How Yoga Reduces Stress, Anxiety and Depression By Shelley Costello

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The physical practice of yoga holds many benefits for mind, body and spirit.

By focusing our attention for longer periods of time during specific asanas (postures) we can work to release difficult emotions that over time have manifested as stiffness, aches, pains, injuries, illnesses and diseases in our body.

To understand this, let us take a step back and look at ourselves as the whole being we are. The trilogy of mind, body and spirit are truly one and thus what we think in our mind will ultimately affect our body. Otherwise, we are merely of the viewpoint that we are a disjointed, disconnected being, which simply is not true. Quantum physics teaches us that everything, including us (!) is a vibrating mass of energy. From this perspective we can see that we have the power to impact on how we channel that energy to affect the outcome, who we are.

During yoga, the breath connects us to the quantum level of energy and we can begin to work on the subtle aspects of ourselves, that we cannot see.

Although we can experience symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, these are merely the effect of an underlying cause that we may be unaware of. Certainly with anxiety and depression this is the often the case. Yoga works on a much deeper level enabling us to bring feelings to the surface that we can process and release emotions that will enable a shift leading to greater self awareness and growth.

Hips, hamstrings and back are three areas of the body where we can store deep seated emotions.

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In Ashtanga yoga, Paschimottanasana (Western Intense Stretch), the seated forward bend, stretches the hamstrings, opens the hips and the back side of the body; often associated with opening up the past. Sitting with legs extended, bringing the toes towards you while pushing the heels away, lift the chest, draw in the lower abdomen engaging mula and uddiyana bandhas and fold forward over the legs, leading with the chest. Holding the posture for longer than the usual 5 breaths enables a deeper asana, connection with our inner self and allows emotions to surface. Drishti (gaze) should be to the toes, although I often find once settled deeper into the pose you can ease your neck and rest your head on your knees or beyond if comfortable. Remain with the focus on the breath and allow the synergy of breath and posture to weave its magic.

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Posture) is a strong hip opening pose. Sitting comfortably bringing the soles of the feet together as close to the groin as possible, open your feet with your hands while gently pushing the knees towards the floor with the elbows as you do so. As you exhale and go deeper into the posture you can work your chin beyond the feet towards the floor. I have found there is a point in this pose where you really begin to feel any emotional pain as the hips open. This pain is felt physically but with careful guidance and working with the breath, you can remain in the posture comfortably for around 15-20 breaths. As you come up and the hips open you may experience the emotional release by a sudden outburst of crying. This is perfectly normal and part of the process. To finish the posture you can rest your head on your feet, finally coming up and bringing the knees back together.

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Posture) in Ashtanga yoga is the first of the finishing sequence and a strong back bend that is preceded by several warm up back bends. This asana opens the hips, chest and back of the body. It is vital to work with breath, safely guiding you into the back bend. It can be achieved by pushing up from the floor (as in a crab like posture) or dropping back, which takes time to work towards. As you bend backwards, energy travels through the spine and cleanses the nervous system. Backbends work to clear emotional blockages stored along this channel, releasing strong emotions. Backbends can be a little daunting and are best practiced under the guidance of a teacher who can help you through the obstacles.

The goal of yoga is self realisation; to understand and accept ourselves. Yoga is to focus on the breath uniting mind, body and spirit, enabling a connection with our true self and higher energy that is life force (prana) and that which permeates every living thing. Through the avenue of the breath yoga enables us to connect and gently bring to the surface emotions that have become 'stuck' in our bodies. The emotions stored as blockages in the body manifest as pain, injury, illness or disease. As well as yoga postures working to release emotions and connect with the cause of these, the accumulation of breath flowing through the body works to clear blockages and enable energy to flow more freely. Bandhas (subtle energy locks) used in Ashtanga yoga, keep energy circulating freely inside the body. It is said that a person who is healthy has energy flowing freely within the body, whereas a person who is unwell has energy flowing out of the body.

Ultimately, yoga cleanses and purifies the mind, body and spirit, healing from the inside out, leaving the whole system refreshed, rejuvenated; restoring homeostasis, our natural balance and harmony.

