Yoga Today - Modern Yoga Practice

Yoga is a form of exercise derived from ancient Hindu practice. It strengthens and stretches the body using poses called asanas. It can also help reduce stress, and help people find inner peace. It's used by some modern Hindu practitioners as an aid towards attaining enlightenment.

It's important to remember that yoga is more than just a series of exercises. It applies to the body, but also to the mind and spirit. Yoga derives from philosophies meant to help practitioners attain harmony and spiritual insight. The word is derived from a Sanskrit term meaning to join. The same word may also be related to the word referred to the yokes worn by oxen, and may be the ancestor of our modern words "junction" and "juxtapose".

There are many different schools of yoga, each with its own beliefs and practices. Here are the five most common types of yoga. Remember that there are plenty of other options that aren't listed here.

Hatha Yoga is the most popular school of yoga, and has been taught commonly in the West for a number of years. This type of yoga focuses on the perfection of the mind through the perfection of the body. It uses many breathing techniques, meditative techniques, and asanas.

Ashtanga Yoga is another popular type of yoga. It's performed much more quickly than most other schools, and is almost a form of aerobic yoga. Smooth, but speedy transitions between poses are a focus.

Kundalini Yoga focuses on the awakening and focusing of what's called kundalini energy. This energy is frequently referred to as a type of life energy lying dormant inside us, and may be represented by a coiled serpent.

Mantra Yoga is based around the discipline of calming body and mind using sounds and words. You may be familiar with the chant of "om". This is a common mantra used by this school of yoga.

Tantra Yoga is famous, or infamous, for its focus on spirituality through sexuality. Like Kundalini Yoga, this school also focuses on kundalini energy, but has a different intent and different methods for awakening it.

No matter which school you choose, you'll find that yoga is a rich and satisfying practice. It can benefit most people, no matter what their age, if practiced regularly. Asanas may be adapted to deal with injuries and other physical limitations, making yoga a worthwhile form of exercise for people who can't do other types.

There are traditionally eight fundamental paths to yoga: Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Purna Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Ashtanga or Raja Yoga, and Maha Yoga. However, in the Western world, when you hear yoga mentioned, it's usually in reference to Hatha Yoga. In Hindu practice, yoga's ultimate goal is liberating the soul from the cycle of death and rebirth, as well as from worldly suffering. Through yoga, it is believed to be possible to master the mind, body, and emotions, and to transcend desire.

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Ancient Yoga For Modern Health

Everyone can practice and benefit from yoga, no matter how old. People from the ages of 6 to 80 can easily learn and practice yoga. Even professional athletes have studied it and there are special classes now for handicapped persons. Yoga can be used to overcome a vast array of personal problems and is especially good for people who want to lose weight. The overall philosophy tends to promote a vegetarian diet and encourages the elimination of meat and dairy products.

Raga yoga is the mental practice of yoga and teaches practitioners five mental meditation techniques. Yoga meditation concentrates on breathing and calms the nerves, overcomes anxiety, fear, worry, anger and negative emotions, and quiets the mind. Many people practice yoga meditation to calm themselves and relieve stress. It has been found that older people who practice yoga can often regain some characteristics of youth and vitality such as improved memory and better concentration. They become more flexibility, have better balance, endurance, coordination, and they feel more energized.

Yoga improves both physical and mental health when practiced regularly. Yoga works on every part of the human organism, both internal and external. Physical yoga consists of passive stretching and breathing exercises which improve muscle tone and stimulate internal organs. When combined with proper dietary habits, it cleanses the body and eliminates toxins and waste. The benefits from yoga cleansing techniques include support of normal regularity, stronger resistance to colds and flu viruses, and improved circulation throughout the body.

Westernized yoga classes mostly focus on learning physical poses, which are called "asanas". These yoga classes also include mediation and breathing exercises along with dietary guidelines. The majority of yoga classes are designed for purely relaxation and stress management, however many styles teach people to move their body in special ways to achieve greater flexibility, muscle tone, strength, and balance.

For most healthy people, yoga is a safe, non-aerobic exercise program; however, it is not without certain risks. Although yoga has provided many great health benefits for millions of people, it is not a substitute for proper medical care, nor is it to be taken lightly. Don't try learning yoga on your own from a video or book. It is much safer and better to work with an experienced and certified instructor to learn the proper way to avoid injury while performing the postures and stretches. Learn what your limits are and do not try to strain or stretch beyond them. Go slow in the beginning and make sure you warm up properly before each session. Cold muscles can cause injuries. Wear the proper loose-fitting clothing that allows freedom of movement. Stay hydrated, especially if practicing "hot yoga", which is done in warm and humid rooms to encourage perspiration. Ask questions of the instructor if you don't understand an exercise, or ask to see it demonstrated before you attempt it yourself. Above all, listen to your body and pay attention to what it is telling you. If you feel pain or faint, then stop immediately. Yoga may cause some discomfort, but it isn't supposed to hurt. Stop immediately if you have chest pain, get overheated, or become dizzy, or weak. Get immediate medical care if your symptoms continue after you stop.

Yoga for the Modern Average Person

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a simple philosophy based on proper exercise, strong breath, relaxation, a healthy diet, mindfulness and meditation.

Although Hatha Yoga has only recently come into vogue in the west, it has been developing in India for thousands of years. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj which means "union." Yogic philosophy seeks to create this union by instilling the harmony evident in nature within the individual.

Yoga is a complete system designed to maintain well-being through focusing on all aspects of health. Yoga provides everything the body needs with poses designed to activate every inch of the practitioner. By touching each muscle and joint, yoga brings a balance of strength, flexibility, relaxation, and stamina without negative impacts. Yoga acts as a synthesis of all the actions of an individual helping to correct habitual movements.

