Yogic Living - Yoga for you !

5 Yoga Poses for Depression

2008-05-21T03:59:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to find some nice poses for depression and here are 5 simple Yoga Poses that you can do to help yourself with depression . Alternative medicines like Yoga has less side effects unlike drugs which can have a long term dependency on and other side effects . If the poses help you please do let me know .

The Lion Pose (Simhasana)

Contraindications: Knee pain or injury

This is a wonderful pose for gaining courage and lightening your emotional load; the facial expressions involved are guaranteed to boost your mood, especially if you perform this pose in front of a mirror.

Kneel on the floor; keep your knees about shoulder-width apart.
Sit back on your heels; your calves should be flat on the floor.
Spread the knees apart a little further; only move them as far as is comfortable.
Straighten and lengthen the back and shoulders; sit up tall.
Without rounding the shoulders, place your hands loosely on your knees.
Inhale and lean forward slightly without compromising your straight spine.
(Here’s the fun part) While leaning forward, stretch your mouth and jaw open as wide as possible. Extend your tongue and cross your eyes by looking at the tip of your nose; also tense and straighten your fingers out from their resting place on the knees.
Hold this position for one breath and then relax; lean back and let your fingers drop back to your knees. Close the mouth and eyes.

Repeat this posture at least three times with a short break in between each repetition.

Benefits: It seems very silly, but this is a legitimate yoga asana. The Lion is a great pose for loosening up the muscles of a clenched or tight jaw. All the muscles of the face are used; each repetition causes tension to melt away. For a little variation, if you’re alone or not easily embarrassed, try roaring or yelling as you contort the facial muscles.

The Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Contraindications: Back pain, injuries to neck or shoulder

Releases tension and is also good for deep breathing and relaxation.

Lie flat on your back, either on a mat or on a carpeted floor. Keep your knees straight and keep your feet together with toes pointed to the ceiling.
Slide your hands under your thighs and buttocks. This motion should cause your chest to bow upward slightly.
Bend the elbows and push them into the floor; use the bend of the elbows and arms to raise the chest higher, keeping the chest arched upward.
When the chest is arched as high as possible, drop your head and rest the very top of your head on the floor. Your chin should point to the ceiling.
While in this posture, breathe deeply and really enjoy the chest expansion. Hold this position for as long as is comfortable.

Benefits: This is a great chest-opener; many people who have depression coupled with anxiety often have feelings of tightness or pressure in the chest—this pose can help ease the pressure. The Fish is also very beneficial for a tense neck, shoulders and lower back.

The Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Contraindications: Back injury

A good, relaxing counter-pose if performed after the Fish pose.

Kneel on the floor, and then sit directly onto your heels.
Shift your knees until they are a little more than hip-width apart.
Bend forward at the hip; bring your chest to rest between your thighs.
Keep your buttocks in contact with your heels and rest your forehead on the floor. If this is uncomfortable, rest your forehead on a cushion or folded blanket—make sure it is high enough for you to be comfortable.
Stretch your arms out in front of you on either side of your head. Lengthen the muscles as far as you can, really give a good stretch! Then slide your arms back to your sides, palms up and relax.
Remain in this pose for as long as possible. Breathe deeply and relax into the posture.

Benefits: Child’s pose is a comforting, peaceful asana. Staying in this position is not only relaxing, but also promotes a feeling of safety and security. The stretch involved to the lower back and arms also feels wonderful!

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Contraindications: Leg or shoulder injury.

Warrior I is a great confidence booster; anytime you feel unsure of yourself or uneasy, try this posture.

Stand tall with good posture and plant your feet about shoulder-width apart.
With your right foot, take a large step forward into a lunge; keep the left foot firmly planted. Do not turn or rotate the hips.
Your right knee should be bent and you should keep the knee located directly above the ankle. You should feel a good stretch in the calf muscle of the left leg. If not, slide the left foot back an inch or so.
After achieving a good strong lunge, raise the arms above your head. Really stretch them to the ceiling; feel that stretch all the way to your fingertips. Relax a bit, keeping the arms up, and turn the palms facing each other.
To deepen the stretch, carefully arch the back and look at the ceiling.
Repeat this posture at least once using the left leg for the lunge.

Benefits: This is a very easy asana, but also a very powerful one. Warrior I can help you feel more grounded. You can gain equilibrium with this pose, both mentally and physically!

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Contraindications: None

There’s just no better way to end a yoga session than with the ultimate relaxation pose.

Lie on your back on the floor (or on a mat). Spread the arms out to a 45 degree angle from your sides. Let your legs drop open. There should be no tension in trying to hold this position, don’t try to keep the toes pointed. Keep your head resting comfortably.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Each breath should expand both the chest and belly. Allow your entire body to feel heavy and soft; literally try to relax into the floor.
Mentally look for places where your body is tense. Should you find tension, focus on that part of the body, tense it and then release. Wiggle your fingers and toes to remove any pressure or stress.
Try to clear your mind. Continue to breathe deeply and enjoy yourself.
Do not fall asleep; that isn’t the goal here. Enjoy a conscious state of deep relaxation.

Benefits: The benefits of this pose are truly endless. Nothing beats a good bit of relaxation. Use this pose anytime you feel upset or blue. If it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning to face the day, use this posture to give you a little better perspective. If you suffer from insomnia, this is a perfect way to end the day.

How to practice Meditation ?

2008-05-20T23:58:00.000-07:00

What Is Meditation

1. Meditation is the flow of continuous thought on one thing or God or Atman. Meditation is the keeping up of one idea of God alone always like the continuous flow of oil (Taila-dharavat). Yogins call this ‘Dhyana.’ Jnanins term this ‘Nididhyasana.’ Bhaktas style this ‘Bhajan.’ Concentration is fixing the mind on a point or object, either internal (in the body) or external (on any outside object or image). Meditation follows concentration. In Dhyana all worldly thoughts are shut out from the mind. The mind is filled or saturated with Divine thoughts, with the Divine Glory, the Divine Presence.

Place

2. Have a separate meditation-room under lock and key. Do not allow anybody to enter the room. Keep it holy. Burn incense in the morning and evening. Keep a photo of Lord Krishna, Siva, Rama, Devi or your Ishta Devata or Guru. Place your Asana (seat) in front of the picture. Keep some books also such as the Gita, the Ramayana and other scriptures. When you repeat the Mantra or the Name of the Lord, the powerful vibrations will be lodged in the ether of the room. In six months’ time you will feel peace and purity in the atmosphere of the room. Whenever your mind is disturbed by worldly influence, sit in the room and repeat the Name of the Lord for half an hour; then you will find an entire change in the mind immediately. Practise and feel the soothing spiritual influence yourself. Nothing is like spiritual Sadhana. You will find a local Mussoorie, Himalayas, in your own house.

3. Solitude and intense meditation are two important requisites for Self-realisation. Thebanks of the Ganga or the Narmada, Himalayan scenery, lovely flower-garden, sacredtemple—these are the places which elevate the mind in concentration and meditation. Have recourse to them.

4. A solitary place, spiritual vibratory conditions as at Uttarkasi, Rishikesh, Badri Narayan, a cool place and temperate climate—these conditions are indispensably requisite for concentration of mind. Just as the salt melts in water, the Sattvic mind melts in silence during meditation in Brahman, its Adhishthana (substratum).

Time

5. Get up at 4 in the morning in Brahmamuhurta. It is very favourable for spiritual
contemplation and to start worship of God. In the early morning the mind is calm pure and quite refreshed after slumber. The mind is like a blank sheet of paper and comparatively free from worldly Samskaras (mental impressions). It can be moulded very easily at this time. The atmosphere also is charged with more Sattva at this particular time. Wash your hands, feet and face with cold water if you find it difficult to take a bath. This will suffice.

6. Always choose that part of the day or night when your mind is clear and when you are
least likely to be disturbed. You can have a sitting just before retiring to bed. The mind will be calm at this time.

7. You can have good meditation on Sundays because this is a holiday, and the mind is free. Do vigorous meditation on Sundays. You can have good meditation when you live on milk and fruits alone or when you fast. Use your commonsense always and try to bring out good result in meditation.

What to Concentrate

8. Concentrate gently either on the lotus of the heart (Anahata Chakra) or at the space
between the two eyebrows (Trikuti). Close your eyes.

9. The seat of mind is Ajna Chakra at Trikuti. The mind can be easily controlled if you
concentrate on Trikuti. Bhaktas should concentrate on the heart. Yogins and Vedantins should concentrate at Ajna Chakra.

10. Crown of the head (Sahasrara) is another seat for concentration. Some Vedantins
concentrate here. Some Yogins concentrate at the tip of the nose (Nasikagra Drishti). Stick to one centre in concentration. Cling to it tenaciously. If you concentrate on heart, stick to it. Never change it. Guru will select the centre for concentration, if you are a student of faith. If you are a man of self-reliance, you can select it for yourself.

Yogic Diet

11. Take Mitahara, Sattvic diet. Overloading the stomach with rice, vegetables, Dhal and
bread brings sleep and interferes with Sadhana. A glutton or a sensualist, a dullard or a lazy man cannot practice meditation. A diet on milk renders the body very, very light. You can sit on one Asana for hours together with ease and comfort. If you feel weak, you can take for a day or two a little rice and milk or barley and milk or any light diet. Those who are in the field of service and who do platform lectures and other intense spiritual propagandic activities need solid, substantial food.

Asana

12. Asana steadies the body; Bandhas and Mudras make the mind firm; Pranayama makes the body light; Nadi-suddhi produces steadiness of the mind. Having acquired these qualifications you will have to fix the mind on Brahman. Then only meditation will go on steadily with ease and happiness. For meditation, concentration and Japa, Padmasana or Siddhasana is prescribed. For general health and keeping up of Brahmacharya, Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Paschimottanasana are good. A short description of these Asanas and the benefits that are derived by the practice of them are given in Chapter VIII of this book ( Source Sivanada Yoga Book)

Please write a comment with ur email if you want the full ebook .

Yoga for Back

2008-05-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

The body and the spirit that flows through it, is ordinarily born with the possibility of natural growth and health. The spine is the body's support. It should not just be erect and strong, but also flexible and supple. The back literally holds the body together and protects the soft inner organs by its support, and the spinal cord is physically the main channel for the central nervous system, dispensing information between the body and brain. It is also here that the psychic energy gathers in centers (Chakra). The body's posture is not only physical, it also conveys something about your energy state on a deeper psychic plane.
There is currently a lot of awareness concerning how to avoid straining the back: correct sitting posture, to lift and carry in the right manner and to sleep on a proper bed. Yet, a bad back is the most common ailment in our culture. Actually, 60 - 80% of all adults will experience back pains at some time or other during their working life. (DIKE: Health and infirmity in Denmark - 1987)
It ought to be unnecessary to practise yoga, but yoga allows the body regain its natural form. A daily yoga programme gives an all-round effect, so that you are physically and mentally at ease, and thereby function better - also socially. There are many yoga poses that have a particularly favourable effect on the spine. It is best, though, to prevent back problems, and that can be done by a regular yoga practise, either on courses or independently. Not everybody considers prevention of back problems. Many only notice the back when there is something wrong with it. With severe back pains, only simple yoga exercises should be done, in a gentle and easy manner. It is not the point to do the exercises so well that it hurts. It is more a question of using the back differently from the habitual and unconscious patterns of movement. The body's ability for self healing is thereby strengthened, and the back becomes flexible and supple. See the small tension releasing exercises on page 32 in the book: Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life, by Swami Janakananda.
There is also an entire yoga programme dedicated especially to the back in the book. It consists of ten exercises that give the back a general and thorough work-out and maintenance. A yoga programme for the back can also be shorter. In the example given here, there are five exercises, that with regular use can prevent a bad back, and loosen back pains of a minor character.
1. The standing backstretch

Stand with the legs slightly apart. Slowly let the head, shoulders and back sink forward and down, until the entire upper body hangs under its own weight. Keep the legs straight. Stand for 3-5 minutes and notice how the body, little by little, relaxes and sinks further down. Be especially aware that you do not tense anywhere or unconsciously hold back the body. It is easy, for example, to forget to let go of the head, arms and shoulders. Allow the head to hang completely loose and relax the face muscles. If you experience a tension or a pain in the back or legs, then don't strain against it or think of something else, or bend the legs. Go into and experience the pain from within, experience the pain in a relaxed way - after a few minutes you will find that the pain subsides or disappears. Then raise yourself up slowly, and in the end, stand completely still with closed eyes. Experience the whole body from the soles of the feet to the top of the head.
2. Rock and roll

Lie on the back on a mat. Bend both legs and clasp the hands around them. Begin to rock gently from side to side. You should not rock completely over to the side, just so far that you can feel that the small of the back has contact with the floor. Feel how the back is massaged. Continue for about a minute. Lie still for a moment with bent legs. Then roll lengthwise on the back. You roll all the way up to the neck, and quickly all the way down so that the feet touch the floor. After a couple of times backwards and forwards, try to lift the buttocks up off the floor, so that you stand on the feet before rolling backwards again. Continue for a minute. Lie still with straight legs. Feel the back and the whole body.
3. The universal pose
You lie full length on the back. Place the right foot sole upon the left knee. Lay the left hand on the right knee. Press the knee all the way down to the ground on the left side. Now raise the right arm diagonally upwards, so that the armpit is opened completely. Let the arm sink slowly towards the floor on the right side, and turn the head towards the right hand, so that you can feel the spine is twisted from top to bottom. If you cannot get the shoulder all the way to the ground, then allow the arm to just hang freely in the air. Absorb yourself in the pose now, and accept that it tightens and stretches the body. With every exhalation, let the right arm, if possible, sink further down towards the floor. Relax the whole body and remain in the pose for 3-5 minutes, or for as long as you can remain relaxed in the pose. Come calmly back to the initial position on the back. Lie still for a moment. Do the pose to the other side.
4. The caterpillar
Roll over on to the stomach and take hold of the opposite elbows with the hands. Pull the arms into the body, so that the upper arms are vertical on the mat by the chest. Without moving the elbows or knees, raise the buttocks into the air and move the body backwards. Continue this backward movement until the chest presses as far down towards the floor as possible, and the back has the greatest sway. If you can come all the way down into the pose, place the chin on the floor, otherwise raise the head and look as far up as possible.
Lie in the pose for about half a minute while the body calms down and relaxes. Roll slowly forward again back to the stomach, and straighten the arms out over the head. Rest until you are ready again. Do the pose three times.
5. The hare

Sit in a kneeling position. Take hold of the right wrist behind the back. Slowly lean forward, so that the head comes forward and touches the floor. If the head does not come all the way down, then spread the knees a little bit. Remain completely still. Do not be concerned with anything else, but remain with the body and feel it. When the body becomes accustomed to the pose and the breath has become calm, feel the navel area. Keep the awareness around the navel area. Remain motionless for 3-5 minutes, or a shorter time if you are a beginner.
Calmly come out of the pose and straighten up the back and head. Feel how straight the spine is. When you have sat for some time, be aware that you can straighten the back even further. Meet the thoughts and states in the mind that prevent you from sitting completely erect. Remain sitting until you experience total harmony between the body and mind.
Experiences with yoga for the back
As a yoga teacher, I often come across students with pains in the back or neck. If I have not been informed of it beforehand, then it quickly becomes evident when I see how the student practises yoga. Once in a while a student phones to cancel a class due to pains in the back. I always recommend that the student comes anyway. If it is not possible to do some of the exercises, then the breathing exercises and deep relaxation (Yoga Nidra), will give relief. People often believe that they should be perfect and skilful at doing yoga poses. In due course they realise that it is by their own experience, that they learn to use yoga as a tool to work with a strained neck or pain in the back.
Whilst writing this article, I had to go to Helsingborg, Sweden, to teach a group of social workers. I am always picked up by one of the participants at the ferry terminal. During the drive, my student told me, that the previous week she had a pain in her neck for several days, but after the yoga class that week it disappeared completely. The funny thing is that she only noticed that the pain was gone several hours after the class.
Another time, a 35 year old man came to a private lesson at the school in Stockholm, with severe back pains. He had been in the USA and had taken up aerobics mixed with yoga, and due to a lack of awareness and pressing himself too hard, he had unpleasant pains in the back. At that stage he had had back pains for five years, and said he would be very happy if a yoga course could only make it a little bit better. He learnt various yoga exercises, which he also used at home, and each week the pains diminished. After coming to the class four times, the pains were gone completely.