Shelley Costello is a yoga teacher, writer and wellness coaching helping others to overcome challenge and change to live a happier, healthier and more fulfilled life.

A qualified yoga teacher and life coach, she has studied many areas of wellness to include nutrition, relaxation, Ayurveda, meditation, relaxation, Indian Head massage, Buddhism and different self development programmes and techniques.

Shelley has published two books and several articles with the International Yoga Magazine. She writes and publishes articles regularly on self development and wellbeing and is currently writing her third book.

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3 Common Mistakes Yoga Beginners Should Avoid By Janet Bella Suzanna

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As beginners, we tend to explore what we do with curiosity and make mistakes along the way even if we start doing what we learnt. This is quite common since all beginners go through that stage. Having said that, here are 3 common mistakes all yoga beginners should avoid.

1. Not Knowing What You Want To Achieve From Yoga

Despite being a relaxing sport, Yoga is still a very broad spectrum in general.

Besides liking Yoga as what most beginners do, you need to know what you want to achieve and how to go about fulfilling your objectives. You also need to have a plan to enable and get where you want to go step by step.

But if you do not have a plan or any idea of where you want to go or what to do, it is best to have a professional instructor to help you instead of doing everything on your own.

They will first try to get to know you. Such as your personality, family background, hobbies and occupations. Then they will go about discussing with you your goals, aspirations, strengths and weaknesses before coming up with a plan that best suits you.

2. Jumping Into Yoga Without An Objective Or Plan

Although I have already mentioned in first point, I like to emphasize on this again.

If you do not have an objective or plan and just learning for fun, Yoga might not be suitable for you in the long run. The reason being should you encounter any problems or setbacks, you will give up eventually. That is the mindset of most humans when they are just doing something for fun without any real purpose in life.

Like everything else be it sports, martial arts or just driving, there is a process and learning curve you need to face and go through. I know it is not easy and can be demanding at most times but this is what eventually separate successful people from just wannabes.

Even though this is very common in classes, this will be beneficial to you and everyone learning Yoga in the long run. The only question is are you willing to do what it takes to master Yoga.

If you are, age and fitness will no longer be the deciding factors for you as you probably notice that most people are just like you whether they are old or young. The only difference is what works for some people might not work for anybody.

So you need an instructor to show you not just the right way but one which suits you best in terms of your fitness level and interest.

Besides learning, you get to know and make friends with them who are just as eager to learn Yoga as you.

Moreover the fees those classes charged are based on the sessions you actually attend rather than what you registered as a whole package at most schools.

Still as I said before, you need to have an objective and a plan before jumping into Yoga.

3. Selecting The Wrong Instructor

In the olden days, you need to be an apprentice starting from zero before you can ever become a master in Yoga.

But now most people prefer to learn Yoga over weekends due to their study and work commitments.

Besides the right schedule, finding the right instructor is just as essential.

Truth be told, a qualified instructor does not make a good instructor emotionally and an unqualified instructor does not make a bad instructor emotionally.

Still what really matters is that this instructor must know and have already succeeded in what he is teaching. The best way to find out this answer is not just from this instructor but from his or her students as well. For their answers - their truthful answers from their hearts - will be the deciding factor.

For the last thing you ever want is an instructor who does not know what he or she is doing.

Although Yoga is a great and relaxing sport, you need to avoid these three mistakes if you ever want to make your mark. Not just as a sport but as your passion as well.

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Yoga Beginner: Yoga To Ease Your Back Pain By Andrew C Colwell

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The human back consists of muscles, nerves, bones, as well as soft body tissues. It is a vital part of our body, as it is the frame which supports our entire body. The muscles of our back work in coordination with the muscles of our stomach, and help us with our movement & maintaining posture.

We live in an age which compels us to lead a hectic and stressful life. Due to this, we often end up exerting or overusing our back muscles. As a result of which, we begin to suffer from discomfort due to pain in the back. This makes it very difficult for us to do our daily chores and our everyday life is affected. Usually you will experience stiffness, pain, spasms, numbness or pain in your leg.

The intensity of the pain too varies with the severity. According to the medical practitioners from United States, the number of incidents of back pain exceeds all other ailments in the US. But the good thing is that there are numerous ways & medications available for the treatment of severe back pain. In fact, the Indian exercise (Yoga) is known to be one of the most famously used treatments for back pain.

