Posts Tagged ‘Breathing Exercises’

Yoga Music Download – where can it be done

Numerous scientific experiments on people who meditate and similar control groups who do not meditate, have given repeatable results concerning the effects of meditation on a person’s body and personality. The poses and breathing exercises that make up yoga are bound to make you feel centred, energized, and healthy. One of the most important pieces of yoga is not just the clothes or your instruction but also the music you use during sessions. Yoga music is now very easily available everywhere. Or one can find yoga music downloads. You can find it for free, or you can invest in music by some of the world’s premier experts. Yoga-focused music can really relax your mind and body and enhance your ability to focus on everything from the poses to your thoughts. If you want to download yoga music, all you have to do is look around you, and you will be sure to find some excellent sounds to help enhance your yoga experience.

Online – Finding Yoga Music on the Internet

Today the internet offers a vide variety of stores and products for online Yoga music one can download. Some of the Yoga Music is for Free and others need a payment. This is the place where one can find or download yoga music from around the world. Take your time to look around before you download yoga music. This way, you know what’s out there before you invest in any one artist. Take the time to look into name brand stores and venues online as well as more independent or smaller websites. The options in Yoga Music on the internet are boggling – from chanting , to sanskrit shlokas and chanting , to kirtan songs of praise , to just soothing sounds of nature.

The internet also offers you a wide variety of Yoga Music in non vocal genre– from the soothing sounds of the Indian “Sarodh” and flute, to the sounds of nature , from trickling water & birds and the sound of waves and the sea. The aim behind any Yoga Music you download should be to calm and sooth you, so one achieves the state of a calm and peaceful mind to focus on your yoga. No matter what your preferences are, from complex instrumental to more repetitive tunes there are a variety of options available on the internet. There are many places from which you can download yoga music. Some of these tunes will be free whereas others may cost a fee.

Another important tip, if you are looking for ideas about the kind of yoga music to download, you should visit yoga-centred websites. Chances are high that these websites will have some great recommendations about the kinds of yoga music download you should invest in. You should take the time to hear what experts have to say before you download yoga music. Different kinds of yoga and different focuses will affect the yoga music you download.

Looking for Yoga Music In Stores

Thanks to the increasing popularity of Yoga worldwide, Yoga music as a genre is now also more widely available at stores. From mainline stores of music like HMV , and Virgin etc, to smaller boutique stores that specialise in meditation and Yogic music. Thus, because of its increasing popularity, you can find everything from yoga music CDs to free yoga music downloads at the majority of music stores. Just walking into a store for suhc music may not be very helpful. It is always better to aks for suggestions. This way, you can be sure to invest in work that really will help you focus and meditate.

Bikram Yoga – Hot Yoga!

Bikram Choudhury developed Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga, a style of yoga, in Los Angeles. Choudhury settled in California in the 1970s and now lives in Beverly Hills and was born in India in 1946.

The unique element in Bikram yoga is that the sessions take place in a well heated room in a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit or more. In many parts of India where yoga developed, this resembles the temperature.

If people arrive at a class for the first time unprepared for the intense heat, they often quit the classes. But like a sauna, it is beneficial for reducing muscle stiffness and increasing physical relaxation and flexibility. People appreciate this aspect of the class when they stay through the first few sessions.

A Bikram yoga class uses a series of 26 postures which are based on traditional Indian yoga poses. In other forms of yoga many of these poses are also used but Bikram yoga is unusual in that it only ever uses these same poses and no others in one sequence, although a class may go through the sequence twice. In Bikram style of yoga the breath is also very important. Most classes are 90 minutes and will include breathing exercises as well as the postures, plus a relaxation session at the end.

As with most forms of yoga it is important not to be competitive with others or expect quick results, but work at the yoga practice for its own sake. Students must take care not to injure or over stretch themselves. Progress will be slow but steady. However the beneficial effect of attending a yoga class regularly may be felt in all aspects of daily life and often can be reawakened by returning to practice many years later.

Bikram Choudhury claiming copyright on the sequence of yoga poses that he uses has sparked controversy in both the American yoga community and in India. Traditional poses which have been used in India for centuries by yoga teachers cannot be copyrighted, this is the opposition argument. So far this argument has failed to overturn the copyright in the USA, and anyone wishing to teach Bikram yoga or use his sequence of poses must obtain a licence to do so. Of course this does not prevent other yoga instructors from teaching the same basic yoga poses in different sequences, but they may not call themselves Bikram yoga teachers.

As well as the requirement for the instructor to obtain a licence, there are limitations on the popularity of Bikram yoga caused by the high temperatures required. This is not only because people are uncomfortable in these temperatures. A special yoga studio is required because most public building administrators would not allow an instructor to heat the room that high. Due to these factors there are not so many Bikram yoga classes as there are in other styles of yoga.

If you found this article interesting please visit Hot Yoga Blog

Dahn Yoga

Dahn yoga developed in South Korea not India and is modern unlike most forms of yoga. Known in Korea as Dahnak or Dahn Hak, the first Dahn yoga center was opened in Seoul in the 1980s by the originator of Dahn yoga, Il-chi Lee, although it is reported to be based on a much older tradition. It soon spread to the USA.

Like Hatha yoga, which is much better known in the west, Dahn yoga unites physical postures and breathing exercises and focuses on aligning the body and mind in order to expand the mind and allow better circulation of energy within the body. It also proposes some physical benefits like improving general health and fitness, promoting both longer life and improved vitality and quality of life and lowering stress levels.

