Health: Yoga

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Mistakes Yoga Beginners Usually Makes

             Whenever we start something new we have a certain feeling of trepidation and uncertainty of the unknown and in most cases it is completely unfounded and we get on with things very quickly and easily. Sometimes it isn’t and a simple little thing can cause us to have an entirely negative first impression and perhaps even never want to try that activity or passtime again. Yoga has so many health benefits, on both a physical and spiritual level, that it would be a tragedy for anyone to miss out on them because they made a silly avoidable mistake on their first day. With that in mind I will Discuss 3 most common mistakes of new Yogi, and how to make sure they don't happen to you.

First Mistake: Not knowing what you want from Yoga

             The reality is that there are numerous different styles and forms of Yoga and each has it's different attractions. Ask yourself what it was about Yoga in general that attracted you and then you can investigate a style that caters more specifically to that. You may like to set goals, be they physical, mental or spiritual. If you do then it's a good idea to discuss them with the instructor of your class before you begin. Yoga instructors are usually very approachable and happy to talk about their passion. They will be able to talk to you about your goals for the class and let you know if you are being realistic, aiming too high or too low. Make sure you goal includes a timeframe so it becomes something that is measurable.

2nd Mistake Jumping in Feet First

             Having decided that they will give this Yoga thing a try many people take a running leap and jump in to a 12 month stage by stage class. These classes are usually an upfront payment arrangement and progress from one level to the next as the weeks progress. They are a fantastic way of learning Yoga and becoming very good at it, but it's quite possibly you will choose a class that is not ideal for you.

             The best way around this is to join a Yoga beginner class, also known as a drop in class. If you do these classes for a few weeks you will notice a high turnover of students as new people join and old people move on. These classes are designed to give you a very broad feel for the different types of Yoga. The level of the students in the class usually varies greatly so you can expect the instructor to keep the classes quite tame. The other key benefit of doing this is that the classes are pay as you go so there is no big financial outlay for you while you decide the type and style of yoga that best suits you. You are also not obliged to attend every class. With the longer courses you can fall behind quickly if you miss a week or two in a row. With the pay as you go classes you will find that while each class is different the level stays quite low to cater for the newer people joining in.

Third Mistake: Choosing the wrong teacher

             Traditionally a Yogi had to be an apprentice to a skilled Guru for many years before he could teach even the simplest of Yoga technique. Nowadays a 3-day course over a long weekend is considered enough by some people. There is a big difference in what you will achieve depending on the skills and abilities of the person teaching you. Yoga is starting to make a regular appearance on the sports injury list and a large reason for this is instructors who have been taught just enough to be dangerous. A qualified teacher won't necessarily be fantastic and an unqualified teacher won't necessarily be terrible - but the odds are certainly cast in that direction, so it's a good idea to check your instructors background and qualifications before you begin studying with them.

What is Yoga?

By Yoga Teachers Training

            Yoga, which means discipline, was developed in the year 300 by an Indian Hindu named Patanjali. Its purpose is to stretch the muscles, strengthen the body and increase concentration. It can also help you relax, if you have trouble doing that.

            No wonder this ancient discipline has become popular among modern entertainers and athletes. Depending on who practices it, yoga can be simply a set of exercises or a total way of life.

            Some who practice yoga, called yogis, try to use the discipline to reach a high level of consciousness. They respect certain abstentions (things not to do), such as not lying, stealing, being greedy or harming other people. They also practice certain observances (things to do), such as being clean, content, self-controlled, studious and devoted.

            Physical control is also important in yoga. Yogis train themselves to take full, deep breaths. They consider breathing a life force, counting a lifespan not in years but in the number of breaths taken.

            Unlike exercises that work only on strength, yoga also helps the body become flexible. As a result, some yoga exercises (called asanas) look a little strange, and you may think you need to be a human pretzel to do them. Not so. You just have to relax.

            In yoga, you ease into stretches, never forcing yourself. The saying no pain--no gain simply does not apply. You do only the best you can at the moment, and at some later moment you will do more.

            All yoga poses demand balance. And since you can't balance if you're thinking about last night's TV show, yoga also demands concentration. Learn to concentrate in yoga, and you will be better able to concentrate in baseball, tennis or even school.

            Yoga exercises copy nature. Many yoga poses can be traced to the shapes of creatures, such as the cobra, cat, dog, tortoise, crab and eagle.

            In the cobra pose, for example, you ask yourself, What would it feel like to be a cobra. You lie on your stomach with your forehead to the floor. As you inhale, you slowly roll your head back, supporting yourself with your hands. You hold that pose, then come down slowly, trying to move as a snake would move.

            All yoga exercises promote strength and calmness. Each move's effects on a muscle, a gland or a nerve center are carefully thought out.

            You can choose certain exercises to rid yourself of particular pains, such as back pain from back-packing or leg pain from jogging. Yoga can help condition you for skiing or help you control feelings of depression or fear.

