Which Styles of Yoga Should You Try?

:: by Gaiam Staff

Whether you’re looking for a way to cross-train and boost athletic performance — or just want to reintroduce your fingers to your toes — yoga offers something for all. But not every style of yoga is for everyone.

Although most physical forms of yoga practice share similarities, knowing the nuances can help you get started on the right foot, fit your practice to your priorities and physical condition, expand your awareness and make your yoga practice more rewarding.

A few yoga basics

The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word ‘yug’ meaning union. It signifies both the path to discovery of the soul and the union with it. A spiritual and physical art, yoga unites the mind, body and soul in its aim to reach a perfect state in which the mind is clear, the soul turns inward and the body is pure and strong.

Yoga offers a myriad of benefits. On the physical level, yoga gives relief from countless ailments of the body and is an excellent form of cross-training, building flexibility, balance and strength, and body awareness than can help with reaction time and agility. For the mind and spirit, yoga can help improve focus, concentration, confidence and your ability to handle stressful, challenging situations with calm and presence of mind. Many find that it can also steady the emotions and encourage compassion and kindness.

A primer on yoga styles

Kripalu, Kundalini, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Sivananda, Bikram; which is for you? Although the names may cast more confusion than light on this ancient practice, a beginner can find the best yoga path with a little information and some knowledge of their own physical goals.

Most of the yoga practiced in the West falls under the broad classification of Hatha yoga. When people say they are taking a yoga class, they usually mean they are learning the poses (or asanas) and breathing techniques of Hatha yoga. Each of the following yoga practices shares roots in Hatha yoga and a common focus on awareness, relaxation and conscious breathing — yet each follows its own unique yoga path.

Iyengar Yoga

The Path: Yogi B.K.S. Iyengar developed a style of yoga emphasizing body placement and alignment. The style incorporates “props” to support postures and accommodates students of varying degrees of fitness and flexibility. Items such as yoga blocks or bricks (which “raise” the floor) or cotton yoga straps (which aid in stretching) are helpful to students with injuries, weakness or inflexibility. Iyengar instructors pay close attention to the details of body alignment which leads to precise, dynamic asanas. Classes are slower due to the concentration given to each pose and the focus necessary to perform them correctly.

Who it’s best for: Iyengar yoga is ideal for newcomers who may enjoy assistance with more challenging poses.

Ashtanga Yoga

The Path: The most dynamic and vigorous form of yoga, Ashtanga approaches yoga with a continuous flow of movement. Top athletes who seek a more intense workout enjoy this form of yoga, sometimes called vinyasa or power yoga. Ashtanga creates heat in the body to purge it of toxins. Students perform a variety of asanas interspersed with Sun Salutations (set sequence of poses executed rapidly). The emphasis in Ashtanga yoga is flexibility, strength and endurance.

Who it’s best for: Ashtanga classes are best for those seeking physical and spiritual gains from yoga and for those fit and flexible enough to link poses in rapid succession.

Kundalini Yoga

The Path: Kundalini is derived from the Indian word kundal, which means, “lock of hair from the beloved.” The uncoiling of this “hair” (often referred to as a serpent) is the awakening of the kundalini, the creative energy stored in the base of the spine in all humans. Kundalini yoga practice aims to activate this energy through breath, poses, chanting and meditation. Several forms of breathing techniques are used to clear the system and allow energy to flow into the chakras, or energy centers located in the body.

Who it’s best for: Practitioners embrace Kundalini as a holistic form of yoga that applies to all aspects of life and does not focus exclusively on fitness.

Sivananda Yoga

The Path: Sivananda yoga integrates many forms of yoga, including a traditional Hatha approach. More than just a set of poses, Sivananda weaves a five-point philosophy into every class, including principles of relaxation, exercise, breathing, diet and positive thinking. Classes follow a sequence of breathing exercises, a routine of postures and deep relaxation and meditation.

Who it’s best for: Newcomers seeking a familiar series of poses and a spiritual boost through meditation and chanting will enjoy the supportive atmosphere of Sivananda classes.

Bikram Yoga

The Path: Rising in popularity, Bikram yoga, developed by Bikram Choudhury, uses rooms heated above 105 degrees with about 40% humidity and repeated postures in the workouts. Classes are demanding, even in beginning practice, employing the same 26 postures and two pranayama breathing techniques. Bikram shuns the use of props and avoids demonstration of the asanas in class: students are expected to learn poses by watching and listening to the instructor. Students swear by the results of the disciplined, highly-focused classes.

