This is a simple version. Shut your right nostril with right hand thumb. Inhale from the left for four counts. Exhale from left for four counts. This is one round. Do up to ten rounds.
Repeat by shutting the left nostril, and inhaling from the right nostril for four counts. Exhale from the same nostril for four counts. This is one round. Repeat up to ten rounds for the left nostril also.
Benefits: This balances both brain hemispheres, bringing inner harmony, removing inner conflicts that can set off psychosomatic disorders in the body. It belongs to the set of cleansing, healing practices with the least contraindications. Also used to relieve tension headaches.
The poses work by wringing out stress-induced body stiffness. Muscles get cramped in a state of readiness when we are faced with any feeling of anxiety or anger or heightened hyper-vigilance. This is because the body's response to stress is still very primitive. It prepares itself to either flee or fight. The muscles in our limbs tense in reaction to this need.
Since in an urban set-up we are required to neither flee or fight physically, we end up suffering the physical consequences of our body's reaction to stress.
Several biological changes are triggered due to stress: blood chemistry changes, preparing to clot faster, showing just how animalistic we are biologically! The iris width changes, to manage vision better (again, the same instinct of an animal that needs to catch better sight of either prey or predator).
The mechanisms involved with sweating, excretion, body hair also immediately change, to accommodate an emergency situation. For example, the body hair stands erect (in an animal, this can give it intimidating inches).
So, although the stress situation we face is not physical any more our body continues to create neuro-chemical loops which leave their negative imprint on our body. This is why stress long-term leads to a whole host of chronic ailments, like blood pressure (both high or low), diabetes, heart problems, stroke, skin eruptions, digestive mess-ups and more. What it does to our emotional and familial life is better left unsaid.
Yoga poses for de-stressing works out all the systems adversely hit by stress. The poses are designed to set off the master switch that halts our biological and emotional response to stress. For instance, breathing will remain calm, or it will normalise much sooner, even in those who fly off the handle. This in turn will coax the other systems to settle back into an unthreatened state of calmness. When this physical calmness is achieved, our own psychological and emotional perception to the threat also changes.
Inhale and exhale a few times. Inhale deeply. While exhaling, hum gently, making a 'mm' sound with closed lips. Feel the sound vibrate in your face and the rest of your body, further involuting the mind. This is one round. Then inhale deeply, exhaling to repeat about five to ten rounds.
Points to note: Do not exert while humming. Beginners usually do so to increase the length of the humming. That will happen with regular practice. Also doing any pranayama, particularly Brahmari, while lying down.
Benefits: It is the most healing of all pranayamas, with least contraindications. It is extremely calming. It clears the sinus cavities in the face. It is used before meditation to induce mental calmness. Used in migraine relief and prevention.
However, regular yogic practice and lifestyle modifications that include yogic dietary habits can help control diabetes in the adult onset type of this ailment.
Where such changes complement a conventional medical treatment, the results can be dramatic. It is important to be proactive about this disease which can accompany or cause other problems like eye-sight failure, vulnerability to infections (especially of the skin and uro-genital system), circulatory problems, including heart ailments and high blood pressure.
Yogic therapy works by rejuvenating the main glands involved with diabetes, like the pancreas that is involved with insulin release. The stress glands also seem to be implicated, where a high stress level can overload the blood with high sugar as a response to stress.
By relearning the art of relaxation, by including regular meditation and calming pranayamas (breathing practices), this trigger can also be defused effectively with yoga.
Apart from the following practices for which instructions are provided, it is important to include other practices. These are pranayama (breathing practices) such as bhastrika (bellows breathing), kapalabhati (skull-cleansing practice), nadi shodhana (purification of energy channels) and bhramari (humming bee). Include surya mudra (explained in detail in our earlier special on mudras).
If there is an accompanying problem of blood pressure avoid bhastrika, kapalabhati and surya mudra since these tend to aggravate the problem. A regular practice of yoga nidra of at least ten-minute duration is a must.
Shameem Akthar, yoga acharya trained with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, Kerala, leads you through five yogic practices that help in management of diabetes.
