Yoga Meditation 101: Breath Awareness and Posture

What do you think of when you hear about Yoga meditation? Do you picture a Yoga teacher, Guru, mystic, monk, or priest, guiding a group through meditation? Are you a bit confused about the whole process of Yoga meditation? Let's look at one of the many types of Yoga meditation and the benefits of daily practice.

There are many types of Yoga meditation, but all of them are similar to branches on a tree, leading to the same trunk. When you attend a Yoga class, you may be guided by your Yoga teacher, through meditation, in a variety of ways, but you will usually develop a favorite method of Yoga meditation.

Most likely, your favorite method will be the form of Yoga meditation, which brings you the most success. You cannot force yourself to meditate. Usually, a state of Yoga meditation will occur through focused observance and non-effort.

Breath awareness meditation is the first method, which I teach to beginning meditation students, and to students of Yoga. A beginner Yoga student can easily grasp the concepts of breath awareness and realize the deeper benefits of meditation.

Drawing the spine, into the straightest line possible, is the first goal, because poor spinal alignment is counter productive to meditation, and is not helpful for proper breathing. Many beginning Yoga students may have difficulty sitting straight, without a back rest. Some cultures have no difficulty sitting on the floor, while others sit in chairs, or on furniture, which brings them off the floor; and these Yoga students are used to back support.

If a Yoga student is sitting on the floor, in an uncomfortable position, he or she may not be able to concentrate on anything more than discomfort. Therefore, consider using chairs as a Yoga meditation prop. If you use a chair with a straight back, and lumbar support, this is ideal for seated Yoga meditation.

There is also another Yoga meditation posture where chairs become a handy Yoga prop. Place a chair at the head of your Yoga mat. Lay down on your Yoga mat, with your feet facing the chair. Then place your lower legs on the seat of the chair. You will want to adjust your body, so that the lower legs are parallel to the floor, the upper legs are perpendicular to the floor, and the back is flat.

Now that you have settled in, take some time to observe your breath, without trying to change, force, or lengthen your breathing cycle. Most Yoga students will try to control their breath, but the secret of Yogic breath awareness meditation is non-effort and observance.

Take the time to observe your breath, without effort or judgment; this will allow you to filter out conscious thoughts about your breath, noises, or your next task. Once you have put the distractions of life aside, you will notice that the cycle of your breath expands.

This is just the beginning of the many rewards you can reap from Yoga meditation. The Yoga meditation methods you learn from your local Yoga studio will reduce stress, calm your mind, and possibly lower your blood pressure. A life with less anxiety, and worry, is well worth the time it takes to practice Yoga meditation.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com 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

Om Yoga Meditation: Why Yoga?

The following is an excerpt from the book "Om Yoga: Its Theory and

Practice."

Om is the Supreme Brahman. (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:7)

He who utters Om with the intention 'I shall attain Brahman' does verily attain

Brahman. (Taittiriya Upanishad 1.8.1)

The Self is of the nature of the Syllable Om. (Mandukya Upanishad 1.8.12)

Meditate on Om as the Self. (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.3)

Liberation-Freedom

Yoga is all about freedom. Only a fraction of the earth's population is formally

imprisoned, but the entire human race is imprisoned in the earth itself. None are

free from the inevitability of sickness, age, and death, however free of them they

may be at the moment. The human condition is subject to innumerable limitations.

Who really controls his life fully, attains all his goals, and knows no setbacks of any

kind? No one. Om Yoga is the way to freedom from suffering and limitation.

Regarding Om, the Yoga Sutras (1) simply say: "Its repetition and meditation is

the way(Yoga Sutras 1:28). Even a superficial perusal of the Upanishads

reveals that the meditation practice known and recommended by the Vedic Rishis

(2), and later Patanjali and Krishna, (3)A Divine Incarnation (avatar) born in India

about three thousand years ago, Whose teachings to His disciple Arjuna on the eve

of the Great India (Mahabharata) War comprise the Bhagavad Gita.) was based on

Om, the sacred syllable that both symbolizes and embodies Brahman, the Absolute

Reality.

It is my hope that you will test for yourself the spiritual alchemy of Om Yoga that is

set forth here. If your practice is exactly as outlined and of sufficient duration, your

experience will be the proof of its validity and its efficacy.

"This is the bridge to immortality. May you be successful in crossing over to the

farther shore of darkness." (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.6)

Why Yoga?

Since the spirit is always free, and nothing can change it-nor does it ever need any

changing-the question naturally arises: "Why bother with yoga at all? If our real self

is ever perfect and free, what needs to be done? What can be done?"

It is true; the spirit is ever-free, but it has forgotten that and identifies with

its experience of bondage and consequently (seemingly) suffers. Our situation is like

someone who is asleep and dreaming that he is being tortured and beaten. In reality

he is not being touched at all; yet he is experiencing pain and fear. He need not

placate, overpower, or escape his torturers. He needs no more dream activity! He

needs only to wake up. Yoga is the procedure of self-awakening.

In his commentary on the Yoga Sutras Shankara (The great reformer and re-

establisher of Vedic Religion in India around 300 B.C.) has an "opponent" say: "How

can there be a means to obtain liberation? Liberation is not a thing which can be

obtained, for it is simply cessation of bondage." And Shankara replies: "You are

wrong. For ignorance [bondage] to cease, something has to be done, with effort, as

in the breaking of a fetter. Though liberation is not a 'thing,' inasmuch as it is

cessation of ignorance in the presence of right knowledge it is figuratively spoken of

as something to be obtained." And he concludes: "The purpose of Yoga is the

knowledge of Reality."

What is Yoga?

"Yoga" is a Sanskrit word that means "to join." Yoga, then, is union and the way to

union. What do we join through yoga?

First, we join our awareness to our own essential being: spirit that is consciousness.

In yoga philosophy this is known as the atman or self. Next we join our finite

consciousness to the Infinite Consciousness: God, the Supreme Self (Paramatman).

In essence they are eternally one, and according to yogic philosophy all

spirits originally dwelt in consciousness of that oneness. But in the descent into the

material world for the purpose of evolving and extending its scope of

consciousness, the individual spirit has lost its awareness of that eternal union, and

therefore los the capacity to live in and manifest the union on a practical level.

