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10 Reasons Why You Are Ready For Yoga Teacher Training

By admin April 9, 2018 2

People take up yoga for multitude of reasons, from wanting to lose weight to becoming more flexible. However, as the practice progresses over time, every yogi starts to immerse deeper into the poses, finding a deeper meaning. A disciple for life, yogis try to spread their knowledge and wisdom to others. For this, they need to attain a higher level of expertise in teaching where they can evolve from being the pupil to the teacher with yoga teacher training courses (yoga TTC). Yet, how can you ascertain that you are completely ready for this next step? You ask yourself, “Am I ready for yoga teacher training?” It’s a tough decision to make, even though the choice lies personally with you. There are so many questions running around in your mind, all of them being rejected by your own fear of not being ready. But, the truth is, you and your body might be more than ready for the next step without you knowing about it. So, here are a few reasons stating you are prepared for starting yoga teacher training courses. 10 Reasons Why You Are Ready To Take Yoga TTC 1. You have desire to learn Most yogis wonder if they have advanced enough in yoga to take the next big jump towards becoming a yoga teacher or wait for the right time. When you have this doubt, you are failing to understand that it’s not the level that counts nor your expertise in all asanas, but your desire to learn which matters the most. You must have chosen to do yoga for one of the many reasons, but if you are thinking of becoming a yoga teacher, it’s time to ask yourself whether the practice has changed you. Are you as curious as a cat, when you hear new yoga terminologies and later jump in to research what they are all about, refusing to stop until you have learned the meaning and more. This desire to learn is one of the reasons that reflect that you are quite prepped up mentally for yoga teacher training. 2. You want more out of the practice You have been consistently and continuously practicing yoga everyday, learning its benefits to your body, mind, and soul. However, now you want to reap more than just the benefits from the practice. You now realize that yoga is beyond just receiving physical strength and stamina through the postures. You have been leading a better lifestyle, become emotionally more stable, and improved your decision making skills ever since you started doing the practice. Now, you are curious how yoga works internally as well and want to learn the anatomy of each pose, understanding how the poses work their way into improving the functions of the internal organs, especially the central nervous system. Yoga teacher training is calling out to you if your mind is working this way. 3. You want to spread your learning to others So, you have reaped the wholesome benefits of doing yoga and your friends and family members are complimenting you on your new approach towards life. For instance, you might have been suffering from depression for a long time and no matter how many shrinks you visited, it made no difference. As a last resort, you chose to do yoga. A week of practice passes by and you realize that your emotional turmoil is somewhat much controlled. As you progress ahead into the practice, your thoughts are much controlled and you can connect to yourself much deeply than ever. This is an overwhelming experience for you, but you do not want this learning to stop here. You have a much higher goal of reaching out to and helping others with similar problems so that you can see them also improving their daily lifestyles. Even when someone complains to you about a certain ailment, it becomes your natural instinct to advise them to join yoga classes, explaining the benefits they could gain every day. Briefly speaking, you become an advocate of yoga, hence well-suited for becoming a yoga teacher. 4. You want to be surrounded by like-minded people Did you know that you are likely to inhibit the behavior of 5 people with whom you spend most of your time with? In your normal everyday life, you will come across many people, most of whom will be frustrated with work or life. The behavior of such people can be toxic and even damage or clog your solar plexus chakra, which in turn will damage your self-esteem. If you are into the practice of yoga, you will know better than to surround yourself with such a crowd. You stay away from people with toxic behaviors and would rather choose a new circle of like-minded individuals who share your ideals, inspire you, and motivate you. If this becomes a must for you as and when you interact with people, then taking a yoga teacher training is the right step for you. 5. You want to turn your life around Undoubtedly, the practice of yoga can turn your life around, but the deeper question underlying this philosophy is “how?” You have reached a phase where it has brought physical changes as well as a sense-of-direction in your life, but you are longing to connect deeper with your inner self. Yoga teacher training course not just certify you to become a teacher. It also helps you deepen your personal practice irrespective of whether you want to teach afterward. It is a life-enhancing experience and just what you are looking for. The training is all about self-realization and understanding the practice’s influence on your worldly existence for the better. This wholesome experience that you gain when training for being a yoga teacher will direct your actions and your student's actions when they embark on their yogic journey. 6. You are up for new challenges You know that yoga TTC is challenging, but you do not mind because you are really into yoga practice. It does not matter to you that you would have to step out of your comfort zone as long as you get to learn and experience new teachings and everything that you meet on the way. Once, you are in that state of mind, you are more than ready for intense yoga classes during training. As someone eager to walk into the next level, you will be asking everyone who has been to a yoga teacher training class or will be doing your own research as to where you can apply and what the requirements are. This makes you a fitting candidate for yoga teacher training courses. If you are not sure where to start, you could consider applying for yoga teacher training in Rishikesh. Rishikesh is the yoga capital of the world and you would not regret doing your yoga TTC in Rishikesh. 7. You are ready to commit If you have been to more than one yoga class, you must have noticed that there are teachers who excel beyond your expectations during practice while there are teachers who could not bother less about how intense the training will be or student’s welfare. So, ask yourself, what are your reasons to do yoga teacher training? Your reason should be anything else than just earning a certification to earn a few bucks or becoming famous on Instagram. Are you really committed to the practice with all your mind and soul? It is impertinent that you take training seriously and respect your profession as a teacher. Teaching the values related to yoga is a lifelong commitment. Hence, is a teacher’s duty to guide his/her students along the journey and to uphold the age-old tradition for coming generations. 8. You have been able to find your style of yoga There are many types of yoga styles. You will have to keep up your practice to understand which one is suited for your body or what meets your needs. Being able to determine the style helps you funnel the type of class that you will be attending to. It also shows that you are specialized in that particular style. Related Post : 11 Types Of Yoga Styles To Try And Master Nevertheless, until you find a yoga path that you can walk on and practice, how can you be sure of what to study. Trying to mix up everything will only create chaos for you. If you want, you can study teacher training courses for other styles after completing each one by one and progress ahead accordingly. If you have not been able to decide upon particular style of yoga, go for the most ancient form, the hatha yoga teacher training in Rishikesh. 9. You have been waiting for the chance It has been months or maybe years since you have been practicing yoga and are waiting for the right chance to come by when you can go ahead and get certified as a yoga teacher. You have the eagerness to delve into this new realm, but have always been bound either by work or by the lack of money. When you reach that point, you will feel that the job you do, does not satisfy your happiness anymore. So, you start saving for a teacher training course that can help you heighten your practice and also impart its knowledge to others. You might have been asking yourself the question, “how long should you practice yoga before teacher training?”, The answer is, “keep practicing yoga to get a consistency in your home routine.” This is also the key answer to your most essential question before choosing to embark on the journey, “how to prepare for yoga teacher training? Practice makes you perfect and also prepares you for the physical activities you are supposed to perform at the teacher training center. It does not matter whether you have been able to master all the poses. If you are subconsciously aware that you are ready for taking up the daring opportunities involved in training as a yoga teacher, you are meant for it certainly. 10. You have the yearning to connect with your spiritual self Your spiritual search in yoga is a journey to understand your core, the center of your existence. As you proceed with the age-old practice with full dedication and commitment, you will start to question yourself about everything that you know. Unless you are looking to obtain materialistic goals, yoga can only take you to superficial levels of the practice. If you feel that you are beyond the needs of the materialistic world and want to set off on a spiritual journey of finding your true self to be more peaceful and happier person, then you are on the right path by choosing a yoga teacher training course. You as a person are already evolving spiritually and yoga poses are not just poses anymore but a means of being present and focused. Conclusion Whatever your intentions for practicing yoga teacher training and wherever you plan to go for learning the deeper meaning of the art, there is one important feature every candidate must have - compassion. Yoga teaches to love and care for others and most importantly for your own selves. If you are devoid of love, how can you impart it to others, especially your students, who look up to you for advice. The above mentioned 10 reasons are some of which you would consider before trying for a yoga teacher training course. However, it is from natural instinct that you must choose your path. You must love yoga and be a part and parcel of the tradition, inside and out to be able to receive benefits of yoga teacher training in bounteous proportions. Yoga teacher training can give you the necessary tools required for looking after oneself and to feel strong and healthy. These training are meant to teach yogis about the human anatomy in deeper detail so that you can understand the benefits and alignment of the asanas and their functionality that makes positive changes in your body. Additionally, you will also understand which actions are wrong and what could cause injuries, thus helping you in avoiding them in future. As you progress through your course, you will also understand the modifications and adjustment in each asana and begin to challenge your limits when practicing.

