Yoga Enjoy – Page 12 – All About Yoga: Poses, Types, Benefits, and More

What is Bhakti Yoga? Why You Should Try the Yoga of Devotion

March 20, 2020

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Four days a week, Nancy Seitz unrolls her yoga mat for a 90-minute asana practice in the Sivananda Yoga tradition. But her “yoga” doesn’t end when Savasana does. By ardently embracing some of yoga’s devotional practices, Seitz—a 55-year-old editor in Manhattan—has developed a sweet sense of connection with the Divine that permeates her entire life through Bhakti Yoga.

Each morning she practices a 30-minute devotional mantra meditation. Before she leaves for work, she repeats a mantra for safe passage. She offers gratitude before each meal. She attends a weekly arati (light) ceremony at her local Sivananda center.

At home she performs a puja ceremony at her altar—offering milk, rice, flowers, and water to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of music, arts, and knowledge, as well as to other deities. She devotes her yoga practice to the spirit of the leader of the lineage she follows, the late Swami Sivananda.

“Bhakti just gives my practice a different dimension,” Seitz says. “It’s really hard in the day-to-day world to keep awareness and stay positive, and this awareness of the Divine helps.”

Like other modern yogis, Seitz has found bhakti yoga, known as the yoga of devotion, to be a lifesaver as she navigates a hectic modern existence.

What Does Bhakti Yoga Mean?

The Sanskrit word bhakti comes from the root bhaj, which means “to adore or worship God.” Bhakti yoga has been called “love for love’s sake” and “union through love and devotion.” Bhakti yoga, like any other form of yoga,[……]

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

ASHTANGA VINYASA YOGA- A BRIEF HISTORY

February 27, 2020

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Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is a traditional system of practice with its roots being passed down through a lineage of teachers (Parampara).

Parampara

The Traditional Style of Spreading Right Knowledge

“Acknowledging the student/teacher lineage”

The Sanskrit word, Parampara, describes how to pass on the right knowledge from a teacher to a dedicated student. This system follows a strict code of honoring the line of teachers that have come before. In this tradition, knowledge must be shared with the student by building up slowly towards a personal practice. According to this system, the foundation and survival of a lineage depend on the connection and devotion between the student and teacher. One can see the teacher and student as links in an ever-growing chain. The student needs to practice with the total surrender of the mind, body, and ultimately one‘s ego. The only way that this valuable knowledge of Yoga can be acquired is through persistence, patience, sincere dedication, and trust in the teacher. Only after several years of study and practice under the guidance and support of the teacher, can the student progress on the path of sharing Parampara (right knowledge) with future students. The teacher‘s goal must be to share what they have learned exactly as their teacher shared the knowledge. The teacher has the responsibility to guide and support the student when they are stumbling on the path of yoga. This tradition of passing on knowledge through a clear lineage is practiced in[……]

Anusara Yoga

Anusara yoga – Yoga with heart and soul

January 3, 2020

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Anusara yoga is a type of Hatha Yoga i.e. you hold the yoga poses for a few breaths as opposed to vinyasa yoga that moves and flows with the breath.

I like to think of Anusara yoga as yoga with heart and soul. Each class has a meaningful heart-theme that gives Anusara yoga a spiritual quality that is woven throughout the yoga sequence. This enables Anusara yoga students to connect with their physical practice on a deeper level. Anusara® means to flow with Grace. In this context, this is not a girl’s name or the expectation of being able to perform each yoga pose with balletic poise and beauty. Anusara aims to unite with the Divine. – the soul in the flow with the universe, following your heart.

Anusara yoga honours the non-dual Tantric philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism. Essentially, this means that everything in this world is an embodiment of Supreme Consciousness. Everything is Supreme Consciousness. Non-dual tantra is inclusive and embraces both Shiva and Shakta traditions. It looks at the intrinsic goodness in everyone, every thing and every situation. I find this life affirming, positive and inspiring. You can take this positivity off the yoga mat and apply it to ups and downs of life and the world outside. Embrace everything whether it is good or bad. Don’t run from life! This is definitely a glass half full type of feel-good yoga.

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Anusara yoga is also characterised by its strong emphasis on correct alignment. Anusara yoga ’s unique methodology of alignment is known as th[……]

Aerial Yoga

Practicing Aerial Yoga with Kids: Benefits and Tips

December 7, 2019

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Most people assume that aerial yoga is only meant for adults. But the reality is that children can also benefit from doing yoga swing workouts.

By practicing aerial yoga with kids, you will be encouraging them to live an active and healthy lifestyle from an early age. Consequently, this will enable them to enjoy life to the fullest.