Until recent times the basic procedure for treatment of severe back pain was proper rest and swallowing a couple of painkillers. But presently the physicians are motivating the patients to try to indulge in physical activities such as yoga to curb the pain and ease it. Research has proved that yoga is the most efficient means to cure the body pain.

Initially it was considered to be only a spiritual discipline, however seeing its far reaching curing properties, it has been included as part of the fitness regimens in numerous gyms and health centers around the globe. Besides easing back pain, research has also revealed that yoga is detrimental in making the bones and muscles strong, and lowering the stress levels as well as helping the body to relax after a gruesome & hectic schedule. Yoga focuses on enhancing the strength, resistance & flexibility of your body, and lowers muscle and joint pains.

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Yoga also has numerous other advantages:

It makes our muscles stronger and builds our stamina.

It helps in developing abdomen muscles, and enhances the strength of our arms & legs.

It helps to ease the stress.

It helps us to have a straight and correct posture.

It is an excellent warm up option for athletes & sportspersons.

It enhances the performance of an individual.

But all the postures of yoga are not useful in easing back pain. In case you have hurt your back then you need to indulge in exercises which are slow paced, and do not need to make you stretch yourself beyond a point. A couple of postures in yoga might make your pain worst and eventually injure your back even more.

Viniyoga is a part of yoga which focuses on precise deep breathing coupled with slow stretching. Besides this there is yet another form of yoga known as Iyengar Yoga, and this emphasizes on proper alignment of the body. This form of yoga makes use of various props such as straps, blocks, blankets and other similar tools. This form of yoga is suitable for people who are nearly immobile and require assistance.

If you wish to begin a routine of physical exercises such as yoga then you should discuss the same with your physician or a health professional and then enroll for a class in yoga. In case you have injured your wrist, back or ankle then you may be unable to perform some exercises. You should perform every posture and position with caution to ensure that you do not injure yourself. Lack of focus also leads to injury. Being in a hurry and rushing into one posture after another will also lead to injury.

People often have complains of soreness and exertion during the initial stages of yoga. However with regular practice these symptoms reduce and finally end completely. You can make your body strong and enhance your health with yoga.

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What Is Yoga and How Has It Developed? By Sean E Hammond

Yoga is many things to many people and usually depends on their knowledge of the subject and their reason for interest or practising yoga. The word 'yoga' comes from the Sanksrit root 'yuj' which means union. (Sanskrit is an ancient Indian language). Essentially yoga is an ancient philosophy which emerged out of different philosophies in India between 2,500 and 5,000 years ago or even longer. Many people practice Yoga at dedicated yoga retreats.

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The original philosophies talked in depth about humility. They also talked about letting go of ego, attachments, anger and anything else that separates you from other people and the world around you. This humility allows you to connect to the world around you and to form yoga or 'union' with the world around you. The idea was the whole world is connected and to tap into the feeling of union.

The main practice of the yoga of ancient times was understanding philosophy, overcoming attachment and acting through righteousness. This was done in order to elevate one's actions or karmas as the belief was that by performing good karmas or actions one would lead a happy life that would eventually lead to enlightenment.

Yoga also involved meditation and contemplation on the inner self at home, work or at a yoga retreat. The ancient philosophies taught us that the nature of a human being was originally one of peace and that yoga and meditation practice brings one back to a state of realisation where one connects back to one's own sense of peace.

The history of this period of time depicts yogis in seated postures such as padmasana (lotus posture) performing meditation.

As time went by, however, and people's lives began to become more stressful, there was less awareness of the original sense of peace that we all have in our minds and this began to be interpreted into the body. There dawned awareness that the mind and the body are linked and that if the mind was stressed then so would be the body and there also dawned an awareness that if the body could be relaxed then so too could be the body. Many people find it useful to travel to yoga retreats in Spain away from life's stress.