I stand on my head for my health

2008-05-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

I stand on my head for my health

Chris has not had a day sick for 36 years

by Benny Pedersen

For some it is a case of what you lack in your head, you must have in your legs. This does not apply to Hundested’s Chris Sylvest. He is supposedly Denmark’s best 92 year old at standing on the head. And Chris does not do it to boast of his gymnastic abilities, but to keep himself healthy!

- In the middle of the fifties I emigrated, together with my wife and two sons, to the USA. My wealthy sister had a place to live and work for us in California. And by and large it went very well. But in 1958 I was affected by something in my head. I still don’t know what it was. It was incredibly unpleasant though. My brain was affected and I got worse and worse - I was actually about to die. We were at our wit’s end. But then something happened that I would call a miracle.

We were in the USA for 14 years. During that time we read neither Danish newspapers nor magazines. But when I became ill in 1958, an old edition of Familie Journalen (The Family Journal) fell into our laps. I still don’t know where it came from. In the magazine there was an article about a watchmaker from Ålborg (a town in the north of Denmark), who had cured a violent migraine by standing on his head for 10 minutes every day. I took to the idea at once. A month and a half later I was completely cured. Since then I have stood on my head for 10 minutes every morning – and I haven’t had a day sick for 36 years. Isn’t that incredible?

Chris Sylvest gesticulates with the whole of his slender body, while telling about his health and his long, long, life.

Healthy as a 25 year old

- A few months ago I was examined from top to toe by two doctors – quite independent of each other. And they both reached the same conclusion: “Your body functions completely normally – for a man of 25!”

My own doctor, after having examined me, declared:
- Tomorrow I will begin standing on my head for 10 minutes. And I will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

- I don’t know what happens. But it obviously has something to do with a lot of blood and oxygen reaching the brain.

Chris Sylvest was left a widower 14 years ago when his wife died, after a long and beautiful life:

- My two sons, who have both been residents of the USA for many years, invited me to live with them. So I sold our large house here in Hundested and travelled over there. But it wasn’t a success. I was regarded as an old man by those around me. They wanted me to sit down and relax all the time with a rug over my legs. After 14 months I went back home to Hundested again. With only two suitcases as baggage. Everything else I left with my sons and their families.

Chris Sylvest was born on a large farm near Frederikssund in 1902, under quite dramatic circumstances:

I shouldn’t even be here. The orifice of my stomach wouldn’t open, and the doctor gave me eight days to live. But my mother wanted it otherwise. She poured some buttermilk inside me, and I got better. As an adult I earned my living as a trader in fruit and vegetables. I had a wholesale business delivering goods to military barracks and hospitals. We made a living from this till we emigrated in 1954.

It seemed inevitable that my life was going to end in 1958. But luckily Familie Journalen landed in our laps, with a recipe for a long and healthy life. Come rain or shine, Christmas or Easter, I start the day by standing on my head. Hopefully for many years to come, says Hundested’s Chris Sylvest.

The Source of Energy - A Method from Tantric Kriya Yoga

2008-05-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

Do you meditate when you simply sit down, close your eyes and let go?"

Hardly - a few might succeed in relaxing a little, but you can easily become caught in the illusion that you meditate, when instead you lose yourself in thoughts, or simply doze without going deep.

A method is important

To enter the relaxed state, to benefit and draw strength from it, you need a method. We can certainly use our will to stir ourselves up or get excited, but we can't relax by will power alone. Even when we believe that we do it, it doesn't work.

The American neuro-psychologist H. Benson showed in his well known study on relaxation and meditation techniques: "The Relaxation Response" (1975), that without a method, we don't actually reach a deep state of relaxation or meditation.

Meditation and relaxation techniques are known all over the world. In Japanese Zen and other Eastern traditions the breath is used as a means of entering the meditation. It is basically the normal - or spontaneous breath that you experience.

In Kriya Yoga, which is known in China and India, a simple breathing technique is used, the so-called Psychic Breath, to cleanse the mind and enter a deep state. This breath can be done alone or as a basis for a more comprehensive meditation. The meditation The Source of Energy (the little Ajapa Jap) is to a great extent based on this breathing technique.

Psychic breath...

...also called Ujjayi Pranayama, is easy to perform. It is a deep, slow and relaxed breath.

With breathing exercises and all kinds of meditation where you work with the psychic energy, a proper meditation pose with a straight spine is a must.

Therefore you sit upright in a meditation pose, which ensures that the energy flows freely and harmoniously

You make a light whispering sound with the breath originating from the vocal chords. The sound is relaxed as from a child in deep sleep. Together with the sound you inhale deeply and slowly, hold the breath for about 3 seconds, then with the sound you exhale slowly and relaxed and hold the breath out for about 3 seconds. After that follows the next inhalation and so on. Thus, there are four phases in all: inhalation, holding the breath, exhalation, and holding the breath out.

The breath influences body and mind

Psychic tensions manifest in the body's muscles, these tensions can be dissolved through various yoga exercises (see Bindu no. 3). The same applies to the breath: Tensions also build up here. Over the years we all develop a certain pattern of breathing, formed by our habits of thoughts and feelings. In every state we experience, we react in the way we breathe. No matter whether we are restless or confused, relaxed or sleepy the breath changes accordingly. Who hasn't "breathed a sigh of relief", or become "breathless" when something really exciting happens?

On the other hand, through breathing exercises (pranayama) one can directly influence the state of body and mind. There are numerous such breathing exercises in the yoga tradition, each with its precise and specific effect. Some have a stimulating effect and give an invigorating feeling of new energy, while others relax and harmonise.

By means of the even sound from the throat and the slow, regular rhythm between inhalation, the short holding of the breath and the exhalation, one can say that Ujjai Pranayama "stretches" the breath. Irregularities and blockages inhibiting the breath are gradually removed. The effect is felt both as a pleasurable relaxation and as an increase of energy.

The tongue

A special way of holding the tongue completes the psychic breath. It is called Khechari Mudra; in Sanskrit mudra means an attitude, which influences the subtle energies in the body. There are a number of different mudras, and this one is considered most important.

The tongue is bent backwards, so that the tip of the tongue points backwards and touches the soft part of the palate resting there. This position of the tongue may feel a little awkward in the beginning. It has however, various important functions. When you sit for a longer time with the psychic breath, the folded tongue keeps the throat moist; also this position stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system.

It is said that Khechari Mudra, for the period you hold it, suspends the direct interaction between mind and body. Impatience, and whatever thoughts or feelings that may surface in the mind will not affect the body like they usually do, creating restlessness, a nervous stomach or a headache, whilst the state of the body will not so easily influence the mind. This helps break the vicious circle of stress, where thoughts and tensions constantly reinforce each other.

Better at coping with pain...

At our yoga courses for pregnant women, the psychic breath plays an important part. There are a number of different breathing techniques, that can help during birth. Many women claim, however, that the psychic breath is the most relaxing during the contractions. It helps them to cope with pain and they are able to surrender to the process of giving birth.

A woman from Stockholm had a remarkable experience during the birth of her second child. She used the psychic breath during the whole opening up phase, which lasted several hours. For the majority of women this is the most laborious part of the birth, and you often experience strong pain. She knew this from the birth of her first child. This time, however, she relaxed with the help of the breath and didn't feel any pain at all, even though she was wide awake and consciously followed the dilation of the uterus. She was so surprised by this, that she thought the birth had come to a stop. Every time she was in doubt about this, she interrupted the psychic breath "to see if there was something wrong and then immediately the pains set in."

A step by step absorption

On the basis of the psychic breath The Source of Energy evolves as a clearly defined sequence: You begin with the breath, practising it for a while. Thus you become calm and get absorbed in the breathing. Step by step you then learn to discover and utilise certain energy passages in the body. Later in the sequence certain sounds (mantra) are added.

In this way tensions and blocks in the energy of the body are systematically removed, and gradually it becomes impossible to hold on to limiting ideas and states. Step by step you go deeper and reach still finer states.

A complete meditation sequence lasts from 20 to 45 minutes, but of course it can't be described in detail here. If you want to know more, you will find thorough instructions in Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life by Swami Janakananda. But it is the best to receive direct instructions on a meditation course.

Alpha - relaxation of the grey cells

The brain activity also changes during The Source of Energy meditation. This was shown clearly in a test made at the University Clinic of Cologne under the direction of Dr. Thomas Schmidt. A number of yoga and meditation teachers had their blood pressure, heart beat and the electrical activity of the brain measured during this meditation. With the help of electrodes, that were placed evenly all over the skull, the activity of the brain was reproduced on an electroencephalograph (EEG).

At first the subjects were allowed to meditate undisturbed. Then the doctors tried to disturb them systematically: "...our hands were lowered into ice-cold water, a deafening noise was played through earphones, and we were even stung with needles. All this I could peripherally observe, but I didn't feel disturbed by it." (yoga teacher Thorbjørn Knudsen).

The electronic measurements confirmed this personal experience. During the meditation the brain changed its frequency: From a high activity (beta-frequency) to a deep and stable alpha-frequency. The frequency of the impulses in the brain can be measured with all human beings and shows clearly whether you are in the ordinary waking state (Beta), whether you relax (Alpha), whether you sleep in a light (Theta) or in a deep sleep (Delta). The alpha-frequency sets in every time we relax, and that happens by itself right before we fall asleep. On the other hand, in deep relaxation and in meditation we consciously choose to stay in the alpha state, to not go too deep and fall asleep. This state is experienced as a period where you calm down completely and gain new strength. On the way into this calmness, the mind opens up and gradually lets go of everyday thoughts often followed by a period where spontaneous, creative ideas will surface or solutions to particular problems. Finally, at the end of the meditation, you reach a state where you will be one-pointed and centered.

What surprised the doctors behind the experiment the most was, that even during the extreme disturbances there were no changes in the alpha-values of the EEG. In other words, during the whole meditation the brain was - independent of the outer influences - in a wakeful and relaxed state without blocking.

Recent studies, both in the USA and Scandinavia, also show that when you meditate over a longer period of time, it can have an enduring beneficial effect on your brain activity. One who meditates regularly has a lasting relaxing effect in daily life.

Effective learning

The story of a student in Copenhagen shows how this can be beneficial. She was preparing for an important examination and had earlier experienced difficulties with the reading material: "...Every time I reached certain passages in the texts, I became tense, tired and distracted. It was like I didn't trust myself confronting this material. When I started to meditate, these problems disappeared. I simply had so much energy, that I couldn't hang on to this 'I-cannot-state'. Even when reading what before had appeared to be difficult passages, my mind didn't go blank anymore, and I reached an all over understanding, that I hadn't been able to comprehend earlier. I learned the examination requirements."

The ability to remain open is very important for intellectual work, but can also be useful in every activity of daily life, and in any kind of creativity. When you don't so easily let yourself become blocked by limiting ideas, you can better put your strength into achieving your real goals.

On the way to Kriya Yoga

In the tantric tradition two meditations are based on the psychic breath: The Source of Energy and Ajapa Japa. Together they can also be called the little Kriya Yoga and are the first steps in the direction of the much more comprehensive Kriya Yoga.

Ajapa Japa can be characterised as a continuation of The Source of Energy. It is more deep going and extensive, in length and in the subtlety of the different steps. The last steps you learn during a few days of silence.

The learning process of Ajapa Japa takes a longer time, and therefore we teach it on 10- and 14-day courses at the Håå Course Centre in southern Sweden. Here you live for two weeks in the countryside - without television, radio or newspapers. Such a holiday, away from all the everyday influences, creates the calmness and concentration needed for really learning this meditation and benefiting from it right from the beginning.

Those who wish to go further can learn the complete Kriya Yoga. Swami Janakananda is today one of the few who teaches the Tantric Kriya Yoga in its original form and required conditions. Read about Kriya Yoga here, in in Bindu >>

The Mysterious Devotee: A True Story

2008-05-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

In September, 2004, my wife, Anandi, and I welcomed a mysterious, unannounced visitor to our home. He stayed for eight days and thrilled us with his presence. Our “guest” spent his daylight hours sitting serenely in our meditation garden by a statue of Lahiri Mahasaya. Impressed by our visitor’s dedication, we often looked out our bedroom window to see him still there, keeping his vigil by the saint’s statue. Not knowing our friend’s name, we decided to call him Gurupod, which means at the feet of the guru.
Gurupod, you see, was a male deer, who for some inexplicable reason, came one day into our partially enclosed meditation garden to sit near the saint’s statue. Gurupod had a wonderful presence, a calm disposition, and he exuded a quiet strength. He was three years old and carried an impressive set of antlers.
Resting in the garden, with the statue and fence right behind him, Gurupod was a little skittish on his first day when we went out to our outdoor meditation hut. To get there, we had to pass directly in front of him, so we walked slowly, hoping not to frighten him. But Gurupod’s only reaction was to stand up and leisurely walk thirty feet away and wait until we went inside the hut, then he returned to sit near the statue of Lahiri Mahasaya.
Wild animals usually don’t feel comfortable in an enclosed area when people are present, but Gurupod apparently was no ordinary animal. During the following days, as we walked within a few feet of Gurupod on our way to meditate, he would stand up as before, but now he only walked five to ten feet away before returning. As far as we could tell, Gurupod spent every moment of every day resting quietly by the statue of Lahiri Mahasaya.
Later in the week, I thought it would be inspiring to sit with Gurupod as I studied for a meditation class I was giving. Gurupod, as usual, sat by the saint’s statue, and I, on a small patio ten feet away.
The meditation hut window that Gurupod looked through while Bharat was meditating for him.
After spending several quiet hours together in the warm September sun, I turned to Gurupod, looked deeply into his eyes, and silently asked him, “Who are you? Have you come to teach me something? Have you come for Lahiri Mahasaya’s blessings?” For a long time we held each other’s gaze: Gurupod’s eyes, calm and serene and my own, inquisitive and grateful. I did not receive a definite answer to my questions, but I do know that Gurupod’s poise and one-pointed focus has inspired me even to this day.
After our silent “conversation,” it was time for me to meditate. On this occasion, Gurupod, after getting up as I walked by, did not return again to Lahiri’s statue. Instead, he left the meditation garden and came around to the outer wall of the hut, on the side that our altar faces. Gurupod was now sitting below the pictures of all of our Masters.
As I began my meditation, Gurupod continued sitting quietly in front of me, just a yard away. My heart felt so close to Gurupod that I wanted to do something for him. Swami Kriyananda has told us that if we want to relate to others spiritually, we should commune with them from our center to theirs. Kriya Yoga, because it centers your energy in the spine, is a marvelous way to pray for and bless others. The moment I started thinking of Gurupod during my practice of Kriya Yoga, he stood up and came right to the screened window where I was sitting, and looked at me from a foot away. Gurupod gazed intently at me the whole time I was dedicating my Kriya Yoga practice for his soul evolution. At one point I heard a few faint sniffs come from him. The moment I finished doing my Kriya practice for him, he again sat down by the meditation hut.
After my meditation with Gurupod, Anandi and I never saw him again. His first day with us was September 19th and he stayed until the 26th. Curiously, Lahiri Mahasaya’s Mahasamadhi—a saint’s consciousness exit from his body—is on September 26th, the last day Gurupod spent resting near the saint’s statue.
Who was Gurupod? I don’t know. However, I feel I can truthfully say that on some level, Gurupod was magnetically drawn to the presence of Lahiri Mahasaya. Every action of his demonstrated this.
Two and a half years have past since Gurupod’s visit to our meditation garden, and we still feel inspired by his example whenever we go to our outdoor temple to meditate. In the garden, below the nearby statue of Lahiri Mahasaya rests a black stone placed to memorialize Gurupod’s visit, and his dedication to stay close to the form of this great Master. God, who has manifested Himself in countless ways, can come to the devotee in any form He chooses. For us, Gurupod’s visit was a thrilling message from God. We may be wrong, but our error will be our gain if we emulate in our hearts Gurupod’s beautiful manner of resting with the Master.

