Top 10 Benefits of Meditation

Top 10 Benefits of Meditation

Our country India is the famous for spirituals and lot of Yogis and Gnanies were lived very long years since they were used the Meditations and Pranayamams.

Now a days our life style is very difficult to live normal, because we our working atmosphere and food items. So we are struggling with hypertension, diabetics, asthma and lot of major difficulties.  Atleast we  have control our above mentioned disease we have to follow some meditations.  There are may type of meditations are there, in this we have to do any meditations daily twice in our life.

Below are the top 10 most significant positive effects of meditation:

1.  It is thought to promote cardiovascular healthy by slowing the heart rate and pace of breathing, as well as increasing the flow of blood to the heart. This effect is thought to lower blood pressure, increase exercise capacity and reduce stress, all of which promote cardiovascular wellness.

2.  May help individuals with chronic illnesses manage their conditions by lowering stress levels, which is known to lead to a healthier mind and body.

3. Practicing the mind-body exercise on a regular basis may help strengthen an individual’s immune system by stimulating blood flow, inducing relaxation and helping the body eliminate free radicals, which are known to cause cellular damage.

4. Shown in multiple studies to reduce a person’s response to pain. This may be especially beneficial for individuals with chronic migraines, fibromyalgia or other conditions in which regular discomfort is experienced.

5. Individuals who meditated on a regular basis may find that they have improved self-esteem and a more positive outlook on life. This may be due to a number of physiological factors, such as increased serotonin levels, as well as a clearer sense of one’s self stemming from introspection.

6. People with fears or phobias may be helped by meditation, since the mind-body practice is thought to help individuals resolve their inner problems.

7. Many benefits for the career-minded, as it may help increase creativity, strengthen one’s ability to focus and improve memory. Moreover, the stress-relieving benefits of the practice have been helping businessmen and women reduce workplace tension for many years.

8. People who meditate may also find themselves becoming more compassionate individuals, as introspection has strong potential to promote empathy.

9. Help individuals deepen their spiritual connection with a higher being, or simply become more aware that they have a spiritual side. Today, many people unfortunately overlook this aspect of themselves.

10. Living in the moment by pushing aside the worries of the past or future is known to help people achieve a more fulfilled existence. A focus on the present is what meditation is all about, so people whose minds are constantly occupied with concerns may want to give the mind-body practice a try.

If you want to learn some different type of yoga you have learn through Vazhga Vazhamudan, Isha Yoga and some other spiritual centers, it will help you to follow very easy to do the meditations.

GARUDASANA –EAGLE POSE

GARUDASANA (EAGLE POSE)

Eagle pose also known as Garudasana improves your balance and stretches your upper back, shoulders and outer thighs. Regularly practicing this Eagle  pose will strengthen your legs, knees and ankles. This Eagle  pose opens the pelvic area and creates space between shoulder blades. Your spine should be erect and hips and shoulder face forward. Breathing evenly and gazing at a distance of about 4 or 5 feet away will help you in maintaining balance.

Breathing evenly and gazing at a distance of about 4 or 5 feet away will help you in maintaining balance. Do not grip the floor or the mat with toes, since this will make balancing harder. Be cautious if you have shoulder, arm, and hip or knee problems. If you have shoulder or arm problems, keep your arms in the prayer Eagle  pose. Lifting the hands and arms toward the ceiling without straining the shoulders will increase the stretch in the arms and shoulders. Lightly touch the wall while performing the Eagle  pose or doing only the arm movements will help you remain balanced and have a great shoulder stretch.

How it is to be done - standing.

Suitable for - Everybody.

Steps – Actual procedure for that asana.

    Begin in mountain pose.
    Inhale when raising the arms up to shoulder level with palms facing up. Arms and shoulders should be relaxed.
    Cross left arm over the right so that the elbows rest on top of each other.
    Bend your elbows, wrapping our forearms around each other with palms facing each other. Your fingers should point to the ceiling. If the palms do not touch, keeps one palm resting against the other    wrist or forearm.
    Slightly bend the knees and shift your body weight to the other leg.
    Cross right leg over the left just above the knee.
    Place the right foot behind your left lower leg and hook the foot over the left calf or ankle. If you are unable to reach the left calf, place the right foot next to left lower leg.
    The crown of your head should be pointed toward the ceiling and look straight ahead. Imagine the spine running straight through the body.
    Remain in this pose for 30 to 60 seconds and then come back to mountain pose.
    Repeat steps from 2 to 9 with the opposite arm and leg crossing over in steps 3 and 6.

Eagle Pose also known as Garudasana in Sanskrit. Here Illustrated Picture. Benefits: Eagle pose improves balance and stretches your upper back, shoulders and outer thighs.

Benefits to body parts - Improves balance. Stretches upper back, shoulders and outer thighs. Opens back of pelvis, creates space between shoulder blades. Makes legs, knees and ankles strong.

Precautions - Arm, hip or knee injury.

RELAXATION Benefits / Poses

RELAXATION Benefits / Poses

The practice of relaxing the muscles of the body will bring rest to the body and to the mind also. The tension of the muscles will be relieved. People who know the science of relaxation do not waste any energy. They can meditate well.

SAVASANA

(Core – Pose)

This is an asana for relaxation of all muscles, nerves etc. It should be performed at the very end of your asana practice. (Mritasana is another name for this pose.)

Technique: Spread a soft blanket. Lie flat on your back. Keep the hands on the ground by the sides of your body. Stretch the legs quite straight. Let the feet drop outwards. Close the eyes and breathe slowly. Relax all the muscles, nerves, organs, etc. Start the relaxation process from the toes. Then proceed to the calf-muscles, muscles of the back, chest, arm, forearm and hands, neck, face etc. See that the abdominal organs, heart, chest and brain are also relaxed. Relax the plexus of nerves also. Now repeat OM, OM, and OM. Think of Atman. Meditate gently with a feeling of purity. Do not sleep. Continue the meditation for 15 minutes. You will enjoy perfect peace, ease, comfort and relaxation. Every one of you should enjoy it. Words are imperfect; they cannot adequately describe the feeling.

