HealthCare

HALASANA YOGA POSE & BENEFITS

The name comes from the Sanskrit words hala meaning "plow" and asana meaning "posture" or "seat.

There are many ways of looking at Halasana (Plow Pose) in search of deeper meaning and guidance. As with many yoga asanas, Halasana's name is suggestive of the basic shape of the pose, which resembles the traditional plows found in Tibetan and Indian culture. Symbolically, the plow is represented in the myths and traditional stories of Egypt, China, Tibet, and India.

Regular practice of Plow Pose nurtures and rejuvenates the body's entire system. Halasana helps nourish the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine by increasing circulation and suppleness, releases tension in the neck and throat, alleviates the accumulation of phlegm or mucus in the sinuses and respiratory system, and gradually assists in lengthening and regulating the breath.

Lie flat on your back with legs and feet together, arms by your side with fists closed near your thigh keeping your legs straight, slowly raise them to angles of 300, 600 and 900, pausing slightly at each point. Gradually, raise your legs above your head without bending your knees and then move them behind until they touch the floor. Stretch your legs as far as possible so that your chin presses tightly against the chest while your arms remain on
the floor as in the original position. Hold the pose from between 10 seconds to three minutes, breathing normally. To return to the starting position slowly reverse the procedure. This asana relieves tension in the back, neck, and legs and is beneficial in the treatment of lumbago, spinal rigidity and rheumatism, myalgia, arthritis, sciatics and asthma.

HALASANA YOGA VIDEO ( The Core Power Yoga)

Uttanapadasana ( Left-lifting pose) :

Uttana refers to something which is Lifted  and Pada refers to feet in Sanskrit, hence the name Uttana padasana Yoga.

Uttanapadasana Pose

Lie on your back with leg and arms straight, feet together, palms facing downwards, on the floor close to the body. Raise your legs above two feet from the floor without bending your knees. Maintain this pose for some time. Then, lower your legs slowly without bending the knees. This asana is helpful for those suffering from constipation. It strengthens the abdominal muscles and intestinal organs.

Benefits of UTTANAPADASANA YOGA

Benefits:
a) This asana flexes all abdominal muscles, both internally and externally.

b) It takes away the extra weight from the abdominal area.

c) It can correct the disorders relating to the pancreas and can cure constipation as well as other wind troubles.

d) Indigestion and intestinal disorders too can be cured by the regular performance of this asana.

e) This asana also has a great curative and corrective effect on backaches or troubles associated with the waist, buttocks and hip joints.

f) It strengthens the spinal cord, energizes the inner cells and activates the whole nervous system.

g) Reduces the irritability and calms down the mind.

h) This Asana is very beneficial for those suffering from diabetes, constipation, indigestion and nervous weakness.

UTTANAPADASANA YOGA VIDEO

MATSYASANA - THE FISH POSE YOGA

The name comes from the Sanskrit words matsya meaning "fish" and asana meaning "posture" or "seat

The posture itself is in the category of backbends, where the practitioner lies on his or her back and lifts the heart (anahata) chakra by rising up on the elbows and drawing the shoulders back. The neck is lengthened, and the crown of the head Sahasrara chakra is "pointed" toward the wall behind the practitioner. As the arch of the back deepens with practice, and the heart and throat open further, the top of the head may brush the ground, but no weight should rest upon it.

Sit in the padmasana position. Bend backwards and lie flat on your back without raising your knees. Press your palms beneath the shoulder. Push the hip backwards thus making a bridge -like arch with the spine. Then making hooks of your forefingers, grasp your toes without crossing your arms. Maintain this pose and breathe rhythmically and comfortably. Reverse the order and return gradually to the starting position of Padamasana. Matsyasana is beneficial in the treatment.

Benefits of MATSYASANA

Benefits

SARVANGASANA POSTURE & SARVANGASANA BENEFITS

sarvangasana Posture
In Sanskrit ‘sarva’ means whole and ‘anga’ means limb. Almost all parts of the body are involved in and benefit from this asana. Lie flat on your back with your arms by the side, palms turned down. Bring your legs up slowly to a 90 o angle and then raise the rest of the body by pushing the legs up and resting their raise the rest of the body by pushing the legs up and resting their weight on the arms. Fix your chin in jugular notch, and use your arms and hands to support the body at the hip region.

