How Bikram Yoga Helps Heal the Body

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With students back in school and snowbirds back for “season” there is an increased potential to catch a bug – whether someone is passing it around the classroom or it is traveling here from up north. There are preventative measures that can be exercised to decrease the risk of catching an illness.

In general, regular exercise can help ward off colds and flus by strengthening the immune system. The heat and humidity in the Bikram yoga studio help to enhance this benefit. The Bikram yoga practice also works every ligament, muscle, joint, and organ in the body which in turn can help the body heal from the inside out.

The body’s natural defense system is to raise its internal temperature to fight off infections or viruses that may come into its path. The heat and humidity in the yoga studio mimic this natural process. It also helps to clear nasal passages and makes breathing easier.

Sweat is another powerful healer. It works to:

Help the skin heal wounds.

Help rid the body of toxins and replacing lost fluids with fresh cleansing water. It is like an internal cleaning for the body.

Releases a natural antibiotic called dermcidin, produced by our skin when we sweat. This is a highly efficient tool to fight germs and other dangerous bugs.

A regular Bikram yoga practice lends positive effects on the mind and body. Some of its positive benefits also include:

Breath

Exhalations bring energy to cells.

Relaxes the mind promoting lower cortisol levels helping to ward ogf stress-induced illness.

Circulation and Blood Flow

In some posters an arthritis preventing (and in some cases, reversing) grip is used.

Postures that temporarily restrict blood flow and once released induces rich oxygenated blood to flow into the restricted areas such as knees and ankles which promotes healing.

Internal Organs

Head-to-knee compression posture stimulates the thyroid.

Part of the practice increases the heart rate providing cardiovascular benefits.

Stretches kidneys and other vital organs that would otherwise be stagnant.

Expands and strengthens the lungs through breathing exercises throughout the class.

Weight Management

Regular practice can help one to obtain and maintain a healthy weight.

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3 Benefits of Learning Bhakti Yoga for Beginners

Learning yoga is beneficial for both the mind and the body, according to a 2011 study, and bhakti yoga is no exception. The Hindu yoga practice offers several physical and spiritual health benefits that can enhance your well-being.

Hare Krishna Melbourne practices bhakti yoga every Sunday with our community. We offer free sessions so anyone can join in and experience the benefits of bhakti yoga for beginners. If you are new to bhakti yoga and want to know more about the health benefits, then keep on reading.

Bhakti Yoga Helps You Find Peace

Yoga helps people achieve a tranquil mind. Bhakti yoga does the same by allowing practitioners to form a connection with God. Through mantra chanting, where you repeat positive affirmations to yourself, bhakti yoga practitioners delve deep into their inner selves to connect with God.

Bhakti yoga helps you acquire inner peace, realise life’s true values, and see what is truly important to you. Practitioners can grasp true and lasting peace through not only their connection to God but also through reaffirming their true values and priorities.

Bhakti yoga also allows you to be less dependent on real world circumstances. Worldly notions such as beauty, pleasure, status, success, and wealth will not plague your mind once you have acquired peace. Your health will definitely benefit from the reduced stress, doubts, fears, and insecurities.

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Bhakti Yoga Helps You Achieve Your Happiness

A Harvard article found that yoga elevates brain chemicals that affect your happiness levels, resulting in improved mood. Bhakti yoga achieves a similar feat through the pursuit of peace, connection, and bliss.

Bhakti yoga cleanses your consciousness from negativity and allows you to have a clearer mindset in life. By connecting with your inner self through bhakti yoga, you can develop a positive mindset and reduce any negativity, including relieving any pains and sorrows. By acquiring peace and establishing your life’s priorities, you can find several paths that will lead to your happiness.

When you practice bhakti yoga, you not only create a connection with God, but you also form connections with other like-minded people. Bhakti yoga is often practised as a group to forge a higher sense of community. Hare Krishna Melbourne does the same through our Sunday yoga sessions and feasts.

