Yoga & Meditation And Today's Fashion

People have realized that being mentally fit is as important as being physically fit. The growing popularity of yoga globally confirms that yogic exercises keep one fit at the level of both, body and mind. Another widely accepted practice is meditation. By inculcating yoga and meditation in our daily regime, we can increase our resistance, improve health, and develop our mental abilities.Let us understand the essence of yoga and meditation by browsing through the informative articles in this site.

Backbend Poses in Yoga I
Exploring yoga
Yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word 'Yuj' which means to join or unite. In simple words, yoga is a way to unite our body, mind and soul. Yoga exercises basically comprise of number of asanas to achieve the union of body, mind and soul. These asanas are nothing but the practice of physical postures or poses that helps our body to attain a healthy level. Moreover, almost every yoga exercises include stretching; it does not mean that yoga is all about stretching. Through yoga practices, we can develop the strength and flexibility of the body. It also helps our body to create balance in the body by stretching in various ways. The most fascinating thing about yoga practice is that it can be performed by any individual.
Yoga exercises include number of asanas that falls in main categories such as warm-up poses, standing poses, supine poses, seated poses, backbend poses, finishing poses and so on. Backbend poses are one of important categories of yoga exercises. It includes exercises such as bow pose, wheel pose, locust pose, fish pose, dog pose, cobra pose and so on. Backbends are the special yoga asanas which improves your spinal flexibility and back strengthening. However, some of the exercises shall not be performed by the one who has chronic back pain or injury. Let us see some of the important poses in backbend category.
Bow pose (Dhanurasana)
As the name suggests, this asana resembles the archer's bow. It is well-known by the name of Dhanurasana. Bow pose helps in strengthening the back muscles, improves posture and provide a relieving effect from various gastrointestinal problems. However, this asana shall not be performed by person with neck or back injury. The correct way of performing Dhanurasana is as follows:
* Lie on the yoga mat with arms on your sides and palms facing upward.
* Bend your knees and bring them near the buttocks.
* Grasp your ankles with your arms and put the entire weight on the stomach and not on the pelvis.
* Raise your ankles further by pulling your ankles with your hands.
Try to increase the stretching in the chest and the backward bend for a relaxed mind and body. Keep the breathing slow and regular.
Fish pose (Matsyasana)
Matsyasana is a Hindi word for fish pose. This exercise shall be performed after the shoulder stand. Fish pose exercise helps in relieving the stiffness of your neck and shoulder muscles. Doing this exercise after the shoulder stand exercise offers benefits for thyroid and parathyroid glands. At least half the time spend for shoulder stand shall be given to accomplish fish pose in order to balance the stretch. Matsyasana also helps in expanding the rib cage fully, thereby increasing the lung capacity. The correct way of performing Matsyasana is as follows:
* Lie down on the ground. Keep the legs straight and feet together. Keep your hands, palms down, underneath your thighs.
* Pressing down on your elbows, inhale and arch your back. Keep the weight of your body on the elbows and top of your head on the floor and exhale. Take a deep breath and keep your legs and lower torso relaxed. While coming back in the resting position, place your head gently back and release the arms.
Backbend Poses in Yoga II
Yoga and backbend poses
Yoga believes that the mind, body and spirit are closely associated with one another and can not be separated. Through yoga, one can bring all these factors together and enjoy the real essence of healthy life. The techniques behind yoga are very simple and do not need any special equipments to accomplish. Yoga exercises basically comprise of simple asanas or poses. Some of the asanas are so simple that they can be carried out at any time including office, kitchen and holiday tours. It is because of this simple fact that yoga exercises have been practiced by many famous personalities as well as common man. Moreover, yoga exercises offer long-term benefits to any individual.
Yoga exercises include number of asanas that falls in main categories such as warm-up poses, standing poses, seated poses, supine poses, finishing poses and so on. Backbend poses are one of important categories of yoga exercises. It includes exercises such as wheel pose, cobra pose, bow pose, locust pose and so on. These exercises are meant for improving spinal flexibility and back strengthening. Let us learn more about some of the important poses in backbend.
Wheel pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana)
Wheel pose exercise helps in strengthening the power of your legs, arms and wrists. It also helps in making your back and spinal column supple and flexible. The correct way of performing wheel pose or Dhanurasana is as follows:
* Lie on your back on the ground or yoga mat. Pull your legs inside and put your feet, somewhat turned inside.
* Move your hands towards your head and spread your palms on the floor. Keep the fingers placed toward your shoulders.
* Lift your hip, keeping the head still on the ground or yoga mat.
* Move your body upwards, keeping the feet and the knees parallel.
* Slowly stand on your feet and stretch the arms to get the complete bridge position. Let the arms slightly bend inwards and head fall backwards.
Try to achieve the bending through entire back and not just through few vertebrae. Look at the floor while exhaling and try to bend upper back further and further. Once you achieve the good stretch, stay calm for some time and come back to normal position quietly. Repeat this exercise for number of times.
Locust pose (Salabhasana)
The locust pose is one of the important asanas of yoga which helps in improving posture and strengthening the abdominal muscles. It also helps in strengthening the muscles of legs and arms and helps in relieving stress, too. Let us learn how to perform this exercise correctly.
* Lie on the stomach with the arms alongside your body and palms facing up. Keep your forehead in a resting position on the floor.
