Yoga Will help relaxing your Mind and Soul

Yoga is such a calming, rejuvenating experience; it is often nice to practice in silence. You can focus on breathing, hearing the air enter and leave your body. You can quiet your mind, allowing your thoughts to come in, then go out with the breath. When you are practicing Yoga by yourself, it is feasible to do it in silence. When you are teaching a group, however, the verbal cues you give are an integral part of a Yoga class. Experienced students may not need any prompting or advice on flowing through a series of poses, but others need those cues in order to practice the postures correctly and safely. To some Yoga students, your words create a picture within their minds.

To demonstrate the importance of verbal guidance in Yoga, picture Mountain pose. To most novices, it looks as though you are standing there, arms at your sides, looking straight ahead. Yet, any Yoga instructor knows there is so much more going on within the body than simply standing there. The shoulders are pressed down, with the shoulder blades pressing back, the feet are planted firmly, weight is distributed evenly, the spine is as straight as possible, and your gaze rests in one spot. In order to correctly perform Mountain pose, there is a lot that needs to be said. The same is true for the other postures.

Yoga instructors should try to be concise when giving verbal cues. This comes with practice, and by imitating what more experienced instructors say. Try not to falter with your words; give short, clear explanations that lead your students into each pose. When you demonstrate a pose, students can learn a lot by looking at your body. However, some things are hard to see, such as the act of straightening your spine, lowering your shoulders, and expanding or contracting your abdomen.

Remember to speak in terms that the entire group of students will understand. It's fine to use the Sanskrit names, but teach the students as you go, by giving reminders. There is no need to speak elaborately. Students, who are taking Yoga sessions, in order to relax and unwind at the end of a long day, will appreciate few words that are spoken concisely.

The words you speak, as well as the way you say them, will set the tone for the class. Speak softly, and use "soft" phrases when reminding students to breathe, or go deeper into an asana. For example, "Take a deep breath." or "Reach a little farther." sound a bit like commands. However, "Breathing deeply," or "Reaching farther," have a softer delivery. Like so many other aspects of becoming a great Yoga teacher, your verbal guidance will improve as you do.

3 Ways Yoga Makes You Feel Younger And Stress Free

Yoga isn't just for just hippies anymore. It has broken through the mainstream and become a fantastic lifestyle for those that choose to practice it regularly. As someone who enjoys yoga I am asked a number of questions about it. So I wrote this article with the hopes of adding some enlightenment to those seeking out this lifestyle change. Of course I can't answer every question in just one article because yoga encompasses so much more than words can describe. But if answering a few questions leads you to try it out for yourself then that makes me happy.

So what are the common questions I get asked about yoga?

Invariably the number one question I get asked is will yoga help with weight loss. The answer is a resounding yes. Clinical studies have proven that those that do yoga regularly lose more weight than those that don't. Now honestly yoga isn't the biggest factor in your weight loss, but doing yoga promotes a healthier lifestyle. It makes you want to eat better and take better care of your body. The more you become in tune with your body the less likely you are to ruin it with junk food. But yes, even the postures will help with calorie burning.

This may not be true for every single person, but for most people yoga is a great form of weight loss.

Another question I get asked is why you would choose to do yoga. My favorite answer for this, especially as I get older, is the increased flexibility that yoga provides. You know the feeling. The feeling of difficulty climbing stairs or bending over to tie your shoes. Let's face it, getting older just plain sucks. But one of the main reasons getting older sucks is because you are not as flexible and agile as you once were. This is what yoga helps. This is why yoga is often referred to as the fountain of youth. If you practice yoga you will notice throughout your day that your body responds better and without so much soreness. I find the flexibility is more important to me than any weight loss.

So flexibility is one of the most important things yoga provides.

Another answer I have for why I do yoga is for stress relief. Modern times can be very stressful. It seems like the pace of day-to-day life is accelerating. Dealing with your job, your kids, the phone calls, the crazy schedules, it all adds up to a lot of stress. The meditation involved in yoga truly allows you to focus and unwind. I find yoga to be a great balance to all the stress in my routine. And as you know it's been proven that increased amounts of stress leads to health risks such as heart attack and strokes. So anything you can do to reduce your level of stress is worth its weight in gold.

There are many more physical benefits and mental benefits to doing yoga, but I find these three to be the most important to me. When I am in a posture I find difficult, I try to remember these three point and that allows me the strength and determination to get through it. Yoga really is a life changer. I highly recommend you try it for yourself. Try taking a class or at the very least an online yoga course so that you can feel comfortable doing it in your own living room.