Since bhakti yoga is also known as the yoga of love and devotion, practising it together allows you to share your joy and positivity with others.

Bhakti Yoga Nurtures Your Well-Being

By helping you embrace peace, achieve happiness, and spread joy to others, bhakti yoga enables you to enhance both your physical and mental well-being.

Practising bhakti yoga for beginners and beyond provides several health benefits, including reducing stress for both the mind and the body, erasing negative feelings that can harm your mental health, and improving your brain’s attention span.

Bhakti yoga gives you the seeds to ensure a long, healthy, and prosperous life. Learning bhakti yoga for beginners can help you can nurture your well-being for the foreseeable future.

Try Bhakti Yoga for Beginners – Free!

Bhakti yoga for beginners provides several benefits to your physical and mental well-being. It helps you find true peace, helps you reach your happiness, and improves your overall health. You’ll likely discover more benefits the longer you practice bhakti yoga.

Hare Krishna Melbourne invites you to join us for free Sunday bhakti yoga sessions. Not only will you be able to learn bhakti yoga, but you’ll also have a chance to meet the rest of the community. We also host Sunday feasts at our Hare Krishna temple, so feel free to stop by, have a bite, and make some new connections!

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Vision of an ideal Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga learning and resources to reach it

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Fortunately, we do not live in a perfect world that would be a major obstacle to all progress and learning. Samsara and Nirvana would be one and the same river idling on the banks of an eternity whose tamasic lament would implore the terrible Kali to do her work of destruction so that the world may be reborn in the creative chaos of Prakriti.

Blessed are we then to live in what strongly resembles Kali Yuga with the countless opportunities to test our beautiful practice of Yoga.

Before formulating what for me would be an ideal learning of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, I would like to sincerely thank all the dedicated teachers who transmit their art day after day to the best of their abilities and the expectations of their students.

Namaste.

So far my experience of learning from this noble school of Yoga has resembled the reconstruction of a mandala with multiple pieces scattered around in the form of led classes, Mysore sessions, workshops, lectures, documentaries, numerous readings and researches, hours of online video, thousands of kilometers traveled and above all assiduous practices integrated into everyday life.

The diversity of approaches and teachers is certainly beneficial up to a point, but for a beginner, the lack of consistency and above all of a global vision is quite disconcerting.

Perhaps this is part of a modern rite of initiation, certainly less demanding than when some aspiring yogis came to cut off one hand in order to show their determination to enter into the service of a master.

Even before I unrolled my mat and started Surya Namaskar A, I would have liked to learn where Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga came from, by whom it was created and for what purpose. What are the lineages and their differences, what is the connection with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Ashtanga denomination he uses while in his system Patanjali only summarily mentions Asana.

I would have liked to know the more general context in which Yoga and its philosophy fit in the history of Hinduism.

I would have liked to have been introduced to the Bhagavad Gita and the distinction between Hatha, Karma, Bhakti, Jnana and Raja Yoga.

With this knowledge I could have grasped all the richness and the scope of this philosophical system integrating body, mind and consciousness.

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Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a demanding physical practice and before participating in a class I would have dreamed of having an Ayurvedic consultation to determine if this discipline was really suitable for my condition and my age. I could have discovered the basic principles of Ayurveda and the importance of diet (Mitahara) as well as the techniques of Kriya purification (Shatkarma).

By integrating Asanas, Mitahara and Kriya, I would have understood the power and the complementarity of these techniques.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is an exercise in breathing and concentration that takes on its full meaning when it is part of the eight limbs (Ashtanga) of Patanjali: Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. You still have to know what the eight limbs mean, while most courses only present Asana.

If we talk about the Ashtanga of Patanjali and the philosophy of Yoga in general the goal is to achieve Samadhi or communion with the Absolute which, according to my personal experience, is very little conveyed in comparison to the physical dimension and mental clarity.

