Ashtanga Yoga is one of many branches of yoga and was developed by Master Vamana Rishi who described his method in a hand written work named Korune Yoga. The modern branch of Ashtanga Yoga was founded by Master K. Pattabhi Jois who received his initiation from Sri Krishnamacharia and is usually categorised under Hatha Yoga, which has evolved from the original Sutras of Patanjali. Ashtanga Yoga is also known as Eight Limb Yoga. It postulates that the path of purification is made up of eight limbs of spiritual practice.

The first four limbs that Ashtanga Yoga proposes to master are - yama (do, attached to a moral code), niyama (don’t do, attached to purifying the body and study), Asana (Mastering Postures) and Pranayama (control of breath). These are considered cleansing practices which are externally correctable. The other set of limbs, - pratyahara (dissolution), dhyana (concentration), dharana (meditation) and samadhi (unity) are the internal practices.

All eight limbs can only be mastered simultaneously by the proper application of the Ashtanga Yoga method. This type of yoga method is viewed sometimes as quite dangerous to the mind. Considering that the goal of Yoga is to look beyond the veil created by the ego (to attain samahdi), which in turn is a creation of the mind, this seems only to comply with logic.

But ego was also created as a safeguard, and the mind was created by nature, which by analogy could be substituted by the word “God”. As it is safe to suppose that God is perfect, so it would be safe to suppose that the creation of God, the mind, is also perfect. Again, by analogy, in order to get past the mind and bypass the ego it created, the candidate will have to be exceptionally well prepared if with his consciousness he is to look beyond the veil.

As opposed to intellectually inclined persons who would be able to attain samahdi (illumination) by the study and understanding of Patanjali’s Sutras, so is Ashtanga Yoga more suited to physically rooted individuals, who will make use of the extreme discipline one is required to impose on the body to attain the same state.

Master K. Pattabhi Jois said that practicing these Eight Limbs and also its sub-limbs of external practices, which include yama and niyama, is not impossible. But in doing so, the body should be strong, so that it can perform the practices well enough. If the body is weak, and the sense organs are not functioning well, practicing will never allow for the ultimate goal (samahdi) to be reached.

However, practising this branch of Hatha Yoga (from witch also Power Yoga was derived) will always bring improved health and a stronger more vibrant body.

Joe is webmaster for mahasaya.com and yogi4u.com where he pursues his passion for spiritual work, self-growth and self-realization. He is happy to make available his experience and 30 years of intense personal research, meditations and in-depth questioning around the three subjects mentioned here above and strives to create a network of like minded adepts. You can post on his two sites, either http://mahasaya.com or the blog at http://www.yogi4u.com and he looks forward to your contributions.

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Some of the earliest traces of Yoga take us as far back as 7000 years ago. Some scholars even theorise that yoga evolved from shamanic rituals that took place during the Stone Age. In the Holy Scriptures of the Hindu Religion, or Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna refers to Kryia Yoga twice. These scriptures are estimated to have been written more than 3000 years ago.

A French Archaeologist discovered and excavated a Neolithic (7000 BC) settlement in Mehrgarth, Pakistan, between 1974 and 1986. To quote Ahmad Hasan Dani, a Professor of archeology, “Discoveries at Mehrgarh changed the entire concept of the Indus civilization”. This is because cultural similarities were found between Mehrgarh, which was a Neolithic settlement and Modern Hinduism.

The shamanistic culture of Mergarh tends to show that it influenced Hindu ideals, symbols and rituals of the present. Ancient shamanism and early Yoga had so much similarity for the reason both wanted to go beyond the human condition. Figurines found at the Mehrgarth excavation site depict Yoga postures which are still in use today.

Shamanism’s primary goal was to heal the members who were in their community and at the same time act as religious mediators. Archaic Yoga had the same objectives as it was community oriented and it aimed to determine the order of things through senses and inner vision, which then could be applied to daily living. As time went on, Yoga has progressed and has concentrated on the inner experience. Yogis then started focusing on how to attain individual enlightenment.

It is widely accepted today that many religions have their actual roots in shamanism, of which we know that it tried to act as a conduit between the known and the unknown. Shamanism could be seen as the belief system of people who lived during the Stone Age. Life on earth has always been challenging. Even in modern times many people go hungry even though there is the technology to go into space.

This suffering is not easy to witness and an individual’s helplessness in regards to his own suffering and that of others remains extremely difficult to reconcile. This could be one of the many reasons the vast majority of humans living on earth have taken refuge in some or other form of faith or belief system.Yet taking refuge in a belief system or faith has its limitations.

