Yoga

Yama And Niyama In Yoga

Yoga defines yama and niyama as the positive and negative aspects of behaviour respectively. Traditional texts mention ten yamas and ten niyamas but Patanjali’s Yogasutra, which is considered the original treatise on yoga, defines five yamas and five niyamas. It has been mentioned that in Manusmirti that it is more important to follow yamas than niyamas. Here we give a brief description on the yamas and niyamas to be followed:

• Ahimsa (Non-violence): this is one of foremost yamas. It means the lack of intention to hurt others. This intention need not be just physical but includes mental and emotional cruelty. Here the attitude is more important than the actual act of killing. You should not even have the intention of offending others.

• Satya (Truthfulness): this quality implies the honesty and sincerity in thoughts, words and deeds. This is possible only when one has conquered greed and ambition since these are the two major culprits which take you away from the truth.

• Asteya (Non-theft): in Sanskrit, “steya” denotes the enjoyment or keeping with oneself the things that do not rightfully belong to them. This is basically the act of stealing or theft. A person is inclined to steal only when he has no love and has some selfish motive. A yogi or a student of yoga has very few basic needs. He has learnt the art of loving himself as well as the others. Hence he does not feel the need to exploit or steal from others.

• Brahmacharya (Celibacy): sex has been defined as on of the vital necessities of human existence. It ranks next only to food. Since ancient times, very few people have been able to master their sexual urges. If not satisfied, these urges lead a person to depravation and develop psychotic tendencies. Yoga lays a great stress on the celibacy. It considers not only the act of sex itself as sexual but even thinking, talking and looking at opposite sex as a part of sex and hence has to be avoided. Patanjali has declared that brahmacharya increases the mental strength also called veerya in an individual.

• Aparigraha (Non-gathering): this yama means not going on collecting wealth and objects just for enjoyment. Yoga teaches one to collect wealth and objects just to meet his primary needs. This is important because greed causes distraction and thus leads to increased strain on his mind and body.

The above mentioned points deal with vairagya or the negative aspects of one’s behaviour. Now we take a look at some of the niyamas or the positive aspects of the behaviour as described by yoga:

• Shoucha (Cleanliness): This includes the cleanliness of the mind and the body. Yoga has described a clean mind as the one free of any prejudices, false beliefs, ignorance and ego. Generally speaking, all the yamas come under this niyama since they deal with eliminating some or the other impurities.

• Santosha (Contentment): a yogi is taught to be happy and satisfied with his lot. He does not need to achieve any ambition.

• Tapas (Religious austerities) : This niyama describes the rituals like fasting: needed to fortify the mind. Yoga believes that this increases the resistance power of the body and makes your body and mind stronger and thus you can face adverse conditions effectively.

• Swadhyaya (Reading of religious literature): This practice is very useful for overcoming ignorance and facing the adversities of life calmly. It helps to fill your mind with peace.

• Ishwarpranidhana (Devotion): this teaches you to rely on the divine will and to ascribe the effects of your action to the divine providence. This is a very useful habit to cultivate as you can accept everything as God’s will and can achieve peace of mind. This eliminates the fear and worry.

Keywords:

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Yoga – A Cure for Modern Day Stress

As we walk the tightrope between modern life and our animal instincts, the human race strives to find balance. In our bodies, our minds, our environment, in our lives. With our brains over-stimulated and our bodies more sedentary than ever, many of us suffer from the fatigue and imbalance that comes from chronic stress without sufficient recovery. A yoga practice is an excellent way to soothe nerves that are in a constant state of overdrive. Yoga can help give us the ability to live healthy amidst hectic schedules and bustling environments. Why does it seem that as technology evolves at such epic pace we have less and less time at our disposal? Now more than ever we need to slow down, quiet our minds, take a deep breath...

Stress has become a chronic aspect of life for many of us; and it takes its toll. The nervous system senses continued pressure and remains slightly activated, producing extra stress hormones over an extended period of time. This can wear out the body’s reserves, leaving us feeling depleted or overwhelmed. Over time the immune system weakens causing illness and fatigue, mood swings, lack of focus, and irritability. Stress is implicated in many health problems from migraines and insomnia to lupus, MS, eczema, poor digestion, weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. In milder situations a little stress can keep us on our toes and help us to rise to a challenge. However, in today’s world chronic, unreleased stress has become prevalent and is taking a tremendous toll on our bodies as it diminishes our enjoyment of life.