Headstand or Sirsasana

By admin February 9, 2018 0

Headstand, also known as Sirsasana in Sanskrit, is known as king of all yoga poses because of its complexity and the amount of benefits that it offers to your mind, soul, and body. You might think that doing this yoga pose is tough because it is an intimidating pose when compared to other poses. However, it’s not impossible to attain. With some regular practice and dedication, you can overcome all obstacles safely. Yoga is all about feeling good and Sirsasana does just that. It is an invigorating and energizing asana, which has a great anti-gravity effect that improves your blood circulation, supports the efficient functioning of your internal organs, and empowers your Agni, or the digestive system. Pose Information Yoga Pose English Name: Headstand Sanskrit Name: Sirsasana, Shirshasana or Sirshasana Pose Level: Intermediate Pose Type: Inversion Strengthens: Arms, Lung, Vertebral column and Legs Preparatory Poses Dolphin Pose or Ardha Pincha Mayurasana Standing Forward Bend or Uttanasana Table Pose or Bharmanasana Cat- Cow Pose or Marjaryasana-Bitilasana Follow-up Poses Downward Facing Dog Pose or Adho mukha śvānāsana Child Pose or Balasana How to Do Headstand? Everyone wants to lead a healthy life and Sirsasana can give you what you are looking for. So, let’s have a look at how we can do the Headstand. First start with preparatory poses. Doing these preparatory poses will help you warm up and do the headstand easily. These will make your arms, core, and spine strong so that you can easily support the weight of your body when you practice headstand. Here are some simple headstand steps for getting into a headstand. Step 1 Start by coming in table pose. Step 2 Next, inhale and shift the weight of your upper body to your elbows. Ensure that your elbows are shoulder width apart. Now clasp your hands together by interlocking your fingers. Step 3 Bring down your head to the mat, in between the palm of your hands, ensuring that it is pressed against the palms. Step 4 Inhale and raise your knees and hips up, elongating the spine, and ensuring that your shoulder blades are kept away from your ears, even though they should be right under your shoulders. Step 5 Once in position, crawl forward towards your arms such that your hips are stacked over your shoulders. Ensure that your back is not rounded. Step 6 Stay rooted into your hands, shifting most of the weight onto your arms so that the pressure on your head is lighter. Step 7 Once you know that your body is ready, lift one leg slowly while rooting the other to the ground. Ensure that the raised leg is straight and not turned in. Step 8 Tighten your core and raise your other leg too. Step 9 When both legs are up, join them together for balance. Remain in the pose for as long as you can while maintaining steady breathing. Step 10 To release yourself from the pose, tighten your core and slowly lower one of your legs down till the toes touch the ground and once the balance is obtained lower the other leg too. Step 11 Come back to the table pose and descend into child pose to relax. Health Benefits of Headstand Since ancient times, headstand has been known for its health benefits. It involves focused breathing, thus also providing enough oxygen to blood and organs. Some of the headstand benefits are as follows. 1. Increases Focus As the pose is an inversion, it helps increasing blood flow to the brain, which in turn, improves the mental function and increases focus. Other than that, the pose helps in sharpening the mind. 2. Improves Eyesight If you have bad eyesight or want to save your eyes from degeneration, then Sirsasana is the best pose for you. Doing the pose ensures that more oxygen and nutrients are supplied to the head, thus taking care of your vision in the process. It also helps in curing problems of hair fall, headaches, anxiety, and stress. 3. Improves Digestion Going against the law of gravity to do the pose combined with focused breathing helps in building your core and improves digestion. The reversed flow of blood helps in releasing toxins from the body, any stuck gases, and improves the circulation of blood to digestive organs. 4. Treats Sexual Problems Headstand helps you with libido problems. The inversion helps in unblocking anything that might act as a barrier in your reproductive organs. It can also help in delaying menopause, improving the menstruation cycle. In men it improves sperm deficiency, and other sexual problems. 5. Increases stamina If you are always tired and low on stamina, then Sirsasana can work wonders for you. The posture increases blood circulation and works out muscles of arms, shoulders, and core body. Additionally, it also affects pituitary and pineal glands, which create energy in the human body. Yoga Headstand Tips for Beginners The headstand can be real challenging for beginners in yoga, and that is why they need to follow some tips. If you are a beginner, these are some things that you need to know. As a beginner, you need to build your core and arm strength, without which your body would not be able to achieve balance in headstand. So, before you even think of starting the pose, prepare your body to be strong enough to withhold your body weight. You can try dolphin pose or plank pose to strengthen your arms and core. Use the wall for support and correct the posture. Your yoga teacher will not expect you to get the pose correct at one go and they will advise you to take as much help as you can get. The most important tip is to get over your fear of inversions. If you fear something, it will always be difficult to overcome. Practice meditation before you start, so that you can calm down and do it, keeping your fears aside. Headstand Precautions Being one of the most difficult poses in yoga, there are some precautions that you need to take while practicing Sirsasana. Some of the precautions are: Do not incline your body towards any direction. Instead, keep it vertical so that you do not end up hurting your spine. Practice this pose only after doing preparatory poses so that your body is all warmed up and your muscles are well flexed. Do not practice the pose if you are suffering from high blood pressure, heart diseases, brain hemorrhage, or any brain illness. This asana should not practiced during pregnancy or menstruation. If you feel any intense palpitation, headaches, or dizziness after the practice, you should stop. Do not practice the pose if you have back problems. Headstand Modifications You can modify your headstand practice with the help of props. Some of the props that you can use are as follows. Blanket or Towel Do you wonder "how to do a headstand without hurting your head?" You can use a blanket or towel, folded underneath where your head would rest so that you do not feel any pain on the crown. This will also provide better cushioning for your spine while doing the headstand. Blocks Place the blocks against the wall so that you can align your upper body to your lower body when doing the headstand. Alignment is the most important thing in headstand and using blocks will help you maintain it. Headstand Variations Most variations of the headstand are supposed to be done only by practitioners who have mastered the pose. Beginners should stick to the basics, else they might suffer injury. We recommend you to never try any new variation without the presence of a Guru. Some of the variations in the headstand that you can try as an advanced level pose are as follows. Conclusion Headstand is truly a unique pose of yoga, having holistic positive effects. It’s just that the pose demands a lot of strength from your body, which after dedicated practice can be overcame. Don’t try to overcome the pose as soon as possible, because yoga is all about patience and learning from your failures. Sirsasana being one of the most difficult poses surely demands a lot of these characteristics in a yogi, especially when you are trying headstand for beginners for the first few times. So, keep practicing and do not give up, but also do not try to hurt or frustrate yourself. Keep calm and you will get there eventually.

The Importance of Water in a Yogi’s Life

By admin February 3, 2018 0

Water is the ultimate source of life, and nothing can survive without it. Like air is essential to breathe, there is equal importance of water in a yogi’s life. Yoga is a form of physical activity; hence it requires you to continuously hydrate and make up for all the body’s fluids lost by sweating. The human body constitutes of two-third of water (about 75% of the body’s weight). It is a prime nutrient in carrying out the vital functions of the body. The water present in your body is mostly found in cells and blood vessels. The body can survive for many weeks without food, but can only last a few days without water. Ayurveda suggests drinking about 7-8 glasses of water to stay hydrated and maintain optimal health conditions. Yoga benefits the body in many ways, but without water and other nutrients, your body will not develop correctly, and you will only end up feeling weak. By drinking sufficient quantities of water, you can ensure that your body maintains good health. Water is one of the five elements in Ayurvedic philosophy, an essential component of all things alive. Without it, plants would wither away and we would not survive. Furthermore, good health is only conceivable if water flows and runs into our veins as blood. According to Ayurveda, water is the globally recognized symbol for the human soul, also representing the sacral chakra, the area of the body that is responsible for generating life. Here, are some of the benefits that state the importance of water in a yogi’s life, and what it can offer to the human body, which might make you reconsider your lack of liquid intake, if you have not formed the habit yet. Learn The Importance of Water in a Yogi’s Life 1. Hydrates your skin and makes it supple Not many theories believe that water can hydrate skin. Well, water alone is not enough to treat dry skin, that’s true. But, it still is an essential component. While creams, face washes, and yoga practice do their part on the outside, water does its magic on the inside. There is great importance of water in a yogi’s life when it comes to skincare, it unclogs the blocked pores and gets rid of harmful wastes from your body accumulated because of eating junk food and breathing polluted air. Related Article : Yoga For Glowing Skin – Learn Poses To Get Better Skin Naturally 2. Helps You Control your Diet Have you come across the feeling that you are still hungry even after a good meal? Well, that feeling is common for all. You might think that you are still hungry, but the truth is that your body is signaling you to hydrate. The human mind is not programmed to differentiate between hunger and thirst. Hence, you end up eating more than your share for the day and end up gaining weight. Next time this happens, try drinking water first. If your body relaxes after that, you will know what it meant. Furthermore, you can also drink three glasses of water before starting your meal to control the amount of food you eat. 3. Helps in increasing the functions of heart Your heart is constantly working 24 hours a day and 365 days in a year. It pumps around 2000 gallons of blood a day. When you dehydrate, the muscles of your heart get strained too, hence making it work harder because of the decreased volume of blood passing through. Other than that, the sodium levels in your blood increase, which makes it difficult for blood to circulate through the body. Keep yourself well hydrated to increase the functionality of your heart. 4. Promotes weightloss People of different weights and heights require different amounts of water to lose weight. However, the normal amount of water a person should drink must be between half to one ounce for each pound that you weigh. When we talk about weight loss, the importance of water in a yogi’s life comes in as a metabolism booster and appetite suppressant. It also helps your body from retaining water, which can stop the bloating that you experience every time towards the end of the day. Try chilling your drinking water in the fridge, as studies have revealed that this method speeds your metabolism and burns more calories due to the effort that the body puts trying to warm it up. 5. Boosts immunity Water is a natural immunity booster. You can call water ‘a magic potion’ especially when it comes to improving your health and well-being. Water delivers oxygen to your bloodstream while removing toxins that can be harmful to the body's functioning in the long run. Drinking more water prevents toxins from piling up inside your immune system. 6. Boosts brain’s function Like every cell in the body, the brain too requires water at an adequate level, to function properly. When the brain dehydrates, you might face memory problems, mental tiredness, and even confusion, because of shrinking grey matter. Drinking adequate amounts of water will also ensure that the level of blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain is stable. 7. Alleviates energy levels Why purchase energy drinks available in the market, when you have water available everywhere to replenish you? Water is a great energy booster. People everywhere are fatigued and are blaming all the symptoms of hunger. Well, it's true, hunger makes us moody, tired, and gives us headaches. But, so does dehydration. So, the next time you feel any of these symptoms just grab a bottle of water and gulp it down. You will be energized, and best of all, you will know whether you were really hungry. 8. Great antioxidant This is one of the greatest importance of water in a yogi’s life. Water is a natural cleanser. While beauty products are necessary for cleaning the exterior of your body, water does the same work internally. It removes toxins from the liver, via urination, which is responsible for most chronic diseases when piled up for a long time. It improves your bowels, thus preventing constipation, which results when contents of colon becomes dry and gets stuck. 9. Saves lives and money Talking about the importance of water, it saves lives. You can understand the feeling if you would have been roaming in the desert without water. Water is everywhere and can be easily found, (at least for now) to drink. Furthermore, it is also cheaper than aerated or flavored drinks. Furthermore, if you carry your own bottle of water, it is absolutely free. So, go ahead and drink water.Don't forget to carry your own bottle to yoga class, to keep yourself hydrated. Tips to Stay Hydrate Before, During, and After Doing Yoga Below are 4 important tips on water and yoga that every practitioner should follow. 1. Do not drink water during yoga class People often wonder "can we drink water during yoga?" The first and foremost tip for the importance of water in a yogi’s life is not to drink water during a yoga session. You might ask why? The reasons being: It can be a distraction especially because you might want to rush to the bathroom in between sessions. Water cools down the body, thus diminishing the Pranic fire. It interferes with the flow of Prana The right thing to do is to drink water half an hour before or after class to replenish all the moisture lost during the practice. The only time you can drink water during a yoga class is if you are practicing Bikram yoga or Ashtanga yoga. 2. Hydrate with foods You can get creative with your source of liquids. You only need to keep healthy. Many fruits have a high water content like for instance, watermelon, orange, apple, and grapes. Save yourself from bad health and toxins piling up in your body by buying such fruits next time you are feeling dehydrated. It will be a change of taste for your buds and maintain your calorie in check. 3. Flavor your liquids Add some lemon to your water and make lemonade on a warm and sunny day. It will ensure that you do not lose your motivation to hydrate yourself, especially when you are just forming the habit. You can also create a smoothie from fruits with high water content and add it to make a healthy breakfast, thus also keeping you pepped up for the day. 4. Avoid aerated drinks Speaking about the importance of water in a yogi’s life, you must remember that aerated drinks have less of water and more of air and sugar. You are only inviting more toxins and calories to your body by consuming these products. Always remember aerated drinks can never substitute water and its benefits. Conclusion The importance of water in a yogi’s life does not just end here. There are numerous other ways that water plays in everyday activities. It plays a vital role in shaping not just the exterior body but internally as well. Just as lubricant is necessary for the smooth functioning of a car's engine, the same can be said about water for the human body's mechanism. Not sure whether you are dehydrated? Check for visible signs like chapped lips and dark urine. Drink plenty water to keep your overall body health in check.

