yoga..tune your ,,self Discussions - iPeace.us2024-03-29T09:42:43Zhttps://ipeace.us/group/yogatuneyourself/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=noYOGA Moral Principles: Yamastag:ipeace.us,2009-10-15:2217368:Topic:21392532009-10-15T12:42:17.609ZSandra Reishttps://ipeace.us/profile/Sandra9
<b>Yamas</b> consist of AHIMSA (nonviolence), SATYA (truthfulness), ASTEYA (nonstealing), BRAHMACHARYA (chastity or celibacy), and APARIGRAHA (the nonreceiving of gifts).<br />
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<i>Nonviolence:</i> While many of these disciplines seem self-evident, some of them need further explanation. Serious spiritual aspirants, Swami Vivekananda said, "must not think of injuring anyone, by thought, word, or deed. Mercy shall not be for human beings alone, but shall go beyond, and embrace the whole…
<b>Yamas</b> consist of AHIMSA (nonviolence), SATYA (truthfulness), ASTEYA (nonstealing), BRAHMACHARYA (chastity or celibacy), and APARIGRAHA (the nonreceiving of gifts).<br />
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<i>Nonviolence:</i> While many of these disciplines seem self-evident, some of them need further explanation. Serious spiritual aspirants, Swami Vivekananda said, "must not think of injuring anyone, by thought, word, or deed. Mercy shall not be for human beings alone, but shall go beyond, and embrace the whole world."<br />
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<i>Truthfulness</i> not only means speaking truthfully but also adhering to the truth in thought, word, and deed. Ramakrishna said that "making the heart and lips one" was the spiritual discipline of our age.<br />
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<i>Nonstealing</i> also means noncovetousness: it means not desiring things that belong to others and not appropriating what belongs to others. Even using someone else's words or ideas and presenting them as our own without acknowledging their source is a kind of stealing.<br />
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<i>Chastity or celibacy</i> is stressed for two reasons: First, serious spiritual seekers need to conserve the energy generally directed to sex and to redirect it to Self-realization. Second, physical or mental sexual activity reinforces our idea of ourselves as bodies and not as Spirit. If we want to progress in spiritual life, we need to regard other people as human beings—as manifestations of God—and not as male and female bodies.<br />
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We should add here that Vedanta is meant for all people—not simply those with monastic inclinations. Vedanta acknowledges that sexual desire is, at its core, longing for union with God. While strict celibacy is stressed for monastics, Vedanta advocates sexual responsibility and self-control for nonmonastics. For nonmonastics, chastity means fidelity to one's spouse. Further, when approached in the right spirit, marriage is a sacred spiritual path. One's spouse is also one's spiritual partner and should be looked upon as a manifestation of divinity.<br />
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<i>Nonreceiving of gifts</i>: The ethical virtues listed above may seem fairly reasonable, but what's the problem with accepting gifts? We can see from this guideline how carefully the ancient Hindu sages watched the workings of the mind. Accepting gifts from others makes us feel obligated: we can become manipulated through them and lose our independence. Sometimes gifts are really bribes in disguise: if we feel even vaguely indebted to the giver, our minds become tainted. Sometimes the effect is obvious, sometimes it is subtle; but it is there nonetheless. For this reason we should accept no gift unless it is given with no motive except pure love. Otherwise we'll be like puppets who jump whenever the invisible strings are pulled. Introduction to Pranayama and Yogic Breathingtag:ipeace.us,2009-07-28:2217368:Topic:18967012009-07-28T21:22:35.890ZSandra Reishttps://ipeace.us/profile/Sandra9
Breathing is so simple and so obvious we often take it for granted, ignoring the power it has to affect body, mind and spirit. With each inhale we bring oxygen into the body and spark the transformation of nutrients into fuel. Each exhale purges the body of carbon dioxide, a toxic waste. Breathing also affects our state of mind. It can make us excited or calm, tense or relaxed. It can make our thinking confused or clear. What's more, in the yogic tradition, air is the primary source of prana or…
Breathing is so simple and so obvious we often take it for granted, ignoring the power it has to affect body, mind and spirit. With each inhale we bring oxygen into the body and spark the transformation of nutrients into fuel. Each exhale purges the body of carbon dioxide, a toxic waste. Breathing also affects our state of mind. It can make us excited or calm, tense or relaxed. It can make our thinking confused or clear. What's more, in the yogic tradition, air is the primary source of prana or life force, a psycho-physio-spiritual force that permeates the universe.<br />