In city living the constant noise, electricity, radiation, radiowaves, electromagnetic rays, and infra-red which surround us, create an ever-present stimuli that haggars the central nervous system. We do not yet know long term effects of this “white noise.” We may not consciously be aware of it, but our bodies register all that is going on around us. In our jobs and lifestyles we are often engaged in many tasks at once and feeling that we are constantly on the go, and that even when we do have a moment to spare we can’t seem to truly relax.

What is Stress

In a challenging situation the human brain responds to stressors by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. The hypothalamus (located in the center of the brain) signals the adrenal glands to produce more of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, and release them into the bloodstream. Heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism increase, blood vessels open wider to allow more blood flow into large muscles groups, making our muscles tense and putting the brain on high alert. Pupils dilate to improve vision. The liver releases a dose of stored glucose to increase the body’s energy. Sweat is produced to cool the body. This chain reaction of physical effects happens to prepare the human being to react quickly and effectively, enabling them to handle the pressure of the moment. Cortisol is a natural steroid that raises your blood sugar level (so the muscles have plenty of fuel) and suppresses inflammation, but it also suppresses the immune system. The adrenal hormones are catabolic, which means they foster biological processes that burn energy and break down cellular structures. If you activate the adrenal glands over and over again without sufficient recovery in between, your body becomes depleted and exhausted.

Stress is necessary for the human to remain self-sufficient; to survive. In the jungle, ancient man conjured stress hormones when needed to fight a bear or a tiger, or to survive extreme weather conditions. With a concrete defensive action stress hormones in the blood get used up entailing reduced stress effects and symptoms of anxiety. In modern life some stress situations sharpen us; clear the cobwebs from our thinking, and stimulate faculties to attain our true potential. Each stage of human evolution happened by adapting in order to survive extreme conditions and stressors in our environment, as at this time the body is prepared to act with increased strength and speed while the mind is sharp and focused. Stress and a human response to stress is necessary.

However, what we need now is to learn to adapt to our new world, to handle the increase in milder but consistent stress in a better way and to learn to release before it affects us in a negative manner. When we fail to counter a stress situation these chemicals and hormones remain unreleased in the body and bloodstream for a long period of time. This leads to a long list of symptoms such as tense muscles, unfocused anxiety, dizziness and rapid heartbeat, and compels the mind-body to in an almost constant alarm state in preparation to fight or run away (known as the fight or flight response).

Accumulated stress can increase the risk of both acute and chronic psychosomatic illnesses, and cause everything from headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, frequent cold and fatigue, to diseases such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, heart ailments and even cancer. Many medical doctors and psychologists go as far as to say that 70 – 90 % of visits by adults to primary care physicians are for stress related problems.**

Yoga Affects Stress

Enhance the body’s natural functions:

To recover from the exhaustion associated with chronic stress, we need to do things that turn off the adrenal hormones and promote secretion of anabolic hormones. Certain yoga poses, such as inversions help to stimulate glands in the brain (Pituitary, Pineal). Moving into the ALPHA state is very important. The alpha state is considered the ideal waking state, where we reach the pinnacle of our creative thought process while the body is in a healing cycle. Alpha state is often attained during savasana; final resting pose in yoga practice.

Yoga’s smooth, deep, symmetrical breathing, twists, stretches and balancing postures help to enhance the body’s natural functions, keeping the spine, house of the nervous system supple, enhancing flow of fluids in the spine and stimulating glands and circulation of blood and lymph throughout the rest of the body. Muscles are lengthened and toxins are released. Pranayam (breath exercises) and poses such as cat where we roll along the spine with breath can help to flush and clear the lung tissue.

Yoga innately helps us to create balance; to know our bodies, to recognize when we are not balanced both on and off of the mat. On a purely physical level hatha yoga creates strength, flexibility, grace. Part of Yoga’s philosophy is to take the approach of strengthening and healing the body in the process of healing and cleansing the mind. Yoga views the body as having many layers. Asana (physical yoga postures) affect the body but also these deeper layers, en route to creating a whole, balanced self. Hatha yoga practice creates unobstructed energy flow.

