Breath is life

The 4th part of Raja Yoga defines all breathing techniques, which show us how to conquer the mind and therefore control the body and senses. Unless we control the breath we will never be able to control the mind and body.

Breath is life and life depends on breath. We take it for granted and rarely think about our inhalation and exhalation of air which we think happens automatically, until the time we find it difficult to breath and we have to make an effort. When we have the flu and our sinuses are blocked or are suddenly frightened by something our breath becomes short and unstable, we then realize how fundamental the breath is to our existence and how out of our control breathing has become.

Beyond this point, which is more obvious to most people, is the other more hidden problem, which is- most people are not breathing properly to benefit their mind and body on any deeper level, which in turn is causing many illnesses in our world. Watch yourself breath for a time and you will realize as you are going about your business all day, a lot of that time you are taking very quick and short breaths or much of the time you are just holding your breath while under some sort of tension. From the way you clime out of bed, the way you eat your food or the way you speak, the breath is not controlled and is being held or shortened continuously. Many clients of mine when coming for treatments say to me " Much of the time it feel as if I have stopped breathing for a long time." As this way of unconscious breathing becomes a habit due to all the pressure and stress we feel all day long, over time if not treated with better habits and yogic breathing practice of Dirgwa Swasam* it will turn into an illness or disease. Short, interrupted or breathing that is held is the root of most modern diseases.

Modern doctors in general are not trained in herbal medicine or any eastern natural cures such as Yoga or Ayurvedic medicine so they will not be looking for any signs of illness due to bad breathing habits. In the practise of natural medicine one of the first things a therapist will be looking at will be how deeply and frequently a person is breathing, during silence and when talking and how their pulse is. Do you find yourself running our of breath when talking? Do you know how you breathe when eating? From the depth of how someone breathes comes much information about what kind of health problems they may have or will be prone to in the future. If very short you will have issues such asthma or depression if very fast bone issues and nervousness.

We know we cannot live without the breath but we take it for granted that it will never stop until the day we are to leave the planet. This is true, but how we use the breath can on one hand give us maximum health and on the other side take our mind further and deeper into unknown territories. With good use of the breath we can go further into the mind and bring about many changes, which were though of as impossible before. With all the various yoga techniques and breathing practises, one can gain command of what is passing in the mind to control it and change it for healthier, kinder and more compassionate thoughts.

One of the things that happens when we do not breath correctly is that our nervous system suffers and we become quick tempered, impatient and less understanding of other people. This in turn leaves us unsure and exhausted a lot of the times thinking we are fighting the world when we are really only fighting ourselves.

The health of the mind and body will rise as the breath deepens and slows down to match the rhythm of the heart. If the heart is excited too much due to the habits and excesses of life then the breath will become uneasy and difficult, but if the heart is pleased with peace and calmness then the breath will lead you into happy times.

Remember to breath deeply and to follow the breath as you go about your daily life- this will teach you more about who you are.

Yogi Cameron

*Dirgwa Swasam is a full yogic breath, which is how we should be breathing at all times. On the inhalation the stomach comes out, the chest expands and the shoulders raise a touch. On the exhale the shoulders relax, the chest moves in and the stomach is sucked in a little.

Meditation and Yoga

Yoga is a science of proper breathing and proper blood circulation in the body. Yoga helps in keeping the body fit and healthy. There are many kinds of yoga techniques like Lom- Vilom, Bhastrika, Bhramri. Kapal Bhati. Most famous of them is Lom Vilom, which is practiced by millions all over the world. The origin of yoga comes from India where Rishis, Tapasvies (Gurus) do continuous yoga daily from thousand of years back. One of the famous Rishis and Saints was Guru Gorakh Nath, Baba Balak Nath, Vyas Rishi. Because of the yoga they used live for more than hundred years before taking Smadhi (divine departure of soul). Today most famous Guru in Yoga teaching is Guru Ramdev. He has taught it to millions allover the world. Even the doctors in are recommending yoga these days. More over one has to spent only small piece of time while performing it. It helps in proper circulation of blood, curing breathing problems, curing heart diseases and sugar diseases. But if a person is already suffering from any chronic disease like heart problem then one should consult his Doctor or Yoga Teacher for proper guidance. The best time to do yoga is in the early morning to get the best results.Meditation is done for spiritual healing and for curing stress related problems. Meditation is very good for the people who are working in very high stress environment like software, marketing, banking, teaching and medical professions. Meditation is also helpful in knowing thyself. Yoga and meditation are both complementary to each other