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Pranayama is loosely translated as prana or breath control. The ancient yogis developed many breathing techniques to maximize the benefits of prana. Pranayama is used in yoga as a separate practice to help clear and cleanse the body and mind. It is also used in preparation for meditation, and in asana,the practice of postures, to help maximize the benefits of the practice, and focus the mind.<br />
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Below are several of the most commonly used forms of pranayama.<br />
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<u><b>Ujjayi</b></u><br />
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Ujjayi is often called the "sounding" breath or "ocean sounding" breath, and somewhat irreverently as the "Darth Vader" breath. It involves constricting the back of the throat while breathing to create an "ah" sound -- thus the various "sounding" names.<br />
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<i>Benefits</i><br />
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~Focuses the mind<br />
~Increases mindfulness<br />
~Generates internal heat<br />
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<i>How to do it</i><br />
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1. Come into a comfortable seated position with your spine erect, or lie down on your back. Begin taking long, slow, and deep breaths through the nostrils.<br />
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2. Allow the breath to be gentle and relaxed as you slightly contract the back of your throat creating a steady hissing sound as you breathe in and out. The sound need not be forced, but it should be loud enough so that if someone came close to you they would hear it.<br />
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3. Lengthen the inhalation and the exhalation as much as possible without creating tension anywhere in your body, and allow the sound of the breath to be continuous and smooth.<br />
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To help create the proper "ah" sound, hold your hand up to your mouth and exhale as if trying to fog a mirror. Inhale the same way. Notice how you constrict the back of the throat to create the fog effect. Now close your mouth and do the same thing while breathing through the nose.<br />
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<i>When to do it</i><br />
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~During asana (postures) practice<br />
~Before meditation<br />
~Anytime you want to concentrate<br />
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<u><b>Dirgha Pranayama</b></u><br />
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Known as the "complete" or "three-part" breath, dirgha pranayama teaches how to fill the three chambers of the lungs, beginning with the lower lungs, then moving up through the thoracic region and into the clavicular region.<br />
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<i>Benefits</i><br />
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Promotes proper diaphragmatic breathing, relaxes the mind and body, oxygenates the blood and purges the lungs of residual carbon dioxide.<br />
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<i>How to do it</i><br />
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Sit with your spine erect, or lie down on your back. Begin taking long, slow, and deep breaths through the nostrils.<br />
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As you inhale, allow the belly to fill with air, drawing air deep into the lower lungs. As you exhale, allow the belly to deflate like a balloon. Repeat several times, keeping the breath smooth and relaxed, and never straining. Repeat several times.<br />
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Breathe into your belly as in Step #1, but also expand the mid-chest region by allowing the rib cage to open outward to the sides. Exhale and repeat several times.<br />
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Follow steps #1 and #2 and continue inhaling by opening the clavicular region or upper chest. Exhale and repeat.<br />
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Combine all three steps into one continuous or complete flow.<br />
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<i>When to do it</i><br />
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~During asana practice<br />
~Prior to meditation<br />
~Prior to relaxation<br />
~Anytime you feel like it<br />
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<u><b>Nadi Shodhana</b></u><br />
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Nadi Shodhana, or the sweet breath, is simple form of alternate nostril breathing suitable for beginning and advanced students. Nadi means channel and refers to the energy pathways through which prana flows. Shodhana means cleansing -- so Nadi Shodhana means channel cleaning.<br />
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<i>Benefits</i><br />
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Calms the mind, soothes anxiety and stress, balances left and right hemispheres, promotes clear thinking<br />
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<i>How to do it</i><br />
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Hold your right hand up and curl your index and middle fingers toward your palm. Place your thumb next to your right nostril and your ring finger and pinky by your left. Close the left nostril by pressing gently against it with your ring finger and pinky, and inhale through the right nostril. The breath should be slow, steady and full.<br />