Nurturing a Happy Heart: Yoga

2008-05-18T05:07:00.001-07:00

Stand up. Really, stand up. Inhale deeply and reach for the sky, as high as you can. Next, slowly blow your breath out, sweeping your arms past your sides and bending toward the floor as you empty your lungs. Draw fresh air into your lungs and slowly roll back up to a standing position, arms by your sides. Feels good, doesn’t it?
You can sit down now.

What you just did was sample the simple science of yoga -- moving your body to fend off sitting disease while clearing your mind to nurture a peaceful, happy, healthy heart.

Unlike Western medicine, which takes the Jiffy Lube approach to wellness by directing you to a fix-it specialist for each of your broken parts (Bunions? See a podiatrist. Depression? That’s a psychiatrist’s job!), traditional Eastern medicine uses holistic systems such as yoga to treat your mind and body as one.

Developed 5,000 years ago in India, yoga reached American shores with immigrants back in the 1800s. Only in recent decades, though, has our faster-moving, increasingly stressed population embraced this exercise that’s more serene than sweat, more meditative than muscle. Today in the United States, more than 15 million people include yoga in their regular fitness routines. Its advocates range from Madonna to Sandra Day O’Connor and from NFL running backs to Wall Street brokers.

Although some people focus their practice more behind -- striving for the coveted firm “yoga butt” -- than inward, scientific evidence from the past 10 years shows that this traditional-yet-trendy, mind-body medicine can relieve symptoms of chronic diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and yes, heart disease. Even hospitals are getting in on the act. At New York Presbyterian Hospital and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, cardiologists routinely steer patients into programs that offer yoga as part of their preventive and rehabilitative care.

Hooked?

Once you get a taste of yoga, you may find yourself craving a full course. Investing more time will help you reap even more benefits. If you’re interested, try a Sun Salutation workout -- a popular series of 12 yoga postures performed in a single, graceful flow. The Sun Salutation builds strength, as well as increasing flexibility and promoting a sense of calm. If that isn’t enough to quench your thirst, yoga information is easy to find. Bookstores have loads of great guides; almost all gyms and senior centers offer classes; videos are available at the library; yoga magazines are on newsstands; and, of course, the Internet has an overwhelming amount of information.

Disease Reversal

Internationally renowned heart disease researcher Dean Ornish, M.D., of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, may have been the first Western physician to place yoga alongside diet and exercise at the foundation of a heart-healthy lifestyle. In his most cited study in 1990, Dr. Ornish tested 48 men and women with medically documented coronary heart disease. The doctor assigned 28 participants to a lifestyle regimen that included yoga, group counseling, and an extremely low-fat vegetarian diet. The rest received their usual care and continued their regular lifestyle habits.

After a year, those in Dr. Ornish’s test group actually had clearer, more supple arteries -- indicating that their heart disease was reversing -- while the arteries of those in the control group continued to clog and harden. Eight years later, he published a follow-up study showing that 80 percent of 194 men and women with heart disease were able to avoid bypass surgery by following a similar lifestyle intervention program that included yoga.

Although the lion’s share of his colleagues credited the spartan, zero-saturated-fat food plan with bulldozing built-up plaque, Dr. Ornish steadfastly argues that adherence to yoga is as strongly correlated with reductions in artery blockage as is adherence to the diet.

During a 2003 study, a research team in India tested 113 men and women, ages 35 to 70, with documented coronary artery disease. They placed 71 in a yoga lifestyle program, which included stress management, exercise, and a plant-based diet, while the remaining volunteers took heart medications and followed a more typical Western medicine prescription of diet and lifestyle tweaks. One year later, the yoga group had fared much better, averaging a 23 percent drop in cholesterol levels compared with only a 4 percent reduction among the med-taking volunteers. What’s more, 44 percent of the yoga participants showed reversals of their heart disease, and artery hardening was stopped in its tracks for 47 percent -- significantly greater improvements than those in the control group.

Fight-or-Flight Deactivated

While there’s no denying that diet is a powerful component of the “yoga lifestyle,” the ability of this flowing, serene exercise to defuse stress is probably yoga’s most potent power in battling heart disease. We’ve all heard of the fight-or-flight response, which occurs when, at the slightest whiff of threat, your body’s Fort Knoxian personal security system gushes adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream to mobilize fat from your body’s stores to fuel your muscles -- and your escape. The problem is, in modern society, you’re more likely to face an angry boss than a charging buffalo, so instead of fighting or fleeing, you’re left stewing in that toxic self-defense cocktail. The result: elevated blood pressure, higher cholesterol, and an increased likelihood of blood clots.

Now for some good news. Just as your body is equipped with a punch-and-run reflex during times of perceived danger, it also has a pretty good peacetime plan, known as the relaxation response, which gives your battle-weary nervous system some much-needed R&R. The catch: Like a day spent with your mind wrapped up in a novel and your toes nestled in warm sand, the relaxation response doesn’t just happen during everyday chaotic life. You have to pursue it -- and yoga is one of the best paths you can take.

As you draw in deep belly breaths and release built-up tension by extending your limbs through their full range of motion, focusing your thoughts on each pose, you flip the switch that deactivates the fight-or-flight system and engages the relaxation response. Your heartbeat slows and your blood pressure drops. Over time, if you practice regularly, you can even lower the “alert level” of your autonomic nervous system so that you’re walking around more relaxed all the time.

Like standard stretching, yoga also increases circulation and improves blood supply to the heart. With better blood flow, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to deliver fresh nutrients and oxygen to your organs and muscles. By entering a relaxed state, you also increase your coronary blood flow by decreasing artery constriction.

As a side benefit, regular yoga stretching lengthens muscles and connective tissues, improving your flexibility and range of motion so you can enjoy heart-healthy aerobic and strengthening activities with less muscle soreness and chronic aches and pains.

Source : Readers Digest

Yoga for Depression - Part II (Yogajournal.com)

2008-05-18T04:32:00.000-07:00

In Yoga for Depression, Part I I discussed the two major types of depression, rajasic and tamasic, as conceptualized by my teacher Patricia Walden (and her teacher B.K.S. Iyengar), whose work has heavily influenced my own. That article described asana practices that can help lift students out of depression. Now let's review other useful yoga practices.
Pranayama Practices for Depression

For students with tamasic depression, pranayama practices that emphasize inhalation may be useful. Of course, getting your students to focus on engaging their abdominal muscles to help squeeze additional air out of the lungs on the exhalation facilitates an easier, deeper inhalation on the subsequent breath. Such breathing practices as three-part inhalation, and Ujjayi on the inhalation with normal exhalation, are examples of practices that increase the length of the inhalation relative to the exhalation.

Students with more rajasic depression may benefit from practices that bring attention to and lengthen the exhalation. Examples include three-part exhalations and 1:2 breathing, where, for example, you inhale for three seconds and exhale for six. Strong breathing practices such as Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath, sometimes called Breath of Fire) and Bhastrika (Bellows Breath), which tend to activate the sympathetic nervous system, may sometimes be too agitating for those who are already restless and fidgety. Let direct observation of the student be your guide, since finding the appropriate practice is ultimately a matter of trial and error. Furthermore, since a student's condition may change day to day, what's appropriate may also vary.
Other Practices for Depression

Chanting and other bhakti (devotional) practices can be useful for depression. Walden says that these practices bypass the brain and go directly to the emotions. Not all students respond to bhakti yoga, but in those who do, it can be powerful. Chanting tends to keep the brain occupied, and it's a natural way to extend the exhalation without thinking about it. You'd therefore expect it to be particularly useful for students with busy, rajasic minds.

Meditation can be a powerful tool over the long-term to facilitate greater levels of happiness. Dr. Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin has done research that shows that meditation tends to increase the activity of the left prefrontal cortex of the brain. Left-sided activation has been associated with greater levels of calm and happiness and well as more emotional resiliency, rendering practitioners better able to withstand the inevitable ups and downs of life. Students who are severely depressed may not be able to meditate, even if they keep their eyes open. If that’s the case, try to initiate meditative practices when they are out of the depths of depression to help insulate them against recurrences.

Yoga philosophy can also be of help. Yoga teaches that the more you do or think something, the more likely you are to do it or think it again. Any habit—what yoga calls a samskara—tends to get deeper with repetition. Thus a negative and self-flagellating inner dialogue may not just be a symptom of depression, it may help fuel it. One practice that Walden suggests is to consciously cultivate gratitude. "Count your blessings every day," she tells her students.

It can be useful to get out a pad of paper and try to list all you have to be grateful for. When you think about all the things that had to happen even for you to be born, it's a miracle you are here. Then there are all the people who've loved you, fed you, cared for you, and educated you throughout your life. It's also helpful to be thankful for the practice of yoga, which has been passed to us from masters who lived thousands of years ago, and the line of teachers extending from them to the present day. Such an exercise is an example of what Patanjali called "cultivating the opposite." The more you practice this—even if it's torturous at first—the deeper your "gratitude samskara" will become, and the more it can contribute to your well-being in the long run.
Taking a Step, No Matter How Small

Your students' journey out of depression begins with a single step from wherever they are right now. If they are severely depressed, it may be a struggle for them to practice at all. In that case, could you get them to commit to doing a single Sun Salutation, or even a single Down Dog Pose, every day? (Of course, once they get on their mats, they may find themselves doing more.) Or perhaps you could encourage them to study their interior dialogues to understand how recurrent thoughts may be sabotaging recovery. In severe cases, especially if suicide seems like a possibility, don't hesitate to refer your students to a doctor or psychotherapist. Even if such professional help is necessary, yoga can play a complementary role, likely rendering any psychotherapy or medication more effective.

Better still, even though yoga tends to help reverse depression slowly, its ultimate aim is much higher than achieving the "everyday discontent" that Freud viewed as the goal of psychoanalysis. Yoga, in contrast, teaches that life can be peaceful, full of purpose, happy, and even joyful, and that the source of that joy and contentment is found deep inside in each of us. Various yoga practices are simply tools to help get us there.

Yoga for Depression - Part 1 (Yogajournal.com)

2008-05-18T04:28:00.000-07:00

( Yoga Journal is one of the best magazines in Yoga and it has been a constant companion in learning a lot on tis subject ...)

When physicians use the word "depression," they don't mean feeling disappointed or blue, or grieving a loss—normal moods that everyone experiences from time to time. Clinical depression is a persistently sad, hopeless, and sometimes agitated state that profoundly lowers the quality of life and that, if untreated, can result in suicide. Doctors aim, with drugs and sometimes psychotherapy, to raise their patients' moods, but yoga has much loftier goals. As a yoga therapist, you want not only to help lift your students out of depression but to quiet their restless minds, put them in touch with their deeper purpose in life, and connect them with an inner source of calm and joy that yoga insists is their birthright.

My work with students with depression has been deeply influenced by my teacher Patricia Walden, who, as a younger woman, struggled with recurrent depression. Yoga, particularly after she began her studies with B.K.S. Iyengar in the 1970s, spoke to her in a way that no other treatments had, including psychotherapy and antidepressant medication.
Are Antidepressants Bad?

In recent years, doctors have increasingly focused their efforts in treating depression on changing the biochemistry of the brain, specifically by using drugs to raise the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin. This is the mechanism of action of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, the so-called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. But there are many other ways—including aerobic exercise and practicing yoga—to raise the levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters linked to depression.

While many people in the yoga world have a negative view of antidepressant medication, I believe that there are times when these medications are necessary and even lifesaving. While they have side effects and not everyone responds to them, some people with recurrent severe depression appear to do best if they go on and stay on medication. Others may benefit from using antidepressants for a shorter time to help them feel good enough to establish behaviors—such as an exercise regimen and a regular yoga practice—that can help keep them out of the depths of depression after the drugs are discontinued.

Still, many people with mild to moderate depression may be able to avoid drug therapy entirely. For them, in addition to yoga and exercise, psychotherapy, the herb St.-John's-wort, and increased amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets can help lift mood. These measures can also help in cases of severe depression, though St.-John's-wort should not be combined with prescription antidepressants.

One caution to yoga teachers: I have seen a lot of guilt-tripping of patients considering antidepressants, which people wouldn't dare do if the medication in question was for diabetes or heart disease. I think that's partly a remnant of the outdated notion that, when it comes to psychological problems, you should just buck up and will yourself to feel better. This approach, of course, rarely works and results in a lot of unnecessary suffering. As Patricia Walden says of drug therapy, "Thank God we've got this option."

Personalizing the Yogic Prescription

You’ll want to personalize your approach for each student with depression, but Walden finds it useful to divide students into two major categories, each with its own characteristics and yoga practices that are most likely to be helpful.

Some students' depression is marked by a dominance of tamas, the guna associated with inertia. These people may have a hard time getting out of bed and may feel lethargic and hopeless. Students with tamasic depression often have slumped shoulders, collapsed chests, and sunken eyes. It looks as if they are barely breathing. Walden likens their appearance to that of a deflated balloon.

A more common type of depression is marked by a predominance of rajas, the guna associated with activity and restlessness. These students are often angry, have stiff bodies and racing minds, and may appear agitated, with a hardness around their eyes. In Savasana (Corpse Pose) or restorative poses, their eyes may dart and their fingers won't stay still. These students frequently report difficulty in exhaling fully, a symptom often linked to anxiety.
Asana for Depression

From a yogic perspective, people with tamasic depression lack life force or prana. You'll want to concentrate on practices that bring breath to the body, particularly deep inhalations. If they are able to tolerate them, vigorous practices such as repeated Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar), arm balances, and other challenging poses can be therapeutic. The body and mind are so occupied with the practice that it's hard to brood. When teaching vigorous practices to students with depression, don't worry much about proper alignment. As long as they aren't doing anything that might cause an injury, it's better to have them just do the practice and focus on the movement of the breath. Backbends, in particular, can be stimulating and help fight tamas. These range from restorative poses such as supported Savasana (done with a bolster placed lengthwise under the torso) and supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) to more active poses such as Camel Pose (Ustrasana) and full backbends (Urdhva Dhanurasana). Once you've gotten students to overcome some of their tamas, they may be able to relax more deeply. If you try relaxation first, however, you may find them sinking into dark thoughts, defeating the purpose.

Students with rajasic depression also tend to respond to Sun Salutations and backbends, though some of them will find strong backbends too agitating. Vigorous practices have the advantage of helping students burn off some nervous energy, and also of being demanding enough to keep their attention from drifting.

Indeed, some students have such a tendency to brood or get swept away with anxious or negative thoughts that asking them to close their eyes in Savasana and restorative poses (and even during pranayama and meditation) may be counterproductive. Any of these practices can be done with open eyes or, if necessary, skipped entirely. In addition, Walden finds that propping students way up in Savasana, even having them lean on an inclined bolster placed against the wall, can be helpful. She'll often talk during Savasana, turning it into more of a guided relaxation practice.

8 Simple Stretches

2008-05-18T02:48:00.000-07:00

Stretching keeps muscles and joints limber. It's also an excellent way to relax yourself and release tension.

The program below combines simple stretching exercises with modified yoga poses. The series of stretches is designed to be done in sequence. But if any exercise feels too difficult or uncomfortable, skip it and go on to the next.

1. Side Stretch
Step A
Stand up straight with your feet together, fingers interlaced at chest level. Turn your palms away and raise your arms overhead. Lengthen your arms, torso and legs. Relax your neck and hold for a count of five.

Step B
Now bend slowly to the right and hold for a count of five. Return to the starting position. Then gently bend to the left and hold for a count of five.

2. Forward Bend
Step A
Bring your arms back down to your sides and pause. Now bend your knees slightly. Place your feet about six inches apart. Then bend slowly at the waist until your chest is resting on your thighs. Let your arms dangle in front of you and hold the position for about 20 seconds.

