive sets, but yoga has nothing like this and consists of retaining a pose for some time. These poses are called asanas.

Yogic asans can be divided into elementary, intermediate and difficult. But bear in mind that all these asans need to be done in the correct way for the benefits to accrue, otherwise there is a chance that you could in the extreme case even harm yourself.

Out of all the yogic poses the sirsha asana or head stand is the king of all asans (poses). It is also the most advanced and difficult. Ancient seers laid great stress on this asana as it was also supposed to lead to nirvana -eternal bliss. But I will caution a beginner who wishes to perfect this pose. Firstly a degree of physical fitness is essential to do this pose. I will recommend that to learn this pose it is best to consult an instructor or join a Yoga school. In the 21st century the western world has realized the benefits of Yoga and a lot many teachers and schools are available to teach Yoga.

The Sirsha asan consists of a basic pose of standing upright on your head. It is also called the inverted pose as the human body is inverted with feet up and head resting on a floor or mat. For this pose it is desirable that you have a mat. I will not advise doing this pose on a concrete floor. You could also do this pose in the garden with the soft grass acting as a cushion for your head.

I will also caution people to attempt this pose only if you are fit and have no serious problems like low or high blood pressure. In such cases the Sirsha asan is to be avoided at all costs. The benefits of the asan are many and have stood the test of time. Basically this pose strengthens the back bone and neck as well as acts as tonic to the brain and other systems of the body. Regular practice of this asan can also act as a rejuvenator of your sex life as well as.

The sirsha asan is done in a simple way. Invert your body and put your hands under your head. Stretch your legs and give an upward push so that your body rises up with the head resting on your palms as the base. The best way to describe this is to practice half a somersault and raise your feet up instead of rolling over. The pose itself can be mastered by doing it repeatedly. The trick in this pose is to retain it for some length of time. I recommend that initially you try and keep the pose for 15 seconds and then gradually increase the timing to 2 minutes.

The sirsha asan has another peculiarity. In case you are celibate and you do the head stand for some time regularly then the as per the learned Yogis the sperms of your body are supposed to go slowly up the spine and form a Lotus flower at the base of the brain. This is supposed to give the person ESP sensations. But nobody has verified this scientifically.

Forgetting the spiritual part a yogic head stand has many beneficial properties that will certainly invigorate your body, strengthen the spine and make the brain sharper. But some external guidance or a guru must be contacted to master this pose. Sirsha asana can also be safely done by women, though some experts do not recommend it during menstruation.

By Denise Loubert

A centuries-old tradition can help relieve chronic back pain with a modest investment of time or money. Millions of Americans have turned to Yoga practice and its easy yoga accessories to cure one of the most incapacitating problems of modern life – chronic back pain.

Yoga History – It is estimated yoga began in India in prehistoric times, more than 5,000 years ago. Although Yoga probably arrived in the United States in the early 1900s, it did not become fashionable with it’s use of various yoga accessories to aid the practice until the 1960s.

Growth of Yoga in America – Yoga’s enormous growth is a reflection of how hot this solution has become for chronic pain. A 2008 study by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau indicates that 15.8 million people practice yoga, with almost half (49.4%) of current practitioners using yoga accessories such as blocks or straps in concurrence with their practice to improve their health overall. Numerous people state that a doctor or therapist recommended yoga as beneficial if they were undergoing treatment for chronic pain.

With the comparatively low cost of yoga accessories such as videos for private practice, it is no wonder that this economical and proven relief for chronic back pain has grown. “Yoga is no longer simply a singular pursuit but a lifestyle choice and an established part of our health and cultural landscape,” says Bill Harper, publisher of Yoga Journal.

Scientific Research – In 2005 researchers at Group Health Cooperative and the University of Washington looked at patients suffering from back pain and concluded that yoga used in combination with simple yoga accessories was the most effective relief method resulting in the most mobility and the least pain. A similar study by West Virginia University found that participants who completed a yoga program reported appreciably lower levels of back pain. In addition Harvard Medical School reported that mind-body medicine including yoga is the most widely used and effective alternative therapy for such chronic pain as back pain.