Through yoga the lost consciousness can be regained and actualized in the

individual's practical life sphere. So profound and so necessary is yoga to the

evolving consciousness, there is no more important subject in the world.

Regarding this, a yogi-adept of the twentieth century, Dr. I. K. Taimni, remarked in

his book The Science of Yoga: "According to the yogic philosophy it is

possible to rise completely above the illusions and miseries of life and to gain

infinite knowledge, bliss, and power through enlightenment here and now

while we are still living in the physical body. And if we do not attain this

enlightenment while we are still alive we will have to come back again and again

into this world until we have accomplished this appointed task. So it is not a

question of choosing the path of yoga or rejecting it. It is a question of choosing it

now or in some future life. It is a question of gaining enlightenment as soon as

possible and avoiding the suffering in the future or postponing the effort and going

through further suffering which is unnecessary and avoidable. This is the meaning

of Yoga Sutra 2:16: 'The misery which is not yet come can and is to be avoided.' No

vague promise of an uncertain postmortem happiness this, but a definite scientific

assertion of a fact verified by the experience of innumerable yogis, saints, and sages

who have trodden the path of yoga throughout the ages."

Yoga philosophy

Yoga must be approached initially as a philosophy-but a philosophy which by its

very nature stimulates its investigators to engage in practical applications through

which they will experience-and demonstrate-its truth and worth. That which begins

as theory develops into practice which culminates in realization. Yoga is thus a

philosophy, a discipline, and an experience. It is a revelation of consciousness. And

since rational thought always precedes rational action, we should begin with the

philosophical side of Yoga.

Then and now

In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Krishna tells Arjuna: "There was never a

time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these kings. Nor is there any future in

which we shall cease to be."(Bhagavad Gita 2:12) That is, we are eternal beings,

without beginning and without end. Originally we were points of conscious light in

the infinite Ocean of Conscious Light that is God. We were gods within God. And so

we still are, for it is not possible to be outside of Infinity Itself. Yet we are also here

in this ever-changing world-a place that completely overwhelms the truth of our

immortal life within God. For countless life-cycles we have found ourselves

embodied in material cases, little body-prisons within the greater prison of the

cosmos. And that is where we are right now.

There is a law that governs the place and kind of our embodiment. That law is

karma, the principle of exact and inevitable reaction to our own actions and mental

states, resulting in a seemingly endless domino effect of continual birth and death.

Yoga offers us the possibility of ending this chain of embodiments by awakening

and transformation from time and mortality into eternity and immortality.

God and gods

We are gods within God, finite spirits within the Infinite Spirit. But what is "spirit"?

Yoga tells us that spirit is consciousness, hence we are eternal

consciousnesses, each of us individual and distinct. ("Nor is there any

future in which we shall cease to be....") Yet we are more. For we do not have an

existence independent of one another or independent of God. Rather, we take our

being from God as the waves take their existence from the ocean, sharing it with all

the other waves.

God is the eternal Root or Ground of our being, our greater Self. We are not God,

but in some ineffable manner God is us-the Self of our self, the Spirit of our spirit.

God is all, and we are the parts-each of us possessing an eternal and irrevocable

distinction. That is why, as already quoted, Krishna told Arjuna: "There was never a

time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these kings.

Nor is there any future in which we shall cease to be." It is incalculably

important to realize this before we can have any viable understanding of or

approach to ourselves, to our lives, to others, and even to God. The distinction

between God, us, and one another is real and eternal; yet so is our unity.

In God there is unity; in us there is diversity. These two seemingly contradictory

states coexist in perfection. Because of this we have the term advaita which

does not mean "one," but simply "not two." Reality is neither One nor Two. It is a

unity that possesses diversity. It is a mystery, but it can be realized by direct

experience, and yoga is the means to that experience.

God and creation

God, the infinite Spirit, is pure consciousness, but-as we are experiencing even

now-He has extended or emanated Himself as the cosmos: physical, astral, and

causal. This seemingly dual nature of God as Light and Power, as Consciousness and

Matter, has puzzled the minds of even the wise.

God, the Original Being, projects Himself as the ever-changing dance of creation, as

the evolving light that is the cosmos. God projects the creation, evolves it, and

withdraws it back into Himself in a perpetual cycle. Thus the creation can be

thought of as God's body-that God becomes incarnate in creation again and again.

And as parts or reflections of God we do exactly the same through reincarnation.

And us...

All conscious beings have existed eternally within the Being of God-living within the

heart of God, one with Him, distinct though not separate. Having their being rooted

in the infinity of God, the individual consciousnesses have within them a natural

impulse to transcend their finitude and attain the boundlessness of their Origin.

This, of course, is impossible, since the essential, eternal nature of a being cannot

be altered. Being rooted in God, and therefore in a sense a part of God, all beings

are as immutable as God-the only infinite Being. Yet the urge for transcendence is

part of their nature.

The solution to this dilemma is actually quite simple: the individual consciousnesses

cannot alter their natural state of finitude but they can come to share and

participate in the infinite Consciousness of God. As Sri Ma Anandamayi

said: "The soul can become godlike, but it cannot become God." That is, they cannot

become infinite themselves, but they can experience the infinity of another: their

divine Source. Just as a psychically sensitive person can experience the thoughts

and feelings of another but does not become that other person, so the individual

consciousness can come to experience the Consciousness of God while remaining in

its limited native state.

It is necessary, then, for the individual spirit to develop the capacity for such a state

of awareness. And this is done by learning to fully experience the state of existence

of a being completely different from oneself-to enter into an altogether alien mode

of being while retaining the awareness of one's true identity. In other words, the

individual spirit must learn to put on the "costume" of a consciousness utterly

different from its own and become able not just to fully experience that

other mode of consciousness, but also to develop the ability to function as

that other kind of being.

