There is no doubt that practicing yoga is a great idea—not only for your physical body but also for your mental health and overall vitality. However, as beginners to this ancient yet currently trendy practice, one tends to make some major mistakes. The key to achieving flexibility, strength, and eventually coming into the “state of yoga” is consistency, practice, and patience.
Some common mistakes beginners make include: 1. Comparing yourself with the person on the next mat One of the most effective ways to injure yourself in yoga class is to look at what the person on the next mat is doing and try to match their stretch or reach. We all have different body types and shapes, which vary because of genetics, age, injuries in the past, the food we eat, and so on. The person on the other mat might be a former ballerina, might have been practicing yoga for years, or is more flexible by birth. But instead of focusing on your own experience and your own body, if you begin to compare and push your body where its not ready to go yet, you will no doubt make this huge mistake. 2. Comparing your body to how it was twenty years ago, four years ago, or even during the last class Remember yourself when you were six years old? You used to do cartwheel on the grass, perform a full wheel pose effortlessly, or just sit in the full lotus pose for an hour! Yes, that was when you were a child, when your body was not exposed to stress and negative emotions. It was before you sat on desks for hours or gave birth. Maybe you were able to do a certain pose in last week's class but aren't able to today. The important issue is not to compare yourself or your body strength and flexibility to times gone by. Say to yourself, "At this moment, this is where I am—with this breath and this body". 3. Pushing your body too hard without awareness A common mistake beginners make is when they think "yoga will be a piece of cake. I have been doing exercise / aerobics / playing tennis / horse riding (or any other physical activity) for years. This will be no problem for me". Although some yoga poses might seem relatively easy and simple from the outside, they work deeper muscles tissues and have to be practiced with awareness and care. Beginners especially want to push themselves at the outset, driven mostly by pride and the need to prove themselves fit. Unfortunately, this leads to soreness the next day. Worse is pushing the body to levels its not yet ready to go to and getting injured. So just carefully listen to the instructions of the teacher and also to your own body and do not force yourself. 4. Inconsistency in your practice Usually, one feels so open and relaxed after a yoga class that they can't wait to tell all their friends about it and come right back the next day. Yet, eventually and inevitably, daily life comes into play and we get distracted by work, family responsibilities, social life, and errands and somehow practicing yoga falls to the bottom of our to-do list. A few days pass and then a few weeks and when we finally do go back to class, we are back to square one. A consistent and steady practice—ideally twice or thrice a week in the beginning—helps the body to gradually open up and move further into the poses. 5. Getting impatient with your body, falling into despair, and eventually quitting After practicing yoga for a while—perhaps a few weeks, a few months, or even years—we become frustrated. Questions like "why isn't my body able to perform certain asanas?" and "why can't I touch my toes yet?" crop up. Eventually, we fall prey to doubt and begin pondering. "Perhaps yoga is not for me". Yet, the beauty and grace of yoga is very subtle and works on many different levels. When in doubt over the effectiveness of yoga, ask yourself how different is the state of your mind now compared to earlier? Aren't you more "flexible" in the mind when it comes to stressful situations? Think about how yoga has helped you relax and breathe better and made you more aware of your own body and how it functions?