Release Tension:

Stressed out individuals tend to carry a great deal of physical tension in their bodies. Yoga helps to unlock and release these tensions before they can accumulate over time and become chronic physical and psychological conditions. As we release physical blockages, toxins, and limitations from the body we also do so in mind, spirit, and emotions. The benefits of yoga postures (asana), breathing (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana) include increased body awareness, release of muscular tension and increased coordination between mind-and body which leads to better management of stress and cultivates an overall feeling of well being

During the resting poses in yoga such as child’s pose, abdominal tension is released. This allows internal organs to unwind promoting deep breathing and enhancing digestive and reproductive functions. This deep rest affords the central nervous system much needed time in ‘para-sympathetic’ mode (relaxed calm state, free of the “flight or flight” stress response) in order to recover and rejuvenate. Creating focus through a series of specific bodily poses also helps us to truly take our mind off of work and other stressors.

The Breath:

In normal conditions the body follows a natural breath pattern that is slow and fairly regulated. Under stress when the body shows symptoms such as tightening of muscles, distractions, anxiety, hyperactivity and angry reactions, breathing becomes quick and shallow. One tends to hold one's breath frequently. With restricted breathing inflow of oxygen is diminished. Lungs are unable to exhale the stale airs and residual toxins build up inside the body. Stiff muscles restrict the circulation of blood that so even less oxygen comes in and fewer toxins are removed. This in turn affects the healthy regeneration of cells and can accelerate aging and disease. Medical studies show that the oxygen-starved cells are the major contributing factors in cancer, immunity deficiency, heart disease and strokes. Breathing also affects our state of mind and consequently makes our thinking either confused or clear. Lengthening and deepening breath in yoga creates a more balanced state of being. A change in breath pattern creates a change in the metabolic process, emotions, endorphins, internal chemical reactions, and the release of specific hormones. Mind affects body; body affects mind.

Mind Body Connection:

The sensitivity that comes through a yoga practice helps to develop a level of skill in cultivating, observing and choosing one's posture, breath, emotions, and diet more wisely. As we practice we learn to listen with our bodies. Whenever we experience an emotion, our bodies register this emotion and mirror it. The next time you get angry, stressed, or afraid, stop and notice exactly what is happening in your own body in that moment. Which muscles got tense? How has your breath been affected? How did your posture change? Is your heart beating faster? What affects you and why? Are you able to notice it as it happens?

Over time yoga helps us to let go of unwanted emotional and physical patterns. Yoga practice is great for providing recovery and can also help you deal with stressful circumstances without having such a strong negative reaction. The mindfulness – mind-body awareness cultivated with yoga practice allows us to realize emotions as they arise; sensing what is the cause of the emotion and how that emotion affects the body/mind. As Patanjali says in his Yoga Sutras**, “Yoga quells the fluctuations of the mind." It slows down the mental loops and patterns of frustration, regret, anger, fear, and desire that can cause stress. No matter what age, we can release past traumas, feelings of guilt or inadequacy, denial, patterns of feeling unable to communicate or connect, patterns of addiction, (all of which lead to more guilt and denial). We need to clear out these patterns in order to stay freshly alive or else there is an accumulation, a blockage, both physical and mental. We need to continually release these psycho/somatic holding patterns. As we release blockages, toxins, and tightness physically, we also do so in mind, spirit, emotions.

Awareness from the inside out and from the outside in are necessary. They are one in the same. Through a regular yoga practice we develop a balanced state on a consistent basis and this translates into our lives off the mat. We become better equipped to handle everything that comes our way in life; to handle life with more grace, ease, and presence, from a more objective point of view. By staying open we keep on top of the game, in the moment, able to truly enjoy each day to the fullest. The way we deal with coworkers and friends or family will innately be transformed. The very way we perceive things around us and who we are as a person from moment to moment will be transformed. Our sense of self-perception is the root of our own life. From here the world around us takes shape. As we become more aware of ourselves we are able to be less judgmental, more open, more honest, and take things less personally. True wisdom comes from within, from self knowledge and a clear eye.If you learn to quiet your mind, you'll be likely to live longer, and fuller, with better health. Yoga and meditation offer some of the same benefits as antidepressants-without the side effects.

It is no wonder yoga has soared to such heights of popularity. Through yoga practice we begin to find a sense of wholeness. We become more aware. We create balance in our bodies, in our minds, in our lives. As we evolve individually and come closer to an open, authentic state of being, we also evolve as a species, creating a better world for us all.

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Why Diets Fail You

When most people fail on a diet they are left with little option other than to blame themselves. This article suggests that the failure may be caused by thought processes rather than a lack of "will-power"

Why Diets Fail You

This year millions of people will embark upon a diet and fail to lose weight.

The usual response to this failure by the people marketing the diet is to

blame the individual for the failure. This leaves the person feeling

defeated and guilty because of their lack of "will-power"

Blaming the individual also preserves the illusion that diets are an effective

way to lose weight.I think it is time to move the discussion beyond

this "blaming" level and explore the real reasons diets fail.