Evolutionary creation

To enable the spirits to enter into this process, God breathes forth or emanates His

own Self as the Power from which is manifested all the realms of relative existence,

from the most subtle worlds of nearly-perfected beings to the most objective

worlds of atomic matter. The spirits then enter into relative existence by taking on

coverings, or "bodies," (There are five such concentric sheaths or bodies: the

sheaths of bliss, intellect, mind, life-force and the physical body-the anandamaya,

jnanamaya, manomaya, pranamaya and annamaya bodies (koshas) respectively.) of

varying grades and patterns of vibratory energies and descending into this material

world. Here they begin working their way back up the ladder of ever-evolving forms,

beginning with forms whose scope of consciousness is lesser than theirs and

working their way upward, entering into higher and higher levels of awareness until

they can surpass their original breadth of consciousness and begin to partake of a

life of awareness much beyond their own.

Furthermore, in the intervals between embodiments the spirit spends time in the

astral regions where awakening and growth also take place. (This is best explained

in the forty-third chapter of Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa

Yogananda.) Upward and upward they evolve until their capacity for awareness is

developed to such a perfect state that they can actually experience the Being of God

in full participation in God's all-embracing Consciousness, thenceforth to live in His

infinity.

The master yogi, Dr. I. K. Taimni, in The Ultimate Reality and Realization,

says this: "It is only when the realization of being a pure spirit or atma has been

attained that it is possible to achieve the final goal of union of the atma with the

Paramatma, the Supreme Spirit which exists eternally beyond the manifested

universe and from which the manifested universe is derived. When this final

realization has been attained and union of atma with Paramatma has been brought

about there is not only a complete sharing of consciousness between the two but

also of the infinite Power which is inherent in the Universal Consciousness....It is

necessary to distinguish between the powers which are acquired on the realization

that he is a pure spirit or atma and those which are attained when he is able to

destroy the last vestige of egoism and his consciousness becomes united with that

of Paramatma. The former, though tremendous in some respects, are still limited,

while the latter which are really the Powers of the Supreme Spirit are infinite and can

manifest through the center of consciousness of a self-realized individual because

there is fusion of the individual consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness and

the channel between the two is open."

We do not become God the Absolute, but we enter into that Absolute Life and are

one with it. As Shankara explains in his Yoga Sutra commentary: "When the light of

several lamps appears simultaneously, it cannot be made out which is the light of

which." Consequently we experience the infinite Being of God-infinite

Consciousness-as our own being. Krishna has described it thusly: "When you have

reached enlightenment, ignorance will delude you no longer. In the light of that

knowledge you will see the entire creation within your own atman and in

me." (Bhagavad Gita 4:35) Buddha called this "seeing with the Divine Eye." When we

are unshakably established in that Consciousness the goal has been attained.

As Shakespeare wrote, "all the world's a stage" with the individual spirits wearing

their costumes and playing their parts. Just as actors begin with small parts and

progress to bigger roles by demonstrating their skill in those smaller parts, so also

do the spirits advance to higher and more complex forms of existence and

consciousness, at last returning home to God. The Sufi poet, Rumi, wrote:

A stone I died and rose again a plant.

A plant I died and rose an animal;

I died an animal and was born a man.

Why should I fear? What have I lost by death?

As man, death sweeps me from this world of men

That I may wear an angel's wings in heaven;

Yet e'en as angel may I not abide,

For nought abideth save the face of God.

Thus o'er the angels' world I wing my way

Onwards and upwards, unto boundless lights;

Then let me be as nought, for in my heart

Rings as a harp-song that we must return to Him.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, one of many great Americans whose belief in reincarnation

is overlooked, wrote in his poem, The Chambered Nautilus:

Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul!

As the swift seasons roll!

Leave thy low-vaulted past!

Let each new temple, nobler than the last,

Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast,

Till thou at length art free,

Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!

That is the purpose of this creation and our place in it through a seemingly endless

chain of births in this and the higher worlds: to evolve beyond all worlds by

expanding our consciousness through form after form, eventually reuniting

ourselves consciously with God, leaving many "outgrown shells by life's unresting

sea." For long ages beyond calculation this growth has occurred automatically,

spontaneously, with no thought or intention on our part. But the time comes in our

evolutionary scenario when comprehension dawns and we understand that we must

take our own evolution in hand from that time forth. This is necessary for the

development of our higher potential. As God controls and directs the macrocosm,

we must now begin doing the same with the microcosm that is "us." And yoga is the

means of our self-evolution that leads to our self-mastery and perfect union with

the Supreme Self: God. Yoga is both the knowledge of cosmic and human makeup

and the key to unlock them and ascend to freedom in spirit. Yoga is the means by

which we answer for ourselves the prayer:

Lead me from the unreal to the Real.

Lead me from darkness to the Light.

Lead me from death to Immortality.

----------

Footnotes:

(1) The oldest known writing on the subject of yoga, written by the sage Patanjali, a

yogi of ancient India, and considered the most authoritative text on yoga.

(2) Seers of the Truth, to whom the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of India, considered

the oldest scriptures of the world, were revealed in meditation.

(3) A Divine Incarnation (avatar) born in India about three thousand years ago,

Whose teachings to His disciple Arjuna on the eve of the Great India (Mahabharata)

War comprise the Bhagavad Gita.

Swami Nirmalananda Giri is the abbot of Atma Jyoti Ashram, a traditional Hindu monastery in the small desert town of Borrego Springs in southern California. More of his writings, including the full book, Om Yoga: Its Theory and Practice, for which this article is an introduction, may be found at the Ashram's website, http://www.atmajyoti.org/

Kundalini Yoga, Gong Meditation and Forty Days - Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kundalini Yoga?

Kundalini Yoga is a practice which, using the breath and certain poses and movements allows the individual to awaken the subtle creative power that is in each human being. When this energy is awakened and directed by the mind it creates health, awareness, creativity and an overall feeling of well-being. All types of yoga will awaken this kundalini energy. Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is designed to work faster by acting directly to awaken this dormant energy in the body.