It will not prevent people from going to war with one another, in fact, quite the contrary, some of the most persistent conflicts that are raging to this very day are rooted in disputes around belief systems. This explains why Yoga evolved to distance itself from religion and modern Yoga as it is known today cannot be seen as a belief system or religion.

The first actual teachings of Yoga are to be found in the Vedas, which are ancient texts recorded by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization. The Vedas are reputed being the oldest scripture in the world and could be described as a compilation of hymns that commends a high power. They contain the first known descriptions of rituals aimed at going beyond the limitations of the mind in order to provoke divine revelation. They are referred to as Pre-classical Yoga.

The classical period of Yoga was introduced by the works of Master Patanjali who wrote his now universally famous Sutras. Scholar believe in general that this must have happened around 200 B.C. Sutras could be described in modern terms as “mind boggling expressions of truth”, or aphorisms. It is rumored that if one understands all the Sutras, divine revelation follows by default. There are several hundred Sutras.

This brief historic perspective of yoga is not complete if it stops at the classical stage of yoga. At the turn of the millennium, yoga spread in different forms. Theory states this occurred because of the need for standardization. Many different schools of yoga came into existence of which many continue to exist in our day and age, think of Hatha or Tantra Yoga, for example, or Kriya Yoga.

In his autobiography, Paramahansa Yogananda explains that he was the second master to have been given the task of making yoga known to western civilization. The first was Swami Vivekananda, the sanskrit term “swami” could be translated as “master”, who went to America in the late nineteenth century. In more recent decades, yoga has greatly and swiftly evolved. From being an occult science only accessible to the brahmin caste of India it has become a mainstream activity that can serve the purpose of helping every living individual evolve beyond maya.

Joe is webmaster for mahasaya.com and yogi4u.com where he pursues his passion for spiritual work, self-growth and self-realization. He is happy to make available his experience and 30 years of intense personal research, meditations and in-depth questioning around the three subjects mentioned here above and strives to create a network of like minded adepts. You can post on his two sites, either http://mahasaya.com or the blog at http://www.yogi4u.com and he looks forward to your contributions.

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Bikram Yoga can be classified as a distant cousin of Hatha Yoga. Its founder, Bikram Choudhury, is rumoured to have been inspired into creating this variant of Yoga after having suffered an injury in weightlifting. After discovering that Yoga postures greatly enhanced his recovery, he passed on his knowledge and other people suffering from various injuries experienced the benefits of recovering more rapidly from their ailments.

There are many reasons why the practise of Bikram Yoga can be beneficial to you. The advantages Bikram Yoga bring can totally change your life. This being written, Bikram Yoga is also known as “hot” Yoga and therefore can be considered a variant or westernised version of Ashtanga Yoga.

Compared with Bikram Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga depends on the individuals’ own personal strength to muster the discipline of learning the eight limbs of practice. One of the main effects of Ashtanga Yoga is that it produced abundant amounts of body heat, which in turn provokes abundant sweating. This helps in detoxifying the body, a process necessary for the purification of the individual on the path to samahdi. The practice of Bikram Yoga differentiates itself from Ashtanga by the use of warmed rooms. Temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity levels of 40% help achieving the detoxifying of the body and speeds up the healing process of injuries.

Another good reason for taking up Bikram Yoga is that it has been “westernised”, or adapted to the needs of western capitalistic society. While having been designed as a physical therapy for people with injuries, Bikram Yoga dispenses with the goal of achieving samahdi and concentrates on the immediate benefits of practising postures and breathing. Having modelled his distribution methods on the mould of franchising, Bikram Yoga soon became an American phenomenon while making its founder enormously wealthy.

More recently, the founder of Bikram Yoga hit the news headlines when he decided to obtain legal rights for his Yoga franchises. Most Yoga purists would sneer at this attitude, as this goes against the very foundation of post classical yoga, which aims at the liberation of all individuals. One could argue that Bikram Yoga is a form a physical therapy based on traditional Yoga without the constraints that the practise of traditional yoga impose. Having westernised his type of Yoga, its founder reaps the benefits and rewards for his strategy. Alas, he also has to confront the dangers that come with the commercialisation of his product.

Joe is webmaster for mahasaya.com and yogi4u.com where he pursues his passion for spiritual work, self-growth and self-realization. He is happy to make available his experience and 30 years of intense personal research, meditations and in-depth questioning around the three subjects mentioned here above and strives to create a network of like minded adepts. You can post on his two sites, either http://mahasaya.com or the blog at http://www.yogi4u.com and he looks forward to your contributions.

