Monday, August 17, 2009
Acknowledging a great yogi
August 15th. That date brings to my mind several things, chiefly, the day India won independance from British rule and Sri Aurobindo (August 15, 1872–December 5, 1950), who's birthday it coincides with.
Sri Aurobindo is probably one of the greatest thinkers, philosophers and yogis the world has ever seen. He was a an indian nationalist and freedom fighter, philosopher, poet and yogi. He became one of the key figures of the movement to free India from the British. He finally developed his own philosophy of human progress and determined a spiritual path called Integral Yoga.
To quote from the times literary supplement:
"In fact, he is a new type of thinker, one who combines in his vision the alacrity of the West with the illumination of the East. To study his writings is to enlarge the boundaries of one's knowledge... He is a yogi who writes as though he were standing among the stars, with the constellations for his companions"
He continues to be a beacon of light to many.........
Sri Aurobindo is probably one of the greatest thinkers, philosophers and yogis the world has ever seen. He was a an indian nationalist and freedom fighter, philosopher, poet and yogi. He became one of the key figures of the movement to free India from the British. He finally developed his own philosophy of human progress and determined a spiritual path called Integral Yoga.
To quote from the times literary supplement:
"In fact, he is a new type of thinker, one who combines in his vision the alacrity of the West with the illumination of the East. To study his writings is to enlarge the boundaries of one's knowledge... He is a yogi who writes as though he were standing among the stars, with the constellations for his companions"
He continues to be a beacon of light to many.........
Labels: integral yoga, sri aurobindo, yogis of india
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Yoga for weight loss
“4 Weight Loss Products Recalled”
“Young You Corp. Recalls 4 Weight Loss Supplements After FDA Finds They Contain an Undeclared Drug, Sibutramine”
I saw this news item and got such pleasure out of it and I will tell you why.
Weight Loss Pills have got to be the worst way to lose weight. Common sense tells me that since it is an unnatural way to shed those pounds, it can't be good for anyone. Firstly, it is not a sustainable way to lose weight. For how long can you possibly take them? And we don't know if they really work. And somebody is definitely trying to make money through unscrupulous means.
Weight Loss is a multi-million dollar industry. It plays up your insecurity and induces all sorts of fear to entice people into buying weight loss pills and products. These pills that have been recalled have a substance that can send your blood pressure soaring and can put one at risk if one has a history of stroke and heart disease.
If you are overweight or desparate to lose weight for whatever reason, dont get drawn to weight loss pills. Try yoga instead. Yes, this is an advertisement for yoga and an ati-advertisement for artificial weight loss methods. Go with your body, not against it.
Yoga is a proven method of weight loss and you can expect it to work for the right reasons.
News source: WebMD health news
“Young You Corp. Recalls 4 Weight Loss Supplements After FDA Finds They Contain an Undeclared Drug, Sibutramine”
I saw this news item and got such pleasure out of it and I will tell you why.
Weight Loss Pills have got to be the worst way to lose weight. Common sense tells me that since it is an unnatural way to shed those pounds, it can't be good for anyone. Firstly, it is not a sustainable way to lose weight. For how long can you possibly take them? And we don't know if they really work. And somebody is definitely trying to make money through unscrupulous means.
Weight Loss is a multi-million dollar industry. It plays up your insecurity and induces all sorts of fear to entice people into buying weight loss pills and products. These pills that have been recalled have a substance that can send your blood pressure soaring and can put one at risk if one has a history of stroke and heart disease.
If you are overweight or desparate to lose weight for whatever reason, dont get drawn to weight loss pills. Try yoga instead. Yes, this is an advertisement for yoga and an ati-advertisement for artificial weight loss methods. Go with your body, not against it.
Yoga is a proven method of weight loss and you can expect it to work for the right reasons.
News source: WebMD health news
Labels: lose weight through yoga, yoga, yoga for weight loss
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Pranayama and the five pranas
Pranayama is the manipulation of the life force energy (or chi) using the breath. The idea is to acheive optimum health by manipulating the pranic rhythms of the body.
Pranayama has great health benefits. It is also helps one reach higher states of self awareness. It is usually practiced before meditation. However, pranayama is considered a form of meditation too. The practice of pranayama can help impact the mind is a way similar to meditation.
Speaking of prana, there are five types that govern the proper functioning of the body, namely prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana.
According to tradtional yoga texts, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, there are two of these five that are significant on a physical, day-to-day level. They are prana, which flows upward and apana, which flows downward. The practice of pranayama is said to initiate balanced functioning of the body.
There are several categories of pranayama such as deep breathing, fast breathing, breathing with the use of sound and so on.
Some of the commonly practiced types of pranayama include
Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing
Anuloma-viloma, also alternate nostril breathing, done pscyhically (that is without using the mudra to manipulate the nostrils)
ujjayi or the hissing breath
brahmari or the bee humming breath
sheetali or the cooling breath
Bhastrika or the bellows breath
Pranayama is an efficient way to cleanse the body of waste. One important aspect of pranayama is breath retention. According to yogic literature, breath retention enables an increase in the flow of prana throughout the body, keeping it youthful and healthy in the process. However, breath retention is not to be practiced under certain circumstances including pregnancy and high blood pressure.