You experience it when the energy of the glandular system combines with the nervous system to create such sensitivity that the totality of the brain receives signals and integrates them. Then a person understands the effect of the effect in a sequence of the causes. In other words, man becomes totally and wholly aware. We call it the yoga of awareness. Just as all the rivers end up in the ocean, all yogas end up raising the kundalini in man. What is the kundalini? It is the creative potential of the man. " --Yogi Bhajan, Sadhana Guidelines.

How does it work?

Using Kriya (physical movement), Pranyama (breath exercise,) and Mantra (sound current) Kundalini Yoga awakens the dormant energy at the base of the spine. This energy known as the kundalini or "coil of the beloved" is the infinite potential of the human being.

Why do dedicated practitioners practice before sunrise?

Many yogis, monks, sages and religious devotees practice during these hours before sunrise because this time as well as that time just before sunset are the most powerful times to practice anything that integrates mind, body and soul. Known as the "in between times," these hours before dawn and at sunset magnify the body, mind and soul's ability to integrate with one another. There's less sunlight and therefore less electromagnetic waves and "static." This allows the mind a clearer focus and penetration to the heavens.

What's the deal with 40 days and why is that such a sacred period in spiritual practices and religion?

Many spiritual texts discuss masters and saints who went through various trials and overcame challenges over a period of forty days. Even most military boot camps are six weeks long, about 42 days. Since the mind works in cycles, influenced primarily by the lunar cycle, any practice maintained over forty days uses the will and intent to break a habit of the mind. The mind is said to release 1000 thoughts with every blink of the eyes. Consciously, the human being is powerless over these subconscious chains of thought. Therefore setting an intent and sticking to a practice such as doing a 90-minute yoga and meditation set over these forty days leverages the mind on the sub-conscious level. Over a forty-day period the cycles of the mind are overcome and the subtle thought-chains of habit can be broken. A habit is a simple chain of thought patterns that have been repeated to the point where the resulting actions have become behavior.

What if I miss a day or two while doing a forty day meditation?

The idea is to set an intent for something new you want to bring into your life. A positive change or habit you want to break. Doing any practice over forty days with a clear intent, especially a practice as powerful as Kundalini Yoga and meditation over 40 days will magnify that intent and simultaneously remove the blocks that are standing in the way of it. Schedules can be difficult to pin down, but the general rule is you must complete your chosen practice on the given day within the twenty-four hour period.

Technically if you miss a day it lessens the effects. It also causes an slippery-slope effect in the mind. If you miss one day you'll be very likely to miss two and then more. Part of the effect of completing the 40 days without missing a day is that it builds confidence. Once you know you've done it, that carries over into other things in your life and your will becomes stronger against the tricks of the mind. It becomes a building block for other things you set your mind to do.

What is a gong meditation and why is it so great?

The Gong has all the sounds of creation within it. You'll understand better once you've experienced it. A lot like Love, you can only know it by being in it! Because The Gong contains every vibration its sounds literally cancel out your thought waves and allow you to completely relax very deeply and quickly. Since your body is open from the yoga and breath, the mind is overcome and relaxed by the gong. This allows your higher nature, or soul to come to the forefront and that magnifies the intent you've set for yourself. Just ask anyone who's experienced it and they'll tell you it 's the ultimate reset button!

Is kundalini yoga is dangerous and can it make you feel weird?

Kundalini Yoga, practiced in the presence of a Certified Kundalini Yoga teacher is perfectly safe. There have been instances of "spontaneous kundalini awakening," where this subtle energy is awakened on its own. Since it is a very powerful energy it can scare someone who has no way of understanding the experience. This yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is designed to gently awaken this energy, circulate it throughout the physical and mental bodies and then ground it down at the end. This leaves the practitioner with a safe, balanced experience.

Everybody says Kundalini Yoga is dangerous. I agree it's very dangerous because it makes a person their pure self. Then you are really not dependent on anybody. You know how beautiful it is to see somebody who is independent? Walking tall, carrying their God in their heart, dealing like a human: Sufficient, efficient, well mannered, well controlled, elegant, graceful. Do you have any idea how good that is? --Yogi Bhajan, 3/7/95

As the energy travels up the spine it removes sub-conscious blocks from the energy centers or chakras. These can be long-forgotten past experiences. This is sometimes why people may feel odd or experience emotions they haven't felt in some time, or remember past experiences that they'd long forgotten. This is a very positive thing. As the blocks are removed and the energy begins to flow the result is greater clarity of mind, awareness, intuition (being in the right place at the right time) and a general feeling of bliss.

Is Kundalini Yoga safe for beginners?

Kundalini Yoga is an amazing technology that works on more than just the physical body. Because of that, a student of any level or physical condition can come to class and each will get something out of it because you go at your own pace. Kundalini yoga meets the student at their level and lifts them up. Practicing in a group, especially a group that is together for a period of 40 days, creates a collective mind and multiplies the effects. Some students may be better at one exercise and others better at another. When a person feels challenged on one particular exercise, a stronger student's energy and the collective energy of the group will support them and vice versa. It's really something that has to be experienced.

How is this better than cardio or strength training?

These ancient kryias, which were once passed secretly from Master to student because of their power and potency are now available to the entire world thanks to Yogi Bhajan who taught them openly. Kundalini Yoga actually works potently and rapidly to improve the cardiovascular system, the electromagnetic field (brainwaves), the glandular (endocrine) system as well as the nervous system. Kriya, which means completed action is a series of movements and breath designed to synergize the systems of the body, depending on the particular focus. Different kriyas are designed to isolate and work on a group of muscles, organs or glands to purify and detoxify them, improving the overall function of the entire system. In some ways it works more potently than traditional, familiar fitness programs because it is a science of the human being, rather than just the physical body. By clearing the physical body of its toxins, the mind is able to relax in meditation and the soul body becomes more present, giving you greater intuition, awareness, mental clarity and balance.

Patrick Lacho is a writer, consultant and an IKYTA certified Kundalini Yoga instructor based in Los Angeles. He teaches classes and workshops as well as a yoga boot camp which takes students through a complete forty day transformation using Kundalini Yoga, meditation and sound therapy with the gong. The website: Kundalini Yoga Boot Camp is intended to be an online forum where everyone can read about and learn the many facets of Kundalini Yoga, meditation and the benefits of healthy living.