Unexpected Challenges of Yoga Teacher Training

By admin January 20, 2018 0

Yoga teacher training is like all fresh starts of life and always bring along unexpected challenges. However, like everything else, these are momentary hurdles and with a strong will you will definitely overcome unexpected challenges of yoga teacher training as well. If you have planned to embark on a new journey as a yoga teacher in your life, yoga teacher training is your first step. We would, first of all, congratulate you on falling in love with yoga. When in love, no hurdle that can stop you from achieving your goal, no hurdles which can stop you from living your dream. You might be anxious or filled to the brim with over-excitement that your dreams are finally turning into reality. It’s perfectly normal to feel that way. After all, it is an intense life changing experience that you are going to go through. Challenges of yoga teacher training are a part of it and are always there in every aspect of life. The world is afraid to discuss the challenges of anything, yoga teachers training is no different. Teachers and schools don’t talk about it as they don’t want to discourage students, other students don’t talk as they don’t want to share their bad experiences and their weaknesses. Yoga is an art, which encourages self-motivation and relaxation. But, if these challenges are going to scare you then the entire goal of the art remains unaccomplished. The final truth is that if you are able to conquer these snags and glitches, you will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes even in the worst case when you have an injury during the course. Even this is for your own good, as it would make you ready to triumph over anything that life throws at you. Hence, to guide you and keep you on top of your game throughout the journey of gaining knowledge, in this blog post we will discuss a few challenges of yoga teacher training. You will come across these challenges as you proceed ahead with your goals of becoming “the yoga teacher”. Along with that, what will also accompany these challenges are tips to overcome these challenges. 6 Challenges of Yoga Teacher Training Here we have listed the 6 big challenges of yoga teacher training and tips on overcoming the challenges and get the best experience on your yoga teachers training. 1. Population of students in your class Not all yoga classes teach a small group of students and even if it does not seem like a challenge to you right now while reading this. Whether you believe it or not, it is. The sole reason for this being, the smaller the group you practice in, the more your teacher can concentrate on you as an individual. Another aspect of it being your own comfort level. You will not feel lost and out of space in a smaller environment. Imagine this. It’s your first day of your yoga teacher training class and you walk towards the practice room all prepped up and ready for experiencing your life’s calling to becoming a yoga teacher. But to your surprise, as soon as you reach class, there is a crowd of yogis, all ready with their yoga mats in place. You never expected this, and your excitement levels go down as fast as it grew. There are a million thoughts running in your mind; the struggle of finding a place, where you are neither going to be noticed much, nor where you could miss out on the teacher’s instructions. You instantly regret ever coming to such a place for the most important journey of your life. Your next possible thought is to run away, but you decide to stay because this is what you have been looking forward to. So, you stay. At the end of it all, you do not feel the satisfaction or experience of being able to connect to oneself as you were hoping to. Furthermore, it was more difficult, than you expected, to make acquaintances through the practice. There was no one to guide you or tell you whether you were doing the yoga asanas correctly. All-in-all everything comes in as a disappointment to you and you just wished you had never come there. Overcoming the Challenge It’s easy to feel this way in larger groups. It’s the fear of being ridiculed that makes you act this way. Though there are some who do not care, yet there are also those like you, who feel anxious and swamped when the crowd is too much. It’s natural human behavior and there is nothing to be ashamed of or something to beat yourself up with for days. These things happen to a majority of people, even if you are a yogi. You are human, and you are supposed to have emotions. Nevertheless, if you’re not comfortable being around too many people during practice, you can always avoid being in such disastrous situations with one simple step. Do your research well. It is only obvious that you do not just land inside any yoga retreat, school, or ashram by chance. You talk to people, browse the internet, or read about them in magazines and then choose one that you feel will fit your requirements. However, you often miss out on this teensy bit of information. “How many students does the class accommodates?” Not important to many, but a detail important to you. Yoga teacher training is all about knowing and learning about the human anatomy, misalignments, injuries, and techniques which are all beneficial for you. It’s about connecting to yourself on a spiritual level. So, if your doubts cannot be cleared away when you are in training, having just a certification does not serve any purpose for you. 2. Feeling Imperfect This is one of the most common feelings amongst aspiring yoga teachers and one of the greatest challenges of yoga teacher training. When you feel imperfect, you are always going to doubt yourself, hence making a mental barrier, which in turn, makes you tell yourself that you are never going to be good enough or handstand or headstand can never be conquered by you. You will see numerous yogis struggling to get into asanas just because of this mental state of mind. This way of thinking brings in fear of falling and getting hurt. Fall you will, especially because you have unconsciously replaced your goal of perfecting an asana with falling. You must not have realized it until of course you read this, but it’s true. Overcoming the Challenge Practice makes perfect and in Winston Churchill’s words, “Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.” It’s alright to be imperfect, for it is human to err. However, what’s not alright is for to accept the imperfection and allow it to remain stagnant, as it was in the beginning. If you are a yogi and if you are unable to master an asana like the Tree Pose (Vrksasana) for three-four months would you just let it go? Or would you practice it more, trying to understand where it is that you are going wrong and what is it that you are missing out on? Wouldn’t you ask your teacher to help you and show you. You might not have realized it any sooner but your imperfection is your path to greater learning and understanding of your body and its anatomy. So, keep practicing and take as much assistance as you require from your teachers and you will overcome this obstacle. 3. Balancing between your job and classes It’s a mind-baffling situation when you need to choose between your job and the long awaited chance for completing your yoga teacher training. You cannot afford to lose your job just about now because you have bills to pay as well as the costs of your training depend on it. So, what do you do? Overcoming the Challenge It’s a challenge to lose your job, but jobs end everyday and everywhere for someone or the other all around the world. You might have to give up your job in most cases if you are hell bent on pursuing training for yoga teacher because it does take up all hours of your day. However, depending on how understanding your workplace really is and the duration of classes that you choose, you might not have to leave your job at all. If you choose to take up 100-hour, 200- hour, 300-hour yoga classes for teacher training, the least amount of completion time is 28-30 days. So, that means a month’s holiday, which is acceptable, if you have not taken too many leaves already. Furthermore, if you are choosing to pursue yoga as a profession, then you will always have the income coming in via the classes that you host after getting certified. 4. Lack of knowledge when it comes to terminology Yoga terminologies can be tongue-twisting and not every yogi can easily get a hold of the words easily. The age-old art has numerous terminologies, which many have not heard of and you might feel a little embarrassed if you are in that position. After all, you are training to be a teacher and you have to have that knowledge imbibed in you. Else, how are you going to guide your students. Right? Overcoming the Challenge That’s the beauty of yoga. Yoga is kind and does not expect anything of you. So, whether you know how to pronounce "Adho Mukha Svanasana" right or don’t understand what “Aparigraha” means, you can still continue on your path to yoga teacher training. You actually do not have to overcome this challenge instantly. As you practice and study, this will come to you in time. Not every yogi is a genius from the start and you are not expected to be one either. To overcome this challenge, just be who you are and keep your studies as regular as your practice and you will learn. 5. Choosing the right school for yoga teacher training With the multitudes of yoga teacher training schools available on the internet these days, it is truly a challenge to find one which is genuine, teaches you your style of yoga, and meets your other requirements. Few of these schools are run by con-men and fake yogis who only love your money, and are gone once the work is done. Overcoming the Challenge Your question is, “How do I find the right yoga school, ashram, or retreat in such a case? Will the internet give me a true picture and the information I need to make the decision? The internet can seem to be flooded with a web of lies, but if you do your research well, you will uncover the truth. Today, people are smarter and they leave reviews for everything they buy and every place they visit. For more in-depth information about a retreat, ashram or yoga school, join forums where you will meet like-minded individuals, who are also looking for answers as you. This place on the internet is where you can find the absolute truth about your school for teacher training. Other than that, since you have been in the practice for a long time, take suggestions from friends and acquaintances about their experiences during their teacher training and ask as many questions as possible so that you end up in the right place. This point is the most important of all challenges of yoga teacher training and if you can overcome this, then everything else will be taken care of. 6. Not knowing your yoga style Everyone tells you that you need to have a sense of the type of yoga style that you want to follow. You know that too. But, you are in a dilemma because you are really not sure. Most yoga schools will accept you for training as a yoga teacher, but learning will be chaotic for you as you are not sure of the yoga style that is best for you and your body. You certainly do not want to be lost and wandering in search of your style while on a journey to find yourself. Overcoming the Challenge To overcome this challenge, you simply need to wait it out for some more time before you go ahead and pursue your journey as a teacher. There are a various types of yoga styles like Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, or Bikram yoga. Keep practicing and try understanding which style your body best responds to. Once that is decided, you will feel more confident, clearer, and at ease with yourself. Still in doubt, go for the most ancient and authentic form of yoga, Hatha yoga. Furthermore, it will help you guide your students better after the certification is complete. Conclusion As the saying goes, “Where there is a will, there's a way,” and the same can be said for yoga too. If you really have the will and desire to become a yoga teacher, there is no stopping you, no matter what obstacles come your way. You might not feel ready because there are poses that you have not perfected, or you might doubt your ability to teach others. However, believe it or not, you are more ready than you know. So, go for it and elevate your skills for suitable Hatha and Ashtanga yoga teacher training courses that can help you deepen your practice. Stop at nothing, overcome these challenges of yoga teacher training, be determined and you will soon become a successful yoga teacher.

