Health Benefits of Yoga and Meditation

Both yoga and meditation have been around for thousands of years. To understand their connection, it helps to understand what each one is individually.

Yoga is a spiritual Hindu practice that incorporates breath, a simple form of meditation and physical incorporation of the body to bring the mind and body together, creating harmony. First introduced to the west in the early 1900's, by mid century, yoga has grown exponentially in popularity and has continued to grow over the last few decades.

Meditation is best described as a training of the mind to reach different levels of consciousness and awareness. These levels of consciousness can include access to parts of the brain that control imagination, creativity, memory and more. Through meditation, these characteristics can be explored and possibly enhanced through practice.

The health benefits of yoga and meditation seem to go hand in hand, but let's break the two down, anyway.

Health benefits of meditation

• Blood pressure- Studies have shown the ability of meditation to lower blood pressure and in some cases, reverse the effects of heart disease.

• Pain management- Meditation has been used to treat chronic and substance abuse withdrawal pains effectively. The results have been impressive; patients report feeling less discomfort when meditation has been introduced.

• Stress and anxiety- If anyone has ever gotten overwhelmed with stress, took a moment, stopped and took a deep breath to recollect has witnessed the ability of meditation to reduce stress. Meditations number one benefit is the ability to relax, fighting off stress and anxiety.

• Sleep- Meditation continues to be explored and implemented for its effectiveness for insomnia. Many times insomnia is caused by our inability to slow the mind down, whereas meditations greatest gift is the ability to do so.

Health benefits of yoga

Not only can yoga help with high blood pressure, pain management, stress, anxiety and sleep, but can also benefit the body more directly:

• Core strength- Yoga can develop and nurture a strong core strength through its poses and stamina required to maintain those poses.

• Posture- The simple act of lifting your chin when walking can have profound effects on posture. The poses present in yoga are embedded with improvements for posture, while developing the core strength can help maintain good posture out of the classroom.

• Balance- The very nature of yoga and its form of exercise helps develop and maintain physical balance, but also fosters an emotional balance for the mind.

The benefits of meditation almost seem inherent to that of yoga, considering meditation is an integral part of the yoga practice. Some benefits are exclusive to yoga because of the physical qualities involved, but both are highly effective in bettering our health.

A Perfect Guide to Yoga for Beginners

Yoga is an excellent way to stay healthy and fit. It is not only good for your physical health but for emotional, mental and spiritual health as well. Learning yoga is indeed a step by step process. It is always better to start with some easy asanas or postures so that you get motivation to continue. The simplest yoga asanas are similar to the day to day activities like lying down, standing or sitting in different positions but in an orderly fashion which proves to be beneficial for health. Here you can get info about yoga for beginners. 

Even doctors and medical practitioners recommend practicing yoga regularly because of its great therapeutic benefits. If you are a beginner, then you will be pleased to see great results instantly. Some of the most recommended yoga for beginners includes viniyoga or kripalu yoga. One you have a strong command on these simple yoga asanas, you can move onto advanced yoga asanas like Ashtanga yoga or power yoga.

You can practice for around 10-15 minutes at an initial stage which will help in increasing the flexibility of the muscle joints, enhance lubrication and improve blood circulation in the body. This will prepare your body for more complex yoga asana. It is very important to have a correct and erect body posture while practicing yoga.

Breathing exercises are a significant aspect of yoga for beginners. Some of the most effective breathing exercises include Anuloma-viloma, pranayama and kapalbharti. These exercises help in improving the breathing pattern and increases lung capacity. These exercises will make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated. They are great stress busters and provides you relief from day to day tensions, worries and anxieties.

If you are a beginner then it is very important for you to have basic knowledge of yoga etiquettes. The yoga teachers play a very important role in teaching some simple yoga asanas and basic etiquettes of yoga.

A beginner should always start with simple and basic yoga stretches like finishing postures, back bends, balance postures, supine, twist, sitting or standing positions.

It is very important for you to let your yoga teacher know that you are a beginner so that he/she pays special attention to you until you get a hold on various yoga asanas. Before practicing yoga, it is always better to take a nice bath and it is advisable to end your yoga session with shavasana.

