Yoga is not only mere exercise. Along with the physical benefits of yoga practice, it also has deep subtle influence on the mind. Regular yoga practice bring out the holistic perfection in the body, breath and mind. As you move ahead with your daily yoga routine, you will find the difference in your mindset as well, which includes state of you mind, clarity in the way of thinking and happy state on mind.
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AYUSH Ministry has decided to certify institutes imparting training in the ancient discipline for physical and mental well-being to ensure quality control and check mushrooming of centres which do not meet even the basic standards. The ministry has asked yoga institutes across the country to apply for government certification. The scheme applies to both wellness centres and institutes that offer training and diploma/degree courses in yoga. The various criteria for certification will include infrastructure of a given institute, number of instructors employed, the period it has been in existence and the kind of courses it offers. Art of Living Internation centre is conducting 5-weeks curriculum which is aligned with the syllabus laid down for Level-2 Yoga Teachers, under the Scheme for Voluntary Certification of Yoga Professionals, mentored by Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and owned by Quality Control of India (QCI). The students who successfully complete the programme and examination thereafter will be eligible for the certificate from QCI after clearing an interview with the PrCB.
If you are one of those yoga enthusiast then this is a great opportunity for you to be a part of certified yoga instructor by enrolling yourself in Art of Living course for yoga certification and pass on this knowledge to the masses. A study at Harvard that found that 50% of the time we’re either caught up in regretting things from the past or worrying about what we’re going to do in the future. 50% of the time! Even when we’re daydreaming about that perfect Hawaiian vacation, we’re no happier than when we’re in the present moment. They concluded that a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. I’d amend this to, “Dude, get out of your own way! Flow is awesome and it doesn’t show up on drug tests.” Getting caught up in self-referential thinking can get in our own way. Meditation can help us get out of our own way. Reality is so much more delicious than our concepts of it. What we’re learning from neuroscience is how to develop tools to help people learn and really see what it’s like when they get out of their own way and into the flow of life. This flow business is tricky business. We can all taste flow in moments of our lives, but how can we learn to get into it more and more? What’s it like when we get caught up in thinking? How is it different than just noticing thoughts come up? How can we notice our body sensations come up that are trying to tell us to do things and just be with them? When we can get out of our own way, we’re happier and more engaged with the world, we’re more compassionate, and as a result we can perform at our best. We all are awesome we just have to get out of our own way. The meditation is something that is absolute disconcentration leads results in focused mind. The meditating mind leads to complete peace which a reminder of your vast consciousness. Daily meditation practice may not be comfortable but once you fall in love with it, sitting for meditation will become a habit.
source :http://www.mindful.org/ If you have a sitting job and would like to do some sort of exercise in the office, try out these yoga poses. It's great to do a yoga routine before or after work, but what about incorporating yoga stretches into the rest of your day? This is especially important for people whose jobs require them to sit at a desk in front of a computer for long hours, resulting in back pain and repetitive stress injuries. Just taking a few minutes to do stretches at your desk can relieve stress, increase productivity, and most importantly, make you feel better. We are a generation facing the maximum health issues even though we have the maximum resources at our disposal. Every second person is facing either back, neck and shoulder problems either due to the long working hours on desk and incorrect posture. Skandha Chakra (shoulder socket rotation): The shoulder asanas relieve the