July 31, 2007

Teaching Hatha Yoga: The Transformation

Tip! Do Your Practices With A Free Mind: It is not enough to reserve time for yoga, with your body doing the exercises but you mind continuing to worry about other things. When you stop to do your yoga and meditation, you should remember that the next 30 or 40 minutes has been reserved for yoga and for your development.

Anyone who decides to become a Yoga teacher goes through many transformations, but your students will go through a variety of transformations, as well. The relationship between Yoga teacher and student is healthy because of the sharing of knowledge. Due to this constant sharing of ideas, the Yoga teacher and his or her students become healthier, wiser, and spiritually connected.

Yoga Teacher Transformations start from the moment you decide to become a Yoga teacher, but they continue as you decide to take a Yoga teacher training course. After the Yoga teacher certification process, most Yoga instructors continue to learn more about Yoga philosophy, anatomy, other forms of Yoga, meditation, Ayurvedic medicine, or any one of the many Yoga subjects that Yoga teachers would logically pursue.

Tip! Be Patient: Sometimes you will feel the effects of the yoga and sometimes you will not feel anything. Don’t worry about the immediate effects, continue to practice.

However, teaching Yoga classes on a regular basis is a form of continuing education, as you learn to teach Yoga students with different bodies, minds, and health conditions. This is where many Yoga teachers go through a gradual transformation toward Samadhi. Samadhi is the ability to control functions of the mind and body, while eliminating life’s daily distractions from the goal of complete consciousness.

To anyone who has never studied Yoga this seems like “mission impossible.” Yet, Yoga teachers learn to “walk the talk” of Yogic philosophy. What, at one time, seemed like a lofty goal; can actually be realized gradually. This all stems from teaching, sharing knowledge, and becoming a living example of steady Yoga practice. This is not a mystery, but a path that all Yoga teachers should walk.

These changes of body, mind, and spirit do not happen instantly. Some Yoga teachers and serious Yoga practitioners will receive different benefits and reach different levels of Samadhi, as a result of steady Yoga practice.

Yoga Student Transformation can sometimes be more easily felt or seen. In fact, a new student, who has never practiced Yoga before, may find relief from head aches, hypertension, or a back ache within a few Yoga classes. This is not a guarantee, but it does happen often. When a Yoga student feels the physical or mental benefits of practice he or she becomes transformed by discarding pain and gaining new found enthusiasm.

Tip! Do it Together With some Friends: Learning how to give and share is an important part of yoga, so don’t keep “yoga” to your self. If possible find one or two friends who would benefit from practicing yoga, and do it together with them.

Within any given Yoga class, there is a form of collective transformation that students and Yoga teacher experience. If you take a typical Hatha Yoga class and consider the warm ups, Pranayama, Sun Salutations, asana practice, meditation, relaxation, or an integration of any other Yogic components; the transformation is quietly happening to the entire group.

There is no mystery here. Transformation of mind, body, and spirit is a result of steady Yoga practice.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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July 30, 2007

Yoga Insights: Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations), Part 1

Tip! Despite the apparently agonizing contortions seen in every yoga book, the benefit is in the attempt to achieve the position. The models in the books arrived at their present level of ability over time, and many a skilled practitioner of yoga today began in the same shape you’re in right now.

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Surya Namaskar is now accepted as part of Hatha Yoga, but it was not always this way. Historically, traditional Hatha Yoga styles did not contain any of the Sun Salutation sequences, seen today, as an every day component of a daily Yoga practice.

The reason for the integration of Sun Salutations into the contemporary Hatha Yoga class is that the Sun Salutations have multiple mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. Hatha Yoga is an evolution in progress, and as such, embraced the many healthful benefits of what we know as the Sun Salutations.

Let’s cover the many benefits of the Sun Salutations and you can see why so many different sequences have evolved over time. Some of today’s popular Vinyasa Yoga, Power Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga sequences are an expansion of Surya Namaskar. First of all, we will look at the physical benefits of Sun Salutations.

