pmjiii As time and progress have brought Yoga to other parts of the world, it has evolved into many different things. It has become a way for people to maintain proper levels of physical fitness, a way to release stress and anxiety due to day-to-day life, and a way to find a deeper mind-body connection. While many of these philosophies and goals existed in ancient Yoga, the modern conveniences of our lives have changed it dramatically.
Chair yoga classes offer a great opportunity for the socialization necessary for high levels of self-esteem and happiness. This is quite…
In Yogic teachings, breath is considered extremely important. The word Pranayama is a compound word. Prana means life force, and vital energy; it’s the breath of life. Ayama means to control, restrain or hold. Pranayama could be translated as simply breath control, but there are a lot of subtle nuances in the word that are lost with such a simplified definition.
In the seven chakra system, the sixth chakra (ajna) – known as the third eye – is the center for creativity, intuition, and clear thinking. It is also associated with the pineal gland. Because the lower five chakras must be balanced for the third eye to “open,” working on those chakras is the first step in developing the intuitive self. Then, special exercises can strengthen the sixth chakra.
Most yoga teacher training programs offer two levels of classes: a 200 hour class and a 500 hour class. The 200 hour class is the basic course that all yoga instructors must pass, while the 500 hour class is available for ambitious, passionate and studious instructors looking to launch their careers to the next level.
While each of us is born with certain personality traits, we can learn from Yoga and meditation to be more resilient by embracing new opportunities, being open to challenges, and learning from our mistakes.
Recent studies have shown that practicing Yoga can help nurture happiness in individuals. Some components of happiness are actually physiological, coming from the brain. Happier people have larger prefrontal cortexes than other people. Practicing Yoga encourages changing your consciousness to promote positive thinking and self-affirmations.
The organs of respiration consist of two lungs, one on either side of the chest and the air passages that lead to them. The lungs are located in the upper thoracic cavity of the chest, one on each side of the median line, and are separated from each other by the heart, the greater blood vessels and the larger air tubes. The lungs are spongy, porous, and their tissues are very elastic, containing innumerable air-sacs or alveoli. Each lung consists of an apex and a base. The base is directed towards the diaphragm, the muscular septum, the dividing wall between chest and the abdomen.
Although some schools of Yoga in the west emphasize the physical practice, many forms of Yoga exercise the mind as well as the body. Meditation is a concentrated effort for slowing the mind and body down, by practicing mantra, japa, mindfulness or deep breathing to center one’s ability to focus, while blocking out audio or visual input. Much like abdominal breathing, meditation has a relaxing effect on a person’s mind and body.
The Yoga teacher who turns his or her back to students, while teaching a group has decided to perform rather than partake in teaching yoga.