There is also wealth of information about Kundalini Yoga, philosophy, spirituality healthy living, vegetarian yogic and ayurvedic recipes and more on the Kundalini Yoga Boot Camp Blog

Introducing Yoga And Meditation To Friends And Family

Those who are passionate about yoga or meditation very likely have friends or family members who just don't seem interested. How does one go about drawing them or peaking their interest without being pushy?

To the average person, the idea of yoga may seem a little mystical and the exercises themselves rather difficult; but to the yogi or spiritualist, yoga tends to come natural. Yoga does have spiritual roots, but it is also largely a means of obtaining peace through reflection and meditation. Its exercises also promote strength, physical and mental health, flexibility and good posture.

Meditation may also seem a little ethereal, but meditation can be as simple as spending some quiet time alone for a few minutes a day. Meditation can be quite relaxing and something to look forward to. It is often incorporated into executive coaching programs as well as used in sports traiing. These are benefits that most people could appreciate, so it's a good idea to emphasize them when discussing yoga.

No one wants to feel forced into anything, so an indirect approach to turn them on to yoga and meditation is best. Here are a few subtle ways to get the attention of your friends and family:

Be a living example - When you practice what you preach before your family and friends and they see actual results in you, it may start to rub off on them or at least peak their curiosity. So reserve a space in the home where you can do yoga or meditation and invite them to watch or join you sometimes, or invite them to an outside yoga class.

Share testimonials and stories - Any type of positive feedback, stories and anecdotes, whether personal or those of a yoga buddy, can be encouraging to those in your social circle. There are also news items on the internet about how meditation has helped kids with concentration issues and been an aid before work presetations.

Use yoga relaxation media - Yoga CDs and DVDs walk you through breathing and physical exercises and offer serene music. Playing these calming songs, chants and voices around the house or in the car can help to relax your loved ones or help them to fall asleep.

Use repetition - Anything you can use to create more awareness about yoga is helpful. In advertising, it is said that people need to see or hear a thing at least seven times before they will take action, so repetition when it comes to getting your message in front of your loved ones should work in the same way. Of course you don't want to be pushy. Dee Cohen's, "How to Stay Balanced During Stressful Situations" has tips to use in daily life. Reading stories about yoga to your children during bedtime is a great idea, for example. Baron Baptiste has a book call, "My daddy is a pretzel" that kids enjoy. Remember to not give a lecture or preach. Just talk about things in a natural way.

Stop by and see the Stress Reduction Booklet that has tips from yoga and meditation for kids and adults.

5 Reasons Why You Should Start Practicing Yoga and Meditation

The practice of yoga and meditation has become increasingly popular in the past few years, but I am sure that there are many people who are still asking themselves, "What's in it for me?" So, if you have been wondering whether it would be worth your time to start practicing yoga and meditation, I would like to give you five good reasons why it would be a very worthwhile activity for you.

1. Yoga and meditation will improve your health

Yoga postures put gentle pressure on the internal organs of the body and help them to function properly. In particular the postures help your digestive system to work smoothly and thus avoid problems such as constipation, acidity and indigestion, which are common conditions that can lead to more serious problems later on. Meditation and deep relaxation can be just what you need to lower your blood pressure. Thus, yoga postures plus meditation is a great combination for maintaining and improving health.

2. Yoga and meditation will help you to overcome bad habits

What's a "bad habit?" It's something that you are doing continually, and something that you know is harming you but you can't stop it. Are you smoking now? Maybe you thought it was good when you started, but you would now like to stop. The trouble is that it is not so easy to quit smoking or a similar habit once it has become established.

This is where yoga and meditation can help you out. The yoga postures help you to become more relaxed and mentally balanced. Meditation can help you to concentrate your mind and build up your will-power. Once you become internally balanced and have a stronger will power, it will become possible for you to break any habit, even one that you have been troubled by for many years.

3. Yoga and meditation will help you to lose weight

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems of the modern era. Our lives have become more sedentary and our food sources have changed over the last 100 years and this why many adults and even children are now overweight.

Although this is a life-style problem, it is something that can be dealt with. The surest way to lose weight is to get more exercise and to control what you are eating. This is of course, easier said than done. But yoga and meditation can help you out. There are some yoga postures that are helpful in weight loss programs. Similarly, the mental strength that you can get from both yoga postures and from meditation can help you to gain a better control over your diet and this can result in healthy and permanent weight loss.

4. Yoga and meditation will bring you inner peace

You may be earning a lot of money and you may have a lot of social prestige but is physical or social wealth the goal of your life? Whatever material or social wealth you have, if you are not contented, satisfied and at peace with yourself then you will not be a happy person.

The goal of meditation is to help you find the inner core of your being. Who are you? Is it the name and address on your identity card? If you start meditating you will find that deep within you is a pool of infinite love and peace. This is the real you. If you can reach this place, then you will find peace and contentment; it is guaranteed!

5. Yoga and meditation will make you a wiser person

Every one of us has made mistakes that we regret. There is nothing we can do about the past. We can't go back in time and not make the mistakes. But what we can do is to build up our capacity to see what has permanent value and what is transitory. When we attain this state of discrimination, then we will not do actions that we will regret later on.

Meditation helps a person to go beyond the "chatter" of the mind and attain a state of wisdom that will always be of help. Wisdom does not mean stuffing your mind with "facts" but it does mean to have a mind that will choose a course of action that brings about the welfare of everyone.

I have a list with many more reasons why yoga and meditation are helpful, but I thought I would start off with these five reasons. So, if any one of these items are interesting for you, then why not see for yourself, and start practicing yoga and meditation?

Dada Vedaprajinananda is a senior yoga teacher with the Ananda Marga Meditation Society. He is also the editor of the Life Weight Loss website where you can find more articles on health, weight loss, self improvement and spirituality. You can visit the directory at http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Meditation in Motion - The Ancient Chinese Art of Tai Chi

Observing a Tai Chi practitioner as they go through a combination of slow, relaxed and graceful movements (sometimes also called forms or postures) is one of the most beautiful things to sit and take in. Watching them, as they move in an almost hypnotic and controlled slow motion flow (which almost seems effortless) while in a meditative state is truly fascinating and somewhat mysterious. As an accomplish Martial Artist and a Certified Personal Trainer, I have always been drawn to and very intrigued by this ancient Chinese Mind-Body art of Tai Chi.