3 Ways to Center Yourself Before Tai Chi, Qigong, Meditation or Yoga Practice

First, change your breathing pattern. A stress or activity filled day can leave you breathing in a way that hyper-stimulates your autonomic nervous system. Slowing the breath down and breathing deeply from the abdomen will fix this problem in a jiffy. Place one hand on your lower abdomen (below the navel). Breathe into your hand by expanding your abdomen as you inhale. Relax and drop your ribcage - it shouldn't be doing so much work and movement. Inhale for a count of four. Hold your inhalation for a count of four, then exhale generously for another count of four. Pause for a count of four. Repeat the cycle for up to five minutes. You'll notice that in less than five minutes, you will already experience a drastic shift in the way you feel.

The second thing you can do is to drink some room temperature clean water. Filtered or mineral water is best, but if you don't have access to it, then just drink tap water. Most of us spend our days in climate-controlled buildings that contain dry air. Though you may not be sweating, you are still losing a lot of the water in your body via evaporation, breathing and talking. Drinking coffee or alcohol is diuretic to the body and in the long run will take out more fluid than is imbibed. Even the slightest bit of dehydration can cause fatigue and irritability. Drink a good 8 ounces or more of water and notice how refreshed you feel. Best is if the water is not cold, as that can shock the body's tissues and stagnate the qi.

Third, as you continue to hydrate and breathe deeply, you can use an acupoint that calms the body. This acupoint also removes energy-overload of the heart and lungs. For thousands of years the Chinese have benefitted from acupuncture. You can use acupressure just as well. The point to use is nicknamed "Sea of Tranquility" and is located on the center of your sternum. To find the point, place the four fingers of your hand together (excluding the thumb). Find the base of your sternum, and go up the 4 finger-widths from the bottom. This point is directly between the nipples of the male chest or young female chest - about halfway up the sternum's length. Feel around with a knuckle or fingertip, until you find a sensitive area. That's "Sea of Tranquility" or "Acupoint CV17." Press and hold pressure on it with a knuckle or supported finger, with a slight downward angle. Apply for up to 5 minutes. As you breathe, feel your sternum sink inward and downward into your body, releasing all tension and stress. When you remove the pressure, do so slowly. Then, gently friction over the area to seal the acupoint.

These three methods are easy, free and require no special equipment. You can do them virtually anywhere, anytime. The more you use these three methods, the easier it will be to center yourself. This will then help you get the most out of your practice while removing harmful stress energy out of your body's tissues and organs.

3 Yoga Tips To Alleviate Menstruation Woes

Women everywhere often dread "that time of the month" when their moods are variant, their bodies are sore and achy, sometimes with cramping in the abdominal muscles and lower back, and sometimes experiencing pains that are so debilitating they can hardly get out of bed. Yoga, fortunately, gives some well-needed rest and relief from menstruation and its often experienced side effects.

Tip One :- Know Thy Asana

Practice only certain asana, meant for soothing achy muscles and calming the mind. Not every asana is appropriate to practice while you are menstruating. Some will inhibit menstrual flow, so you want to practice only asana that aid the body in releasing the stored uterine wall lining. These include asana like Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Prasarita Padottansana, and Parsvattonasana.

You can also practice asana that help to decrease heavy flow without obstructing it, like Ardha Chandrasana. Supine poses like Supta Badha Konasana, especially when done with the support of bolsters and pillows can help to encourage flow while relieving the lower back and abdominal muscles from cramping.

Tip Two: - Herbs are Your Friends

Drink lots of water and Chamomile tea. There are also Ayuervedic herbs, which can help with symptoms like bloating, discomfort and irritability. Ashoka Rasayana also helps with PMS, hot flushes, red eyes and heavy bleeding. Asafetida will help to increase progesterone hormone which makes for easier monthly bleeding. Henna has a cooling effect and has been used for centuries as an aid to help with heavy bleeding. Valerian Root also helps to aid menstrual flow and its associated side effects. You should research more about how to properly use each herb to receive the best efficacy of each.

Tip Three: - Don't Underestimate the Power of Breath

Pranayama exercises during menstruation should be those that decrease the fire or Pitta quality in a woman. She should never practice breath of fire or other faster-paced breathing exercises, but instead breath deep, yogic breaths concentrating on filling the abdominal cavity with as much air as possible and exhaling every last drop, but without strain. Activating the 'relaxation response' with deep breathing can help to alleviate anxiety, irritability and help calm the brain. Take this time to work on the more introspective aspects of your yoga practice and rest. It is a very powerful time for rejuvenation if you allow it to be. The breath can greatly aid in restoring the Pranic flow of the body, mind and spirit.

You can find a yoga-breathing-meditation technique in this YouTube video that is very effective at relaxing the mind and heart.

If you follow these simple tips, yoga can make your next menstrual cycle much easier to endure, and perhaps even a time of reflection and contemplation you look forward to.