Yoga Positions

Practicing the Yoga Positions

Yoga is one of the low impact exercises that anyone can learn and master. When entering the class, it will be a good idea to wear loose clothing and have a mat to be able to sit or stand properly on the floor.

Since this exercise has been practiced for more than 5,000 years, a lot of variations have been formed. This has created various positions with the same objective in mind of making the mind and the body work as one.

The warm-up of this exercise usually starts with the person standing with legs apart known as tree balance. After awhile, the individual should slowly lift onto the balls of the feet with one leg going up alternately.

After a few reps, this is the time the person will move the arms. This is called the prayer position in which both palms meet together above the head and then move slowly down until it reaches the front of the chest.

This can be done a few times and when the person is ready, the motion of the arms going from the top to bottom should be done simultaneously with one leg being raised with the other keeping the body balanced on the floor.

The triangle pose is also a simple exercise. The person stands with the arms and legs apart and then stretches from one side to the next. When the left hand is pointed upward, the head should also be facing in the same direction and vice versa. This should be repeated four to six times before proceeding to the other yoga positions.

The salutation pose is also another great exercise. The person starts by sitting in an Indian position and then kneels until the back, buttocks and thighs are aligned. Once this is locked, the left knee should be brought forward into a 90 degree position with the head and arms raised into the air and the spine slightly bended backward.

After a few seconds, the individual should back into the sitting position so that the same thing can also be done with the opposite leg.

Aside from standing, there are also the floor yoga positions. A very common one is known as the snake where the person lies flat on one’s stomach with the hands placed on the shoulders.

Slowly, the upper body will be raised as high as high as possible with the pelvis pushing down thus arching the back. This should be held for thirty seconds before releasing it and going down to the floor.

Those who are more flexible can do the more advanced one known as the bow pose. Instead of having the forearms on the ground, the hands should reach the ankles and then lift the body into the air with the weight of the body resting on the abdomen.

One of the more difficult is the head stand position. Here the person will start by kneeling on the ground and then lead forward with the forearms on the ground slowly lifting the legs into the air.

When the individual is having a hard time breathing in this position, it is best to slowly go down until the feet touches the ground.

The cow legged position is a great way to strengthen flexibility in both the arms and the legs. The person will start in a cross legged position and then put one leg over the other.

The right arm should be raised into the air with the elbow bent with the left arm coming from the back until the fingers of both hands touch each other. This should be held for a few seconds and also done for the other side.

The yoga positions just mentioned are just a handful of the more than 20 that are being done in one session. It will be a good idea to learn the basics first learn from a qualified instructor rather than doing it at home to be able to practice proper technique.

The person should not feel bad if there are others in the class who are doing it much better. After all, everyone had to start from scratch before being able to do some of the more difficult yoga positions.

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Yoga Meditation

Staying Healthy Through Yoga Meditation

Working a nine to five job can be stressful. This is because not everyone goes home on the dot when deadlines have to be met which may make the employee stay until the early hours of the morning then just go home for a quick shower and report back to the office.

Doctors recommend at least 8 hours of sleep everyday to avoid signs of exhaustion or fatigue. A vacation also sounds good to be able to recharge the old batteries but since the person cannot do this every time, a better solution needs to be found. A good way to relieve stress for those who don’t want to exert too much effort is yoga.

What is yoga? This is one of the many low impact exercises which is designed to help strengthen both the mind and the body. While some think that it is just sitting down in a lotus position, there is more to it than that which is probably why this has been practiced for more than 5000 years.

Yoga meditation allows the person to relax. After closing one’s eyes, the individual can listen to the silence and escape to that special place. For a few minutes, it allows the participant to forget about the problems in life and then wake up feeling rested.

The exercise itself takes discipline and practice especially if there are distractions around when there are a lot of people in the room. The individual should pretend no one else is there to be to take advantage of what this exercise has to offer.

Yoga has evolved through the years and there are many forms to choose from. A beginner can enroll in a gym to learn the basic moves from an instructor and then continue to do this with a group or at home.

The key to yoga meditation is breathing. Everyone does it differently but once the person is able to get in tune with it, the rest will become easy. The best way to achieve this is by drawing the spine to a straight position and keeping it there the whole time.

Those who are not used to maintaining a lotus position on the floor can still practice this by sitting on a straight back chair. This should be done until the individual is ready to participate by doing it on the floor.