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The Benefits and Significance of Restorative Yoga
Restorative practice by nature is a receptive practice, and in that receptivity you can guide yourself toward a more healthy state of being. Restorative yoga is much more like meditation or relaxation or yoga nidra than it is like hatha yoga. When you are in passive postures supported by props, using no muscular effort, the focus is on relieving the grip of muscular and inner tension, and you can be more spacious and receptive. There’s no goal of stretching or strengthening. You’re exploring what happens when you slowly release your habitual way of holding—what are you left with? An incredible system to heal the body, Restoratives help the kick in relaxation response, balancing the nervous system and optimizing energy flow to the organs. They lift immune function and enhance the process of digestion. Basically they set the whole body up for deep healing, growth and repair. Beyond these incredible physiological health benefits, restoratives create the opportunity to see where you hold habitual tension. When I was a kid would go to the dentist and they would give out these little packets that you would bite, and the color would adhere to whatever plaque was left in your mouth. Restorative yoga is like that—it shows where the condensed areas of your body and mind are. Little by little you start to create more space in those places that are holding tension, putting awareness on them so they begin to change or loosen in ways they haven’t for months or years. But, because we’re so used to holding ourselves together to create solidity in ways that make us feel safe that when we first start to let go we begin to feel anxious and uncomfortable. Restorative yoga is typically known as the yummy practice, the luxurious practice, the one you do every now and then because you need a treat, like having a massage. But much more can happen in a restorative class. Really, it’s a very advanced practice. And because people can release very deep tension, it’s very important that the poses have a real integrity in the way they’re set up, so that when someone lets go they feel a sense of support, a cocooning or swaddling. The architecture of building a pose needs to be very skillful. It’s a real science, down to what texture the props are, how soft or hard depending on the results you want. Another great benefit for hatha yogis, is that restorative yoga a great segue between active practice and meditative practice. When I started teaching yoga, most people found yoga through their gyms, and eventually they would make it to a yoga studio, because once you start practicing you can’t help but want to go deeper. Restorative yoga is the back door to meditation the same way gym yoga was the back door to a deeper hatha yoga practice. The various poses and exercises in yoga contribute to strengths and techniques that are constantly used in martial arts.
Here are some reasons why yoga is great for your martial arts: 1. You'll develop and improve flexibility. For many, this is the number one benefit of yoga. The various stances and positions are designed to stretch the muscles, add fluidity back to the joints, and improve flexibility in general. Having this increase in flexibility will improve: (1) your torque while throwing punches, (2) your Jean-Claude Van Damme-style high kicks, and (3) submissions in Brazilian jiujitsu. 2. You'll increase your endurance. Practicing yoga on a regular basis will develop your endurance. Holding the different asanas for long periods of time will improve your overall body strength, which will in turn increase stamina and mental toughness. The breathing and meditation techniques will aid in clearing your mind and help you become more focused. Of course, focus is one of the most important aspects of practicing martial arts - the ancient samurais had an untouchable zen focus when they went into battle. 3. You'll boost core strength. Many yoga poses are held for extended periods of time, and force you to utilize your core muscles. Core muscles are the foundation of strong punches and kicks. Get ready to see a big increase in power - especially if you know how to throw a good Muay Thai kick! 4. You'll have a speedier recovery. Yoga can reduce your recovery time after being injured. Performing yoga asanas after a mixed martial arts class will help to relax the muscles. Yoga will help to teach athletes how to use their muscles in a more controlled manner as well, thus preventing a lot of common martial arts injuries. Many yoga poses are designed to have healing benefits, so by doing these poses you can recover from the numerous aches and pains that often accompany martial arts. 5. Your balance will improve. Yoga will also improve your balance. Poses like tree pose require you to stand balanced on one leg for long periods of time. By doing these poses, your internal equilibrium will become more balanced. Having improved balance will help you stay light on your feet like Mohammed Ali. "May you float like a beautiful Yogi and sting like a killer martial artist!" What was once a practice for a centered few has now become mainstream American: According to a survey last year by Yoga Journal, today more than 15 million U.S. adults practice yoga, and not surprisingly, there is research supporting its physical benefits. Studies show the practice—which combines stretching and other exercises with deep breathing and meditation—can improve overall physical fitness, strength, flexibility and lung capacity, while reducing heart rate, blood pressure and back pain.
