Best yoga courses and several advices, this seems like a hot topic in 2019. Stress is high, life is fast, big problems clouds our mind and yoga seems the perfect answer. What is Yoga? Yoga means union. Etymologically, it is connected to the English word, yoke. Yoga means union with God, or, union of the little, ego-self with the divine Self, the infinite Spirit. Most people in the West, and also many in India, confuse yoga with Hatha Yoga, the system of bodily postures. But yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline. Not that there’s anything wrong with practicing Hatha Yoga. The body is a part of our human nature, and must be kept fit so it doesn’t obstruct our spiritual efforts. However, those who are focused on self-realization do not necessarily have to practice it as much or at all. Hatha Yoga is the physical branch of Raja Yoga, the true science of yoga. Raja Yoga is a system of meditation techniques that help to harmonize human consciousness with the divine consciousness.
Sukhasana (Easy Pose): Fold a thick blanket or two into a firm support about six inches high. Sit close to one edge of this support and stretch your legs out in front of your torso on the floor in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Cross your shins, widen your knees, and slip each foot beneath the opposite knee as you bend your knees and fold the legs in toward your torso. Sukhasana is a Sanskrit word where sukh means “pleasure” or “happiness”, and asana means “pose”. The mental ability to control your mind is not easy but can be the only solution in order to curb your problems. By looking within, Sukhasana unravels the power of intuition in the days of confusion. Meditation is a delightful path to walk on, which aids your healing, gives you infinite wisdom, and a peaceful mind.
The Crow yoga pose strengthens the wrists, forearms and abdomen while also stretching the hamstring. Balance is crucial for this pose. The Surya mudra is intended to increase the solar/fire element in the body and improve metabolism and digestion. It is also useful in reducing heaviness in the body and to help ward off colds, since it increases core body temperature. Method: Perform this mudra by bending your ring finger to the base of your thumb so that your thumb touches the ring finger’s knuckle. Stretch your other three fingers straight without stressing the hand.
Ashtanga Namaskara: This is also known as giving salutations using eight parts or points. After staying in Dandasana, gently bring down your knees towards the floor and exhale. Now bring your chin to rest on the floor, keep your hops elevated in the air. Hence, your eight parts which are two hands, two knees, chin and chest will rest on the floor while your hip stays elevated in the air. More on Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation.
Types of Yoga: What are the four main types of yoga? Answer: karma, bhakti, jnana, and raja. Vinyasa yoga is popular and is taught at most studios and gyms. “Vinyasa” means linking breath with movement. The postures are usually done in a flowing sequence, or “vinyasa flow.” The fluid movements can be memorized and done as a moving meditation, almost like a dance. The popularity of this style of yoga comes from the sensual movements, pleasant music, usually (but not always) practiced in a dark room, or sometimes by candlelight and with the eyes closed.
If you are not into too much hectic activity, then Yin yoga is just the practice for you. This slow-paced style lets you hold poses for a longer time—from 45 seconds to two minutes. There are also a lot of seated postures and a focus on spirituality, inner peace and relaxation. By holding poses for a longer time, you stretch your connective tissue and make it more elastic. You also improve blood circulation and the qi energy in your body. Props help you relax into the postures instead of keeping your muscles flexed and taut. This style is often practiced in a heated room to help your muscles become more elastic. You must not try this if you are super flexible (as you can get injuries if you over-stretch) or have any connective tissue disease.
An important component of yoga is focusing on the present. Studies have found that regular yoga practice improves coordination, reaction time, memory, and even IQ scores. People who practice Transcendental Meditation demonstrate the ability to solve problems and acquire and recall information better—probably because they’re less distracted by their thoughts, which can play over and over like an endless tape loop. Yoga encourages you to relax, slow your breath, and focus on the present, shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system (or the fight-or-flight response) to the parasympathetic nervous system. The latter is calming and restorative; it lowers breathing and heart rates, decreases blood pressure, and increases blood flow to the intestines and reproductive organs—comprising what Herbert Benson, M.D., calls the relaxation response.
Yoga is for everyone: Most yoga studios and local gyms offer yoga classes that are open to all generations and fitness levels. It’s exciting to enter a room full of young teens, athletes, middle-aged moms, older gentlemen, and even fitness buffs and body builders. Everyone can feel accepted and included and, unlike other sports or classes that focus on niche clients, yoga tends to offer open arms. Whether you like to say “Om” or you can’t stand the word “yogi”; whether you are 92, 53, or even 12, yoga can help you.
Science proved that if we learn something from the very first person, then 80% of knowledge gets transferred to the second person. If we learn from the second person, then 65% of the actual expertise gets transferred further. This counting goes on decreasing as the people chain increases. So the best option is to learn from the origin of that knowledge. In this case, you should choose Yoga Teacher Training in India as your first choice, if you want to get the maximum benefit of yoga science. See more info at Yoga Teacher Training in India.