So I would have loved to have had training on ALL the limbs and understand the subtleties of their complementarity and especially the effectiveness of integrating them gradually, but in a combined manner. Indeed, if the eight limbs were to be mastered sequentially, there would probably not be more than a handful of Asana practitioners on Earth, as the perfect mastery of the first two limbs (Yamas and Niyamas) in thought, in speech, and in action is beyond the reach of ordinary people.

While practicing the Asanas, I would have liked to know the origin and the meaning of the name of the positions and thus discover Sanskrit and the importance of language in the acquisition of knowledge and the representation of reality. I would have gained insight into the extraordinary richness of this language which shaped the thoughts of the Indo-European civilization of which we are the heirs today.

Learning the Asanas would also have been an opportunity to learn about modern anatomy as well as the subtle energies of Prana, Chakras, Nadis, and Koshas. This introduction to the energetic and vibratory realm would have been included in the presentation of Hindu cosmology allowing to understand the global coherence of the metaphysical system of Yoga and to practice Mantras, Bijas and Mudras by meditating on their deep meaning.

With this knowledge integrated into my practice, I would have fully experienced Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga as a deep meditation in motion.

I would have liked my teacher to tell me that Yoga is an art of living, a way of being, a process of deep transformation, a journey towards the divine. He would have warned me about the Kleshas and the obstacles to the practice. He would have been a guru in the original sense of the word, namely a guide able to dispel the darkness, to lift the veil of ignorance (Avidya). A true master accomplished in all the forms of his art, a living example of his teaching knowing each of his students and leading them according to their own personalities and capacities. A scholar versed in Eastern and Western philosophies, a living bridge between cultures and civilizations. A being aligned in mind, body and consciousness with the divine expression of his Svadharma.

Would I have been a worthy student of such a master?

The Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teachers surely also have their ideal vision of teaching and of their students …

In an attempt to reach this vision of ideal learning, here is a selection of resources available online and produced by men and women fully living their yoga. Of course, nothing replaces the presence and support of a qualified teacher.

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How Anusara Yoga Can Help: Find Balance and Harmony in Your Life

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Introduction

What is Anusara Yoga and How to Get StartedAnusara Yoga is a modern style of yoga that emphasizes physical alignment and spiritual awareness. It was founded by John Friend in 1997 and has since become popular all around the world.

What is Anusara Yoga?

Anusara Yoga is a style of yoga that emphasizes the principles of alignment, which includes proper positioning of the body to optimize the flow of energy. It also emphasizes the importance of cultivating awareness of the present moment, which can help practitioners to better understand themselves and the world around them.

Anusara Yoga is based on the idea that everyone is inherently good and that the practice of yoga can help individuals realize their full potential. It focuses on the heart and emphasizes the importance of opening the heart to connect with oneself and others.

Physical Benefits of Anusara Yoga

Anusara Yoga is a type of yoga that emphasizes alignment and heart-opening postures. It is a physically challenging practice, but it also has a host of benefits for the body.

Increased Flexibility

One of the most noticeable benefits of Anusara Yoga is increased flexibility. The practice focuses on proper alignment and encourages students to move slowly and mindfully through each pose. This emphasis on alignment and mindfulness helps to release tension in the body and improve joint mobility. With regular practice, students will notice that they can move more freely and with less effort.

Improved Strength

In addition to increased flexibility, Anusara Yoga also helps to improve strength. The practice includes a variety of standing, balancing, and inverted postures that require students to engage their muscles in new ways. This helps to build strength and tone the body, particularly in the legs, arms, and core. As students progress in their practice, they may find that they are able to hold postures for longer periods of time and with greater ease.

Reduced Stress and Tension

Anusara Yoga is known for its heart-opening postures, which help to release tension and reduce stress. These postures, which include backbends and chest openers, help to stretch the front of the body and create space in the chest and lungs. This can help to improve breathing and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. In addition to the heart-opening postures, Anusara Yoga also includes gentle twists and forward folds, which can help to release tension in the back and neck.