            Any good book on yoga will describe various asanas and tell how each works. You may even have done yoga exercises already. Ever done a handstand, or the wheel. Many exercise programs borrow from yoga.

If you want to know more about Yoga please visit the link below:

An All-Around Yoga Exercise: 12-Step Salute to the Sun

One of the all-around yoga exercises is the 12-step salute to the sun. Do it once or twice when you get up in the morning to help relieve stiffness and invigorate the body. Multiple repetitions at night will help you to relax; insomniacs often find that six to 12 rounds help them fall asleep.

1. Stand with your feet slightly apart, palms together, thumbs against your chest.

2. Inhale deeply while slowly raising your hands over your head, and bend back as far as possible, while tightening your buttocks. Hold for three seconds.

3. Slowly exhale and bend forward, keeping your knees straight, until your fingers touch the floor outside your feet. (If you can't touch the floor, go as close as you can.) Bring your head in toward your knees.

4. Slowly inhale, bend your knees, and if your fingertips aren't outside your feet on the floor, place them there. Slide your right foot back as far as you can go, with the right knee an inch or so off the floor, (a lunge position). Now look up as high as possible, arching your back.

5. Before exhaling again, slide your left foot back until it is beside the right one, and with your weight supported on your palms and toes, straighten both legs so that your body forms a flat plane. Make sure your stomach is pulled in.

6. Slowly exhale, bend both knees to the floor, bend with your hips in the air, lower your chest and forehead to the floor.

7. Now inhale slowly and look up, bending your head back, then raising it, followed by your upper chest, then lower chest. Your lower body - from the navel down - should be on the floor, and your elbows should be slightly bent. Hold for three to five seconds.

8. Exhale slowly and raise your hips until your feet and palms are flat on the floor and your arms and legs are straight in an inverted V position.

9. Inhale slowly and bring your right foot forward as in position 4. The foot should be flat on the floor between your fingertips. The left leg should be almost straight behind you, with its knee slightly off the floor. Raise your head, look up, and arch your back.

10. Slowly exhale and bring your left foot forward next to your right one. Straighten your legs and stand, trying to keep your fingertips on the floor, and try to touch your head to your knees as in position 3.

11. Slowly inhale, raise your arms up and stretch back as in position 2. Don't forget to tighten your buttocks. Hold for three seconds.

12. Slowly exhale, lowering your arms to your sides. Relax. Repeat the series.

For more information about yoga you can visit the site below:

By Matti Ur Rehman

Some Simple Tantric Yoga Exercises to Improve the General Health and Sexual Abilities

by Knut Holt

A healthy anal and genital area is of great importance both for the general well-being and for the sexual abilities. The same is true about a healthy respiratory tract and breathing apparatus.
Here are presented three poses and three breathing exercises that have the following effects when done together in a series:
-They stimulate the physiological functions of the genital and anal area.
-They correct muscle weakness and anatomical problems of the anal and genital region.
-They increase the sexual drive and abilities.
-They produce a stimulating response that spreads upwards along the spine and revitalizes the whole body.
-They stimulate the physiological functions of the respiratory tract and help against infections in the airways.
-The exercises are very good to start each day with, or to do before going to bed in the night.

POSE 1

Stand on your hands and knees upon the floor.
Kneel backward so that your buttocks go backward and down towards your feet and stretch your arms foreword.
Breathe out and then take a deep breathe in, filling your lungs totally with air. Hold your breath with the air inside.
Squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inward as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting. Relax your anal muscles completely again.
Repeat the squeezing and relaxing 3-5 times, but not so long that you go out of oxygen in your body.
Empty your lungs. Rise up on your hands and knees again. Relax a while in this position and then you can repeat the exercise if you wish.

POSE 2

Lie on your back upon a carpet on the floor with your arms along your sides and relax.
Breathe out.
Then breathe inn deeply while relaxing all the muscles you do not need for the breathing.
Then breathe out. When breathing out, squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inward as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting.
After having breathed out, relax your anal muscles again.
Repeat the breathing in and breathing out while squeezing 3-8 times, but not some much that you get exhausted.
Then relax again.

POSE 3

Lie on your back upon a carpet on the floor.
Breathe out completely.
Swing your arms in an arch over your head and down to the floor over your head so that your whole body is stretched from top to toe. When swinging your arms, take a deep breath filling your lungs totally with air.
Hold your breath with the air inside.
Squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inward as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting. Relax your anal muscles completely again.
Repeat the squeezing and relaxing 3-5 times.
Swing your arms back at the same time as you empty your lungs. Relax some while and then you can repeat the exercise if you wish.