Everyone needs to know basic Yoga

Basic yoga is very simple to learn. There is no exercise equipment required. You jut need to spend roughly 30 minutes at the most completing all the necessary movements. All that you really need is a yoga mat and some extra space and unless you have issues of mobility, you can begin immediately. It is no secret that the human body is a highly resilient and astonishing piece of machinery. It has the ability to do things that can literally astonish us.
There are things that are bodies can do that we are not even aware of. Yoga is a great case in point. Odds are, if you have ever noticed pictures of asanas or poses for yoga, you have witnessed the practitioners of yoga accomplish things that in normal cases, you would not believe possible, yet there they are doing it.
The odds are, you have the ability to accomplish these things as well, only not immediately. Attempting any one of the advanced asanas if you have before done any conditioning can end up in severe injury. The appropriate as well as persistent practice of primary techniques of yoga is essential so that you can make these types of advanced movements achievable.
Over the 5,000 years that yoga has been in existence there is said to be in excess of 8,400,000 asanas or positions of yoga that were compiled by the masters of yoga. For the majority of novices of yoga, substantially less are needed to get started. The amount of primary yoga asans that are recommended by instructors differs yet typically there are a little more than 12 primary movements of yoga positions that are trained to beginners.
Even if a person is not so inclined to have the ability to execute the more advanced and complex types of asanas, there are numerous benefits to practicing basic yoga exercises, regardless of the school of thought you may choose to follow. The initial and most clear benefits are that of improved flexibility, balance and strength.
One of the less obvious benefits of practicing yoga is that of an increased awareness of oneself as well as that of nature. Additionally, yoga has demonstrated to provide benefits to your health such a heightened internal functions of your organs, an increased immune system, reduction of the various symptoms of numerous types of diseases as well as numerous other types of benefits. All different kinds of yogas, which include basic yoga, assists in relaxation as well as lowering stress without any fatigue and too much exertion.
Yoga Body Movements
Basic yoga involves seven main types of movements while exercising that include flexion, rotation, circumduction, adduction, extension, as well as hyperextension. Various combinations of these kinds of body movements are utilized to make the yoga positions and stances. These movements are accompanied with breathing exercises as well as various levels of concentration.
A persons breathing is also the guide in basic yoga for arriving into an asanas, as well as coming out of it. All of the various movements are ideally completed in a graceful manner. To educate yourself on how to complete basic yoga, search for an instructor that is qualified or the next step would be to search for educational videos that might help you out.

Yoga For Inner and Outer Beauty

Sometime back I read an anecdote concerning Bill and Hillary Clinton. It seems that one time, many years ago, Hillary dragged Bill to a yoga class. Bill remarked that he was the only man in the class. In many countries, that is the way it is, with women being the primary enthusiasts at yoga classes. One of the main reasons for this may be that yoga is seen as a way to lose weight and become more beautiful. Let's take a look at this and see what role yoga has to play in making someone look beautiful.

No doubt yoga can help a person to become healthy, and fit. If someone practices the postures, does meditation, and follows the yogic prescriptions for eating, sleeping, hygiene and exercise it is almost certain that he or she will end up in great shape and look better.

In fact, our concept of beauty is in large part biological and part of the evolutionary process. Clear skin complexion, for example, is an indicator of good health and for our ancient ancestors it made good sense to choose partners who were healthy and could pass on their genes to future generations.

However the beauty of a person is not just based on physical factors alone. Just as internal physical factors, such as digestion and the proper functioning of physical organs, are reflected in the outer "look" of a person, there are internal psychic and spiritual factors that play a big role in how we feel and how others see us.

Although the physical practices of yoga, such as yoga postures (asanas) are the best known part of yoga, at the heart of yoga is a moral code which defines a way of life in which a person can live in harmony with herself and with society. This set of lifestyle instructions is know as Yama and Niyama.

Yama which means "that which controls" has five parts and the main function of these five practices is to help an individual achieve harmony with his or her external environment. One of the most important parts of Yama is a practice known as Satya.

Satya is loosely defined as "truth" but in fact there is no exact English equivalent for this term. In his book A Guide to Human Conduct, my guru Shrii Shrii Anandamurti defines satya as "action of mind and right use of words in the spirit of welfare." That is, we should do whatever we can to promote the welfare of others, by keeping good thoughts in mind and by speaking in the spirit of helping others.

Someone who practices satya and always keeps positive thoughts in mind develops will power and straightforwardness. This practice is actually going on in the subconscious mind, and results in an internal effulgence or glaze known as Ojas. This inner effulgence is expressed outwardly as a vigor that definitely contributes to the attractiveness of a person. If you practice satya you will achieve a glow that cannot be duplicated or achieved with any kind of makeup!

When you are twenty years old you are helped out by Mother Nature, as the hormones of your body are helping you to blossom and enter your years of peak physical well-being. However, this help from Nature is not indefinite and also must be supported by a proper way of life.

If you practice the outer aspects of yoga (postures, diet, fasting, hygiene) then you will be able to make the most of what God has given to you in the way of a physical body. If you practice the inner aspect of yoga (meditation and balanced conduct) you will bring forth an inner effulgence and beauty that will remain with you long after you physical body begins to wind-down.