Archive for Yoga
Bikram Choudhary’s Hot Yoga has gained popularity since its introduction in 1970 and along the way has generated some controversy too. His unique blend of traditional yoga techniques with heat is claimed to be good for detoxifying the body while deriving the health and emotional benefits of yoga. Think of Bikram hot yoga as practicing yoga inside a sauna.
A typical Bikram’s hot yoga beginner’s class runs approximately 90 minutes, incorporates a series of 26 yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises performed in a studio heated to 105°F (40.5°C) with a humidity of 40%. This unique element in Bikram hot yoga resembles temperatures in many parts of India where traditional yoga originated many years ago.
Unfortunately, many first-timers are unprepared for the intense heat and they often quit the classes. However, just like a sauna, the heat and humidity are beneficial for reducing muscle stiffness, increasing physical relaxation and flexibility. People who stay through the first few sessions often come to appreciate this aspect of the class and become passionate followers of hot yoga. Read More→
There are many different types of yoga mats available in the market. You can find yoga mats in different sizes, colors and materials, both natural and synthetic. How do you choose one that’s best for you?
Finding the right size of yoga mat
Yoga mats come in various sizes but you will want to be sure that it is longer than your height so that you can lie stretched out with both your head and heels on the mat. For most women a 6 ft mat will be long enough but some men will need an extra long size.
The width depends on the poses that you will do and how you use the mat. Usually if the mat is 1.5 times the width of your shoulders, that is fine. Keep in mind that a wider mat will make a longer roll and may be more awkward to carry. Read More→
Unlike most forms of yoga, Dahn yoga did not develop in India but in South Korea and is modern. Known in Korea as Dahnak or Dahn Hak, the first Dahn yoga center was opened in Seoul in the 1980s by the originator of Dahn yoga, Il-chi Lee, although it is reported to be based on a much older tradition. It soon spread to the US.
Like Hatha yoga, which is much better known in the west, Dahn yoga unites physical postures and breathing exercises and focuses on aligning the body and mind in order to expand the mind and allow better circulation of energy within the body. It also proposes some physical benefits, lowering stress levels, improving general health and fitness and promoting both longer life and improved vitality and quality of life.
Dahn yoga also claims to help the body learn to heal itself naturally, by improving the circulation of life energy and its connection with the mind and consciousness. This is done physically by exercises, which are said to remove blockages in its path. Spiritual healing is also promoted through meditation along with improved relaxation. Mental health and physical tensions are released through the yoga practice, and like other forms of yoga it is a holistic practice whose benefits reverberate into daily life. Read More→
There are many types of yoga including jnana, the yoga of knowledge and bhakti, the yoga of devotion, but the best known in the West is hatha yoga or physical yoga. This is also the most widely practiced outside of India, offered at exercise studios, gyms, schools and colleges, and even some workplaces in every city.
But within hatha yoga there are also many different yoga schools or forms, and so the description ‘hatha yoga’ has come to mean something a little more specific for us. Usually if you see hatha yoga advertised in your city what you can expect is to perform a series of poses or asanas which, while they can be demanding in terms of the stretching that your body will do, are generally not vigorously energetic. At the end of the class there will probably be some breathing exercises and relaxation time. Read More→
Most yoga poses can be practiced by people at any level, so yoga positions for beginners are not really so different from any other yoga poses. What you will find if you go to a beginners’ class is that there will be much more explanation of each pose and where all the parts of your body should be every time. The yoga teacher will also spend more time explaining the principles of yoga and making sure that you know how to practice safely.
In a beginner yoga class the instructor will also tell you the English name for each position (e.g. Downward Facing Dog) and not just the Indian name (Adho Mukha Svanasana). This is especially important if you are joining a power yoga class where students move quickly from one pose to another. In an advanced class the instructor may only say the Indian names and you could be completely lost! Read More→
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