Due to the growing awareness of health, yoga is now becoming a part of health culture. It has been proven and accepted that yoga is more effective than lifting weights in gym.

Yoga helps in refreshing the body, soul and mind. And, in present scenario, where, there is no peace of mind, here emerges a need of yoga, which helps an individual in regaining peace of mind. However, it is not possible for everyone to join yoga classes, may be due to their busy schedule. But, this doesn’t mean that they will not be able to know the various aspects of yoga. Fortunately, they can gain knowledge about yoga by means of yoga books.

Basically, yoga books carry all the content which is needed by an individual to know about it. Yoga books tell us about various postures of body which helps in curing particular diseases. In other words, it contains a whole range of ‘asanas’, with full description of the ways of doing it.

Yoga books also describes that which posture of yoga helps in alleviating particular problem, as different postures of yoga, tone up the different parts of body.

Since ancient times, yoga is considered as one of the best methods to achieve nirvana. It is also regarded as the cord between individuals and cosmic consciousness. Yoga embraces physical and mental exercises which results in Eternal enlightenment. Physical exercise includes various postures, known as ‘asanas’ which improves the structure, blood circulation and strengthen the body. On the other hand, mental exercise includes meditation, breathing techniques which rejuvenate and refresh the inner soul.

With the help of regular yoga, not only peace of mind is gained rather it also helps in coping up with problems such as asthma, increasing stamina, constipation, diabetes, stress and other physical and mental illnesses.

But, an individual performing yoga must have full knowledge about the right posture while doing various ‘asanas’, ‘pranayama’, and ‘dyana’ because wrong posture can put an adverse effect on the body.

Thus, yoga books are an effective means of knowing the various yoga postures and its effect on the body. And, it is definitely sure that yoga done with open and gentle mind will refresh your soul and along that it will also provide you the way to lead a positive and healthy life.

A typical yoga routine can last anywhere from twenty minutes to two hours. It consists of poses, which can be done quickly to create heat in the body, or slowly to increase stamina. The difficulty of the routine can vary from simple breathing exercises, while doing light stretching, to full blown strenuous workouts. For best results, daily yoga workouts are recommended. While performing basic positions has an immediate effect on well-being, strength and flexibility, it takes years of daily practice to achieve the deep stretches that many people strive for.

Yoga can be learned in a gym setting by a yoga teacher, or at home from yoga books. No equipment is needed other than perhaps a mat to sit on. There should be plenty of flat floor space to stretch out on and enough room above the head to raise the arms. Yoga is best done on an empty stomach while wearing loose-fitting comfortable clothing.

The health benefits of yoga are numerous. Yoga aids in sleep and digestion. It can make people look and feel more youthful. It increases overall well being and help the mind achieve a state of relaxation. It makes the body more flexible. It also strengthens the immune system and decreases chronic pain. Yoga stimulates and massages the internal organs, which helps keep away disease. The stretching of muscles and joints encourages optimum blood flow to all of the organs, which in turn has the effect of flushing out toxins. In terms of weight loss, yoga helps to speed up metabolism and that aids in burning calories. Yoga also helps to strengthen and tone muscles.

Anyone can do yoga, regardless of age. Women who are pregnant or nursing can do yoga, as well. It is important to consult a physician prior to beginning a yoga regime if injuries, spinal problems, or other medical conditions exist. There are no side effects of doing yoga. Beginners may experience soreness and fatigue. It is important for beginners not to stretch too much too fast.

Yoga should not be confused with Pilates. Yoga focuses on flexibility and toning the entire body. It has a greater emphasis on mental and spiritual enhancement. Pilates is more geared towards toning the core and improving posture with less emphasis on flexibility. Pilates has more of an emphasis on the physical than spiritual. There are classes that combine the principals of both into one class called “Yogalates”.

Numerous styles of yoga exist, just as there are countless personality types, therefore the way it is practiced will be different from person to person. However, stretching is most important in all styles of this practice. In order to build up muscle resistance and strength, muscles must be well stretched in order to prevent injury and uncomfortable results, even in the practice of simple yoga moves.

