A couple of months ago my colleague Jody asked me to write a short
article on what yoga means to me, so I have been thinking about it for a while. Life is so busy lately that I can only write it in the back of my mind, but the idea has been percolating. After teaching yoga for almost twenty years it has turned into such a part of my work and social life that it becomes a bit like water to a goldfish. I am surrounded by yoga so much so that meaning is definitely there, all encompassing but hard to articulate. It would be an easier question to answer during the honey moon phase of falling in love with yoga, but yoga and I have been married for a long time. What yoga means to me, hmnnnn. Let me think about that. Yoga has meaning on so many levels. My conceptual mind quickly kicks in with lots of answers about the spiritual meaning of yoga. Yoga means joining daily life and spirituality, it's about delving into experience with awareness and training the mind to come into rest in present reality so that the illusions of some other life cease to exist. One comes alive in the present and the dissatisfaction of seeking something that is somewhere other or happening at some other time falls away. You discover peace and contentment within, in this human body right now. And so on. My mind likes to follow those kinds of thoughts. But really that is a bunch of recycled analysis and reflection from the honey moon era. In reality I think that is only part of it. I do like to engage in that kind of dialog and I think those thoughts have merit but now I think that is actually a bit superficial, or one-sided. It only paints a positive picture about "yoga reality". When we try to paint only a positive picture, our vision is actually a bit narrow, and I would say, not even very compassionate. The part that is missing from the idealization of the yoga or human experience is the more vulnerable side. When I was in love with yoga and it's wonderful ways, I had yet to come to terms with the areas of my own insecurity that I was using yoga to avoid. In the long run I have had to struggle and suffer after the yoga-love vibe wore off and find a way of practicing that supported me in deeper ways. After losing my mother suddenly and developing PTSD my idealized experience with yoga spiraled down and disappeared as quickly as it takes to flush something down the toilet. Yoga can make you feel high which is pleasant and I'm still a fan of the yoga-bliss that comes from a cathartic practice, or a heart warming group class, however yoga is also a great friend when you are down. Yoga is not just a fair-weather friend. Sometimes people get discouraged after life throws them a curve ball or shit-storm and they think that perhaps that yoga thing was not really that much help after all because it didn't save them from feeling discomfort. What I have noticed in the long run that yoga is there waiting for you, like a friend that will patiently wait for you to go through your stuff and when you are ready, the Yoga Workout awareness that you had developed before is still there ready to listen. If you can let go of some of the superficial goals like having a perfect yoga pose, you will find that you can apply your awareness to your pain and discomfort, and with patience in meditation practice, or postures, you can use the tools of yoga to help you heal and ride the waves of experience whatever they are, happy, neutral or sad. Like some friends that stick with you, sometimes you get angry with them, you might even abandon them for a while out of disappointment or frustration. Yet the truth is that life contains joy and pain and the in-between. True friends stick with you through all of that. Yoga was there for me through all of that and my yoga practice has become like a true friend to me, a genuine spiritual friend that I can trust. This is what yoga has come to mean to me. Thank you Jody, for asking, I have been hanging out with yoga and maybe taking this trusted friend for granted! http://amindfulnessblog.blogspot.com/
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Certified yoga instructor BANU MALEK shares her tips every Friday
exclusively for GDN readers. Duration: Start with 15 seconds and slowly transition into holding for a minute or more to increase concentration and balance. Nat means 'dance' and Raja means 'king'. This pose is called as Nataraja Pose. This pose helps to improve the balance of the body and concentration. It also strengthens the muscles of the hip, thighs and chest. 1. Stand straight on your yoga mat and arms by your sides. 2. While inhaling bend your right leg backwards and hold with your right ankle with right hand as shown in http://whateverlife.com/power-yoga-flow-workout-truth-w-michelle-goldstein-yoga-videos-on-whateverlife fig. 3. Try to move your right leg upwards as much as you can. 4. Extend your left arm straight out in front. In the beginning you can take help another person. 5.Hold this posture for 20 - 30 seconds and keep breathing normally. Now slowly come back to starting position. 6. Repeat this with left leg then right leg. Like this you can practice for 3-4 repetition. Natarajasana is highly beneficial and is filled with health benefits. Just some of its benefits are; strengthens legs hips, ankles and chest; stretches the thighs, groin and abdominal organs; improves digestive system; releases stress and calms the mind; improves the posture and the regular practice gifts you a fit and healthy body; and helps to reduce weight and cures obesity. Namaste! Copyright 2016 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ). COPYRIGHT 2016 SyndiGate Media Inc. No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder. Copyright 2016 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Natarajasana-Dancer'sPose.-a0469193091 BARRINGTON, R.I. - A Rhode Island man who penned a letter to a newspaper complaining about women wearing yoga pants says it was meant to be humorous and he doesn't have an issue with yoga pants. He even owns a pair.