Yoga for Glowing Skin – Learn Poses To Get Better Skin Naturally

By admin January 12, 2018 0

Glowing and radiant skin is desired by everyone, men and women alike. Especially owing to the deterioration of the environment, type of food we eat, and other lifestyle habits, your skin needs a lot of care. Beauty products are not helping much either, since they only work externally. People around the world practice yoga for glowing skin along with other health benefits. The real effect on your skin can only be seen if your body is healed on the inside. Of course, medicines can do wonders, but to what extent? Because, medicines do come with side-effects and you would not want that; stacking one problem over another. So, to counteract these problems, a much natural solution is required; something that does not cause any further complications to your organs. Understanding the situation in hand, many medical practitioners too are recommending, yoga for glowing skin. If you are asking how it works, then this is how the process of yoga for skin glow goes. Yoga for Glowing Skin When a person starts doing yoga, they do it for obtaining the physical benefits like losing weight, toning the body, or becoming more flexible. But, as you keep practicing, you understand more about the additional advantages that yoga can give. Every pose has different effects on your body and a different role to play. Similarly, for the health of your skin. So here are some yoga poses that you should know about and how they can help you achieve a glowing skin. Restorative Poses 1. Lotus Pose (Padmasana) Your skin needs to breath to glow. The calm breathing technique involved helps in supplying oxygen to the blood while the meditation stills the mind, which in turn results in clear and glowing skin. How to do Padmasana? To start Padmasana, sit in Dandasana Bend your knees inwards and get into a cross-legged position. Rest your hands on your knees, close your eyes, and breathe normally. Stay in the position for 10 minutes or till you feel calm. Practice this pose once every day for a calm mind and flawless face. 2. Child’s Pose (Shishuasana) Child pose is a restorative pose that can help you alleviate problems of stress and anxiety, which are two of the many causes for unhealthy skin. Other than that, the pose also helps in eradicating physical and mental strain while improving circulation of blood in the muscles around the face and all over the body. It contributes to a healthy-looking skin. How to do Child’s Pose? Start in Vajrasana Exhale and bend your body forward slowly until the crown of your head touches the floor. Place your hands backwards, where your toes are, and hold the pose for 30 seconds. You can use a pillow or a bolster to place in front of you if you have difficulty in bending forward. Inversion Poses 1. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) Have you seen a dog stretching its body after a long nap? That is where the Downward Facing Dog got its name from. Being a semi-inversion, it increases the flow of blood to the head, which helps us in relieving any stress, the biggest enemy of beauty, lodged in our brains. How to do Downward Facing Dog Pose? Begin by doing the table pose. Keep your back straight, palms shoulder-width apart, and thighs together. Inhale, and push your hips up, until your knees are straightened and body take the shape of an inverted V. Ensure that your back is not rounded, and if it is, then you should bend your knees inwards a little so that the stretch in the hamstring lessens the effects. Hold the pose for a minute or till you are comfortable. Exhale and come back to the table top position slowly. Repeat the pose three more times. 2. Plow Pose (Halasana) The Plow Pose is another inversion, if practiced every alternate day, it gives you the rosy glow to your skin. It helps in the anti-aging process, keeping your skin radiant and supple while also working on your fitness levels. How to do Plow Pose? Start by relaxing in Savasana. Bring your legs together and keep your arms by your side, with palms facing down. Inhale and raise your legs off the floor up to an angle of 90 degrees, with the help of your abdominal muscles. Keep breathing normally and push your legs back till your legs sweep up over your head at 180 degrees. Try keeping your back perpendicular to the floor. Hold the pose for a minute, exhale and bring your legs down. Try staying steady when you do so. Relax for 10 breaths when you come down and repeat 5 more times. 3. Intense Forward-Bending Pose (Uttanasana) Another inversion, the Uttanasana expediates blood circulation to the face, increasing oxygen supply to the skin cells. It also supplies helpful nutrients to the facial area to heal any impairment that is caused by toxins in your food and the environment, in the process encouraging skin cell renewal. How to do Intense Forward-Bending Pose? Stand in Tadasana with feet closed. Raise your arms overhead and shift your gaze to the sky. Slowly bend forward from the hip and try touching the ground. Keep your legs straight when doing the pose. Stay in the pose for 1 minute and raise your upper body up slowly. Come back to Tadasana and relax for 10 breaths. Repeat the pose 5 times more. 4. Shoulderxstand (Sarvangasana) Like all inversions, the Shoulderstand too transfers enough blood to the head to improve your skin. Also, if you are looking for yoga for fair skin, then this is it. Here is how you can do it for maximum effect. How to do Shoulderstand? Lie on your back to start with. Keep your hands on the floor by your side, with palms facing down Lift your legs and raise your hips off the floor. Use your hands to support your body. Rest your body’s weight on your shoulders. Stay in the position for 10 breaths. To release the pose, lower your spine back to the floor slowly. You can either bring down your legs straight down or bend your legs if required. Keep your head on the floor, rather than lifting it off the floor. Backbends Poses 1. Bow pose (Dhanurasana) The Bow pose controls the supply of oxygen to the entire body, which results in restoration of the skin cells. If you want to get rid of all the fine lines and toxins, because of aging, you should try this. How to do Bow Pose? To start with the bow pose, lie on your stomach, while keeping your hands on your sides, palms facing up. Bend your knees and push your feet towards your head. Raise your hands and clasp them around your ankles. As you do so raise your upper body, as though you are trying to bring your feet to your head. Your weight must rest on your torso. Stay in the pose for 10 breaths. To release, bring your upper body and feet down to the floor, as you gently release your grip from the ankles. Relax for 10 breaths and repeat 4 more times 2. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) The cobra pose is a great back bend that opens your chest, allowing you to breathe better, which means more oxygen for your body. Since there is ample amount of oxygen in your blood it helps in detoxification. This process gradually rejuvenates your skin cells. If you have the problem of a double chin, this pose might be the best asana of yoga for a beautiful face. The stretching involved in the pose helps you get rid of double chin with great ease. How to do Cobra Pose? To start with the Cobra pose lie flat on your stomach. Rest your hands on your elbows, directly under your shoulders. Inhale and use your hand to push your upper body off the floor, although ensuring that the navel is still touching the floor, such that your back is arched Hold the posture for 10 deep breaths. Exhale and release the pose by coming back to the initial position. Relax for another 10 breaths and repeat 5 times more. 3. Fish Pose (Matsyasana) The Fish Pose is great for toning the neck and facial muscles as you stretch throughout the practice, helping you get a smooth and toned the skin. How to do Fish Pose? Lay on your back on your yoga mat. Keep your hands by your sides, with palms facing down. Next, push your head inwards and push your palms down to raise your torso off the floor, until you form an arch. Stay in the pose for 10 breaths. Release by lowering your torso and head onto the floor, ensuring that your spine is straight and aligned with your back. Rest for 10 more breaths and repeat 3 times more. Deep Twists Pose 1. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) If you want to improve blood and oxygen circulation in your body, the Triangle Pose can serve you best. The pose requires a lot of concentration and fosters flexibility. The deep twist and stretch involved in doing the pose is what creates the foundation of a beautiful glowing skin. How to do Triangle Pose? To start, Stand in Tadasana. Move your legs to the sides, such that they are wide apart and toes are facing forward. As we begin, turn the right feet out to the right side. Raise your hands up to shoulder length and bend your body to the right. Try touching the floor behind your leg with your right hand. Your left hand should be raised above your head, push the hand further towards the right shoulder. Shift your gaze up to the ceiling. Stay in the pose for 10 breaths. Inhale and come back to Tadasana by bringing your feet together. Relax for 10 breaths. Repeat on the other side. So, these were the 10-essential poses that you can add to your yoga routine, every day or alternately. Mix and match them around with other yoga poses to make your routine fun. It will take some time but eventually you will see that the results are only pleasing to the eye. Additional Face Glowing Tips Other than the internal process, there are some external regimes that you need to follow as well. Here are some more tips for you to follow. Stay Hydrated When you wake up in the morning, before eating anything, drink at least 3 glasses of water. Doing this will help you in detoxifying, hydrating your body, and clearing your bowels. A clean and clear stomach will ensure that your acne goes away. Meditate Even if you do not have the time to exercise or work on your yoga routine, spare at least 5 minutes of your time every morning to meditate. Meditation helps your brain function better throughout the day. It also helps you cope better with stressful situations and dealing with depression, or anxiety. Morning meditation also helps you in keeping your mind free of negative thoughts, which ultimately reflects on your face. Warm Up Before Yoga Session At the end of every yoga session, do not forget to cool down your body just like you would warm it up prior to the session. Always practice Shavasana towards the end of yoga practice for at least 5-10 minutes. It will help you relax all your body muscles including the facial muscles. Breathing Exercises Try breathing exercises separately in your yoga sessions like the Kapalbhati Kriya, which is good especially if you are looking for yoga for clear skin. Being able to breathe better, at least once in a day can also make a huge difference to your body’s mechanism. Sattvic Diet Yoga suggests eating foods that are Sattvic. This diet mainly consists of natural foods like vegetables, fruits, and boiled foods. Avoid as much junk and oily food as possible as they can build up a lot of toxins in the body. Eating Sattvic keeps the Agni within us alive and more responsive than when we consume Tamasic or Rajasic foods. Clean Skin Before Sleeping Do not forget to deeply cleanse your skin before you retire to bed. The amount of pollution and dust in the world today can cause a lot of damage to the skin in the long run. Proper Sleep Most importantly, get a good night’s sleep. Just as your body, your skin needs rest too. Give it that rest. Let the pores breath the healthy air Conclusion Sticking to the healthy and mindful regime will fulfill your dream of getting a healthy and glowing skin that you have always dreamt of, with the help of yoga for healthy skin. Seeing models on television with flawless complexions makes us just wonder about their makeup and beauty products. But, the saying is true. Beauty is skin deep. Your emotions, lifestyle, and eating habits are what that govern the way you live. Beauty products today are full of chemicals and they might give us results for short-term happiness but for the longer duration they might just be harmful. So, the formula is being strict with yourself. Hydrate, moisturise, cleanse, exercise and do everything that can bar your skin from harm. Yoga is a natural way without side effects and today many doctors are recommending doing it for an overall healthy skin. Additionally, it does not just work on one area but several other aspects as well like a healthier and stronger body, emotional wellness, toned body, and improved blood circulation. It’s not too late to try, and neither is it too late to give up on everything that can ruin your life. So, adopt this natural process of getting beautiful skin not just on your face but your entire body as well. Yoga can do wonders, and you must try yoga for glowing skin to believe it.