* Slowly lift your head.
* Start raising your head, upper torso and arms.
* Lift your legs, keeping the arms parallel to the floor. Rest completely on your abdomen and lower ribs.
Though it seems easy to perform this exercise, however, in reality it is not. It is highly advised to perform this exercise under the supervision of a trained yoga practitioner.
Backbend Poses in Yoga III
Understanding Yoga
Yoga is a proven science for attaining the physical as well as mental fitness. Through its simple and easy methods, yoga empowers the mind to stabilize and develop the various skills. Yoga also promises to give a flexible, strong and subtle body to keep the various disorders away from a healthy body. However, one must try to get the knowledge of performing yoga exercises correctly from a trained practitioner. Yoga exercises basically include different types of asanas or poses. If the asanas are not followed correctly, it may create problems. Therefore, one must be careful while performing the simple asanas of yoga. There are number of poses under yoga exercises, out of which, backbend poses are one of the prominent ones. It includes exercises such as wheel pose, cobra pose, bow pose, locust pose and so on. These exercises are meant for improving spinal flexibility and back strengthening. Let us learn more about some of the important poses in backbend.
Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra pose is especially beneficial to women who constantly suffer from menstrual irregularities and constipation. Cobra pose also helps in improving flexibility and strengthening the muscles of arms and back. This exercise is also helpful to people with back aches. Let us see how to perform this asana correctly.
* Lie on your belly on the ground with your head resting on your lower arms.
* Look upwards and raise your forehead, stretching your hands backward. Let the body weight rest on your chest.
* Let your belly move further backward as if someone is pulling your arms. Let the entire weight shifts towards the belly.
* Put your hands and arms next to your chest if you find difficult to raise your chest. Relax your lower back and keep the weight on your arms.
* Keep the buttock muscles relaxed during the course of exercise. Try to move your chest upwards with every breathing out. Keep the shoulders broad in front and shoulder blades low.
Initially, you may feel uncomfortable and painful to do the exercise due to stiffness. However, the stiffness will gradually decrease as you spend more time on the exercise.
Bridge pose (setu bandhasana)
Setu bandhasana is a Sanskrit name for bridge pose which means construction of a bridge. Bridge pose is an effective exercise for promoting relaxation and reducing stress. However, it must be remembered that the shoulder stand, plough and the bridge are practiced by advanced students. Hence, bridge pose exercise must be performed under the supervision of trained yoga practitioner. The right way of performing bridge pose is as follows:
* Lie on the ground or yoga mat. Keep your knees in bending position with feet together. Let the arms stay on your side with palms on the floor.
* Start lifting your feet towards the ceiling, keeping your feet and palms flat on the floor.
* Maintain the above step and slowly move your arms over your head.
If you find it difficult to perform this exercise, use props such as chair and pillow. If you still find it difficult, consult your doctor.
Backbend poses in Yoga IV
Exploring yoga
Yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word 'Yuj' which means to join or unite. In simple words, yoga is a way to unite our body, mind and soul. Yoga exercises basically comprise of a number of asanas to achieve the union of body, mind and soul. These asanas are nothing but the practice of physical postures or poses that helps our body to attain a healthy level. Moreover, almost every yoga exercise includes stretching; it does not mean that yoga is all about stretching. Through yoga practices, we can develop the strength and flexibility of the body. Yoga also helps our body to create its own balance by stretching in various ways. The most fascinating thing about yoga is that it can be performed by any individual.
However, yoga exercises must be performed correctly. Beginners should take proper lessons from a qualified yoga practitioner. Sometimes, you may also need to take the advice of a doctor before you can perform certain yoga. People with back pain or diabetes may not be able to do some of the exercises. Yoga includes a number of 'asanas' that fall into categories such as warm-up poses, standing poses, seated poses, backbend poses, finishing poses, inverted and balance poses and so on. Backbend poses are an important section in yoga which helps improve flexibility and strength the back. Backbend poses are actually a series of 'asanas' such as bow pose, wheel pose, locust pose, fish pose, cobra pose, dog pose and bridge pose. Let us learn more about one of these poses such as the dog pose.
Dog pose
The dog pose helps improve spinal flexibility, by stretching the lower back and hips. It also help strengthen the upper body by stretching the back and opening the chest. Let us learn the correct way to perform the dog pose.
* Start the exercise on your hands and knees. Position your hands directly beneath your shoulders and knees beneath the hips. Keep your fingers fully spread. Keep the back in a horizontal and flat position. This position is termed as a neutral position. At this position, the spine is at its full extension.
* Press your hands downward and lift your shoulders. Do this for number of times, until you are comfortable with the movement.
* Start the breathing exercise. Turn your hips into 'Cat Tilt' when you exhale. To do this, gently pull the abdominal muscles backward toward the spine and gently contracting the buttocks. Lift the middle of your back towards the ceiling by downwarding your hands and rounding your spine upward.
* Turn your hips into a dog tilt when you inhale. To do this, release the grip of buttocks, reverse the tilt of your pelvis and curve your spine into a smoothly arched backbend.
Besides providing flexibility, this exercise also improves breathing, circulation of blood to brain and removes fatigue. It is highly advised not to perform this exercise by the one who have back pain or injury.
Basics of Pranayama Yoga