Alan Sorrentino tells WPRO-AM he had hoped the letter published Oct. 19 in yoga workout online the Barrington Times would be enjoyed as a break from the current political campaign rhetoric. But the letter generated a huge outcry and a group of women say they'll parade through Sorrentino's neighborhood Sunday afternoon dressed in yoga pants. Sorrentino is pleading with marchers to stay away from his home in Barrington. He says he's received death threats, sharing with the radio station several expletive-laden voicemails. Sorrentino likened the harassment to threats he's received over the years as an openly gay man. "It's vicious and intimidating," he said Saturday on WPRO-AM. "The fact that this is seen as an appropriate reaction to something I wrote in the paper is really disgusting." Organizers didn't immediately comment on Sorrentino's radio interview. But they've stressed the march is not a protest against Sorrentino but part of a bigger movement against misogyny and men dictating how women should dress. On a Facebook page created for the event, they've urged participants not to bring signs or engage with Sorrentino or any other residents negatively. "Please do not come for a fight, you will be shut down," a recent post read. At the event, organizers are also collecting new and unused personal hygiene items for the Sojourner House, a Rhode Island nonprofit focused on domestic violence. They added http://holisticonline.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_benefits.htm that they've invited Sorrentino to the march but he "very impolitely declined." In his letter to the editor, Sorrentino argued that yoga pants belong in the yoga studio and that it was "bizarre and disturbing" to see the outfits on "mature, adult women." He suggested women wear a "nice pair of tailored slacks" or jeans instead. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/23/man-says-yoga-pants-rant-joke-calls-critics-vicious.html A lot of women perform yoga exercises not just to lose weight or maintain proper body weight but also because they want to be healthy emotionally and mentally. Yoga is also known to contribute to the decrease of a number of problems during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. There is research to prove this, but it's easy to see the physical, mental, and emotional benefits evident on those women who practice yoga.
Yoga Helps You Cope with a Busy Lifestyle If you are still undecided about yoga, then there are a number of things about it that will help you decide. One of these is its relevance to today's world, even if it is one of the most ancient practices of all times. Yoga is considered as the perfect solution that helps women cope with their busy days and the resulting mental and physical stress. This is especially true if they are working moms who need to deal with the pressures of both work and home. Sitting behind a desk or even driving a car for several hours every day would already result in a woman's having shoulder and back problems that will not only affect their lives at the office but also at home when they are dealing with the family and household chores. Choosing the Best Yoga Style Helps Deciding if power yoga videos yoga is really right for you would also require you to choose the yoga style that will fit your lifestyle, personality, and needs. If you are a working mom, your yoga needs might differ from those women who are just working at the office for long hours every day. As such, it is very important to find the perfect teacher or trainer who has the right knowledge about yoga who is not only qualified and accredited but also compassionate and sensitive to what you really need. Yoga Styles: 1)Vini Yoga. This is a personal practice that could be developed through the incorporation of meditation, proper breathing, and posture as well as prayer and rituals. The amount of all these aspects that could be incorporated into your yoga practice will have to be changed though as a woman and her needs change and develop. Therefore, if you are still a student or a young professional, then the physical aspects of yoga might be more important for you, while older women might focus more on the spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects. 2)Ashtanga Yoga. Also considered as the power yoga, this style is known to be flowing and athletic. Breathing is very important in http://www.yogayoga.com/ this yoga style as a woman flows through a series of postures. This is able to generate a lot of sweat and body heat, thus helping women detoxify their bodies. 3)Ananda Yoga. This yoga style makes use of temperate poses. This is gently meditative and perfect for those who would like to practice a yoga style that helps them to look inwards so they can focus on making their emotions better. http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8841.shtml |
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