This change in practice happened relatively recently, around 800 years ago, and formed the foundations of what is regarded today as yoga practice. The theory was that a tense mind makes the muscles within the body tense and by relaxing the muscles in the body by stretching them one could make the mind relaxed too bringing it back closer to its natural state of peace. This then formed the basis for the physical practice of yoga we now know and is practiced across the world at home, work, indoors, outdoors and at yoga retreats. Many people travel visiting yoga retreats in Spain for example.

Of course this is simplified version of the theory of the physical practice of yoga. The reality is that there is a lot of depth to the theory of the practice of yoga postures and that one requires many years to understand it. Yogis at the time when postures were being developed experimented with different positions and noted their effect on the mind. They noted that forward bending postures, whilst helping with flexibilty also helped with developing 'pratyahara' or introversion. They noted that backbending postures help give energy to the body and also help open up the heart and emotions. They also noted physical benefits of postures. Twisting postures help provide oxygenated blood to the gastro-intestinal system and also to the pancreas so helping with the prevention of diabetes. They noticed that postures such as sarvanghasana or shoulder stand help provide oxygenated blood to the thyroid gland and so help with thyroid disorders and metabolic disease. They also noted positive effects on blood pressure as flexibility improves and aids blood circulation. They also noted that practicing yoga on a regular basis improved results and visiting dedicated yoga retreats helped to focus their bodies and minds.

Thus yoga has two paths that are spoken of - one is of good mental health, that is finding a state of relaxation within the mind, a state of peace and to those who want to follow it, a state of enlightenment. The other path is the path of health. This has also come to mean and involves following a healthy diet and is a reason that many yogis currently eat healthily and offer yoga courses at yoga retreats in Spain. Many of the ancient scriptures talked of a 'sattvic' or pure diet which today can be talked of as a healthy diet. It is a diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and ideally a vegetarian one where the idea of 'ahimsa' or non-violence is followed again to create good karmas and a peaceful internal and external environment.

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Yoga Styles for Chronic Pain Sufferers By Lisa E Miller

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Yoga comes in many flavors. Below are some of the most common styles of yoga currently being practiced in the United States.

Bikram Yoga is a style of yoga based on 26 poses which are always done in the same order, most of these being standing poses. The room is kept to a 105 degrees and, in drier climates, often a humidifier is added. The heated room allows the muscles of the body to warm up fairly quickly so that there is less chance for injury while performing the postures and it is much easier to stretch. While many people are fond of this popular style of yoga, some may find the practice a bit militant in its approach. Others find it just too hot for comfort. In that case, there are many "hot yoga" classes that incorporate a heated room, generally 85 degrees, which keeps participants toasty warm without the strict adherence to a particular pose sequence. Many people who suffer from chronic pain are able to find relief through a hot yoga practice.

Anusara Yoga is considered heart-centered yoga. The word Anusara means to "align with the divine" and the approach of this style is to open to one's own grace, meaning there is no absolute "correct" way to perform a posture. This is based upon the fact that people are physically different from one another. Everyone has different body types, different lengths in the arms and the legs, as well as the torso. Therefore, every person performing a pose will look somewhat different from another person performing the same pose. In this style, the instructor assists the participants with slight body adjustments that help the person feel more comfortable in the pose. More comfort allows easier and deeper breathing, which allows for greater strength and healing.

Kundalini Yoga is one of the oldest styles of yoga and is designed to elevate the energy meridians throughout the body and increase awareness. This style offers repetition and increased movement in the postures so as to increase circulation and assist in elimination of toxins. There is much use of chanting and mantras and longer meditations. This style most fully incorporates the mind, body, spirit quality of yoga as it is based more heavily on eastern philosophies. It is said that one year of practice of kundalini yoga is equivalent to 22 years of practice of any other yoga style.

Vinyasa Flow Yoga is a style of yoga that flows easily from one pose into the next in an auspicious sequence which allows participants to more comfortably and naturally move. The idea of this style is to move more quickly, thus increasing heart rate, circulation and blood flow. Since the postures are sequenced to naturally move from one to the next, many people find that this form of yoga feels quite natural.

