Santos Yoga

Have you ever felt like you were visiting "Bizarro World" or some sort of parallel universe? On a rare occasion, you may get a chance to hear a unique opinion about Yoga. Listening is always a chance to learn something new. Some of my best memories are of listening to people talk about the benefits of Yoga; but recently, I had a chance to overhear a conversation about how self-centered Yogis are. This person's point of view is an interesting one, even if you do not agree with it. Apparently, this gentleman felt that Yoga was part of a self-indulgence wave that has swept the Earth. All of the time that Yoga practitioners spend meditating, practicing asana (Yoga posture), and practicing Pranayama...

When you ask people about the practice of yoga in the West, flexibility is one of the first things that comes to mind. Even common objections to why someone can't start a new yoga practice involves flexibility-based comments like, "I'm too tight." Yoga for sure can increase flexibility, but in what ways? Two of the most important benefits of flexibility are muscle relaxation and the ability to release stress. It may also help with performance in athletic activities and the reduction of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which occurs 12-48 hours after intense physical activity. There are multiple ways to achieve the benefits of increased flexibility including, static stretching, dynamic stretching...

s little need to explain to you the connection between obesity and your health. Apart from being aesthetically all wrong, it puts a strain on the heart, the internal organs, the legs and feet and in fact the entire body. It is dangerous to be overweight. It is your duty to improve your figure for the sake of your health, your peace of mind and your general well being. But before I explain how Yoga can help you to regain a slim, supple, and graceful figure I must impress on you right at the beginning that there is no magic formula which will sheer those extra pounds off you while you go on eating four square meals a day with snacks in between and goodness knows how many cups of tea sweetened with...

Yoga has become a very popular form of exercise, however, some styles focus primarily on physically working the back, for instance: the most important Yoga poses in this case will differ from others, remaining the most important Yoga poses for another kind of Yoga. There are also very difficult one might focus on in other styles of Yoga designed to stretch and strengthen other specific parts of the body, and many that work the entire body, treating the body as left and right equals yin and yang. There are specific Yoga poses for the floor parts of Yoga exercise, as well as the more familiar standing Yoga poses. One of the most basic kinds of standing Yoga poses one will learn in Yoga is what is...

For many of us, cranking out a ten-minute mile on a treadmill or pounding the floor of the racquetball court can mean major joint pain. Fortunately, you can cover all three of your major exercise types (aerobic, anaerobic and stretching) through a low-impact activity like yoga. Yoga is an ancient Indian practiced designed to promote relaxation, health and flexibility. By using a series of poses and breathing techniques, yoga also works on the practitioner's balance, strength and overall health. It has been shown to reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, diminish back pain and improve cardiovascular health. Depending on the type of yoga you do, yoga can be an aerobic, anaerobic or...

Women who are of reproductive age are said to be prone to ovarian cysts. This is nothing to worry and panic about though, for treatment of ovarian cysts is not really needed in all cases. In most instances, they disappear as quickly as they develop. It is only in a few severe cases where drastic measures have to be taken and surgery must be resorted to. Ovarian Cysts Symptoms While this condition generally does not have a lot of symptoms, women must be wary when they encounter a discomfort in their lower abdomens. This is especially true if they feel recurring severe pain in their pelvic area. Another possible symptom is when women repeatedly feel nauseated or bloated, or when they vomit all the...

Unlike most religions around the world which are essentially based on a belief system, yoga assumes nothing. It can simply be described as a part of the Hindu spiritual discipline that originated in India that includes simple meditation, breathing exercises and specific body postures. Yoga pretty much proceeds in a systematic and scientific manner. You need not believe in it. All you have to do is to practice this system as a life experiment. Yoga to start with, make the body physically fit and helps the various systems function normally and eventually makes you reach a state of mental and spiritual bliss that cannot be disturbed by any external phenomenon. People who practice yoga are known as...

Nearly all people in the world must have heard about yoga, but not all of them seem to truly understand what exactly yoga is. In a simpler word, it is a holistic/whole system of human health from ancient India. Yoga is categorized into nine branches which are: Karma, Jnana, yantra, bhakti, raja, tantra, kundalini, mantra and hatha. Hatha yoga is the most common branch used by average Western people in the world today especially for mental and physical health. It focuses on several techniques and principles such as pranayama (energy control), asana (postures), mudras (gestures), bandhas (muscle forces) as well as deep relaxation. In fact, those five principles have an ultimate purpose to balancing...

Yoga is a spiritual practice that helps the individual unify his/her body, mind, and spirit. But in most people yoga invokes pictures of a tough exercise routine where extremely supple humans twist themselves into pretzel-like forms. We are told of the lofty things that yoga aims to do - bring about the union of our souls with the Supreme. Is it possible, really? Doing the asanas (postures) correctly can definitely reduce the obesity, cure you of diabetes, relax and reduce the cholesterol levels that were dangerously high. But to take you to higher realms of spirituality, you need to do something more than merely doing the asanas mechanically. It's a serious business - gaining total control over...