Yoga is a group of ancient spiritual practices possibly originating in India around 3300 BCE for the purpose of cultivating a steady mind. A practitioner of Yoga is called a Yogi or Yogini (female).
Yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word 'Yuj' which means to join or unite. In simple English, yoga is a way to unite ones body, mind and soul. Yoga exercises basically comprise of a number of 'asanas' to achieve the union of the body, mind and soul. These asanas are nothing but the practice of physical postures or poses that help our body stay healthy. Moreover, almost every yoga exercise includes stretching. However there is a lot more to yoga besides this. Through yoga practices, our bodies can develop strength and flexibility. The stretching exercises in yoga also help our body improve its balance. The nicest thing about yoga is that it can be performed by anyone of any race, caste, creed, sex, or age.
'Pranayama' is a distinct branch of yoga dealing with breathing exercises. 'Pranayama' is a Sanskrit word which means pause in movement. 'Pranayama' is actually two words, 'prana' meaning breath and 'yama' meaning exercise. Western countries believe and focus on deep breathing whereas 'Pranayamas' believe in controlled breathing practices. To proceed further, one must understand the meaning of 'prana' and 'yama'. 'Prana' translates into 'life force energy' while 'yama' translates into 'control or mastery of'. Hence, in totality pranayama is used to control, cultivate, and modify the 'prana' in the body.
Process of Pranayama
'Pranayama' is all about breathing correctly. As we increase the amount of air we inhale, we increase the intake of 'prana.' All the 'pranayama' exercises (except kapalabhati) are performed by breathing slowly and steadily. While performing this exercise, you must sit in a relaxed position with your back straight and upright. You also need to remove all worldly thoughts from your mind and concentrate on breathing. Only then, can you achieve the true benefits of 'pranayama.'
The period of exhalation should be twice as long as the period of inhalation. Initially, you may start the breathing exercise without a full pause between inhalation and exhalation. As you gain mastery, try to pause and hold your breath in between; according to your comfort level. As you gain practice, you will reach a point where you can manage to take pauses equal to the exhalation, or double that of inhalation. A trained yoga practitioner can take pauses which could extend to four times the duration of inhalation and double the duration of exhalation. By doing this, you can alleviate some ailments, improve respiration, and increase oxygen supply to aid cellular respiration.
The sole purpose of pranayama is to increase the flow of freshly oxygenated blood such that it reaches your neck muscles, throat, tongue, nose, ear, eyes and brain, and the sensitive areas of the skull. This exercise helps combat common health problems such as: mild headaches, tiredness due to overwork, tension and sleeplessness.

