12 Yoga Moves to Overcome Anxiety The lazy days of summer are drawing to a close, and as things start amping back up at work and school, it’s easy to get a little bit overwhelmed and very stressed out. No matter what your source of anxiety, these yoga moves will help you relax, refocus, and release some of that pent up tension. 1. Controlled Breathing This is a great way to start your practice. Sit in a seated, cross-legged position. On your next inhale, breathe in deeply to a slow count of four, but don’t exhale just yet. 2. Come onto your hands and knees, and on your next inhale, straighten your legs, so your body forms an inverted V. Relax into this posture, letting gravity release built up tension in your neck and the backs of your legs. 3. Move back to all fours, then walk your hands out in front of you and lower your chest toward the floor with your bottom still in the air. Up next: More yoga postures to release tension!
Kundalini Yoga: Beneficial or Dangerous? Sadhguru speaks about what kundalini is, and looks at the process of Kundalini Yoga. He explores how this powerful spiritual process should be approached with utmost responsibility and reverence. Sadhguru: In the yogic culture, the snake is a symbolism for kundalini – the unmanifest energy within you. The nature of kundalini is such that when it is still, you do not even know it exists. Kundalini and perception Heightened states of energy are also heightened states of perception. Kundalini and the Third Eye The third eye does not mean someone’s forehead has cracked and something came out. Kundalini Yoga: Preparation first! Nowadays, a lot of books and yoga studios talk about Kundalini Yoga and its benefits, though they don’t know anything about it. Kundalini Yoga is the most dangerous form Kundalini Yoga in its essence is the most dangerous form of yoga. If the necessary supportive atmosphere is not there, simply attempting to raise kundalini could be very irresponsible and dangerous.
Yoga Breathing Exercises - Pranayama Yoga breathing exercises, which are called pranayama in Sanskrit, may be done in association with yoga poses or just while sitting quietly. Here are some of the most common types of yoga breathing exercises and their benefits. Introduction to Pranayama Breathing ExercisesExplanation of pranayama and instruction for calming and invigorating breathing exercises. Alternate Nostril Breathing – Nadi SodhanaCalm yourself with Nadi Sodhana. Equal Breathing - Sama Vritti PranayamaIn sama vritti, you focus on inhaling and exhaling for the same amount of time. Cooling Breath - Shitali PranayamaHow to Practice Cooling Breath - Shitali Pranayama. Ocean Breath – Ujjayi PranayamaOcean Breath – Ujjayi Pranayama is an important part of a vinyasa yoga practice. Skull Shining Breath – Kapalabhati PranayamaWarm up with Kapalabhati Pranayama. Three-Part Breath – Dirga PranayamaLearn to calm yourself with Three-Part Breath. Lion's BreathRoar!
8 Simple Yoga Poses You Should Do Every Day It's not always easy to get to yoga class. Whether it's a late night at work or something else, we get it; sometimes that hour of downward dogging just doesn't happen. There's no reason not to strike a few poses throughout the day, though. In fact, you can reap most of the same benefits of a class by spending a few minutes throughout the day doing a backbend, warrior pose or opening up your hips. Here are 7 yoga poses to do every day -- yes, even at the office. When You Wake Up Cat-Cow (Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post) Cat-cow is the perfect way to wake up the entire spine after it's been resting for a solid seven to eight hours (we hope). Downward Dog Downward dog stretches out the back, legs and arms. Mid-Morning Standing Forward Fold When you've been sitting all morning, a standing forward fold is a great (and not all that noticeable) way too stretch your legs and back. After Lunch Seated Forward Fold Mid-Afternoon Warrior 2 Evening Pigeon Pose Child's Pose
What is Kundalini and how to Activate it? I can recall in my spiritual journey a time of inner purification, which steadily integrated and unleashed soul through my being. Each step was like a home coming - a remembrance of who I was and where I really came from. But nothing was quite like the power of Kundalini Reactivation: the unification of higher and lower self, which I experienced as the top of my head lifting off and a fountain of light connecting me deep into the cosmos. This truly was like coming home! So what exactly is Kundalini and how do we activate it?... What is Kundalini? To me the soul is a flowing stream of consciousness, out from the source and back again. Most - if not all - have suffered the loss of this inherent condition early in life. We can reactivate this kundalini. How to activate Kundalini? Firstly, it greatly helps to keep reminding yourself of the higher connection through spiritual practice. But this connection to higher self is not the end of the story. Opening the channels for Kundalini
Why Awaken Kundalini? Everybody should know something about kundalini as it represents the coming consciousness of mankind. Kundalini is the name of a sleeping dormant potential force in the human organism and it is situated at the root of the spinal column. In the masculine body it is in the perineum, between the urinary and excretory organs. To awaken kundalini you must prepare yourself through yogic techniques. Although kundalini is said to reside in mooladhara chakra, we are all at different stages of evolution, and in some of us kundalini may have already reached swadhisthana, manipura or anahata chakra. Once the multipetalled lotus of sahasrara blossoms, a new consciousness dawns. How man discovered Kundalini Right from the beginning of creation, man witnessed many transcendental happenings. In the course of his investigations, man came to understand that within every individual there is a special form of energy. Whatever happens in spiritual life, it is related to the awakening of kundalini.