BREATHING EXERCISE 1

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and the back straight.
Empty your lungs completely.
Breath in counting to 4. When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothly into each other:
Use first your diaphragm so that your stomach moves out. Then fill further by using your chest muscles. And then complete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.
Hold your breath counting to 16.
Then breath out counting to 8. When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothly into each other: Use first your diaphragm so that your stomach moves in. Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders.

BREATHING EXERCISE 2

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and your back straight. Take 10 rapid deep breathes in and out after another, but not so rapid that you get strained or breath incompletely.
When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothly into each other: Use first your diaphragm so that your stomach moves out. Then fill further by using your chest muscles. And then complete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.
When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothly into each other: Use first your diaphragm so that your stomach moves in. Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders.
After the last in-breath , hold your breath with your lungs filled counting to 10.
Then breath out.

BREATHING EXERCISE 3

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and your back straight.
Empty your lungs completely.
Close your left nostril with the fingers of one of your hands. Breath in through your right nostril counting to 4.
When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothly into each other: Use first your diaphragm so that your stomach moves out. Then fill further by using your chest muscles and then complete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.
Hold your breath counting to 16.
Then close your right nostril with your fingers.
Then breath out through your left nostril counting to 8.
When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothly into each other: Use first your diaphragm so that your stomach moves in. Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders. When you have breathed out, repeat the exercise, but this time begin by closing your right nostril first.

RELAXING AT THE END OF THE SERIES

When the series is done, then lie down upon a carpet on the floor and relax for 2-5 minutes. This relaxation will increase the effects of the exercises and make you recover if the exercises have made you tired.
Concentrate upon relaxing your legs first, then your lover body, then your upper body, then your arms and shoulders, and at last your head and face. When the whole body is relaxed, try not to think about anything, and relax your whole body even further. Then lie some time in this relaxed state without thinking about anything.

Knut Holt is an internet consultant and marketer focusing on health items. TO FIND natural medicines against common diseases, for example: Over-weight, acne, eczema, hypothyroidism, fatigue, depression, hemorrhoids, joint pain, hypertension, high cholesterol, circulatory problems, digestive ailments, allergies, menstrual problems, respiratory diseases and more, PLEASE VISIT:----
http://www.abicana.com
----Free to reprint with the author's name and link.

Article Source: Wellness Article Library

Yoga Helps A Great Deal In Lowering Cholesterol

by Ashish Jain

Are you worried for having some extra cholesterol in your blood? Well, many people are fighting hard battle against the increased cholesterol levels. For, they are much vulnerable to heart diseases much like the heart patients. But I have got a very easy and natural remedy to control your high cholesterol.

Some time back, I had a cholesterol level above the normal range and I used this alternative technique to reduce my extra cholesterols. Well, the technique being discussed here is none other the age old technique of keeping fit. That is YOGA.

Yes, Yoga helped me a great deal in reducing my high cholesterol levels. Now I am perfectly fit and rocking. So, if you have also found high cholesterol in your blood don't get stressed as stress will only harm you further. The tensed brain and heart needs more blood so the heartbeat and blood circulation will increase and will create more problems to your arteries.

Yoga has solved the problem of cholesterol for many people. It has been acclaimed by all for its simple nature and mode of exercises, which any one can do quite easily.

Yoga is a kind of exercise based on the unification of body, mind and spirit. There are meditations associated with it. There are different kinds of exercises under the yoga program that are used for various problems in your body. Some of them are to keep your mind and body in sound health.

Yoga for controlling cholesterol reduces the fat content in your blood and ensures you a healthy heart, brain and blood circulation. Don't misguide yourself with certain ideas that the LDL cholesterol is very hard to get rid of. Th main factor with cholesterol is that the fats in your body don't get burned up due to lack of physical activity or improper life style.

The cholesterol flows in the blood and an increase in its amount make the cholesterol deposit on the walls of the blood vessels. The result is clogging of the blood arteries.

Join yoga classes today for the unwanted fats in your blood. If you postpone your admission to the yoga classes, the fats may slowly go on increasing and may create some serious problems for you in the future. The yoga instructor will teach you all those exercises that burn the fat faster, increase your blood circulation and make your heart healthy.

Yoga can control cholesterol by asanas (mode of exercise) meant for the cholesterol. There are millions of people performing yoga for different ailments. Especially, in the quest of a perfect body. They are highly satisfied and I am sure you too will find the similar benefits.

Discover the magnificence of the yoga that has so many things to impart. They will surely help you get rid of the cholesterol and you will be highly satisfied when after two months you go to check the level and find them impressively low.

To get more information on cholesterol, cholestrol and reduce cholesterol visit http://www.urcholesterol.com/

Article Source: Wellness Article Library

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Mistakes Yoga Beginners Usually Makes

What is Yoga?

An All-Around Yoga Exercise: 12-Step Salute to the Sun

Some Simple Tantric Yoga Exercises to Improve the General Health and Sexual Abilities

Yoga Helps A Great Deal In Lowering Cholesterol

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