Although it is actually hard to pinpoint the exact date that Tai Chi originated, it is thought to have been developed around the 12th century A.D. in China. In the beginning, the practice of Tai Chi was originally intended as a means of self-defense, a martial art form (Tai Chi Chuan) but over time people became very aware of the many health benefits of the practice of Tai Chi.

Like other mind-body practices such as Yoga, one of the major benefits of Tai Chi practice is stress relief. Not only does Tai Chi's controlled breathing and flowing, graceful movements help quiet and clear the mind, it also relieves built up tension throughout your entire body. As your mind focuses on being in the "present moment," a state of immense relaxation takes command. The real world is quickly left behind and the wonderful feeling of calm is present; you will carry this with you long after your Tai Chi session has ended. You will be rejuvenated, refreshed and as I like to say, repaired.

Tai Chi also increases muscle strength and greatly improves balance and agility. It develops over-all coordination, reduces anxiety and depression, increases alertness during the day and improves the quality of sleep at night. The regular practice of Tai Chi can also reduce high blood pressure, improve cardiovascular fitness, endurance and relieves many types of chronic pain. Tai Chi is practiced by many for exercise as well as for health management and can be done by just about anyone no matter what their age or current fitness level. Being an extremely low impact activity, it's fairly easy on the body, but being a load or weight bearing exercise, the benefits are many, for example: increased bone density and toned muscles.

As I began my study and practice of both Tai Chi and Yoga, I was amazed of the many similarities there are between both art forms and practices. There are many different styles in both art forms, but their paths cross continually (Tai Chi originating from China and Yoga from India) and the mind and body seem to wind up in the same place. I often think that there must have been an amazing energy flow or life force in that part of the world at one time, since many of the healing and martial arts practiced today have surfaced throughout those lands.

Tai Chi, roughly translated means "balance of the opposing forces of nature or internal martial art." As we are not clear on the date that Tai Chi originated, the accounts of its deep history fluctuates greatly, as with many martial arts, a lot of the Tai Chi history was never recorded in word form, but rather it was passed on by word of mouth, from generation to generation, from master to student.

The one person whose name surfaces frequently and who is said to be one of the innovators is a 12th century, Chinese Taoist Monk named Chang-San-Feng.

History states that this Taoist Monk had observed five very different animals in nature, the Tiger, Dragon, Leopard, Snake and Crane. He then created a set of movements, forms or exercises to imitate the movements of the animals he observed and studied. The most basic form of Tai Chi incorporates 13 simple movements, while more comprehensive styles of Tai Chi are made up of dozens of forms, postures or movements.

In Tai Chi, the practitioner's relaxed body is in almost constant motion, one graceful movement flows seamlessly into the next as their minds are calm, clear of any distractions, totally focused and their breathing is deep, rhythmic and controlled. It's clearly, meditation in motion.

There are several components that make up Tai Chi, the Physical, the Mental and the Spiritual. Chinese philosophy is deeply rooted in Tai Chi, without getting to into it, one of the better known concepts that applies to Tai Chi, is Yin and Yang. These are the two principles that are believed to make up the Universe. Yin and Yang are opposites of each other and should always be kept in balance. Yin and Yang are used to describe how opposing forces are bound together, inter-connected, inter-wined. (female/male, light/dark, high/low, soft/hard). Yin is characterized as female; soft, diffused, tranquil, wet, slow, liquid and associated with feminine, birth and with night. Yang by contrast is: hard, fast, solid, dry, aggressive, hot and associated with masculinity and daytime. There is a beautiful saying, "Life is the Blended Harmony and Perfect Balance of Yin and Yang."

As I mentioned before Tai Chi is within reach for everyone. You don't have to be an advanced athlete, in perfect shape or young in age. Everyone from kids, teens, adults and seniors can reap the benefits that Tai Chi has to offer and enjoy the experience. Since Tai Chi emphasizes technique over strength, women should have no fear.

With Tai Chi there is no costly equipment to purchase, no special clothing or footwear to buy. Tai Chi can be done inside or out, by your self or in a group. Many people's first Tai Chi experience is via an instructional DVD in the comfort of their own living room. This is fine if it's a tape with high production value and if it's the only thing available to you for whatever reason, there are some great DVD's available today.

However, if you are fortunate to have the means, there is really no replacing taking a "face to face" class with a qualified teacher. Especially in the beginning, an instructor can easily guide you through the movements and make any necessary and important adjustments needed, this way you are learning the correct movements and breathing, rather then developing bad habits, which are sometimes hard to break later down the road. Some people start out with the DVD and once hooked move quickly to a class.

Some people enjoy the social aspect of a class-environment, while others prefer to practice alone in their own private setting. Finding a qualified teacher/instructor is easier than ever these days with the use of the Internet, whether you choose private instruction in your home or choose to attend a group class.

Although the practice of Tai Chi is considered very safe, easy on the body and is proven to promote good health, consider talking to your health care provider before starting a program. This is particularly important if you have problems with your joints, spine, lungs or heart.

So, now that you have a basic understanding in regards to the wonders of Tai Chi, go out there and experience it first hand. I'm sure it will take you no time to enjoy the peace and serenity through Tai Chi's gentle, graceful movements while you connect the body and mind.

Markus B. is the Co-Founder of The Fitness Underground-Los Angeles. He has drawn off his years of experience as a Certified Personal Trainer, A Professional Athlete and an accomplished Martial Artist to help create with his partner Texas (an elite Yoga Instructor & Certified Personal Trainer) a "New and Innovative" approach to Health, Fitness and Well Being that not only Enhances the Body but also Enriches the Mind. With an increasing following in the Los Angeles area his powerful message of Good Health, Clean Living and the importance of Exercise, Markus is changing people's lives. Helping people achieve and experience "enlightenment" of good health and a higher level of fitness.