In order to properly stretch your body, you will need the right yoga accessories. A comfortable mat or towel should be used to provide a firm but supportive surface which can cushion the body when stretching. The right mat can make or break your first experience. Without comfort there can be no relaxation, which is what it’s all about. So when buying a mat keep in mind your own personal comfort and don’t be afraid to invest in a quality mat, because your personal happiness and serenity can make it worth the splurge.

While your favorite sweats and a t-shirt can be comfortable and quite informal, some find that wearing proper exercise clothes such as spandex, nylon or polyester tank tops and yoga pants can enhance your exercise and your stretching technique.

The perfect shoe is important as well. The wrong shoes can greatly affect the quality of your exercise as well as the long term development of certain muscles in the foot. The best way to ensure that you get the most out of your shoes is to go to an athletic shoe store and talk to a professional and get fitted for your own personalized pair of shoes.

Your clothing choices can shape your experience, so choose shirts that fit properly and do not need to be pulled down constantly and pants that won’t sag below the crack of the back end. This can be quite uncomfortable and cause one to become self-conscious, which imposes upon the relaxation required to fully enjoy your practice.

Taking up this ancient practice can change your outlook on life, your quality of life and your ability to properly handle stress in the healthiest way possible. Yoga equipment for beginners can include various other items; these are strictly the “bare necessities, the simple bare necessities.”

The ancient yogis of India discovered the relation between the mind and breathing. When a person is agitated his breathing becomes faster and when he is very calm it is slower. The yogis revealed that by controlling the breath we could control the mind. Anyone can experience this by breathing deeply and slowly for a few minutes. The mind becomes calmer and the heart rate slower.

But this is not enough to completely still the mind and experience our real nature. In order to achieve this it is necessary to employ more effective methods. Kriya Yoga (a form of Raja yoga) is such a method which prevents the electrical impulses from going out of the brain and spinal cord so that external world ceases to exist as for as the person who is meditating is concerned enabling him to experience a state of conscious sleep. This state is different from natural sleep, which is involuntary. With constant practice a person will be able to withdraw the life force from the senses at will and enjoy that state of bliss.

The actual technique of Kriya Yoga shall not be explained in an article meant for general public. It creates a powerful electromagnetic field around the spinal cord by making the life force move up and down the spinal cord. This field withdraws the electrical impulses from all the senses so that the soul is cut off from the outer world. In the highest state of meditation called Samadhi, the person goes into a state of suspended animation. Heart ceases to beat, there will be no breathing and all the functions of body come to a stand still but the person continues to be alive. This may sound strange for many people but is true.

It is important to remember that one cannot experience the highest state of yoga within a short period. Though the technique of Kriya Yoga is not complicated it takes several years of constant practice to experience the results.

It is equally important to understand that in order to progress spiritually one has to lead a moral and disciplined life. If anyone thinks that he can commit all sorts of crimes and indulge in immoral activities but still benefit from Kriya Yoga he is completely mistaken. Those who are serious about their spiritual progress should eschew alcoholic drinks and smoking not to mention any drug of addiction. It is highly desirable to be a pure vegetarian. Consumption of meat causes certain biochemical changes in the blood making it difficult to control the mind.

Raja yoga is a scientific method of controlling the mind, reversing the flow of life force and experiencing our true nature. It is the greatest gift India has given to the world. It is universal in nature. It does not interfere with the religious faith of anyone, as it is based on psycho-physiological principles. People can have their own concept of god and continue to perform any other rituals of their religion. Kriya yoga will help them to feel the presence of god within irrespective of their concept of god. Then they will also realize that god defies definition and conceptualization.

The knowledge and practice of yoga elevates humanity to a higher level and reduces conflicts in the world. It will help ushering in an era of peace and harmony. Those who are seriously interested in learning Kriya Yoga can contact the Self Realization Fellowship society at Los Angeles in USA or if they are nearer to India contact the sister organization Yogoda Satsanga Society of India situated at Dakshineswar, near Kolkata and a branch at Ranchi in India

“Your only duty is to act and not to hanker after the fruits (or the results) thereof.’ Be not the purpose of your actions. Let not the work bind and blind you. Work with total non-attachment and selfless attitude.”

In Karma Yoga the seeker is working with the hope and aspiration of serving God. In Karma yoga the seeker’s only desire is to fulfil the will of God. In the eyes of the world an action can be judged on how significant it is. However to a Karma Yogin even the smallest of actions becomes of the utmost importance, if it is performed with the correct attitude.

