Beginner Yoga Mistakes: A Belief That Can Hurt and Help Our Yoga Practice And How To Manage It

Mostly we get messages to try harder, run faster, and be number one. If we have internalized this message, we bring this attitude to our yoga practice. Striving to perform and be better might have become our way of approaching life.
Striving can show up in ways that subtly defeat our spirit. Beginners to yoga make the mistake of forcing to achieve what they consider to be the pose rather than appreciate and accept modifications. Modifications are available for all body parts: tight hips, weak wrists, low back pain, and so on. For example, in Sun Salutations many struggle moving from step 8 - Downward Facing Dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana to step 9 - Lunge or Runners Pose, Ashwa Sanchalansana. Tight hamstrings and hip flexors make the move difficult; and it is impossible to bring the back leg all the way through and in one graceful move place that foot between the hands.
Here's a secret in Yoga. Yoga poses reveal and challenge our weak areas. We experience this very quickly. Sometimes we see other students performing a move with grace and ease; feelings of frustration surface. We have a never-say-die spirit; we muster courage and push internally to try to make the impossible happen. Our breath becomes forceful and we might groan as we make even more effort.
We hurt our practice when we experience feelings of frustration because we cannot do a pose; when we push and force trying to make the impossible possible; and when we refuse to accept modifications. If only we could have compassion for ourselves at this time.
While practicing the Lunge pose on its own, shorten the distance between both feet. Move dynamically with the breath, exhaling as you straighten the front knee to the best of your ability, and inhale as you gently lunge forward returning to the place where the knee is directly above the ankle. Note - allow the toes to lift as you try to straighten the front knee without force. When you are ready to, can you hold Lunge for a minimum of 6 easy breaths?
Here are two points worth noting:
(1) Acceptance of limitations does not mean resignation.
(2) Yoga poses must be modified to suit the individual. It is a mistake to think that your body must be forced into a yoga pose.
What qualities are needed to accept and appreciate modifications? Patience is one quality. It takes time to release tight muscles. Consider which daily activity and hobby might contribute to this tightness. Observe the mind-body connection and which muscles engage when you strive for success during your day. It is a mistake to disconnect life off the mat from our practice on the mat. In terms of striving, we can make this quality work for us rather than against us when in our practice we:

• Strive to keep our commitment to be on the mat regardless of distractions
• Strive to bring our awareness back to the body again and again
• Strive to move with the breath.

Heather Greaves is an avid yoga student and the owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training. She organizes yoga and meditation retreats and workshops in Ontario and Barbados, and has been helping yoga enthusiasts learn to teach therapeutic yoga in a certified program. For more yoga tips or to sign up for our monthly newsletter visit http://www.yogatogo.com

Tips on Weight Loss With Yoga

Yoga is a popular workout option recommended for those who are looking into burning excess fats from the body. However, it should be noted that Yoga involves a variety of exercises that you can engage in case you intend to lose weight through it. By engaging in yoga, you are able to shed off the extra fat effectively, hence making you feel confident and comfortable with yourself. By reading through this article, you are able to get tips on losing weight with yoga that can help you shed off the extra pounds in a more efficient way.
There are certain yoga workouts whose main is the stimulation of the lethargic thyroid gland. This enhances the increase in the secretion of hormones. As a result of this, yoga acts upon your body's metabolism by increasing its level. When the body's metabolism rate is high, there are chances that you are able to effectively burn the extra fats faster hence losing weight quickly.
In case you are just beginning to take part in yoga for weight loss and you have got lots of weight or your body is just out of shape, it is advisable that you always begin the process from a beginner-level. This is important because it will help you in minimizing the risk of injuries. However, always ensure that you get an experienced yoga teacher who is able to listen and understand your body before putting you into the program.
When taking part in yoga for weight loss, it is advisable that you begin by concentrating on breathing exercises. Research indicates that deep breathing exercises increase the supply of oxygen to the cells of your body hence assisting in burning excess body fats and calories. Besides, such exercises will also ensure that you are able to tone your muscles as well as increase the level of their endurance.
The other things that you should take note of when engaging in yoga for weight loss is that more vigorous styles of yoga like Ashtanga, Power Yoga and Hot Yoga are among those that can offer you the best workout. For effective weight loss, you need to combine yoga with other forms of aerobic exercises like walking or running. With these, you will be able to produce lots of sweat which is one sign of weight loss.
On those days that you cannot make it to the yoga classes, it is advisable that you keep exercising at home regularly. For you to practice effectively, you can obtain audio or video recordings from your teacher or even online. Such materials contain ideas on yoga that can be used by beginners as well as those who are already in the program.
Even if you are engaging in yoga every day, you also have to bear in mind that the workouts alone cannot help you in effectively losing weight. Weight loss with yoga should be combined with proper dieting to ensure that you are able to lose weight in a more efficient way and stay healthy.