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Yoga teaches us how to maintain harmony between various forces acting on our body. In case, we are not taking care of our body, yoga shows us the way to restore our health by taking control of our mind and body. It is in our hands to take charge of our body. There are certain yoga basics which should be followed while practicing yoga.

Regular practice. Do yoga regularly, even if you do couple of yoga asanas or pranayama in a day. Therefore, you should decide how much time to devote daily for yoga and then follow it strictly. Beginners should not make very ambitious plans as yoga requires patience. Set realistic targets and achieve them, it provides motivation for continuing yoga practice. For beginners, 30 minutes to one hour of yoga practice is adequate. Do not expect miracles overnight. Do not strain yourself while doing asanas. Your progress in yoga will depend on your age and health at the time of starting yoga. One month of yoga practice can show positive results for most of the beginners. Practice yoga in a neat and well ventilated room by putting a yoga mat on the floor. If weather is comfortable, practicing yoga in a lawn early in the morning can be a wonderful experience.

Time for yoga practice. It is recommended to have a fixed time each day for yoga practice. One to two hours before sunrise is the ideal time for yoga practice as oxygen content is high and there are no distractions. As per your convenience, yoga can be practiced in evening also provided you are not too much tired. Do not eat anything three hours before doing yoga.

Ensure proper diet. Make sure your diet comprises of plenty of nuts, fruits, salads and leafy vegetables. Chew your food properly. Do not be in a hurry when eating food. Avoid tea or coffee, if possible. Limit yourself to maximum two cups of either tea or coffee per day. Reduce your sugar intake, avoid junk foods and untimely snacks. Strictly avoid tobacco as it will nullify the benefits of pranayama. Try to avoid alcohol. It is required to make gradual changes to your diet and make it a way of life.

Avoid constipation. Constipation is one of the ailments which can prevent you from enjoying full benefits of yoga. Drink enough water and include sufficient fiber in your food to avoid constipation. Your bowels should be clear in the morning before yoga practice.

Mental frame of mind for yoga. Try to keep your mind cool and calm at all times. Yoga practice is not complete if mind keeps wandering. For most of the asanas concentrate on the body part being affected by that asana or on your breathing. A peaceful mind is essential for gaining perfect health, strength and vitality.

Essentially yoga practice involves the following aspects:

• Restraining of senses.
• Following a simple diet.
• Controlling the mind.
• Proper breathing and relaxation.
• Regular exercise.
• Regular meditation.
• Continuous introspection to identify your weaknesses for self improvement.

Do not forget to take a long rest lying in shava asana for 5 to 10 minutes after your yoga practice.

Daljit Kaur is a yoga enthusiast, and editor of http://www.yoga-for-beginners-a-practical-guide.com a portal dedicated to provide valuable information on yoga to beginners. For more information on yoga, visit http://www.yoga-for-beginners-a-practical-guide.com

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Almost everyone has had some sort of back pain during the course of their lives. For most, it eventually goes away. For some, however, back pain never goes away. Yoga could be the answer to back pain.

Recent studies show that regular yoga practice can have an extraordinary effect on relieving the stiffness and agony of chronic back pain.

Yoga provides relief from back pain in several different ways. This has to do with the way the spine is affected by the alignment and function of all the parts of the body. The condition of the legs, hips, pelvis, shoulders and even the buttocks, influences the condition of the back. Due to this, as you improve strength and flexibility throughout the body, your back is in better shape.

The vast majority of people, do not pay terribly close attention to the way they move and hold their bodies, throughout the day. Sometimes we hold ourselves in ways that harm, rather than support our frame. Often we entertain poor posture or sit awkwardly most of the day in an office chair, allowing stress and tension to overtake our muscles and mind.

Studies reveal that yoga is better than conventional exercise because of this very element. Yoga involves a great deal of mental focus and a purposeful mindset. While performing poses, yoga students are instructed to pay close attention to their breath. Meditation and visualization create a direct link between the movements of the body and breathing. These interconnecting elements trigger high degrees of body awareness.

The result is that even when people are not doing yoga, they will still become aware of how they may have been moving and positioning their bodies in unhealthy ways. In turn, people who practice yoga make better and healthier choices in movement, consciously and unconsciously. They experience a higher degree of flexibility and range of movement. Not only that, yoga reduces overall muscle tension, which is a big cause of back pain.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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Yoga increases flexibility by stretching and lengthening the muscles of the body. Stretching is a big help for any kind of back pain. Yoga poses require students to stretch and hold their bodies in a variety of ways that lengthen interconnecting muscles.

