Yoga And Meditation

Yoga for Everyone

It’s morning time and let us roll out our yoga mat and discover the combination of physical and mental exercises that for thousands of years have been favorite for yoga practitioners around the world, especially, in India where yoga has been the part of Saints’ life. Baba Ramdev, the founder member of Patanjali Wellness Centre ,has made it so popular . Yoga has been recognized through out the globe and World Yoga day has been recognized by U.N.O . The beauty of yoga is that every body can do it. Whether you are young or old, overweight or fit, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. Don’t be misguided by yoga terminology, fancy yoga studios and complicated poses. Yoga is for all.

Bricks make the base for the building and poses make for yoga. These are good ones to learn as you build a regular yoga practice. I am a regular yoga fan and do it everyday in the morning for long time. I am sharing my experiences of yoga and will discuss some poses which are important for good health and everyone knows that health is wealth which keeps us happy . Have deep breathe before starting the next pose and do your research and start your journey of yoga. Let us discuss some yoga poses with utmost precaution.

Kids Pose

This calming pose is a good default pause position. You can use child’s pose to rest and refocus before continuing to your next pose. It gently stretches your lower back, hips, thighs, knees and ankles and relaxes your spine, shoulders and neck.

Do’ s: When you want to get a nice gentle stretch through your neck spine and hips.
Don’t: If you have knee injuries or ankle problems. Avoid also if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant.
Modify: You can rest your head on a cushion or block. You can place a rolled towel under your ankles if they are uncomfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on relaxing the muscles of the spine and lower back as you breathe.

Downward- Bending pose

Downward-facing dog strengthens the arms, shoulders and back while stretching the hamstrings, calves and arches of your feet. It can also help relieve back pain.

Do’s: To help relieve back pain.
Don’t: This pose is not recommended if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or other wrist problems, have high blood pressure or are in the late stages of pregnancy.
Modify: You can do the pose with your elbows on the ground, which takes the weight off your wrists. You can also use blocks under your hands, which may feel more comfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on distributing the weight evenly through your palms and lifting your hips up and back, away from your shoulders.

Plank Pose

A commonly seen exercise, plank helps build strength in the core, shoulders, arms and legs.

Do’s: Plank pose is good if you are looking to tone your abs and build strength in your upper body.
Don’t: Avoid plank pose if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be hard on your wrists. You might also skip it or modify if you have low back pain.
Modify: You can modify it by placing your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: As you do a plank, imagine the back of your neck and spine lengthening.

Cobra Pose

This back-bending pose can help strengthen the back muscles, increase spinal flexibility and stretches the chest, shoulders and abdomen.

Do ‘s: This post is great for strengthening the back.
Don’t: If you have arthritis in your spine or neck, a low-back injury or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Modify: Just lift up a few inches, and don’t try to straighten your arms.
Be mindful: Try to keep your navel drawing up away from the floor as you hold this pose.

Tree Pose

Beyond helping improve your balance, it can also strengthen your core, ankles, calves, thighs and spine.

Do’s: Great for working on your balance and posture.
Don’t: You many want to skip this pose if you have low blood pressure or any medical conditions that affect your balance.
Modify: Place one of your hands on a wall for support.
Be mindful: Focus on your breath in and out as you hold this pose.

Sivananda Yoga, Created by and for Indians

Swami Vishnudevahanda, a student of Swami Sivananda, created this type of yoga in the 1960s which focuses on “breathing, relaxation, and positive thinking” .Based on Hatha Yoga, this type of yoga uses asanas, breathing exercises, and meditative practices. Regularly doing this type of yoga can have a positive effect on your mind, body, spirit, and overall well-being. As with everything else, no pain, no gain.

Hatha Yoga

Almost all the yoga you see people practicing is, in fact, Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is essentially the physical poses, or asanas, that you assume. But in modern terms, this has evolved to mean a type of yoga that focuses on slow, gentle movements, holding the asanas for a few breaths before transitioning to the next. So if you’re a beginner looking to explore yoga in India, this is a good place to start!

Hatha yoga is the branch of yoga that typically comes to mind when you think of yoga in general terms. The practice involves breath, body, and mind, and classes are usually 45 minutes to 90 minutes of breathing, yoga poses, and meditation.