Yoga Heals Back Pain Quickly – “Yoga works on stretching and strengthening, and the key to long-term healing is strength,” says Liz Owen, who studied with B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of the Iyengar yoga discipline. “Since the emotional effects of chronic pain are often devastating, the calming, grounding benefits of yoga can be very therapeutic.” Viniyoga is an modified form of yoga that focuses on slow stretches and deep breathing and the use of several yoga accessories such as blocks. It is used in many medical institutions such as UCLA’s Pediatric Pain Program which features yoga, and the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center which offers yoga classes along with acupuncture and nutritional counseling.

Get Relief Now – For many people who suffer chronic pain, yoga has proven to be a simple and economical first step in becoming knowledgeable about how to cope with their pain. By using a few yoga accessories to help them achieve the poses, even a beginner can find relief quickly. Their symptoms vary-from headaches and arthritis to chronic back pain and anxiety – but their stories are astonishingly similar: For those looking for help in coping with their pain problems, yoga works.

Deni Loubert is a twenty year practitioner of yoga and a published author. She became a big supporter of yoga when she found profound relief from chronic back pain from a car accident a few years ago. If you suffer from this kind of pain – you don’t need to any longer. Her website http://my-yoga-accessories.com is a portal to a number of both public and private sites she has used for years to help her overcome chronic pain and to stay on the path with her practice.

By Tamara Tangney

We are living an era that is obsessed in “quick fixes” instead of making us responsible for our own health. For example: If we are depressed, take a pill instead of resolving the issue that is making us depressed is the more accepted way to go. There are many factors that weaken the immune system that flu shots and other vaccines can not resolve.

• Toxins in the environment and/or food (cars and processed foods mainly)

• SAD (Standard American Diet, which is a poor diet rich in processed foods)

• Excessive alcohol intake (Which is promoted by our society)

• Lack of exercise (Excessive screen time and our love for our cars)

• Stress (Our current economic situation is not helping with this!)

There is good news. We can take charge of our lives by strengthening our immune system. A strong immune system not only leads to less occurrences of illness, but also helps prevent more extreme manifestations of illness. A few of the ways that yoga positively impacts the immune system include:

• Stimulating the Lymph Nodes

• Improving circulation

• Improving oxygen flow, thus aiding the transfer of energy from nutrients to cells

• Improving the flow of the sinuses and flushing out mucous from the lungs

• Increasing lung capacity and mobility

• Massaging the internal organs

• Relaxing the nervous system

Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakopatasana) and Eagle Pose (Garudasana) are both effective in charging up the Lymph System.

In Pigeon Pose, the pressure of the heel of the foot on the groin stimulates the lymph nodes to “release their juices”, thus cleansing them out and making them work more efficiently. Eagle Pose stimulates the lymph in the armpits and the groin as the arms and legs are crossed at the elbows and knees respectively.

Ujjayi Breathing promotes cleansing of the upper respiratory tract, increases lung capacity, lowers blood pressure and relaxes the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight).

Sun Salute A & B (Surya Namaskara A & B)

These two sequences create “heat” in your body by, increasing blood flow, oxygen flow, heart rate and muscle strength. They are energizing sequences that produce similar cardiovascular results as running with out the injuries. If you are new to yoga, try practicing Sun Salute A every day for one month. Once that is mastered, add Sun Salute B to receive the full immunological benefits of these sequences.

Cows Face Pose (Gomukasana) Stimulates the lymph nodes in the groin and armpits, increases lung capacity and mobility, massages internal organs and calms the nervous system (when bent forward). Bonus: Your body looks like a cow’s face when in the full pose!