Instead of just stretching the area that hurts, yoga affects the entire body. When a student decides to make yoga practice a regular part of his or her lifestyle, all the muscles of the body learn to work together. This results in providing longer lasting relief, which increases with regular yoga practice. Stretching also increases circulation, which relieves back pain.

In daily life, the muscles that support the back rarely get properly worked out. For proper support of the back, many muscles around the core of the body must be strong. Yoga strengthens these muscles and brings muscle groups into balance.

For most people who spend much of their day seated, facing their computer, and leaning slightly forward, their hips will take on much of the pressure. The hips are also staying mostly stationary and locked in position.

When the hips become weak and stiff from this day-to-day atrophying, proper posture and support is lost. Yoga poses, such as the triangle pose, open up the hips when properly done. Novice yogis must make sure to get in-person instruction from a competent teacher, before attempting any yoga pose.

An emphasis on yoga poses (asanas) is a science of good posture. Yoga instruction teaches the proper way to move between poses and hold a pose during class. Yet, the posture practice transcends the class into daily life, which teaches us to sit and stand in healthy ways, during the course of a day.

These lessons provide a comprehensive program of movements to stretch, strengthen, and retrain all areas of the body. Basically the body is being taught how to move again.

For example: Pelvic tilts, or the bridge pose, warm up the hips and lower back before progressing to more complicated postures. The cat-cow pose, and downward facing dog, are also recommended for back pain.

Cautiously practicing the forward spinal stretching of the plow pose, with proper guidance, relieves discomfort in both the upper and lower back and increases spinal flexibility. This pose is sometimes recommended to accompany the shoulder stand pose. As previously mentioned, the triangle pose helps back pain and posture. This pose is easier for less flexible yoga practitioners.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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The mission of a yoga instructor should be to serve the needs of the students in the class. That cannot be accomplished if intimate relationships are being cultivated with students, and unhealthy emotions blur the student-teacher boundary.

Some instructors are not prepared to guard against the ego in these situations and may give into the temptations presented to them. This not only dominates the nature of the classroom, but also damages the purpose and reputation of yoga practice.

Ego also gets in the way of yoga instruction, when instructors do not recognize the point where they are not trained enough to assist yoga students with their needs. On the other hand, instructors should not abandon or neglect students.

Students should always be referred to another instructor, or class, to allow them to get the most from their yoga instruction. The yoga studio needs to be a safe place for everybody, regardless of where they are in their own lives. The instructor is responsible for creating and maintaining a safe environment.

The yoga sutras, which are at the core of yoga ethics, have eight branches, or arms. The personal and social ethics that apply most substantially to yoga instruction are yama and niyama. These ethics require peacefulness, honesty, acceptance, truthfulness, temperance, and restraint.

Niyama sets forth the goals of purity, contentment, self-study, and dedication to holiness. These essential ethics cannot be upheld if instructors do not seek them. Ahimsa, peacefulness, requires us to do no harm. One cannot get personally and intimately involved with a student and not inflict some grief.

Unfortunately, in today’s environment, it is commonplace to see that the “exercise” portion of yoga is often separated from the rest of yoga. The classes tend to be body-centric and avoid, or eliminate, altogether, the importance of ethics, philosophy, and spirituality, which have been a part of yoga for its 5,000 year history.

Without the ethical, philosophical, and spiritual elements, the complete benefits and true core of yoga are missing. The same can be said of actions taken by yoga instructors that selfishly put the needs of the teacher first.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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With America tipping the scales on obesity, and weight-related health problems, it is more important than ever for all of us to stay fit. Many of us have already gone past the ideal weight category. We need to find our way back to a healthy, fit form. Yoga cannot entirely replace the benefits of regular aerobic activity, such as walking, but yoga can provide the basis for a healthier lifestyle.

What Hollywood and the “get skinny quick” master minds of modern marketing would have you believe is that rapid weight loss is healthy. The reality of the world we live in is that gradual weight loss of one pound, or two, per week is healthy. Gradual weight loss has the best chance of becoming permanent.

Holistic health has everything to do with balance in the body and all of the body’s systems. Crash dieting and excessive / obsessive workouts only create further imbalances of the body and mind. The best way to reach a truly healthy state is to eat life-giving foods, strengthen and sooth the body, and renew the mind and spirit.