Benefits: Savasana combines pose and meditation. It gives relief, comfort and ease. After 15 minutes relaxation you will be wonderfully refreshed and rejuvenated. You will be more efficient and effective in whatever you do.

Relaxation is a very important factor in muscular exercises. The muscles that are put under severe strain demand relaxation and rest. It is savasana that promptly and efficiently ensures complete relaxation and rest. In halasana, sarvangasana, paschimottanasana, dhanurasana and ardha-matsyendrasana you know pretty well that all the muscles of the back- lattisssimus dorsi, psoas magnus and quadratus lumborum – the abdominus rectus, pectoralis major of the chest, biceps triceps, the deltoid of the arm and sartorius of the thighs are all stretched and contracted to an enormous degree. During intense muscular activity the metabolism is increased. Metabolism is the anabolic and catabolic changes that take place in the body (wear and tear in the system). Anabolic changes are constructive and catabolic changes are the destructive ones. During metabolism all the muscular tissues are supplied with fresh oxygenated blood or plasma through capillary oozing, and carbon-dioxide is taken back through the veins to the right auricle of the heart. This is termed tissue respiration. Just as interchange of oxygen and carbon-dioxide takes place in the lungs, so also interchange of carbon-dioxide and oxygen takes place in the tissues also. Mark the wonderful creation and working of the internal mechanism of the body. How marvelous is the machinery. Can a scientist make a single atom, a single cell, a single organ of the body? Bow with folded hands before the Creator of this wonderful mechanism of the body. Repeat OM, OM. Enter into silence. Meditate. The whole mystery of creation will be revealed unto you through His grace.

VARIETIES

1. Jeshthikasana:This is an exercise for relaxation like savasana. This must be done at the end of all the asanas. In this the hands are kept on the ground bythe sides of the head, while in savasana the hands are kept at the sides.

2. Adhvasana: Lie down quite flat, keeping the belly and chest on the ground. The hands will be at sides, palms facing upwards. Stretch the body well. This is a reverse pose of savasana with the same benefits. For some time keep the right cheek on the ground and for some time the left cheek.

3. Makarasana (Dolphin Pose):Lie on the ground face downwards as in adhvasana. Rest the forehead on the crossed wrists.

Mental Relaxation

Mental poise and calmness may be brought about by the eradication of worry and anger. Fear really underlies both worry and anger. Nothing is gained by worry and anger, but on the contrary much energy is wasted by these kinds of lower emotions. If a man worries much and if he is irritable, he is indeed a very weak man. Be careful and thoughtful. All unnecessary worries can be avoided. Relaxation of the muscles reacts on the mind and brings rest to the mind also. Body and mind are intimately connected.

Sit for 15 minutes in a relaxed and easy comfortable position. Close your eyes. Withdraw the mind from outside objects. Still the mind, Silence the bubbling thoughts. Think that the body is like a coconut shell and you are entirely different from the body. Think that the body is an instrument in your hands. Identify yourself with the all-pervading spirit or Atman. Imagine that the whole world and your body are floating like a piece of straw in this vast ocean of spirit. Feel that you are in touch with the Supreme Being. Feel that the life of the whole world is pulsating, vibrating and throbbing through you. Feel that the ocean of life is gently rocking you on its vast bosom. Then open your eyes. You will experience immense mental peace, mental vigour and mental strength.

Health Benefits of Sun Bathing / Sun Light

Health Benefits of Sun Bathing / Sun Light

The sun is the source of all energy and power. You derive energy and power from the sun. If the sun does not shine for a day or two on account of clouds, your vitality falls to a low level and you are not in good spirits. Flowers, plants, animals and men rejoice as soon as the sun rises above the horizon. The sun supplies energy to all plants and living beings and yet its energy is never exhausted. Its energy is inexhaustible because it derives its energy from the inexhaustible source – the Atman.

The rays of the sun bestow on us wonderful health. The Vedas have glorified the rising sun. Ayurveda has extolled its efficacy. The sages have sung its praise in a variety of ways.

Build your house on the western side of a river, lake or tank. Then you will daily enjoy the reflected light, which is more beneficial and potent than the direct rays. The rays of the rising sun are a blessing from God for the preservation of health as well as for the cure of diseases. The rays of the sun possess antiseptic and germicidal properties. Expose your blankets, bed-sheet, pillows and mattress to the sun once in fifteen days. In the rays of the sun you will find a cheap and easily available tonic, a disinfectant, an antiseptic and potent germicide.

Sunlight is a food. You can make Vitamin ‘D’ by exposing your naked body to the sun. The skin and the nerves will absorb the energies of the sunlight. The sunlight provides the heat needed to sustain life.

Sunlight as a healer of leprosy and various other skin diseases was known to the ancients. They built temples dedicated to the sun. The temple of Konarak was built upon a tradition that Samba, the son of Sri Krishna, was stricken with leprosy because he saw his father in the act of connubial pleasure. When entreated to be forgiven, Krishna asked Samba to worship the sun in order to be freed of the loathsome disease. Accordingly he did so and was cured. In Egypt, the sun god is Ra; in Greece, Apollo ‘in Phoenicia, the sun. In Syria also the sun and moon are worshipped. In France and Germany the peasants even now take off their hats to the rays of the sun. The sun is looked at and worshipped by Hindus when they take a bath in the morning.

The morning sun gives out ultra-violet rays, as does also the evening sun. If persons suffering from leprosy and other skin diseases strip themselves of all clothing and remain in the sun naked till their body is properly tanned, then the sun’s rays will penetrate their body and work wonders there. Only the head must be rotated from the sun. Besides leprosy, tuberculosis, rheumatism, obesity, anemia, neurasthenia, eczema, colds, coughs, rickets, diseases of the teeth, etc, can also be treated with the sun’s rays.