Boosted Immune System

Finally, Anusara Yoga has been shown to boost the immune system. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including increased circulation and reduced stress. Regular practice of Anusara Yoga can help to improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which can help to remove toxins from the body and promote healing. Additionally, the practice’s emphasis on mindfulness and stress reduction can help to support a healthy immune system.

How does Anusara Yoga help find balance and harmony?

Anusara Yoga helps to find balance and harmony in a number of ways. First and foremost, it focuses on alignment and proper posture. This helps to improve the physical body, which in turn can lead to improved mental and emotional well-being. When the body is in balance, the mind and spirit can also find balance.

In addition to alignment, Anusara Yoga also emphasizes the use of the breath to find balance and harmony. The breath is used to create a sense of calm and focus, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety. The practice encourages practitioners to be present in the moment, which can also help to reduce stress and improve mental clarity.

Finally, Anusara Yoga emphasizes the expression of the heart. This means that each pose is approached with the intention of opening the heart and expressing love and compassion. This can help to improve emotional well-being and create a sense of connection with others.

Tips for Incorporating Anusara Yoga into Your Life

Anusara Yoga is a modern style of yoga that focuses on alignment and the heart. Its principles are based on the ancient teachings of Tantra and incorporate a holistic approach to the practice of yoga. If you’re looking to incorporate Anusara Yoga into your life, here are some tips to get you started.

Find a qualified teacher

Anusara Yoga is a complex style of yoga that requires a qualified and experienced teacher to guide you through the practice. Look for a teacher who has completed Anusara Yoga teacher training and has a good understanding of the principles of alignment and heart opening.

Start with the basics

Anusara Yoga is a progressive style of yoga that builds upon the basics. Start with the foundational poses and work your way up to more advanced poses as you gain strength and flexibility.

Focus on alignment

Anusara Yoga places a strong emphasis on alignment. Make sure your teacher is guiding you to align your body properly in each pose. This will help you prevent injury and get the most out of your practice.

Connect with the heart

Anusara Yoga is known for its heart-opening poses and focus on the heart center. Allow yourself to connect with your heart during your practice. This will help you tap into your inner strength and find more joy in your life.

Be patient

Anusara Yoga can take time to master. Be patient with yourself and trust the process. With consistent practice, you will see progress and improvements in your practice.

Practice regularly

To reap the benefits of Anusara Yoga, it’s important to practice regularly. Aim for at least three classes a week. If you can’t make it to a class, try practicing at home using a video or online class.

Conclusion

Anusara Yoga is a modern style of yoga that emphasizes on alignment, heart-centeredness, and spiritual upliftment. It is a unique form of yoga that combines physical practice with philosophical and spiritual teachings. Anusara Yoga is suitable for all levels of practitioners, and it offers a holistic approach to health and wellness. Practicing Anusara Yoga can help individuals to develop a deeper connection to themselves, others, and the world around them. With its focus on alignment and heart-centeredness, Anusara Yoga offers a beautiful and meaningful way to approach one’s yoga practice.

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How to Level Up Your Workout with Aerial Yoga Swings

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The road to fitness is not always that easy. It will require a significant adjustment in your lifestyle and mindset. Sometimes, no matter how consistent you are or how much you push yourself harder, you don’t see the results you want.

This doesn’t mean you are not working hard enough for your goals. What you can do to get out of this workout plateau is to make small changes in your fitness routine. You can tweak some of your exercises and get out of your comfort zone.

You may enroll in different classes to spice up your workout. If you’re looking for a new environment or you’re just up for a challenge, you can try a workout with aerial yoga swings and see if you like it!

Aerial Yoga Is Also a Good Cardio WorkoutThere are several articles and studies that talk about how aerial yoga can be a good cardio exercise. It is considered low-impact cardio that can also encourage fat burning. Some professionals also say aerial yoga burns the same calories as power walking.

This is good news for those who are not fans of heavy cardio exercises. Though aerial yoga seemingly has minimal impact, its routines require a lot of movement, especially in your core and upper body.