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Now close the right nostril by pressing gently against it with your thumb, and open your left nostril by relaxing your ring finger and pinky and exhale fully with a slow and steady breath.<br />
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Inhale through the left nostril, close it, and then exhale through the right nostril.<br />
That's one complete round of Nadi Shodhana --<br />
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~Inhale through the right nostril<br />
~Exhale through the left<br />
~Inhale through the left<br />
~Exhale through the right.<br />
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Begin with 5-10 rounds and add more as you feel ready. Remember to keep your breathing slow, easy and full.<br />
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<i>When to do it</i><br />
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Just about any time and any where. Try it as a mental warm-up before meditation to help calm the mind and put you in the mood. You can also do it as part of your centering before beginning an asana or posture routine. Also try it at times throughout the day. Nadi Shodhana helps control stress and anxiety. If you start to feel stressed out, 10 or so rounds will help calm you down. It also helps soothe anxiety caused by flying and other fearful or stressful situations. Why do yoga?tag:ipeace.us,2009-07-27:2217368:Topic:18914832009-07-27T17:24:03.253ZSandra Reishttps://ipeace.us/profile/Sandra9
<img alt="" height="464" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/97084864?profile=original" style="float: right;" width="275"></img> <b>Why do yoga?</b><br />
by <i>John Tunney</i><br />
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The short answer is that yoga makes you feel better. Practicing the postures, breathing exercises and meditation makes you healthier in body, mind and spirit. Yoga lets you tune in, chill out, shape up -- all at the same time.<br />
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For many people, that's enough of an answer. But there's more if you're interested.<br />
<br />
For starters, yoga is good for what ails you. Specifically, research shows that yoga helps manage or control anxiety, arthritis,…
<img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/97084864?profile=original" alt="" width="275" height="464" style="float: right;"/><b>Why do yoga?</b><br />
by <i>John Tunney</i><br />
<br />
<br />
The short answer is that yoga makes you feel better. Practicing the postures, breathing exercises and meditation makes you healthier in body, mind and spirit. Yoga lets you tune in, chill out, shape up -- all at the same time.<br />
<br />
For many people, that's enough of an answer. But there's more if you're interested.<br />
<br />
For starters, yoga is good for what ails you. Specifically, research shows that yoga helps manage or control anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, blood pressure, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, headaches, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stress and other conditions and diseases. What's more, yoga:<br />
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~Improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina<br />
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~Reduces stress and tension<br />
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~Boosts self esteem<br />
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~Improves concentration and creativity<br />
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~Lowers fat<br />
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~Improves circulation<br />
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~Stimulates the immune system<br />
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~Creates sense of well being and calm.<br />
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And that's just the surface stuff. In fact, most of the benefits mentioned above are secondary to yoga's original purpose.<br />
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Developed in India, yoga is a spiritual practice that has been evolving for the last 5,000 years or so. The original yogis were reacting, in part, to India's ancient Vedic religion, which emphasized rituals. The yogis wanted a direct spiritual experience -- one on one -- not symbolic ritual. So they developed yoga.<br />
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Yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the classical language of India.<br />
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According to the yogis, true happiness, liberation and enlightenment comes from union with the divine consciousness known as Brahman, or with Atman, the transcendent Self. The various yoga practices are a methodology for reaching that goal.<br />
In hatha yoga, for example, postures and breathing exercises help purify the mind, body and spirit so the yogi can attain union.<br />
