Yoga

[Deleted]

Why do yoga?

The short answer is that yoga makes you feel better. Practicing the postures, breathing exercises and meditation makes you healthier in body, mind and spirit. Yoga lets you tune in, chill out, shape up -- all at the same time.

For many people, that's enough of an answer. But there's more if you're interested.

For starters, yoga is good for what ails you. Specifically, research shows that yoga helps manage or control anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, blood pressure, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, headaches, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stress and other conditions and diseases. What's more, yoga:

Improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina
Reduces stress and tension
Boosts self esteem
Improves concentration and creativity
Lowers fat
Improves circulation
Stimulates the immune system
Creates sense of well being and calm.
And that's just the surface stuff. In fact, most of the benefits mentioned above are secondary to yoga's original purpose.

Developed in India, yoga is a spiritual practice that has been evolving for the last 5,000 years or so. The original yogis were reacting, in part, to India's ancient Vedic religion, which emphasized rituals. The yogis wanted a direct spiritual experience -- one on one -- not symbolic ritual. So they developed yoga.
Yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the classical language of India.

According to the yogis, true happiness, liberation and enlightenment comes from union with the divine consciousness known as Brahman, or with Atman, the transcendent Self. The various yoga practices are a methodology for reaching that goal.
In hatha yoga, for example, postures and breathing exercises help purify the mind, body and spirit so the yogi can attain union.

Pranayama breathing exercises help clear the nadis, or channels, that carry prana the universal life force, allowing prana to flow freely. When the channels are clear and the last block at the base of the spine has been opened, Kundalini rises through the spine, through the central channel called the sushumna-nadi, and joins the crown chakra. According to the tradition, the release of Kundalini leads to enlightenment and union.

[Deleted]

What is Yoga?
Yoga is a Hindi discipline that is seen as ascetic and extremely spiritual. This physical and mental discipline originated in India where the aim is for the fulfillment of states of sublime tranquility and spritual insight.

This discipline includes the practicing of breath control, meditation and the embracement of precise bodily postures, with it's main focus being to heighten the health and relaxation in a person.

Yoga has been exercised for over 5,000 years and continues to be a part of many people's lifestyles day after day. The benefits of this activity come in many forms and make this discipline something that should be enjoyed in everyone's lifestyles.

[jemima]

Not bad but have you got the research material to support those claims? I mean studies?

I'm a dancer, btw. I find that not only spiritual but an easy and fun way to stay in shape.

[Deleted]

Oct 5, 2011 14:24:04 GMT -5 @jemima said:

Not bad but have you got the research material to support those claims? I mean studies?

I'm a dancer, btw. I find that not only spiritual but an easy and fun way to stay in shape.

I could probably dig up some research material to support my claims. But why don't you just have faith and believe me.

[Artemis Windsong]

JA, not everyone will agree without concrete proof. No defense is needed; it's their view, their loss. Being a Christian, I had difficulty balancing the beliefs until I realized a lot of Christian teaching is drawn from other religions.

I just grin to myself with everyone discovering the Neti pot for cleaning sinus cavity. They are readily available in most pharmacys now.

I do yoga but not as much as I used to. I learned from a book in the 70s and it was a morning routine for me. I don't know what disrupted that routine years ago.

I use deep breathing and OM to calm myself when needed. I think the center of yoga is balancing the body, mind, and spirit through it's practices.

One of the best compliments I ever received was being told by a stranger that I was enlightened.

[weezybear]

I find that yoga helps me with balancing my whole self body, mind andnspirt, It sure helps with depression as you have to concentreate on somuch all at once I find it helps me.

[Deleted]

Oct 5, 2011 20:03:31 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

JA, not everyone will agree without concrete proof. No defense is needed; it's their view, their loss. Being a Christian, I had difficulty balancing the beliefs until I realized a lot of Christian teaching is drawn from other religions.

I just grin to myself with everyone discovering the Neti pot for cleaning sinus cavity. They are readily available in most pharmacys now.

I do yoga but not as much as I used to. I learned from a book in the 70s and it was a morning routine for me. I don't know what disrupted that routine years ago.

I use deep breathing and OM to calm myself when needed. I think the center of yoga is balancing the body, mind, and spirit through it's practices.

One of the best compliments I ever received was being told by a stranger that I was enlightened.

Enlightened is a wonderful comment and you certainly seem to be enlightened.
There is so much we can learn from "old" ways. the neti pot is a fine example.

[Deleted]

Oct 6, 2011 10:53:56 GMT -5 weezybear said:

I find that yoga helps me with balancing my whole self body, mind andnspirt, It sure helps with depression as you have to concentreate on somuch all at once I find it helps me.

Yoga helps to decrease my anxiety. I have found myself feeling much more at peace and able to sleep better if I do some nightime yoga as well.