Wear a thin light garment and walk on the western bank of a river, on the west side of the sea, a lake or tank early in the morning at sunrise. Run also. You will doubtless enjoy a sunbath. Practice asanas and physical exercises in the sun. Expose your mouth to the rays of the rising sun. Open it wide. Let the rays penetrate your nostrils also. Close your eyes when you expose your mouth. Practice deep-breathing exercise and pranayama in the sun.

The various parts of the body should receive a regulated sun-bath. Turn the body round frequently. Bask in the sun. Expose your body to the rays of the sun for a short time. Lie down on the ground on blanket or lie on a cot. (If the rays are very hot, cover your back with a green plantain leaf.) This will prove useful in lumbago and rheumatism and diseases of the skin.

Have sunlight treatment for the eyes. You will have clear vision. You need not take recourse to spectacles. First, sit in the sun, Close your eyes. Slowly move your head from side to side. Let the sun shine directly on the closed eyelids for ten or thirty minutes. Let the sun shine directly on the closed eyelids for ten or thirty minutes. Let the eyeballs also move with the movement of the head, and not against. Now, turn your back to the sun or come into the shade. Do not open your eyes. Cover the eyes with the palms of the hands for five or ten minutes. This is palming. Have the sun treatment in the morning and evening, 7a.m. and 5p.m. Let the exposure of the eyes to the sun be gradual. When the eyes get accustomed to the light, you can gradually have stronger light.

The sages of yore who had knowledge of the curative power of the rays of the sun revealed the mysteries of the sun and its beneficial rays, and the uses of this radiant energy.

Even in the West, doctors are using the rays of the sun as a powerful therapeutic agent in the treatment of diseases. They call this heliotherapy. In the sanatoriums in the Alps the consumptive

Patients are directly exposed to the mild rays of the sun. In olden days in India babies were put in the cradle and their bare bodies exposed to the rising sun. In California and other parts of the West boys and girls now take sun-bath.

When comes the mysterious power in the sun which causes the seeds to germinate and flowers to turn into fruits? When comes this radiant energy in the sun which bestows wonderful health, power and vigour to living beings? Whence comes this power to heal? Whence comes the vital energy in the sun that invigorates and galvanizes the young and rejuvenates and vitalizes the old? Whence comes this vegetative vigour which enables the plants to synthesize the vitamins? The sun derives its power and energy from Atman or the Eternal, the Absolute, the Sun of suns, the Light of lights, the Source of everything , the first of all causes, the store-house of all energies. Brahman willed; the sun came into being to bestow health and happiness to all beings.

Repeat the twelve names of the sun at sunrise;

MITRAYA NAMAH, RAVAYE NAMAH, SURYAYA NAMAH, BHANAVE NAMAH,

KHAGAYA NAMAH, PUSHNE NAMAH, HIRANYAGARBHAYA NAMAH,

MARICAYE NAMAH, ADITYAYA NAMAH, SAVITRE NAMAH, ARKAYA NAMAH,

BHAASKARAYA NAMAH.

He who repeats this at sunrise will possess wonderful health, vigour and vitality. He will be free from any kind of disease of the eye. He will have powerful eyesight. Pray in the sun in the early morning before sunrise;

O Lord, Suryanarayana, the Eye of the world, the Eye of God,

Give me health and strength, vigour and vitalitry.

Repeat the prayer of the Isavasys Upanishad, slokas 15 and 16;

The face of Truth is covered by golden vessels. Remove, O Sun, the covering, so that I, who am devoted to truth, may behold it. O Pushan (nourisher of all), the only seer (sole traveler of the heavens), controller of all, Surya, son of Prajapati, disperse thyrays and gather up thy burning light; I behold thy glorious form, I am He, the purusha within Thee.

In the words of the Yajur Veda;

O Sun of suns you are all-energy, give me energy; you are all-strength, give me strength; you are all-powerful, give me power.

TYPES OF YOGA for all ages

TYPES OF YOGA for all ages

This is among the most practiced forms of yoga. Here, the aim is to get rid of anxieties or apprehensions that usually clutter our mind. This also includes letting go of one’s ego or desires that can often become compulsive or addictive. This kind of yoga is particularly useful for those who are struggling to let go of a disturbing part of their past.

JNANA YOGA

This is among the more advanced forms of yoga that is not meant for beginners or those struggling to get their focus right. Also referred to as the yoga of higher knowledge, Jnana Yoga teaches its followers to use the mind to transcend any bodily pain or conflict. This kind of yoga requires a lot of self-discipline and the ability to be honest with oneself. Meditation is an integral part of yoga here and often Jnana Yoga experts talk about liberating the mind. Here, the idea is not to gain more intelligence but to gain from greater self-realization. This requires deep meditation and often, months of practice.

MANTRA YOGA

As the title suggests, Mantra Yoga stresses upon voicing chants or prayers. This usually includes repeating typical sounds or mantras to alleviate the pain or psychological problems. A single phrase or word might have to be repeated endlessly. There is usually a way of recommending the syllables to a follower, based upon the kind of pain or problem and his overall, bodily constitution.

KUNDALINI YOGA

Considered one of the oldest, most effective forms of yoga, it is usually followed by yogic gurus. Kundalini Yoga has often engaged controversy too due to its slightly-confusing approach of combining abstinence and indulgence in sex. This form of yoga teaches going celibate to attain spiritual growth as sexual activities are regarded detrimental to self-introspection or enlightenment. Later, sexual interaction is used in a particular manner as a means of enhancing one’s spiritual gains. Also called Tantric Yoga, this branch of yoga stresses upon using the Kundalini—a kind of psychic energy that can be tapped if sexual restraint and indulgence are systematically used.

These are just some of the many types of Yoga practiced across the world. Some yoga forms have been modified and renamed by popular yoga gurus though the basic aim of every variation of yoga remains the same. Learning a bit about various types of yoga and finding a capable, learned yoga teacher is perhaps the first step towards approaching yoga, correctly.