Changing Your Yoga Practice in Winter Season

By admin November 23, 2017 0

Winter can be a tough season to do anything owing to the cold temperature and your inviting warm beds asking you not to leave. Just as everything, it also becomes an excuse for most of you to not carry out your fitness regime, even if it’s yoga, and just laze around. After all, who wants to change into workout clothes in the cold when you are already warm and cosy under your blanket? That is everyone’s winter story and I am sure you can easily relate to it as easily as everyone else. As yogis, you are already addicted to yoga practice and would not want to miss out on it even for a single day. Ayurveda suggests that there are Doshas associated with every season and winter relates to Kapha Dosha which becomes dormant as this season sets in. Dormancy of this Dosha leads to imbalance, thus weakening the body’s immunity and causing us to fall sick, which is why you definitely need to practice yoga for winter. Imbalanced Kapha Dosha discourages healthy growth of muscles and other body tissues and restricts our movement and power to think right. Winter is a time when you are least active, and the normal yoga activity that you have been carrying out all year around is not enough to transition into a healthy you when you move on to a new season. So, here are a few yoga asanas, meditative poses, and breathing techniques for your yoga practice in winter to help you eliminate any excess Kapha that you might accumulate during the cold season. Yoga Practice in Winter - Warming Yoga Poses for Cold Winter Days The poses described as follows are divided involve the combination of a winter yoga sequence for mind, body, and soul to balance the Kapha Dosha throughout the season and beyond. You can always mix and match them according to your comfort and requirement as you do your yoga practice in winter. Breathing and Meditative Techniques 1. Skull Shining Breathing Technique (Kapalbhati Pranayama) Place your hands on the knees, with palms facing upwards. As you inhale deeply, fill your stomach with air. Exhale and release your breath from the stomach, pulling your navel in towards the spine. As you do so, relax the navel and abdomen, allowing the breath to flow freely into your lungs. 2. Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique (Nadi Shodhana Pranayama) Start again by sitting in Pranayama, keeping your spine and your shoulders erect. For the next step, place your left hand on the left knee, palms facing up, and the tip of your index and middle finger of your right hand between your eyebrows. Keep the ring finger and little finger rests on the left nostril, and the thumb rests on the right nostril. Shut your right nostril with your thumb and exhale gently through the left nostril. Next, inhale from the left nostril and shut it gently with the ring and little finger. Release the pressure of your thumb from the right nostril and then breathe out from the right. Repeat the cycles by breathing alternately through both nostrils. Keep your eyes closed as you practice and keep your breath gentle and smooth without forcing it. 3. Breath of Fire (Bhastrika Pranayama) Sit in Padmasana on your yoga mat. Inhale gently and fill your lungs with air. Hold your breath for five seconds and then exhale forcefully. The process of inhale and exhale forcefully will looks like you are panting. 4. Right Nostril Breathing Technique (Surya Bhedana Pranayama) As you sit in Padmasana, ensure to keep your spine straight. The pose requires you to breath only with your right nostril. Place the forefinger and middle finger of your right hand between the eyebrows and use the ring finger to shut the left nostril. Inhale deeply through your right nostril, filling in your lungs, and shut it with your thumb, holding your breath for 5 seconds. Open your left nostril and release your breath. Repeat the practice imagining that you are inhaling positivism and exhaling all negative thoughts. Yoga Poses 5. Crescent Lunge Pose (Anjaneyasana) Stand in Tadasana towards the edge of your mat, facing the longer side of it. Inhale and place the right foot ahead of you. Exhale and bend your right knee such that it is in line with your right Ensure that your spine is erect, and the lower left leg is resting on the floor behind you. Inhale and raise your hands above your head. Exhale and bend your body backwards such that your body forms an arch. Hold the position for 10-15 breaths and straighten your spine. Come back to initial position and repeat on the other side. 6. Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) Start by lying down on your mat. Keep your hands by your side and your heels together. Ensure that your palms are pressed down on the floor. Press your palms down and raise your legs from the hip upward. As you get comfortable, push your legs backwards to your head, raising the hips off the floor, touching your toes to the ground above your head. Use your hands to support your hips, keeping the elbows shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and slowly raise your feet up to the sky, with the toes pointing upward. Stay in the pose for 5 breaths. To release, bring down your legs and bend the knees towards the forehead. Gently lower your hips to the floor, slowly releasing your hands off your hips and bring down your feet to the floor as in the starting position and relax. 7. Headstand (Sirsasana) Start in Dolphin Pose. Clasp your hands together to create support for your head. Ensure that your spine is erect and that your back is not rounded. Draw your legs closer towards your head until you stand on your toes. Slowly raise one leg up first and then the other, pointing the toes up to the sky. Ensure not to arch your body and maintain balance. Stay in the pose for 5 breaths. To release, lower one leg slowly till your feet touch the ground and balance yourself. Once you have created balance, lower the other leg too and come back to the Dolphin Pose. Yoga Tips for Winter Season Before you go ahead and do your practice, do your warm up exercises so that the muscles of your body loosen up, thus ensuring that you do not experience any type of stiffness or aching joints. This also means that you need to keep yourself warm by dressing right so that you do not fall ill. Keep up with Sun Salutations everyday: Sun Salutation is the best way to keep your body warm in winter as it is meant to create heat. So, remember to practice it every day during the cold winter months to ensure flexibility in dry weather. Stay away from a group class if you have a cold: If you have flu or are suffering from common cold, it is always better to stay home than going to class. Doing so will ensure that you do not spread the bug to your fellow yogis. Keep the germs away: Do not share your yoga mat with your fellow yogis and avoid contact with people in your class. You do not want to transmit your germs to others through all the sweat that you shed or vice-versa and fall sick. Keep a change of clothes ready: When you are out practicing at your yoga class you will be sweaty and would not want to step out in the cold like that because you could catch the flu or worse. So the solution to this is to carry a fresh set of clothes which you can change into, to help you stay warm outside. Sleep well: Sleep is the most important component in any season. So get the right hours of sleep and do not try to oversleep so that you can stay fresh and healthy all season long. Conclusion Practicing yoga is the extra layer of protection that your body requires as winter sets in. In addition to the physical benefits, yoga practice in winter also helps in relieving any health issues and stress, while serving to elevate your mood in the dry and dull season. Whatever you are doing this winter or wherever you may be, practicing this ancient art will only make your body thank you as you transit into spring. Observe the tips and keep your winter yoga practice at hand to get the best results out of it.