But what is perhaps unknown to those who consider yoga just another exercise form is that there is a growing body of research documenting yoga's psychological benefits. Several recent studies suggest that yoga may help strengthen social attachments, reduce stress and relieve anxiety, depression and insomnia. Researchers are also starting to claim some success in using yoga and yoga-based treatments to help active-duty military and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. "The evidence is showing that yoga really helps change people at every level," says Stanford University health psychologist and yoga instructor Kelly McGonigal, PhD. That's why more clinicians have embraced yoga as a complement to psychotherapy, McGonigal says. They're encouraging yoga as a tool clients can use outside the therapy office to cope with stress and anxieties, and even heal emotional wounds. "Talk therapy can be helpful in finding problem-solving strategies and understanding your own strengths and what's happening to you, but there are times when you just need to kind of get moving and work through the body," says Melanie Greenberg, PhD, a psychology professor at Alliant International University, who has studied yoga's benefits to mental health. The mind-body meld According to a study by Sherry A. Glied, PhD, professor of health policy and management at Columbia University, and Richard G. Frank, PhD, professor of health-care policy at Harvard Medical School, published in the May/June Health Affairs (Vol. 28, No. 3), the rate of diagnosed cases of mental disorders increased dramatically between 1996 and 2006—doubling among adults age 65 and older, and rising by about 60 percent among adults 18 to 64. During that same time period, rates of psychotropic medication use rose by about the same percentages among these groups. In light of these numbers, yoga remains a natural and readily available approach to maintaining wellness and treating mental health issues, says Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD, a neuroscientist and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston who studies yoga's effects on depression and insomnia. Khalsa, who has practiced yoga for more than 35 years, says several studies in his 2004 comprehensive review of yoga's use as a therapeutic intervention, published in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (Vol. 48, No. 3), show that yoga targets unmanaged stress, a main component of chronic disorders such as anxiety, depression, obesity, diabetes and insomnia. It does this, he says, by reducing the stress response, which includes the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The practice enhances resilience and improves mind-body awareness, which can help people adjust their behaviors based on the feelings they're experiencing in their bodies, according to Khalsa. While scientists don't have quite the full picture on how yoga does all that, new research is beginning to shed light on how the practice may influence the brain. In a 2007 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (Vol. 13, No. 4), researchers at Boston University School of Medicine and McLean Hospital used magnetic resonance imaging to compare levels of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) before and after two types of activities: an hour of yoga and an hour of reading a book. The yoga group showed a 27 percent increase in GABA levels, which evidence suggests may counteract anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. GABA levels of the reading group remained unchanged. "I believe if everyone practiced the techniques of yoga, we would have a preventive aid to a lot of our problems," Khalsa says. "There would likely be less obesity and Type-II diabetes, and people would be less aggressive, more content and more integrated." Khalsa's claims are backed by evidence supporting the social benefits of participating in a yoga class, says Stanford's McGonigal. A series of experiments conducted by organizational behavior researchers at Stanford University and published in January's Psychological Science (Vol. 20, No. 1) suggest that acting in synchrony with others—be it while walking, singing or dancing—can increase cooperation and collectivism among group members. "In a yoga class, everyone is moving and breathing in at the same time and I think that's one of the undervalued mechanisms that yoga can really help with: giving people that sense of belonging, of being part of something bigger," McGonigal says. Psychologists are also examining the use of yoga with survivors of trauma and finding it may even be more effective than some psychotherapy techniques. In a pilot study at the Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Mass., women with PTSD who took part in eight sessions of a 75-minute Hatha yoga class experienced significantly reduced PTSD symptoms compared with those participating in a dialectical behavior therapy group. The center recently received a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine to conduct a randomized, single-blind, controlled study to