Santos Yoga

Western civilization today has formed an attachment to the physical practice of yoga: the asana. The practice of yoga asana is only one aspect of an eight limb path; however Westerners choose to associate yoga solely with this path because of the culture's intense infatuation with the physical body and the ego. The other seven limbs are disregarded because this culture does not understand the cycle of life and death with regard to the internal, subtle body as well as they understand the gross, physical body. The eight limbs of yoga are Yama (rule or code of conduct for living which will help bring a compassionate death to the ego or "the lower self"), Niyama (set of behaviors that a yogi should live...

In Part II of this series, I argued that yoga is the perfect antidote for economic hard times. As modern yoga masters Iyengar and Bhajan state, yoga was created over 5,000 years ago to help the everyday individual "satisfy all human needs" in the face of "hardship and suffering" and the challenges of "making a living, raising a family, and finding meaning and purpose." Yoga is perfect for tough times since it is tough: tried, true, deep, modifiable, and life-transforming. In this article, we will look at breathing exercise (pranayama) and physical exercise (asana), two of yoga's eight major areas of wellness, so you can create and develop a yoga practice during days when time and money might be...

Yoga does not see a distinction between your body and the mind; and this is an understanding that traditional western psychology has also concluded for quite some time now (the link between mental well being as well as physical health, and vice versa). Yoga is certainly a process which involves relieving blocked tension and also energy in the body, and helping make your muscles, tendons, joints, ligaments, as well as all other parts function to their greatest potential. Yoga considers that we humans are optimally created, by mother nature, to be flexible and agile, and stiffness and not enough mobility only appear if your body is unhealthy or out of alignment. Consequently, many individuals have...

It is usually a helpful idea to watch a yoga instructor guide you through a yoga session on a yoga video or DVD. This can take the place of a class if you just can't manage to get to one for some reason. However doing your Restorative Yoga session by watching a video is not so easy. The point about Restorative Yoga is that it is a very restful, deeply healing practice and for this you need a couple of things: 1. Time 2. Peace Because you have to get into a posture in a very supported way and then allow your body just to unfold and flow into shape with no strain at all you can hold the postures for up to 20 minutes - or even more once you get the hang of it. While you are in position you will be...

Restorative Yoga goes beyond remedial yoga. It is the pathway to a very deep and profound self healing. Remedial Yoga works with people who have had specific injuries and helps them rebuild the function where the injury was whilst keeping the rest of their body mobilised. Restorative Yoga is also for people who have been ill or injured and are in their recovery period - but very specifically it is for people who are highly stressed and recognise that their levels of stress are affecting their body and their health badly. A typical example of someone who would benefit from Restorative Yoga is a person who is becoming burnt out through their lifestyle and the particular demands it has. They probably...

While seated comfortably with spine straight, slowly rotate your upper body, neck and head to relax your muscles and remove tension. Then close your eyes, breathe normally and focus your attention on the breath entering and leaving your nose as it supplies life-giving energy to every part of your body. After a minute, take in a deep breath through the nose and feel your stomach and chest expand as you fill your lungs. As soon as you complete the breath, forcefully push the air out quickly and completely. This exhalation should resemble and mimic the muscle action during a cough where the stomach contracts and it should take one second to complete. As soon as the exhalation is complete, inhale...

Even if you are a beginner at exercising, you can begin practicing yoga at any age. You do not need any special equipment, and it can be done almost anywhere, regardless of your age or level of physical fitness. You can choose to take yoga at a studio, or you can practice yoga on your own at home. Whatever location you choose, it should be a place that is quiet and free from distractions. You also do not need any specific equipment to practice yoga other than something to sit on for comfort, such as a mat, towel or blanket. You also do not need any special clothing, although you should wear something comfortable, such as a leotard, sweat clothes or shorts. Any clothing you choose should be stretchy...

Americas' No. 1 Health Problem and Industry "Healthy employees make for a healthy company" Recent national work related surveys have found 80% of workers feel stress on the job and half of those report their job as very or extremely stressful. One quarter of all workers view their jobs as the number one stress in their lives. All this employee stress is more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or family problems. Consider what these occupational pressures are believed to cause the employee: 62% routinely find they end the workday with neck pain 44% reported stressed-out eyes 38% complained of hurting hands 34% reported difficulty sleeping because of stress 30% of workers...

Although prenatal yoga is a safe form of pregnancy exercise for pregnant women, every woman’s body is different and requires attention and awareness during any exercise to ensure the body’s well being. Please obtain permission from your doctor, midwife or health provider before doing any prenatal exercise and most important, listen to your body.  If you begin to feel over heated or fatigued, stop and rest in child’s pose and resume your practice once you have cooled down or your body has recovered. When you are pregnant your body changes every day. Some days a certain pose may feel wonderful and other days the same pose may not feel good at all. The most important guideline for prenatal yoga...

