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.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
5 Yoga Poses for Depression
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
How to practice Meditation ?
What Is Meditation
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)
Monday, May 19, 2008
Yoga for Back
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
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
poseYou 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.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
I stand on my head for my health
I stand on my head for my health
Chris has not had a day sick for 36 years
- 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.
The Source of Energy - A Method from Tantric Kriya Yoga
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
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
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)
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)
( 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
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.