further examine whether, as compared with a 10-week health class, yoga improves the frequency and severity of PTSD symptoms and other somatic complaints as well as social and occupational impairments among female trauma survivors. "When people experience trauma, they may experience not only a sense of emotional disregulation, but also a feeling of being physically immobilized," says Ritu Sharma, PhD, project coordinator of the center's yoga program, who only began practicing yoga when she started leading the program. "Body-oriented techniques such as yoga help them increase awareness of sensations in the body, stay more focused on the present moment and hopefully empower them to take effective actions." And in what is becoming one of the most widely applied yoga-based trauma treatments, clinical psychologist Richard Miller, PhD, has developed a nine-week, twice-weekly integrative restoration program based on the ancient practice of yoga Nidra. In 2006, the Department of Defense began testing iRest with active-duty soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who were experiencing PTSD. At the end of the program, participants reported a reduction in insomnia, depression, anxiety and fear, improved interpersonal relations and an increased sense of control over their lives. Since then, iRest classes have been established at VA facilities in Miami, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Miller has also helped develop similar programs for veterans, homeless people and those with chemical dependencies and chronic pain. "The program teaches them skills they can integrate into their daily lives, so that in the midst of a difficult circumstance, they have the tools to be able to work in the moment," says Miller, president of the Integrative Restoration Institute in San Rafael, Calif. New research is also supporting yoga's benefit for other mental illnesses. An as-yet-unpublished randomized control trial by Khalsa offers insight into how yoga may reduce insomnia. In this study, 20 participants who practiced a daily 45-minute series of Kundalini yoga techniques shortly before bedtime for eight weeks reported significant reductions in insomnia severity as compared with those told to follow six behavioral recommendations for sleep hygiene. And a 2007 study supports yoga's potential as a complementary treatment for depressed patients taking antidepressant medication but only in partial remission. University of California, Los Angeles, psychologist David Shapiro, PhD, found that participants who practiced Iyengar yoga three times a week for eight weeks reported significant reductions in depression, anxiety and neurotic symptoms, as well as mood improvements at the end of each class (Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 4, No. 4). Many of the participants achieved remission and also showed physiological changes, such as heart rate variability, indicative of a greater capacity for emotional regulation, Shapiro says. Putting yoga into practice While she cautions against teaching yoga to clients without formal training, McGonigal and others say psychologists can use psychotherapy sessions to practice yoga's mind-body awareness and breathing techniques. Simple strategies—such as encouraging clients to get as comfortable as possible during their sessions or to pay attention to how their body feels when they inhale and exhale—teach clients to be in the here and now. "These by themselves would be considered yoga interventions because they direct attention to the breath and help unhook people from thoughts, emotions and impulses that are negative or destructive," she says. Alliant International University psychology professor Richard Gevirtz, PhD, agrees that alternatives to traditional psychotherapy may help clinicians make progress with difficult clients. "Psychologists have painted themselves in the corner by only doing talk therapy," Gevirtz says. "There's much more that can be accomplished if you integrate it with other sorts of modalities, such as biofeedback, relaxation training or yoga." Psychologists may also benefit from using yoga and other forms of exercise for their own care, Greenberg says. In a 2007 survey of licensed APA members by the APA Board of Professional Affairs Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance, 48 percent reported that vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue are likely to affect their functioning. "Practicing yoga personally and adopting a stance based on yoga principles such as non-judgment, compassion, spirituality and the connection of all living things can help relieve stress, enhance compassion and potentially make you a better therapist," she says. "If you can come to a level of peace with yourself, there may be more nurturing that you exude toward your patients." It’s the time of year when we start to look back on our lives and the way they have taken shape over the last 12 months. It’s from this place of retrospection that we emerge with insights for the coming year. We begin to anticipate what we want to create and manifest going forward.