Even if you are not a yoga practitioner, you have probably heard of the Downward-Facing Dog. It is one of the most common yoga poses. In yoga classes it is used both as a transition and for resting, so it is done several times regardless of the yoga type or whether it's a beginners' or advanced class. Stop at any point of the pose if you feel any pain or severe discomfort. 1. Get down on both knees. Touch the floor with both hands. Your knees should be directly below your hips, your wrists underneath your shoulders. Spread your palms. 2. Curl your toes under. Stretch your elbows. Relax your upper back. 3. Exhale. Lift your knees away from the floor, keeping them bent at first and your heels lifted...

If you are feeling stressed, anxious or tired, you may experience tension headaches, neck pain or discomfort. The practice of yoga is the ideal way to learn how to naturally enhance your physical health and emotional well-being. The following simple yoga stretches and breathing exercise will help to ease stiffness and tension in your neck, shoulders and upper back muscles. As with any form of exercise, please exercise caution, respect and patience for your body and consult your GP before you embark on an exercise programme. - Lower your head to your chest, breath in as you lift your head to look forward, then breathe out as you lower your head backwards. Repeat 3 - 7 times. - Keeping your head erect...

A gentle programme of yoga stress relieving exercises can help you release anxiety, stress and worry at the end of your day. During the day, your body is constantly absorbing and storing tension; you probably feel this tension in the form of lower back pain, stiff and achy joints and muscular pain in your shoulders and neck. To help release sluggishness, fatigue and tension a few rounds of gentle yoga stretches can help you feel more alive, fresher and clearer in your head. Yoga helps your body to move freely and improves flexibility. This is why you have more energy and a greater sense of well being at the end of your practice. If you are new to yoga, these five gentle yoga stretches will inspire...

Kundalini Yoga for Beginners, an exercise guide for yoga that famous actors and actresses are currently using to benefit their health, is believed by experts to be the best yoga exercise guide there is today. Aside from being the best, those who want to gain access to the guide can easily do so by looking for it in today's market. Locating Kundalini Yoga for Beginners is not even difficult because it can be easily found and purchased online. The guide's creators and developers, namely Ravi Singh and Ana Brett, have somehow predicted that there will be a high demand in the production of this particular exercise guide. Moreover, it is due to the creators' knowledge on the topic and their expertise as...

There is much research supporting the theory that proper exercise is the best solution to eliminating back pain. Though exercise weak muscles can be strengthen and retrained. Strong, balanced muscles support the spinal column and helping to correct any dysfunction. Many turn to yoga for help in relieving back pain. But what yoga exercises or movements are the best for back pain. Based on my experience the following yoga exercises are the best movements for your aching back. These three exercises are only a suggestion. You should first find a capable instructor. Start with slow gentle movements and avoid any exercise that causes the slightest discomfit. 1. Sun Salutation: Standing upright with feet...

Although I can't talk about sciatica from personal experience, I have the next best thing – my mom suffers from it from time to time. And her first response when it "acts up" is to do the sciatica exercises she learned through yoga. Being an adventurous and active kind of mother, grandmother and now "senior citizen," my mom has tried a variety of activities over the years to stay fit and youthful. So naturally she has done some yoga. She enjoyed a Gentle Yoga class at her local health club for a few years, but the class has since been discontinued, and not finding another one similar, her yoga practice has slacked off a bit. But when she feels that familiar discomfort down the back of one thigh...

While you might have consumed innumerable pills or used modern machines in a bid to gain height, you might have forgotten that there exist exercises that have been perfected over centuries, which can help you to increase your height fast. These exercises are known as yoga and here are 4 unique yoga exercises which will help you gain height fast. Trikona-asana... This exercise which is also called the triangle pose begins with you standing with your feet kept at a 3 feet distance from each other. You should now turn your right foot outward while lifting both your arms on either side of your body until they are at an angle of 90 degrees from your waist. You will now have to twist your torso so as to...

I went over in detail the use of the shoulder stand sequence as ‘the' Yoga exercise for back pain in part one of this article. Now let's go over the rest of the applicable poses shall we.   FORWARD STRETCHES:   Wind Relieving Pose: (Vatayanasan) Lie down flat. Now take a deep breath and hold it. Now fold your right leg at the knee and press the folded leg against the abdomen. Make sure to keep the alternate leg straight while doing this. Now, switch legs and to conclude this use both legs at the same time. 5-15 Seconds   Plough Pose (Halasana): Lie flat on your back on your blanket. Keep the hands, palms down near the thighs. Without bending the knees, slowly raise the hips and the lumbar part...