The weight of the body should rest on your head, back and shoulders, your arms being used merely for balance. The trunk and legs should be in a straight line. The body, legs , hips and trunk should be kept as vertical as possible. Focus your eyes on your big toes. Press your chin against your
chest. Hold the pose for one to three minutes. Return to the starting position slowly reversing the procedure.

sarvangasana benefits: Sarvangasana helps relieve bronchitis, dyspepsia, varicose veins and peps up the digestion. It stimulates the thyroid and para-thyroid glands, influences the bran, heart and lungs. It helps lymphatic juices to circulate in the brain and strengthens the mind. This asana should not be done by those suffering Viparitkarani from high blood pressure, heart disease and eye trouble.

SARVANGASANA YOGA POSTURE VIDEO

The Sanskrit word viparita (pronounced vee-pah-ree-tah) means “inverted,
reversed” and karani (pronounced kah-rah-nee) means “action, process.”
Some authorities call this practice sarvangasana, meaning “all limbs posture.” The word is composed of sarva (pronounced sahr-vah) and anga (pronounced ahn-gah) followed by asana.

Viparita Karani, or Inverted (S., Viparita) Action (S., Karani) Pose, is an intermediate yoga asana, in which the practitioner lies down on a mat and lifts the legs perpendicular to the ground. Yoga practitioners[who?] consider it as a pose that improves pelvic circulation and increases the blood flow to face, neck and thorax and improves the functioning of adrenal, pituitary and thyroid glands. It is also referred to as legs-up-the-wall pose

Lie flat on your back, with your feet together and arms by your side. Press your palms down, raising your legs to a perpendicular position without bending the knees. Your palms should touch the waist. Then straighten your legs. The trunk should not make a right angle with the ground but simply an upward slanting position. The chest should not press against the chin but be kept a little away. To return to the ground, bring your legs down slowly, evenly balancing your weight. Through this asana, the muscles of the neck become stronger and blood circulation is improved. The functioning of the cervical nerves, ganglia and the thyroid also gets improved.

Viparita Karani (inverted lake pose) variations Video

YOGIC BREATHING TECHNIQUES - PRANAYAMA

You can help alleviate stress through the simple practice of yogic breathing.
Among other things, breathing loads your blood with oxygen, which,
by nourishing and repairing your body’s cells, maintains your health at the
most desirable level. Shallow breathing, which is common, doesn’t oxygenate
the ten pints of blood circulating in your arteries and veins very efficiently.
Consequently, toxins accumulate in the cells. Before you know it, you feel
mentally sluggish and emotionally down, and eventually organs begin to
malfunction. Is it any wonder that the breath is the best tool you have to profoundly affect your body and mind?

Pranayama is one of the most important Sadhanas. Through the practice of Asana, you can control the physical body and through Pranayama, you can
control the subtle, astral body or the Linga Sarira. As there is an intimate connection between the breath and nerve-currents, control of breath leads to the control of vital inner currents.

Pranayama is an exact science. It is the fourth Anga or limb of Ashtanga Yoga. “Tasmin Sati Svasa prasvasayorgativicchedah Pranayamah”—Regulation of breath or the control of Prana is the stoppage of inhalation and exhalation, which follows after securing that steadiness of posture
or seat, Asana. Thus is Pranayama defined in Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Chapter
‘Svasa’ means inspiratory breath and ‘Prasvasa’ is expiratory breath. Breath is external manifestation of Prana, the vital force. Breath like electricity, is gross Prana. Breath is Sthula, gross.
Prana is Sukshma, subtle. By exercising control over this breathing you can control the subtle Prana inside. Control of Prana means control of mind. Mind cannot operate without the help of Prana. The vibrations of Prana only produce thoughts in the mind. It is Prana that moves the mind. It is Prana
that sets the mind in motion. It is the Sukshma Prana or Psychic Prana that is intimately connected with the mind. This breath represents the important fly-wheel of an engine. Just as the other wheels stop when the driver stops the fly-wheel, so also other organs cease working, when the Yogi stops
the breath. If you can control the fly-wheel, you can easily control the other wheels. Likewise, if you can control the external breath, you can easily control the inner vital force, Prana. The process by which the Prana is controlled by regulation of external breath, is termed Pranayama.

Most Powerful Yoga Breathing Exercise (Pranayama)

MORE YOGA SCAMS THAN ANYTHING ELSE

There is more nonsense talked and written about Yoga than about anything else in the world. Most of this nonsense, which is fostered by charlatans, is based upon the idea that there is something mysterious and Oriental about it. There isn't much of truth in the tinsel imagery of the Yoga-mongers.  There
is nothing mysterious or Oriental about Yoga as everybody knows
who has spent a little time intelligently in India . I propose to invoke the most remote and elusive of all Gods to throw clear light upon the subject -- the light of common sense.