As is evidenced by its use amongst such celebrities as Madonna, Sting, Russell Simmons and Evander Holyfield to name a few, yoga's popularity has increased in leaps and bounds. However, suffice it to say that just like Christianity that has several denominations but essentially at the core all the same, you may have to do some research to see what style fits your needs. It is noteworthy of mention that although there are many styles of yoga, the differences are usually about emphasis, such as focusing on strict alignment of the body, coordination of breath and movement, holding the postures, or the flow from one posture to another. Moreover, from a simple observation, it is safe to say all of the...

Don't be taken aback if the first quote here appears to be gibberish, but: "aadityanamaskaaram yE kurvanti din E din E janmaantarasahasrEna daaridra'm n OpajaayatE" Now here is its meaning: "The Man who performs Sun Salutations daily does not get poor in a thousand births!" So what exactly are the Sun Salutations? Well, this exercise is a combination of Yoga Asanas, Pranayama, Sun Bathing (if done in an open space) and Respiratory Cleansing. Taking That Into Consideration, here are some of its benefits: - It alleviates disorders of the skin and visceral organs - It helps with restoring flexibility and corrects old or acquired habits of improper breathing. -It exercises the legs and arms, thus...

Yoga might not be the first thing anyone thinks of when they think of an exercise to help them lose weight. Think again - though the results may not be as fast as with other types of exercise, the long term benefits of yoga (in terms of weight loss and overall health) are great. Yoga is a system of exercise that is thousands of years old. Conceived in India, it is now practiced world wide. The type of yoga that is most often practiced in the west is known as 'hatha' yoga - however, this is by no means the only type of yoga. Others include kundalini, which involves breathe work and is quite a bit different from other types of yoga. Some athletes are rather disparaging of yoga, wondering how something...

As we practice asanas with awareness, we not only feel better but we are also better able to feel--that is, we become more sensitive to everything in our lives. As our sensitivity deepens and widens, we begin to practice asanas in such a way that we are practicing the larger yoga: the discovery of our Self and our dharma (our true purpose) and the overcoming of the obstacles that impede this journey. In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali explains the five main kleshas (obstacles) on the yogic path. They are avidya, ignorance; asmita, ego; raga, attachment to pleasure; dvesha, aversion to pain; and abhinivesha, the fear of death. Though there are many yogic methods for dealing with the kleshas, asana practice...

As we know, yoga is enjoying an immense renaissance across the world - we know about Bikram's Hot Yoga, Lotus Pose, general physical pretzelling and oh so much about where to buy yoga clothes, yoga mats, even yoga gear for our pets! However, the history of yoga is rich and long standing and deserves some mention. So without further ado, let us begin near the beginning. Between 200BC and 300AD an Indian philosopher known as Patanjali gave the world the Yoga Sutras - a series of aphorisms that set out the practice of the eight limbs of classical yoga. Though we know very little about the sage himself, Patanjali's great work is considered the cornerstone of the knowledge of yoga practice, from asana...

Yoga has many faces and you will be confused to choose which one! The different styles and variations have their own characteristics, so I think you are too confused and letting yourself down. Don't get disheartened as I will just give you a synopsis of few of the most popular yoga. The most popular yogas are known as Bikram, Power and Hatha Yoga. I'll provide light on these and it will help you to be a yoga fan in less time then desired. Many of us may have heard of the yoga which I am talking about, i.e. Bikram, Power and Hatha yoga. In today's time and age these yogas are more familiar that the other types. Bikram yoga is a type which is performed in a heated or we say hot room to speed up...

The Plough - (Halasana) Yoga is a life of self-discipline. Yoga is a way of life. Yoga is a system. We can see our life as a triangle. From the moment we are born to the age of around 18 we are in the zone of growth where the anabolic process takes place (rate of cells rejuvenation exceeds rate of cell decay). Then we enter the youth and equilibrium zone where the anabolic and catabolic process is in perfect balance. This zone will last to the age of around 35 and then we find ourselves in an aging zone, called the old age zone where the catabolic process (rate of cell decaying exceeds rate of cell rejuvenating) starts, resulting in suffering, pain and disease. To retard the catabolic process the...

Yoga and India aren't strangers, yet we find Yoga's popularity suddenly spiking after it's embraced by the west. It has become the thing to do to be fit with celebrities swearing by it. It is as if Yoga is a 'novel' concept or is reinvented by the west. After it has become the 'in' thing, there are two sets of people- the ones who do it and others who don't. Most of people who do it, adopt yoga for life while the others don't want to do it because of the myths around it or don't know how. Here, we will try to break the common myths about yoga. Myth no.1: Yoga is only for the young and fit. "Yoga takes care of the complete well being of a person. It doesn't have an age barrier and can be done by...