Breathing: Three Exercises "Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders." Andrew Weil, M.D. Since breathing is something we can control and regulate, it is a useful tool for achieving a relaxed and clear state of mind. I recommend three breathing exercises to help relax and reduce stress: The Stimulating Breath, The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise (also called the Relaxing Breath), and Breath Counting. Try each of these breathing teachniques and see how they affect your stress and anxiety levels. Exercise 1: The Stimulating Breath (also called the Bellows Breath) The Stimulating Breath is adapted from yogic breathing techniques. Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed but relaxed. If done properly, you may feel invigorated, comparable to the heightened awareness you feel after a good workout. Watch a video of Dr. Exercise 2: The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise
Kundalini Rising: A Comprehensive Guide To The 7 Chakras Kundalini Rising, Part 1: The Root Chakra “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” ~ Carl Jung Imagine your spine is a tree trunk with seven ascending flowers (chakras) growing out of it. Muladhara, the root chakra. If the crown chakra is the Übermensch (overman) of the Kundalini process, then the root chakra is the Untermensch (underman). The root chakra is symbolized by a red lotus with four petals. The four petals directly denote stability and foundational survival, and are indirectly related to the four sides of the square, the four directions, and the four elements: earth, air, fire, & water. The deity associated with this region is Indra who is often depicted riding a white seven-tusked elephant. The root chakra is the energy center of the entire Kundalini process, but it is also the toxin-release center. Those whose root chakra is open, tend to be healthier, more balanced and grounded. Kundalini Rising, Part 4: The Heart Chakra
Meditation Breathing Techniques Next you want to deepen your rumination even further, and you can use many meditation breathing techniques to fast track the process. With total focus, take three slow, deep, breaths; simple meditation breathing techniques use a count of eight for your inhalation, then hold the breath for the count of eight and exhale for the same. This keeps the breathing even and also gives your body an oxygen boost which relaxes you even further. If a thought does pop into your mind throughout the session, as before, remind yourself everything is fine and all will resolve just as it should. Take comfort knowing after your meditation you can spend time thinking about whatever you like, but now is not the time. Sometimes you will start thinking without even noticing you are doing it, and this is okay. It is not uncommon for people to experience restlessness or a moment of discomfort during the initial meditation breathing technique’s effects. By Jack McCoy Popular related searches:
How One Simple Breathing Technique Can Induce Better Health By Lorraine Ereira Guest Writer for Wake Up World We all do it, all day, every day. Even while we sleep. In fact we never ever stop doing it. It is the simple act of respiration. I would like to share with you an extract from my latest book Sports Pattern Releaseâ„¢. “Breathing is something that is all too often overlooked but is of the utmost importance in correct biomechanical function. “There are many different yoga breathing exercises. So by simply working on our breathing technique we can induce better health both physiologically and mentally. Try this exercise for a few minutes each day Either lie down or sit with a lengthened spine, to open the airways fully. The more you practice the deeper your breathing will become and the more benefits you will achieve. Sports Pattern Release A message from the editor… Lorraine Ereira is a writer and a Sports Therapist with a keen interest in nutrition and natural healthy living. Sports Pattern Release is now available on Amazon and Amazon.co.uk.
