Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP To practice Adho Mukha Svanasana, come to Mountain Pose at the front of your Yoga mat. With an inhale, raise your arms overhead. With your next exhale, bring your hands down the front of your body in Prayer Position all the way to your Yoga mat. Place your hands next to your feet and with your next inhale look slightly up, and then with an exhale, jump or walk your feet behind you so that your body creates an inverted V.
Including pranayama exercises into your Yoga practice will clear your mind of unnecessary thoughts and revitalize your entire body with an immediate flow of fresh oxygen and nutrients. Skull Shining Breath, also known as Kapalabhati Pranayama, is one of the most effective pranayama techniques for igniting the creative spark and clearing out all of your “mental cobwebs.”
If a Yoga student has high blood pressure or a heart condition, Bhastrika Pranayama is not recommended. A daily practice of Bhastrika Pranayama, for five to ten minutes prior to asana practice or meditation, will help to calm and soothe the mind as it invigorates the body.
When our prana is sluggish from too much muscular tension, stress and toxicity, our creativity is also dulled. Choosing Yoga poses and sequences that increase the circulation of prana will ignite the creative spark within you.
The practice of physical Yoga postures affects the human machine in very predictable ways. The Yoga asanas are thousands of years old. The poses have…
Studying for your Yoga teacher certification at a local studio or health club will cut down tremendously on the expense of traveling to a Yoga training course and paying for room and board while you are in the program. If you enroll in a local training program, you might save up to $2,000 in expenses over the course of the program.
A true Guru, Swami, or Yoga master does not present him or herself as such, instead the yogi or yogini’s level of accomplishment would be evident through his or her behavior, understanding, speech and affect on other people. According to Indian tradition, a true Yoga master would also be a disciple of a long lineage of authentic Yoga masters, stretching far back in time, even as far back as Shiva. A true Yoga master would also usually have a group of dedicated initiates following his or her teachings.
One concern that many people have with Yoga is that certain positions (asanas) could actually be harmful. Depending on the type of body one has, any posture could be beneficial or harmful. This is especially true with headstands. The truth is, you should talk with your doctor about your Yoga practice and this is very important.
Anger is made up of energy. Our bodies and minds hold currents of energy waves. In order to harness that energy, we might try mantras, japa, prayers, and positive affirmations. Yet, Yoga has many methods from which to choose, and some help us to channel physical energy constructively. Yoga is one of the oldest and most effective ways, of channeling energy through the body.
Shaktipat can be given by a master through touch, glance, and sankalpa or intention. The awakened Kundalini has many manifestations. Some seekers feel strong emotions such as grief, fear, anger, or ecstasy. Often these emotions come in waves and are intermingled as the inner energy is being awakened.