Another technique to practice yoga meditation will be to lie down on the mat and put the legs on top of the chair. The spine should be flat the whole time so the person’s breathing will not be disrupted.

The person does not have to say anything throughout the yoga meditation. The instructor will take care of everything by playing a CD of relaxing music playing or the sound of water flowing down coming from the speakers.

The only thing the individual should focus on is the air being inhaled and exhaled. This should not be forced but rather letting it just flow freely in and out while being stationary in that position.

As the person gets up and does the other positions, the participant should not forget to concentrate on the breathing. This is because yoga meditation does not only give the individual inner peace but also a positive personality development.

Anyone can learn yoga and be able to master meditation. All the person has to do is find a gym that offers such classes so one can easily sign up and see what this has to offer. It will be a good idea to wear loose clothing and bring a mat so that one can sit comfortably throughout the entire session.

If the individual does not have time to go to the gym regularly, there are DVD’s available in the market so this can be practiced in the comforts of one’s home.

Those who want to try something else can try Bikram or Yoga Booty which cater to those in the advanced classes.

Sometimes going on a vacation may seem the best to be way to relax but if the cost of air travel and the planning is a hassle, there is no harm in sitting on a mat and doing some yoga meditation.

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Yoga Journal

Hear ye! Hear Ye! The Yoga Journal Cometh

This comes as good news to all Yoga advocates and enthusiasts worldwide. The Yoga Journal can be accessed on the net, and yes, it is a wellspring of information and testimonials on, what else but, yoga.

The Yoga Journal's home page is all about what's new and hot on modern-day yoga. It lists conferences that a follower could register to or could sponsor. It also posts the workshops that are available for members or non-members alike.

The second portion is the 'New to Yoga' section. This introduces yoga to beginners. On this section, one could learn the basics and most commonly asked questions. It also lists the branches of yoga, the well-known eight limbs, and yoga styles. It also has a sub-section which posts advice by experts on several queries or issues. There is also a fun part where the person surfing could answer quizzes and view the do's and dont's.

The third section is solely for Poses. It gives the surfer an opportunity to browse the different types of poses, their therapeutic benefits and contraindications. One could do a simple or advanced search on the following:

Plank pose, Downward-Facing dog, Handstand, Half Moon, Bound Angle, Crane, Cobra, Fish, Lord of the Dance, Lotus, Full Boat, Gate, Hero, Tree, Featheared Peacock, Supported Headstand, Noose, Locust, etc...just to name a few.

The fourth, is the Practice section. This section focuses on anatomy and techniques on pranayama. There are also articles that discuss the different ways of practicing yoga. A sub-section, called cross training, features yoga applied to different sports.

The Health section discusses the treatments for common illnesses, how some herbs have healing properties, and much more. The sub-sections are holistic healing, beauty, philosophy, recipes, research,healthy eating, and ayurveda.

The section on Wisdom explores the tradition and philosophies of yoga, its pioneers, and Philip Moffitt's pieces of advice (he is, by the way, a teacher of spirituality).

The Meditation section, much like the Wisdom section, highlights emotional and spiritual wellness. It incorporates the practices, exercise methods and techniques to everyday life.

The Views section looks at issues that affect the community of yoga followers and teachers alike. It posts master teacher interviews, the latest books regarding yoga, compact discs, videos, also picks made by editors. The 'yoga current events' such as Hollywood Yoga, how to apply yoga in your workplace, or how yoga could have an anaesthetic effect on you could also be found on this section. The reviews on artistic 'yoga' works takes a portion, too.

The Travel section is, basically, a guide to famous destinations and vacations, adventures, and retreats for yoga enthusiasts all over the world. One could get travel tips and the list of city tours around the U.S.

The For Teachers section can be accessed by members only. Once registered, members can receive the My Yoga Mentor monthly newsletter. Members could also take a peek at upcoming events and shops that offer the latest in yoga accessories and equipments.

The last section is the Parenting section. It features parenting skills, techniques and philosophies to raise healthy babies (both emotionally and physically). Unlike the separate section for Poses, the poses discussed here are basic and are meant for children. Every possible issue that could be raised out of parenting or family could be discussed here.

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Yoga History

Yoga: Beyond the Painful-looking Body Contortions

Long before Hollywood actors jumped into the yoga bandwagon, this form of discipline already existed. Just how old do you think yoga is? A few hundred years? A thousand? It is more than that, believe it or not. Its history could be dated back to 4000-1500 BC, well, approximately. Yes, that’s even before the medieval era or Confucius’ time!