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Pranayama breathing exercises help clear the nadis, or channels, that carry prana the universal life force, allowing prana to flow freely. When the channels are clear and the last block at the base of the spine has been opened, Kundalini rises through the spine, through the central channel called the sushumna-nadi, and joins the crown chakra. According to the tradition, the release of Kundalini leads to enlightenment and union.<br />
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If you do yoga will you become enlightened?<br />
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Well…you might (of course, it could take a few lifetimes of diligent practice). But then again you might not. But it doesn't really matter because yoga is a process, and there's a lot of good to be had along the way.<br />
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What if you don't believe in talk about enlightenment, spirit and the rest of it?<br />
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That's okay, too. Yoga doesn't discriminate. Even if you don't believe in the spiritual side of life, you can still do yoga. Whether enlightenment, nadis, prana and Kundalini is literal truth, metaphor or myth is irrelevant. If you do yoga, chances are that you will feel its psycho-physiological effects.<br />
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Moreover, the concept of union has a powerful down-to-Earth meaning. Yoga helps us get in touch with our true selves.<br />
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Between work, home and all of the demands and stresses in between, it's easy to lose touch with who we are, that core essence with which we were born. Rushing around all day it sometimes feels like the "I" inside is simply the result of the things we do all day -- or the effects those things have on our minds, bodies and spirits.<br />
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Ever say "I am hungry" or "I am stressed"? We identify with our conditions. It's like "hungry" or "stressed" is a name (Hi. I'm Stressed. What's your name?) As a result, our identities shift with our moods and conditions.<br />
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In truth, however, we are not the conditions we experience or things we do. We are not our jobs or the thousands of tasks that make up our jobs. We are not the sensations or emotions we feel. We are not the car we drive or the house we live in. We are not "S/he Who Must Pay Bills." We are not Mr. and Ms. Stressed.<br />
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Strip away the emotions, sensations and conditions and somewhere deep down inside you are still there. Strip it all away and you find out who you really are.<br />
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The techniques developed by the yogis to transcend also help us strip away the things that try to mis-define us -- the emotions, sensations, desires, achievements and failures of daily life. Through yoga we learn to develop a greater awareness of our physical and psychological states. As a result, we're in a position to better manage our reactions to the thoughts, feelings and responses we have to the various situations we deal with every day.<br />
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With greater awareness comes the sensitivity and skill to find and remove the physical and psychological blocks that often keep us from our true selves. We no longer identify with our conditions. Instead of saying, "I am stressed," we begin to say, "I feel stress," or "stress is present." It's a subtle but powerful difference.<br />
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Or better yet, we say "I feel anxiety and fear, and that's causing stress and in particular it's causing tension in my neck and shoulder." So we breathe deeply to soothe the anxiety. We review the events that led to the onset of those feelings, and in the process they lose their grip on our nervous system. We intentionally relax our shoulder and neck to prevent the stress and tension from building into a permanent condition.<br />
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Yoga gives us control of ourselves. It helps cut through the layers of mis-identities that arise in response to our actions, experiences and feelings. It calms the frenzy, clears the clutter and allows us to get back in touch with ourselves.<br />
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Yoga is union with self. Or, as Patanjali, one of the great yoga sages, said:<br />
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<b>Yogashcittavrittinirodhah</b><br />
(Yoga stills the fluctuations of the mind).<br />
<b>Tada drashthuh svarupe' vasthanam</b><br />
(Then the true self appears.)<br />
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However, yoga is not about self-absorption. Yoga is about being in the world. Although most books, videos and websites focus on yoga postures, breathing and meditation, the tradition also emphasizes love, compassion, knowledge and right action as paths toward union.<br />
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Whether you pursue yoga as a spiritual path or for its psycho-physiological benefits, yoga is a methodology for developing a deeper experience of your self and the world.<br />
And it makes you feel really good.