strain of driving and office work, and also help relieving the pressure in cervical spondylitis and frozen shoulder. They maintain the shape of the shoulders and chest. Ujjayi Pranayama (The psychic breath): This is a tranquillizing breath and it also has a heating effect on the body. It soothes the nervous system and calms the mind. It has a profoundly relaxing effect at the psychic level. It helps to relieve insomnia and can be practised before sleep or in any stressful situation. Neck Rolls: Take your shoes off before starting these stretches if you are wearing high heels. Close your eyes. Let your chin drop down to your chest. Begin to circle your neck slowly, taking the right ear to the right shoulder, the head back, and then the left ear to the left shoulder. Try to keep the shoulders relaxed and not to hurry through areas of tightness. Take 3-5 rolls and then switch directions and take another 3-5 rolls. Greeva Sanchalana (neck movements): All the nerves connecting the different organs and limbs of the body pass through the neck. Therefore, the muscles of the neck and shoulders, accumulate tension, especially after prolonged work at a desk. This asana releases tension, heaviness and stiffness in the head, neck and shoulder region. Eagle Arms: Take your arms out to either side, parallel to the floor. Bring the arms forward, crossing the right arm over the left and bringing the palms to touch. Lift the elbows while keeping the shoulders sliding down your back. Repeat with the left arm over the right. Adapted from Eagle Pose. Seated Spinal Twist:(do this as a half spinal twist while sitting on your chair in the office) Turn so you are sitting sideways in your chair. Bring both feet flat on the floor. Twist towards the back of the chair, holding the back with both hands. Turn the chair the other way and repeat. Adapted from Half Lord of the Fishes Pose. (great to do throughout the day at work. Be it at the desk, breaks, in the car heading to a meeting, etc ) Ardha Matsyendrasana (half spinal twist):This asana simultaneously stretches the muscles on one side of the back and abdomen while contracting the muscles on the other side. It tones the nerves of the spine, makes the back muscles supple, and relieves lumbago and muscular spasms. It massages the abdominal organs, alleviating digestive ailments. It regulates the secretions of the adrenal gland, liver and pancreas, and is beneficial for the kidneys. Breathing is an essential part of practicing yoga exercises. You should never hold your breath during a pose. Also make sure that your breath is never forced or strained. Laboured breathing is sign that you you’re working too hard and should come out of the pose slightly. When one starts practicing yoga, one can hold for three full breaths through most yoga poses. If you feel comfortable in the pose, hold for longer, if uncomfortable, you should come out of the pose Types of Yoga Poses Seated poses – Seated poses are useful for practicing breathing exercises and relaxation or meditation techniques. Seated poses are also often used as a warm up or as a starting point for other poses. Performing seated poses can help improve your posture and open your hips. Standing poses – Standing poses are often used as warm up or as a starting point for other poses. Standing poses are beneficial for strengthening your legs, opening your hips and improving your sense of balance. Inversions – Inversions are excellent poses to improve your blood circulation, quiet your mind and improve your overall health when performed. Inversions are also believed to reverse the ageing process and reduce the effect of the gravity on your body. Relaxation and restorative poses – It is important to take time to perform relaxation or restorative poses at the end of each yoga practice. You can use this time to relax your body and mind and allow energy released by the poses in your practice to move freely throughout your body. Counter poses – A counter pose is a pose that stretches your spine in the opposite direction from a previous pose or returns your spine to a neutral position. Twists – You can perform twists to stretch and strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, increase the flexibility of your spine and improve fluid circulation. Twists improve the functioning of your internal organs by providing them with a fresh supply of blood as you twist and release your body.