As part of a healthy routine, eating well and excercising I am sure yoga would help with depression, for sure.

[Deleted]

[Cj]

Love the video Apple, I watched this yesterday and am now getting around to say so. Just a nice stretch that most can do.

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2011 16:32:27 GMT -5 Cj said:

Love the video Apple, I watched this yesterday and am now getting around to say so. Just a nice stretch that most can do.

Thanks SG, its amazing how good a nice stretch can make you feel.

[Forever Sunshine]

And a good sneeze!

[Deleted]

:PThat too

[mizbear]

JA- I actually did a report on yoga and Hinduism in school (many moons ago). I found it very interesting. I need to get back to my practice of yoga- I find it helps keep me flexible, less-stressed, I sleep better, concentrate better- many things I can say in the positive about yoga. Even if one does not believe in the spiritual ends, just like with martial arts- many of which were formed in religious circumstances- you can still get an intense benefit physically and mentally from the practice.

Sunshine- Trust me- you don't want me to sneeze....

[Deleted]

Oct 12, 2011 18:59:15 GMT -5 mizbear said:

JA- I actually did a report on yoga and Hinduism in school (many moons ago). I found it very interesting. I need to get back to my practice of yoga- I find it helps keep me flexible, less-stressed, I sleep better, concentrate better- many things I can say in the positive about yoga. Even if one does not believe in the spiritual ends, just like with martial arts- many of which were formed in religious circumstances- you can still get an intense benefit physically and mentally from the practice.

Sunshine- Trust me- you don't want me to sneeze....

Wow Mizbear, that sounds super interesting.
To be honest I am not that "into" the religious side of yoga. I just know that I feel better physically and mentally when I do it.
Its a win win.

[mizbear]

JA- It was very interesting. I wish I still had the report all these years later- especially when my niece (TBear- the older one) decided to do a report on martial arts, their origins and the foods of Japan. Great minds must think alike.

[Cookies Galore]

I try to do yoga and pilates four days a week. Right now, I'm sitting at my desk and my back is killing me, but I know a few good stretches when I get home tonight will make me feel so much better.

[Deleted]

In my experience any practice that focuses on the Chakras can produce extremely profound results.

[diamonds]

Yoga is great, I saw that David Lynch is sponsoring programs of meditation/ breathing excercises for people with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. It's important to use meditation to clear out the bad memories and visualize the positives.

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2011 13:40:14 GMT -5 diamonds said:

Yoga is great, I saw that David Lynch is sponsoring programs of meditation/ breathing excercises for people with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. It's important to use meditation to clear out the bad memories and visualize the positives.

Thats a great idea, the feeling of well being after a good hour or so of yoga can't be beat.

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2011 13:23:31 GMT -5 @runaway said:

In my experience any practice that focuses on the Chakras can produce extremely profound results.

I had a hot stone massage / chakra treatment a few weeks ago. TOTALLY addicting

[Deleted]

I had a hot stone massage / chakra treatment a few weeks ago. TOTALLY addicting ;D

Powerful forces are involved with Kundalini manipulation.
Some practitioners refer to it as Kundalini Fire and warn that it can create radical changes in those that unleash it.

[Deleted]

Oct 14, 2011 9:20:46 GMT -5 @runaway said:

I had a hot stone massage / chakra treatment a few weeks ago. TOTALLY addicting ;D

Powerful forces are involved with Kundalini manipulation.
Some practitioners refer to it as Kundalini Fire and warn that it can create radical changes in those that unleash it.

Does that mean I am unleashed?

[Deleted]

Perhaps.
You can be anything you want to be.

[Deleted]

Oct 19, 2011 12:01:20 GMT -5 @runaway said:

Perhaps.
You can be anything you want to be.

This is true.

[femmefatale]

I've never done Yoga. I would hate to crack a rib or sumthin.

[Deleted]

Oct 21, 2011 14:00:49 GMT -5 @femmefatale said:

I've never done Yoga. I would hate to crack a rib or sumthin.

Yoga is gentle, you don't push your body beyond what it can do.

[Deleted]

According to the yogis, true happiness, liberation and enlightenment comes from union with the divine consciousness known as Brahman, or with Atman, the transcendent Self. The various yoga practices are a methodology for reaching that goal.
In hatha yoga, for example, postures and breathing exercises help purify the mind, body and spirit so the yogi can attain union.

I am still in the process of remembering who I am.
The feeling of Deja Vu that I get around some of these threads is overwhelming and encouraging at the same time.

I find that Yoga helps me to remember to align myself with all of these things and people that are becoming more and more familiar.

[roselia]

If yoga is so good as you claim Apples then why don't the doctors advice it to their patients? It's cheap and may be an effective treatment.

[Deleted]

I've just learned something about yoga's origin.