Bow Pose is a backbend with extra benefits! Your upper and lower back muscles and chest is opened by grabbing your ankles and “pushing away” from your hands with your feet and legs. Your internal organs are massaged by rocking back and forth in the full posture.

Corpse Pose (Shavasana) is the most important pose in yoga. Honor your self by quieting your mind. Freeing your self from tension and stress for even a few minutes every day will increase your sense of self and give you power to fight off illnesses.

Tamara Tangney is a yogi, ice hockey player, health enthusiast and mother and frequently writes about new ways to incorporate yoga and healthful eating into one’s life. For more information about yoga and fitness, visit http://www.chickswithkick.com

By Helena Lucas

My greatest sources of joy are spending time with my cats, living in the ever watching jungle, belly-dancing, ballet and rock-climbing. I studied Psychology at …

What qualities do you long to perceive in yourself? Do you feel that you can only change ‘that’ much of you? If this is so, you are not yet familiar with the fundamental truth of Yoga: “The body is the temple of the spirit, conceived in the image of its maker”. Through consistent yoga practice, students soon become aware of the infinite power and beauty of their own individual body. Indeed others around will be quick to perceive “something different” in you- be sure to share your secret with them. Yoga’s breathing, stretching and meditation exercises promote optimal physical and mental health that shows.

Yoga’s ingenious postures trigger positive changes in your metabolism and functioning of your endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, and urinary systems by direct stimulation of organs and glands. The Shoulder Stand stimulates your thyroid gland, having an important direct positive effect on weight regulation. Yoga breathing techniques (pranayama) are designed to trigger burning of excess body fat, to enhance detoxification processes and expulsion of toxins through our breath, and prove extremely effective for tension-relief, promoting a relaxed state and elevated awareness. Charismatic people transmit beauty through this irresistible combination of positivity, humility and self-confidence.

Positive changes in your mood and stability, and improved well-being, are essential factors contributing to your choice of foods that have a desirable effect on your organism and keep a healthy chemical balance in your brain. Awareness of your body’s response to different foods is crucial in unmasking food allergies that place an unnecessary burden on your organism.

Toning of your muscles from head to toes is achieved in yoga by holding poses for extended time durations (as with the Locust for firming your legs, the Bust Exercise for firming and developing your chest and bust, or the Bow for firming flabby areas of your back), by attaining postures in slow motion (as with the Slow Motion Firming for intensive firming of the abdomen and thighs), and by executing fast paced routines in a rhythmic flow to encourage flux and reposition of somatic energies (as with the Sun Salutations). Yoga breathing techniques are extremely powerful in developing your abdominal wall.

As well as working on your figure, yoga exercises promote beauty of your complexion, as does the Lion by firming the muscles of your face and neck, and healthy appearance of your hair, as does the Scalp Exercise. Still, yoga goes further to enhance your beauty. Its techniques, inspired to some degree by stretches seen in our feline friends, will impart unprecedented flexibility to your spine, and this you can maintain throughout your life. An ancient yogic adage claims “You are as young as your spine is flexible”. As you develop an erect posture and gain poise and balance in your movement through yoga exercises like Rishi’s Posture or the Dancer’s Posture, you will feel a youthful spring return beauty to your movements, this blended with growing confidence and stability.

In terms of evolutionary theory it makes perfect sense: healthy in and out is beautiful, the law of the fittest. It is no secret that a great part of admired personalities turn to yoga practice and meditation for health, beauty, inspiration and clarity and alertness of the mind. You too owe yourself to embarque on this journey to your unprecedented wellness.

Helena Lucas is qualified in psychology and is engaged in the practice of alternative healing techniques and treatments. She has travelled throughout Europe and Africa to care for rescued chimpanzees in primate sanctuaries, always sharing her bed with her two cats Fairy and Aisha on board. Be it in jungle or metropolis, Helena greets each sunrise through Yoga for strength and motivation. To open your life to ancient techniques that will have you shining in no time visit http://yogainyourlife.com