So which one do you think is better? Flexibility can be well defined as the ability of the joints or body parts to move around a full range of motion. Flexibility plays an important role in our lives as we require it in our daily activities like bending etc. It helps in keeping our muscles mobile. Flexibility however decreases with age and so it is very important to include flexibility exercises in your daily workout program. It should be well understood that flexibility and stretching are two different things. Stretching is used to improve flexibility and only a flexible body can stretch to great extents. Flexibility can be obtained by ways like flexibility exercises or yoga stretching exercises...

Many people wonder if yoga can improve their muscle fitness. They recognize that yoga can help reduce stress and increase flexibility, but when it comes to increasing muscle fitness, they think it might be a little too 'weak' to do the job. The fact is that yoga can definitely make you stronger. A study was conducted at the University of California at Davis. Ten college 'coach potatoes' adopted a yoga routine for eight weeks. Each week, they attended from two to four classes during which they spent 10 minutes on breath control, 15 minutes of warm up exercises, 50 minutes doing yoga asanas, and then 10 minutes of relaxation/mediation. At the end of the eight-week period, the researchers measured...

We all know that exercise can improve us physically - lowering our cholesterol, decreasing our predisposition to heart disease, and enhancing our immune system - but, what we might not be aware of is the mind, not to be left out, can also be improved through exercise. The reasons for this are biological and emotional, benefiting the exerciser on several levels and leaving us to discover, when it comes down to it, that the mental benefits of exercise are as important to our overall wellbeing as the physical ones. Rather than mindlessly putting on the running shoes, or climbing onto the treadmill to discharge energy and get the blood flowing, participating in yoga can give you both exercise for the...

Did you know that yoga could help you grow taller naturally? Yoga comprises of breathing exercises, physical exercises and relaxation methods that can rejuvenates your body. Yoga can help in improved metabolism and increased secretion of growth hormone. Here are some simple yoga exercises that may help to increase height: 1) Tadasana is an exercise that involves the shoulder. You would be standing upright using the back muscles and the shoulder. Regular practice of this exercise helps in removing spinal curvature and elongation of the disks in the spine. 2) Chakrasana is another exercise that helps in strengthening the abdominal region and elongates the body from the stomach area. This exercise also...

You’ll probably be very pleased with your choice if you have decided to take up yoga. Your strength and flexibility will be increased by doing yoga on a regular basis and it will help you to focus your mind and teach you how to reach a state of tranquility in this busy and uncertain world. The best thing is that your new exercise program won’t require much equipment. A sticky yoga mat is the one major thing you will need. Yoga teacher Angela Farmer came up with the idea for sticky yoga mats. Doing yoga while her hands and feet slipped out from under her caused frustration. Soon she started using carpet padding to do yoga. Her father soon took interested and patented the first sticky yoga mat...

Yoga is becoming a more and more popular Knoxville, TN activity. The need for trained yoga teachers who have completed a qualified yoga teacher training (YTT) or yoga teacher certification (YTC) program is also increasing. (Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Teacher Certification mean the same thing, the title of the program depends on the preference of the yoga school.) To fill this gap to get more good yoga teachers, there are now several yoga teacher certification programs in the Knoxville area. What to look for in a Knoxville Yoga Teacher Certification Program 1. The most important thing to look at when researching yoga teacher training programs in Knoxville is, who is the director of the teacher...

Yoga has been phenomenal in making a person's life better both in the physical and the mental front. Yoga makes a very powerful statement by not just being the least taxing of the exercises around in our time but also being the only exercise that can make the life of the person, a tad easier. Yoga, in any form, be it Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Ashthanga Yoga makes the same impact. Yoga makes the physique of any person better and there is a reduced chance of any injuries to bones and muscles.  Yoga and many centuries of research carried on it has been developed to make every problem faced by a body go away. Yoga has been found to be extremely effective. Yoga music makes entire yoga, an uplifting...

If you participate in a Yoga practice, you hear terms related to negative or positive energy. Negative energy is most commonly seen as worry, anxiety, pains, aches, pessimism, and doubt. Negative energy prevents progress and can bring your life to a standstill. Positive energy is an arousal within the mind that causes action and creativity. Sometimes, problem-solving skills are enhanced, due to a surge in positive energy. Religious theologians, of all faiths, call positive energy divine guidance. Positive energy has been the driving force behind creativity, positive action, art, music, and writing. During a Hatha Yoga training session, we can feel the difference between negative and positive energy...