Top 10 Morning and Evening Yoga|Health

Top 10 Morning and Evening Yoga|Health

Rolling Vinyasa (Part 1)

This strengthens the shoulders, triceps, back, and core, building stamina and boosting confidence and endurance. Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips, then tuck your toes under and straighten your legs to come into Downward Facing Dog.

Rolling Vinyasa (Part 2)

From here, start to round the spine beginning at the tailbone. Tuck the chin and roll forward until your shoulders are over your hands (imagine a wave starting at the base of your spine and rippling toward your head).

Rolling Vinyasa (Part 3)

Bend your elbows (keeping them tucked close to the body) and then lower your shoulders and arch your back into Upward Facing Dog. Now reverse the body roll. Starting with the base of your neck, round the back, as if you're pressing the spine against the ceiling. Roll back with a rounded spine, easing slowly into Downward Facing Dog. Do this exercise 3 to 5 times.

Floating Frog, Fighting Frog (Part 1)

This exercise strengthens core and shoulder muscles. It also heightens yang energy, so that you can confront fear, take risks, and move forward. Plus, it improves balance and agility, confidence, assertiveness, and teaches you to get up off the ground and go. Start in Downward Facing Dog. Bend your knees deeply, look between your hands, engage your abs.

Floating Frog, Fighting Frog (Part 2)

Then jump your feet to the outside of your hands into Frog pose.

Floating Frog, Fighting Frog

From there, pop up into a fighting stance -- arms and fists up, feet spread wide, knees bent, left foot in front of the right, as if you're hopping up onto a surfboard. Repeat this exercise 5 times.

Fighting Buddha (Part 1)

This exercise moves you through three states of being -- at peace, defending, and attacking -- without losing your center. Start with a wide, squatting straddle stance, with your toes pointed out and knees bent, hands in praye

Fighting Buddha (Part 2)

Shift your weight to the left, straightening the right leg and bending the right arm, drawing the left arm over your head.

Fighting Buddha (Part 3)

Then reverse, shifting your weight over your right knee, chambering the left arm and punching the right fist forward. Return to the starting position. Repeat 3 times.

This exercise helps maintain the natural curvature of the lower spine, which is often flattened by long periods of sitting; stretches the front of the spine and softens any tightness around the heart, which can feed imbalance; creates more space in the lungs, increasing your ability to receive breath, which also helps alleviate depression. Lie on your belly with elbows under shoulders. Look straight ahead. Hold for 3 minutes.

Sphinx Pose

This exercise helps maintain the natural curvature of the lower spine, which is often flattened by long periods of sitting; stretches the front of the spine and softens any tightness around the heart, which can feed imbalance; creates more space in the lungs, increasing your ability to receive breath, which also helps alleviate depression. Lie on your belly with elbows under shoulders. Look straight ahead. Hold for 3 minutes

Reclined Twist

This exercise settles the emotional body, creating a sense of calm, while toning and massaging the abdominal organs; opens the outer hips and lower back; aids digestion, elimination, and detoxification, helping restore your body's natural balance. Lie on your back with feet on the floor and knees bent. Cross left knee over the right and drop knees to the right, twisting the torso, keeping as much of your upper back as possible on the ground. If your knees don't come to the floor, place a blanket under them. Left arm stretches out straight along the floor; right hand rests over the torso. Look to the left. Stay 2 to 3 minutes twisted to each side.

Wide Child's Pose

This exercise relieves tension in the hips and lower back; draws attention inward; brings you in touch with your contemplative side; quiets the mind and calms the emotional body. Sit on your shins with your knees bent. Open your knees as wide as they will go (place a blanket underneath your shins if you need more cushioning). Fold forward and rest your head on your stacked palms -- with your arms bent and elbows out to the side. If you have a tight lower back and need more height, rest your forehead on a folded blanket. Stay 3 minutes.

Savasana

This exercise allows the body to rest and absorb the effects of the session; promotes relaxation, clarity, and calm. Lie on your back with a rolled-up blanket under your knees. Keep your legs separated. Let your arms rest about 6 inches from your body with your palms facing up. Close your eyes and feel your breath gently rise and fall on its own. Let your body sink slowly into the floor as your thoughts grow quiet. Stay in this position for at least 5 minutes, or longer if you like.

Best 27 minutes to improve memory

Best 27 minutes to improve memory

A new study shows mindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in eight weeks

Participating in an 8-week mindfulness meditation programme appears to make measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress. In a study that will appear in the January 30 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers report the results of their study, the first to document meditation-produced changes over time in the brain's grey matter.

"Although the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day," says Sara Lazar, PhD, of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program, the study's senior author. "This study demonstrates that changes in brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing."

Previous studies from Lazar's group and others found structural differences between the brains of experienced meditation practitioners and individuals with no history of meditation, observing thickening of the cerebral cortex in areas associated with attention and emotional integration. But those investigations could not document that those differences were actually produced by meditation.

For the current study, MR images were take of the brain structure of 16 study participants two weeks before and after they took part in the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. In addition to weekly meetings that included practice of mindfulness meditation - which focuses on nonjudgmental awareness of sensations, feelings and state of mind - participants received audio recordings for guided meditation practice and were asked to keep track of how much time they practiced each day. A set of MR brain images were also taken of a control group of non-meditators over a similar time interval.

Meditation group participants reported spending an average of 27 minutes each day practicing mindfulness exercises, and their responses to a mindfulness questionnaire indicated significant improvements compared with pre-participation responses. The analysis of MR images, which focused on areas where meditation-associated differences were seen in earlier studies, found increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection. Participant-reported reductions in stress also were correlated with decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress. Although no change was seen in a self-awareness-associated structure called the insula, which had been identified in earlier studies, the authors suggest that longer-term meditation practice might be needed to produce changes in that area. None of these changes were seen in the control group, indicating that they had not resulted merely from the passage of time.