Benefits of Meditation

Basics About Meditation
Meditation is a technique through which we attain a still and relax mind by detaching ourselves from our everyday thoughts and emotions. The relaxation to the mind is achieved just by sitting quietly and concentrating on our breathing mechanism. Essentially there are two types of meditation, active and passive. Active meditation is related to our daily activities like working, eating, walking etc. Passive meditation requires time and a quiet place to perform meditation. Active meditation can not be started without mastering passive meditation. The purpose behind the passive meditation is to make the mind still and calm from the distracting thoughts and emotions.
Meditation benefits for brain
Meditation is found to offer some extraordinary outputs to our brain. Meditation not only helps in relaxing the body but also sharpens the functioning of our brain. It can also help people to relieve from conditions such as insomnia, stress, depression, anxiety, pain and emotional problems. As a matter of fact, meditation not only helps to prevent certain diseases but also contribute to the well-being of mind and body. Few things that you must know before starting to mediate are as follows.
Meditation is probably the easiest and most effective way of improving our brain. It has been proved that people who meditate regularly are more active and innovative. Meditation is an inexpensive way to achieve a healthy mind. Small exercises such as breathing exercise can prove beneficial to one who undergoes meditation. Meditation shall be performed in silent places to gain the ultimate benefits. Regular meditation will help you to relax your body by reducing the stress levels.

Meditation and health benefits
There are innumerable health benefits of meditation. When you perform meditation, you try to focus on some part of the body. As a result, this particular part of the body receives more oxygen and nutrients as the blood flow increases. Meditation is largely considered as a spiritual practice but it also provides many health benefits. Meditation is especially good for people with heart and cardiovascular disorders. It helps to increase the blood flow and slows the heart rate. With the help of meditation, people have also gained to bring their blood pressure back to normal. It also helps in producing serotonin which is associated with headaches, depression, obesity and insomnia. It has also been found that meditation helps in enhancing the immune system by increasing the activity of natural-killer cells. Some of the beneficial health aspects of meditation are:
* Lowers oxygen consumption.
* Decreases respiratory rate.
* Elevates the level of relaxation.
* Decreases muscle tension.
* Reduces the risk of getting diseases such as allergies, arthritis and heart problems.
Besides this, meditation helps in transformation of molecular and genetic structure, solving problems, and gaining better ecological understanding. By virtue of meditation, we can develop our skills and straighten the mind for completing various difficult tasks. Prominent sports personalities, actors, politicians, business personnel and elites of technological field have been practicing meditation. Thus, meditation can help us to walk on the road of healthy lifestyle.
Yoga & Meditation Tips
One of the benefits of yoga is that the practitioner develops a sense of awareness of an impending health disorder and can take corrective action.

Treat yourself kindly when you practice yoga. Slow down, especially in the beginning, and listen to your body. It knows what it can do.

Yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body, increasing lubrication of the joints.

Don't push yourself. You are not competing with anyone. You’re not out to win anything. If you push too hard, you may not enjoy it.

It’s beneficial to begin your meditation with a prayer. Praying helps you remember why you are meditating.

It’s beneficial to begin your meditation with a prayer. Praying helps you remember why you are meditating.

Don't push yourself. You are not competing with anyone. You’re not out to win anything. If you push too hard, you may not enjoy it.

Yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body, increasing lubrication of the joints.

Treat yourself kindly when you practice yoga. Slow down, especially in the beginning, and listen to your body. It knows what it can do.

One of the benefits of yoga is that the practitioner develops a sense of awareness of an impending health disorder and can take corrective action.