Pranayama – Yoga Breathing Techniques for Better Health

By admin November 18, 2017 0

Yoga breathing techniques are also known as “Pranayama.” The word Pranayama is composed of two words “prana” meaning “life force” and “ayama” meaning “to control or restrain”. Pranayama, as described by the great sage Patanjali in Yoga Sutras, is the fourth limb of the Eight Limbs of Yoga, which are the key to leading a meaningful and disciplined life. As you move on in life, your Prana gets imbalanced, mostly owing to busy lifestyles and unhealthy habits that you pick up, sometimes unknowingly, every day. When your prana is imbalanced, your body eventually become weak, making you more vulnerable to illnesses and mental and emotional instabilities. Furthermore, instead of breathing to the full extent of your body’s capacity, you will only be able to inhale shallow breathes, thus blocking the free flow of required oxygen in your blood. However, when you unclog these blockages, your mind becomes clearer, thoughts are more balanced, and your breathing becomes deeper and a conscious effort is made voluntarily from your end. Breathing Techniques - Why Are These Essential to Yoga? When you practice yoga, you are asked to focus on the way you breathe as you perform the moves. Why do you think yoga teachers ask you to do so? The reason behind this insistence is the fact that these breathing techniques in yoga assist you in navigating your different levels of consciousness. When you are asked to consciously breathe normally during the yoga poses, it acts as a method of keeping you focused and present in the moment. Conscious breathing prevents your mind from wandering off, thus acting as a method of meditation, merging your mind, body, and soul as one entity. That is the reason why, when you slow down your breath, it soothes your emotional being. The human body has over 72,000 channels wherein energy flows through your body, among which three channels are most important, namely - Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna. Ida Nadi starts at the root or Muladhara Chakra and ends its journey in the left nostril. It is associated with the moon and is responsible for cooling and calming effect. Pingala Nadi too begins at the Root Chakra, but ends at the right nostril. Unlike the Ida Nadi, it has a heating effect on the body. Kundalini energy travels through the Sushumna Nadi, and hence it is associated with balance. The breathing techniques in yoga unblock these channels and help you to control prana in addition to accelerating its movement to all organs and body parts. 8 Types of Yoga Breathing Techniques Here are some of the yoga breathing techniques to help you improve your lifestyle. A word of caution would be to not try any pranayama exercises without consulting your physician if you suffer from any kind of breathing problems like asthma. 1. Dirga Pranayama (Three-Part Breath) This is one of the yoga breathing exercises that involve three parts of your abdomen - lower abdomen, lower half of your rib cage, and the part just above the sternum. How to do Dirga Pranayama? You can start the pranayama either in Easy Pose, seated on a chair with the feet flat on the floor, or by lying down on the floor in Savasana. Whichever you choose to do, ensure that your spine is straight in line with your head and your stomach is compressed. Your next step is to close your eyes and relax the muscles of your entire body, even your face. Breathe normally. Place your left hand over your stomach, a little below the navel and feel it expand as you breathe in and contract as you breathe out. Keep doing this consciously for five breaths. After this move your hands up to your rib cage, about three inches away from the navel and feel the rib cage move as you breathe in and out. Again, repeat this for five more breaths before you move your hands up to the collar bone. At the collar bone, ensure that your hands are placed at the center of your chest. Here too be conscious of how your breath spreads and withdraws through the chest as you inhale and exhale. Continue doing so for five breathes again. Benefits It clears the passage of air to your lungs, thus allowing you to breathe more effectively. This allows more oxygen to enter your blood, allowing your heart and lungs to function efficiently. If you are ever stressed, practicing this pranayama will calm your mind and body. 2. Ujjayi Pranayama (Conqueror Breath) How to do Ujjayi Pranayama? To start doing the Ujjayi Pranayama, sit in Padmasana and close your eyes. Keep your spine straight in line with your head. Inhale deeply through your nostrils and try contracting the air passing through your throat. Fill your lungs with air as you do so. Release by exhaling the air through your lips like a whisper or as when you blow your breath. You will hear a soft “ha” sound when you exhale. This way you know that you are doing it right. Release all the air captured in your lungs while exhaling. Practice this for 20 more counts and release by breathing normally. Benefits The conscious effort made during Ujjayi breathing helps in increasing your mind’s focus and concentration levels. Other than that, this form of Pranayama provides the following benefits: Lowers the risk of heart problems Improves the vocal chords Improves any respiratory problems; and Helps in arousing Kundalini in our bodies. 3. Kumbhaka Pranayama (Breath Retention) Kumbhaka Pranayama is known as the center of the practice of Hatha Pranayama. It is the pause between the inhale and exhale; Kumbhaka before inhalation is known as Bahya and before exhalation is known as Antara. When you do this form of pranayama, it involves both the Jalandhara and Muladhara Bandhas. How to do Kumbhaka Pranayama? Sit in Padmasana. Keep the spine straight and relax your body. Inhale and exhale consciously keeping the breathing pattern equal, for five deep breathes. On inhalation, hold your breath for approximately seven seconds. Release and exhale. Repeat this for five breathes more, while you gradually increase your hold after every inhalation. The next step after this is to hold your breath after you exhale. Repeat the same steps as you did for retention after inhalation for over a period of four to five deep breaths and increase the duration of holding your breath. To end the practice, regularise your breath. Benefits Kumbhaka Pranayama is one of the most useful breathing exercises for stress as it helps to clear the mind and develop concentration. Other than that, it purifies the body and helps to attain a healthy lifestyle. If you are looking for breathing techniques for high blood pressure, then this is not to be practiced as it can cause harm instead. 4. Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath) Just as you would pump the air in and out of bellows to light up the fire in your hearth at home, similarly your breath moves your lungs with strong currents of air to energize you. This pranayama involves deep and normal inhalations, after which the exhalation is done forcefully, keeping it short, and fast. How to do Bhastrika Pranayama? Start in Padmasana with eyes closed and inhale deep into the lungs and exhale slowly. Repeat this for five breathes at the start. Upon the next exhalation release your breath fast, as you would when you pant. Keep doing this for at least 20 counts. End the practice by inhaling and exhaling normally, keeping the breath equal both times. Benefits Bhastrika Pranayama comes with numerous benefits, some of which are as follows - It is one of the best yoga breathing exercises for asthma and other respiratory problems. This pranayama helps in cleaning your body of toxins and other impurities. It keeps the body guarded from disease and illnesses. It is one of the best breathing exercises for weight loss. 5. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing) Nadi Shodhana is one of the deep breathing exercises for relaxation and one of the yoga breathing exercises for beginners. The name translates to Nadi - meaning ‘channel’ or ‘flow’ and Shodhana - meaning ‘purification’. How to do Nadi Shodhana Pranayama? Sit in Padmasana, relax, and focus on your breath. Raise your right hand to your forehead and position your middle and fore fingers right in between your eyebrows. Use your thumb to close the right nostril and breathe deeply through the left nostril for 20 counts, such that all the air inhaled is directed to the abdominal area. After 20 breaths, release your thumb from the right nostril and use your ring finger to close the left nostril. Repeat the same breathing exercise for 20 counts. Once you are done, bring your hand down to your knees and focus and breathe normally for 10-15 seconds. Benefits This form of is one of the best yoga breathing exercises to improve lung capacity. Some more benefits that the Nadi Shodhana Pranayama gives are: It is one of the good breathing exercises for stress as it calms and rejuvenates the nervous system. It balances the hormones. You have higher concentration levels. It is one of the best yoga breathing exercises for anxiety. 6. Mriga Mudra (Deer Seal) This pranayama is usually performed along with other yoga breathing techniques like Ujjayi or Kapalbhati Pranayama. You can perform this practice at any time of the day. How to do Mriga Mudra? You can be seated in Padmasana or in a chair to do this pose. To start with, take your right hand and form a fist. Open your thumb, ring finger, and the small finger, such that the shape of your hand resembles the shape of a deer. Raise your hand up to your face and press the thumb against your right nostril to close it. Inhale deeply, but do not exhale. Use your ring finger to close the left nostril momentarily. Now release your thumb from the right nostril and exhale. Repeat this exercise two times more. Repeat with the other side another 2 times. Benefits Improves mental focus and clarity Helps in controlling emotions Increases immunity and removes toxins from the body 7. Simhasana (Lion’s Pose/Breath) If you are looking for a yoga technique against aging, it is the Simhasana. The yoga breathing technique gets its name due to its resemblance to the force and intensity of a roaring lion. How to do Simhasana? Start in Vajrasana. Ensure that your toes are pointing outward and are not tucked in. Lean forward and support your upper body by stretching your hands. Your palms should be grounded to the floor. Take care that your spine is straight and lengthened, and your hands are placed perpendicular to the floor. Inhale through your nose, open your mouth, and stretch your tongue out. Try shifting your gaze in between the eyebrows. Exhale through your mouth and try making a roaring “haa” sound as you do so. After doing so stay in the position for 30 seconds while breathing normally. Come back to the initial position and relax for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times more. Benefits Enhances your vocal chords Clears and opens the respiratory tract An effective remedy for bad breath 8. Kapalbhati Pranayama (Breath of Fire) The name of this yoga breathing technique is obtained from the two words - ‘Kapal’, which means ‘forehead’ and ‘Bhati’ meaning ‘to shine’. How to do Kapalbhati Pranayama? Sit in Vajrasana with your spine erect, hands placed on the knees with palms open and facing upwards. Inhale and let your stomach muscles loosen up. When you breathe out pull your stomach in and back to the spine till your level of comfort. When you loosen your stomach muscles your breath will flow automatically to your lungs. Contract your stomach again forcefully and exhale again. Repeat with the inhalation process again. Complete one round of Kapalbhati pranayama with another 20 counts. Benefits It is one of the recommended yoga breathing exercises for flat stomach Gives your body more immunity to illnesses Remedy for weak nerves If you lack a good night’s rest, this is one of the breathing exercises for sleep How to Breathe Properly in Asana Practice Here are three basic guidelines for pairing your breath with different types of yoga poses: 1. Exhale when you bend forward While doing forward bends, the front part of your body gets compressed, thus restricting expansion of the chest area and the lungs. Yoga instructors explain the importance of exhaling when getting into forward bends, because it helps to deflate the lungs and reduce the circumference of the chest. Forward bends are quietening poses and exhalation while beginning the pose helps in attaining this goal. 2. Inhale while going into chest lifting or opening poses When doing heart opening backbends or poses, yogis are advised to inhale so that they can make more space in their chest cavity, in the process also allowing more air to enter the lungs, diaphragm, and the rib cage. Other than that, it also boosts the heart rate, alertness, and flow of blood to the muscles. Heart opening backbends or chest lifting poses are meant to energize the body and yogis can obtain maximum benefits by incorporating the breath’s effects on the body. 3. Exhale when reaching into twisting yoga poses Yoga twist poses are best done on exhalation as they restrict expansion of the chest and abdomen. Trying to inhale when doing these poses would work adversely on the body. Exhalation is a natural process that ensues when doing twists and gives more benefit to the body while giving more flexibility for the body to move. Yoga Breathing Tips As you perform these poses, you need to ensure that you get the most out of the practice. So, here are a few tips to help you: All pranayama poses require you to have a straight spine. It is best done in the supine position. This way you will not be distracted and will be more focused on your breathing pattern. Supine position is most useful when learning the basics of Abdominal Breathing or Complete Yoga Breathing. Supine breathing practice allows the practitioner to completely focus all his/her attention on the breath rather than on how he/she is seated. If you decide to practice breathing while sitting, but find it hard to keep your back straight, try doing so by resting your back against a wall, or you can position your sit-bones on the edge of a firm cushion, especially for poses like Padmasana. If it suits you, you can even choose to sit on a chair. When practicing yoga breathing techniques, keep your shoulders relaxed and keep rotating them, unless the practice requires you to lift them up. If you have problems in being seated or lying down, you can always use props like blankets, belts, or blocks for support and finding out which part of your lungs is not expanding to the fullest. Practice Pranayama mostly during the mornings as it is the freshest part of the day. Do not practice yoga breathing in a polluted area. Choose a time when the air is least polluted or practice indoors with the help of an air purifier. When practicing yoga breathing, it is advisable to keep your eyes closed, your gaze pointing to the tip of your nose so that your focus is automatically shifted to the third eye. If you feel dizzy or heavy after a pranayama practice, it is better to stop and only continue after advice from your physician. Avoid smoking. Smoking undoes all the benefits that you can gain from yoga breathing. While yoga breathing techniques clean your blood, and lungs, smoking does just the opposite. Avoid practicing yoga breathing techniques if you feel fatigued. Conclusion Whenever we practice yoga, it is a natural tendency for newbies to stress while breathing, which results in short and shallow breaths. An experienced yoga instructor will help you with yoga breathing techniques that can support your goals when performing poses. Focus on breathing actively into your chest especially when performing back bends and chest openers. Breathing mindfully can offer you many mind and body benefits, which is why it is important in yoga.