Tip! In addition to being good for your health for several reasons, simply learning yoga breathing and practicing it regularly can help you burn fat.

Physical Benefits of Surya Namaskar

Much like other forms of exercise, the blood is oxygenated by the practice of Sun Salutations. This one fact is great news for your heart and the cardio-vascular system. As a result, Sun Salutations can be practiced by anyone who is interested in maintaining his or her heart.

It is generally agreed that your heart is the most important muscle in your entire body, so this is, most likely, the most important physical benefit of all. This oxygenation of the blood also occurs when asanas are held for a longer period of time; much like you would see in an Iyengar or Restorative Yoga class.

Regular practice of Sun Salutations will improve and help regulate functions within the Endocrine Glands. Of course most of the studies about Yoga’s heath benefits have been performed in India, the birth place of Yoga. It seems that we must spend millions of dollars to research information that doctors in India have documented for generations.

Tip! If you can’t find a class that meets your needs, you can always practice yoga at home. There are many books, programs, and tapes available to help you get started.

The Endocrine system is very complex and is composed of glands that stimulate responses in one way, or another, through the use of chemicals, transported through the blood stream. These responses can be emotional or regulatory.

The Thyroid, Pituitary, Parathyroid, Adrenal, Testes, Ovaries, and Pancreatic Glands are components of the Endocrine System.

If you perform a chin lock during a standing forward bend, you will increase the blood flow to the Thyroid and Parathyroid. In turn, this would help regulate Thyroid and Parathyroid functions. This is just a small example of the many benefits you will discover from regular practice of Sun Salutations and Yoga.

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© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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July 29, 2007

Yoga & Its Benefits to Health

Tip! Despite the apparently agonizing contortions seen in every yoga book, the benefit is in the attempt to achieve the position. The models in the books arrived at their present level of ability over time, and many a skilled practitioner of yoga today began in the same shape you’re in right now.

Yoga is the perfect exercise blend for many active people. It is a balancing regimen that strengthens the body, focuses the mind, and helps create a felt sense of spirit. Yoga is an ancient philosophy of life as well as a system of exercises that encourages the union of mind, body, and spirit. In fact, the word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “yoke” or “union.” The ultimate goal of yoga is to achieve a state of balance and harmony between mind and body.

Yoga is the only science that teaches us to introvert in both body and mind, emerge freshed.Yoga is a system of spiritual, mental and physical training that is suitable for people of all ages. It calms the mind, attuning us to the environment, and enhances concentration and mental clarity, thus reducing stress and anxiety. A true yoga practitioner tries to develop an attitude of humility. Health is a god given priceless gift. We need to protect it all time not to achieve worldly goals alone, but to serve the divine.

Purpose of Yoga
Yoga’s purpose is to strengthen the body and make it more flexible, as well as awaken the spirit - in effect, to provide a physical, mental and spiritual system of health. Yoga improves posture, increases the intake of oxygen, and enhances the functioning of the respiratory, digestive, endocrine, reproductive, and elimination systems. It does this through physical poses (asanas), breathing techniques and meditation practice. Yoga is gentle because your mind and heart are involved.

Tip! Closely related to your mood and mental outlook are other psychological benefits of using yoga. Very often we carry negative messages and feelings inside, and the practice of yoga helps a person better tune into the person that they are inside, increasing self awareness and self esteem.

Yoga can help reduce blood pressure and improve the efficiency of the lungs. People of all ages can do yoga, almost anyone can benefit from yoga, including the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with chronic health problems. Nevertheless, there is a mass of evidence to show that yoga can have a beneficial effect on a variety of conditions, for example, high blood pressure and diabetes. Usually obesity is one causes of Diabetes. Obesity and Diabetes are also termed as twin epidemics. Both Obesity and Diabetes is highly preventable through proper diet, exercise and lifestyle change. Yoga Lifestyle will be most suitable to facilitate treatment for this twin epidemic. Yoga cannot “cure” diabetes, it can complement the lifestyle changes necessary to keep diabetic symptoms in check, and it can help you feel more in control of your health and well-being

Tip! In addition to being good for your health for several reasons, simply learning yoga breathing and practicing it regularly can help you burn fat.