Rather than trying to add a list of resolutions to our already cluttered minds, why not practice letting go and clearing a space within to plant some new seeds? All too often we have good intentions, and an excellent idea of what we want for ourselves, but holding onto that resolve and bringing it into action may be a whole other story. I spent years writing down New Years resolutions only to find that three weeks later they were just a fleeting memory that had no weight or shape. I started thinking about how I could create change and shape my life in a meaningful way. I began to realize that the key was in my yoga practice. Yoga provides a new way to boost our resolve so we can sharpen and activate those resolutions throughout the year. Rather than trying to add a list of resolutions to our already cluttered minds, why not practice letting go and clearing a space within to plant some new seeds? Then we can tend those seeds with our self- awareness. Our daily yoga practice prepares the soil for us to grow our resolutions and manifest deep and lasting changes in our lives. With our practice of postures and breathing we are tending that soil. We create a flow of energy that allows us to let go of the old and release the build-up of toxins and tensions making room inside of ourselves for something new to arise. We take a pose and then find the place where our comfort meets our discomfort. At that place we let go of anything that isn’t necessary so we can settle deeper into our comfortable edge. Now we direct the breath into those edges creating openness inside of ourselves. As we complete this external phase of cleansing and preparing, we move to a deeper practice of letting go in our relaxation practice. It’s at the end of this deep relaxation that we can begin to work with Imagery. Imagery is the practice of planting those seeds of intention. We gather up our highest intention for ourselves. Something we want to give energy to in our lives. We hold our attention to what we want to grow. Perhaps we have been struggling with our own health choices. This would be an opportunity to plant the seed of “making healthy choices.” Hold that intention in your heart and repeat it to yourself several times. Then begin to imagine that it is already so. Imagine it is already part of you and your way of being. Let it echo in the spaces of your heart and mind. As it resonates, imagine yourself in complete alignment with your intention to make healthy choices (or whatever your intention may be). Hold that feeling in your heart for several breaths. Another place to allow this intention to expand and take shape is after the practice of meditation. Meditation provides clarity and insight. When we watch our thoughts without analyzing, judging or ruminating, they begin to dissipate. In time they loose their hold over us. We become sharper and clearer. Our vision intensifies. It’s with this sense of clarity that we can once again return to our intention. We can repeat it with each flowing breath. We can return to it over and over again like a mantra or a prayer. Holding your intention for a few minutes daily at the end of relaxation and/ or meditation practice will allow it to take shape in your life. Start to notice over the days, weeks and even months as your intention begins to make its way into action. In this way our resolutions begin to shape our world and we can see clearly the effect we have on our own experiences. What are your strategies for following through with your resolutions this year? courtesy of Ornish Living New research suggests that adopting a yoga practice can do wonders for your health.
The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, reviewed 37 randomized controlled trials — the gold-standard of study designs — including 2,768 people and a nearly even gender split. Compared to people who don’t exercise, those who did yoga showed significant improvement in their BMI, blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol, the review found. In fact, yoga performed just as well as exercise, like cycling or brisk walking, at weight loss and blood pressure measures. How much you need to practice to reap the benefits remains unclear, the study authors note, as does the mechanism. But they think they may have an inkling: the authors credit stress reduction as one potential way that yoga improves metabolic and heart function, as well as inflammation. As yoga captures the minds and bodies of more and more people around the world, there’s a real need for more rigorous research, the study authors write. “This review demonstrates the potential of yoga to have an impact on concrete, physiological outcomes that represent some of the greatest health burdens today.” Courtesy of Time Magazine and Mandy Oaklander (CNN) There's no escaping -- it's the season for stress! Whether you love them or dread them, the holidays tax our bodies and our minds. Spending hours on your feet shopping and cooking, the constant temptation to overeat and drink, navigating the holiday social scene -- they all take their toll. During the holidays, we're often bombarded with more stress than any other time of year. This is especially true if you're playing host or traveling to visit friends and family. The holidays require a great deal of physical and mental energy to handle these seasonal demands of cooking for and entertaining (and sometimes even refereeing) a house full of extended family. Traveling over the holidays -- especially with children -- can try the patience of even the jolliest souls. For some, the holiday season can also trigger serious feelings of