So, first thing's first - what is a yoga bolster and why do you need one? A yoga bolster is a shaped cushion used in different styles of yoga, especially restorative yoga (yoga postures that are held for several minutes at a time resulting in calming the body and mind). They are designed to provide support for certain parts of the body to make certain yoga positions more comfortable and to prevent injury Yoga bolsters come in a variety of shapes and sizes, colors and materials. Some of the most common types of bolsters are cylindrical, rectangular, breathing and Zafu. Cylindrical bolsters can be used to lengthen the lower back by placing them perpendicular or parallel to the spine or under the...

Havev you ever thought of yoga for migraine relief? Of course, stretching, bending and breathing are all part of Yoga, a physical and psychological discipline that originated in India. In the West, the most popular type of Yoga is hatha yoga which is mainly concerned with postures or what is known as asanas, breathing exercises or pranayama and meditation. Migraine sufferers can benefit from Yoga because of its de-stressing and relaxing effects. It can help in reducing both the frequency and the severity of the attacks. If you have migraines and you are wary of taking pain medications, then you should try Yoga. Before you get a Yoga mat and sign up n a local Yoga gym, consult your doctor first If...

While it's true that you'll get out of your practice only as much as you're willing or able to put into it, a committed approach to your practice can help you in ways that you've never expected. Indeed practicing yoga could be the platform and motivation you need to completely transform your life. The basic benefits of yoga are widely documented and have been extensively researched. Research into the more controversial benefits of yoga continue - at the time of writing, pubmed.org (a Service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of health) listed more than 900 research papers investigating the benefits of yoga. A search on the internet typically reveals benefits which...

Ayurveda, a science of life, advises that the health of the pregnant women to be taken care, so that she is able to withstand the strain of labour and also give birth to a healthy offspring. It advises mother-to be, to take certain herbs to be taken during each month of pregnancy. Milk decoction is one among them and it has to be drunk everyday before going to bed. It is prepared by mixing 15gms of the monthly advised herb/200mls milk/800mls water then boil it and reducing it to 1/4th the quantity. First month 8 flg leaf buds boiled in milk and then strained for three consecutive days. For the rest of the month the milk decoction with Bala (Sida rhombifolia). Guarantees a healthy child Second month...

The practice of yoga was developed by an Indian Hindu by the name of Patanjali way back in the year 300. The word itself means discipline and the whole purpose of yoga is to stretch the muscles, increase the levels of concentration and to strengthen the body in general. It is also a great way to relax and de-stress your body. There is little wonder that such an ancient form of discipline has turned out to be so popular amongst athletes and modern day entertainers. However, yoga can be practiced by anyone as an occasional simple exercise routine or on a regular basis as a total way of life. The people who take part in yoga are known as yogis and many of them use this form of discipline to reach a...

People practice yoga for a variety of reasons. Many yoga practitioners are interested in the health benefits that come from regularly performing the routines. Others want a state of harmony between inner and outer self. Still others practice yoga primarily to relax. A State of Harmony The profound relaxation available through yoga includes a state of clarity of mind, and of harmony with and understanding of the world. If such a state of relaxation is your goal, you will need to use most of the yoga techniques available. Pay special attention to breathing, diet, correctly performing the exercises, and meditating. The deep, prolonged breath one learns through yoga helps the brain stay oxygenated...

n offer plenty of health benefits and is a good way for the general public to develop flexibility, reduce stress, and live a fitter way of life. There are various sorts of yoga that you can take part in, and the type that is best for you depend on your personal well-being and fitness goals. Some kinds of yoga are concentrating more on the physical toning of your muscles and on weight loss, whilst others focus more on meditation and spirituality. Whichever kind of yoga you decide to learn, you should expect to get results like stress reduction, increased flexibility, and a rise in your overall well-being. Before you pick the sort of yoga you wish to study, you must decide what you would like to gain...

ractice yoga poses we want to do also inversions. Most common inversions are the Headstand and the Shoulderstand. But there are not only those two poses which are the inverted asanas. Any posture in which the head is below the heart is called an inversion. Whether you stand on your head, bend forward or bend back, if your head is below your heart, you are performing an inversion. This also means that Downward Facing Dog, Standing Forward Bend and Fish pose are also inversions; although those poses are mild in comparison to a Headstand. The Camel pose can also be an inversion if you bend back far enough. Remember - inversions are not for everyone! Your intentions should be clear when you perform any...

one way of relaxing and enlightening ones mind. You may try yoga for relaxation but you may also use it as a form of exercise. The P90X included yoga in its program. The Yoga X in this program is a higher form of yoga that uses extreme yoga moves that work on you balance, elasticity, and endurance. These extreme yoga moves may require special yoga gadgets like yoga mat, yoga blocks, and many more. The mat is useful in the floor exercises of yoga. The Yoga blocks are very essential in some of the yoga routines. This block is made with high-density, closed-cell foam and usually measures 4” by 6” by 9”. The following are some of the possible uses of the P90X Yoga Blocks in and out of the yoga...