Who it’s best for: Enthusiasts of action-oriented, high-endurance fitness routines are most likely to gain satisfaction from this challenging form of yoga.

For the the original article please click below
[http://life.gaiam.com/article/which-styles-yoga-should-you-try] republished courtesy of Gaiam Life. 

The Benefits of Yoga

A primer for beginning yoga students, plus the benefits of more advanced exercise

:: by Ashley Dodson

The benefits of yoga provide both instant gratification and lasting transformation. In the fitness world, both are extremely important. Too much time with too few results can be incredibly discouraging, and monotonous routines week after week can lead to stagnation. Yoga can change your physical and mental capacity quickly, while preparing the mind and body for long-term health.

Yoga is for everyone

Most yoga studios and local gyms offer yoga classes that are open to all generations and fitness levels. It’s exciting to enter a room full of young teens, athletes, middle-aged moms, older gentlemen and even fitness buffs and body builders. Everyone can feel accepted and included and, unlike other sports or classes that focus on niche clients, yoga tends to have open arms. Whether you like to say "Om" or you can’t stand the word “yogi;” whether you are 92, 53, or even 12, yoga can help you.

Yoga encourages overall health and wellness

Yoga is not just about working out, it’s about a healthy lifestyle. The practice of yoga allows students to be still in a world consumed with chaos. Peace and tranquility achieved through focused training appeals to everyone.
Yoga’s deep breathing and meditation practices help foster an inner shift from to-do lists, kids and spouse’s needs, financial concerns and relational struggles to something a little bit bigger than the issues you face. Yoga helps relieve stress and unclutter the mind, and helps you get more focused.

Yoga has many faces

One of the benefis of yoga is that you can choose a yoga style or practice that is tailored to your lifestyle, such as hot yoga, power yoga, relaxation yoga, prenatal yoga, etc. Whether you prefer you're at home, in a private session, watching a DVD or at a studio or gym, there are a huge variety of options available to suit your goals and needs.
If you are a yoga beginner, Hatha yoga, which focuses on basic postures at a comfortable pace, would be great for you. If you want to increase strength through using more of your own body’s resistance, power yoga may be right for you.
If you are ready for a deeper practice, Advanced Yoga, or Bikram, also called “hot yoga,” may be just what you are looking for. In Bikram yoga, the room temperature is set to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in greater elimination of toxins from the body through the increased production of sweat. No matter your fitness level, fat percentage, or health history, yoga has a place for you.

Strength training and flexibility

Yoga’s focus on strength training and flexibility is an incredible benefit to your body. The postures are meant to strengthen your body from the inside-out, so you don’t just look good, you feel good too. Each of the yoga poses is built to reinforce the muscles around the spine, the very center of your body, which is the core from which everything else operates. When the core is working properly, posture is improved, thus alleviating back, shoulder and neck pain.
The digestive system gets back on track when the stretching in yoga is coupled with a healthy, organic diet, which can relieve constipation, irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and acid reflux. Another one of the benefits of yoga is that stretching and holding of postures also causes muscles to lengthen, which gives the body a longer, leaner look.

How does power yoga build muscle?

A more advanced form of yoga can amplify these effects. Adapted from the basic Ashtanga yoga, power yoga requires increased amounts of energy, focus and strength. Although power yoga is an evolvement of the basics, it certainly is not a basic course.
But how does it help build muscle? Deeper, more focused participation is required, because most poses are held for five full breaths versus the usual one to three breaths. Muscles are challenged as the mind and body have to work together simultaneously to hold a position or continue a succession without giving up. Breathing, posing, moving and increasing flexibility happen all together at one time, which solicits a new level of discipline in your mind and body.

Power yoga and the core

Isometric exercises are one of the best ways to build core strength. Isometric, stemming from the words “same” and “length,” simply translates to holding one position without moving. Power yoga uses isometric exercises along with other postures that are designed to make the core and back stronger. Flexibility and balance stem from your core, so it is very important to train this area of the body. In turn, you can increase the strangth and health of your entire body. Generally a higher-temperature room is used in this practice to help keep the muscles warm and release additional toxins from the body.