sadness. Many, particularly those afflicted with seasonal affective disorder, are sensitive to the shorter, darker days. And, if you've experienced a recent loss of a loved one or can't spend time with your family, you might find it especially difficult to get in the holiday spirit even at spirited events. So how can you stress less and enjoy more this holiday season? Try these simple yoga-inspired techniques to revitalize your body and mind while calming your nerves -- there's no mat required: Stretch away your stress If seasonal stress has you feeling frazzled, fatigued or down, try this opening, lengthening stretch to induce feelings of calm and confidence. A 2010 Harvard study showed that holding an open posture for two minutes lowers cortisol (a major stress hormone) and increases testosterone (a confidence-inducing hormone). While standing, simply raise your arms above your head at shoulder distance. Take five long, deep breaths. Then inhale as you reach and hold your left wrist with your right hand; exhale as you side bend your entire body to the right, stretching out your left side. Hold for a breath or two. Inhale as you return your arms straight above your head. Repeat on the other side. Get-off-your-feet pose Too much time on your feet socializing, cooking or shopping? For optimal stress-relieving results in the least amount of time, take your feet above your heart. Simply lie on your back with your legs elevated by a pillow, up on a chair or even straight up the wall (known as legs-up-the-wall pose in yoga). Just 30 to 60 seconds like this will take the pressure off tired legs, improve circulation and decrease swelling. This is also a good way to relieve ankle and leg edema after flying or traveling in a car for a long. Breathe your way to calm and control First, focus on exhales as sighs of relief: Another flight delay? Uncle Arnold talking politics that are not your own at the table? You might catch yourself sighing. That's good -- take the cue from your autonomic nervous system and repeat that sigh of relief, just bigger and more intentionally as an extended exhalation. Relax your shoulders, neck and upper back. Inhale through your nose and exhale out your mouth, emphasizing your exhalation. Be sure to release your rib cage downward as you exhale fully. Repeat five or more times to feel a relaxation response in your body and mind. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing engages our parasympathetic nervous system (the opposite of our fight-or-flight system) and inhibits our body's production of stress hormones. It also stimulates feel-good hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential to mood regulation. Secondly, breathe in self-control to avoid overindulging: It's a common tip to count your chews while eating but that can be tedious and unrealistic. Instead, take two or three long, deep breaths in between bites to slow down your pace, giving you more time to be present and aware of your choice to take another bite -- or not. It also enhances your ability to focus on the sensations of your food -- the smell, taste and texture --and heighten the pleasure of eating. Follow these simple steps, and you will be quickly back in a festive mood. by Dana Santas, Special to CNN Benefits of Fresh Juicing Whole fruit or juice Did you know that 95% of the vitamins and enzymes our bodies need are found in the juice of raw fruits and vegetables? We would need to eat 2 lbs of carrots, 10-12 apples, or 8 lbs of spinach to get the same amount of nutrients you receive in one 16 oz juice. When you drink juice, highly concentrated vitamins, minerals and enzymes rapidly enter the bloodstream absorbing all of the nutritional benefits of the fruits and vegetables and giving your digestive organs a much-needed rest. When to juice We think it’s best to drink our juices the same day they are pressed. As soon as any juice meets the air it begins to oxidize, compromising its nutritional value. However, storing our full juices in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed glass jar slows this process. The best time to drink juice is on an empty stomach or at least an hour before eating a meal. This maximizes the amount of nutrients absorbed into the body. Of course, fresh pressed juice is still loaded with health benefits even if you can’t drink it during the recommended window. Juicing and Illness There is lots of research that shows the healing properties of juicing. Not only will juicing facilitate weight loss, increased energy levels, strengthened immunity, strong bones and a glowing complexion, it may also reduce chances of heart disease, cancer and strokes, three of the leading causes of death. A growing body of research suggests that most vitamin supplements don’t help prevent chronic disease. A synthetic vitamin or mineral is a laboratory simulation of the real thing. Natural, plant-based vitamins and minerals are more easily and completely absorbed by the body. Fresh vs Bottled Fresh juice not only contains greater nutritional value, it contains life. Fresh pressed juice is like drinking a natural vitamin filled with living enzymes, essential minerals, antioxidants, and natural antibiotics, which are vital for optimal health. Bottled juices are pasteurized which means they are heated and processed, which can kill vitamins and minerals. Why organic Organic farming use methods that minimize the use of toxins while building soil quality and protecting water quality. Additionally, buying organic supports chemical and pesticide-free practices that are healthier for our farmers and for our planet. Courtesy of Living Greens.