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Is Yoga More Beneficial To Your Mind or Body?

Is Yoga secular or spiritual? Is it an exercise routine or a spiritual path? The answers are indisputable, depending on who you ask. The student who has practiced Yoga for exercise will take issue with the answer given by the spiritual seeker who practices Yoga to be free from suffering.
We must look to the origins of this tradition for insights into the purpose of Yoga. The ancient Yoga authority, Patanjali, outlines a clear path for Yoga, a path that leads to liberation. In his Yoga Sutras of 196 succinct verses, he proposes 8 limbs sometimes called steps on the path (2.29). The physical exercises called Asanas is Limb number 3. Other Limbs include behaviour, character, breath, and mind. One could argue looking at the 8 limbs that only one limb relates to the physical body.
Today in our world where what is visible is King it is easy to believe Yoga is nothing more than an exercise routine practised by women and men to become healthy or keep fit. In days gone by Yoga was known for its power to transform. In fact the very first verse of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras defines Yoga as the restriction of the fluctuations of consciousness, sometimes translated mind.
Many of us practise Yoga unaware of its origins and aims. We practice because our bodies relish the stretches and challenges. Our muscles are toned; we breathe better; our digestion and elimination improve; we manage pain better; we feel stronger. Our physical health improves. It is also true that we feel less stressed when we practise. Anxiety decreases, we don't get as angry, and mental clarity improves. Yoga fosters mind-body wellness.
Yoga students who practice Yoga as an exercise may proclaim only its physical benefits only. In time they will come to realize the positive impact on the mind; and to notice a shift in behaviour and improved relationships. At some point they realize the connection between the mind and body. They come to know that thoughts and feelings affect the body and to they gain some insight into mind-body wellness.
There was a time when I would have argued forcefully that Yoga was more beneficial to the mind. For then I practiced Raja Yoga meditation only. Some years later I would have insisted that one must definitely practice Hatha Yoga to heal and nurture the body. Fortunately I discovered it is really not an either or situation.
Yoga students can practice both yoga poses and meditation for mind-body wellness. And are we not more than mind and body? Yoga explains that we are and states that the light of knowledge is necessary to free us from suffering.

Heather Greaves is a keen student of Yoga and the owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training. She organizes yoga and meditation retreats and workshops in Ontario and Barbados, and has been helping yoga enthusiasts learn to teach yoga in a certified program. For more yoga tips or to sign up for our monthly newsletter visit http://www.yogatogo.com

Yoga For Weight Loss: Doing The Boat Pose

In yoga, the boat pose is one of the more popular poses for building core strength. This yoga pose will tone your abdominal muscles and strengthen the muscles of your lower back. There are two types of boat poses: one is the half boat pose and the other is the full boat pose.
Another benefit of the boat pose is that it strengthens your hips, abdomen, and spine. It also stimulates your kidneys and your intestines, which helps to improve digestion. The boat pose also regulates the thyroid glands and the prostate glands, which help to regulate your metabolism and help to relieve your stress. Improved digestion and an increased metabolic rate are key factors in weight loss.
This pose can be strenuous for beginning yoga practitioners, because it requires complete concentration and quite a bit of physical stamina. Practicing this pose on a regular basis may help you to stay focused and calm. It is not recommended that you do this pose if you currently have headaches, diarrhea, or low blood pressure. Also, if you are suffering from heart conditions or asthma, you should do the half boat pose instead of the full pose. If you are pregnant or menstruating, it is recommended that you do not do this pose.
To begin this pose, sit on the floor, bend your knees, and put your feet flat on the floor. It is important to inhale and exhale smoothly and evenly. With your spine straight, tilt backward a bit and raise your feet from the ground so that your shins run parallel to the floor. Bring in the lower part of your back, raise your chest, and stretch the front part of your body. Reach your arms forward, and be sure that they line up with your shoulders and that your hands are facing each other.
Your legs should be straight up at an angle of 45° from the ground. At this point, your body should be in a V shape. While looking at your feet, move your shoulders forward and stretch out your hands in front of you. Stay in this pose for about five seconds, and gradually increase that time to one minute.
Some things to keep in mind when doing this exercise are to keep your back straight and to balance yourself in the V position without any assistance from your hands. Perfecting this pose requires practice and dedication.