Common mistakes in yoga

Too much focus on the shape of the pose
Forgetting about your breath
Pushing yourself too much, too quickly
Skipping the warm up
Skipping the cool down / relaxation

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Your First Meditation

To begin meditating, find a place where you can sit comfortably and quietly. Then close your eyes and do nothing for a minute or so. Thoughts may come during that time, and that is okay. Then start the audio below and play your mantra** at a whisper. Each time you hear your mantra, say it quietly inside without moving your tongue or lips. After one minute the audio will fade to silence. Then continue saying your mantra quietly inside for four more minutes. If thoughts come during that time, gently return to saying your mantra quietly inside. The audio will tell you when four minutes is over. Follow this instruction for your first meditation only. After your first meditation, follow the instructions in the Daily Practice of Meditation section below.

Meditation Instructions

For Inner Peace , Let us Do Meditation

Daily Practice of Meditation

Meditate every morning and every evening for 15-30 minutes. It is best to meditate before you eat. Try to meditate in a quiet place but if you do not have a quiet place to meditate that is okay. Noise is not a barrier to meditating.

Sit quietly, close your eyes, and do nothing for a minute or so. Thoughts will come and that is okay. It is natural to have thoughts during meditation. After a minute or so, in the same natural way that thoughts come, and without moving your tongue or lips, quietly inside start saying your mantra. Slowly repeat your mantra until you are done meditating. When thoughts come, gently return to saying your mantra. When you finish meditating, lay down and rest for 4-5 minutes.

Common Mistakes

Do not TRY to meditate. Trying to meditate is the biggest mistake people make. During meditation, just do nothing. It is very important to do absolutely nothing during meditation.

Meditation: Is it easy ?Can it reduce stress? fast way to reduce stress http://Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels

Meditation can reduce the day’s long stress and brings inner peace. Let us see how you can reduce your stress by practicing it whenever you require it most.

Stress makes us unhappy, tensed and worried . Lets us take a small example, when some one makes you unhappy, just relax and don’t react . Keep silent and close your eyes for few minutes and relax , you will feel better. Sit in silent way and do some meditation and spend some time for few minutes and do meditation.. You will feel better and relaxed. Everyone can do meditation and does not require any special training and equipment. Meditation can be performed at any place even at your working place.

Let us understand Meditation

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction.

Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation can produce a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind .One must focus on and try to wipe out your negative thoughts which make you unhappy.

Pros of meditation

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and make your mind relaxed. It benefits you emotionally and physically. It improves your health. Meditation cam make your day becomes more constructive. Benefits of meditation:

To gain new ideas and thinking in stressful situation
Builds skills to manage your stress and tension.
Enhance self confidence and Increases self-awareness
Helps in Focusing on the present time
reduces negative vibes and develops positive thoughts
Imagination and creativity increased
Increases patience and tolerance

Meditation dilutes illness

Meditation may be useful if you have a medical condition, especially in case of stress and anxiety. Support of meditation is increasing day by day among people and researchers. It can benefit you in the following diseases such as:

Anxiety
Asthma
Cancer
Chronic pain
Depression
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Irritable bowel syndrome
Sleep problems
Tension headaches

Do your own research and consult your doctor for better use of meditation.

Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment.

In mindfulness meditation, you broaden your conscious awareness. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions, but let them pass without judgment.

Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you’re encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.

Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function. Practice it and feel the difference, You will be relaxed and feel fresh. It will give strength to your heart and lungs.

Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing.You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher.
Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, Om thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.

Common ways to practice meditation

Don’t let the thought of meditating the “right” way add to your stress. If you choose to, you can attend special meditation centers or group classes led by trained instructors. But you can also practice meditation easily on your own.

And you can make meditation as formal or informal as you like, however it suits your lifestyle and situation. Some people build meditation into their daily routine. For example, they may start and end each day with an hour of meditation. But all you really need is a few minutes of quality time for meditation.

Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose:

Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function.

Focus all your attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.
Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body’s various sensations, whether that’s pain, tension, warmth or relaxation.

Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body.
Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it’s religious or secular. Examples of religious mantras include the Jesus Prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism, or the om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions.
Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you’re walking, such as in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall.

When you use this method, slow down your walking pace so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don’t focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as “lifting,” “moving” and “placing” as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.
Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions.

You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about possible resources.
Read and reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on their meaning.

You can also listen to sacred music, spoken words, or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader.
Focus your love and gratitude. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a sacred image or being, weaving feelings of love, compassion and gratitude into your thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations of the image.

Building your meditation skills

Don’t judge your meditation skills, which may only increase your stress. Meditation takes practice.

Keep in mind, for instance, that it’s common for your mind to wander during meditation, no matter how long you’ve been practicing meditation. If you’re meditating to calm your mind and your attention wanders, slowly return to the object, sensation or movement you’re focusing on.