The Balance Of Yin Yoga and Yang Yoga
Yin yoga targets entirely different parts of the body than yang yoga. A complete asana exercise consists of both parts Yin yoga was first developed by Paulie Zink when he combined the practice of Indian Hatha yoga with Chinese Taoist traditions. He utilized combinations of postures and movements with visualizations, vocalizations and other insights that he personally developed since beginning yoga when he was fourteen years old. He studied Taoist yoga, Qigong and Kung Fu for many years before he began teaching his own techniques. To understand yin and yang yoga poses, one must first understand how yoga is generally practiced. Yoga is not a form of competitive exercise. Each student progresses at his/her own level with each posture targeting a different area. While all yoga has similar goals and objectives, the traditional yoga practiced in North America is typically Yang Yoga. It usually targets the muscles with aggressive stretching postures and breathing exercises. Yin Yoga is the counterbalance to the practice of Yang Yoga, and is sometimes referred to as yoga for the joints. What does that mean? This yoga form begins with relaxed muscles and targets the ligaments and joints that asana styles don't normally exercise. Sometimes it is also referred to as soft yoga even though it can be more challenging than some yang poses. It involves postures that are held for longer periods of time than yang yoga. Some poses are held for up to 20 minutes. This stretches and strengthens connective tissues that are much deeper than superficial or muscular tissues. Yin and Yang tissues are affected much differently with each style. Yang is considered more dynamic, because it stretches and strengthens muscular tissues with an emphasis on internal heating. Yin focuses on the connections in the pelvis, hips, and even the lower spine. Most yang postures involve standing while most yin postures involve sitting or laying down. Many yoga masters feel the combination of yin and yang poses balance each other out and give the body the full exercise it truly needs. It is even suggested that practicing only the Yang side of yoga is only half of the asana practice. Yin yoga encompasses all skill levels, just like yang yoga. Beginners, intermediate and advanced yoga practitioners can all find postures that are at their level. The real challenge isn't deciding which one is best to do. It's how to achieve both to create a balance for the mind, body and spirit. Yoga masters seeking liberation, or moksa, do not practice only one side. courtesy of yoga.com Benefits of Yin Yoga
By Lyra Radford Courtesy of livestrong.com Stretch and strengthen your joints as well as your muscles. The yin and yang practices of yoga complement each other with their opposing natures. Yin yoga conditions you in a way that allows you to stretch and strengthen as well as achieve the complete relaxation conducive to effective meditation that yang yoga alone cannot help you reach. The benefits of yin yoga are rich for the mind and the body. Stretching Connective Tissue The poses associated with yin yoga primarily stretch and strengthen the joints as well as the surrounding connective tissue as opposed to muscles that are primarily worked in yang yoga. Connective tissue can be found all throughout the body but is concentrated mostly in the joints. Yin yoga supports the stretching and relaxation of the hips, knees and spine, which are not areas most people are mindful of working on. Doing so, however, promotes better circulation as well as flexibility in otherwise inflexible areas of the body. Long, gentle stretches are held for at least three minutes and often longer. Benefits on an Energetic Level The prana, or life force, which is said to reside in the tissues throughout the body often becomes built up. It’s as if the joints and tissues act as a dam to the natural flow of internal energy. Yin yoga poses, which are thought to act similarly as Chinese acupuncture, encourage the release of this blockage. Energy channels referred to as nadis are said to have control over things such as emotional well-being and the immune system. Strengthening these channels is one of the motivations behind many of the poses in yin yoga. Mental Balance Through Meditation Meditation is a way to become in tune with yourself. Doing so is a freeing act and you will eventually develop a heightened sense of comfort and control within yourself. Quieting the mind and body and becoming still for the purpose of knowing your internal ongoings are characteristic of both yin yoga and meditation. Meditating after yin yoga practice is helpful, as you've become mentally prepared by the latter. Yin yoga allows for physical preparation for meditation as well. It works to improve the flow of inner energy and physically opens the hip area, allowing for proper positioning when meditating. Additional Benefits Regarding External Sources Internal balance and harmony affect how one reacts to external forces. With the clarity gained through yin practices and meditation, external stressors take less of a toll on your mental and physical states. The physical and mental training of holding uncomfortable positions for long periods of time translate into endurance in other aspects of daily life. As yin yoga instructor Sarah Powers stated, "It trains you to become more comfortable with discomfort instead of becoming alarmed." You'll have the discipline to better endure either physical or mental discomfort. |
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January 2020
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