Meaning
The term Yoga Nidra means sleeping in a yogic posture. It is a state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. Hence, in this state the body experiences complete relaxation. A set of verbal instructions increases the awareness of the inner world.
Origin
Yoga Nidra has its origin in Hinduism and Buddhism. The epic Mahabharata portrays Lord Krishna in the position of Yoga Nidra and the same could be seen in many presentation of Gautama Buddha. However, in modern era it was SatyanandaSaraswati who first experienced Yoga Nidra while living in Rishikesh with his guru Sivananda Saraswati.
Benefits of Yoga Nidra
The Yoga Nidra asana is practiced to provide rest to the body. The advantage of this asana is to get rid...
Read more
Meaning of Yin Yoga
The normal yoga is practiced to strengthen the internal and the external muscles, but YIN yoga is practiced for strengthening the joints of the body. You can say it to be the balancing practice for the yang style of yoga. The main difference between yin yoga and other style of yoga is that yin yoga is not a restorative yoga. Hence, if you damage some tissues of your body and are trying to restore it by practicing yin yoga then think again, because in such a case the yin yoga will prove to be more harmful than beneficial. In such a case you should better wait for healing before starting yin yoga. The objective of yin yoga is similar to any other style of yoga. The stimulation created normally in the position of...
Read more
The meaning of Surya Namaskar is to salute the Sun. It is a combination of some of the yoga poses in a continuous series. It involves stretching, arching and compressing various body muscles to tone up the body. The yoga pose is also useful in enhancing the digestive and respiratory system of the body. Moreover, regular practice of Surya Namaskar develops the strength, balance, flexibility, focus and concentration of both body and mind. This set of yogic postures is considered to be the best among all the yoga exercises and advised to be practice twice a day for optimum advantage. The steps of Surya Namaskar poses are described below:
12 Steps of Surya Namaskar
Pranamasana (Prayer Pose): You need to stand straight on the mat by...
Read more
Restorative Yoga Meaning, Benefits and Poses
Restorative yoga helps us in relaxing and resting completely and deeply for the benefit of the organ system of our bodies. It is a form of yoga which seeks to achieve mental, emotional and physical relaxation with the help of props. The props usage makes it simpler for us to maintain the balance while we stimulate and relax our bodies. While some of the poses of restorative yoga are beneficial to the entire body, the other yoga poses target some specific parts of the body, such as lungs or heart.
Typically the sequence of restorative yoga involves only five or six postures which are supported by props that allow you to relax and rest completely. In each restorative poses you have to...
Read more
Healing Arts is a new form of ancient Yoga which mainly focuses on body, mind and energy. Kripalu Yoga is in sharp contrast with mainstream yoga followed today where some specific postures are followed for mental stability and peace, and help to have coordination of body and mind. Kripalu Yoga transcends the contemporary Yoga forms. The regular practitioner of Kripalu Yoga discusses about prana which implies Life Force or say Pulse. Those who go for Kripalu yoga concentrate on breath of the body. Prana is much connected to Pranayama which means breath controlling exercise that helps to control rhythm as well as depth of the breath.
Healing Arts is a new form of ancient Yoga which mainly focuses on body, mind and energy. Kripalu Yoga is...
Read more
Forehead means “Kapal” in Hindi while shine is the meaning of” Bhati”. Hence, by regularly practicing Kapalabhati Pranayam there is a natural glow on the face of the person. This yoga involves a breathing exercise where care is taken on “breathing out” process. “Breathing in” process is allowed to be done in a natural way whereas the breathing out process is done forcefully. No effort is applied for “breathing in”. During this exercise there is natural expansion and shrinkage of the stomach. It helps in curing various ailments of a human body after regular practice over a period of time. Kapalabhati Pranayama helps in the detoxification and purification of mind. Kapalbhati is one of the most popular pranayama technique...
Read more
Introduction to Jnana yoga
Jnana means knowledge in Sanskrit language. Hence Jnana yoga is also called as “Jnanamarga”. In popular yoga culture, Jnana Yoga is also known as Gyaan yoga. In Hinduism it is one of the spiritual paths which emphasises on the path of knowledge or path of realization to attain moksha or salvation. In Hindu philosophyJnana yoga is one of the three paths of salvation or liberation or moksha. The other two paths of salvation are “bhakti yoga” and “karma yoga”. Later on some people in Hinduism also added a classical yoga introduced by swami Vivekanandaknown as “raj yoga”. This is the fourth path of spirituality; however, it is not accepted universally like the other three. Jnana yoga is a spiritual...
Read more
Meaning of Iyengar Yoga
As per Mr. Iyengar, the spiritual aspects of yoga cannot be separated from the physical aspects of its various poses. Yoga, although being an ancient tradition does not have its root fixed to any one religion. Some religion and tradition believe that it is necessary to harm or neglect the body in order to achieve higher spirituality. You might have seen some people walking barefoot on fire, or lying on the bed of nails or whipping themselves or piercing their tongue, etc. to harm their bodies to achieve higher spirituality. But it is not wise to do so today. It is the solid belief of Mr. Iyengar that pranayama and asanas are the powerful tools for cleansing of our bodies. Your entire body is toned by practicing...
Read more
Meaning of Ashtanga Yoga
The meaning of “Ashtanga” is “eight limbs” or branches. Physical yoga poses or asana constitute of one of the branches while pranayama or breathing constitute of the other branch. Hence Ashtanga Yoga can be described as the yoga done for the benefit of eight limbs. The Ashtanga is a particular style of yoga which consists of six series founded, codified and popularized by K. PattabhiJois during the 20th century. At present it is widely known as the modern-day form of Indian classic yoga. Both Pattabhi and his grandson, SharathJois encourage the practice of Ashtanga yoga-all eight limbs. Yamas and Niyamas, the first two limbs are given particular emphasis for practicing...
Read more
The conditions which causes joint pain or joint disease which leads to inflammation, loss of mobility and stiffness is normally known as “Arthritis”. Arthritis generates pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints. This in turn decreases the range of motion of the body and can have a serious limitationthe daily activities. Yoga can be definitely helpful in relieving the symptoms of arthritis. Regular practice of yoga helps in reducing many symptoms of arthritis, such as reducing pain, improving the joint mobility and helping with the managing of stress and anxiety. But it is always advisable to consult your doctor before starting as with any new practice.
Choosing a Correct Yoga Style:
It may not be very beneficial for people...
Read more