Benefits of Yoga Practice
Life today is full of stress and strain, of tension and nervous irritability, of passion and hurry. If man puts into practice a few of the elementary principles of Yoga, he would be far better equipped to cope with his complex existence.

Yoga brings in perfection, peace and lasting happiness. You can have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of Yoga. You can have restful sleep. You can have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity and a high standard of health. You can turn out efficient work within a short space of time. You can have success in every walk of life. Yoga will infuse in you new strength, confidence and self-reliance. The body and mind will be at your beck and call. Body is the temple of god. So it is our duty to keep it clean, fresh, and fragrant through developing compassion and love.
Yoga gives you the capacity to face up to life’s challenges. Similarly, when you respect your body, you tend to do things that will enhance its vitality. Many people who practice yoga become vegetarians and follow a macrobiotic diet. Apart from other exercise practicing yoga is more effective. It is not that we need to practice yoga daily try finding a once-a-week yoga class.

Tip! Find a yoga buddy. It’s nice to practice with someone and it will help reduce injuries.

Yoga is highly recommended for people in competitive, stressful working environments, for those who suffer from headaches, back and shoulder aches, allergies, and asthma; and for anyone over the age of 40 (although the younger, the better).

How to practice Yoga
Yoga helps people feel calmer and more relaxed, as well as being mentally alert and energetic. Although yoga is an excellent form of self-help therapy, one would be well advised to begin by attending a course of classes run by a qualified teacher. Nothing prevents you from practicing yoga at home; there are many illustrated books on the subject. However, you will benefit far more, especially as a beginner, by joining a class.
When you’re starting up, you shouldn’t do anything your body isn’t ready for. No head stands, backward bending or forcing yourself into a cross-legged position. A typical beginners’ class works on freeing up the spine, shoulders and hips and will consist of five or six standing positions, some floor positions, then relaxation and breathing at the end. Part of yoga practice is deep breathing, which helps make the body more alkaline.

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A good class should have a structure: the teacher should explain a pose and then come and correct you if you are doing it wrong. When you come out of the class, you should feel good, whole and stretched, never strained.
You can find yoga classes in cities and towns all over the world. Very little is needed by way of equipment, and a yoga session can be effective even the sessions are only for short periods of time. It is however, more beneficial if you can manage daily sessions of 30 minutes or an hour. It is recommended that sessions take place either in the morning or evening. Allow three hours to pass after consuming a meal before you practice yoga. Do not take a bath or shower for at least a half-hour before or after practice.

Tip! If you can’t find a class that meets your needs, you can always practice yoga at home. There are many books, programs, and tapes available to help you get started.

In life, it is necessary to learn how to relax after a period of activity. People spend approximately one third of their time in sleep, trying to recoup the energy and vitality they expended during the day. Pleasurable relaxation is often mistaken for the “true” type of relaxation. When we are calm, even soothing music is noise. Those who have practiced Yoga can appreciate total silence. Natural lovers are more sensitive to silence and one has to develop this quality from childhood. But mostly people now days think that relaxation and peace of mind can be got in clubs and pubs. After what they consider as a day of hard work, people go to drink and ultimately ruin them. Unfortunately, many never achieve this objective because they haven’t learned the essentials of relaxation. This can be achieved by practicing yoga.

Tip! Ashtanga or Raja Yoga 2. Bhakti Yoga 3.

Hence Yoga is a wonderful tool for becoming better acquainted with your body, whatever your age, yoga can enhance your lifestyle. Yoga is a philosophy, not a religion. For some, the potential of union with a “supreme consciousness” is appealing; for others, it’s a supreme turnoff. Embrace as much or as little as you like … but keep practicing.

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