Step B
Slowly straighten your legs as much as feels comfortable. Keep your upper body and arms relaxed and in roughly the same position, and hold again for about 20 seconds. If you need a little extra support, place your hands on a 12-inch stool or block of wood.

3. Downward-Facing Dog
Step A
Straighten back up, then get down on all fours, hands and knees on the floor. Tuck your toes under so the balls of your feet are on the ground. Contracting your abdominal muscles, slowly lift your hips to form an upside-down V with your body. Allow your knees to bend slightly and your heels to rise off the floor.

Step B
Keeping your back straight, gently straighten your knees and press your heels toward the floor. Hold for 20 seconds.

4. Quad Stretch
Now slowly lower yourself to the floor and lie on your left side, your left arm supporting your head. With your right hand, grasp your right ankle. Gently pull your right foot toward your buttocks, feeling the muscles in the front of your leg stretch. Your right knee should be in line with your left one. Hold for 20 seconds, then roll over and repeat with your left foot.

5. Cobra
Return to resting position, face down on the floor with your legs together and the tops of your feet touching the mat or carpet. Place your hands on either side of your head, palms down and shoulder-width apart. Press up, raising your shoulders and resting on your forearms. Gaze forward or slightly up. Feel your lower back stretch and relax. Hold for 20 seconds.

6. Child's Pose
Return to the starting position of the cobra. Now slowly press up and back, bending at the knees and waist until you are sitting on the backs of your heels. The tops of your feet should be flat against the floor and your arms stretched flat on the floor in front of you. Lower your shoulders and your forehead to the ground, and hold for 20 seconds.

7. Hip Stretch
Step A
Roll over onto your back. Roll your pelvis to the right, gently lowering your right knee as close to the floor as you can. Hold for 20 seconds. Then repeat on the left side.

8. Corpse Pose
Slowly slide your feet out until your legs are flat on the floor. With your arms about 45 degrees from your side, palms up, and your legs about one to two feet apart, let your feet fall away from each other. Close your eyes and relax. Concentrate on releasing tension from the center of your body outward to your fingertips and toes.

Getting Comfortable for a Sitting Meditation

2008-05-18T02:26:00.000-07:00

How to sit comfortably: One of the most important aspects of a sitting meditation is to be able to sit comfortably, without an aching back, or legs hurting or going to sleep. If you are in pain or great discomfort, the only thing you will be meditating on is that! Options for sitting are in a chair, or on a meditation bench, or on a pillow on the floor. Most westerners are not trained from birth to sit comfortably on a hard floor. So a chair is probably best for most of us, beginners or otherwise-and many very great meditators with many years experience use a chair or stool for their meditations. It is not a sign of lack of meditative ability if you are unable to sit in the lotus posture or any other floor sitting position.

Chair sitting: Get a fairly straight-backed chair and sit forward in the chair so that both feet are flat on the floor. If your feet do not touch the floor, get a shorter chair or place a pillow or two under your feet to raise them so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Do not lean against the back of the chair! The idea is to sit with an upright, un-supported spine. However, if you are not used to sitting this way, or if you have weak neck/back muscles or injuries, there are ways to overcome this challenge. Get a firm pillow of some sort (the crescent shaped ones are very good for this) and put it between your back and the back of the chair. The feeling you want is that of support, but not leaning into it. Move the pillow around until you achieve this feeling. If you want to place a pillow in the seat of the chair, to cushion a too hard surface, that is fine. Meditate for short periods of time in the beginning and work up to longer amounts of time. This way your back muscles will strengthen gradually. Yoga stretches and other such exercises also strengthen your back muscles with time and regular practice.

Floor sitting: Meditation benches are a wonderful invention for making the legs feel comfortable and un-pressured and keeping the spine up-right. Finding the right size and height is important. Padding on the seat often helps. Adding small pillows under the knees or ankles might facilitate your comfort also. If you have never tried a bench, please be sure to experiment with one. Some people are more comfortable sitting cross-legged on a pillow. The crescent-shaped or round-plump pillows are designed to help with this position.

Experiment! Have a chair, lots of pillows, a bench and whatever else you want to try. When one position becomes tiresome, calmly switch to another. Eventually you'll find the best one for your body-type. Remember everybody's body is different.

A blanket or two: Many yogis recommend sitting on a wool rug, blanket, or piece of silk. Also the place you meditate should be a little on the cool side with a source of fresh air if possible. Thus another blanket or warm meditation shawl should be handy to wrap up in. The body does cool down a bit when you sit still for a while, so a wrap is often important to maintain an even body temperature. Get comfortable, but stay awake and ready!

Relaxation

2008-05-18T02:23:00.000-07:00

Relaxation

Just as it is necessary to release the tensions in the muscles, it is also essential to release the tensions in the mind. Usually, mental tension is caused by preoccupations about the past or desires for the future. If we would live completely in the here and now, it would be very easy to stay relaxed and happy. Meditation helps bring us into this state, but we must relax, at least partially, before we can begin to meditate effectively.

- "How to Meditate", Jyotish Novak

*******

Sitting still might seem easy, but it actually makes a tremendous demand on the body and mind. Most of the time our bodies are in motion, so much so, we hardly notice it. But once we stop moving, it can be very hard to maintain stillness. Allow for the fact that it takes time, each time you meditate, to go from motion to stillness, from outwardness to inwardness. This is true on every level of our being. Every moment of our lives we are usually active, unless we are asleep, and even then there is a certain level of movement of the body and mind. Meditation is being, not doing. Think of a lake, turbulent on the surface, but the depths are still and calm. To get to the depths you must dive through the restless surface.
*******

An important rule in life is: Don't be impatient. This rule is doubly important for meditation, for whereas the general stricture against impatience gives hope of finding inner peace in meditation, that hope is demolished if one applies to meditation itself attitudes that we've developed in the "rat race." To find God, it is better to be a long-distance runner than a sprinter. Today's meditative efforts will have to be renewed tomorrow, and again the day after tomorrow, and the day after that, and so on for as long as it takes to achieve the consciousness of the Eternal Now.

Don't let your approach to meditation be so achievement-oriented that you end up mentally tense. Yogananda, noting my own tendency toward impatience, once said to me, "The principle of karma yoga applies to meditative action also. Meditate to please God. Don't meditate with desire for the fruits of your meditations. It is best, in the beginning, to emphasize relaxation."

The more you seek rest as the consequence of doing, rather than in the process of doing, the more restless you will become. Peace isn't waiting for you over the next hill. Nor is it something you construct, like a building. It must be a part of the creative process itself.

Learn to be restful, even in the midst of activity, and you will be able to relax better when you sit to meditate. As Paramhansa Yogananda put it, "Be calmly active, and actively calm."

Meditation Keys for Beginners

2008-05-18T02:17:00.000-07:00

How long should you meditate? The first rule is, Don't be ruled by what others do. What works well for them may not work for you. Accept that in certain ways you are unique. Here are a few general guidelines:

Intensity of effort is far more important than the time spent in meditation.

Never meditate to the point of mental fatigue, strain, or boredom... If you feel joy in meditation, stop meditating when the joy begins to diminish. One rule for right eating is to leave the table a little hungry. Apply this rule to meditation. In that way, you'll always look forward to your next time for meditation.

On the other hand, make an effort to meditate a little longer at least once a week… Gradually you'll break the habit of thinking you can meditate only for short periods.

In longer meditations, imitate the ocean tides in their ebb and flow. Let periods of intense concentration alternate with periods of relaxed effort and peaceful receptivity. Like waves coming in to shore, high intensity will alternate with low intensity in long meditations, and there may be pauses when no waves come at all. Until you can transcend body-consciousness in superconsciousness, it is unlikely you'll be able to meditate deeply for very long. Think of your thoughts as dirt that has been stirred up in a glass. Stop stirring it, and it will gradually settle. The greatest difficulty, in long meditations especially, is physical tension. Make an extra effort to keep your whole body relaxed...

As a general guideline, I suggest you try to meditate at least half an hour twice a day-in the morning after you get up, and in the evening before going to bed. An hour and a half twice a day is better. But if you are a beginning meditator, more than one hour a day may be extreme. It is better to meditate a few minutes with deep concentration than a whole hour absentmindedly. Moreover, I don't mind bargaining with you! For although five minutes, let's say, isn't much for anyone who has developed a taste for meditation, it may be all you feel you can spend in the beginning. So be it! Think of meditation, if you like, as daily spiritual hygiene. You brush your teeth, bathe, and brush your hair every day: Why not add to that routine five minutes of meditation?

You'll come to enjoy meditating, in time. Then you'll find yourself meditating longer because you want to, and not because someone is nagging you to do so. But if you think you're too busy, here's something to think about: You can always find the time for something you enjoy doing, can't you? In time, you'll wonder how you ever lived without meditating daily. And the answer, of course, will be: You didn't. What you did, that is, wasn't really living.

Be natural in your efforts. Make haste slowly, as the saying goes. Don't force yourself to meditate when you'd very much rather be doing something else.

At the same time, don't stop meditating altogether with the excuse that you have other things to do. Remember, there's only one direction to go that makes any lasting sense: toward your own Self, in superconsciousness. No substitute will ever work for you; it's never worked for anyone. No appointment is more important than your appointment with-not death: life.

Be a little stern with yourself. Success won't come to people who never try. Only bear in mind that tension is counterproductive. In meditation, concentrate first of all on relaxation.

Remember this also: The more you meditate, the more you'll want to meditate; but the less you meditate, the less you'll enjoy doing it.

Another rule: As soon as you sit for meditation, get "down to business." Don't dawdle, as if telling yourself, "Oh, I have a whole hour, so what's the rush?"

Be regular in your hours and practices of meditation... It is a good practice to meditate at the same hours every day. Routine conditions the mind. You'll find yourself wanting to meditate whenever those hours return. It will be much easier, then, to set all distractions aside.

As soon as you sit to meditate, pray for depth and for guidance in your meditation. Pray also for peace for all humanity. Don't isolate your sympathies from others; embrace all in your divine love.

We develop intuition, Paramhansa Yogananda said, by prolonging the peaceful aftereffects of the meditation techniques... After meditation, don't strip your mental gears by plunging hastily into outer activity. Try to carry the meditative peace into everything you do. To develop this habit, it may help to begin with outward activities that don't involve your mind too much. While doing them, chant inwardly to God.

As a focus for your devotion, you may find it helpful to set up an altar in your place of meditation. Include pictures on the altar, if you like, of saints, or of images of God, or of infinite light and space.

A helpful practice also, if it pleases you, is the burning of incense as a devotional offering. The sense of smell is closely related to the memory faculty. You may recall, for example, catching in some fleeting scent a reminder of some childhood episode that awakened a host of associated memories. Incense, when used regularly in meditation, will help to create meditative associations in your mind, and bring you more quickly, therefore, to inner calmness.

Above all in meditation, be happy! If you want to experience peace, meditate peacefully. If you want to know love, offer love first, yourself.

Swami Kriyananda . www.anand.org

Mantra Meditation - Unlocking the Mystery of Om

2008-05-16T23:42:00.000-07:00

Om (also written Aum) is the oldest and most sacred sound found in yoga, Hinduism and Buddhism. Not only does Om represent the entire universe, known as Brahman, it is also said to be the source of all creation. Om represents all time: past, present, and future; and is beyond time itself. Om represents the eternal oneness of all that is, and thus represents the ultimate goal of yoga: to become unified in body, mind and spirit. Chanting the mantra Om is perhaps the oldest of yoga’s spiritual practices. In the Mandukya Upanishad we find this beautiful passage: “The body is the bow, Om is an the arrow, the arrow’s tip is the focused mind, and the ultimate Mystery is the target.” Thus, meditating on Om is used to guide one to discovering the higher Self, and the true nature of the universe. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali instructs one in contemplating the meaning of Om as a direct path to enlightenment. “The repetition of the sound of Om, along with a deep contemplation of the meaning of what it represents, brings both the realization of the individual Self (Atman) and the removal of obstacles that normally block this realization” (Yoga Sutras 1.27-1.29).

Om is said to be the essence of all mantras, and is used as the mula-mantra, the root and beginning of most mantras. Om is the bija (seed) mantra of the sixth chakra or third eye and chanting Om activates and opens this energy center. Om is also known as the adi-bija, the primary seed mantra. Om is used within sacred chants to increase their power and potency as well as to draw the practitioner into a deep internal state.

It is very important when repeating Om to pronounce the "O" sound correctly. In Sanskrit, the sound "O" is a diphthong-- a subtle speech sound that begins with one vowel and changes to another vowel within the same syllable. This “O” sound begins with an “A” sound as in “law” and ends with a “U” sound as in “put.” When these two vowel sounds are combined in this diphthong, it produces a single, pure vowel sound. Thus, when you pronounce Om it should sound like “home” without the beginning “h” sound. When pronouncing Om the sound should emanate from the navel, with a deep and harmonious vibration, and gradually rises upwards to resonate in the nostrils.

Though indivisible, Om has four subtle sounds that correspond to four levels of consciousness. The first sound of "A" represents Vaishvanara, the conscious waking state. The second sound of "U" represents Taijasa, the subtle, unconscious dream state. The third sound of "M" represents the Prajna, the casual, subconscious deep sleep state. The fourth sound is the silence that follows the sound of Om which represents Turiya, the absolute consciousness that illumines and pervades the three prior states.

When chanting Om, equal measure should be given to both the “O” and the “M” sounds, i.e. “oooommmm” and not “oommmmmm” or “oooooomm.” The mantra Om may be chanted aloud, whispered, or repeated mentally. The chanting of Om should be easy and natural, without strain. Usually when Om is chanted out loud it is long and when chanted mentally is it short, but experiment and do what feels most comfortable for you. When chanting Om you can also focus your gaze on the third eye center, the sixth chakra. If using Om as a mantra meditation you may wish to use a mala to count repetitions of 108.

Yoga for Insomnia

2008-05-16T23:37:00.000-07:00

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early, and/or feeling tired upon waking. Acute insomnia (lasting from one night to a few weeks) is the most common and is usually caused by stress, hormonal changes, and/or emotional problems. Fortunately, the stress reducing, calming and natural balancing effects of yoga make it a perfect remedy for mild and acute insomnia, and along with good sleep habits insomnia can often be prevented or quickly cured. A gentle practice of calming yoga poses will be generally effective to reduce stress and balance the body’s systems to promote good sleep. Since forward bending poses are traditionally known for their inherent calming effects, try to practice several of the following: seated and standing forward bends, downward facing dog, child, seated angle, seated head to knee, and yoga mudra.

If there is an emotional component to your insomnia that includes depression and anxiety, then incorporate the following poses to strengthen the energy of the body and open the heart center: fish, bridge, cobra, puppy dog, camel, goddess, warrior 1 and 2, and twisting squat. Also, practicing the Buddhist Metta meditation to cultivate loving-kindness to remove negative thought patterns will be helpful.

Hormonal imbalances are often a cause of insomnia. If so, forward bends and inversions will be particularly effective. Poses that massage the reproductive organs and activate the endocrine system will also be helpful, such as: bow, boat, bridge, crocodile, and seated twists.

If stress is contributing to your insomnia, then a more active or flowing approach to yoga would be warranted. Including some of the following hip openers and side bends in your yoga practice would also be beneficial: prayer squat, seated and standing angle, supine bound angle, half moon, half circle, and side seated angle. Establishing a daily meditation practice will also be important to calm the mind and effectively manage stress.

Always end your yoga practice with a 7-10 minute shavasana (relaxation) pose. You can also add a progressive muscle relaxation or a guided relaxation during shavasana to further calm and relax the body and mind.

Inversions, such as shoulderstand, plow, and headstand will be helpful to practice when you are having difficulty falling asleep. Also, practicing dirga pranayama, especially with an extended exhalation, will also be deeply calming to the body and mind, and can be practiced while lying in bed.