"It is fascinating to see the brain's plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life." says Britta Hölzel, PhD, first author of the paper and a research fellow at MGH and Giessen University in Germany. "Other studies in different patient populations have shown that meditation can make significant improvements in a variety of symptoms, and we are now investigating the underlying mechanisms in the brain that facilitate this change."

Amishi Jha, PhD, a University of Miami neuroscientist who investigates mindfulness-training's effects on individuals in high-stress situations, says, "These results shed light on the mechanisms of action of mindfulness-based training. They demonstrate that the first-person experience of stress can not only be reduced with an 8-week mindfulness training programme but that this experiential change corresponds with structural changes in the amydala, a finding that opens doors to many possibilities for further research on MBSR's potential to protect against stress-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder." Jha was not one of the study investigators.

Source: India Syndicate based on release from Massachusetts General Hospital

Breathing Therapy | Seven Chakras function

Breathing Therapy | Seven Chakras function

The nose has a left and a right side; we use both to inhale and exhale.

Actually they are different; you would be able to feel the difference.
The right side represents the sun, left side represents the moon.
During a headache, try to close your right nose and use your left nose to breathe.
In about 5 mins, your headache will go?

If you feel tired, just reverse, close your left nose and breathe through your right nose.
After a while, you will feel your mind is refreshed.
Right side belongs to 'hot', so it gets heated up easily, left side belongs to 'cold'.
Most females breathe with their left noses, so they get "cooled off" faster.
Most of the guys breathe with their right noses, they get worked up.

Do you notice the moment we wake up, which side breathes faster? Left or right? ?
If left is faster, you will feel tired.
So, close your left nose and use your right nose for breathing, you will get refreshed quickly.
This can be taught to kids, but it is more effective when practiced by adults.
My friend used to have bad headaches and was always visiting the doctor.
There was this period when he suffered headache literally every night, unable to study.
He took painkillers, did not work.
He decided to try out the breathing therapy here: closed his right nose and breathed through his left nose.
In less than a week, his headaches were gone! He continued the exercise for one month.
This alternative natural therapy without medication is something that he has experienced.
So, why not give it a try?

Top 10 Health Benefits of Yoga for good health

Top 10 Health Benefits of Yoga for good health

Some people refer to it as a celerity fashion, others as a religious avenue, while to some as a life changing path. Yoga is known by all of the above mentioned names. There are renowned celebrities such as Madonna and Sting who can bear true testimony on the life transformational benefits of yoga. Millions of people around the world are already tapping into these benefits. However, to the pessimist, they still need convincing on the benefits of yoga. Some of the questions most often asked by many people is how yoga affects the mind? How it enhances positive development of the body?

There is no one pose that defines yoga but a combination of poses that are executed in sequences. In addition, there are different forms of yoga. Traditionally, religious leaders were the ones responsible for creating the different kinds of yoga. Nonetheless, some of the most practiced yoga in the world today are Hatha, Kundalini as well as Bikram yoga.

Whereas, some people tend to associate yoga with celebrity lifestyle, unknown to them is that yoga plays a big role in ensuring that your body is well safeguarded against the numerous lifestyle diseases that plague the present generations, for example, high blood pressure or hypertension, heart ailments, diabetes as well as anxiety. Discussed herein are top ten health benefits of yoga.

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1. Helps in reducing High Blood Pressure

Commonly referred to as hypertension, high blood pressure is a disease that affects millions of people around the world today. Nonetheless, research carried out recently by Prevention Research Center shows that yoga significantly reduces the occurrences of this ailment by a big margin.

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2. Helps in reducing and managing blood sugar level

Due to the bustles and hustles of the present society, not many people have the time to cook and eat right. As such there has been an upsurge in diabetes cases even in children. However, to help reduce and manage sugar levels in your body, you can engage in regular yoga exercise. This has been proven by a research study that was carried out the school of nursing in the United States. 23 of those who participated in the research showed that by applying Vinyasa yoga on a regular basis, the sugar level in your blood can reduce significantly.

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3. Helps in managing osteoporosis

By applying a series of yoga poses, you can in a way help manage osteoporosis. This has been proven in subjects suffering from the ailment who participated in the study.

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4. Helps in managing stress level

It is estimated that stress is the number one cause of illnesses such as depression. It is hard to avoid stress given the fast paced society that we are living in today. However, you can help manage stress levels by practicing yoga for a limited amount of time each day. Research carried out by the Ohio State University in 2010 shows that Hatha Yoga is a good exercise in reducing stress levels in the body.

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5. Helps in lowering heart rate

Heart diseases too are common amongst so many people worldwide given the lifestyle. Nevertheless, you can minimize your heart rate by practicing a series of yoga movements for a couple of minutes each day. Unknown to a majority of people is that when the heart rate lowers, less amount of pressure is applied to the heart.

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6. Helps in increasing metabolism rate

To avoid gaining that extra pound, you need to find a way of increasing the metabolism rate so that excess fat is burnt and that is what yoga does to your body. In particular, yoga meditation helps in increasing the body’s metabolism rate. This has been shown by a study conducted by Institute of Medicine in Germany.

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7. Yoga aids in helping you cut weight

Weight is a major issue that a majority of people globally are grappling with. If you want to shed some of those extra kilos in you then start practicing yoga.

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8. Yoga enhances your posture

It is a known fact that having a good posture is beneficial to your health as it helps in minimizing cases of back pains. Yoga as an exercise routine can aid in enabling you achieve the proper posture.

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9. Yoga aids in enhancing your respiratory system

For those persons who have issues with breathing, yoga can help them by improving the way they breathe. By practicing sets of yoga movements, you will find out with time that there is some improvement in your respiratory system.

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10. Yoga helps in relieving pain

Issues such as lower back pains can be minimized by practicing yoga on a regular basis.

Top 10 Yoga Asana to relief Asthma & Benefits

Top 10 Yoga Asana to relief Asthma & Benefits

In this condition, the airways of the lungs are constricted, causing tightness in the chest, bouts of coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulties. The inflammation of the air passages can become chronic. Asthma is usually caused by allergies or stress. Yoga has come a long way to heal and manage asthma.