The exactness of its actual beginning is hard to determine because, by nature, yoga is considered sacred, and thus, spoken and taught in secret. In fact, early records of this practice were written on palm leaves, making it prone to being lost or damaged.

There were hints of yoga practice in the civilization of Indus Valley (circa 3000 BC) and even the earliest known religions, Buddhism and Hinduism, were known to incorporate this form of belief in their teachings.

India is the first country that would come to anyone’s mind when yoga is mentioned. This is because the first known, detailed, yoga transcription was in sacred Hindu records called Vedic shastras.

Yoga could then be divided into four periods:

The Pre-classical era

This could be traced as far as 5000 years back. The Indus-Saravasti in Northern India was the first to mention ‘yoga’ in Rig Veda (holy texts). These texts were not solely used for religious teachings but also for keeping records of rituals and songs by Brahmans or priests. These were termed as the Upanishads (the root word being ‘upa’ which means near, ‘ni’ which means down and ‘shad’ meaning to sit), mainly described as a form of discipline which unites these six ‘aphorisms’: control of breathing or ‘pranayama’ meditation or ‘dhyana’, inhibition of the senses or ‘pratyahara’, examination or ‘tarka’, concentration or ‘dharana’, and ecstasy or ‘samadhi.

The Bhagavad-Gita is, by far, the most famous part of the Upanishad texts. With this in mind, it was comparable to our modern day form of religions where yoga is used to achieve spirituality minus the physical rigors.

The Classical Era

Enter Patanjali, author of the Yoga-Sutras and believed to be the ‘father or founder of yoga’. Just like the obscurity of yoga’s history, Patanjali’s profession is still unknown as of this day. Some believe he is a teacher of grammar. Some say he teaches the philosophy of Samkhya. Others go to the extreme by believing that he was an incarnation of the ruler of serpents named Shesha (which had 1000 heads!).

From the six limbs of the Upanishads, Patanjali added two more. According to him, the path to enlightenment can be obtained through the practice of these eight-limb discipline. Added to the other six were Niyama and Yama, both comparable to the biblical Ten Commandments as they focus on ethics and morals.

The Post-Classical Era

It is hard to define when the classical period actually ended. The teachings of Patanjali were used in many different practices that soon different forms of yoga were established. However, there were only slight modifications from Patanjali’s form of discipline. The only two schools that taught ‘radical yoga’ were tantra and hatha. These two schools deviated from Patanjali’s belief and instead focused on both the formless type of consciousness and using the physical body to achieve the so-called enlightenment. Both tantra and hatha teach that there is a Higher Being that could reside in each individual and detachment from this Being could result in suffering and much pain. So, thanks to their teachings, we now visualize yoga as painful body contortions that raise a person’s spirituality!

The Modern Day

It was not until the 1800’s that masters of yoga discipline traveled to the west. Being completely different from any form of religion or practice, these masters had many curious followers.

Hatha Yoga or modern day yoga was made famous in India by T. Krishnamacharya. He traveled far and wide to demonstrate and teach the poses of hatha yoga. He was also the first to open a school for formal yoga practice. He called this the Hatha Yoga School. Krishnamacharya was also the teacher of famous yoga advocates Pattabhi Jois, B. K.S. Iyengar, and T.K.V. Desikachar.

Hollywood had its first taste of yoga when Indra Devi had her studio opened in 1947. It was a giant leap for modern yoga and ever since, it gained followers by the million. And yes, today, we never lack schools that teach many styles, yet, their goal is still common--- self-enlightenment.

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Yoga For Kids

Yoga for Kids: Why Not?

Picture this: a Hindu with his extremities extended and looped beyond your comprehension. Now add to that a vision of a group of people, seemingly-chanting as they breathe in and out forcefully. Now the question: Would you enroll your kids in a yoga class? Or would you think twice?

Wipe that smirk off your face. There ARE yoga classes for children, and yes, they can be fun!

Just like adults, kids are exposed to modern-day stress. They might not have office work begging to be taken home, but they too, can end up exhausted. Homeworks, school activities (it can be sports or academics), even a jam-packed schedule (do ballet and piano lessons sound familiar?) can fuse them out.

Yoga for kids is ,in so many ways, similar to adult yoga. Kids' Yoga teaches awareness of one's senses, coordination and being flexible. Just like adults, kids learn to relax through yoga.