Chronic insomnia (lasting least three nights a week for a month or longer) will be harder to treat with yoga due to the possible underlying factors of other health conditions and/or side effects of medications. If chronic insomnia is present, consulting with a doctor or health professional will be essential to address any underlying medical issues.

Yoga in America - By Yogajournal.com

2008-05-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

February 26, 2008 (San Francisco, CA) – The latest "Yoga in America" study, just released by Yoga Journal (yogajournal.com) shows that Americans spend $5.7 billion a year on yoga classes and products, including equipment, clothing, vacations and media (DVDs, videos, books and magazines). This figure represents an increase of 87 percent compared to the previous study in 2004—almost double of what was previously spent.

Data for this survey were collected by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau on behalf of Yoga Journal. The poll surveyed 5,050 respondents, a statistically representative sample of the total U.S. population. Yoga Journal commissioned RRC Associates, a research firm in Boulder, Colo., to perform the data analysis.

The 2008 study indicates that 6.9% of U.S. adults, or 15.8 million people, practice yoga. (In the previous study, that number was 16.5 million). Of current non-practitioners, nearly 8%, or 18.3 million Americans, say they are very or extremely interested in yoga, triple the number from the 2004 study. And 4.1% of non-practitioners, or about 9.4 million people, say they will definitely try yoga within the next year.

The study also collected data on age, gender and other demographic factors. Of the yoga practitioners surveyed:

* 72.2% are women; 27.8% are men.
* 40.6% are 18 to 34 years old; 41% are 35 to 54; and 18.4% are over 55.
* 28.4% have practiced yoga for one year or less; 21.4% have practiced for one to two years; 25.6% have practiced two to five years; and 24.6% have practiced more than five years.
* 71.4% are college educated; 27% have postgraduate degrees.
* 44% of yogis have household incomes of $75,000 or more; 24% have more than $100,000.

"While the yoga population has stabilized, spending among practitioners has nearly doubled," says Patricia Fox, senior vice president and group manager of Active Interest Media's Healthy Living Group. "Yoga practitioners are a devoted consumer group supporting a thriving and vibrant market."

The 2008 study also indicated that almost half (49.4%) of current practitioners started practicing yoga to improve their overall health. In the 2003 study, that number was 5.6%. And they are continuing to practice for the same reason. According to the 2008 study, 52% are motivated to practice yoga to improve their overall health. In 2003, that number was 5.2%.

"Yoga is no longer simply a singular pursuit but a lifestyle choice and an established part of our health and cultural landscape," says Bill Harper, publisher of Yoga Journal. "People come to yoga and stick with it because they want to live healthier lives."

One significant trend to emerge from the study is the use of yoga as medical therapy. According to the study, 6.1%, or nearly 14 million Americans, say that a doctor or therapist has recommended yoga to them. In addition, nearly half (45%) of all adults agree that yoga would be a beneficial if they were undergoing treatment for a medical condition.

"Yoga as medicine represents the next great yoga wave," says Kaitlin Quistgaard, editor in chief of Yoga Journal. "In the next few years, we will be seeing a lot more yoga in health care settings and more yoga recommended by the medical community as new research shows that yoga is a valuable therapeutic tool for many health conditions."
The growth in the yoga market is reflected in the growth of Yoga Journal. The magazine saw an increase of 5.8 percent in paid circulation, and an increase of 9.2 percent in paid subscriptions, in the period from July through December 2007, over the same period in the previous year, while the first two issues of 2008 were record issues in terms of ad revenue and ad pages. The magazine is also a top-selling health and fitness title at Barnes & Noble nationwide as well as at Whole Foods.

The Epic Book on Kundalini Yoga

2008-05-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

It is by chance that I came across Gopikrishna , a Kundalini Yogi expert who contributed to one of the most powerful Yoga Techniques called Kundalini Yoga . I will never recommend anyone to try the same at home unless you have a guided expert and also please make suer you read GopiKrishnas book well before indulging in Kundalini Yoga . The reason is that it is a very powerful technique and it needs guidance to be properly trained as far as I know . Gopi Krishna was an office worker and spiritual seeker from Kashmir who was born in 1903, and wrote autobiographical accounts of his spiritual experiences. One famous one is Kundalini: Path to Higher Consciousness. Two unlikely events led him to the practice of yoga. First, his father renounced the world to lead a religious life leaving his twenty-eight year old mother with the responsibility of raising him and his two sisters. His mother as a result pinned all her hopes for success on her only son. Second, he disappointed his mother by failing a college house examination which prevented him from attending the university. He attributed this failure to his lack of mental discipline, as he had spent his time at college pursuing enjoyable subjects and ignoring those that would be required for the examination.Over a period of years, he developed the ability to sit for a period of hours in concentration without any discomfort.

The following account which took place in 1937 describes his first Kundalini experience which occurred while he was visualizing "an imaginary Lotus in full bloom, radiating light" at the crown of his head.
Suddenly, with a roar like that of a waterfall, I felt a stream of liquid light entering my brain through the spinal cord.
Entirely unprepared for such a development, I was completely taken by surprise; but regaining my self-control, keeping my mind on the point of concentration. The illumination grew brighter and brighter, the roaring louder, I experienced a rocking sensation and then felt myself slipping out of my body, entirely enveloped in a halo of light. It is impossible to describe the experience accurately. I felt the point of consciousness that was myself growing wider surrounded by waves of light. It grew wider and wider, spreading outward while the body, normally the immediate object of its perception, appeared to have receded into the distance until I became entirely unconscious of it. I was now all consciousness without any outline, without any idea of corporeal appendage, without any feeling or sensation coming from the senses, immersed in a sea of light simultaneously conscious and aware at every point, spread out, as it were, in all directions without any barrier or material obstruction. I was no longer myself, or to be more accurate, no longer as I knew myself to be, a small point of awareness confined to a body, but instead was a vast circle of consciousness in which the body was but a point, bathed in light and in a state of exultation and happiness impossible to describe. Krishna, Pandit Gopi, Kundalini: Path to Higher Consciousness (New Delhi: Orient Paperbacks, 1992), pps. 6-7 ...

You can download Kundalini book here - Picture of another book ... http://www.esnips.com/doc/f07a7a4d-1ec0-404a-a8df-19810bc95a9f/Kundalini-the-evolutionary-energy-in-man

You can download Autobiography of a Yogi here -
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7452

How to choose a Yoga System ?

2008-05-14T11:13:00.001-07:00

How to choose the right school of practice for you. There are almost as many styles of yoga as there are yoga teachers. Here is a list of styles and their features so you can find one that's suitable. Whatever you choose, find a good teacher who has undergone hundreds of hours of training.

Flow a.k.a Vinyasa

Can be soft and slow, or a vigorous, strength-building cardio workout, depending on the teacher and the class.
Probably the most popular style in a Western culture that values achievement over spirituality; this style developed into "power yoga."
Recommended for "Type A" competitive folk who like sports or work in demanding, high-pressure jobs (harder classes), and low-stamina folk hoping to build strength and endurance.

Iyengar

Slower, stretchy movement that emphasizes precise alignment of the body in each posture; employs lots of props and body inversions.
Unforgiving of losing "correct" alignment.
Recommended for those with back problems or people not interested in the spiritual component of the practice.

Kundalini

Seeks to unlock the body's potential by focusing on chakras.
The quest for spiritual and psychological growth is central; lots of meditation and chanting.
Recommended for the open-minded (Kundalini strikes some as dogmatic and overtly religious) and the pregnant (it's low-impact).

Yin

Focuses on opening the joints and interior tissues of the body.
Seems like a softer style—until you try holding a camel pose for 20 minutes.
Recommended for people who want to gain flexibility more than muscle or are "tight" mentally from working in a high-pressure environment.

Anusara

One of the youngest and fastest-growing styles; it means "following your heart."
Seems hippie-ish at first—each class begins with a chant in Sanskrit—but it's also powerfully athletic, with meditation.
Recommended for those interested in trying meditation and relaxation techniques.

Yoga - A Living Experience

2008-05-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

IN AN exclusive interview to this Correspondent Sathguru Jaggi Vasudev, founder of Isha Yoga Center, addressed some of the doubts that often beset a participant of the centre's programmes.

What was the inspiration for you to consecrate the Dhyanalinga?

The Dhyanalinga was my Guru's dream. Ever since this memory descended upon me 22 years ago, my life has been a single-point agenda of consecrating it. The Linga is an enormous spiritual tool. This one has been consecrated not through mantras and rituals but through energy processes. It is an energy form. The stone Linga itself is not important. Even a person who is totally ignorant of meditation will become meditative within a few minutes of being in that space. The Dhyanalinga is a Guru of the highest possibility who delivers the spiritual processes without a single instruction. This is our gift to posterity.

You do not conform to any tradition or philosophy; yet, there are elements of different spiritual traditions in the make-up of Isha Yoga. Is your method one of integration?

It is not a question of integration. What you see here, as Isha Yoga, is a pure expression of inner experience. Maybe in various spiritual traditions around the world, some aspects that we are using in Isha Yoga could be present... What is being offered is a deep understanding of the human being — the physical, mental, energy, etheric and spiritual dimensions. This understanding has not come from scholarship but from pure experience within. Various traditions you see today, also at some point, started as the inner experience of an enlightened being. To ensure that distortions or misuse do not happen we have set up necessary safeguards. Who you are, your innermost core is Isha Yoga.
Your work has been channelled into social concerns like rural development, forest conservation, Yoga for prisoners and so on. Do they not deviate from the purpose of your real mission?
Human wellbeing is our real mission. Learning to live joyfully is the greatest thing that can happen to a person. So all these programmes are only aimed at that — to bring about transformation within so that the ability to be joyful is not controlled or enslaved to external situations. The work is fundamentally spiritual, so there is no question of deviating.

Yoga today has become a buzzword for the health and fitness conscious. In your programmes, do the majority of the participants rise to its true spiritual dimension?

People come to Isha Yoga programmes for various reasons like health, to get rid of stress, obesity, spiritual and so on. That is perfectly okay with me because after all a person seeks what he does not have. When a person does not have basic health or wellbeing, he cannot seek enlightenment or other dimensions of life. Health and wellbeing is a natural outcome of Yogic practices that anyway gets taken care of. Everybody is seeking spirituality; it is just that most people are seeking it unconsciously.
Whether they are seeking consciously or unconsciously, that is not the point; that they are seeking is important. Isha Yoga, that is offered naturally, raises the practitioners to the spiritual dimension. From a simple tribal person to a criminal in the prison to top executives around the world, all have been touched by it and it has become a living experience for them.

Becoming the Master of Thought

2008-05-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

Thought is the Master of us all - a good thought is a good master and a bad thought is a bad master. Good thought uplifts, makes the mood brighter, and makes us feel on 'top of the world'.
Bad thoughts are like a sack full of stones tied to us, pulling us down at every stage, overcoming us with lethargy, disinterest and even violent aggression. Hostile thoughts are deeply destructive even if contained within - they 'eat' us up by sapping our energy and vitality.
We are continuously guided by our thoughts at every moment of our existence. Even when we are asleep a good thought (dream) can bring the faintest of smile on our lips while a bad one can make us break into a cold sweat. Our mind is endlessly enslaved by our thoughts. This much we know and have individually experienced. But is good thought really 'good'? Not so, as long as it is our Master. The hard reality of life is that a Master-Slave relationship always results in the exploitation of the slave. This is a practical reality and our relationship with our thoughts is no different. As long as 'Thought' remains the Master, it will continue to exploit our mind and through that - us.

Quite humorous actually - and in fact humbling, to realize that we are nothing but a product of our thought - our actions, behavior and all what we are is just a consequence of the hold that 'thought' has upon us. We are merely the vehicle and Thought is our driver.
Now what if our driver has had a bad hair day! He decides to take his anger out on his lovely vehicle (us). As he transforms from good to bad, the vehicle starts getting shaky, is tossed around to its limits and experiences exorbitant wear and tear.Oh dear, if only the good thought had remained good - why did it have to become bad ;) So, what is good today can become bad tomorrow totally on its own whims and fancy without 'you' having a say.

Just imagine that our entire life is dictated by our thoughts. We do - action or inaction - in the hope that it will stimulate our thought (please our master) who, in turn, will gratify our senses. But we only hope and, in fact, have no control on how our Master interprets what we do.
As slaves, can we really enjoy the beauty of life without any control? In fact, none of us even know what this 'beauty of life' is and honestly, these will remain hollow words so long as we remain slaves.

Role ReversalNow, imagine if the role was reversed; if you could change the nature of your thoughts like a switch. If you could be 'genuinely' rejoicing from within, at will, even in the face of the worst adversity - if somehow you could 'disconnect' your thought from the situation at hand and manipulate your thought to feel totally free and blissful.
In other words, becoming a Master of your thought.
Wouldn't such a person be the most powerful one on earth, where no situations could be created to disturb him? If WE could create thoughts at will to gratify our senses, wouldn't we be the most blissful persons on this earth?
Perhaps such a feeling MUST be experienced to know its power. Perhaps such a feeling cannot be put into words and that is why we do not know what we are missing.
The point is that can it be done? Can this relation between Slave and Master be altered?
That precisely is the path of Yoga & Meditation. Meditation helps us achieve it - that is what the Great Masters and Scriptures claim. One truth that I have realized is that Meditation need not be a journey where the finish line is Utopia while the path is full of thorns. No sir, it need not be. In fact, I have begun to see the truth behind the statement that meditation is both a process and a goal. As you delve into the meditation process, you will start seeing situations with a new perspective and more as a 'witness'. You will start 'feeling' the control slowly flowing into you as you set out to realize this with a true spiritual purpose. Every small step taken serves to alter your thinking just that bit AND makes the experience of living that much lighter and fuller.
Issues that would normally agitate you, become surprisingly fewer in number while an aura of peace starts overcoming you. You can start switching off from disturbing situations more easily than you could ever do in the past. Isn't that a reason good enough to be on the meditative path without the need to 'achieve' any goal? How do we get into the meditative path?For different mindsets, there are different techniques - one really has to find out for oneself what works best, perhaps, under the guidance of a spiritual Guru. In subsequent issues, I may touch upon certain techniques that help you practice effective meditation.
But at this point, I'll leave you to ponder whether you would like to experience meditation for the broader reason of - 'freedom from the bondage of thought'?
It is my belief that unless you really make that a reason, the lesser by-products of stress-relief, relaxation, vitality etc. will only be illusory.

Healthandyoga.com

Yoga for Sinusitis - Jalaneti

2008-05-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

World over people suffer from Sinus related problems . It has caused lots of distress and suffering for people and there many medicines that are quite ineffective in the market which doesn’t sinus directly but tries to reduce its symptoms like headache .
Image of a a neti pot .

What is jalaneti?

Well, to put it simply, jalaneti is a cleansing practice of the sinus passages with warm saline water. Yogis have practiced it for centuries for its innumerable and powerful benefits. It is also called Neti or Saline Nasal Irrigation.In yoga, it has been used for its extremely powerful physical, psychological and spiritual benefits. However, in the modern world - fed on an attitude of immediate gains - jalaneti has gained immense popularity because of its dramatic effect on the sinuses

It solves the sinus infection and allergy problems without the use of drugs with immediate, immense and sustained results AND without side effects. You can read a sampling of the testimonials that we receive every single day by clicking here

At the immediate level, neti is a great tool for any kind of respiratory disorder – sinusitis, allergy, asthma, hay fever to name a few. People invariably notice an immediate relief, which drugs fail to achieve. Neti helps to re-program the body’s natural mechanisms against respiratory complaints including sore throats, coughs, postnasal drips etc.
Other benefits:

It can be of great benefit to problems associated with the eyes and ears such as certain types of deafness and myopia. But the great mental and spiritual effects overshadow these tremendous physical benefits . Neti has a cooling and soothing effect on the brain and is therefore beneficial for headaches, migraine, depression, mental tensions and even epilepsy, hysteria and temper tantrums.It stimulates better powers of visualization and concentration and gives a feeling of lightness and clarity to the mind.