Ten yoga exercises indicated below:

1. DANDASANA:

1. Sit with your spine erect and your knees bent. Position the blocks on their broad sides on either side of your hips. Then place your palms on the blocks.  Sit on your buttock bones.

2. Straighten each leg, one at a time, and join the inner sides of your legs and feet. Lengthen the calf muscles, and stretch your knees and toes. Keep your knees straight. Press your palms down on the blocks and stretch your elbows and arms.

3. Lift your abdomen, freeing the diaphragm of tension. Hold the pose for 1 minute. Beginners may find it easier to separate their feet slightly, and should hold the pose for just 30 seconds.

BENEFITS

• Improves digestion

• Tones the kidneys

• Helps to prevent sciatic pain

• Stretches and activates the muscles of the legs

• Prevents tiredness in the feet by stretching the muscles of the feet

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2. BADDHAKONASANA :

1. Sit on a bolster placed at right angles to your body. Place a side of your hips. Sit in Dandasana. Bend your knees and join both soles together. Pull your heels closer to the bolster. Beginners may find it easier to use a bolster positioned parallel to the hips.

2. Push your knees away from each other and lower them gradually onto the blocks. Open out your chest and draw in the abdomen. Initially, hold the pose for 1 minute. Gradually increase the duration of the asana to 5 minutes.

BENEFITS

• Stimulates the heart and improves circulation in the entire body

• Tones the spine, and the abdominal and pelvic organs

• Prevents hernia

• Alleviates sciatica and varicose veins

• Reduces menstrual pain, irregular periods, and leukorrhoea

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3. UPAVISTA KONASANA :

1. Sit against a wall. Then sit in Dandasana with your shoulders and back touching the wall. Keep your back erect. Sit on your buttock bones. Place your palms on the floor, beside your hips, fingers pointing forward. Look straight ahead.

2. Press your palms down on the floor to push your torso upward. Exhale, and spread your legs as far apart as possible. Use your hands, one by one, to help you push your legs even further out to the sides.

3. Move your hands behind your buttocks, and place both palms on the floor. Press your heels and highs down on the floor. Lift your waist and the sides of your torso. Rotate your thighs to the front so that the kneecaps face the ceiling. Shift your weight from the buttocks to the pelvic bone. Stretch each leg from thigh to heel. Hold the pose for 30 - 40 seconds.

BENEFITS

• Helps to treat arthritis of the hips

• Relieves sciatic pain

• Helps to prevent and relieve hernia

• Massages the organs of the reproductive system

• Stimulates the ovaries, regulates menstrual flow, and relives menstrual disorders

• Corrects a prolapsed uterus or bladder

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4. VIRASANA :

1. Place 2 bolsters parallel to each other on the floor. Kneel on the bolsters, keeping your knees together. Place the rolled blanket on your shins, and the folded blanket under your buttocks. Sit with your back upright.

2. Keep your chest stretched out. Imagine you are squeezing your kidneys and drawing them into the body. Place your palms on your knees. Look straight ahead. Stay in the pose for 30 - 60 seconds.

BENEFITS

• Reduces stiffness in the hip joints.

• Reduces inflammation in the blood vessels of the legs caused by standing for long periods.

• Alleviates pain or inflammation in the knees and tones knee cartilage

• Relieves gout and rheumatic pain

• Tones the hamstring muscles

• Strengthens the arches of the feet, and relieves pain in the calves, ankles, and heels

• Helps to correct calcaneal spurs and flat feet

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5. SUPTA BADDHAKONASANA :

1. Sit in Dandasana. Place a bolster behind you, its short end against your buttocks, and place a folded blanket on its far end. Place 2 wooden blocks on their broad sides on either side of your hips. Bend your knees, and join the soles of your feet together. Draw your heels toward your groin. Buckle the belt and loop it over your shoulders.

2. Bring the belt down to below your waist. Pass it under both feet to stretch it over your ankles and the insides of the thighs. Move your feet closer to your groin. The belt should feel neither too tight nor too slack, so adjust the buckle accordingly. Make sure that the end of the bolster touches your buttocks. Position a block under each thigh.

3. Place your elbows on the floor, and lower your head and back onto the bolster.  Make sure that the bolster comfortably supports the length of your back and your head. Your spine should be on the centre of the bolster. Stretch your arms out to the sides, with the palms facing the ceiling. Relax, and extend your groin out to the sides. Feel the expansion of the pelvis, and the release of tension in your ankles and knees. Initially, With practice, increase the duration to 5 - 10 minutes.

BENEFITS

• Regulates blood pressure

• Prevents hernia as the hips and groin become more supple

• Relieves varicose veins and sciatica

• Reduces the pain caused by haemorrhoids

• Relives indigestion and flatulence

• Tones the kidneys

• Improves blood circulation in the ovarian region, and is particularly beneficial during puberty and menopause

• Alleviates menstrual pain and leukorrhoea

• Corrects a prolapsed uterus

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6. SUPTA VIRASANA :

1. Kneel in Virasana and place a bolster behind you, the short end touching your buttocks. Place a rolled blanket on the far end. Make sure that the inner sides of your feet touch hips. Keep your back straight. Place your fingers on the floor beside your toes.

2. Press your palms on the floor, bend both elbows, and lean back toward the bolster. Place your elbows and forearms, one at a time, on the floor. Gradually lower your back onto the bolster. To avoid strain in the pelvic area or the thighs, ensure that your knees remain firmly on the floor.

3. Once you lower your back onto the bolster, rest the back of your head on the rolled blanket. Keep your chest fully expanded. Press your shoulder blades down on the bolster to lift your chest . Extend your toes and ankles toward the bolster. Push your feet closer to your hips with your hands. Extend the pelvis, and press your thighs close together.