Balancing poses – Balancing poses are great for improving focus and coordination as well as developing your ability to remain grounded in a pose. Keeping your body balanced encourages you to focus, quiet and balance your mind. Forward bends – Forward bends stretch the entire back of your body, especially the hamstrings. Forward bends are also often used to release tension, calm your mind and soothe your nervous system. Similar to back bends, forward bends help keep your spine strong and supple. Back bends – Back bends are among the most challenging poses in yoga. Bending backward helps strengthen the back and keep your spine strong and supple. Back bends also open the front of your body, especially your chest region. Read more about the ancient culture. Whenever there is a bad situation or emotional turmoil I have experienced that nothing works as good as Sudarshan Kriya. I have not missed it a single day after I learnt it. It has become a part of my daily life. Suddenly the thoughts disappear; mind comes back to its source which is peace and harmony through Sudarshan Kriya. Stress comes in life when there are more desires, ambitions and expectations; and less capacity to fulfil them. Sudarshan Kriya increases the capacity and brings a sense of contentment in life. It increases the six wealths: “Sama, Dama, Uparati, Titiksha, Shraddha and Samadhana” What are they? Sama is a gathered, composed mind. Dama is control over body and a say over senses. Uparati is the ability to enjoy whatever has come in life. Titiksha is forbearance. Shraddha, faith brings stability, totality in consciousness. Samadhana is the resolution of mind. All these increase the capacity, prosperity, freedom in life thereby reducing the stress. I generally used to blame others for my state of mind, because I had never learned how to handle my own mind and emotions. I found that Sudarshan Kriya is the best way to handle one`s mind. Handling the mind from the level of mind is very difficult. If I tell you “close your eyes and don`t think of dancing monkey.” The first thought that comes is of a dancing monkey, isn`t it? But through breath it is very easy to handle mind. Mind is like the kite and breath is like the thread to handle it. Mind goes in the past and what do we feel?...regret and anger, isn`t it? Mind goes in the future.. “Oh I have to do this, do that.” Then comes fear and anxiety, isn`t it? So, breath is the way to bring this wavering mind in the present moment. See in the present moment there is no stress. What is now? Now? Nothing. We are free and happy now. Free from the regret of the past and worry of the future. In the present we are so relaxed, isn`t it? Where is stress? In the past or future. Where is happiness? Now. Do you know how the breath affects our emotions? When you are in anger, how is your breath? Heavy, fast, isn`t it? When you are relaxed, how is your breath? Cool and rhythmic, isn`t it? Our emotions affect our breath and the reverse is also true. Our breath affects our emotions. When we synchronize our breathing to the rhythms of nature we are able to remain focused and relaxed. Sudarshan Kriya is such a technique. ‘Su’ means good or proper and ‘darshan’ means vision, so, Sudarshan means proper or good vision. Kriya means process. So Sudarshan Kriya is that process which brings back the vision of ourselves, of truth and with that vision we are free from stress. Our true nature is peace, contentment, harmony which gets blocked due to stress. Sudarshan Kriya brings back the vision of our true nature.
With the practice of Sudarshan Kriya mind remains more and more in the present and is able to experience peace, harmony, focus and enthusiasm. We are so energetic and a very little energy is sapped in the present. Whenever we are worrying or regretting then a lot of ‘prana’ or subtle life force energy is sapped out and we don`t feel good. By living in the present we can handle our energy levels. Below mentioned are some of the poses of yoga for migraine cure. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) :
Supported Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Folding Forward Easy Pose (Adho Mukha Sukhasana)
• Come into Sukhasana (Comfortable Pose), sitting up on blankets to assist lengthening of trunk if necessary. • Inhale and lengthen up through the sides of the trunk. • Exhale and hinge forward from the tops of the thighs, reach the arms forward and bring them to the chair if possible instead of head touching the chair , you can make it touch the ground, resting the head down on the seat. Hold this position for several minutes. • Inhale, walk the hands back and come up. • Repeat on the other side, with the legs crossed the other way. Shalabhasana (locust pose) Lie on your abdomen, feet together, chin on the floor. Tuck arms under the body, keeping elbows straight, hands facing up or made into a gentle fist. Breathing in, raise the right leg up. Keep the leg straight and do not twist the hip. Hold and keep breathing. Breathing out, bring the right leg down. Repeat with the left leg. Take few deep breaths. Breathing in, and with some momentum, lift both legs up, as high as possible, keeping the knees straight. Hold. Breathing out, bring the legs down, take the arms out from underneath, and rest. Allow the respiration and heartbeat to return to normal. Caution: Those suffering from peptic ulcer, hernia and other such conditions are also advised not to practice this asana. Benefits: Shalabhasana