Fitness and Well-Being is his passion, his life's work and his personal goal of educating people about this "new way" of living, is one that he takes very seriously. His belief is that health, fitness and well-being is the greatest gift we are given in life. It's a supreme gift that we should always be mindful of, be grateful for and never take for granted. Markus is often heard saying that having the opportunity to help people make important changes in their lives, and in some cases "life saving" changes is an awesome feeling as well as extremely rewarding. Come join Markus and experience the difference first hand. Start enjoying and living a healthier, happier and more active life. Life is too short not to listen to his message!

Yoga Studios - How to Choose a Home For Yoga and Meditation

If you are new to yoga, or new to the area and looking for a new studio to call your home, there are a few things you need to watch for when choosing a yoga studio. With the increase in the popularity of yoga, there has been a remarkable increase in the number of yoga studios as well as exercise facilities who have begun to offer yoga instruction. Since yoga is an unregulated field at this time, it is important to know how to navigate through the sea of yoga teachers-ensuring your safety, comfort, and success. Everyone can do yoga, but there can be associated health hazards. With the same care that you would put into selecting a health professional, you should put into selecting a yoga professional.

How to Get Started

When you begin to look for a yoga studio, you'll want to clarify what your intention is for doing yoga. Most studios will report that students start yoga because they desire greater physical conditioning. Others come because they seek a deeper integration between their body and their spirit, looking to work on the inner aspects of the physical practices. Others come because they are healing from another sports injury and recognize that yoga can be safe and potentially therapeutic. Take a moment to answer the question, "Why do I do yoga? What do I want out of my yoga practice?"

Why So Many Different Types?

Yoga is an ancient practice. As it has developed over the years, different yoga practitioners have created their own styles. Today, it is important to know which styles will match what you want from your yoga practice-and which style will keep you safe from injury. For example, which styles will make sure your alignment is correct and that you are practicing according to your fitness level; or which styles are purely for physical exercise, versus connecting the physical with the spiritual.

Ashtanga-Classes are based on a set series of poses, often practiced at a vigorous pace, that emphasize continuity of movement and purification.
Bikram-Class consist of the same 26 poses practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees with humidity level around 60 percent.
Iyengar-Classes focus on the precision and correct alignment of each pose. Props are used to help alignment. Iyengar yoga is one of the most popular forms of yoga in the U.S. and many different styles of yoga include Iyengar principles.
Kripalu-Classes are extremely gentle, focusing on mind-body awareness. Kripalu practitioners emphasize the meditative aspect of the asanas.
Kundalini-Classes emphasize rapid breathing techniques, chanting, and mantra meditation. The objective is to open and awaken the kundalini energy stored at the base of the spine.
Power Yoga-Classes feature a Westernized version of ashtanga yoga. Instead of a set series of postures, however classes vary from day to day and from studio to studio.
Purna Yoga-Classes feature Iyengar precision and alignment while bringing gentle physical, mental, emotional and spiritual awareness to the student facilitating personal growth. This approach to yoga takes the wisdom of the past and updates it for the future giving students real tools for healthy living.
Viniyoga-Classes feature a gentle, holistic approach to yoga. Some flow is involved, but the pace is much slower than other classes.

What to Ask

?

So, you have clarified your intentions for practicing yoga, and you have identified the style of yoga that most resonates with your intentions. Now is the time to pick up the phone and talk to some studios. Here are some questions that all studios should be able to answer. If you can't get an answer to these questions, know that you may not be dealing with a professionally-oriented studio.

What to Ask About the Studio:

How long has your studio been open? Look for a studio that has been around before the yoga trend hit big, about four years ago.
What style of yoga do you teach? You should be well-versed in the styles of yoga by now, and you can engage the studio representative in an interesting discussion. Be sure the person on the phone can give you an accurate description of the style of yoga at their studio.
Do you supply any equipment or do I need to bring my own? To keep you in good alignment, most studios provide props to support your body.
How often are your studios and props cleaned? Cleanliness is an aspect of yoga.
Do you offer workshops? It's good to find a studio that does more than just asana practice classes, one that offers ways in which you can deepen your practice in other areas and subjects.
When are your classes offered? You will need to be able to get to classes without too much inconvenience.
What levels of instruction do you provide? Be sure the classes are tailored to beginners, intermediate, or advanced students, as opposed to the "one-level-fits-all" approach. You don't want to be in a class that is not taught at your level.

What to Ask About the Teachers:

What training do the teachers have? How detailed is their training? Be sure your teacher-to-be is trained in the anatomy and physiology of the asana, as well as the therapeutic applications, contraindications, and benefits of the asana. Was the training repeated over several years, or just a one-time course?
Who trained your teachers? Are the teachers trained by the same person, ensuring consistency of instruction, or have they been gathered from a variety of backgrounds? Is there a master teacher who trains the teachers at the studio, a lineage from which the studio's teaching stems?
How long have the teachers been practicing and teaching yoga? Experience in both their practice as well as teaching makes an excellent yoga professional.
Do the teachers take ongoing teacher training and how often? It is vital that teachers continue to sharpen their skills; it inspires their teaching and ensures growth, for themselves and their students.
Have the teachers been trained in the therapeutic applications of yoga? Does your prospect know how yoga can help you heal after an injury or strengthen your body through a health challenge? The therapeutic benefits of yoga are so vast, that should you need it, you'll want to be sure that your teacher can provide.

Putting it All Together

Yoga is both an art and a science. As an art, it is as refined and intricate as classical music. As a science, it is as complex and precise as physics. Joy lies in its infinite exploration. Equipped with a greater awareness of what makes a successful yoga studio and teacher, your choices should support you in moving forward into greater joy. Go explore the many joys, and challenges, that come from the profound art and intricate science that is yoga.

Copyright 2008, Aadil Palkhivala

Aadil is the author of "Fire of Love", a book for Teachers of Yoga and Students of Life.