4. Move your arms out to the sides, with the palms facing upward. Extend your neck, but keep your throat relaxed. Drop your eyelids down gently. Experience the relaxation of the thighs and the abdomen, and the lift of the chest. Feel the continuous stretch from the cervical spine to the tailbone. Initially, stay in the pose for 1 minute. With practice, increase the duration to 5 - 10 minutes.

BENEFITS

• Helps to prevent arterial blockages by gently massaging and strengthening the heart and increasing coronary blood flow

• Increases the elasticity of lung tissue

• Enhance the elasticity of lung tissue

• Enhances resistance to infections

• Relieves indigestion, acidity, and flatulence

• Corrects a prolapsed uterus, and tones the pelvic organs

• Reduces inflammation in the knees, and relieves gout and rheumatic pain

• Relieves pain in the legs and feet and rests them, alleviating the effects of long hours of standing

• Helps to correct flat feet

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7. SETUBANDHA SARVANGASANA :

1. Place a folder blanket on one end of the bench. Place a bolster on the floor in line with the bench, and touching one end of it. Place a folded blanket on the bolster. Then sit on the blanket on the bench, with your legs stretched out. Place a yoga belt under your thighs and bind it round the middle of your thighs.

2. Exhale, and lower your back toward the bolster. Press each palm down on the floor on either side of the bolster, your fingers pointing forward. Both arms should support your upper back. Keep your thighs, knees, and feet close together, your heels on the bench, and your toes pointing upward. Lower your arms to the floor.

3. Slide further down, until the back of your head and your shoulders rest on the bolster. Straighten your legs, keeping your feet together. Stretch the heels and toes away from the torso to increase the stretch of the legs. Extend your arms to the sides on the floor, with the palms facing the ceiling. Hold the pose for 3 minutes. Gradually increase the time to 5 - 8 minutes.

BENEFITS

• Helps to prevent arterial blockages or cardiac arrest by resting the heart muscles and increasing blood circulation to the arteries

• Combats fluctuating blood pressure, hypertension, and depression by soothing the brain and expanding the chest

• Relieves eye or ear ailments, migraine, stress-related headaches, nervous exhaustion, and insomnia

• Improves digestion and strengthens the abdominal organs

• Relieves backache, strengthens the spine, and relieves neck strain

• Helps to rest tired legs and prevent varicose veins

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8. ADHOMUKHA SVANASANA :

1. Stand in Tadasana facing a wall, about 1m (3.5 ft) away from it. Place 2 of the blocks on their broad sides, shoulder- idth apart, against the wall. Place the third block on its long side, 45cm (18in) away from the wall. Separate your feet to a distance of 45cm(18in). Kneel, and place your palms on the two blocks against the wall.

2. Press your palms down on the blocks and walk your feet back, until they are 1.2m (4ft) away from your hands. Make sure that your feet are in line with your hands and the same distance apart. Raise both heels, stretch your legs, then lower your heels to the floor. Stretch your arms fully.

3. Consciously stretch each leg from heel to buttock, and from the front of the ankle to the top of the thigh. Raise your buttocks, stretch your chest, and push your sternum toward your hands. Exhale, then rest your head on the third block. Press your hands down on the blocks,extending your arms fully. Stretch your spine and expand your chest. Keep your throat soft and elongated. Relax your eyes and keep your brain passive.

BENEFITS

• Tones and relaxes the nervous system, helping to relieve depression and anxiety

• Cures breathlessness, palpitation, extreme fatigue, and sunstroke

• Stabilizes blood pressure and heart rate

• Helps relieve chronic constipation, indigestion, and excess bile formation

• Relieves arthritis in the shoulders, wrists, fingers

• Reduces lower backache

• Increase the flexibility of the hip, knee, and ankle joints, and strengthens the ligaments and tendons of the legs

• Counters the damage to the cartilage of the knee or hamstring muscles, caused by jogging, walking, and other sports

• Strengthens the arches of the feet and prevents calcaneal spurs

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9. UTTANASANA :

1. Stand in Tadanasana. Separate your legs to a distance of 30cm (1ft). Keep your feet parallel to each other, with the toes pointing forward. Pull up your kneecaps.

2. Inhale and raise your arms toward the ceiling, your palms facing forward. Push your spine up.

3. Bend from the waist toward the floor. To increase the stretch of your spine, vital for correct practice, press your heels down on the floor.

4. Rest the crown of your head on the blocks in front of you, and place your palms on the blocks beside your feet. Pull in your kneecaps. Extend your hamstrings and pull your inner legs upward. Feel one single stretch from the crown of your head to your heels. Hold the pose for 1 minute.

BENEFITS

• Reduces depression if practiced regularly

• Cures insomnia and relieves fatigue

• Increases blood flow to the brain, soothing the brain cells and sympathetic nervous system

• Regulates blood pressure

• Relieves migraine and stress-related headaches

• Tones the abdominal organs

• Relieves stomachache by neutralizing acidity

• Strengthens and stretches the hamstring muscles

• Increases the flexibility of the hip joint

• Strengthens the knee joint and its surrounding tissue and muscles

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10. TADASANA SAMASTHITHI :

1. Stand in your bare feet on a smooth and even surface. Keep your feet together, with your heels touching the wall. Beginners may find it easier to keep their feet 5 cm (2in) apart.

2. Stretch your arms along your sides, with the palms facing your thighs, and your fingers pointing to the floor. Stretch your neck upward, keeping the muscles soft and passive.

3. Distribute your weight evenly on the inner and outer edges of your feet, and on your toes and heels. Tighten your kneecaps and open the back of each knee. Turn in the front of your thighs. Tighten your buttocks. Pull in your lower abdomen, and lift your chest.

4. Keep your head erect and look straight ahead.Breathe evenly and with awareness. Experience your body and mind as an integrated whole and feel the surge of energy. Stay in the pose for 30 - 60 seconds.