The practice of yoga has been scientifically proven to alleviate chronic pain in people who consistently practice it. There are many styles of yoga and some styles may resonate with an individual over another. The trick is to find the yoga practice that works best for you and your needs. There are many instructional videos that are available for purchase, and while many of these are quite good, they are not a replacement for a certified yoga instructor being right there in the room with you. It is difficult to know if you are performing a pose correctly if you are a beginner and new to yoga. This is where having an experienced and competent instructor is a wonderful advantage. Once you have been practicing for some time, then a home practice in front of the TV may be more appropriate. As always, prior to beginning a new exercise routine, please consult with your doctor or health care practitioner.

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The Health Benefits of Yoga Practice By Namit Kathoria

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The Health Benefits of Yoga Practice By Namit Kathoria

As well as enjoying yourself and feeling more relaxed, yoga has positive effects on several systems within your body.

Yoga helps you build your health and helps you develop long-term health benefits. Yoga teaches you how deal with stress both physically and mentally and shows you how to live a more relaxed lifestyle. As well as enjoying yourself and feeling more relaxed, practising yoga has positive effects on several systems within your body as described below.

Circulation and blood pressure. Firstly the way your blood circulates around your body is improved. Postures such as the inverted asanas help bring the blood back to your heart as your legs will be above rather than below the heart. This means your heart has to work less and can hence work more efficiently. It also means you are less likely to suffer from varicose veins as the effects of gravity on the blood circulation are reversed. Child's pose also helps bring your blood circulation back to normal. And the breathing techniques of yoga allow more oxygen to reach your organs so you have more energy within. More oxygen also reaches the skin and the brain so they are more healthy too.

Heart rate. Your heart rate is slowed down because yoga works to stimulate your 'parasympathetic nervous system'. This is the part of the nervous system within that relaxes us. Normal daily activities in the modern world increase the effects of the 'sympathetic nervous system' and hence our heart rate increases. Yoga returns our heart rate to normal.

Breathing rate. The breathing exercises of yoga combined with the activation of the sympathetic nervous system result in a lowered breathing rate. This means that the lungs will be working more effectively.

Cardiovascular health. Exercises such as the sun salutations and the vinyasas provide very effective cardiovascular exercise hence exercising the heart. Endurance also improves as a result of a lower heart rate and more oxygen reaching the tissues within the body.

Internal organs. The internal organs such as the liver and kidneys are massaged in yoga exercises keeping them healthy.

Gastrointestinal system. Asanas which work the abdominal region of your body improve the health of the gastrointestinal system.

Immune system. Yoga strengthens the immune system. Many yoga postures such as cobra, fish, bridge and bow open up the chest and hence stimulate the thymus gland. The thymus gland has an important function in the role of the immune system.

Metabolism. Postures such as the plough work on the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland controls your metabolic rate. Once your metabolic rate has come to normal so does your body weight.

Youthfulness. Practice of yoga asanas helps to keep your blood circulation at its optimal hence your body can remove toxins and supply oxygen and nutrients to all the vital organs. Joints are also kept mobile. These are all important factors in helping keep you young.

Posture. Yoga backward bending asanas such as bridge,camel and wheel strengthen your back muscles and hence strengthen your posture. Other asanas such as fish open up the chest and shoulder area hence correcting your posture.

Stronger back. By strengthening the back muscles yoga helps to decrease the compression on your spine. In the long term this means a stronger and healthier lower back and a stronger and healthier upper back.

Strength. The balancing asanas develop strength in a very natural way by using your body's own weight as resistance. Arm balances develop upper body strength and leg balances develop lower body strength.

Core strength. The balancing asanas as well as other asanas used in yoga strengthen your core so helping with posture. Coordination and balance are also improved by practicing the balancing asanas.

Stress. When you are stressed the muscles in your body tense up. Yoga takes the presupposition that the mind and the body are linked. Hence by stretching the muscles back out with asana practice, the muscles relax and as the muscles in the body relax, the mind automatically relaxes.

Sleep. As yoga postures help to relax your body and meditation and breathing techniques help to relax your mind you will find that your sleep improves.

Healthier Heart. By lowering stress, helping you normalise your weight and providing cardiovascular exercise, yoga exercises help you to develop a healthy heart.

Asthma. Postures such a fish, bridge, wheel and camel open up the intercostal muscles and hence the lungs and this in turn can help with the symptoms of asthma.

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