Please consult an experienced yoga teacher before you start practicing pranayama.
Source: www.yogapoint.com
Pranayama has great health benefits. It is also helps one reach higher states of self awareness. It is usually practiced before meditation. However, pranayama is considered a form of meditation too. The practice of pranayama can help impact the mind is a way similar to meditation.
Speaking of prana, there are five types that govern the proper functioning of the body, namely prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana.
According to tradtional yoga texts, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, there are two of these five that are significant on a physical, day-to-day level. They are prana, which flows upward and apana, which flows downward. The practice of pranayama is said to initiate balanced functioning of the body.
There are several categories of pranayama such as deep breathing, fast breathing, breathing with the use of sound and so on.
Some of the commonly practiced types of pranayama include
Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing
Anuloma-viloma, also alternate nostril breathing, done pscyhically (that is without using the mudra to manipulate the nostrils)
ujjayi or the hissing breath
brahmari or the bee humming breath
sheetali or the cooling breath
Bhastrika or the bellows breath
Pranayama is an efficient way to cleanse the body of waste. One important aspect of pranayama is breath retention. According to yogic literature, breath retention enables an increase in the flow of prana throughout the body, keeping it youthful and healthy in the process. However, breath retention is not to be practiced under certain circumstances including pregnancy and high blood pressure.
Please consult an experienced yoga teacher before you start practicing pranayama.
Source: www.yogapoint.com
Labels: bhastrika, brahmari, nadi shodhana, pranayama, sheetali, types of pranayama, ujjayi
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Binge Eating: Relief Through Yoga Therapy
Binge eating is said to have its origins in psychological disturbances. Binge eaters seek comfort in food when all else seems hopeless. Yoga could offer tremendous therapeutic comfort for suferers of this disorder. The connection lies in the fact that yoga could help heal the mind by directing awareness towards the body. Therefore, the behavioural patterns associated with an unhealthy psychological state of being could get minimized to a great extent.
So how does one know if one is a victim of binge eating disorder? Doctors are still undecided about the symptoms that exactly define this condition. However, there are some overriding factors which could be symptomatic of binge eating. Some of these are:
Frequent consumption of abnormally huge quantities of food
Eating too fast and until one is too full
Eating excessively even when not necessarily hungry
Tendancy to eat alone due to embarrasement over eating too much
Self-loathing, guilt and depression afterwards, for having eaten too much
Binge eating is also common in Bulimia Nervosa, an eating disorder characterised by episodes of binge eating and subsequent purging. The purging is forcefully done through induced vomitting or an intake of larger-than-acceptable amounts of laxative. In binge eating however, episodes of over-eating are followed by feelings of guilt and shame. This further reinforces the sense of hopelessness.
Yoga could help
According to research conducted at the University of The Rockies, binge eaters were encouraged to take part in a 10-week yoga therapy program. These participants saw a dramatic drop in their binge-eating episodes towards the end of the program. Every week, the program included an hour of yoga and group discussion afterwards that lasted half an hour.
The rationale behind this phenomenon is the fact that yoga offers a way to reconnect the mind with the body. According to researchers, binge eating is characterized by the inability to face one's negative emotions. Food offers comfort where nothing else will and so eating works as a cathartic mechanism.
According to psychologists, binge eaters' relationship with food works as a substitute for real bonds with people and emotions in their day to day existence. They hide behind food when they are faced with situations, emotions or feelings they would rather not confront. Yoga makes them rise up to the moment and face their perceived challenges in life and relationships. Yoga does that by bringing their awareness to the present. The idea is to help people forge a new and positive relationship with the body. This raises self-esteem and creates the need to stop abusing one's own body.
Recommended yoga practices for binge eating
A good physical fitness program is known to restore self-confidence and a sense of well-being previously absent. When the body feels healthy and good, the mind tends to follow suit. Yoga in particular has the techniques to improve one's state of mind and this is evident right from the start.
Sun salutations provide the practitioner with a cardio workout, while static poses involving a bit of balancing makes one feel more grounded. Pranayama or breathing techniques have benefits that directly impact the body. Some of the known benefits include improved immune functioning, deep cleasing of the blood and digestive system and a fresh supply of oxygenated blood. Pranayama balances the endocrine system and rejuvenates from the inside out. Overall, these practices relax the mind and increase conscious awreness of the body, a key compnent in healing. One pranayama in particular, Bhastrika or the bellows breath can be practiced everyday. This practice increases vitality, reduces abdominal fat and keeps the digestive system in top shape, while increasing metabolic avtivity.
Deep relaxation and breathing with awareness enable sound sleep. Since rest is also an important aspect of recovery, the relaxation techniques of yoga profoundly aid in healing.
Evidently, yoga can be used as an effective part of restorative therapy. What is more, it promises to replace the body-mind disconnect with a healthy, wholesome attitude to the self and the world.