Mudras: The Healing Power in your Hands “In this respect, Kundalini Yoga assumes that every area of the hand forms a reflex zone for an associated part of the body and the brain. In this way, we can consider the hands to be a mirror for our body and our mind.” ~ Lothar Rüdiger Lütge, Kundalini yoga expert Practiced since antiquity in combination with pranayama, asanas and meditation, Mudras or Hand Gestures is a practice to improve your physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Our hands define our karma and fingers being the power points, are a link between individual Pranic force and universal cosmic energy. The subtle hand and finger movements make important connections in the nervous system and stimulate specific energy pathways or nadis. Yogis believed if one wants to cure any disease, they can tap into the energy of the elements and rectify the imbalance with the practice of suitable mudras. Mudras redirect the energy flow to the upper Chakras, and gradually establish a link between all the Koshas (layers) of the body.
Three Pranayamas and their Ayurvedic / Psychological Effects - Ayurveda | Everyday Ayurveda Pranayamas or yogic breathing techniques have effects upon the doshas (viz. Vata – Wind, Pitta – Bile and Kapha – Phlegm) in the body. But, they also have specific effects on the mind as per the four levels of the mind: Chitta or unconscious mind / mind-stuffBuddhi or the intellect, which governs our mental metabolism or (manasikagni).Manas or the emotional sphere of the mindAhamkara or the ego, which is a rajasic (agitating and motive) force These are mentioned as there are several levels of each of the above layers of the mind, divided into sattvic (pure, clear), rajasic (agitated, passionate) and tamasic (dark, delusional or ignorant) levels, which we shall discuss, relative to pranayamas or breathing techniques. Understanding how various mantras work and in relation to the energetics behind the days of the week when performing them also give more potency to their effects on the doshas or biological humours. I. These mantras can be used as one inhales from the left nostril itself. II.
14 Things Every Kundalini Yogi Should Do in 2014 In my bliss bubble teaching. 2014 is a 7 year...a year of the aura and a shiny new YOU! It's a great year for cleansing, detoxing and emotional balance....and most of all a great year to step into the dream-you that you've always wanted to be in the here and now. Start now! Here are 14 things that every Kundalini yogi should do in 2014 (in so far as "should" means "Jump for joy and embrace Infinity!") 1- Love yourself with crazy abandon. I mean crazy, lost in love, poetry-spouting deliciousness. 2- Touch shuniya, the still point. This could mean a daily 2 1/2 hour sadhana in the amrit vela. 3- Forgive your parents, your exes, your siblings, your spouse and even your mean teacher from 3rd grade. You are the only one who is tasting your bitterness. 4- Bow to something greater than you. It doesn't matter if what you bow to is called God or the Universe or Love. 5- Stop calling yourself fat. Or ugly. 6- Develop a strong navel center. Boom. 7- Sing to the sun as it rises. 8- Trust.
Spiritual Sense: Essence of the Chakra, Hindu names and meanings Hindu Essence of the Chakra In this article I am going to try to cover some basics on the Hindu/Tantric/Yogi names and meanings of the chakra's as requested. Please know that this is not my area of expertise my own knowledge was limited to basically the Hindu names and the associated elements and emotions, but I did do the research and I think have come up with some interesting things to share. I will post my references at the end of this article so those of you who wish may continue learning. In Ancient Hindu Teachings the Chakras are seen as beautiful Lotus Flowers, (Anahata) each with different symbols representing many things. The Sanskrit meaning for Kundalini is, "coiled like a snake." Below I have put together a quick (hopefully,) guide to the Ancient Hindu names and brief meanings of the Chakras, or Lotus Energy Centers. Muladhara Chakra (base or root) Located at the base of the spine this Chakra is the root center of the physical experience. Svadhisthana Chakra (sacral) Sensitive