We must then begin the study of Yoga by looking at the meaning of the word. It means Union, from the same Sanskrit root as the Greek word Zeugma, the Latin word Jugum, and the English word yoke. Yoga in no way imply a system of religious training or a description of religious experience.

The principles of Yoga, and the spiritual results of Yoga, are demonstrated in every conscious and unconscious happening of everyone who practices Yoga sincerely. Yoga delivers goods. That is the reason hundreds of millions know about Yoga and follow it. In America alone some 25 million practice some sort of Yoga.

Tantra Yoga: The Yoga of Union
Tantra Yoga is the most complex and most widely misunderstood branch
of Yoga.  In the West Tantra Yoga is often confused with oriental and mystical sexual orgy.  Although sexual rituals are used in some schools of Tantra Yoga, they aren’t a regular practice in the majority of Yoga  schools. Tantra Yoga is actually a strict spiritual discipline involving fairly complex rituals and detailed visualizations of deities. These deities are invoked to aid the yogic process of contemplation. The deities need not be of  Hindu or Buddhist origin. In fact Christian tantra goddess deities, angels and beatified saints are often invoked in Tantra Yoga practice.

Tantra Yoga is often assocaited with Kundalini Yoga. It is about the "serpant power" in the body that Tantra Yoga seeks to activate.  Tantrism  emphasize a path of action as well as mastery over secret energies latent in the body.

Tantric hatha yoga does not merely consist in awakening kundalini. This energy, in fact, becomes a helpful means leading to the realization of the
powers hidden in one's body; of the chakras, or occult centers; and of their corresponding forces and principles in the macrocosm. This process, therefore, acquires a transcendent dimension and meaning. Every power in the body becomes known and controlled, in a backward progression in respect to Shakti's cosmic manifestation,until the principle is finally reached.

TANTRA YOGA VIDEO

YOGA CLOTHING- What CLOTHES To Wear During Yoga Practice.

Yoga practitioners wear a wide variety of exercise clothing. The term Yoga Clothing means what people wear only during Yoga practice. Basically any cloth that one feels comfortable during Yoga practice can be worn. But the clothing has to allow for free movement, flexibility and mobility.  Clothing that are easily stretchable are ideal. Shorts are very much comfortable as they allow for easy movement of legs and knees. I prefer tracksuits as the pace I live in is very cold in the mornings. I jog my way to the yoga classes.

Practically speaking, what people wear also depends on the difficulty level of the class and the temperature of the room. Of course, personal expression is also a consideration.  Even when you practice on your own, you may want to cover your lower trunk to protect your kidneys and abdomen. At least that’s the traditional Yoga way. Women often wear leotards, sweats, shorts, and tops. Men usually wear shorts, sweats, T-shirts, and tank tops. The key is to wear clean, comfortable, and decent clothes that allow you to move and breathe freely. Some people want to be fashionable by wearing the latest attention-drawing outfits, but we discourage this attitude. Simple does it. If you’re practicing outdoors or in a poorly heated room, you may want to layer your clothing so that you can peel off a layer when you’re getting too warm from your Yoga practice. Also, extra clothing can come in handy when you get to the relaxation or meditation part of the class.

YOGA CLOTHING REVIEW VIDEO

Yoga is about healing rather than curing. Like a really good physician, Yoga
takes deeper causes into account instead of slapping a bandage on surface
symptoms. These causes are more often than not found in the mind — in
the way you live and how you think. That’s why Yoga masters recommend
self-understanding. Most people tend to be passive in health matters. They
wait until something goes wrong and then rely on a pill or a physician to fix
the problem. Yoga encourages you to take the initiative in preventing illness
and restoring or maintaining your health. Taking control of your health has
nothing to do with self-doctoring which is very risky and harmful. But it’s simply a matter of taking responsibility for your health. A good physician can tell you that a patient’s active participation in the process greatly facilitates healing.
For example, you may take various kinds of medication to deal with a gastric
ulcer, but unless you learn to eat well, sleep adequately, avoid stress, and
take life more easily, you’re bound to have a recurrence before long. You
must change your lifestyle to realize any deep-seated healing.

YOGA HEALING VIDEO