Dahn yoga also claims to help the body learn to heal itself naturally, by improving the circulation of life energy and its connection with the mind and consciousness. This is done physically by exercises which are said to remove blockages in its path. Spiritual healing is also promoted through meditation along with improved relaxation. In yoga practice physical tensions and mental health are released and like other forms of yoga it is a holistic practice whose benefits reverberate into daily life.

Dahn Hak philosophy includes certain principles of the action and movement of life energy (ki, also spelled chi or qi) that students are taught during the classes. There tends to be more teaching of the ideas behind the practice than you would find in a Hatha yoga class in the West. This, together with the high prices that are often charged in comparison with other yoga classes, has resulted in some accusations of cult status. However, there does not seem to be any evidence of the human rights issues that are associated with dangerous cults. Nobody will stop you from leaving a Dahn yoga class, and making large profits is not by itself evidence of a cult, or many businesses would fall into that definition! Many mainstream Korean and Japanese martial arts and religious groups to be viewed as cults by some Americans. These accusations may simply be caused by differences between north east Asian culture and Western culture.

A typical Dahn yoga class will begin with meridian stretching exercises to stimulate the ki to pass freely through all the meridians of the body. These are followed by a series of postures and often a period of meditation or breathing exercises that focuses on releasing stagnant ki and storing fresh ki in the body’s center, the dan jeong or 2nd chakra, located in the abdomen just below the navel. Some Dahn classes teach a non-combative form of martial art called Dahn Mu Do that is more like tai chi than yoga.

Students report many health benefits from their practice of Dahn yoga as with other forms of yoga including resolution of many problems that are frequently stress-related such as back pain, shoulder and neck tension, sleeping problems, migraine and digestive disorders.

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Good Yoga Mats

There is a very wide variety of yoga mats on the market. You will find both synthetic and natural yoga mats, and they come in many different sizes and colors. Which is best?

Natural or synthetic?

There two main types of yoga mat made from natural materials. The first is mats manufactured from natural fibers such as cotton. These can be good if you are in a power yoga class such as ashtanga yoga (or astanga yoga) where you will move quickly from one pose to another. If you are sweating you may be more comfortable on natural fibers. Check that the mat has a non-slip surface on the underside if you will be placing it directly on a hard floor.

You may also see some rubber mats. Rubber is of course a natural material. These will grip well on the floor but can become slippery if your feet and hands are perspiring.

Sticky yoga mat which is made from synthetic materials is the most popular form of yoga mat today. These are designed so that the mat will not slip on the floor while also providing good grip and cushioning for your feet and hands. Sticky yoga mats are good security for stretch poses and for balances. They are also lightweight and easy to roll and carry.

Size

Yoga mats come in various sizes but you will want to be sure that it is longer than your height so that you can lie stretched out with both your head and heels on the mat. For most women a 6 ft mat will be long enough but some men will need an extra long size.

The width depends on the poses that you will do and how you use the mat. Usually if the mat is 1.5 times the width of your shoulders, that is fine. Keep in mind that a wider mat will make a longer roll and may be more awkward to carry.

If your yoga style includes a lot of sitting and lying relaxation and breathing exercises, you may want a thicker mat for comfort.

Color

The color may not seem important but it is! Feel calm and relaxed when you are practicing, having your yoga mat a colour you like will help. Always avoid very bright colours. For most people green or blue mats are best. If you always practice in the same room it is good if the color of your mat harmonizes with it. Any clash of colors will affect your mood.

Grid patterns are printed on some yoga mats. This can help you check that your feet and hands are correctly positioned in the yoga poses.

Caring for your yoga mat

A yoga mat should be easy to clean and care for. Remember that your mat is used on the floor and often in public spaces, so for hygiene you should wash it regularly. If your mat is machine washable remember to keep it at low temperatures and do not spin or tumble dry. You can simply wipe down with a mild antiseptic household cleaning product with other mats. After cleaning the mat, leave it out to dry thoroughly. When yoga mats are wet never roll or store them.

If you found this article interesting please visit Hot Yoga Blog

The History of Yoga and Four Thousand Years

Since the beginning of its creation, yoga has always meant a bringing together of the mind and body in perfect union and since that time, the main intentions of yoga have not changed, but have improved and been refined. Originally from the country of India, the brief history of Yoga has a lot of tradition embodied in its movements and is a fitness system that incorporates the mental, spiritual and physical health for an individual. Thus, the history of yoga is rich not only in its tradition, but also in its effectiveness and it may be divided into four different periods that began with the pre-classical period which was followed by the classical period which gave way to the post-classical period and up to the present or modern period.

The Book of Yoga: Yoga Sutra

The classical period of yoga would not have been possible with the book yoga sutra and the full history of yoga that it helps to contain in its pages. The word yoga itself means the ëYolkí or something which joins other things together and a good example would be joining of a cart to the ox while using a yolk. Thus, you can easily infer that yoga has everything to do with uniting each and every aspect of the human being into one single entity.

In addition to the famous body contortions, there are breathing exercises, physical postures and meditation that work together to bring all aspects of yoga and its ethics together.

Nowadays, there is a change in the world of yoga and the the history of Yoga has gone to the past, allowing a more globalized version of yoga and a more experienced renaissance to evolve, allowing a delineation between the spiritual and physical aspects of yoga. The history of yoga has also been witness to the many schools and methods of teaching for yoga over the years, springing new philosophies and approaches to yoga itself.

Nevertheless, the common thread that runs in all forms of yoga and which have not changed much throughout the history of yoga is that the fundamental aim of yoga is to create a harmony of the mind, body and also the environment. The modern period in the history of yoga shows us that we can have comprehensive control on our minds and bodies and not just use yoga as a way to stay skinny, but instead as a way to empower ourselves and control our minds and bodies.