Sources:
http://www.athealth.com/consumer/disorders/bingeeating.html
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-30-2009/0005069436&EDATE
www.yogapoint.com
So how does one know if one is a victim of binge eating disorder? Doctors are still undecided about the symptoms that exactly define this condition. However, there are some overriding factors which could be symptomatic of binge eating. Some of these are:
Frequent consumption of abnormally huge quantities of food
Eating too fast and until one is too full
Eating excessively even when not necessarily hungry
Tendancy to eat alone due to embarrasement over eating too much
Self-loathing, guilt and depression afterwards, for having eaten too much
Binge eating is also common in Bulimia Nervosa, an eating disorder characterised by episodes of binge eating and subsequent purging. The purging is forcefully done through induced vomitting or an intake of larger-than-acceptable amounts of laxative. In binge eating however, episodes of over-eating are followed by feelings of guilt and shame. This further reinforces the sense of hopelessness.
Yoga could help
According to research conducted at the University of The Rockies, binge eaters were encouraged to take part in a 10-week yoga therapy program. These participants saw a dramatic drop in their binge-eating episodes towards the end of the program. Every week, the program included an hour of yoga and group discussion afterwards that lasted half an hour.
The rationale behind this phenomenon is the fact that yoga offers a way to reconnect the mind with the body. According to researchers, binge eating is characterized by the inability to face one's negative emotions. Food offers comfort where nothing else will and so eating works as a cathartic mechanism.
According to psychologists, binge eaters' relationship with food works as a substitute for real bonds with people and emotions in their day to day existence. They hide behind food when they are faced with situations, emotions or feelings they would rather not confront. Yoga makes them rise up to the moment and face their perceived challenges in life and relationships. Yoga does that by bringing their awareness to the present. The idea is to help people forge a new and positive relationship with the body. This raises self-esteem and creates the need to stop abusing one's own body.
Recommended yoga practices for binge eating
A good physical fitness program is known to restore self-confidence and a sense of well-being previously absent. When the body feels healthy and good, the mind tends to follow suit. Yoga in particular has the techniques to improve one's state of mind and this is evident right from the start.
Sun salutations provide the practitioner with a cardio workout, while static poses involving a bit of balancing makes one feel more grounded. Pranayama or breathing techniques have benefits that directly impact the body. Some of the known benefits include improved immune functioning, deep cleasing of the blood and digestive system and a fresh supply of oxygenated blood. Pranayama balances the endocrine system and rejuvenates from the inside out. Overall, these practices relax the mind and increase conscious awreness of the body, a key compnent in healing. One pranayama in particular, Bhastrika or the bellows breath can be practiced everyday. This practice increases vitality, reduces abdominal fat and keeps the digestive system in top shape, while increasing metabolic avtivity.
Deep relaxation and breathing with awareness enable sound sleep. Since rest is also an important aspect of recovery, the relaxation techniques of yoga profoundly aid in healing.
Evidently, yoga can be used as an effective part of restorative therapy. What is more, it promises to replace the body-mind disconnect with a healthy, wholesome attitude to the self and the world.
Sources:
http://www.athealth.com/consumer/disorders/bingeeating.html
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-30-2009/0005069436&EDATE
www.yogapoint.com
Labels: binge eating, eating disorders, pranayama, Yoga therapy
Monday, August 3, 2009
Pranayama can make you fit
It is commonly thought that physical exertion alone can make you fit. Even yoga these days is taught like a physical fitness regime devoid of the finer aspects such as pranayama and deep relaxation.
Pranayama is a great fitness practice. Among its many benefits are detoxification (a key component in fitness and weight loss), increased lung capacity, deep relaxation, and a high quality sleep and rest at night. It makes the practitioner energetic with increased stamina (therefore enabling one to gain more out of any physical fitness practice), increases blood circulation and increases metabolic activity too. The practice of pranayama can also increase agility and improve flexibility and balance, while toning the nerves and making one feel more grounded.
These breathing techniques have wonderful effects if practiced during pregnancy as well. They can rejuvenate and relax the practitioner to a great extent, while relieving some of the common symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea and sleeplessness.
A few minutes of pranayama a day can keep the doctor away. What is more, it is the quickest and most economical way to look fresh and beautiful!
Pranayama is a great fitness practice. Among its many benefits are detoxification (a key component in fitness and weight loss), increased lung capacity, deep relaxation, and a high quality sleep and rest at night. It makes the practitioner energetic with increased stamina (therefore enabling one to gain more out of any physical fitness practice), increases blood circulation and increases metabolic activity too. The practice of pranayama can also increase agility and improve flexibility and balance, while toning the nerves and making one feel more grounded.
These breathing techniques have wonderful effects if practiced during pregnancy as well. They can rejuvenate and relax the practitioner to a great extent, while relieving some of the common symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea and sleeplessness.
A few minutes of pranayama a day can keep the doctor away. What is more, it is the quickest and most economical way to look fresh and beautiful!
Labels: detox, detoxification, fitness, pranayama, pranayama during pregnancy, stamina