Downward Facing Dog is a pose that looks very easy but is quite challenging, both to ones strength and ones flexibility. It is a pose you are likely to encounter in most beginning yoga classes and benefit greatly from over time. Downward Facing Dog is technically categorized as a forward bend, which in general quiet the nervous system and support the immune system. It has many benefits, including developing arm, core and wrist strength, stretching the shoulders, back, neck, buttocks, hamstrings and calves, and keeping the feet and toes flexible . Regular Downward Dog practice lays the foundations of strength and flexibility in the arms and shoulders for inversions like Handstand and Forearm stand...

The Warrior Yoga Pose is also known as Virabhadrasana. The name Virabhadrasana is derived from the name of the warrior-sage from the Hindu Mythology, who was created by the ancient God Shiva. The Warrior pose has three versions: Warrior Pose I Warrior Pose II Warrior Pose III All the three versions of the Warrior yoga pose have great physiological and psychological benefits. This article aims at discussing each of these benefits in detail. Physical benefits of the Warrior yoga pose The practice of the Warrior yoga poses activates almost all the muscle of the body, hence it aids in the strengthening of the overall body. If one is looking for strengthening of one particular muscle, one has to simply...

In philosophical terms yoga means a refined rejuvenative reunion with 'self,' a journey of self-discovery. The intimate practice of yoga offers a diverse range of poses and postures for physical, mental and spiritual growth. The yoga poses are essential forms of meditation, used for calming the mind, strengthening the body and assisting in improvement of blood circulation. No matter what level of expertise, each pose delivers different benefits to the mind, body and soul of the individual. Poses for yoga beginners When first practicing yoga, it is important to start off slow as it is likely you will not have the flexibility of someone who has been practicing for years. Basic poses will be introduced...

Recently I was speaking with an expectant mom about yoga for kids. She mentioned that she would be interested in learning more in a couple of years once her oldest was into pre-school. I inquired, "Why wait? Even infants can do yoga." She was completely amazed. I told her I had done yoga with my children and highly recommend it for all new parents. Yoga for infants includes numerous benefits. Yoga: Improves digestion-A baby's digestive tract is underdeveloped and sensitive. Yoga helps to strengthen and massage the intestines, increasing baby's comfort and stimulating absorption and elimination thus making baby more content and parents' lives easier. Provides relief from colic-Colic is frustrating...

So how do you get your golf buddies to stop making fun of you for doing yoga? How about ripping 14 tee-shots past theirs next weekend. It's a fact: Yoga increases flexibility and flexibility increases the ability for a golfer to generate club-head speed. Of course, we don't all have to go to yoga classes every day. I would recommend using an at home yoga DVD at a skill level you are comfortable with at least a few times a week. Alas, if this not your style, then at least use a few yoga poses such as these to help increase your flexibility for your next round. Perfect time to practice these poses: The TV is on, you're watching golf yet again, you're thinking how you need to improve, so you can now do...

Neck pain can be annoying because it often inhibits the range of motion of your head and makes your neck and shoulder feel tight. The ancient practice of Yoga provides some gentle poses that you can do to begin to heal the muscle strain in your neck and shoulders while also relieving the pain. Practicing Yoga on a regular basis will also strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments that support your neck and shoulders, lengthening them and making them less prone to strain. If you've never done Yoga before, it's advisable to work with a certified yoga instructor when you first get started. They can help guide your alignment and help you to get familiar with each pose in a safe environment. If your...

> Yoga has its roots in India and now widespread all across the world and millions of people are enjoying the various health benefits by following some regular yoga exercises. Although, doing any kind of exercises on a regular basis can help you in maintaining good health but yoga has its own benefits without putting too much strain on your body. It helps in relaxing your muscles and calming your mind. It helps in developing fresh coordination among mind, body and soul. A simple set of yoga exercises can provide you a healthy life for future. There are various yoga poses that give yourself a healthy body, relaxation and improve your inner strength. Nowadays many yoga centers are become available...

The "Salute to the Sun" is a series of postures designed to limber up, and tone and strengthen the body. It is a moving sequence made up of a combination of Yoga positions. The Salute to the Sun is also known as Surya Namaskar, from "Sun" and "Greeting" or "Salutation". The sequence of movements should be carried out in a fluid manner, "flowing" from one position to the next. This will take some practice and familiarity with the postures and positions, but the benefits are worth the effort. The Salute to the Sun is an excellent warm-up to other work, and will warm up the body and mind on its own. 1. Stand upright with spine extended, legs straight and arms together. 2. Inhale, and raise and extend...

If you are going through an intense emotional experience then it is vital you take time to regain your composure, confidence and inner strength. Yoga poses offer you the chance to ease your body back into shape whilst calming your mind and giving your spirit space to heal and grieve. Yoga standing poses are ideal to teach you balance and inner calm. As you concentrate and focus your awareness of balancing, for example in the tree pose, your body learns to adjust to the subtle changes required to shift your focus from external stimulus to a more deeper inner sense of alignment and balance. As a yoga teacher I often remind students that their yoga practice is a reflection of their inner world. If your...