Avoid having food before 3-4 hours of your yoga class. Don't overeat. Wear loose and comfortable clothes for yoga classes so that your body feels free. Have some water before the class starts.

As a beginner, all you need to get set for yoga for beginners are a yoga mat and comfortable loose clothes. You can join any reputable yoga classes near to your home so that you can commute easily. There are different types of yoga asana. It is very important for you to get basic knowledge of all the yoga stretches and then get a control over them one by one.

Learn Yoga at Home - Study Yoga Online, Learn at Your Own Speed, and Practice at Your Own Pace

Yoga has so many benefits. On a physical level, yoga online is excellent for your health in general, and will increase your fitness, help you lose weight, increase your flexibility, and can even massage and stimulate the internal organs of your body to help keep away disease. Yoga is also wonderful for detoxing the body, toning your muscles and removing stress and worry from your life. It is the ultimate fitness activity.

But walking into a yoga class for the first time and knowing absolutely nothing can be a very daunting experience.

I know how that feels. When I started yoga a few years ago, I had no idea what I was in for. I had some vague memories of attending one yoga class when I was in high school, but that was it. Would I be fit enough? Would I be able to do all those poses? Would everyone be looking at me?

What I wanted was to learn yoga at home, and then, as soon as I felt comfortable and confident with the basics attend a class. And so I did. Learning yoga at home is possible through a wide variety of DVDs, books or, as I did, through the internet. I subscribed to an online course that gave me video tutorials, diagrams, as well as ebooks to absorb and learn the lingo.

Learning yoga at home using an online e-course gives you the chance to learn at your own pace and to practice at your own speed (no stress keeping up with everyone else in the class.) An e-course will give you the techniques and the understanding to maintain your own yoga practice. You can practice whenever you have the time, when it suits you. And learning yoga at home will save you hundreds of dollars too in the long run.

Start learning yoga at home today and begin a journey that will transform your life.

The Yoga Training Center offers a 3 week yoga e-course which is ideal for beginners as well as those who have already begun to explore yoga. The course is divided into 21 lessons and is designed to be completed in just 3 short weeks. In that time you will have learned enough about yoga to know which styles you wish to pursue AND be confident about walking into a real-life yoga class and look good!

The Yoga Training Center offers a 3 week yoga e-course which is ideal for beginners as well as those who have already begun to explore yoga. The course is divided into 21 lessons and is designed to be completed in just 3 short weeks. In that time you will have learned enough about yoga to know which styles you wish to pursue AND be confident about walking into a real-life yoga class and look good!

Seven Types of Yoga

One of the best things about yoga is that it is easy on the body. Anyone, of any fitness level, age or gender can do it. Even those with previous injuries or physical ailments can do yoga. You have the ability to start out slowly performing some of the easier positions and then work your way up to the more difficult stances. For those who are very fit, some yoga offers a much more intensive workout, so there is definitely something for everyone.

How many types of yoga are there?

Contrary to popular belief yoga is not simply one set of poses? There is much more to it than that and a wide variety of different yoga styles that you can choose from, although in the West, the practice is normally referred to as yoga, as Western instructors normally combine a few of the methods and create their own unique styles of yoga to suit their goals.

Traditionally, there are 6 different types of yoga that are practiced around the world, but 7 if you include the new form, Bikram, which has been widely commercialized and is extremely popular.

1. Hatha
2. Raja
3. Karma
4. Bhakti
5. Jnana
6. Tantra
7. Bikram

So let's go into more detail about each type of yoga and what it involves:

Hatha Yoga

Hatha (meaning sun) is the most commonly practiced form of yoga in the Western hemisphere with two important principles that are promoted:

• Meditation
• Improving Energy within the Body

The meditation includes finding a position that is the most comfortable for you and as you gain strength and become more advanced you will find the one that is best for you. Most people go with the lotus position. The lotus position is done seated with your legs crossed and intertwined. The left foot is over the right thigh and the right foot is over the left thigh.

Improving energy within the body is done using various poses and focusing on the light energy that travels through your body. It is about bringing positivity and healing into your body.