To buy a copy- click on this link: www.buyfireoflove.com

Lose Weight With Yoga and Meditation

Yoga is a series of postures meant to relax and stretch your body yes, but it also allows you to increase your flexibility, strength & balance while becoming more in-tuned & aware of your body's needs & subtle changes. It's the new found body awareness that will help you to lose weight using yoga.

If you allow it to you, yoga can help you find your own inner truth and therefore tap into the reasons why you reach for food long after you are full.

Meditation on the other hand will also help you to gain internal insight & awareness into yourself. Traditional meditation is as simple as lying in corpse pose - lying on your back as if you are sleeping, with palms open and facing skyward, legs spread slightly apart, arms outstretched 45 degrees away from your body, head facing forward, eyes closed. Another traditional for meditation pose can be to sit with your legs crossed, sitting tall with palms facing upward with the thumb and index finger touching.

With all meditation poses it is key to breathe - inhale & exhale slowly. Pay attention to your breath and notice where it moves throughout your body. Notice how it really feels to inhale & exhale. Give yourself your undivided attention. No music, no blackberry, no cell phone, no television and no books. No noise should surround be you. I know for some of you that will be the hardest challenge to not allow noise or other daily distractions to permeate around you.

Apart from these poses one can also be in a mindful meditation while walking, gardening, cleaning or even eating. How many of us truly pay attention to what we are eating? Once you are working on your meditation practice it can be expanded to all areas of your life including eating. What that means is when you put something in your mouth you must truly taste it, savour it and feel it nourishing your body. You must ask yourself some questions:

Do you eat your food so quickly that you don't even give yourself the opportunity to do that?

Do you eat while doing other activities so that you can't be more mindful of what you put in your mouth?

Are you thankful for the food that you are eating?

Can you say a small prayer of thanks for the food that you are about to eat?

Can you chew your food more to really enjoy it?

Have you looked at your food and recognized if it is or is not actually providing your body with the nutrients that it needs?

Becoming more aware of your body will allow you to become more aware of how your body feels and the food that it truly needs and desires. When you reach for that donut or cookie, start asking yourself why are you reaching for this food? As your awareness grows, you will start to eat less and eat more healthfully.

Losing weight through meditation and yoga is a slow and gradual process and not a quick fix weight loss solution. Remember that in the race between the tortoise & the hare, it is the tortoise that won. Slow & steady always wins the race especially when it comes to losing weight through yoga and meditation. You don't want to crash & burn like the hare.

Your meditation practice can start off for simply 10 minutes twice a week first thing in the morning when your home is the most silent. Then gradually work yourself up to a daily practice. Your yoga practice can start off once a week with a Hatha, Ashtanga, Moksha or Bikram class, then gradually move to twice a week. Remember that variety is the spice of life so be sure to try different yoga styles and to incorporate other activities like running, weight training, kettle bells, swimming, and spin classes to really ramp up your results. You can also start your yoga practice at home doing 3-5 Sun Salutations each morning.

Yoga & meditation can help you to lose weight by bringing your awareness to how your body truly looks, being mindful of what you put in your mouth and helping you to recognize when your stomach is full.

Just think of the tortoise and the hare and desire to be more like the tortoise in 2010.

Davelle Morrison is a certified Yoga Instructor & Personal Trainer and Co-creator of FIT, FIRM 'N FAB Fitness, Nutrition & Wellness for Women. Join the FIT, FIRM 'n FAB team for a weekend fitness getaway in January 2010 and ONLINE BODY TRANSFORMATION Program at [http://www.fitfirmandfab.com/] where you will learn techniques to lose weight using yoga and meditation.

The Essence of Yoga Lies in Right Posture and Meditation Techniques

Yoga means union. It relates to the unification or balancing of the mind, body, and soul. It is this balance that rids the body of diseases of varying types, and helps in controlling thoughts and actions. To achieve this union, yoga primarily involves breathing exercises, asanas or physical poses, and meditation.

The essence of yoga lies in adopting certain physical postures and meditation techniques to transcend one self, and to unite with the Self. When this happens, you feel enlightened and free from worldly desires. In a way, you attain a state of true self-realization.

Yoga - The Basic Types

There are 5 basic types of yoga:

a) Raja yoga: Also called ashtanga yoga, this primarily involves meditation to achieve self-realization and liberation from worldly desires.

b) Karma yoga: This primarily involves concentrating completely on one's duties in life, at the same time being selfless with no expectations. To find solace in working for the welfare of the world is the primary focus of karma yoga.

c) Jnana yoga: Also called gyana yoga, this is practiced to attain true knowledge of the relationship between the body and the spirit. Knowledge of the self provides answers to questions like - who you are, and what are you here for. The practicalities of life are realized to bring about a state of enlightenment.

d) Bhakti yoga: Usually practiced to devote oneself to God completely and render everything else meaningless.

e) Hatha yoga: Usually directed to the achievement of increased physical and mental strength. This involves asanas to improve physical health, and pranayama to rid the body of diseases. Hatha yoga may further be directed to attainment of samadhi to bring about complete control of mind.

Yoga - Synonymous with Wellbeing

Yoga has the potential to treat incurable diseases, such as asthma, heart problems, hyper-tension, and cancer. It does so by balancing the metabolism and the release of hormones. Self control and physical strength are essential measures of one's well being. Yoga comprises meditation and pranayama to increase self control. It further comprises asanas to help improve physical strength.

It releases the toxins from the body to check cell deterioration with time, and slow down the aging process. Yoga asanas, breathing exercises, and meditation work by balancing the nervous system and improving the functioning of the vital organs of the body.

Realizing the Self

How you feel hopeless, sometimes unable to control emotions or that uncanny knack of being selfish? Everybody goes through ups and downs in life, which affects our working ability too. How hopeless you feel when diagnosed with an incurable disease? You are not able to focus because of lack of self control and physical strength. This is where yoga gains significance by providing complete control of the body and mind. There are certain characteristic measures of self-realization, namely knowledge, selflessness, devotion, and self control. What yoga does is provide a path to each one of these to help you attain true self-realization.

Yoga disciplines the mind and the body, if learned properly and practiced with patience and dedication.

Learn about different types of yoga, including traditional and contemporary at http://www.yogahelp911.com.