# Most yoga poses are not stretching an isolated area, but rather involve the whole body in both stretching and strengthening.

# Many of today’s most popular yoga styles are vinyasa/flow. This means there is movement from pose to pose with an awareness of the breath, making this style of yoga very fluid.

# Asana, or the physical practice of postures, in only one aspect of a yoga practice, albeit the most well-known one these days. Even if you only engage in yoga through asana practice (an excellent place to start), be aware of the eight limbs of yoga. ”

Many people who practice yoga report feeling revived and free the entire day. Yoga positions and poses are also called asanas, which means “a posture or manner of sitting”. It refers directly to yoga poses and the practice of yoga. Beginner yoga poses, such as downward facing dog, are especially important. These poses prime your body and mind to prepare for something harder and more difficult. You will learn Mountain Pose, which is the basic foundation of all standing poses, and child’s pose, which is the basic of all restorative and relaxing poses. More difficult poses include the plank, which is still considered a beginner pose, but is particularly difficult on the muscles. Dressing for yoga poses are also a key requirement in practicing yoga. You should always wear snug yet somewhat loose fitting clothing. You want to feel comfortable, but you don’t want to have too much loose fabric. Stepping and falling on a long pant leg can be dangerous! Thin cotton and easy to move in clothing is best, especially when it comes to difficult poses.

Yoga poses are plentiful, with there being tons of different yoga classes, and hundreds of different poses. You will work muscles you never knew existed, and find strength by completing and mastering special yoga poses. Posing in yoga is only as difficult as you make, but extremely relaxing and body changing. Yoga poses can awaken something new inside of you, and allow you to relax and find internal power within yourself.

After practicing asanas and pranayama we say, ‘Okay, now I’m going to practice dhyana.’. We went into a meditative state to create certain images, fantasies and ideas of what should be the dhyana or how we can practice. We ignore the practices of Pratyahara and Dharana. Only in difficult times when we thought we could not meditate at all, we rely on the practices of Dharana and pratyahara. Then we ask someone, ‘Look, I cannot concentrate properly. How can I fix this problem? ‘This person tells us to practice trataka in order to develop concentration and then let the dhyana practice and we get back to dharana to start practicing trataka.

After some time we say to ourselves, ‘Well, I practiced trataka for a month. I do not need to practice more, I will return to dhyana. ‘When we start meditating, we are faced again with our negative and positive aspects, desire and aversion, strength and weakness, which create another movement. When we confront our weakness, we tell ourselves, ‘I do not understand why I have had these results in my meditation. It should feel good, but every time I feel more depressed. I do not know why I have not had good experiences in my meditation, others have so good experiences…’.

After, we consult a person who says, ‘Look, if you are finding these problems in your practice you should return to practice pratyahara. Practice antar mouna, antar darshan or hamsa dhyana and observe what happens inside you. Once you understand better what is happening and you are able to deal with your emotions, feelings and thoughts, then you can go to the practice of dhyana.’ And then we come back again to pratyahara.

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.