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Nowadays there are more and more people busy
finding themselves. Yoga calms the mind and
strengthens the body. It's a wonderful way to start
the day and it beats going to the gym as you can do
it at home. |
Yoga raises your energy and concentration and gives you
a stronger personal strength. Yoga is the latest fitness
phenomenon in the U.S that the celebrities are drawn to.
Madonna, who is well known for practising yoga on the set
of her videos, also tries getting the others to join in as
well. Cindy Crawford did yoga while she was pregnant,
Michael Jackson and Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers also
benefited from practising yoga.
There are eight points to yoga
1. Yama - 5 ethereal prohibition
2. Niyama - 5 ethereal commands
3. Asana - positions and exercises
4. Pranayama - breathing exercises
5. Pratyahara - relaxation
6. Darana - concentration
7. Dhyan - meditation
8. Samdhi - release, set yourself free with the
combination of individual self and the universal self.
This type of fitness is different as it nourishes the
mind, the spirit and the body as well. Yoga is not a
practice of self-improvement; it is a practice of
self-acceptance. According to yoga teacher to the stars
Gurmakn Kaur Khalsa, "we don't need to be fixed, we
need to reconnect with how wonderful and perfect we
already are".
Yoga can help with clearing emotional and spiritual
blocks, which are trapped in our bodies causing us pain
and discomfort. Yoga is a process by which you grow in
your understanding of yourself, from this you come to
realize that you can change those aspects of your self
that you are unhappy with. First you have to recognize the
qualities that hinder your personal growth.
Then second, you discover that there exists within you
the potential to transform these negative qualities. Then
you can take steps towards living more creatively. This
approach is known as the yoga of reflection and discovery,
"Before I can be nobody, I must first be
somebody".
Yoga has three aspects - therapy, power and meditation.
Yoga is a journey to be experienced. It is a journey
that requires patience perseverance and enthusiasm. Yoga
can help for many ailments such as depression, stress,
stiff joints, bad backs and addictions.
'The Salute to the Sun', is a classic yoga sequence and
it is a great way to start the day. Why not give it a go.
Be sure to wear loose clothing and use a mat for the floor
or something soft for the knees!
1. Stand tall, feet together and arms at the side, move
your right foot 60cm to the right, raise both arms over
your head, palms facing forward. Keep you shoulders down.
2. Inhale deeply and bend your body back as far as you
can. Keep your arms close to your head with your palms
upwards.
3. Exhale, bring your right foot to your other foot and
place your arms in the starting position. As you exhale,
bend forwards and relax your spine, hold your ankles and
try and place your forehead on your knees. (Don't worry if
you can't the first time, it will get better with
practice).
4. Bend your right knee and put your fingertips on the
floor and take your left foot as far back as possible with
your toes tucked under.
5. Inhale and drop your left knee to the floor, and
balance carefully. Stretch your spine by lifting your arms
above your head. Cross your thumbs and put your palms
together and straighten your elbows. Exhale, bring booth
feet together again and repeat on the other side.
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