On a higher plane, it is very effective for meditation as it works on the subtle effects of the olfactory bulb, and the psychic center, which is known as the Ajna Chakra in yoga.But the best part is that it is excellent for those trying to give up smoking. It reduces mouth breathing and re-sensitizes the nose to the indecency and discomfort of ingesting smoke, therefore deprogramming the brain of the physical and psychological addiction.

If it’s so good, why is neti relatively slow in gaining popularity?
Good question. Let me try and answer that…

First is our OWN inertia. Somehow, we as humans cannot imagine the thought of pouring water up our nostrils – the involuntary thought is “what will happen”. Well, nothing really – what goes in comes out – and invariably the reaction changes from one of apprehension to one of unbridled delight.

Secondly, the drug lobbies are certainly not obliging. After all they haven’t found anything as yet that treats colds and allergies well enough and that too WITHOUT side effects. Jalaneti has been projected as something “esoteric” and oriental.

Despite this, neti is gaining immense popularity because of the strong undercurrent of support and propagation by the ever-growing neti doers – including leading doctors and pediatricians.

How to do it?

For the benefit of understanding, I shall only briefly highlight the procedure. The detailed instructions are provided with the neti pot should you ever decide to try this practice.

A special “Neti Pot” is filled with warm, slightly salted water and the spout of the pot is inserted into one nostril. The position of the head and pot are adjusted to allow the water to flow out of the other nostril. This procedure is then alternated with the other nostril. That’s it. The water drains out flushing the nasal passages and the linings thoroughly. After these the nostrils are dried out through special techniques.

Despite this, neti is gaining immense popularity because of the strong undercurrent of support and propagation by the ever-growing neti doers – including leading doctors and pediatricians.

Why is neti so great?

Besides being used to treat full-blown sinus infections, neti is perhaps the BEST preventive. Almost all of us can “sense” when we are about to catch a cold or an impending throat infection. But more frustrating is the “helplessness” or the inability to do anything about it as it takes over our defenses. It is here that neti really outscores everything else. Just flushing your ENT passages through neti a couple of times a day ensures that the infection does not take root and just passes by.

So, it’s wise to consider shedding your apprehension and trying this wonderful practice. And if you can’t give up smoking through it, I’ll at least guarantee that you’ll NEVER get a full-blown cold or a sinus infection.

Read the figures and testimonials by clicking here

Now, you can’t get a better tool than that can you?

Source : healthandyoga.com

Mind-Body Pioneer

2008-05-12T15:12:00.001-07:00

The connection between mind and body is stronger than you think.
By PsychologyToday.com

When I started medical practice as a young cardiologist more than 30 years ago, the term “mind-body medicine” was unknown. In the late 1960s, my work linking stress to physical health flew in the face of existing medical thought. It is, therefore, quite gratifying today to be advancing this now scientifically validated field at a time of unprecedented interest in the unity of mind, body and spirit.

My own work in establishing the mind-body connection started when I noticed that my patients had elevated blood pressure during regular checkups. To test my hypothesis that stress was the cause, I returned to my alma mater, Harvard Medical School, to try to establish a model for stress-induced hypertension. We trained squirrel monkeys to either raise or lower blood pressure using operant conditioning technology. We found that the monkeys that were “rewarded” for higher blood pressure went on to develop hypertension, due to their own behaviors.

While this study was under way, I was approached by young practitioners of transcendental meditation who asked me to monitor their blood pressure. They believed they had lower blood pressures as a result of their meditation practice. This type of study was unheard of, but I did consent, after much deliberation. Robert Keiter Wallace and I measured blood pressure, heart rate, brain waves, metabolism and rate of breathing—both when the subjects sat quietly for 20 minutes and when they meditated for 20 minutes. What we found was astounding.

Through the simple act of changing their thought patterns, the subjects experienced decreases in their metabolism, breathing rate and brain wave frequency. These changes appeared to be the opposite of the commonly known “flight-or-fight” response, and I called it the “relaxation response.”

The relaxation response can be elicited by a number of meditative techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, repetitive prayer, qi gong, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, jogging—even knitting. There are two basic and necessary steps which I found to be present in practices in almost every culture: the repetition of a sound, word, phrase or prayer; and the passive setting aside of intruding thoughts and returning to the repetition. From the earliest studies to the present, our work shows that by using your mind in a certain way—to elicit the relaxation response—measurable, predictable and reproducible physiological changes occur that can be useful in countering the unhealthy flight-or-fight response.

A healing tool

Over the past 20 years, my colleagues and I have treated many thousands of people for medical problems poorly addressed by the two modes of conventional medical practice: pharmaceuticals and surgery. I view medicine as a three-legged stool, with mind-body medicine, the third leg, essential in holding up medication and surgery, the other two. Since roughly 60% to 90% of doctor visits are for conditions related to stress, it is vital not to neglect a mind-body approach.

The Mind/Body Medical Institute’s (MBMI) clinical programs treat patients with a combination of relaxation response techniques, proper nutrition and exercise and reframing of negative thinking patterns, in conjunction with the beliefs of patients. Clinical studies over the years have shown the effectiveness of interventions on a wide range of medical problems caused or made worse by stress, such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, pain, insomnia, allergies, repetitive stress injury and infertility, among many others. Practicing the relaxation response daily can boost the immune system and make one more resistant to the harmful effects of constant stress.

Through the deeply meditative practice of Tum-mo yoga, Tibetan monks are able to dry wet sheets placed on their bodies in near-freezing temperatures by raising their skin temperatures 17 degrees. How the human body can perform this remarkable feat is still unknown, yet it serves as a striking demonstration of the awesome mind-body powers we all possess.

Demystifying Yoga

2008-05-12T15:11:00.003-07:00

Few of the most prominent question asked questions about Yoga are
Is yoga a religion? Do I have to be able to twist up like a pretzel to do yoga? And
lastly, do I have to add aerobics and weight training to yoga to stay in shape?

This article should help you find a way to make a decision !

The Spiritual Side of Yoga
Yoga pre-dates any organized religion and is over 4000 years old. It is an oral
tradition and was codified approximately 3500 years ago by the sage Patanjali in
a text called the “Yoga Sutras”. Yoga is a science of techniques or philosophies
whose purpose is to bring the individual closer to their divine whoever that may
be. Yoga’s two main goals are to remove the root cause of pain and suffering
and to attain enlightenment. This is done through the eight limbs which are
documented in the Yoga Sutras”. Yoga means to yoke or unite and Sutras are
threads. The eight limbs (translated from Sanskrit) consist of restraints,
observances, postures, breathing, sense-withdrawal, concentration, meditation,
and enlightenment.

Benefits of Yoga
Hatha yoga ( mostly postures related to animals ) which is what most people are familiar with consists of the postures
and breathing techniques and can be practiced alone to achieve the health
benefits that come along with yoga. The following are some of the benefits of
yoga:
• Increased flexibility
• Improved memory and mental focus
• Relaxation
• Toxin release
• Improved Sleep
• Improved Digestion
• Self awareness and cultivation of compassion

You do not have to be extremely flexible or strong to practice yoga; a good
teacher will provide you with props or pose modifications to make most poses
accessible to everyone. With enough practice flexibility and strength comes along
with doing yoga. Focus on the proper alignment and keeping yourself from
getting injured are the keys to a beginning yoga practice. When looking for a
school or instructor it is important to not be forced into attempting anything
beyond your ability. If your first class involves doing headstands or
shoulderstands and no modifications are provided you may wish to seek another
school or class structured around the beginning ability level. It is even wise to
set up your first class as a private session with the instructor.
There have been studies conducted that discuss whether or not other
types or strength training or aerobics are needed, and results have varied. There
are different styles of yoga and many of them really get your heart pumping! The
advanced breathing techniques learned in yoga will also improve cardiovascular
fitness. Even beginning levels of yoga practice will begin to sculpt and tone your
body, it just takes patience and results may take longer than lifting weights. A
basic physiological premise in yoga is that muscles that are tone have the ability
to contract and relax and yoga is ultimately a non-muscular activity and one of
balance but this takes years, maybe even a lifetime to achieve. Hardened
muscles and six-pack abs mean you are in a constant state of contraction and
that is not muscle tone! Overall the practice of yoga is health for the mind, body,
and soul and the changes you notice through practice can begin to change your
entire life!

I hope you make a wise choice and take up Yoga as a way to improve yourself and people around you .

Surya Namaskar ( Sun Salutation )

2008-05-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is the first posture in any Yogic System . This is from the Ashtanga Yoga system . Its origins lie in a worship of Surya , the Hindu Solar Diety. This sequence of movements and poses can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sadhana which incorporates asana , pranayama , manthra and chakra meditation .

The physical base of the practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically performed series . These asanas are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.

Proponents of the use of Surya namaskara as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which the orthodox consider to be the most ’spiritually favourable’ time of the day.

Surya Namaskara , Sun Salutation

Starts at Samastithi . Place both feet together. Seal the inner leg. The spine is straight and long. Engage the Bhandas. Place the arms by your side. Gaze forward, or at the tip or your nose. Breathe deeply.

1 - Ekam Inhale. Bring your both arms up. Place palms together. Look up at your thumbs.
2 - Dwi Exhale. Fold forward, forehead, or knee to the knees. The abdomen is completely in. Hands flat on the floor. Look at the toes.
3 - Trini Inhale. Lock half the way up. Straight your spines as if were going to do a back bending. Lean forward slightly.
4 - Cheturi Exhale. Walk or jump back. Push up position. You may stay in the push up or lay down on the floor.
5 - Panca Inhale. Straighten the arms. Push your chest out. Look up and back. Knees straight lifted. Point your toes.
6 - Shat Exhale. Push the hips up. Downward facing Dog. Heels on the floor. Chin Towards your chest. Looking at your belly bottom. Knees straight. Lift knee caps. Abdomen in. Engage Bhandas. Stay here for 20 seconds taking 5 deep breaths .
7 - Sapta Inhale. Jump or walk back. Straighten your knees. Half the way up. Lengthen the spine.
8 - Astoe Exhale. Fold forward. Forehead or chin towards your knees. Look at the toes.
9 - Nava Inhale. All the way up. Arms up. Look at your thumbs.
10 - Desha Exhale. Samastithi.

Kriya Yoga : Conscious Living and Superconscious Meditation

2008-05-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Roy Eugene Davis , is a direct disciple of Yoganada . He is an ordained teacher of Kriya Yoga tradition and is currently based in Pheonix , Arizona .

Kriya Yoga:
Philosophy and Lifestyle Practices
The Sanskrit word kriya means “action.” Yoga can mean the practices used to facilitate overall well-being and spiritual growth, or oneness-consciousness: the final result of practice. In Patanjali’s yoga-sutras, a two thousand year old treatise on superconscious meditation, kriya yoga is defined as discipline of mental and sensory impulses, self analysis, profound study of metaphysics (higher realities), meditation, and surrender of ordinary self-consciousness (egoism) in favor of God-realization.

Kriya yoga is a concentrated approach to Self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment: complete awakening to full knowledge of the Infinite and of cosmic processes. It includes the most effective processes of all systems of yoga, with emphasis on wholesome, constructive living and superconscious meditation practice. The purpose of kriya yoga practice is to restore the practitioner’s awareness to wholeness. This is accomplished by acquiring knowledge of one’s true nature as a spiritual being; cultivating rational thinking, emotional balance, and physical health; purposeful living; and meditation.

To facilitate the unfoldment of innate qualities and elicit superconscious states, specific meditation techniques are taught and practiced. Beginning meditators are usually taught how to use a simple word or sound (mantra) to focus attention. After a period of preparatory study and practice, initiation into advanced meditation processes can be requested.

Although kriya yoga has been known and practiced for centuries, it was Roy Eugene Davis’ guru, Paramahansa Yogananda, who first emphasized it in the west. Yogananda traveled from India to America in 1920 and lectured, wrote, and trained disciples for 32 years before his passing in 1952. His best known book, Autobiography of a Yogi, is now published in multiple languages around the world.

Know the Truth Through Meditation - Shiva Bala Yogi’s story

2008-05-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

The great yogi who called himself simply “Swamiji” was named Sathyaraju by his parents. He was born on January 24th, 1935, into a family of weavers in Adivarapupeta, a small village in South India on the East Coast, near the mouth of the Godavari River. Poverty forced him to drop out of grade school to work at the family hand loom and at various odd jobs.

On August 7, 1949, when he was fourteen years old, Sathyaraju had a spiritual experience in which God in the form of Shiva suddenly appeared in the form of a handsome ascetic with long matted hair. Shiva touched Sathyaraju on the forehead and the boy immediately passed into deep samadhi (enlightenment).

In this way did the balayogi (boy yogi) begin twelve years of tapas, a spiritual austerity and purification to attain Self realization. He meditated in samadhi for twenty-three hours every day for eight years, returning to ordinary consciousness at midnight long enough to wash himself and perhaps drink a cup of milk. In those eight years he mastered meditation in all four cardinal directions: East, North, West and South. Then he meditated twelve hours every day for another four years. There were times when he remained in continuous samadhi for months.

Upon attaining Self realization (or God realization; Swamiji regarded them to be the same), his Divine Guru gave him the name Shiva Bala Yogishwara, meaning Lord of Yogis devoted to Shiva and Bala (the male and female aspects of God the Holy Spirit). Swamiji shortened the name to Shivabalayogi to avoid any suggestion that he equated himself with Ishwara, a name of God. He was instructed to use the powers he attained through tapas (tapas shakti) to comfort the grieving, heal the sick and bring enlightenment to those who seek God.

Shivabalayogi often told devotees that he had successfully performed tapas in many previous lifetimes. He had no personal need to do tapas again, but he incarnated and completed an unusually severe tapas at the instructions of the Divine Guru.

hivabalayogi is regarded as one of India’s greatest spiritual souls. His tapas was difficult because it was done for the sake of others. If we do ten percent of the work, he would often say, he will do the remaining ninety percent.

Shivabalayogi emerged from twelve years of tapas on August 7, 1961, before a crowd estimated by the press at several hundred thousand. They saw a body weak and scarred from twelve years of unusually intense meditation and extreme physical hardship. But witnesses described how he shone with a divine luster and his face glowed with the peace and divine grace inherent in his complete Self realization. His mere presence calmed the pushing and jostling multitude. Four decades later he continues to bring peace to those who come into his presence (darshan).

Shivabalayogi dropped his physical body on March 28, 1994 and it was interred in the Samadhi at Adivarapupeta on April 2, 1994. Since then, he continues to give darshan and blessings in the same ways he had over the three previous decades: through meditation, vibhuti, visions, dreams, and bhava samadhi.

Kindly visit www.shiva.org for more info

Energization Technique by Yogananda

2008-05-12T15:02:00.001-07:00

Experience Some of the Energization Exercises

“We are beings of energy…Our bodies, our health, our happiness, our very thoughts are determined by the level and direction of our energy.”

—Jyotish Novak, Ananda Course in Self-Realization, Part One

The Energization Exercises are comprised of thirty-nine exercises. Once you become familiar with the routine it takes about ten to twelve minutes to practice. To learn this technique effectively, however, requires that you see the exercises demonstrated, either by an Ananda Meditation Teacher, or through our video, book and audio resources. If you live in an area where instruction is unavailable, you can still learn the Energization Exercises through our comprehensive aids. You can order these online by visiting

For now, let’s practice three exercises from this system. Although it’s only three you will be learning, practicing them will give you many of the benefits of the technique: increased energy; an awareness of its flow in the body; and a sense of well-being. Doing these exercises before you meditate will also help to release any stored, bodily tension and enable you to sit still longer and more comfortably.

The best way to relax the body in meditation is consciously to withdraw the energy from it. These exercises will help you bring greater will power and deeper awareness to this practice. When you meditate, it is suggested that you first do the Energization Exercises, then the preparatory meditation techniques of tensing and relaxing and regular, even-count breathing, then the Hong Sau meditation technique.

Energization Exercises

Begin with this prayer:“O Infinite Spirit, recharge this body with thy cosmic energy, this mind with thy concentration and this soul with thy ever-new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and ever.”