When practicing yoga for weight loss, you'll find that the boat pose is a good choice for burning calories. Remember that courses on yoga for beginners will build up to introducing this pose.

Yoga Exercises For Weight Loss Beginners

When you think about weight loss, and dieting and exercising makes you remember those unsatisfactory times, you should start thinking of other alternatives, such as yoga. Yoga exercises for weight loss is a form of meditation that helps you lose weight and help metabolism, toning up the muscles, etc.
You have to remember that even though yoga poses help with weight loss, all of them aren't meant for it. There are some that are there for the peace of the mind. But you have to remember one thing: Dedication is very important. Well try to maintain good eating habits as well.
Below are a few yoga exercises for weight loss for you:
1. Wind Releasing Pose
For this pose, you have to lie down on your back and hug your knees to your chest, making sure that both of them are not spread apart. From there, use your fists and take them in front of knees and trying raising your head from the ground or floor. All you have to do is keep breathing throughout and notice the slight ache in your abs.
2. Cobra Pose
Lie down on a mat with your face to the ground and your feet aligned on the ground. Then using your hands right below the shoulder, push down so that your head and torso lift up.
Then move your head to face straight ahead and spread your fingers, the shoulder blades going lower and behind. Then push your shoulders backwards, making sure you stretch it all throughout the spine. While doing so, breathe deeply, and then when you are in the normal position, breathe out.
3. Side Stretch Pose
If you need a pose that is going to accelerate your heart beat and work on the waist, this is it. All you have to do is stand erect with the feet spread a little more than the shoulders.
Start turning your torso towards your right side along with your legs. Make your torso parallel to the ground by bending it. Repeat the same process with the other side, and remember to keep breathing.
4. Bow Pose
In this pose, you have to lay down on your stomach, bending your knees behind so that you can try to reach out for it. Push your feet higher along with keeping your tummy sucked in.
While doing so, you can try raising your upper torso with the shoulder blades outwards. Keep your breath held and then relaxed while doing all these. This pose is for toning the area around the abdomen.
5. Warrior Pose
You have to stand upright and move both the feet, around four feet outwards, and the torso to the torso to your left. Make sure that one knee is bent, the left one, and the other is perpendicular to the ground. Then, reach upwards with your hands and turn your head to look at them. This is good for your thighs, abdomen and the hands.
The yoga exercises for weight loss that help the most in yoga are quite intense, so feeling a little burn may be due to burning of fat around the areas you're concentrating on.

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Benefits of Yoga

Whenever we think about Yoga, we will usually think about how the three elements, the body, the mind and the soul can benefit from it. So what are the specific benefits to each of these elements? Let's find out more about the benefits of yoga the physical, mental and spiritual aspects.

For the physical aspect, by practicing yoga, you will able to increase your flexibility, improve your strength and better your breathing. Firstly, as yoga involves multiple stretching techniques, it will enable your body to become more flexible. This also means that there will be more movements in your joints and muscles. In time, your shoulders, back, hips and hamstrings will also become more flexible. Secondly, yoga teaches you to support your own body weight. There are poses that involves you balancing on one leg or using your arms to support yourself. This will effectively help in improving your strength. Thirdly, yoga introduces breathing exercises, which teaches you how to make better use of your lungs. This will provide you with better breathing and also helps to benefit the rest of your body.