A Karmin yogi does not believe in the path of renunciation. Unlike a jnani yogi a Karma yogi aspires to serve God through serving God in humanity. Sri Chinmoy says of Karma Yoga.

“Karma Yoga is desireless action undertaken for the sake of the Supreme. Karma Yoga is man’s genuine acceptance of his earthly existence. Karma Yoga is man’s dauntless march across the battlefield of life.”

We do not have to be a Hindu or even believe in God to practise Karma Yoga. If we feel we are working not for ourselves but for the cause of the divine then we are bringing the ideals of Karma yoga into the heart of humanity. By serving a higher cause with an attitude of detachment we learn to conquer the ego. The Karmin yoga makes progress by growing in to a more illumined consciousness. By doing this we no longer feel to be only our individual ego. We come to identify ourselves with the rest of humanity.

Indian scriptures state that every soul is divine and the ultimate purpose of human life is to experience the state of divinity. They all advocate four separate paths which are not mutually exclusive for attaining this goal. The path of devotion (Bhakthi Yoga) and the path of selfless service (karma yoga), the path of intellectual inquiry (Jnana yoga) as well as the path of meditation (Raja Yoga) are the four different paths.

With Raja yoga you are able to reach your goals father than you ever imagined. This type of yoga involves stilling the mind and senses so that you are able to cease identity with ourselves, with the body mind complex as well as experience our true nature. Everyone communicates to the outside world through the basic five senses. Your mind interprets the impulses from these senses.

In India the ancient yogis discovered the relation between the mind and breathing. If someone is agitated than their breathing becomes faster and heavier, and when they are calm their breathing is calm. It was the yogis who discovered that we are able to control our mind by controlling the way we breathe. Everyone is able to do this by simply breathing in deeply and slowly for a few moments. This allows the mind to become calmer and the heart rate much slower.

It still isn’t enough to completely still the mind to experience out real nature. To be able to totally achieve this you must use different effective methods. Kriya yoga is actually a form of Raja yoga that is said to prevent the electrical impulses from leaving the brain and spinal cord so that the external world ceases to exists because the person who is meditating is concerned enabling them to experience a state of conscious sleep. This is much different from natural sleep which is involuntary.

Yoga is a means to achieve peace and tranquility of mind. It keeps the mind clear of all the unwanted thoughts and tensions and allows the mind to concentrate on the supreme power which is of the utmost importance in life. Though the spiritual benefits include control of mind and thought as well as psychic control, one spiritual benefit which is testified to, by many of the practitioners, is self realization, which helps the practitioner to understand the body, mind and spirit connection in a much better way.

Generally yoga mats are made of cotton or polyester latex and are found in a range of prices. The mat can be chosen according to the type of yoga. If Ashtanga yoga that is needed jumping from one form to another is to be practiced, then, a thick and impact absorbing mat is necessary. It is essential that the mat absorbs sweat since it is quite common to sweat while practicing yoga.

Yoga ball is an yoga equipment that needs while practicing a traditional crunch on the ground. For beginners who practice yoga, foam blocks are the kind of yoga equipment that allow stretching or extending the reach and would offer support to the full weight of the body. Blocks are quite useful for standing poses where the hands do not reach the floor. These are helpful in giving the best results out of yoga practice.

There are yoga belts too that are made of nylon or cotton. These belts are used to support the back and also to align them. When certain poses need a stretching, the belts provide additional length like gripping arms, hands, feet or legs and offer more flexibility. Yoga blankets and towels provide warmth and comfort during the relaxation period.

While practicing yoga it is imperative to remain comfortable and therefore clothing made of fiber are ideal that helps to breathe well and prevents the body from over heating. Most of the yoga equipment are manufactured to help the body prepare itself to relax the body and mind and helps to concentrate on the pose and practice in the proper way.

Another piece of yoga equipment is the DVD or books for beginners to guide through the practice that can also be had as a reference at home. Elaborating further, there are yoga ropes that help to develop strength and flexibility and inversion sling to relieve back pain by providing low back muscle stretching and giving spinal traction. Slings are also helpful; to stretch shoulder chest and groin muscles.