This may not be what you want to hear if you’re coming here for advice on weight loss. Yes, if you are overweight or obese, now is the time to lose the weight. Extra weight increases the risk for nearly every disease, including heart disease, cancer and stroke. The simple fact of the matter is that being overweight puts stress on all systems of the body. Stress, in turn, creates imbalance, lessens immunity, and increases cellular oxidation. This is all the more reason to seek balance in the body.

To begin, make a concerted effort to increase your activity level in your everyday life. Pay close attention to what you eat and follow the yoga diet as closely as possible. By eating foods as close to their natural state as possible, you absorb the most nutrients, and gain the most positive effects from your food choices. The yoga diet is also high in fiber, which will aid in digestion from beginning to end. Once again, here we are on the topic of complete balance.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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Among Yoga teachers, there is a common thread, which we may refer to as a “calling” toward teaching classes. A passion stirs inside each one of us to become a yoga teacher because we see how much the Yogic path has helped us personally. We see what a difference Yoga can make in any person’s life.

Let’s consider what factors motivate people to go to work. We might be able to boil these prime motivations down into three groups. The desire for money, status, and passion, are the three basic reasons why people go work. Usually, most people receive one, or two, of the three prime motivators by going to work.

Many people go to work for a pay check, to bring money home for their families. There is nothing wrong with this because many people scratch out an income to survive. We could consider employment to be a 21st century survival tactic, but while the cost of living goes up, wages are not guaranteed to increase.

Some people go to work for their status. For example: A person works very hard, for years, to become a branch, regional, or department manager. Unfortunately, status, and prestige, can disappear in an instant, if our job is suddenly considered non-essential.

Now, ask yourself, “How many people are going to a job, where they are making a big difference in other people’s lives?” How often do you meet anyone who really loves their occupation? How many people wake up, filled with excitement about the day ahead of them?

The sad truth is - very few people feel satisfaction, self-worth, or enthusiasm about their occupation. On top of this, some companies make a calculated decision to fire a non-essential employee, just to put fear into the hearts of the remaining workers, and re-distribute that work among the rest.

Although the work climate has changed over the past two decades, all of us can still make a difference. Observe the work that you have a real passion for, and make a plan to succeed in that direction. For some of us, it may be as simple as taking a Yoga instructor certification course, but it is best to take small steps in a direction that is calling you.

If you are considering Yoga teaching certification, you may want to research your options for study. Can you afford to take four weeks off from work? Will your employer understand your reasons? Online Yoga teacher training is self-paced and you can easily study at home.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA - http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com - He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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Doing yoga for stress relief doesn’t have to be an involved routine. If you don’t have time to do a full yoga routine, use the separate parts of yoga to relax and rejuvenate.

Deep breathing, meditation and poses can go a long way toward conquering stress. Simple yoga techniques take minutes to do and can be incorporated into your exercise routine. You can also do them whenever stress takes its toll to regain your balance.

Try doing yoga for stress relief by doing parts of a full routine. If you are pressed for time, these techniques will fit into your life well.

· Deep Breathing - If you want to instantly unwind and revive, do deep breathing. Most people most of the time breathe through the chest. This shallow breathing is caused by tension and stress. Breathing deeply through the belly oxygenates the muscles thereby relieving tension. Fill up your lower abdomen by breathing in. Contract the same area by breathing out. Do the breathing through your nose. This is the easiest part of doing yoga for stress relief.

· Meditation - Spend a few minutes a day quieting your mind. It sounds difficult with a hectic schedule. Take a few minutes to sit in a quiet place. You can close your office door at work or go in your bathroom at home and lock the door. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Breathe deeply and focus on the area between and just above the bridge of your nose. This is the third eye (eye of the soul). When a thought comes to your mind, envision it with wings and let it fly away. Do this until you are relaxed and centered.

· Poses - Yoga poses are a sort of meditation since focus on the movements is key. Try these two simple poses to relax your body and mind.

1) Baby Pose - Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Make sure you are sitting on your heels. Hang your arms at your sides. Slowly lean forward at the waist until your forehead touches the floor. Rest your arms at your sides on the floor. Keep your neck relaxed and straight and breathe normally. Hold the pose for however long it feels comfortable - a few minutes, perhaps.
2) Butterfly Pose - Sit on the floor with your knees out and soles of the feet touching - like a butterfly. Keeping your back straight and holding your feet, slowly raise and lower your knees several times. Then, lean forward from your hips. Hold this pose for a few minutes while breathing normally.

If you don’t have time for a full routine of yoga for stress relief, try deep breathing, meditation or poses instead. They are ideal for quick relaxation and regaining balance.

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Caroline Selfe has been a passionate seeker of natural and holistic stress relief methods for the past 25 years.

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