Chair yoga pose is excellent for strengthening and building your lower body. It can help tone your thighs and buttocks, and overall improve your energy and virility significantly. This pose is actually quite tough to do and beginner's need to careful with their knees when practicing this posture. The exercise gets it's name from the chair like position that is formed when you come into this pose. In classical fitness routines this pose is also used to help build the lower body and sometimes it is done by leaning against a wall. In yoga though stability is obtained via how the hands are placed, so pay special attention to this aspect. Since the full version of chair yoga is quite difficult, as I...

tion_start --> The Reclining Hero Pose - (Supta Virasana) Supta Virasana is an intermediate posture and for those only who can sit their buttocks relatively easily on the floor between their feet. In Sanskrit language, 'Supta' means reclining or lying down; 'Vira' means hero and 'Asana' means pose or posture, hence the name - Reclining Hero posture. The Reclining Hero posture has a remarkable effect on digestion and it is one of the yoga postures which can be done after eating. As a counter posture for Supta Virasana the Sitting Forward Bend (Paschimottanasan) is perfect because this posture will stretch out the knees at this point. This posture stretches the abdomen, thighs, quadriceps muscles...

The Split - (Hanumanasana or Monkey Pose) Be patient! It usually takes a long time to master this posture. Hanumanasana is dedicated to Hanuman, a powerful monkey-faced God from India's great epic, the 'Ramayana' and his famous leap across the sea from the southern tip of India to the island of Sri Lanka to rescue Sita, the Rama's wife. Hanuman is known for his devotion to Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu and this pose honors that devotion. Commonly referred to as the split, Hanumanasana, is one of the most challenging poses in Hatha yoga practice, because it demands two seemingly opposite actions in the pelvis. While one leg is moving in a forward direction, the other leg is moving...

This is probably the most popular postures of yoga. It is one posture that is most widely used to depict asanas. The Sanskrit word for the Head Stand posture is Sirsha Asana which is simply translated into the head posture. This posture is a fairly difficult one and does require some practice to master. This posture is performed in the following way: This posture is very difficult for the beginners; therefore we will explain it in two stages. Please, try the second stage only after you have mastered the first one. Stage 1 1. While practicing this posture for the first few times, place your mat on the floor in a corner as it will give you the required support if you fall down while doing the...

Yogis believe that energy is generated in the body by the cosmic force called prana. This prana is automatically present in happy, innocent young children but as we grow older and get conditioned by the world surrounding us, along with the anxiety, anger and depression, the prana and energy are depleted. We can replenish prana with the help of pranayama, or breathing exercises, and also direct it consciously to an ailing part of the body to heal it. In order to do this, it is necessary to have a calm and relaxed mind and this can be achieved with meditation. The following asana is a combination of pranayama and meditation and its objective is to heal an ailing spine. Pranayama Chakra Breathing...

When teaching Pranayama (Yogic Breathing Techniques), to a student who is new to Yoga, you realize that beginners take their breathing for granted. It is natural to take breath and life for granted. Breathing happens naturally, or conditionally, without giving it a thought. At the same time, breathing makes life, itself, possible. In the Yoga Sutras, Maharishi Patanjali mentions pranayama as the fourth limb in the Eight Limbed Path. Pranayama has therapeutic value, and it is the most basic tool for creating a mind / body connection. Through pranayama practice, self-realization and presence in our Yoga practice are discovered. As you sit on a mat practicing meditation, asana, pranayama, mudra...

Yoga was invented in India about five thousands years ago. Yoga is a scientific technique for development of the art of living which ultimately grows in to a way of life. Yoga is scientific because the result of its practice can be predicted and are not only experience but can also be majored. The practices of yoga are standardized. It is the science for higher life forces. India has a glorious heritage of methodical practices which trigger the higher life forces. For thousands of years this heritage has been used for the welfare of mankind. In the dazzling advanced age of technology, however this heritage of triggering the higher life forces has been weakened so much, that we almost forgot this...

Yoga standing postures are ideal poses to help you develop your concentration skills, balance and flexibility. Through them you learn how to connect with all parts of your body. They also develop strength, confidence and focus. When you are new to yoga it can be quite challenging to stay still, focus and balance in a standing pose. The following standing sequence is designed to help you develop the inner strength and focus needed to do standing balancing poses. As with all forms of exercise, please exercise caution and respect for your body. 1. The Mountain Pose/Tadasana The mountain pose forms the foundation of all standing poses. It teaches you to stand correctly and forms the starting point for...