Choose your type of yoga

On the personal level, our urban civilization brings with it tensions virtually unknown in our grandparents' time. We tend to Eve on the run, geared to split-second timing, to noise, to newscasts every hour on the hour, to phones jangling and cars honking, subway trains, deadlines and keeping up with the Joneses and seldom sufficient rest, relaxation or sleep. None of this is conducive to peace of mind. As for our physical conditions, as fast as the human body is enabled, through technical advances, to last longer, it falls prey to a new, totally different roster of ills. It is time to choose your type of Yoga.

What style of yoga is right for you?

Yoga is a meditation, an exercise and a therapy that aims to unite the mind, soul. All styles of yoga balance the body, mind and spirit but how they do so may differ. Some styles focus on the poses, while others may focus on breathwork, alignment or the flow of movement. You will always feel naturally realigned after a yoga class because the breathwork, postures and internal focus will remind you who you are.

Breathing is very important in yoga as the breath signifies your vital energy. In yoga, being able to control your breath can help you to control your body and your mind. No matter which style of yoga you choose there are many classes available and the health benefits are many.

The benefits of yoga are far ranging and plentiful. Yoga can help you with increased flexibility, increased strength and vitality, strengthening of the immune system, improving of circulatory system, stimulating of endocrine system, stretching and toning of muscles, weight loss, balance, management of chronic health conditions such as asthma, depression, back pain, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis - yoga is so beneficial to every part of your life. The great thing about yoga is that anyone can practice it, as there is a style to suit everybody.

There are several different styles of yoga, most being derived from Hatha yoga, a type of yoga that focuses on the body and breath and aims to develop control the body through poses (or asanas). Hatha represents the two sides of life - the yin and the yang, the dark and the light - and aims to bring these two sides into harmony and balance. However, there are some common styles and these are outlined below:

Ashtanga - is the "workout" form of yoga. It is an aerobic form of yoga and moves quickly. Bikram - is performed in a heated room. It is good for detoxification. Kundalini - awakens the Kundalini energy at the base of the spine and mixes chanting, breathing and yoga poses. Iyengar - one of the most popular in the world. It places much focus on attention to detail and getting the alignment of the poses absolutely right. It is a great style of yoga for the fitness conscious. Viniyoga - places emphasis on healing and is gentler than other styles. The breath and movement of the spine is carefully integrated and the intensity of the poses is subject to the health of the person practicing the yoga.

How do you find the most suitable yoga style and yoga teacher for you?

There are several different ways of finding a suitable yoga teacher or class, depending on your needs. If you are a beginner, it may be best to take formal classes or tuition for a while, so that you can get the feel for the poses and the breathwork, and so that the teacher can correct any errors in your posture. Before selecting a school it is best to give the teachers a call and discuss their styles to determine what is most suitable. You will see yoga schools advertising in local papers or you can locate local practitioners online at http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au

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Benefits of Yoga

Yoga works very well through meditation to gain tranquility and assists the mind to work in harmony with the body. Yoga Guru Patanjali has defined Yoga as a ‘steady and comfortable state of Mind and Body’. And, a comfortable and steady state of body and mind is precisely what practising yoga delivers.

Yoga Benefits - Part I

As any enthusiastic practitioner of Yoga will tell you, physical and mental therapy is the most important benefit of yoga. Aging, largely an artificial condition caused mainly by auto-intoxication or self-poisoning, has people scared of the process. What they do not realise is that the aging process can be slowed down by practicing yoga on a regular basis. And, no doubt, medical research will tell you that a clean, flexible and well lubricated body plays a significant role in reducing the catabolic process of cell deterioration. However, to derive the maximum benefits from doing yoga, one must combine the practice of yoga asana, pranayama and meditation.

Doing pranayama, asanas and meditation daily helps in diverse ailments, such as, diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions. Scientific tests have proven a yogi's increased abilities of consciously controlling autonomic or involuntary functions, such as temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure. Currently, research into the effects of yogic practices on HIV is underway and has indicated positive and promising results.

Medical scientists attest to the success of yoga therapy, as it helps to balance both the nervous and endocrine systems, which directly influence all the other systems and organs of the human body. Not only a curative, but a preventative therapy, as well, the very essence of yoga lies in attaining mental peace, improved concentration powers, a relaxed state of living and harmony in relationships.

Practising Yoga makes us aware that there is an inter-connectedness between our emotional, mental and physical levels, as we gradually begin to understand the more subtle areas of existence. The ultimate goal of yoga is to make it possible and enable one to fuse together the gross material (annamaya), physical (pranamaya), mental (manomaya), intellectual (vijnanamaya) and spiritual (anandamaya) levels, within our being.

In case, you are still unconvinced about the benefits of Yoga, why not read some yoga books, including yoga books on meditation and spirituality. There are even online yoga books and audiotapes, one can listen to while driving or running errands. Once you are convinced of the benefits of practising Yoga, the next step before beginning to practise it is to equip yourself with some yoga accessories, such as, a yoga mat, yoga strap and yoga block. Go Yoga!

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