I will use an example to explain my position.

When most people are presented with something like a chocolate (candy) bar it

is not long before they feel a desire to eat the thing. Most will simply blame

the chocolate for causing the desire. They will then try to battle the craving

with "will-power". Usually they lose this battle and sooner or later give in

and eat the chocolate bar. This "giving-in" often marks the end of the diet.

Now lets look at why this "giving-in" occurred. We know that the cognitive

process that caused the craving to eat the chocolate bar went something like

this; sensory input was received through the appropriate receptors [mainly

eyes in this case] and the mind formed some type of neural or sensory

representation of the object that will be defined as a chocolate bar. We can

regard this process as inescapable. If the sensory receptors are in working

order, the mind must form a representation or neural image of the object.

When a neural image has been formed we have been taught to assign meanings,

from memory, to these images as they occur in the mind. The assignment

of meaning is followed by an emotional response appropriate to the meaning

assigned. In the case of the chocolate bar the meaning assigned included past

memories of pleasant experiences assosciated with eating chocolate bars, hence

the craving to eat this chocolate bar. So really it was not the presence of

the object that will be defined as a chocolate bar that caused the craving,

but the cognitive process outlined.

Specifically it was the assignment of meaning that caused the craving. And

because this assignment of meaning has become totally automatic in most

people, the chocolate bar gets the blame for the craving when in fact it only

had the power to cause the mind to form a meaningless image. For most, the

meaning and image have become "fused", with the meaning now seen as an

inherent part of the neural image itself rather than something assigned from

within the mind. This of course gives the stimulus the power to be the cause

of the response.

Just thinking about or reflecting upon a chocolate bar has the same

effect. A neural image is formed from that reflection and when it has

been formed the cognitive process of automatically assigning meaning to it is

exactly the same as with images caused by the external stimulii. We feel

like a eating the chocolate bar.

This all means of course that every time we are presented with a chocolate bar

or some other desirable food, the mind automatically performs the cognitive

process outlined and creates a desire to eat the delicacy. The continual

emotional responses build up and eventually wear us down. This is the reason

we "give-in" and the diet goes out the window.

My point is then, the only way to reduce our food intake and still feel

comfortable is to modify this process of automatically assigning meaning to

the images that come into our heads. This way we can reduce the desire to eat

unnecessarily and thereby modify our eating behaviour so that we lose weight

and keep it off.

Diets do not supply these techniques and in actual fact they fail the

individual not the other way round as their providers would have you

believe. If changing our behaviour was easy as making a decision to go on a

diet, most of us would have changed many things about ourselves long ago. The

truth is we need techniques that will help us to bring that change about or we

are doomed to failure.

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What Yoga Exercise Do For You!

Yoga loosens up large muscles, so they aren't stressing smaller muscles and bones resulting in injuries. It also loosens up joints and improves circulation, which is good for health.

The procedure is to go through a contortion which stretches the large muscles causing them to loosen up. As the largest muscles loosen up, the force shifts to smaller muscles. If the position is held too long, a small muscle could get injured.

So when muscles are real stiff, a position shou...

Yoga loosens up large muscles, so they aren't stressing smaller muscles and bones resulting in injuries. It also loosens up joints and improves circulation, which is good for health.

The procedure is to go through a contortion which stretches the large muscles causing them to loosen up. As the largest muscles loosen up, the force shifts to smaller muscles. If the position is held too long, a small muscle could get injured.

So when muscles are real stiff, a position should only be held for a few seconds. Under these conditions, you should feel your way through the exercise. Instead of trying for perfect form, you just bend enough to add some force to the largest muscles. Then you shift weight a little moving the force around to different muscles. After that, return to a resting position for a few seconds.

Yoga is a complete science of life that originated in India many thousands of years ago. It is the oldest system of personal development in the world encompassing the entire body, mind and spirit. It is the union between a person's own consciousness and the universal consciousness.

The Ancient Yogis had a profound understanding of man's essential nature and of what he needs to live in harmony with himself and his environment. They perceived the physical body as a vehicle, with the mind as driver, the soul as man's true identity, and action, emotion and intelligence as the three forces which pull the body-vehicle. In order for these to be integrated, these three forces must be in balance. Taking into account the interrelationship between body and mind, the Yogis formulated a unique method for maintaining this balance - a method that combines all the movements you need for physical health with the Breathing and Meditation techniques that ensure peace of mind.

