Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP When you are ready to practice Skull Shining Breath, come to a comfortable seated position on your Yoga mat. If your hips feel tight, you may wish to place a folded blanket or Yoga bolster underneath you for additional support. Before beginning your practice of Kapalabhati Pranayama, simply take a few deep breaths at your own pace. Notice if you are inhaling and exhaling fully and completely.
Dharma is the “Way,” or the laws that govern nature and the universe itself. According to the texts of The Bhagavadgita, yoga is one of the paths toward salvation and realizing the inter-connectedness of everything, from microscopic creatures to the massive sun that shines down on us all.
Reducing the heart rate through the practice of hatha yoga is beneficial for those with hypertension, those who have suffered a stroke, or have heart disease. Hatha yoga consists of controlled postures that gently move from one to another. The breathing is slow and methodical, and the body stretches with each movement. This alone is calming to the nervous system.
During the 15th century, an Indian Yogi named Swatmarama introduced a combination of physical, lifestyle, breathing and spiritual discipline that came together to make up what we know today has Hatha yoga. According to Yogi Swatmarama, the reconciling of our essential and opposing natures could result in a life of balance and ultimately peace.
You will learn how to be an expert in yogic breathing (pranayama) and standing poses. Breathing is an art that instructors must master. There are ins and outs to each pose and you will be able to increase the effectiveness of the postures. The names of different positions are taught. An additional learned topic will be the spine and how it relates to body movement. Poses can be exhausting; however, this will teach you how to maximize your energy. You will have the ability to hear and practice chants and Sanskrit mantras.
If you are practicing Yoga on your own, you may wish to set aside a period of time after you have completed the active portion of your practice to rest in the spaciousness of your own being. Allowing you a dedicated period of time to meditate is one of the keys to establishing a regular meditation practice. If you meditate at approximately the same time everyday and in the same area of your home, the meditative energy will begin to build, and this energy will enable you to more easily dissolve into the light of Shiva residing in your own heart.
When you are ready to practice the Rose Meditation at the end of your Yoga practice, you may wish to put some warm socks on and to gather a Yoga bolster, blanket and an eye bag, if you are using these props. It is also a good idea to turn off your cell phone, if you are able to, so that you will not be disturbed. When you are ready, place your props appropriately and lie back in Shavasana. Take a few, deep breaths and place your right hand over your heart and your left hand on your abdomen, just below your belly button.
A regular, moderate to vigorous practice of Yoga will help to boost your metabolism, burn calories and drop unwanted pounds. Yoga will…
On an emotional level, a regular practice of Yoga postures, breathing exercises and meditation techniques will quickly elucidate thinking patterns that create negative emotional states. Frequently, just slowing down enough to step on the mat and be present will immediately illuminate our own angry, impatient, self-critical, or negative states of mind. Instead of becoming more angry and impatient with ourselves, this awareness presents us with the opportunity to gently nurture and patiently reorient ourselves towards a more positive state of mind.
Hatha Yoga practice will allow your body to vent anger. Whether you practice a Restorative Yoga style that holds postures, or you practice a flowing Vinyasa Yoga style – the unhealthy negative feelings of anger, and its side effects, can be released from your body within a Yoga class.