stimulates the whole autonomic nervous system It strengthens the lower back and pelvic organs, and tones the sciatic nerves, providing relief for those with conditions such as backache, mild sciatica and slipped disc as long as the condition is not serious. It tones and balances the functioning of the liver and other abdominal organs and stimulates the appetite. Dhanurasana (bow pose) Lie on your abdomen, feet together, with forehead on the floor. Bend your legs to the buttocks and hold the feet under the toes with your hands. Breathing in, raise the head, chest and knees up. Focus on widening the shoulders, bringing the knees together and lifting them higher. Straighten the elbows by pushing the hands away with the feet and lift the chin up, Hold. Breathing out, gently come down, and press feet down onto buttocks to stretch the quadriceps. Release the pose and relax until the respiration returns to normal. Caution: People who suffer from a weak heart, high blood pressure, hernia, colitis, are advised to not attempt this practice. Benefits: The entire alimentary canal is reconditioned by this asana. It improves blood circulation generally. The liver, pancreas and adrenal glands, abdominal organs and muscles are massaged, balancing their secretions. The kidneys are massaged. It is recommended in yoga classes therapy for the management of diabetes, menstrual disorders and, under special guidance, cervical spondylitis. Dhanurasana is useful for relieving various chest ailments, including asthma and generally improving respiration. Setubandhasana Lie on your back and place your feet near the buttocks, keeping the feet parallel to each other and hip-width apart, knees pointing upward. Breathing in, gently raise the pelvis up, lift inner thighs higher, bringing thighs parallel to the floor. Support a little more weight on your feet by pressing feet firmly to the floor. Keep the arms on the floor underneath you with the hands either grasping the ankles, or stretching towards the feet with the fingers interlaced. If you have a weak neck, support it by pressing your chin to the chest, otherwise keep your neck relaxed. Hold Breathing out, slowly lower yourself to the floor. Straighten your legs and relax. Caution: People suffering from peptic or duodenal ulcers, or abdominal hernia should not practise. Benefits: This asana may help to realign the spine, eliminating rounded shoulders and relieving backache. It massages and stretches the colon and abdominal organs, improving digestion. It tones the female reproductive organs. It can also help for the management of menstrual disorders, asthma, and various bronchial and thyroid conditions. Do you ever find yourself squinting and rubbing your eyes after a long stretch in front of a computer? If so, you’re not alone. Average adult Americans now spend more than eight hours a day staring at screens of one sort or another. And this growth in “screen time” has brought an increase in adults suffering from blurred vision, itchy and watery eyes, headaches, double vision, and other symptoms of eye strain. The next time you find yourself rubbing your eyes while staring at a screen, experiment with the following exercises which is called Yoga for Eyes. They can be practiced individually, or as a sequence, and can be repeated throughout the day as needed. 1. Palming Rub your hands together for 10 to 15 seconds until they feel warm and energized. Then gently place your hands over your eyes, with the fingertips resting on the forehead, the palms over the eyes, and the heels of the hands resting on the cheeks. Don’t touch the eyeballs directly, but hollow the hands slightly and allow them to form a curtain of darkness in front of the eyes. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and relax. This palming technique can also be done after the eye exercises that follow to further rest the eyes. 2. Eye Rolling Sit upright with a long spine and relaxed breath. Soften your gaze by relaxing the muscles in your eyes and face. Without moving your head, direct your gaze up toward the ceiling. Then slowly circle your eyes in a clockwise direction, tracing as large a circle as possible. Gently focus on the objects in your periphery as you do this, and invite the movement to feel smooth and fluid. Repeat three times, then close the eyes and relax. When you’re ready, perform the same eye-rolling movement three times in a counterclockwise direction. 3. Focus Shifting Relax your body and breathe comfortably. Hold one arm straight out in front of you in a loose fist, with the thumb pointing up. Focus on your thumb. While keeping your eyes trained on it, slowly move the thumb toward your nose until you can no longer focus clearly on it. Pause for a breath or two, and then lengthen the arm back to its original outstretched position, while maintaining focus on the thumb. Repeat up to 10 times. 4. Distance Gazing Rest your gaze on a distant object. Focus on the object as clearly as possible, while staying relaxed in the eyes and face. Take a deep breath, and then slowly shift your gaze to another distant object around you. Imagine your eyes are gently “drinking in” the image you see. Continue letting your eyes drift about the world around you, momentarily pausing at objects at varying distances away from you. As an extra bonus, if you spy something particularly pleasing, smile, enjoy the vision, and give thanks for your strong, healthy eyes. |
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