Yoga and Ayurveda are complementary in as much as, both spring from the same well of concern for human health and well-being. Though, while Ayurveda is more restricted to the body – and, to a certain extent the mind – Yoga extends to the emotions and Spirit as well. The human constitution depends on a particular configuration of humors (doshas) that influence the body's functioning and structures growth requirements. They are also known to influence emotional and psychological reactions. A healthy body demands a balance of factors; for instance, as external conditions change, dietary changes may be necessary to maintain good health. Further, as Yoga affects the human constitution, balancing the entire system, physical, mental and emotional, you can use different Yoga techniques to benefit different doshas.
One important method of asana classification is according to the humors (doshas) that they stimulate. A number of postures inherently push on the base the humors. This, subsequently, influences human health. For example as the pelvis and the colon are the base of vata, seated poses will affect vata humor. Likewise, the abdomen and the small intestine are the seat of pitta is, twisting and backward bending poses affect pitta dosha. The chest and the stomach are the seat of kapha; hence poses such as bridge pose (Sethu Bandhasana) and Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) help affect kapha dosha.
In Yoga and Ayurveda, all 3 styles are incorporated; the teachings are custom designed for individual students. All the nuances of a person's constitution, health, sex, age, temperament, interest, and spiritual inclination are all taken into account. So, the ideal is to adapt Yoga and Ayurveda to the individual. However, the more important feature of Yoga is how the asanas and pranayamas are practiced. Holding the same pose or breath differently alters the effects of the practice. Naturally the yoga practitioner's constitution will determine the manner in which they approach their practices.
For instance, a balanced vata would seek a long-term practice that stresses the need for relaxation. An unbalanced vata dosha afflicted person tends to skip from one method to another, never committing oneself to any for enough to experience the benefits of practice. This way, Vata practices would be stressed during the spring and fall when weather is changing. Likewise, in the summer Pitta practices help you adapt to the heat of summer. These practices also strengthen the Jatar Agni (digestive heat), improve circulation and vision.
Within the framework of Yoga and Ayurveda, there are 3 main techniques to the Hatha Yoga curriculum. Gentle, specifically sequence practices are ideal when performed rhythmically with Ujjayi pranayama to promote flexibility and sensitivity and balance the air / ether quality of vata. Here the stress is on moving slowly and deliberately with focus on the internal wave motion and glottal sound of Ujjayi breathing.
The second method focuses on promoting vitality, greater energy, and adequate heat to balance the fire / water quality called pitta. Very little attention is paid to the breath except to allow it to move freely. Here the stress is on moving with vigor and enthusiasm to produce body heat and / or sensitivity to energy flow within the body. By and large pitta's practices end up creating vitality, luster, and the increased energy levels.
The third technique promotes strength while purifying the body. It also develops stamina and balances the earth/water quality called kapha. Here the focus is on developing a sense of strength created during the poses and repetitive breathing sequences. This technique brings weight into balance while promoting courage, hopefulness, faithfulness, and humility, on the mental and emotional levels.
Just a few years ago, it was more common to do yoga on dhurries (hand-woven cotton or woollen rugs). When I did my instructor training, I too belonged to the majority, from India, who did their sadhana (practice) on a slippery, multi-coloured Rs-100 dhurrie. Only those from abroad slung their yoga mats with an enviable nonchalance or skipped into the advanced scorpion pose fearlessly. The rest of us endlessly adjusted our dhurrie or removed it while experimenting with difficult poses and practiced directly on the hard ground, as I often preferred to do those days.
Today all that has changed. Sports shops stock yoga mats as the ancient science re-establishes itself in the country of its origin. Today, we take a look at how these options fared.
To decide how each mat fared, I tried out poses/ practices where mat steadiness is important: this included surya namaskar (Sun salutation), chakrasana (wheel) including its advanced variations, scorpion pose or vrschikasana, pincha mayurasana (peacock feather pose), adhomukha vrkasana (handstand) and its vinyasa or flow.
In the surya namaskar the 'inverted V' pose (also called mountain or parvatasana) requires a firm mat which will not move as you press down with your shoulder and heels. Also, if your pace is very fast while doing the sun salute, most regular practitioners will find their mats can shred from the sheer intensity of practice!
Also, when you do fast-paced sun salutes, some mats can move about, affecting mental focus. Similarly, in all the other poses mentioned above, the steadiness of the mat is very important to be able to kick or slip into the pose. If the mat moves or shifts it causes fear and disorientation that in turn ruins your learning process, especially at the beginner's level. This anxiety can afflict even an advanced practitioner. So the steadiness of your yoga mat must be the primary criteria while choosing it.