BENEFITS 

• Helps to treat depression

• Improves incorrect posture

• Strengthens the knee joints

• Revitalizes the feet and corrects flat feet

• Reduces sciatic pain

• Prevents haemorrhoids

• Improves bladder control

• Tones and lifts the pelvis and abdomen

Top Meditation Techniques and Pain Management

Top Meditation Techniques and Pain Management

Researchers agree – meditation can help with a host of health problems. “Relaxing and quieting your mind by focusing on your breathing can reduce stress – even the stress that comes with arthritis flares,” says David E. Yocum, MD, director of the Arizona Arthritis Center in Tucson. His studies, as well as others, found that patients who meditated responded to stress with lower heart rates, better hormonal changes and improved immune function; and that meditation, in combination with traditional medicines, appears to help arthritis patients. People who meditate tolerate pain better, he adds.

Want to try some easy meditation techniques? Here are some you can do every day. Sit or lie in a quiet room, imagining your body is flowing with energy – feel it flowing through your fingers, up and down your back and all over your body. If there are places where you feel pain, concentrate on imagining the energy flowing through those areas easily, until you can feel energy flowing freely all over your body.

Yoga breathing. Each morning and evening, start and end your day with a two-minute session of focused breathing. Sit in a comfortable chair that supports your back, relax, inhale for four seconds and then exhale for six seconds.    

Walking meditation. If your doctor has OK’d a walking program, you can turn it into a meditation routine, suggests Andrea J. Cohen, MD, associate professor of medicine and director of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Program at the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Denver. Instead of listening to pop music through headphones, thinking about your to-do list or chatting, focus intently on your body’s movements as you walk, she says. It’s that simple.    

Guided imagery. Relax in a comfortable position as you listen to a voice that helps you focus on a beautiful scene or visualize your “helper” cells healing your joints. Dr. Cohen recommends the guided imagery tapes and CDs at www.joanborysenko.com and www.healthjourneys.com. Focus on a word, phrase, prayer, sound or piece of music. Meditate for a few minutes but aim to work up to 20 minutes per session and two sessions per day. This focusing meditation can be done while you’re walking or sitting in a comfortable chair.          

Mindful meditation. Focus on being in the moment, or on a specific feeling. Many hospitals have programs that use this method of quieting thoughts. It’s a good idea to have at least one lesson to learn how to do it, says Dr. Cohen. After that, books and CDs like Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life (Hyperion Press, 1994) by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, can be helpful.  

Transcendental meditation. People with arthritis who learn to use transcendental meditation are likely to have milder and easier-to-control flares, says D. Edwards Smith, MD, rheumatologist and president of the Maharishi College of Vedic Medicine in Fairfield, Iowa. The learned meditation is performed while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed for 15 to 20 minutes in the morning and evening. During this state, the mind “transcends” all mental activity to open the state of consciousness.

SURYANAMASKAR-STEPS-BENEFITS for HEALTH

 

SURYA NAMASKAR/GREAT EXCERCISE IN YOGA

If you're looking for a simple, enjoyable way to start your day that provides a diverse range of health benefits, consider practicing Surya Namaskar. Surya Namaskar is a special sequence of yoga postures and chants that together comprise the traditional Sun Salutation.

Origins in Hindu worship of the solar deity, and it has been practiced in India for thousands of years. There are twelve poses in the Surya Namaskar series, and a full round consists of performing two sets of this series. During the second set, practitioners move the opposite leg from the one involved in movement during the first set.

Whether you regularly practice yoga or not, you can enjoy the health benefits of Surya Namaskar. Performed correctly, it is a completely safe set of yoga poses that will not cause strain or injury. You will experience health benefits by practicing the Sun Salutation just once daily, but you can also practice the series of poses as often as you like morning, noon or night.

Once you become familiar with Surya Namaskar and how wonderful it makes you feel, you will probably find yourself drawn to performing it multiple times throughout the day, including just before bedtime. When practiced in the morning, Surya Namaskar relieves stiffness, energizes the body and refreshes the mind. During the day, it is a rejuvenating alterative to caffeine, and at night, Surya Namaskar can help you relax and get a good night's sleep.

STEP	IMAGE	ASANA	BREATH
1		Pranamasana (Prayer pose)	EXHALE
2		Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose)	INHALE
3		Hastapaadasana (Standing Forward Bend pose)	EXHALE
4		Aekpaadprasarnaasana (Equestrian pose)	INHALE
5		Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)	EXHALE
6		Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with the Eight Limbs pose)	SUSPEND
7		Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)	INHALE
8		Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)	EXHALE
9		Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)	INHALE
10		Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend pose)	EXHALE
11		Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose)	INHALE
12		Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)	EXHALE

 STEPS to STEPS

 

 

BENEFITS

Key health benefits of yoga in a very succinct package. It is a holistic exercise that provides physical health benefits, but also mental or emotional as well as spiritual benefits. The obvious advantage of Surya Namaskar is the workout it provides for the muscles, but it also benefits joints, ligaments and the skeletal system by improving posture, flexibility and balance.

In addition to these physical benefits, Surya Namaskar practice stimulates and conditions virtually every system in the body. It is good for the heart and stimulates the cardiovascular system. It oxygenates the blood and helps strengthen the heart. Surya Namaskar is good for the digestive system and the nervous system. It stimulates the lymphatic system and supports respiratory system health, as well.

Practicing Surya Namaskar also benefits the Endocrine system and enables the various endocrinal glands to function properly. These include the thyroid, parathyroid and pituitary glands as well as the adrenal gland, testes and ovaries.

Like most forms of exercise, Surya Namaskar provides mental benefits to regular practitioners. You will feel wonderful after performing the Sun Salutation. It is relaxing and rejuvenating, and tension, stress and anxiety melt away as you perform Surya Namaskar.

Surya Namaskar is an excellent alternative to caffeine and other stimulants. If you suffer from insomnia or sleep disturbances, you will find practicing Surya Namaskar aids in helping you fall asleep without the need for depressants.

With regular practice, Surya Namaskar is an excellent way to manage stress and alleviate depression. You will expend a tremendous amount of energy as you move through the two sets of poses. Surya Namaskar teaches you to concentrate, and learning to achieve the poses is incredibly gratifying.