Yoga Changes the Brain – Learn How Yoga Affects Mental Health

By admin October 25, 2017 0

Yoga is now practiced in all parts of the world due to many health benefits it offers. People are aware of the benefits yoga provide to the body, but many people do not know the fact that yoga is also beneficial for their brain. Yoga changes the brain and increases its functionality. Mental health issues are a growing concern everywhere in the world. There is a need to find a common and permanent solution. Although science has introduced numerous medications to help curb this problem, it is only a temporary solution. Once the medication stops or the problems come back, your brain starts malfunctioning again and mental issues relapse. Stress is one of the main factors that are responsible for most mental issues like depression, anxiety, loss of memory, and speech disorders like stammering. That is why, people require an escape via which they can free themselves from everything which makes them feel burdened and heavy. With the progress of medicine, other arenas are also coming up with solutions and yoga is one of them. You might think, “how yoga affects the brain?" Yoga and brain function are related, continue reading the article and you will find out how. How Yoga Affects the Body? Yoga is a low-impact exercise that involves every organ and body part. It also involves your breathing pattern as you practice the poses thus working its way into creating balance in your body and mind. Yoga does not just focus on one part of body like most workouts, its effect is equal all over the body. Having a regular yoga practice helps in becoming more flexible, toned, and healthy in all aspects of life. Every action you perform in practicing yoga triggers nervous system - brain, muscles, bones, and emotions all at once. Yoga poses give a holistic change that you carry in your everyday life. In this way, yoga truly can change lives. How Yoga Changes the Brain? Yoga has always encouraged people to bring all life experiences to the mat, letting go of negative energies, learning acceptance and gratitude, and then using the practices in your lives every day. A 2015 study made by Frontiers in Human Neuroscience revealed that yoga could protect people’s brain from the declining grey matter brain volume as they age. In simpler words, people who performed yoga had lesser chances of mental issues as they grew older than those who did not; their brain volumes were equivalent to that of younger people. Another to the author of Superbrain book, Master Chao Kok Sui, revealed that when children with various neurological disabilities, between the ages of 5 and 9 years, were exposed to yoga, they became more focused and performed better in education. Furthermore, these children started to display better emotional responses, a much normal behavior, and improved memory and retention rates. How yoga helps the mind to function efficiently is not a rocket science. The concept is simple if you consider it carefully. When inversions are done, blood flows into the brain, hence increasing its function. When you do meditative poses, you will concentrate more on your third eye. Enabling you to connect with yourself at a much deeper level, especially when you can block out all external noises. Some of the poses like Savasana (Corpse Pose) assist you in concentrating on the stress stored in every part of your body. Also, helping you to release stress in the process. Did you know that most of your joint pain and aching muscles are a result of all the stress in your mind? It’s time to take a stand for your well-being. It’s never too late for some yoga. Ways Yoga Makes Changes in Your Brain Structure There are numerous ways in which yoga works to change brain’s activities. Out of all, here are 6 ways yoga changes the brain. These mental benefits are essential to change and prepare you for the life ahead. 1. Yoga Activates Brain’s Feel-Good Chemicals When you perform yoga, there is a spike in the gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), dopamine, and serotonin, as per a study done by Boston University researcher Chris Streeter. Yoga makes your brain more resilient to pain. This means your threshold of pain is raised due to the boost of GABA in the brain. According to a recent study, Effects of Yoga on Brain Waves and Structural Activation: A Review, yoga combined with awareness of breathing techniques can help to balance the autonomic nervous system, which helps in curbing the emotional turmoil that leads to depression and anxiety. It relieves you of stress stored in body and brain owing to activities carried out all through the day. 2. Yoga Causes Cortisol Levels to Drop There are certain yoga poses (mostly inversions and poses where head is placed above the heart) that increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. This enables you to panic less because the cortisol levels in your brain drop owing to the slow and steady breathing technique adopted during the practice. In addition, this also promotes better sleep because of decreased stress levels. 3. Multiple Sections of Brain Grow in Size A certain study by Chantal Villemure and Catherine Bushnell from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that certain parts of the brain has more brain cells in yoga practitioners who practiced more hours in a week. Their research showed that following brain areas can be enlarged with yoga practice: Somatosensory Cortex - It has central map of human body. Superior parietal cortex - It is responsible for directing attention. Visual Cortex - It involves visualization. Praecuneus and Posterior Cingulate Cortex - Areas which help in our concept of self. Hippocampus - It helps in dampening stress. 4. Yogis Can Retain More Grey Matter How yoga helps students is by improving their concentration levels and memory, which can help them in getting better grades in their studies. It is essential that most students practice yoga for brain memory today, especially when competition everywhere is getting tough. Also with the growing number of people suffering from amnesia, practicing yoga becomes more important than ever. When we say grey matter, it involves the part of the nervous system which takes care of controlling the body muscles and sensory perceptions. A study by Harvard researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital revealed that after 2 months of practicing yoga and doing meditation the hippocampus in the brain had much denser grey matter, which could result in the subject becoming more introspective and compassionate. This also leads to people having a sharper memory and improved learning skills. 5. Yoga Increases Your Cortical Folding In The Brain The more cortical folds your brain has, the better you can perceive and process information, thus improving your decision-making skills and making you smarter even as you age. Cortical folding is also known as gyrification in scientific terms. According to Yoga instructor and physician Dr. Loren Fishman, yoga helps in thickening layers of cerebral cortex in the brain. This part of the brain is generally associated with higher learning and its thickening results in enhancing your learning abilities and actions in day-to-day life. Thus, doing yoga for long-term helps you improve concentration, process information, and augment motor speed. 6. Yoga Activates The Parasympathetic Nervous System The autonomic nervous system in the human brain has two partitions: Sympathetic nervous system and Parasympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic system is generally activated when you sense danger and you react by fighting or running from the situation. Parasympathetic system acts otherwise, allowing your brain to digest the situation and then make informed decisions, which could even save your life. Doing yoga helps to activate this part of the nervous system, especially via poses which are inversions and facilitate the flow of blood to the brain. Other Mental Benefits of Yoga Other than the 6 major benefits, yoga has more to offer for the mental well-being. Some of these benefits are as follows: (a) Better Decision Making Skills and Memory Decision-making can become a hectic process, especially if you must do it every single day of your life. Sometimes this may lead to us making the wrong decisions which might cost relationships or even a great deal of money. Nobody wants that to happen. This is where yoga plays an essential role. It helps you to cope up with the stress and anxiety that life throws all the time. Yoga makes you a smarter person than others and helps you to solve problems with a composed and organized mind. Other than that, yoga also helps us to stay in control of what we eat. (b) Breathing Techniques Prevents Memory Loss As people age, most of them tend to lose their memories and are unable to carry out daily activities with ease. Yoga breathing techniques allows the brain to receive the required amount of oxygen and blood in the process. (c) Better Computational Skills Whether you are new to yoga or have been practicing for a long time, yoga can sharpen your mathematical ability. Researchers at Bolo University of Miami School of Medicine discovered that math computation skills of each participant before and after the session were much improved than before. Participants undergo a session of 2 minutes of Tai Chi Movement and 2 minutes of yoga poses. The research concluded that increased computational performance is because of increased relaxation that yoga and tai chi offered to its practitioners. (d) Beneficial For Students Being a student is not easy and yoga can be a learning tool for students around the world. What a student needs through all the grilling classes and mountains of assignments is a stress buster to release anxiety. Incorporating yoga into students’ daily activities can help them cope with the stress of studies. Yoga practice has been found to have calm and relaxing effect on all practitioners. (e) Meditation Improves Brain Functionality When you combine yoga poses and meditation, it is a way of exercising your brain and body at once. This exercise helps you to feel energetic after practicing the restorative poses, while meditation helps you be one with yourself. This enable you to be more mindful and calm in most situations. Conclusion Many people do not notice the change brain undergoes due to yoga until they have been into the practice for a long time. However, you should notice that when you go into yoga practice, you are stressed and tired and once the session is over you feel more energized. This is because the flow of Prana within us is stimulated. Yoga not only benefits the body, but it changes brain chemistry altogether. Hence, if today you are in a state of mind where you are stuck in decision-making, depression, or even a feeling of lethargy. Then it is essential to start taking baby steps to improve yourselves in all directions. Yoga is not just an exercise of the body, but also of mind and emotions. Yoga changes the brain and helps you to eventually reach your goals.