Fun and creativity are incorporated in kids' yoga. Poses that are animated and basic stretches promote coordination, strong bodies, flexibility and awareness of one's self. The approach also includes focusing, relaxing and self-control techniques. These promote spiritual strength, confidence and high regard for self. Respect for all creatures is also taught. To add to all these, their imagination is constantly stimulated. Children also learn to visualize.

A curriculum, if we must use that term, could include games that allow kids to interact; study of animals and their movements (they could soon learn to pose like a cow, chicken, cat, pig, horse, butterfly or even an elephant!); nature and its beauty (which could include simple poses like star, rainbow and half moon); and simple anatomy.

Just like its adult counterpart, yoga for kids also has levels. There are separate classes for toddlers and their parents (this class stresses highly on parent-child coordination and focuses more on music, toys and basic poses); preschoolers (this class now introduces physical activities like interactive games, animal mimicry and additional poses); Afterschoolers, aged 5-12 (this class introduces concentration, management of stress and proper relaxation. More complex poses and games are taught).

Susan Kramer, a yoga author and enthusiast, listed a few basic poses and relaxation techniques that we could introduce to children of all ages. Read on:

Leaf Pose- Begin with a straight back and joined feet. This is the basic position for all poses. Hold both ankles with hands then slowly arch the spine outward then go back to the straight-back position. Repeat.

Flower Pose- Begin with the basic position. Hold both ankles and bounce your knees 10-20 times on the floor.

Cricket Pose- Basic position. You could also allow the child to sit with legs crossed. Hold ankles. Tilt head alternately, from looking forward then up. Next, touch right ear on right shoulder. Do this with the left ear, too. Repeat.

Owl Pose- Cross legs then sit down with arms by your side and palms on the ground. Move head by looking, first to the right, then to the left. If floor can support it, spin your body by using your hands. Repeat.

Bird Pose- Basic position. Put clasped hands on the lower back. Do a shoulder-blade pull together. Tilt head backwards and look up. Hold, release, relax. Bend your head forward. Repeat.

Squirrel Pose- With legs crossed, sit down. Raise your arms upward and stretch each one slowly. Always look up. Next, stretch your arms sidewards, doing backward and forward circles with them.

Chipmunk Pose- Cross both legs and, again, sit down. Keep arms on your sides. Twist torso sideways, both ways. Head should be looking at back part of the arm. Go to focal position then stretch your arms upward. Bend sideways, right and left. Always look upfront. Repeat.

Rocker Pose- Sitting with legs crossed, place hands on the floor, by your side. Next, put hands on shoulders. Rock forward then backward, or from one side to the other. Relax your back. Do not fall over.

Seal Pose- Begin by sitting with legs apart and with the back straight. Twist body towards one leg. Reach and hold that leg with your two hands, then lean. 4 counts should do it. Next, lean forward in between both legs while holding them. Arch your back while doing this. To finish, point your left foot while the right foot is flexed, and vice versa. Repeat with rythm.

Salutation Pose- With your legs wide apart and a straight spine, sit down. Stretch legs but not to the point of being taut. Point the toes. Press your palms and salute. Tension should be released. Press once more. Raise arms then outward to your side. Stretch your arms while raising them again. Position your hands like you're praying. Relax. Repeat.

Snake Pose- Lie down, put legs together and bend knees. Keep feet flat on the floor and your arms by your side. The upper portion of your back should be relaxed. Fill lungs with air. Do some abdominal contractions and hold. Relax. Repeat.

These are but a few poses. More are available to be perused on the net. Now we head on to achieving the quiet moment:


For 2-10 minutes, meditate by sitting with your legs crossed. Make sure that the back is straight. With hands clasped, rest them on your lap. Eyes should be closed. Breathe in and out, taking care that this is done with ease. Count while breathing. 50 reps (or 50 breathes) should do it. Once finished, your eyes should be opened slowly, then stretch while standing up.

Walking could also be incorporated with meditation. This is best for kids that have boundless energy. It's easy to do: while walking, just inhale and exhale while concentrating.

While lying on their back, kids could do some yoga, too. Just ask them to keep their eyes closed and think of a pendulum or a swing. Let them relax and feel the moment while undisturbed. Open your eyes, stretch and slowly sit up to finish the meditation.

With these few examples and information, we could conclude that the fruits of engaging our youngsters into yoga are innumerable. Aside from emotional intelligence, kids could develop into mature, physically-able individuals. And yes, every parent wants that!

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