Doing aerial yoga is enough to burn calories without causing too much strain on your joints and body. This is good for people with back or knee problems. You won’t have to dread an intense fat-burning session to get your cardio in. You’ll be able to get results with aerial yoga.

Aerial Yoga Can Be Done At Home Too!Travels from home to the gym can be pretty dreadful for some people. You might find yourself choosing to go on a different route instead of getting your work out for that day. Plus, you might not feel motivated enough for the prepared exercises.

Though you could always workout with aerial yoga swings at-home, especially with the resources available, it is always good to incorporate new things to get your energy going. The good thing about this type of yoga is you can also practice it at home. You can have a good aerial yoga set up in the comfort of your home.

You won’t need a lot of expensive equipment to have a the perfect set-up. There are many aerial yoga swings and aerial hammocks that are both affordable and of good quality.

Aerial Yoga Swings Introduces Variety to Your WorkoutsSince working out can be predictable, it is important to include something in your routine that you can look forward to. Some of the things you can do would be to switch up your routines, get a workout buddy, or enroll in different classes. If you want to take it up a notch, you can try a workout with aerial yoga swings.

This has gained popularity over the years because of its unique structure and poses. You might have seen this all over social media and wondered what it’s like to do a downward-facing dog position in a hammock.

Since it’s a type of yoga, a lot of poses and practices of traditional yoga are also incorporated into this. It can be intimidating at first, but setting a new goal can help you get out of your workout rut and improve yourself better.

Workout With Aerial Yoga Swings to Build Your Core Muscles

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If you want to work on your core but are still dreading the usual sit-ups and Russian twists, working out with aerial yoga swings can be a good alternative. Most of the routines will require you to constantly engage your core, especially if you’re suspended in the air.

Being off the ground results in core activation since you lose your point of stability. Without completely realizing it, you’ll use your core muscles a lot.

Every time you’d switch to a different position while in the air, your core and upper body muscle do all the work for you. That is why with consistent practice, many practitioners would see a difference in their core.

It would feel firmer, tighter, and look more toned.

Granted, you’d still feel all the burn, but at least you can have all the fun while at it. Just make sure that you still maintain proper form so that you won’t harm yourself in the process. If you can consult with a professional or a more experienced yogi, that would be great. If not, you can browse the internet for blog posts, informative articles, or vlogs that can help you with broadening your knowledge on this.

In the end, it’s still important to get a professional opinion when venturing into new workout routines. This is to ensure that you are doing the right thing and not causing any injuries to your body.

Aerial Yoga Is For Amateurs and ExpertsAerial yoga is very inclusive for beginners and professionals. If you’re just starting and looking for a new experience, you’re more than welcome to try to workout with aerial yoga swings.

Many aerial yoga beginners enroll in their first class out of curiosity. It’s easy to get enticed by the silks and hammocks attached to the ceiling, as well as the inverted poses with just the aerial slings as your support.

You do not have to be trained in ballet or aerobics for you to get associated with the practice. You can enroll or try this out even without any background knowledge on it. Aerial yoga is always worth a try, whether you’re looking for a new setup or an addition to your existing workout routine.

This goes the same for those who are into yoga already or are engaged in a more active lifestyle. You might be drawn to the practice of aerial yoga because of the challenge alone. If you’re already doing consistent yoga practice, the switch to workout with aerial yoga swings won’t be as hard as you think.

Consider this as a level up from what you’re currently doing. Don’t be too intimidated by the equipment. If you’ve already gained some level of mastery of these poses on the ground, you’ll be well capable of doing it suspended off the ground.

Starting Your Aerial Yoga Swings Practice

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There are several ways to take your workouts to the next level and one of them is getting into aerial yoga. This is open to all ages, shapes, and sizes. You can even let kids and grandparents try these exercises with you!

The thing with aerial fitness is that you can incorporate different equipment and exercises to this as it’s not limited to aerial hammocks and silks. The devices used for this type of practice are safe and can generally support around 350 lbs.