For this, you don’t need to have a lot of room rather just the size of a mat is enough for practicing. If you have a compartment instead of an office, still there are some poses with stretches to practice, which will loosen you up and make you more relaxed. A twist is done by crossing one leg over the other and grasping the outer thigh of the top leg with the opposite arm. With your free arm, capture the back of your chair and twist until you feel a comfortable control. It pretends like you are looking at something over your shoulder. Now turn back, no body will notice and it’s a good practice to perform stretches at your desk, thus it makes you more efficient and also lessens your tension.

There is one more good stretch to liberate tension in your neck is to touch your ear to your shoulder. Slowly move the head up and down, and side-to-side. These are the neck stretches. It resembles like you are nodding your head yes or no to someone. It doesn’t look like you are not doing your job and helps you in providing relaxation to you and also makes you more productive.

If you have a little more freedom, you can try even many more stretches. Here are a couple of yoga stretches that you may try. Put your ankle on top of your opposite knee, drape your body over the triangle your legs are making. Change the legs and do the same thing. This one is great and useful for relaxing the spine after sitting before the desk or computer for a long time. Stand up pushing your chair back, try bending from the hips and keep your back straight, bend over and put your folded arms on the desk. Now, take a few deep breaths and slowly roll up one vertebra at one time.

Here is the one, especially, that every one like. When you are watching TV and a commercial comes on, take a minute to sit cross-legged on the floor with both hands on your knees. Then slowly turn your body in big circles, first one way and next the other. This provides you more benefits in relaxing your lower back. Always remember to breathe correctly and is an important one for you when you are practicing even these simple yoga stretches. Start slowly, don’t compel your body, and work up only when you feel comfort in doing the yoga pose. You can be busy and still practice yoga poses. Schedule your every day activities in such a way that also includes yoga routine.

Background of Karma yoga: In the Bhagavad-Gita there is a chapter on the entire process of Karma yoga. The dialogue takes place between Arjuna and lord Krishna. In this episode the lord explains and enlightens him of all the yoga systems including Karma yoga. The Hindu philosophies comprehend on karma and samskar. Hindu’s believe that every individual’s are born with definite karma, positive or negative. The cycle of life and past life continues till the individual arrives at zero balance and they are then believed to have reached liberation.

Concept of Karma yoga: ”Karma” is a Sanskrit derivative from ”kri” means ”to do”. Yoga transforms with the ”union”. The literal meaning of karma yoga is ”course of union through action”. Even Adi Shankaracharya has said that with practice of karma the mind purifies. Karma yoga is first step to Jnana Yoga and finally towards salvation. Principle rules of Karma yoga: The key rules of Karma yoga lie in two decrees yama and niyama. Yama deals with conduct towards others while, niyama is meant with conduct in.

Benefits of Karma yoga: Karma yoga brings closer to the god. With development of tolerance and oneness he or she feels unified with all creation. The attainment of spiritual powers is the next step in karma yoga. A true karma yogi serves people selflessly and is respected in the society. This happens with practice of Karma yoga and can be felt. One of the greatest Karma yogi of all times is Gautama Buddha.

Could Bhakti Yoga be practiced by a Yoga practitioner who is not a Hindu? Let’s ask, for example, could a Christian, Moslem, or Jew practice Bhakti Yoga and stay within the confines of his or her religion? Some already do.This could be considered sectarian Yoga, when a number of Yoga practitioners, of the same religion, gather to worship, meditate, pray, sing, or chant. Attachment to God is not reserved to any one specific religion. Therefore, in principle, Bhakti Yoga can be practiced by members of any religion.

There are many more types of Bhakti classifications, but we will name two basic classifications. Nishkamya Bhakti is praise to God for all that you have. This is appreciation and acceptance of all your situations, relationships, and everything else. Instead of being a seeker, you are now a “finder” of all that is good in your life. In turn, you will easily be able to project loving kindness to others.

In contrast, there is also Sakamya Bhakti. This is devotion to God with the desire for gaining something. The objective could be material gain, to free yourself from an ailment, or to gain power of some kind. In time of need is when most people pray to God. This is a common thread in all of us, and surprisingly our prayers are answered in a positive way.