A Perfect Yoga Diet Plan That Every Yogi Must Know

By admin October 11, 2017 0

Yoga diet is like any other diet that a person should follow for a workout. Just as it’s not enough just to lift weights without a proper intake of protein-rich food, it’s also not enough to just practice yoga every day without a diet to support it. An intake of the right food items in right proportions will only enhance your yoga practice and give it more meaning. Yoga practitioners of ancient times laid great importance on the yogic diet, and though many have gone astray in between, recently the practice has been revived again. Yogic philosophy emphasizes that proper adjustment in the consumption of food can prevent and even cure diseases, make you more mindful, and emotionally stable. Other than that, doing so can also change a person’s perspective of life and character too. Importance of Yoga Diet Ancient yogis, through diligent observations, understood how human bodies worked internally. They postulated that human body consisted of a fire referred to as “Agni” via which, everything that a person eats was consumed and transformed into a finer substance called "Ojas" that could later be used to build a human body. However, this could only happen if the food that was consumed was pure. If the food is impure or harmful, Agni needs to work harder to break it. This results in the creation of lesser amounts of Ojas, which is required to build a healthy and strong body, and an additional substance called "Amma", which can cause the body harm. Ayurveda defines Amma as the main problem for all health issues as it clogs the body and blocks the flow of life or Prana. When Amma is formed, it most easily finds its place in fat cells, which according to western science is responsible for the toxins that are harbored in human bodies. As a human, you tend to consume foods that can create Amma when: You have any unresolved past emotions that govern our present actions. Follow a poor diet. Surrounded by physical and emotional stress. When you keep bombarding your bodies with the wrong kinds of foods, the Agni inside us too grows weaker. A good diet is essential to reverse this cycle as Agni is greatly affected by the quality of food you eat. Yogis believed in a healthy yogic diet that was essential to bring Agni to full health. Hence it is essential to consume a diet that compliments your practice. Yoga Diet – Foods That Can Enhance Your Health Mostly people are unable to keep up with their diets because of the cravings and emotional instability created by the Amma deposit, present in the body. It is your responsibility towards your body to understand what it likes. If you feel dull, heavy, and uncomfortable after a meal, it’s your body signaling that the food was not right. Always remember that good foods always make you feel energized and light. We cannot say that there is any prescribed diet that ancient yogis advised and even if they did, it would be highly unlikely that we would find those food items in that form now. Milk in ancient times was healthy, but with commercial diaries around the world, a good number of people are lactose intolerant. So, to make the entire process of choosing the right kinds of food for your body, as you practice yoga, ancient yogis divided foods into the following three main categories: Rajasic Foods Sattvic Foods Tamasic Foods Of all three, Sattvic food is considered as the healthiest. Let us talk more in details about these three categories to understand them. Sattvic Foods Ayurveda considers Sattvic foods as the purest and most harmonious foods for a yogi’s body. This category of food derives its name from the Sanskrit word Sattva, which means Purity. Fruits, dairy products, nuts, seeds, whole grains, natural sweeteners like honey, and anything edible that is in its purest form. These foods promote a peaceful state of mind, healthy body, emotional stability and mindfulness, and a longer life. Traditional Yoga Diets were mostly Sattvic in nature. If not taken in measured quantity or if cooked with spice, Sattvic Foods can become Tamasic. Rajasic Foods These foods derive their name from the way that kings dined in ancient times; their menu consisting of no less than 56 food items at one given time. Foods that taste bitter, spicy, or salty and are dry or hot come under this category. This category of foods includes fried foods, sweets, and beverages, which are undesirable for yoga practitioners as they are heavy and full of fats. Tamasic Foods Mostly, non-vegetarian foods are considered as Tamasic. However, if any food item is created using too many spices and an excess of salt and chilli it can be called Tamasic. This food category is responsible for the heat created in the human body, thus resulting in outbursts of anger and a coarse temperament. Yogis believe that this food category makes people quarrelsome, impatient, and intolerant, thus completely ruling it out for yoga practitioners. Benefits of Yoga Diet Since the Sattvic Diet is pure, it gives the body innumerable benefits. Here are some of the benefits of the Sattvik diet: A good and healthy yoga diet plan promotes digestion and cures practitioners of stomach problems like constipation, aches, and gas. It helps in keeping your colon clean. As sattvik foods help in detoxifying your circulatory and digestive system, they clean skin and reduce breakouts and acne. Meditation can calm the mind, but the results can be attained faster with the help of sattvik food items as they are lighter food items which ease your mind and body. Undoubtedly, eating sattvik foods can help you lose weight and get a healthier body. Tamasic and Rajasic food cause blockage in the body and it also results in joint pain. Sattvic foods combined with yoga helps to open these blockages and relieve you of these issues. Before and After Yoga Diet What you eat before and after your yoga practice also governs the overall improvement of your body and helps in accomplishing your fitness goals. If you are wondering “How do I follow a yoga diet?” here are some pre and post meal do’s and don’ts to assist you. Pre-Yoga Meal Tips Before starting your practice, ensure that you are well-hydrated. Do this 30- minutes before you start your practice. You can also have green tea or a homemade fruit juice throughout the day if you are looking for some flavor. Avoid taking caffeine right before a yoga class or practice. The body requires some time to digest food. So, the rule is to not eat right before practice. If your practice timings fall during the evening, then take a small snack half an hour prior to practice and nothing after that. In the morning, too you can start by eating fruit like a banana, 30 minutes before practice. Avoid any type of spicy foods Post-Yoga Meal Tips Once your yoga class is over, it is natural to feel the hunger. However, that does not give you the liberty to eat at will. After a healthy routine of yoga, the body needs the right kind of nourishment. Splurging on the wrong foods will only make your efforts go waste. So, here is what you can do. After a healthy workout, your body needs maximum hydration. So, keep drinking as much fluids as possible. Since you will be hungry after the workout you can snack on an apple first and when you reach home, treat yourself to a warm bowl of homemade vegetable soup. Again, avoid using spices to your soup. The gist of all these tips is that you should avoid any Tamasic or Rajasic foods before and after yoga practice. It is best to stop eating meat altogether, however, if you cannot then try taking it in minimal amount without any spice. You can always add fish to your diet as it is high in omega-3 fats which is a good supplement for the body. But remember your meat or fish should never be deep fried. Conclusion A good yoga diet is not something difficult to follow. There is a common yoga diet misconception that a person must give up on all types of foods to achieve good health. But, that is not true. It’s all about understanding your body’s needs. You need to understand whether the hunger you are feeling is really a want for food or your body asking for water. Your body can only digest as much as its capacity and overburdening it can cause an emotional breakdown. Give your food a thought and lead a healthy life. Happy Yoga to You!!!

This October Join IYMS Rishikesh When We Celebrate The Hindu Festival of Lights

By admin September 26, 2017 0

Yoga Teacher Training Courses (TTC) are extremely popular in Rishikesh, as it is the Yoga Capital of the world. Students in large numbers come for yoga TTC October to learn Yoga from the Gurus. Yoga TTC acts as a platform to bring together people from all over the world, working as an inspiration for promoting discussions and questions and a healthy global dialogue on Yoga. Furthermore, obtaining a yoga certification enables a person to prove his/her qualification in yoga. Also, enabling them to pursue their career prospects as a qualified and credible yoga teacher entitled to various social benefits like insurance, registration in employment exchange, etc. India is the birthplace of yoga and what could be a better place than this to find all the resources regarding the yogic practice of self-improvement. Hence, many people from overseas come to India to find their haven, away from the crowd. Rishikesh is one of the best destinations in India where yogis travel. The tranquility and freshness of the destination, make every yogi’s journey here, worth the efforts. Other than that, there many other reasons why yogis are advised to come here to learn yoga. This October, here are a few reasons, why you too should visit Rishikesh to do your Yoga TTC. Why Rishikesh Is The Best Place to Do Yoga TTC in October? Pleasant Weather Rishikesh has always been known for its pleasant and calm weather all throughout the year, unlike other places in India. More so, the Himalayan Mountains to the north of this small town add more grace to its beauty. The place is densely covered with flora, hence making the air around it purer than anywhere else. Hence, this makes Rishikesh a perfect place for pursuing the Yoga TTC in October, as the practice is only enhanced due to the lively and healthy environment. A Consensus of Yogi Rishikesh gives you an opportunity to witness a union of several experienced yogis from different parts of the world. Hence, it is an event that you must not miss as a devout practitioner. Furthermore, this training will be conducted in several schools and institutes of Rishikesh, which have earned their reputation from international organizations of yoga teaching institutes like Yoga Alliance. Spiritual Practice The yoga institutes in Rishikesh can help you in obtaining an immense amount of spirituality. Traditional yoga in most of the ashrams in Rishikesh can help yoga practitioners achieve and maintain a disciplined life during the yoga TTC programs. Diwali Celebration With Diwali approaching, Rishikesh, also known as the land of Gods, gets prepared to be all decked up like a bride on her wedding day. You would surely not want to miss this festival of lights and merriment as you move on ahead with your teacher training. Since your yoga training is not for an entire day, you can catch a break and visit the town. The streets are filled with shops selling Diwali celebration and decoration items like handmade lamps, candles, "Diyas", crackers, "Rangoli" and many more handcraft items. You can enjoy a few trips to the town to buy gifts for your near and dear ones. Furthermore, since most of the locals would be busy with their preparations for the festivities, you can enjoy practicing the yoga on the beach of river Ganga with all freedom of space and time. Food Festivities October is truly the month to visit Rishikesh due to the delicacies that the place offers, owing to the festivities. You can enjoy all types of traditional food items from all over India during this month, enough to tingle your taste buds. River Rafting If there is anything else that Rishikesh is famous for other than its amazing yoga schools is the adventure sport of river rafting. Anyone who has visited Rishikesh and not participated in this sport has missed out on everything. On weekends, IYMS Rishikesh team will take you for an adventurous river rafting experience. Feel the cold water against your warm skin. All the excitement from the sport will make adrenaline rush through your veins. Sightseeing in the Himalayas Breathing techniques are a part of yoga and trekking in the Himalayas is one of the ways to enhance the trait. IYMS Rishikesh team will take you to various sightseeing trips to enjoy the beauty of Himalayas. Once you are there, you will realize if there is heaven on earth, this is where it is. Pleasant Atmosphere Rishikesh is perfect for practicing yoga due to its wonderful ambiance. Anyone who visits the place can only be in awe of the beauty of the place. Doing yoga amidst such beauty is truly an enriching experience of a lifetime. Conclusion Yoga teacher training must be more of an emotional release to the mind than a bondage. The yoga centers in Rishikesh understand that. That's why this place is where one must allow his soul to wander as he/she also grasps the teaching of yoga. IYMS rishikesh is a Yoga Alliance certified yoga institute. You can join our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh or yoga retreat events to cherish every moment. Let your minds capture all the teachings as well as the beauty that will surround you throughout the journey.

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This October Join IYMS Rishikesh When We Celebrate The Hindu Festival of Lights

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