Backbends are yogic shortcuts to joy. In depression therapy, backbends are advised since they open the chest. This repairs the shallow breathing that normally accompanies negative mind states, like anxiety, fear, sadness and anger.
The expanded lung capacity physiologically enhances our moods. Also by powering metabolism, backbends hike the body's nutrient absorption capacity. This in turn helps the body access key nutrients that are essential for our happiness: magnesium, calcium, vitamin B, etc.
The tension at the shoulder, again a psychosomatic response to stress, is released and relieved. The back of the neck and the upper back, regarded as the gateway to diseases in Chinese medicine and through which all the major energy meridians are said to pass, is strengthened.
In movement therapies, this region is also seen as most adversely hit by negative mind states. It is called the primary fear centre: its response to fear, anxiety, anger and stress in various forms is what causes muscular tension and stiffness in this region. Backbends wring such tension out of the body, thus clearing out the effects of our mental tension.
Please remember to always follow a backbend with a forward bending pose. This is essential to work the musculo-skeletal system evenly and ease any tension that may have developed while bending back.
Shoulder Shrugs: With your hands at your sides, lift your shoulders up towards your ears as you inhale, then release the shoulders back down as you exhale. Repeat: lift and tense the muscles of the shoulders and neck as you inhale, then relax them completely as you exhale. Repeat at least 4-6 times.
Wrist Stretches: Hold up one hand in front of you like you would when saying "stop." Interlace your fingers with your other hand and pull your fingers back gently to provide a stretch to your wrist. Relax your shoulders, and hold through at least four breaths. Now, change the position of your hand so that your fingers point downward, and the back of your hand faces away from you. Take hold of the back of your hand with your other hand and pull gently toward you to stretch the back of your wrist. Hold through at least four breaths, then perform both stretches on the other hand.
Chest Stretch: Place your hands behind your back, holding a scarf, belt, or necktie in between them. Stand up tall in neutral posture, and gently squeeze your shoulder blades towards the center of your back as though trying to squeeze a pencil. Each time you exhale, raise your arms slowly behind you, going as high as feels comfortable, but not so high that your neck or shoulder posture is compromised. Try to relax your neck, shoulders, and chest as you perform this. Repeat at least 4-6 times.
Lateral Side Stretch: If you have pre-existing back problems, check with your doctor before performing this position. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Raise one arm overhead, and as you exhale, begin a gentle lean to the other side. Be sure your chest continues to face forward, and that your arm remains all the way up; don't drop your arm in front of your face or let your upper body twist downward. Try to keep your top arm fully stretched; avoid bending the elbow. Relax your shoulders and waist. Hold through two breaths, come up and repeat on the other side. Then start over; work up to a total of 4-8 repetitions.
Standing Spinal Twist: Stand with your right foot in front of your left foot. Place your right arm straight out in front of you, with your left thumb on top of your head. Keep your spine aligned; that is, do not lean forward or back. Gently rotate your right arm and upper body as far around as you can, keeping your focus over your right hand. Make sure your weight remains evenly distributed on both feet; do not raise either heel. Hold the position through three breaths as you consciously try to relax your shoulders and lightly contract your abdomen. Return back around and switch legs to perform the other side.
Seated Hip Stretch: If you have concerns regarding your knee, check with your doctor before attempting this position. Sitting in a chair, cross your right leg on top of your left leg so that your right ankle is just above your left knee. Point your right leg as far out to the side as possible. Place your right hand on your right knee, and your left hand on your right foot. Gently, sink your chest forward over your right lower leg; go as far forward as you comfortably can, and hold the position through at least four breaths. Relax your low back, shoulders, and hip muscles. Slowly return upright and repeat on the other side.
Did you know that reprogramming your natural breathing technique would not only help in preventing these problems but also help in the “reversal” of several such harmful conditions? Yes, it’s not only possible but proven too. In fact leading cardiac experts are advocating the benefits of “correct” breathing to their patients.
Surprising as it is, almost none of us use the full capacity of our respiratory organs. This is aggravated by our sedentary lifestyles and leads to several complications popularly called - lifestyle disorders.
The first question that comes to mind is – “How can I alter my natural breathing process?” Well, astonishing as it may seem, it’s true. By training our body to breathe in a particular fashion, we re-program our involuntary system to adopt this new way of breathing.