Yoga may seem like the fabled elixir of life - a cure-all solution to man's daily problems and concerns such as illness. But actually, the benefits that Yogis or Yoga practitioners have been experiencing for thousands of years are only being gradually proven by medical science now.

The classical techniques of Yoga date back more than 5,000 years. In ancient times, the desire for greater personal freedom, Health and long life, and heightened self-understanding gave birth to this system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread throughout the world. The word Yoga means "to join or yoke together," and it brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience.

Yoga, an ancient science, can help Women cope with health issues and help them develop the state of their body and mind. It can help alleviate the pain that goes with Menstruation, manage stress, and ensure an easier delivery among other benefits. Yoga poses are also designed to tone and exercise the muscles of the body to eliminate excess fat, and make it more flexible and stronger.

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What Makes Ashtanga Yoga Different?

Interested in taking up Yoga, but don't know where to start? Michael Hawkins sorts things out with an article series on the various styles of Yoga. This article focuses on Ashtanga Yoga, also known as "Eight-Limb Yoga".

What Makes Ashtanga Yoga Different?

Ashtanga Yoga is the type of yoga which was created and established by a master named K. Pattabhi Jois. Due to it's theory containing eight different limbs, or components, it is also known as "Eight-Limb Yoga". It doesn't imply that the practitioner has a double set of limbs, but master Pattabhi Jois showed that the optimum path of purification is made up of the eight spiritual practices.

The basic idea is that these limbs only can be kept in balance by the appropriate application of the Ashtanga Yoga method.

The first four limbs that symbolize Ashtanga Yoga, and are considered externally correctable are (original names within double quotes):
- Moral codes or "yama"
- Self-purification or "niyama"
- Posture or "asana"
- Breath control or "pranayama"

Then there is the other set of limbs which are the internal practices:
- Sense control or "pratyahara"
- Meditation or "dhyana"
- Concentration or "dharana"
- Contemplation or "samadhi"

K. Pattabhi Jois declared that practicing these Eight Limbs as well as its sub-limbs of the external practices which contain the niyama and yama is impossible. In doing so, the body should be strong so that it can technically perform the methods well enough. If the body is weak, and the sense organs are not functioning well, practicing will never be productive at all.

This is a primary philosophy that K. Pattabhi Jois has applied, it is of prime importance for the Asthanga practitioner to learn and understand this way of thinking. This will make you confident in that the body will significantly improve and become stronger and healthier.

Vinsaya and Tristhana are performed in Ashtanga Yoga.

The Vinsaya is a style that makes Ashtanga and its fundamental principles different from the others. Vinsaya basically means the movement and breathing which is used effectively together in order to cleanse the body. Each movement done is accompanied by only one breath. Sweat is the most important product of Vinsaya. When you produce sweat, it only indicates that you are successfully applying the method. When you perform the Asanas, or postures, the body produces heat which causes your blood to "boil" and excrete the toxins outside of your body. The contaminations are found in your sweat. So the more sweat you produce, the more toxins are released. This is the natural way for the body to get rid of unwanted substances.

The poses are used to fully develop the physical strength and health of the body. It is the sequence of practices that make this possible. There are three postures used in Ashtaga Yoga.

The three are grouped on different levels:

- The first is the Primary Series which aims on aligning the body and also detoxifying it.

- The second is the Intermediate Series opening and cleansing the energy channels which comes to the process of purifying the Nervous System.

- The last series would be the Advanced Series from A to D. In this set, the grace and strength are assessed.

The Tristhana is another yoga principle which symbolizes the close union of the three places of action and attention. First is the posture, second is the breathing technique ad last is the Dristhi of the Looking Place. All these three should work altogether to perform a function.

The breathing is always controlled and synchronized with the movements, in such a way that each movement is accompanied by breath. Ujjayi Breathing is the Yoga Breathing Technique used in the implementation of Ashtanga Yoga. Applying this ancient technique is something that you should work on gradually in your daily practise. What you need to master is holding your pose longer at the same time hold your breath. This is an amazing breathing exercise that will intensify your internal fire and will toughen the Nervous System.

Both Ashtanga and Tristhana deal with the series of Dristhi. The Dristhi is defined as the point on which you acquire your focus or concentration while doing the Asana. This allows your mind to be purified and stabilized clearly.

Clearing your mind (that is sometimes compared to an over active monkey) and cleansing it is the ultimate goal in the Eight-Limb Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga.

Keywords:

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