Power yoga’s effect on the total body

Here's a list of some of the most beneficial aspects of power yoga:

• It increases endurance, strength and flexibility.

• Mental endurance and physical stamina are tested through holding postures for extended breaths.

• Arm and shoulder strength is multiplied as you use your own body weight for resistance.

• Lats and other back muscles begin to support the spine better than before.

• Abdominals and obliques are refined and sharpened through building core muscles.

• Poor and average posture begins to correct itself over time.

• Hip flexors are stretched and rebuilt.

• Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves are tightened and lengthened where they need to be.

No matter what ails your aching body, or if you would like to take your fitness to a higher level, power yoga's ability to build muscles has an undeniably commendable effect on the total body.

For the the original article please click below
[http://life.gaiam.com/article/benefits-yoga] republished courtesy of Gaiam Life. 

How to Relieve Indigestion with Yoga

6 step-by-step yoga poses for indigestion relief

:: by Amber Angelle

We have all been there: You eat a spicy meal, or maybe just too much, and suddenly you’re bloated from indigestion. Although it isn’t a serious health condition, indigestion can be extremely uncomfortable. Fortunately, some simple yoga poses will not only provide relief but will also help prevent indigestion in the future.

Step 1: Yogasana

Yogasana massages your abdominal muscles and improves digestion.

• Sit in the Lotus posture, legs crossed, with each foot resting on the opposite thigh.

• Inhale and exhale, then bend forward, lowering your forehead to the ground.

• While still bent, clasp your hands behind your back and stay in the pose for 20 seconds.

• Continue to breathe.

Step 2: Spinal twist

This pose aids digestion by making it easier for food to move through the intestines.

• Sit on the ground with your left leg extended in front of you.

• Cross your right leg over the left and rest the sole of the right foot on the outside of your left knee.

• Twist your body to the left as far as is comfortable, and put the palms of your hands on the ground to the left as well.

• Remain in that position for 10 seconds as you inhale and exhale freely.

Repeat the pose on your right side.

Step 3: Cobra

This posture stretches the abdominal muscles, stimulates circulation, improves digestion and relieves constipation.

• Lie on your stomach with your arms bent, elbows toward the body, palms down in front of the shoulders.

• Inhale and raise your head, neck and back as you straighten your arms. You can bend your head back or look straight ahead.

• Stay in that position for 10 seconds, then lower yourself to the ground as you exhale.

Step 4: Supine thunderbolt

This is a great pose that stretches your whole body and increases circulation.

• Kneel on the floor and lower your butt until it is resting between your heels.

• Exhale and lower your back until your elbows touch the ground.

• Remain in the pose for a few seconds, then lower your back all the way until it is flat, or as flat as possible, on the ground.

• Fold your arms above your head and remain in that position for up to 30 seconds and keep breathing deeply.

Step 5: Supported plough

This pose exercises the abdominal muscles, aids digestion and relieves constipation.

• Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides.

• Lift your legs up. The backs of your upper arms should remain on the ground with your elbows bent and hands against your ribs for support.

• Continue to lower your legs behind your head until your toes rest on the floor.

• Hold this pose for six seconds. Do not hold your breath.

Step 6: Abdominal uplift

This yoga position promotes healthy digestion and gives your abdominal muscles a bit of a workout.

• On an empty stomach, place your feet apart with knees bent.

• Resting your hands on your thighs, bend forward and breathe out through your nose.

• Press your hands down firmly, and without breathing in, use your abdominal muscles to bring in your abdomen toward your back.

• Hold for five seconds.

Repeat three times.

For the the original article please click below
[http://life.gaiam.com/article/how-relieve-indigestion-yoga] republished courtesy of Gaiam Life.

5 Yoga Poses to Fire Up Your Sex Life

Ignite your intimacy

:: by

Polly Campbell

Yoga tones your body, reduces stress and ramps up physical energy, but did you know that yoga can also help fire up your sex life?

Sure can. Many poses increase circulation to the pelvic region, says Kate Hanley, a yoga teacher, author and founder of MsMindbody.com. That makes the whole region more “alive,” which can lead to a more satisfying time in the sack.
           
Yoga also helps you relax and be more open, both physically and emotionally, says Amy Weintraub, founder of the LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute and author of Yoga for Depression.