1. Double Breathing (with palms touching)

With your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder level, exhale with the double breath, bend your knees slightly and bring your arms to the front until your palms touch. With a double inhalation, bring your arms back out, straighten your legs - and tense the entire body upwards in a wave. Relax the body down in a wave in reverse order with a double exhalation. Repeat 3-5 times.

Double breathing is a short and long inhalation through the nose and a short and long exhalation through the nose and mouth. This double breath allows you to inhale and exhale more deeply and to oxygenate the blood. To practice a “double breath,” begin by inhaling strongly through the nose with a short, sharp inhalation followed directly by a long, strong inhalation - completely filling the lungs. Then, without pause, exhale twice through the nose and mouth with a short, then a long exhalation - making the sound: “Huh, Huhhhhhh.” Feel cosmic energy flowing into the medulla oblongata with the breath.

2. Body Recharging (first phase)

Stand upright. Inhale slowly, and gradually tense the whole body (with low, medium, and then high tension) to the point where it vibrates. Gaze upward at the point between the eyebrows, and with concentration feel the energy flowing into the body through the medulla oblongata. Hold the tension for a few moments, and consciously fill the whole body with energy. Then exhale and slowly relax (medium, low, completely), feeling the energy as it withdraws from the body parts. Always tense with will, then relax and feel. Repeat 1-3 times.

3. Double Breathing (without tension)

Relax completely. With elbows bent, draw your hands towards your upper chest and shoulder area. Exhale with a slow, relaxed double breath, and let your arms extend slowly in front of you with the breath. Enjoy the pauses between the breaths, and with a slow double inhalation draw your hands back in. Close your eyes and bring your attention to a focus at the point between the eyebrows. Feel relaxed, peaceful, and energized. Mentally affirm: “I am free, I am free!” Repeat 6-10 times.

The Energization Exercises of Paramhansa Yogananda. - More Information on the topic

How to Energize yourself ? Swami Kriyandanda

2008-05-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

Energy is the main ingredient of our daily lives . We require energy to do all things be it cooking , walking or even to concentrate . Paramhansa Yogananda , the great Yogi of our times , created the Energization Exercises in 1916 as a technique for drawing cosmic energy into the body. Learn some of the exercises, and the principles behind them, in the articles below. We recommend that you read the articles in sequence in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the technique.
“The more aware you are of the flow of energy, the more you can direct that energy by will power not only to the body, but toward anything that you do - toward your work, toward creative inspiration, toward God in meditation, and in every aspect of your life. All success depends ultimately on energy. Energy is really the differentiating factor between genius and mediocrity. So these exercises are much more than just physical. They’re the cornerstone of Yogananda’s whole system of teaching, and, in fact, of all spiritual progress.” - Swamim Kriyananda - Yogananda’s disciple .

Meditation… Towards a Stress Free Life

2008-05-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Meditation: What it is !!!

An ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. “Watching your breath” is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.

Meditation is not a technique but a way of life. Meditation means ‘a cessation of the thought process’ . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns . The observer (one who is doing meditation) realizes that all the activity of the mind is reduced to one.

A Tibetan Lama was being monitored on a brain scan machine by a scientist wishing to test physiological functions during deep meditation. The scientist said - “Very good Sir. The machine shows that you are able to go very deep in brain relaxation, and that validates your meditation”. “No”, said the Lama, “This (pointing to his brain) validates the machine!”.

These days it is commonly understood to mean some form of spiritual practice where one sits down with eyes closed and empties the mind to attain inner peace, relaxation or even an experience of God. Some people use the term as “my gardening is my meditation” or for jogging or art or music, hence creating confusion or misunderstanding.

The word meditation, is derived from two Latin words : meditari(to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind) and mederi (to heal). Its Sanskrit derivation ‘medha’ means wisdom.

Many years ago meditation was considered something just not meant for modern people, but now it has become very popular with all types of people. Published scientific and medical evidence has proved its benefits, but it still needs to be much understood.

Traditionally, the classical yoga texts, describe that to attain true states of meditation one must go through several stages. After the necessary preparation of personal and social code, physical position, breath control, and relaxation come the more advanced stages of concentration, contemplation, and then ultimately absorption. But that does not mean that one must perfect any one stage before moving onto the next. The Integral yoga approach is simultaneous application of a little of all stages together.

Commonly today, people can mean any one of these stages when they refer to the term meditation. Some schools only teach concentration techniques, some relaxation, and others teach free form contemplative activities like just sitting and awaiting absorption. Some call it meditation without giving credence to yoga for fear of being branded ‘eastern’. But yoga is not something eastern or western as it is universal in its approach and application.

With regular practice of a balanced series of techniques, the energy of the body and mind can be liberated and the quality of consciousness can be expanded. This is not a subjective claim but is now being investigated by the scientists and being shown by an empirical fact.

Does Enlightenment Require a Guru ?

2008-05-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

What do you see in the future regarding the Guru/Disciple relationship? Do we need a Guru to attain a state of enlightenment ?

To me this is a very important question at the present time. I would like to emphasize the present time. It was in the mid 80’s that the spiritual relationship of guru/disciple reached its highest popularity. Since then, there have been spiritual teachers with a more Western approach such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer and Christiane Northrop, who have taken their educational credentials to approach the teacher/student relationship in a more down-to-earth environment. There are many more teachers without the educational credentials who are just as valuable but don’t advertise the fact and will become popular in their own communities over the next few years.

We need to consider when the guru/disciple relationship started in order to see where it is presently and where it is going in the future. The best place to start is with the cycles of time called Yugas or Ages in the ancient Vedic texts. There are four ages or Yugas: Satya-yuga or the Golden Age, Treta-yuga, Dvapar-yuga and Kali-yuga. We are presently in Kali-yoga which is the dark age.

In Stephen Knapp’s book “The Vedic Prophecies: A New Look Into The Future” , he writes on page 21-The Padma Purana (7.26.15-17) elaborates that “in Kali-yuga, which is the abode of sins, everyone is involved in sinful activities. They censure the Vedas, or spiritual truths, and engage in gambling and stealing. Brahmanas will act fraudulently for a livelihood. Everyone will be addicted to women, sex, and intoxicating liquors. They will be stealing others’ wealth. Heretics and atheists will become prominent. Men will possess little luster and will be wrathful, greedy, untruthful, and be filled with jealousy, pride, anger, deceit, and malice.”

According to most historians Kali-yuga started after Krishna died some 5,000 years ago. This could be the reason why the relationship between Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad-Gita is the most read spiritual book in the East. It sets the tone for how the guru/disciple relationship works in the dark age such as Kali-yuga. In such a dark age it is no wonder that there is such a need to have a teacher of light (guru) to guide humanity. With so many mosquitoes available and very few light bulbs, the guru becomes the central energy source of pure white light that could elevate others to a higher state of awareness that is almost absent in humanity as a whole. The average age in Kali-yuga is 100 years if you’re lucky. In Dvapara-yuga it is 1,000 years old. In Treta-yuga it is 10,000 years old. In Satya-yuga you could live to be 100,000 years old in perfect health.

To write about each yuga in detail would be lengthy. I recommend Stephen Knapp’s book mentioned earlier for detailed information regarding the subject of yugas. It is obvious from my description of Kali-yuga that a teacher of enlightenment is needed and very rare in this dark age. However, I am always happy to mention the light at the end of the tunnel. According to most authors who are experts on the subject of yugas, we are entering a sub-period of Satya-yuga which will last 10,000 years. According to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who is the founder of the TM organization, we have entered this sub-period in July of 2005. Guru purnama is a yearly celebration of the guru every July on the full moon. The full moon in July of 2005 according to Maharishi is the start of the 10,000 year cycle of a sub-period of Satya-yuga in the Kali-yuga age we are presently in.

In the description of Satya-yuga on page 19 of Stephen Knapp’s book it reads: In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (starting at 12.3.18) states “that in Satya-yuga there is virtue, wisdom, and religion, with no ignorance or vice. People are full of truthfulness, mercy, austerity, and charity. The people of Satya-yuga are also self-satisfied, friendly, peaceful, sober, and tolerant. Their pleasure is found within themselves, not through gratifying their senses in external activities. They know their spiritual identity and live in harmony with God, nature, and each other.”

The guru/disciple relationship changes with each age. Since we have started the Satya-yuga sub-period in Kali-Yuga the relationship of teacher/student is changing. Now teachers are seeking to guide the student to glorify themselves rather than the guru. This is one of the reasons why the numbers of people attending secular traditions of Eastern philosophy are declining in numbers and the one’s that are growing are only preparing others to find their own path of devotion in themselves. There will be less of a need to glorify the guru in the future and more of a need to collaborate with others in the group dynamic to achieve the goal of peace and tranquility in the family of humanity. It is not up to a few leaders, but up to humanity as a whole to establish themselves in a state of self-sufficiency or self-fulfillment.

In my visions of the future, I see a huge turning point starting by the end of this year 2006 and intensifying in the middle of 2007. I see a need to integrate the time and space knowledge of earth and the etheric or spiritual knowledge of a higher vibration which is not so dependent on time and space. Yugas are very dependent on the law of karma ruled by the planet Saturn. But are we moving into a time when the intelligence of the universe has other plans for planet earth than time and space? Are we moving into a time when knowledge from other intergalactic races will introduce a different point of view regarding our co-dependency on time and space? Is the guru/disciple relationship taking us away from our own responsibility to self in the present matrix of energy?

We will always need teachers, but I see the teaching relationship changing from dependency on the guru, which was needed in Kali-yuga, to a more sharing of knowledge to help us understand how we can work together rather than be separate in our own traditions of spirituality. Yes, the paths of devotion are coming to an end. The yugas will come to an end also as the lords of Karma are found to be unnecessary when men and women are attuned to a higher frequency of mind which vibrates differently than the small mind of time and space. We will still need teachers to guide and help humanity to the next level of development, but the emphasis is on guidance and growth for both teachers and students in a mutual admiration society where everyone is ultimately the guru, not just one person

Yoga for Anxeity And Panic Attacks

2008-05-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

Anxiety and anxiety related illnesses have been on the rise. Between the stresses of home, work, school, children, war and the economy anyone would feel pressure. When enough anxiety builds, it can cause a lack of mental alertness, mental illness, physical illness and a whole host of other issues. The core issue however starts out as anxiety. It is therefore necessary to find ways to relieve anxiety before it can build. On way is through the practice of Yoga. Yoga poses, breathing techniques and the benefits of yoga can help relieve anxiety and promote a positive and calm outlook.

In recent years, yoga therapy and anxiety has been a topic of conversations for many people both professionals and those who are looking for ways to relieve anxiety. Some professionals have even created specific yoga for anxiety programs. These yoga for anxiety programs use specific yoga poses for anxiety, that is to say they contain a grouping of poses, which have the yoga benefits of anxiety relief. These various programs use yoga equipment for many of them some do not.

Some of the positions and poses that research shows to work with yoga and anxiety are the standing prayer breath, Seated Yoga Mudra, and Breathing Meditation. These three poses are the basics that will promote the relief of anxiety. The best time to learn these poses is when you are already relaxed. Breathing needs to be steady, slow and deep, this will help promote the feeling of relaxation and help your body to relax. The standing prayer breath pose, in order to perform this pose stand with feet hip width apart and bring your hands together in a prayer position. As you raise your hands, inhale relaxing your shoulders into your back. Then exhale as you do, move your hands from the prayer position and sweep them down to your sides then back up to the original prayer hand position. Repeat somewhere between three and ten times depending on how much you want to do and how much time you have. Then reverse the breathing order and make each breath longer while your movements become slower.

The seated yoga Mudra pose consists of kneeling on the floor, keeping your spine straight, then sit back onto your heels. This can be slightly uncomfortable, if you find it so, place a pillow on your calves. You arms need to behind your back, you can either clasp them or hold something if clasping is not something easy for you, squeeze your shoulders together and lower towards your back. The next step is to exhale and bend forward as you exhale from your hips, keeping your back straight until your forehead touches the floor, hold for three to ten steady breaths.

The breathing meditation, this works great for relieving anxiety and creating a peaceful moment. Sit in a chair or on the floor, place your hands on your knees, close your eyes and breathe through your nose.

Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana :

Trianga means three limbs or parts thereof. In this posture the three parts are the feet, knees and the buttocks. Mukhaikapada corresponds to the face touching one leg. In Paschimottanasana the back of the whole body is intensely stretched.

Technique :

Sit on the floor with the legs stretched straight in the front.

Bend the right leg at the knee and move the right foot back. Place the right foot at the side of the right hip joint, keep the toes pointing back and rest them on the floor. The inner side of the right calf will touch the outer side of the right thigh.

Balance in this position throwing the weight of the body on the bent knee. In the beginning body tilts to the side of the outstretched leg, and the foot of the outstretched leg also tilts outwards. Learn to balance in this position, keeping the foot and toes stretched and pointing forward.

Now hold the left foot with both the palms, gripping the sides of the sole if you can then extend the trunk forward and hook the wrists round the outstretched left foot. Take two deep breaths.

Join the knees, exhale and bend forward. Rest first the forehead, then the nose next the lips and ultimately the chin of the left knee. To achieve this widen the elbows and push the trunk forward with an exhalation.

Do not rest the left elbow on the floor. In the beginning one looses the balance and topples over to the side of the extended leg. The trunk should therefore be slightly bent towards the side of the bent leg and the weight of the body should be taken by the bent knee.

Stay in this position from half a minute to a minute, breathing evenly.

Inhale, raise the head and trunk, release the hands, straighten the right leg and come to the position.

Repeat the pose on the other side, keeping the right leg stretched out on the ground, bending the left knee and placing the left foot by the left hip joint. Stay for the same length of the time on both the sides.

Soham Meditation

2008-05-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Background of So Hum Mantra Meditation

The simple, yet profound, So Hum Meditation technique is probably one of the most popular Mantra Meditations. It emerges from the Yoga school of Hindu Philosophy and belongs in the category of Japa Meditations (Meditations that require the chanting of Mantras).

The So Hum (aka So Ham, Soham or Sohum) Mantra Meditation, done sincerely, is very effective in bringing about a complete transformation of individual consciousness. So Hum literally means “I am That” (So = “That” or “Thou” or “Divinity”; Hum = “I am”) and the mantra’s aim is to bring about this union (yoga) between your individual consciousness and Divine Consciousness. Another way to interpret this purpose, is that the meditation brings about the realization that all that you see is yourself — The Observer is the Observed.

Benefits of So Hum Mantra Meditation Technique:

Primary Benefits:

Realization of your Divine Nature.
Realization of the non-dual Nature of Reality.
Stress Reduction, Relaxation, Peace and Tranquility.
Spontaneous Joy and Happiness.

Secondary Benefits:

Promotes Self-Healing.
Builds mental focus and concentration.

Guided So Hum Mantra Meditation Technique:

Follow the step by step guided meditation below to practice this technique.

Sit in a comfortable cross legged position. You may also sit on a chair or lie on your back to practice this meditation.
Set your alarm or other time device for 10 to 20 minutes. If using a Mala do an appropriate count (for a traditional 108 bead mala its about 1 full cycle through the mala)
If sitting, elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back and in, like a soldier at attention. This will align the spine with the back of your head.
Place your hands in Gyan Mudra (Gesture of Knowledge). Which is thumb and index finger lightly meeting, wrists resting gently on the knees and palms facing upward. The other 3 fingers are extended.
Take 5 deep, slow breaths though the nose. This will oxygenate your blood and relax you.
Try to remain as still as possible.
Now inhale slowly while saying the sound “Soooooooo” mentally and then slowly exhale while silently saying the sound “Hummmmmm”.
After spending about half the time in meditation as described above, start with every cycle to feel your awareness expanding and merging with the Universe Consciousness. So as you continue to chant silently the mantra in rhythm with your breath, feel its real meaning acting upon you.
Continue for the duration of the meditation.
As the end of the meditation, try to remain with the all inclusive awareness and the sense that all is included in you.