This breathing technique is called the “Full Yogic breath” or simply Yoga breathing.
Without wasting time, I’ll plunge right away into the technique followed by its overwhelming benefits.
First, lie down on your back, relaxed, with hands and legs outstretched and eyes looking up at the roof. Gently close your eyes and relax.
Step 1: Abdominal breathing
Observe your natural breath. You will notice that as you inhale the abdomen rises and then falls with exhalation. Watch this for a few moments to check this flow. Now begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. That is, while inhaling, let the abdomen rise to its limit and at exhalation let it fall completely. Keep the chest still during this entire process – only move the abdomen. Continue this for 20 breaths and then rest.
Step 2: Thoracic (chest) breathing
Again observe your normal breath, this time focusing your attention on the chest. You will notice the chest moving slightly up at inhalation and down with exhalation. Again observe this pattern for a few moments. Now again, begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. This time, on inhalation expand and lift the rib cage, filling the lungs completely. Then on exhalation, let the lungs collapse fully, sinking to the limits. In this step, keep the abdomen still, moving only the chest. Do this for 20 breath cycles and then stop
Step 3: Full Yogic breathing
This combines the above 2 steps in the following way:
First inhale by filling the abdomen and then CONTINUE inhaling as you expand and fill the chest. Then exhale first from the chest as it empties and falls and then CONTINUE exhaling from the abdomen as it draws inwards completely. This is one round of the full yogic breath. Repeat this for 20 rounds.
Remember the pattern… Inhaling - abdomen then chest; Exhaling – chest then abdomen.
GOLDEN RULE: All of the above steps should be done WITHOUT strain. The natural tendency is to heave with effort. The right way is to make it smooth and effortless. Go slow and easy.
Initially you will experience unevenness or bumps in this breathing process – as if there are 4 separate parts to the full yogic breath. This is natural considering the years we have spent breathing improperly.
Instead, try to picture this breath as a continuous wave like pattern – as if the breath moves up from the navel to the throat with every inhalation and then, down from the throat to the navel with each exhalation. It may take a few weeks of practice to perfect a “SMOOTH flowing pattern with MINIMUM effort and with MAXIMUM capacity.”
This is the desired effect!! Over time, the yoga way of breathing will come naturally to you.
And now for the all-important benefits…
The full yogic breath is the basic building block of the powerful yoga breathing techniques, also called ‘Pranayama’ in Sanskrit, which are known for their multifarious benefits.
But the tangible benefits of the full yogic breath are that it:
 | Releases acute and chronic muscular tensions around the heart and digestive organs. |
| | Helps sufferers of respiratory illnesses such as asthma and emphysema to overcome the fear of shortness of breath. It actually increases lung capacity. |
| | Encourages proper nervous stimulus to the cardio-vascular system |
| | Dramatically reduces emotional and nervous anxiety |
| | Improves detoxification through increased exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen |
| | Amplifies the auto immune system by increased distribution of energy to the endocrine system |
| | Calms the mind and integrates the mental / physical balance. |
And the real icing is that it contributes to both vitality and relaxation through this single practice.
With such powerful all-round benefits, do you really need to be “motivated” to get going?
Go ahead, and take charge of your life like never before.
It helps them to be prepared in good shape and with perfect mind to do their respective exercises of their body. If stretching techniques are used in wrong manner it would have bad effect on the body by causing muscle injuries for the athletes and yoga doers.
Basically the stretching techniques include the manner of holding every stretch for about two seconds only. This method helps in stretching and it also works on the body for physiological makeup. This stretching technique does improve the blood circulation and increase the flexibility of the muscles joints of athletes and the yoga doers.
There are many types of stretching exercise in yoga and for the athletes, which require a great flexibility of the body. This requirement can be ultimately fulfilled if the stretching exercises are done with correct stretching techniques. The following are the basic stretches, in yoga and for the athletes
These stretches are required to be done with accurate stretching techniques to get right result.
Traditional yoga moves are well balanced for every exercise and they demand a complete range of motion, as they perfectly reveal the imbalances. Thus by constructing in symmetrical way, yoga posture allows the intensity of repetition demanded in athletic activity. It helps to prevent injuries that are caused during training exercises these all can be achieved only by correct stretching techniques in yoga.