“Yoga releases the emotional and physical constrictions we have around life’s challenges,” Weintraub says. “And it takes you to a place where you are more receptive to all things, which also helps you become more open and receptive to intimacy.”
                                 
So, which yoga poses can help heat things up in the bedroom? Here are five that Weintraub and Hanley say can fire up your sex life.   

1. Sat Kriya Meditation
Sit with your heels against your buttocks. Chin facing out, hands interlaced and raised over your head and elbows near your ears, focus on lifting and lowering your pelvic floor. Repeat the mantra “Sat Nam.” When you chant “Sat,” pull your navel in and visualize energy entering your body. When you say “Nam,” imagine the energy releasing.

What it does: Balances and distributes the body’s energy. Increases vitality. Strengthens perineum and other core muscles. Generates heat. Jump-starts sexual energy.

2. Sphinx Pose
In this back-bending pose, you lie face-down with your legs, pelvis, belly and forearms against the mat. Your chest is elevated and you’re gazing straight ahead. Allow the weight of your pelvis to sink into the floor while repeating the mantra “Vam” — sounds like “vvvmmm” — with emphasis on the V, which creates a deeply felt vibration in the core of the pelvis region.

What it does: Stretches back muscles and strengthens core. Boosts libido and mood. Increases feelings of vitality.

3.  Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclining Bound Angle Pose
Sit with knees bent and the soles of the feet touching. Use rolled-up blankets or towels under each thigh for support and lie back until your upper back and head are also resting on neatly folded towels or blankets. Hands can lie flat on the belly with the thumbs and index fingers touching to form a triangle, or you can let your arms lie on the floor alongside your torso, with palms facing up. Stay in this pose for two or three minutes, allowing your body to relax and sink into the floor.

What it does: Stretches inner thigh and groin muscles. Gently increases circulation in the pelvis, opens the hips and the heart. Promotes deep relaxation. Relieves stress. In this pose, people often shed layers of anxiety and tend to feel a natural openness and sense of intimacy, Weintraub says.      

4. Upavista Konasana or Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend
Sit on the floor, legs straight and opened into a wide angle. Toes are pointing up toward the ceiling. Keep your back straight and fingers or palms pressed on floor. Or, you can rotate your pelvis to fold forward at the hips, walking your fingers forward until your hands are on the floor in front of you as far as you can comfortably reach.

What it does: Improves flexibility and blood flow to the lower half of the body.

5. Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward-Facing Dog
Begin on your hands and knees. Work to straighten your legs by lifting your hips toward the ceiling. Keep your arms straight, hands flat on the mat. Your buttocks should be pointed toward the ceiling, legs straight, and heels reaching down toward the floor (they may not reach the floor, and that's fine). Your body looks like an inverted V.

What it does: Boosts confidence and muscle tone. “It's also kind of sexy in and of itself, as your butt is in the air and you're feeling strong, long and relaxed,” Hanley says. Downward-Facing Dog will also ease muscle tension in your back and improve overall flexibility, which can only enhance your sexual creativity.

Ignite your intimacy
For both beginners and experienced practitioners, any of these poses, with regular practice, will improve flexibility and heighten body awareness, which makes for a steamy, sensual time between the sheets. And, because yoga also helps you become more comfortable in your own skin, you’re likely to feel more relaxed and confident in a sexual relationship.

“When it comes to a yoga practice, do what’s comfortable and use these poses as a portal into a deeper experience of intimacy and relaxation,” Weintraub says.

Weintraub also suggests practicing yoga with your spouse or partner. That kind of shared physical experience is a great way to build intimacy and can be a sensual turn-on for some.

“If your feel-good hormones are raging after a yoga class and the first person you see is your beloved, you’re raising the intimacy level right there,” she explains.
For the the original article please click below
[http://life.gaiam.com/article/5-yoga-poses-fire-your-sex-life] republished courtesy of Gaiam Life.

6 Yoga Poses for Insomnia

Whenever my friend Shannon can’t sleep because too many thoughts are barreling through her mind, she calls it “riding the A train.” She’ll text me at 3 a.m., “I’m on the A train again.” Of course, I get the message because I’m awake, too. My type A personality and business responsibilities are battling it out with my dire need for some mental stillness and rest.