Secret of So Hum Mantra Meditation Technique:

Where did this Mantra come from? That is the secret of this Mantra. It is actually the sound of the breath during inhalation and exhalation. Inhalation sounds like “Soooooo”, while exhalation sounds like “Hummmmm”. So this is the music of life and by practicing this meditation we can learn to dance in tune with it.

Mantra Meditation

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How to Perform Mantra Meditation

“Mantra Meditation” consists of two parts: mantra and meditation itself. Mantra means pure God’s consciousness and meditation means giving due respect to the God. The technique taught here is that of the Vaishnava tradition of Bengal, India.

Steps

Take good rest before sleep. This is needed for sound sleep and to wake up fresh.
Don’t sleep too much or too little. Only the person who always go to sleep with sunset and get up with the sunrise are able to perform meditation. Ideally sleep must become meditation but never opposite.
Get up in brahma-muhurta. This period starts before sunrise. This is time of predominant sattva (goodness) which is roughly from 2am to 6 am. This helps to go even further and touch with transcendental world full of bliss, knowledge and eternity, which, is still not formless.
Set God (Krishna) as your object of meditation. Our eternal position is a servant of God. Thus meditation 24 hours a day is best. If person meets death in meditation he has more chances to get out of circle of birth and death. Still, even if one is doing meditation nonstop, but knots within his heart are still not eliminated, he is probable to fall down and get low birth like animal in next life. Thus one must be very cencere and serious. God is your best friend and well-wisher.
Take bath in holy river. If you live in city without holy river, go outside to closest water-source for pure water. Never use water from water tap as it brings dangerous karma related with animal-slaughtering so risk to become a stone in next life.
Go to the holy place of God and Saints past times. If you live in place which is not figuring in list of Holy places, go to the best temple around. Alternatively you must have God’s room with altar at home and do your mantra meditation only there - it helps in concentrantion on eternal purpose on precious human life. Never chant mantra in bedroom or at least make wet wash in bedroom after sleep.
Be ready to do yama/niyama/hatha-yoga/pranayama/pratyahara. You must follow non-violence, perfect behaviour, keep your body flexible, have a clear breathing and control your body from wanting to do something different from meditation. Only then you concentrate and meditate - dharana and dyana stages. Result would be samadhi - coming back home to Godhead in spiritual world.
Utilize music instruments and singing. Senses are always distructed from service to God. Thus the only way is to utilize them all in service - nice dress, nice music, nice songs. God is not satisfied if you are afraid of His power - He is your best friend and well-wisher. ma sucah - don’t be afraid. yoga-kṣemaḿ vahāmy aham - God would preserve whatever you have and would give whatever you lack. Still, if you don’t have all these, you can simply chant or sing the mantras even if you don’t have anything. But slowly God would support. śaśvac-chāntiḿ nigacchati - You would attain supreme happiness without doubt!
Use clean chanting beads (a.k.a., japa-mala). In Bengali Vaishnavism, Tulsi (a.k.a., Tulasi) beads are preferable, due to their connection with Krishna. If these are not preferred, other beads, such as Buddhist beads, Rosaries, Rudraaksha beads, or even the crease-lines and finger tips of your hands (counting them with the tips of your thumbs, you can chant 16 mantras on one hand, and count sets of 16 by engaging the other hand) can be used. If you wish to make your own beads, the traditional method is to use 109 beads, including one larger bead (the head bead, which marks the ’rounds’ or full sets). Further, it is good to make a knot between each bead to hold them in place, so that if a bead breaks off, it will be detected as missing. The head bead lets you know how many mantras you have chanted. Bengali Vaishnavas generally chant between 16 and 64 rounds a day. This can take from 1 1/2 hours to 8 hours! But whatever your level, try to keep to a minimum, even if it is only one or two rounds a day. You can always increase later as you feel necessary or ready.
Count from the first bead 108 mantras. Listen attentively. A.C. Bhaktivedanta, one of the world’s leading exponents of mantra meditation, says, “chanting is thinking”. Hearing the sound with submissive aural reception will produce the desired effect.
Gently bring your mind back to the sound of the mantra.. Do not be surprised or discouraged if your mind wanders. Training the mind is hard work, but will deliver palpable results if you possess determination, enthusiasm, and patience.
Have a wonderful day. Performing this early meditation helps set one’s mind and focus, and can enable one to achieve more in six hours than most people achieve in twelve hours.
Repeat. The very best meditators are steady in their practice, and do it every day without exception. Consider yourself in training for the mental olympics. If you manage to do this every day for three months, you will already be on the track to a steady, focused life of increased possibilities.
Seek out peers and mentors in the process. Regular mantra meditation becomes much easier when you are engaging in the process in a socially reinforced environment.

Hatha Yoga - Real story of a Depression patient

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Yoga: Not Just an Exercise
Yoga can help you beat depression. How hatha yoga saved the life of one manic depressive.

When Jenny Smith was 41 years old, her mental illness became so severe that she could barely walk or speak. After days of feeling wonderful one moment and hallucinating that spiders and bugs were crawling on her skin the next, she landed in the hospital.

Smith is a victim of bipolar disorder, an illness characterized by oscillating feelings of elation and utter depression. And though she had tried 11 different medications for relief, some in combination, nothing seemed to work. Upon leaving the hospital, Smith was told that she could expect to be in and out of psychiatric hospitals for the rest of her life. Soon after her release, Smith decided to learn hatha yoga, which incorporates specific postures, meditation and pranayamas, deep abdominal breathing techniques that relax the body. As she practiced daily, Smith noticed that her panic attacks—a symptom of panic disorder, a disease that some bipolar disorder sufferers also contend with—were subsiding. She has since become a certified hatha yoga instructor, and with the help of only Paxil, an antidepressant that she’d taken before without effect, Smith’s pattern of severe mood swings seems to have ended. She even taught her 11-year-old daughter—who had experienced panic attacks since age 7—the simple breathing technique of inhaling to the count of four and exhaling to the count of eight; as a result, her daughter’s panic attacks subsided.

Key to reaping hatha yoga’s mental benefits is reducing stress and anxiety. To that end, Jon Cabot-Zinn, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts, developed the Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program (SRRP), a system that emphasizes mindfulness, a meditation technique where practitioners observe their own mental process. SRRP has been the focus of several scientific studies in the last 20 years, and has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression, and thus alleviate mental illness.

To date, the most persuasive evidence of the benefits of hatha yoga, and in particular pranayama, stems from research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience in India. New studies have shown a high success rate—up to 73 percent—for treating depression with sudharshan kriya, a pranayama technique taught in the U.S. as “The Healing Breath Technique.” It involves breathing naturally through the nose, mouth closed, in three distinct rhythms.

According to Stephen Cope, a psychotherapist and author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self, hatha yoga’s postures improve mood by moving energy through places in the body where feelings of grief or anger are stored. “Hatha yoga is an accessible form of learning self-soothing,” he says. “These blocked feelings can be released very quickly, [creating a] regular, systemic experience of well-being.” Yoga students may also benefit from their relationship with the yoga instructor, Cope said, which can provide a “container” or a safe place for investigating, expressing and resolving emotional issues. The instructor’s encouraging and accepting words may also help students defeat self-limiting notions.

Not all mental health practitioners are convinced of yoga’s healing powers, but many agree it can be helpful when combined with more traditional treatments. Zindel Segal, Ph.D., a University of Toronto psychiatry professor, recently studied SRRP when used in conjunction with cognitive therapy. He asked 145 people who were at risk for depression to undergo cognitive therapy either alone or with the SRRP. Segal found that after eight weeks of treatment, those participants who received both types of therapy were much less likely to relapse into depression. “This means that people can learn about their emotions not just by writing down their thoughts, which is what cognitive therapy is all about, but also by paying attention to the way their emotions are expressed in their bodies,” he says. “Both approaches allow people to observe their experience without judgment, an important first step in stepping out of depression.”

While yoga’s therapeutic capabilities are still under scientific scrutiny, Smith isn’t waiting for more proof. Having lost her grandmother to depression—she was one of many bipolar sufferers who take their own life due to the disease—Smith is determined not to let the disorder get the best of her. Since 1994, she has practiced and taught hatha yoga to depression sufferers—passing on what she believes has literally saved her life.

Psychology Today Magazine, Nov/Dec 2000
Last Reviewed 13 Jul 2007
Article ID: 117 ——— >>>> http://psychologytoday.com/

More about Yogiraj

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Gorakshanath, Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath spent his early years in the Himalayas with the great Nath Yogis in whose presence he was transformed, realizing the unity of all Yogas and Religions.

A Master of Kundalini Kriya Yoga, Siddhanath’s message to Humanity is EARTH PEACE THROUGH SELF PEACE. He is the only Master present in America who gives direct experience of SHIVAPAT. That is His Soul Consciousness of thoughtless Awareness, essential to the healing and spiritual evolution of humankind.

Through Kriya Yoga He delivers to humanity an urgent message for all to accept individual responsibility for the genesis of Earth Peace, rather than relying on governing bodies to bring about a harmonious state. Kundalini Kriya Yoga is the science of the Evolution of Human Consciousness. It is the swiftest and simplest way to get to God. Kriya Yoga enriches your life step by step, and makes you experience the Godessence within you.

For those who are receptive and in attunement, Gurunath imparts dimensions of his own Expanded Still Mind Consciousness of Natural Enlightenment, called Sahaj Samadhi. He gives his Soul in the form of a profound stillness …a profound silence. Experience of this exquisitely heightened awareness produces a fathomless peace beyond normal perception. Guidance in Out-of-Body Awareness and dynamic Transmissions of vital energy that heal and reduce stress are also bestowed upon those who participate in his public sessions.

Eloquent and articulate in expression, all that Gurunath manifests is through the philosophy of Enlightened Action. In the truest and highest sense, the Master (Gurunath) does nothing, as all of his activities of serving humanity through Yoga are initiated through Divine Consciousness.

As an offering to humanity, Gurunath unveils the ancient art and science of Hamsa Yoga - The Way of the White Swan - an inner, meditative journey leading to spiritual awakening and healing. “Hamsa” literally means Swan, and symbolizes the Soul. The Way of the White Swan also holds special knowledge for those interested in the scientific basis of consciousness. By tracing the illuminating flow of Consciousness through the Cave of Brahma (third ventricle) to the lateral ventricles which are formed like a Swan in flight, insight may be gained as to how a Yogi advances to enlightenment.

Experience of the Christ Consciousness inherent in all Souls, a clear mind of bliss, may be realized through Kundalini Kriya Yoga, the sacred science of the Self. These higher levels of consciousness are accessible to each human being through constant practice with an open mind. Gifts of the Soul, are selflessly conveyed through the Sat-Guru as a servant of Humanity and Divinity.

Gurunath is a TRUE MASTER who, unlike a teacher, awakens you to the next level of spiritual experience.

His Life
Yogiraj Siddhanath is descended from the family of Ikshavaku Rama of the Solar Dynasty A Siddha by birth He was born on May 10, 1944 into one of the premier families of Gwalior. Educated at Sherwood College, Nainital, in India, he spent his early years in the Himalayas with the great Nath Yogis, in whose presence he was transformed. The Divine Transformation was completed by his deep and personal experience with Mahavatar Babaji (Shiv Goraksha Nath).
Gurunath resides in the city of Pune in western India, and has an ashram outside the city. He teaches aspirants at the ashram and around the world

You can read more about Yogiraj at his website : http://hamsa-yoga.org/

Hamsa Yoga

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A manifestation of universal compassion, love and wisdom, Gurunath spent his early years in the Himalayas with the great Nath Yogis, in whose presence he was transformed. Yogeshwar Krishna’s vision has given him the realization of the oneness of all Yogas. Gurunath is a TRUE MASTER who, unlike a teacher, awakens you to the next level of spiritual experience.

Yogiraj Siddhanath teaches:

Kundalini Kriya Yoga
Siddhanath Hamsa Yoga
Kundalini Maha Yoga
Siddhanath Healing Enlightenment

These are ancient form of yoga founded by the Nath Sampradaya and GorakshaNath Babaji (the same mentioned by Paramahansa Yogananda in his Autobiography of a Yogi).

I would suggest to check the website of Yogiraj and listen to his enlightening speeches . It is an eye opener for all those who are looking for a guru with experience .

Trataka Meditation

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Trataka eradicates all eye diseases, fatigue and sloth and closes the doorway creating these problems. It should carefully be kept secret like a golden casket” .- Hatha Yoga Pradipika The pracitse of this mediation can be a cure for Eye diseases, eyesight, fatigue, sloth, concentration, will power, anxiety, depression, insomnia, memory, allergies - especially of psychosomatic origin - such as asthma, bronchitis. Practise on empty stomach. Before you start the practise, palm your eyes (pictures will be added shortly).
Practise on empty stomach. Before you start the practise, palm your eyes (pictures will be added shortly).

Palming is done by opening the palms fully with spread fingers - so that the central portion of the palm is slightly depressed (so it wont touch your eyeballs) and the bony areas of the palm surrounding this will protrude slightly (so that it will come in contact with the bony areas of the eye socket around the eyeballs. Press your palms against your eyes and so that the bony areas of the palms give a gentle massage to the bones surrounding the eye-sockets. No portion of your palm should touch or apply pressure on the eyeballs. Do for about 20 seconds and repeat again. Trataka should always be performed in a dark room, free of insects and without any draft whatsoever (close all windows and any ventilation sources which could produce a draft). Practise when it is dark (either early morning or late evening when it is quite dark. Make sure you have thick curtains which shut out the light completely. Place a candle on a candle stand about 3-4 feet away from where you will sit, such that the flame of the candle will be approximately at eye level when you sit down in a cross legged position.
Sit down in a cross legged position, and place your hands upon your knees in Chin Mudra. Place a towel in your lap (reason will be obvious later). Sit erect. Do not look at the candle flame immediately. Look at the base of candle stand (the shadows), and slowly move your gaze gradually upwards over a period of 20-30 seconds until you are now looking at the candle flame.
Do not try to concentrate intensely on the flame. Just gaze at it passively, just making occasional efforts to bring it back into focus if your focus drifts. Remember, it is an entirely passive process and you are simply a witness, witnessing the interaction of the mind with the candle flame.
Do not blink. Initially, your eyes will feel very prickly - but if you persist for just about 10 seconds through this prickly sensation, tears will start to form. Once the tears have formed, the prickly sensation will go away. The tears that come out remove many impurities in the eyes and also at a mental level. At the same time you will most probably feel your sinuses opening up and your nose may start dripping. Dont get distracted by this - this is very good for you. You can keep a towel in your lap so that any drip from your nose wont fall on your clothes.
Gaze at the candle initially for about 1-2 minutes just to get used to it and also for learning to overcome the prickly sensation without blinking. Once you have the knack, increase the practise period to 5 minutes and then to 10 minutes.
Be as still as possible - both physically and mentally. During practise of trataka you may experience various perceptions such as a feeling of disembodiment or a feeling as if the candle is inside your head. Dont get mentally distracted by this, and dont get attached to it and try to recreate it. These are trivial fluctuations of state. Be simply a dispassionate observer during the entire process.
Once you are done, do palming again on your eyes for about a minute. Disclaimer : Do not practise if you have epilepsy. Also do not practise if you get too much uncontrolled rush of thoughts (a little is normal and part of the cleansing process, but if there is an uncontrollable rush of too many thoughts, then you should go through the other cleansing processes and regular practise of asanas and pranayamas first.

Welcome

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Dear readers ,

Welcome to my blog about Yoga and Meditation . . The purpose of the blog is to share the wisdom of ancient masters in the field of Yoga and related science . Quite often we find that there are a lot of resources on the net yet nothing organized , making it difficult for an average person to study systematically. I myself am trying to make an effort in this direction by collecting all information that I find useful and blogging it so that people all over the world can use the information with their own predicament . As a disclaimer , I would like to state that I have no formal teaching in any of the contents I mention . I am as much a student as you are in this quest and hence I believe the information would be useful to you all .

“God can be realized through all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. You can also climb up by a bamboo pole.” - Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Best Regards