Practicing aerial yoga with kids also provides a great means of bonding with them, and besides, aerial yoga can be a super fun means of hanging out with your children and spending quality time with them.

And, research has shown that kids who spend ample quality time with their families tend to perform better in school, and they have lesser behavioral issues.

Furthermore, It provides the perfect opportunity of unplugging from your electronic devices and doing something that will offer health benefits to everyone.

In this article, we will walk you through some of the key benefits of practicing aerial yoga with children. We will also give you tips for practicing aerial yoga with kids, to ensure a fun, safe and effective session.

With that said, let’s dive straight in.

Benefits of Aerial Yoga for KidsAs highlighted above, practicing aerial yoga with kids or teaching kids yoga swing workouts comes with numerous benefits.

Here are 8 incredible benefits of yoga swing workouts for children:

Enhanced Cognitive FunctioningYoga swing workouts can help to improve cognitive functioning as well as focus. As you may have probably noticed, practicing aerial yoga[……]

Acro Yoga

6 Effective Acro Yoga Poses For A Healthy Body

November 23, 2019

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If you have mastered the art of traditional yoga and want something new, try giving it a touch of acrobaticsi . If you are up for a challenge, you must try doing the most effective acro yoga poses.

Acrobatic yoga or acro yoga is ever-evolving, giving it plenty of scope for experiments. Out of the many such fun and thrilling acro yoga poses, we have shortlisted the seven most effective postures for you to get started with.

It is almost impossible to perform these poses if you are new to yoga or acrobatics. So, beginners should first make their foundation strong to get there eventually.

Before we go ahead, let us first understand what acro yoga is all about. Keep reading!

What Is Acro Yoga?

Acro Yoga is a partner-based exercise that combines yoga and acrobatics. In this method, you use gravity and your body weight to strengthen and stretch in poses with complete breath control. Its uniqueness lies in increasing your physical capabilities and coordination by several notches.

The practice involves engaging with another person and building trust with them to support and be supported during a pose. Acro Yoga encourages constant verbal communication, unlike solo practice where we spend time solo.

Acro Yoga is all about working together in a seamless flow and building partnerships. By blending movement, connection, and play, Acro Yoga is highly useful and inspiring.

One of the oldest demonstrations of Acro Yoga is that of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, a well-known yoga guru, with a chi[……]

Yoga Nidra

The Myths Around Yoga Nidra Versus the Reality

October 20, 2019

Myth 1: It is just deep sleep

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Although the body is relaxed with a similar experience of deep sleep, yoga Nidra is much more than that. It helps us disconnect from the outside world to reach a dreamless state, where we can channelize our negative thoughts in a positive, productive manner. One becomes more aware of oneself and one’s inner thoughts, which later helps in making decisions and leading your life in a stress-free manner.

Myth 2: It is Similar to a High

Although you may have a similar experience, in the beginning, Yoga Nidra is not equivalent to the high you get after consuming an intoxicating substance. It moves your consciousness into a deeper and more productive state, where you can think clearly without any baggage. And psychic sleep does not give you false hopes or assumptions about your life. Rather, it brings you closer to reality.

Myth 3: You do not need sleep if you practice Yoga Nidra

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The two are widely different from each other, even if the terms are similar. Sleep is essential to promote brain health, as well as skin health and other organs of the body. Psychic sleep cannot replace that altogether. So, you need both to lead a healthy and positive life. Besides, Yoga Nidra helps us explore our consciousness positively and calmly and ensures clarity of thoughts.

Myth 4: It Helps Divert your Mind from Negativity

No, it does not. Yoga Nidra increases your mind’s capability to process negative thoughts, like anxiety, stress, depression, anger, sadness, and mo[……]

Yin Yoga

YIN YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

September 20, 2019

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THE KRIPALU APPROACH TO YIN YOGA

Yin Yoga is a deep, rewarding practice that synthesizes the contemplative power of meditation with the energy-enhancing properties of yoga and pranayama. It is a perfect complement to active lives and yoga practices, and suitable for practitioners of all levels. Enhance your teaching and discover new ways to explore the body-mind connection using the tools of Yin Yoga in a training that combines hands-on didactic teaching and powerful psychospiritual inquiry.

In this immersive training, you learn

The principles of Yin Yoga

Pranayamas that support the energy body in Yin postures

An understanding of the meridian and organ systems and how they relate to Yin Yoga

How to heighten your observation skills.

Return home ready to safely and competently lead others in the practice of Yin Yoga.

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