If you want to know how you can add this to your workout, here is a guide to aerial fitness:

Prepare your mind and body. You might be used to a different set of exercises. So it’s always good to prepare your physical and mental state beforehand. Though aerial fitness is not as straining as other workouts, you still might experience dizziness or nausea, especially if you’re hanging upside down. Make sure that you get proper rest, eat a good meal, and drink plenty of water. Please also consult your doctor If you have other conditions that might be an issue later on. Having a safe workout should be your number one priority.

Additionally, you should not put so much pressure on yourself. It can be quite challenging, so know that not everyone gets the hang of it that quickly. Know that you’re there to learn and experience new things.

Know which classes suit you best. There are different classes that you can take for aerial fitness….

There’s the most common aerial yoga, which usually uses hammocks that are usually suspended from the ceiling. It is a popular choice for beginners since this is an excellent introduction to the practice, and it’s often offered at many yoga studios. Likewise there are also yoga swing/trapeze classes that also use handles to help maneuver into the poses and act as additional support throughout your sessions.

Another fitness class you can try is the aerial hoop. You might have seen this in various circus acts and acrobatic performances. It’s a good thing beginners are also encouraged to try this. It is a fun way to spice up your workout while still having fun and burning off those calories. Just like in regular aerial yoga, this also builds your core and upper body strength. This will improve your flexibility and boost your self-confidence, too!

Similar to aerial yoga, aerial silk is another practice you can venture into. The difference this has with aerial yoga is that with the latter, the fabric is made into a U-shape as the two points of suspension connect it – whereas for aerial silks, you have two single points of suspension, which gives you two separate fabrics for support. This works best for people who want to deepen their knowledge of aerial arts and eventually venture into a more artistic practice.

For more recent practices, aerial fitness also covers bungee fitness which utilizes a hip harness and bungee cord.

Get the right equipment. Alongside choosing the suitable classes is getting the right equipment for your aerial workouts. This is important to ensure that you are doing the poses and routine correctly. This minimizes risks and helps you get deeper into the practice. Make sure that the tools and devices provided for you are safe and of quality. When you are enrolled in a class, you’ll be able to limit the risk as the equipment in these studios is constantly checked and goes through a standard qualification process.

On the other hand, if you decide to do your workouts at home, you must know the suitable devices that fit your practice and space. Keep in mind that this will require extended movements; that’s why you’ll need ample space for better execution.

If you think your ceiling won’t withstand the workouts, you can check out yoga swing stands.

These things are perfect for those who cannot fully commit yet and are just looking into trying out the routines. Yoga swing stands are also portable so you can set them up inside or outside your home. You would not need a ton of people to help you with this– you can easily do it yourself!

Is Working Out With Aerial Yoga Swings Worth It?

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Aerial yoga, or aerial fitness in general, introduces you to a new kind of fitness. If you’re feeling idle and do not have enough motivation to go to your gym and put your workout in, a workout with aerial yoga swings might help you with that. It’s always fun to try out new things, especially if it involves antigravity fitness.

Now, you’ll be able to enjoy a good workout while being suspended in the air.

How fun is that?

There are tons of benefits that aerial yoga provides, other than a full body workout. With consistent practice, you can improve your flexibility, alleviate back pain, and better your posture.

Many practitioners also feel more confident and robust after several aerial yoga sessions. This is because your whole body gets involved in the routines and exercises.

Each session provides a different learning experience for you.

Additionally, it can also act as an escape from your busy lives. As this employs the principles of yoga, you will also feel zen after every session! Aerial yoga not only teaches flexibility and strength building but also aids in clearing your mind and having a more positive aura.

Our daily lives can be mentally taxing, so it’s always good to have an outlet where we can find comfort.

There’s no harm in trying. And besides, venturing into new things is always exciting. Do your research and enroll in an aerial yoga class near you. Don’t fear the aerial hammocks and the hanging upside down. Who knows, you might end up liking them and the practice.

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