Normally athletes get into trouble while training, as they do not know the correct stretching techniques. This type of troubles occurs to them while doing the training as due to the limitation of their range of motion. Then they use the momentum and rotation of the body to complete a movement that is a bad technique. It would probably result into either injury or have a bad impact on them by lowering their level of optimum performance at their respective games.
It now known that athletes are very much accustomed for using their body muscles in more intensive way on the regular basis for their sport. Thus for them stretching and breathing exercises helps them to maintain a correct body posture and cuts off the tension that has been accumulated in their body muscles. On the contrary if these things are not followed it would result them in giving up of their favorite sport as it causes a permanent damage to their body.
Place your hands on your knees. Shut your eyes, staying in the pose for as long as is comfortable. The ability to stay longer in the pose is acquired gradually, through regular practice. You may use a folded towel between your ankle and the floor/ mat or between your heels and hips, in the initial stages of practice.
Avoid: If having knee problems or weak ankles.
Profits :- This is a powerful pose, therapeutic for most ailments, particularly related to the digestive tract. It may be practiced both before and after a heavy meal, especially by those who wish to lose weight.
Importance: This works by tweaking the pingala nadi or the active nadi involved with digestion and metabolism.
The ability to hold your pose without wavering and with steadiness is called asana jaya (victory over the pose). Such steadiness requires strong muscular and respiratory support. This steadiness also arises from the yogic mental ability to analyse pain and understand whether it may be borne or is dangerous. This special ability is peculiar to yoga, which is why it is regarded a perfect pain management tool.
In yogic therapy, on the other hand, the poses are gentle. Even when 'difficult' poses are learnt, they are not held for too long. But when you use yoga for toning your body, and as a more effective substitute for gym-based exercises you must gradually build up stamina in each pose. Only then will muscles become toned and taut and your respiratory capacity leap-frog. Physical stamina and vigour will be assured and emotional stability, the original intent of such exercise, is a given.
A yoga acharya trained with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, guides your through five yoga poses that guarantee all this.
Introduction
Yoga' means not only contemplation but also communion and yoking all powers of the body, mind and soul to God. It is a very ancient and efficient system of disciplines and controls designed to produce the integration of the body, mind and spirit. It also achieves higher states of awareness and self-realization by methodical efforts to attain perfection.
The therapeutic benefits obtained by performing the asanas are well known. The circulation of the blood is improved; tensions can be removed, and a feeling of well-being is induced. The muscles are strengthened, nerves soothed and physical endurance is increased.
One important aspect is that blood vessels and nerves for the internal organs are "massaged" by the twists and bending, ensuring proper functioning. Ageing bodies can have fewer aches and pains, stiffening of joints can be healed and depression alleviated.
1. Hatha Yoga
Concerned, primarily with the body and the asanas.
2. Bhakti Yoga
Path of love and devotion.
3. Mantra Yoga
Recitation and repetition of words and verses.
4. Karma Yoga
Service through action and work.
5. Jnana Yoga
The intellectual path.
6. Raja Yoga
Synthesis of Bhakti, Karma and Janan.
7. Laya Yoga
The secret path, the 'Yoga of Dissolution'.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a philosophy brought down diligently through the ages. And, it has acquired more significance now because of the “stressed out” way of life that we live in this fast paced world filled with pressure, anxiety and energy consuming routine.
In ancient times, the seven stages of yoga consisted of :
1. Eyama – Good deeds
2. Niyama – Stoping bad habits
3. Asanas –
4. Pranayama – Breathing
5. Pratikaharan – Special diet
6. Dharana / Dyanam – Concentration
7. Samadhi – Submitting oneself to die
What we are trying to do here is not drill into your head that it is some kind of an exercise that has to be done. IT is certainly not so because it is just not some form of an exercise or some form of a routine that has to be rigidly followed. It is more of a philosophy and it has to become a part of yourself as much as eating, brushing your teeth, combing your hair or even breathing.
And, once it pervades your system there is no way that any thing can take its place. It becomes so much of a second nature to you that you find it difficult to even imagine that how you had lived without it for so long.
And this, is no exaggeration – it is the pure and simple truth itself.
Yoga
Reduces heart beat
Charges energy leading to
less food requirement
Reduces tension
Leads to calm and composure
Exercise
Enhances heart beat
Discharges energy leading to increased food requirement
Increases tension
Gives went to aggression