Between work, home and all of the demands and stresses of life, it's easy to lose touch with our true selves. The practice of yoga stimulates awareness and sensitivity in the practitioner so that they can remove the physical or psychological blocks that often keep us from maintaining a healthy life. Through the particular techniques taught in Yoga, we can learn to calm the frenzy and get back in touch with ourselves. Patanjali, one of the great sages of Yoga, said, "Yoga stills the fluctuations of the mind. Then the true self appears."

In each of the classes, students are lead through a routine of postures specially designed to release tension, strengthen muscles and tone the body. These postures help to relax the mind, improve concentration, stimulate circulation and oxygen flow, prevent illness and promote self-introspection

Physical Benefits of Yoga

Improves flexibility
Improves body image
Increases self-confidence
Improves balance and agility
Helps to prevent injuries
Helps to maintain a healthy weight
Improves athletic performance
Channels nervous energy
Increases strength in both small and big muscle groups
Helps to develop self-discipline and poise
Teaches the connection between body and mind
Enhances sensitivity, self-control and enjoyment in sharing
Fuels the imagination and enhances creativity
Releases tension and helps balance emotions
Teaches exercises to do alone or in a group

Yoga improves posture by:
~ Teaching correct breathing to expand the chest.
~ Increasing awareness of tension in the shoulders and neck, and how to release it.
~ Using the internal and external abdominal muscles to help you stand or sit up tall.
~ Emphasizing bending and stretching from the hip sockets rather then the lower back, helping to lengthen the spine, instead of rounding it.
~ Encouraging the practitioner to sit on their sitting bones rather than the lower spine.

Yoga improves self esteem by:
~ Creating good posture which makes us feel better about ourselves.
~ Helping to make the changes in the body take place more smoothly.
~ Improving self-confidence (rather than self-consciousness).
~ Focusing on healthy emotional and physical well being.

Yoga relieves anxiety by:
~ Giving practitioners the tools to learn how to relax.
~ Creating a knowledge of peace.

Yoga relieves growing pains by:
~ Stretching out muscles that might otherwise be tight from intensive growth spurts.
~ Easing the discomfort of regular daily activities.

Yoga changes the practitioner's appearance by:
~ Balancing the glands (and therefore regulating hormones) which can cause blemishes in the complexion.
~ Stabilizing the metabolism to regulate weight gain.
~ Improving circulation, leading to healthier and clearer skin and overall essence.

Wren Doggett is the founder The Lotus Seed Yoga non-profit organization and director of teacher training. She has studied numerous forms of Yoga, healing and meditation over the past twenty years. She lived in Madras, India during the year 1999 - 2000 at an ashram while writing her Master's thesis in poetry. Her travels to teach and attend workshops in India, Malaysia, The Philippines, France, England, Denmark, Mexico and Jamaica have given her a well-rounded knowledge of the many forms of yoga, including Raja (meditation), Bhakti (devotion), Jnana (knowledge/wisdom), Karma (selfless action) and Hatha (physical movement).

Wren teaches Yoga to all ages - from babies to elders. She started teaching classes for teens and children in 2001 with great success in promoting outreach services to at-risk youth via yoga clubs in schools. She is registered as an E-RYT (experienced registered yoga teacher) with the Yoga Alliance, a national accreditation organization for yoga teachers. Wren continues to train with internationally known yoga teachers. Her classes are an eclectic blend of vinyasa yoga taught with love, humor and acceptance, emphasizing breath, alignment and body awareness.

The Modern Yoga Movement

In today's fast-paced world, it's soothing to leave the rat race behind and spend some time in a calm environment, guided through gentle poses by your yoga teacher. Whether you've taken a class, or are just embarking on your own path to enlightenment, it can be confusing to know which type best suits you. Here are some of the most common yoga styles:

Hatha Yoga

First introduced by Yogi Swatmarama in the 15th century, Hatha is ideal for beginners, as it is very gentle and movements are smooth and fluid. The focus is on balance, relaxation, and breathing as you perform the various poses. Iyengar yoga is a type of Hatha yoga, which is centred on the alignment of the body, as well as on flexibility and balance. In an Iyengar yoga class, students use props like wooden blocks, straps, and chairs while going through the sets of precise movements.

Bikram Yoga

Bikram yoga is also referred to as "Hot yoga." The room temperature gets to around 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity up at about 40 percent, making for a steamy yet effective workout. Your muscles are more flexible as the heat allows them to stretch, however, you must be careful not to overdo it for exactly that reason. Pregnant women or people with certain health conditions should not do Bikram.

Ashtanga Yoga

You might have heard the term "Power yoga." This is Ashtanga, and if you take a class in this type of high-energy yoga, be prepared for a workout! The Ashtanga style centres on building strength and endurance, and it's more challenging than other types of yoga. It's an excellent way to burn fat and get your heart pumping.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini really focuses on building the mind-body connection. You are taken rapidly through the poses, focusing on breath, and it often involves chanting. Kundalini refers to a form of life force, which lies dormant within the chakras of the body.

Depending on the centre you choose, you'll find that many of them mix different styles of yoga together in lessons, and usually offer customized classes like prenatal yoga, candlelight yoga, and even children's yoga. A number of employers have started to use corporate yoga programs to improve employee health and wellness.

All styles of yoga have both mental and physical benefits. Yoga can help you build strength and flexibility in the body, lose weight and tone muscles, improve circulation, and reduce stress. It's a great way to keep your spine aligned and use the various muscle groups in the body. Some people do yoga in conjunction with other treatment programs, such as smoking cessation, or to relieve allergy and asthma symptoms. Yoga is a source of relaxation and enjoyment, and in some cases, it might even be the best medicine.

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