When it comes to the mental aspect of yoga, the benefits include stress reduction, body awareness and mental calmness. Firstly, any form of physical exercise can help to relief stress. However, yoga is a great form of exercise to relief stress as it involves a lot of concentration. By focusing more during your yoga practice, you'll able to experience the present and not worry about the past or future. Secondly, when you are practicing yoga, you will actually move in ways that can improve your alignment. This allows you to be more aware of your body and in turn, enables you to be comfortable in your own skin. Eventually, you'll have a higher confidence level and a better posture. Thirdly, as yoga requires complete concentration, it helps to calm your mind from other distractions. Apart from that, meditation also assists in your breathing techniques and ultimately, leads you to calm your senses.

As for the spiritual aspect, yoga teaches you to be patient and forgiving. To put it simply, it shows the way of dealing with ourselves and others. This means that it does not only provide you with awareness of your body, it also enables you to be more aware of your feelings, the world around you and the needs of others.

These are the reasons why many people decide to practice yoga. They believe that through yoga, they will be able to satisfy all three elements of a human being. Hence, yoga is gradually becoming more popular worldwide.

The author, Tan Ryan, is the founder of OMG Yoga, an exclusive yoga school that provides private yoga classes in Singapore. For more information with regards to yoga classes, please visit http://www.yogasingapore.net/

Yoga Is a Way of Life

Yoga has become the "in" thing these days. Well known celebrities are practicing yoga, dietician and doctors, politician, grade school teacher even simple housewives are into it. But what is Yoga? Some says it is a science of life while to others it is a spiritual, physical and mental discipline.
The term YOGA is referred to as "Yuj", a Sanskrit word which means - to unite, to join or to yoke. Traditionally, yoga is passed from one individual to another through a teacher-student relationship, using the practical demonstration and oral teachings. There was no formal technique during those times unlike now, where a logical and structured procedure or process is given to those practitioners. Hence, modern times see it as a "science".
There has been a misconception that yoga came from Hinduism. Archaeologists have discovered stone carvings with figures in different yoga positions that predate way back Hinduism's time. Hinduism had evolved and incorporates practicing yoga later on. Yoga came in the U.S. around 1800s and started to get noticed by 1960s. Gradually, people accepted Yoga because of it benefits and advantage to the physical, mental and emotional well-being.
These days, yoga is being seen as a form of exercise. In fact, people from different countries thought that yoga was a kind of "American exercise", and an Indian workout that happens to get popular in the U.S.
Yoga is more than just a system or structure of exercises, breathing and stretches. Yoga is a 'way of life' - an individual is able to break the negative habits and views of life. Yoga provides tools and guidelines in order to gain a balance in your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional aspect of a person. It is uniting the body, mind and spirit - which ultimately seek all these relationships in a complete balance. Its philosophy lies in understanding oneself and the world - it was only later when other religions like Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam and Buddhism incorporates such practice in their religious practice.
Medical practitioners have seen the benefits of yoga in a person's health. It is effective in increasing flexibility, lubrication of the joints, tendons and ligaments. It is also an excellent toning exercise for the muscles.
For stressed out career persons and businessmen or even a simple housewife and a mother - yoga has a great stuff to offer. Regular yoga practitioner becomes calmer - they are more relaxed and have a better perspective of the world. In fact, some says they become more compassionate of others. They see life as individuals trying their best to become the best they can ever be. For them it is liberating - there is no need to see others as a potential competition so there is no need to hold on to grudges and ill-will against a fellow human being. With this in mind one can develop better relationships with others - so there is no need to stress it out!
Yoga reminds people to be mindful of what they bring in to their own body. Yoga has allowed them to see that they are responsible to take care of their body and that they need to pay more attention in taking care of it. This goes well with having that kind of confidence. Indeed, it is true - it does take a strong will to break and change those bad habits affecting one's well-being.
Anyone can start practicing yoga - people of different age and condition, even pregnant women and little kids. Wouldn't it be better if the whole family practice yoga?
Yoga has different step by step techniques and guidelines that can be easily followed by anyone - gender or age. Kids can practice simple meditation and breathing exercises to help them relax, concentrate and become less impulsive. Study shows that kids who are trained in these exercises are better in term of coping with stressful conditions and are able to manage their own emotions.
There is a recommended technique for pregnant women as well although it is highly recommended to keep the exercise to a minimum and focus extensively on the breathing techniques. The daily meditation and breathings exercises will help expectant mothers in easy delivery.

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