Raja Yoga

Raja (royal) is slightly more difficult than Hatha, but similar, and requires more control and self discipline, as it aims to achieve awakening and enlightenment. It is also known as classical yoga or Ashtanga yoga and focuses on the principles of meditation, concentration, and mind/body discipline. As per the eightfold path to enlightenment teachings, there are 8 limbs, or parts, to Raja yoga:

1. Moral discipline
2. Self restraint
3. Concentration
4. Meditation
5. Breath control
6. Posture
7. Sensory inhibition
8. Ecstasy

Raja yoga aims to control thought waves and calm the mind, allowing you to eventually achieve self awareness.

Karma Yoga

Karma (discipline of action) is generally referred to in the sense of doing good or bad to others will result in the same thing happening to you. In yoga terms, Karma means a selfless action and to perform this kind of yoga, you are supposed to surrender yourself and serve humanity and mankind selflessly.

Karma yoga is based in Hinduism and was founded by Bhagavad Vita. The main aim of this type of yoga is to purify the mind and heart, getting rid of negative energy and negative thinking. The important aspect of Karma yoga that you must understand is that you will learn to have no attachment to the results of your actions, as this will lead you to freedom of fear and sorrow.

Karma yoga as you can see is more spiritually based than physically and there are no specific poses that are linked to this type, but it is more about using the best postures that you are comfortable with, therefore they tend to be simpler.

Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti is about divine love and faith, and is a more spiritual type of yoga, where the person devotes time to all living things including humans, offering forgiveness and practicing tolerance. It is very similar to Karma yoga. The forms of love that this type of yoga focuses on are:

1. Material love
2. Human love
3. Spiritual love

Bhakti movements originate in Hindu scriptures and there are 9 principles that are followed which are:

1. Srvana (Listening)
2. Kirtana (Praising)
3. Smarana (Remembering)
4. Pada-Sevana (Rendering Service)
5. Arcana (Worshiping)
6. Vandana (Paying homage)
7. Dasya (Servitude)
8. Sakhya (Friendship)
9. Atma-Nivedana (Surrender to Self)

Bhakti yoga follows more meditation rather than physical poses.

Jnana Yoga

Jnana, also called Gyana yoga, is a Hindu philosophy all about the right of knowledge and true wisdom. It focuses on clearing the mind and releasing negative energy from the body and mind. Through this type of yoga you take the path to enlightenment

Jnana can be followed along with all other paths of yoga and starts from the experiences that everyone has, allowing you contemplate deeply in order to realize the truth.

Jnana yoga focuses on uses three main points or principles which are:

1. Viveka (the path to self realization)
2. Neti-Neti (removal of false ego and materialism)
3. Vicara (Final understanding of self realization)

These principles allow the yogi to follow the correct process to gain the real knowledge or truth about themselves and their lives. This is also more meditative than physical.

Tantra Yoga

Tantra (expansion) is the one type that most people are curious about as it focuses on erotic sensuality and sexual well being. It teaches enlightenment through transcending oneself using a system of rituals. It is about becoming aware of your body and expanding your mind so that you can gain access to all levels of consciousness. The various rituals that are practiced bring out both the female and male aspects in each person and this is said to be the only way to awaken the spirit deep within.

While sex is one of the rituals, it is not the main part of tantra yoga. Some practitioners even suggest a life of celibacy.

There are tantra yoga poses for couples to do together to enhance their sexuality and gain a special type of connectedness in their relationship, but it can also be done individually which is actually called Kundalini yoga.

Tantra poses are similar to the traditional ones like downward dog and warrior, but they require relaxation and the ability to push oneself and expand further. The pelvic tilt, the yab-yum, and Hercules are other common Tantra yoga poses.

This form of yoga is great for both physical and mental awareness.

Bikram Yoga

Bikram yoga was not included in the traditional 6 forms that are usually talked about, as it is a relatively new form of yoga, but well worth mentioning as its popularity as soared. It is also called Hot Yoga.

This form of yoga is more physical and is about detoxifying the body through excessive sweating whilst toning and building strength. The added warmth also helps the body's flexibility and encourages muscle pliability therefore reducing injury, strains, and also relieves tension.