Don’t just stick with the calming poses…

Yoga has been proven to calm the mind, relax the body and release anxiety, all crucial components of drifting off into quality slumber and staying there all night long. However, sometimes, it’s not as effective to stick only with calming poses, as a runaway train needs a strong push to make it stop dead in it’s tracks.

So, I’ve included some stronger poses here, ones that will help you let off the steam of stress that builds up when the mind gets to running and sleep seems miles away. Then we’ll move into postures that balance the adrenals, to create a more mellow central nervous system. You’ll stretch the back body to relieve the itchy, restless leg syndrome that can happen when stress hormones build up in the muscle tissues. Lastly, we’ll move into two restorative, relaxing poses, which will still your mind and cleanse and release you from the responsibilities of your day.

Before you know it, you’ll be an expert in hopping off your own A train, whenever and wherever you choose. You’ll wake up centered and refreshed, ready to start your day off right.

Enjoy,

Sadie

This sequence can be done with or without a yoga mat, assuming your floor isn’t slippery. Keep your sleeping clothes on, and remember to breathe slowly and deeply through your nose for the entirety of the practice.

1. Fists of fire lunge

Step your right foot forward and your left leg back into a lunge stance. Your front knee should be over your heel, or behind it, and your back heel is over the ball of your foot. Inhale, and lift your arms up. Exhale a little more strongly, sweep fists into the side of your hips. Let the inhales bring more breath into your chest, and on the exhales, draw in the navel as you lengthen your tailbone down. Practice releasing more tension on every exhale.

Take five to 10 rounds of breath on one side, then switch legs.

2. Fists forward bend

After your fists of fire lunges, come to stand with feet hip distance apart. Bend your knees and fold forward, bringing your fists into opposite elbows. This helps to relax the large muscles of your back, shoulders and neck. Release your head completely, and let the jumble of thoughts drain out as you envision the space that’s left behind.

Repeat for 15 to 20 breaths

3. Janu front and center

Come to sit in janu sirsasana with your right leg extended and your left leg bent, foot into the right inner thigh or groin. Roll the flesh of your seat back, and ground your legs into the floor. Frame your long right leg with your hands (lifted onto fingertips), and fold forward with a long spine and open heart.

Take five to 10 breaths here, then proceed to the next variation on the same side:

Remain low in the pose, and walk your hands away from your straight leg toward center between your legs, or until you can feel a stretch along the groins and inner thighs. You may want to move your bent leg wider, until the foot rests in its own inner thigh. As you fold, keep your head lifted along a straight spine. Fold at your hip creases — not your lower or mid back — for the best possible stretch.

Take five to 10 breaths here, then come slowly to sit, shake out your legs, and switch sides.

4. Core scissors

Come to lie on your back, legs extended on the floor. Interlace your fingers behind your head, and lift the shoulders off the floor. Inhale at center, and exhale, draw your right knee into the chest, and twist so both your elbows are pointing at the knee. Inhale as both legs lengthen, and exhale, twist with the left knee in. Keep your feet on the ground, or for more action, lift them an inch off the ground. Exhales tone the navel toward the spine as your low back lengthens.

Take five to 10 rounds on each side, then relax the head, shoulders and feet to the floor, reach overhead and take a full body stretch to counterpose.

5. Core stretch

After the fire of core scissors, cool it down and counter-stretch the front body by getting back into bed and placing a pillow or bolster beneath the heart. Let your arms rest to your sides, palms up to receive the blessing of calm that comes after a strong, breath-conscious practice.

Breathe here for one minute or more, then progress to the last pose.

6. Legs up the wall

Move the pillows or bolster under your hips, and lift your legs up the wall or into the air. This is a full-body detox only when your legs and hips are higher than your heart, and the head is below the heart. Once you’re situated, keep your hands by the sides or clasp your elbows overhead, rest and breathe.

Practice the slow breath here: Inhale, pause for a few seconds, exhale, pause. Allow your breathing to slow, and follow the sound with your mind.

Know that as you cleanse and center from your day, the tools of yoga are always available to you. Practice often, and you’ll master the ability to switch off the mind and rest easier.

by Sadie Nardini For the the original article please click below
[http://blog.gaiam.com/blog/6-yoga-poses-for-insomnia/] republished courtesy of Gaiam Life.