y o g a - s t y l e s
YOGA STYLES ---- The Eight Styles of Yoga.
THE WORD YOGA COMES FROM THE SANSKRIT FOR "UNION", AND ALL FORMS OF YOGA HAVE AS THEIR GOAL THE REALIZATION OF ONENESS WITH THE UNIVERSE AND "REUNION" WITH THE GODHEAD. Yoga is all about achieving Enlightenment. That said, there are a number of different forms of Yoga, which might surprise those who think of it as merely as a feminine stretching session -- a kind of wimpy alternative to hitting the weights in the gym. Welcome to this Uncloned World special presentation on Yoga, a spiritual discipline which evolved in India about 5000 years ago, and is becoming increasingly popular all over the world these days. From Tokyo to the remote towns of Australia, everybody is getting into Yoga -- and not just the chicks, the guys as well. Many people take up Yoga to improve their health or to help recover from some physical ailment, and in these areas, Yoga does certainly pack a hefty healing punch. However, Yoga does offer some rather tantalizing spiritual benefits as well, and in fact, in India it is known as a predominantly spiritual discipline.
SOMETHING FOR YOUR MIND, BODY, AND YOUR SOUL.
YOGA AS WE KNOW IT IS AIMED AT UNITING THE MIND, BODY AND THE SOUL, WHICH IN THE WEST ARE OFTEN THOUGHT TO BE TOTALLY DISTINCT ENTITIES. Yogis (that is, the people who practice Yoga) view that the mind and the body are one, and that if both are given the right tools and allowed to rest in the right environment, both will find harmony and heal themselves. Yoga therefore is considered therapeutic. It helps you become more aware of your body's posture, alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even in the midst of a stress stricken environment. You will notice the difference within just a few weeks once you start stretching, and the first thing you will notice is, your body has become more flexible. For me at least, flexibility was the first benefit which came from Yoga.
MORE YOGA BENEFITS.
THE TWO MAIN PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF YOGA ARE THE POSTURE (ASANA) AND THE BREATH. A series of poses held over a period of time and synchronised with the breath exercises every part of the body. Some of the main benefits include:
Spirituality Performing Asanas on a regular basis is said to unleash kundalini energy, open the Third Eye, and lead practitioners to Enlightenment. Have you heard about the Yogis in India who can levitate and walk through walls and that kind of thing? It could happen to you, if you practiced hard enough.
Guru Rattana points out: "I practiced Hatha and then Kundalini yoga for many years before I realized that I must sit still and be with what was going on with my thoughts, body, and emotions in order to make conscious shifts especially in my mental and emotional states. The Buddhists call this attention mindfulness. The experience of being with our fears and resistance in our bodies is not comfortable. We have trained ourselves to avoid feeling uncomfortable at all costs. Unfortunately the price we pay is very high. We lose our power to what remains unconscious.
"We often think that we just have to do more yoga or more chanting and all our disfunctions will all go away. Our issues do not simply all disappear. Some do. And that is wonderful. But many require our conscious awareness, and choice, in order to be changed and transmuted. Kundalini yoga and meditation bring our issues into the light so we can choose to release them and move on.
"Beyond releasing negative patterns, resistances and thoughts, there are infinite possibilities of consciousness. The more we cultivate our awareness, the more we experience and the richer our lives become."
The Mind Doing Yoga movements, which are by necessity hard and repetitive, ensure that the mind becomes strong and able to endure pain and unhappiness. Determination, concentration and memory are enhanced. The Nerves Yoga benefits the entire body, and massages not just the muscles as you would expect, but also the bones and internal organs! Even the nervous system, respiratory and circulatory systems, and the digestive systems get some benefit out of it! All are co-ordinated with each other. The body becomes more flexible, and more able to adjust to environmental changes. The sympathetic and para-sympathetic nervous systems are brought into a state of balance. The Heart The cardiovascular system, which comprises the heart and arteries, is strengthened due to the rythymic nature of Yoga exercises. Studies show that regular yoga practise may help normalise blood pressure. Performing the stomach lift Asana raises the diaphragm, which massages the heart from below, and thus resulting in better circulation and less chance of heart disease. Muscles and Bones and the Spine Regarding the musculo-skeletal system, joints are moved through their full range of motion while performing the Asanas, which encourages mobility and eases pressure. It also results in the secretion of a lubricant called synovial fluid. This is released into the joints and keeps them supple, as well as removing waste products. Weight bearing Asanas may help prevent osteoporosis, and may also help those already diagnosed with this disease. Perhaps most importantly of all, Yoga postures also help maintain the flexibility of the spine. As we age the spine has a tendency to grow rigid. Regular Yoga practice stops this process, allowing you the master the ageing process. The Glands Yoga can benefit the endocrine glands, ductless glands which distribute hormones directly into the blood. They have a profound effect on many physical and mental activities of a human being. The thyroid gland (located in the throat) regulates metabolism -- the conversion of foods into energy. If this gland under-secretes (gives less hormone into the bloodstream), then a person may become very fat even without consuming much food. Likewise, an over-secretion of the
same gland can make a person too thin even though he or she is consuming large amounts of food. The gland is directly manipulated by the Shoulder Stand Posture. The said posture when practiced squeezes great pressure on the thyroid gland. When the posture is released, the flow of blood rushing into the throat massages the gland and helps it to regulate the correct amount of secretion. This is just one example of how Yoga can help the glands.
Stretching of the skin during the Asanas causes stimulation of the skin cells. This results in firmer, healthier skin which won't sag or wrinkle. The headstand Asana causes an increase in circulation to the brain, which stimulates the brain's nerve cells. This results in increased vitality and improved brain function (intelligence and memory). Finally, Yoga Asanas regulate and control the secretion of hormones from all glands in the body. Even if one gland is malfunctioning, a noticeable loss of health can be experienced. Yoga will put you back on the right track, and keep you there!
Contact the author Rob Sullivan at bunyarra@hotmail.com. Anticopyright February 2005.
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