Partner yoga benefits>>>>

**Partnering up  

can deepen your practice 

 and connect you to yourself 

           and your fellow yogis.

**Cultivating Openness

              **Maintain Awareness

Cultivating Openness

The most successful partner yoga situation is one in which you can trust your partner to give a safe assist and offer the same back to them. Partner yoga workshops, in which you bring your own partner (ideally a friend who has a complimentary practice), can be a great way to deepen a relationship and a yoga practice simultaneously. The more difficult scenario is when you are assigned to work with a stranger in your yoga class. There are two levels of concern here, one mental and the other physical. On the mental level, many of us feel an aversion to being compelled to engage with another person, especially since that engagement involves touching. However uncomfortable at first, this is actually a good exercise in letting go of our conventional assumptions of what we do and don't like and allowing ourselves to connect with another person. There is a lot of talk about getting your body to open up in yoga, but getting your mind to open up is just as important and often harder to achieve. Challenge yourself to continue attending that class where the teacher loves to call out, "ok, everybody partner up!" and try to work out a way through your discomfort.

Maintain Awareness

The second, very real, concern is for your physical safety. If you are partnered with someone who seems too inexperienced, be very vocal, though polite, in directing them to ease off their adjustment. (Though I have found that, in general, someone who is nervous about giving adjustments tends to be very tentative rather than overly aggressive.) If your partner seems ill-equipped to support or catch you, say, in an inversion, don't be afraid to opt out of that pose or ask the teacher to be a back up. In short, be open, aware, and friendly while taking responsibility for your own safety.

Meditation > Yoga Nidra

****Yoga Nidra--meditative yogic practice****

Yoga Nidra is a meditative yogic practice. It is a state on borderline of sleep and wake fullness. Its nothing but Perfect Relaxation. Yoga Nidra can be practiced individually or together with any no of participants but in a room or closed hall. You have to follow the instructions given under the sub heading Prerequisites, Preparation and Preposition.

This practice has been Designed by Paramhansa Swami Satyanand Saraswati, the founder of the Institute " Bihar School Of Yoga" at Munger, Bihar, India.

Prerequisite for Practicing

You should have the following.

1. Continuous & undisturbed time of 30 min.
2. A separate calm and quiet room where nobody should disturb.
3. Dim light (Bright light or Dark light should be avoided).
4. A carpet of about 8' x 4' in size laid on ground level or bed.

Preparation

Wear loose clothes, remove your wrist watch, belt, etc., and just make yourself relaxed and at ease.
--There should be total silence, no disturbances in surrounding
--Lie down on the levelled ground.

Preposition

Preposition for Yoga Nidra is Shavasana

The practice procedure is very simple as you have to just listen to the prerecorded commentary and follow the instruction mentally. It is adviced that one should go through the course of Shavasana first before practicing Yoga Nidra.

The use of Prerecorded commentary will be made available in the 'Practice Period'. Tailor made commentary supporting your resolve also can be made available on request. The founder of Yoga Nidra 'Swami Satayanand Saraswati' had warned in the following paragraph of his book of Yoga Nidra, for some of the achieved practices may bring about a deep state of relaxation and meditation. It is very important, therefore, the mind be brought out of this state gradually.

An abrupt transition for this deep state to waking consciousness temporarily shocks the mind. And may cause a headache.

Similarly the depth of their relaxation frightens some people if they are brought out of relaxed state too quickly. In either case the subject should lie in shavasana and Practice awareness of breath until one becomes calm.

Asanas Yoga - Yoga Exercises & Postures

Asanas Yoga

Yoga Posture animations to discover more about the different Poses 

Yoga Exercises - Warm-Up Poses

In general, warming up depends on the Yoga Style that you practice. This section covers some Warm-Up exercises that you can do prior to a Yoga class or session.

Standing Poses

Learn how to practice the different Standing Poses - Triangle Pose, Hands to Feet, Standing Side Stretch Pose, Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold, Warrior Pose, Tree Pose, and Sun Salutation.

Seated Poses

There are poses which can be done while sitting on yoga mats. In this section, know how to do the various Seated Poses such as Spread Leg Forward Fold, Hero Pose, Seated Forward Bend, and Child Pose.

Twist Yoga Poses

Aside from strengthening the back, the Half-Spinal Twist and Sage Twist are Yoga Poses which tone and massage the abdominal area and improve digestion.

Supine Poses

This section covers several Yoga Poses which are done in supine (lying face up) position - Leg Reclining Lunge, Locust Pose, Leg Pulls, Leg Raises, and Wind Relieving Pose.

Inverted Postures and Balance Poses

Shoulderstand, Headstand, and Plough can help increase circulation, stimulate the brain, enhance glandular system functioning, and relieve pressure on the abdominal organs.

Backbends

Backbends are Yoga Poses which promote flexibility in the spine and strengthen the arms, legs, and abdomen. In this section, know how to practice Backbends.

Finishing Poses

The Corpse Pose or Savasana and the Final Corpse are Yoga Poses which are usually practiced as final relaxation at the end of a Yoga Session.

Bikram Yoga Poses

This section will be discussing the various Bikram yoga poses.

SLIM DOWN YOGA

***Slim Down with Yoga***

Lose stubborn belly flab and tone up all over with this fast, easy plan

Yoga is a known stress buster, but it's also one of the most effective workouts for fighting stubborn fat stores, especially the ones that crop up after age 40. Yes, you can use yoga for weight loss. 


The reason: Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity--a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat. The following yoga poses for weight loss will do just that while firming up your arms, legs, butt, and abs. Start now to see weight loss results in as little as 3 weeks.


How to do it?
Follow this routine at least 3 times a week, holding each move 1 time for 3 to 5 deep breaths, unless otherwise noted. Start with the Main Move for each exercise. If it's too difficult, do the Make It Easier variation. If it's not challenging enough, try the Make It Harder option. For faster results: Hold each pose for 5 to 8 breaths and increase repetitions (where noted) by 2 or 3.


MAIN MOVE: Crescent [Firms abs, hips, and thighs]

Stand with feet together, toes forward, and arms at sides. Inhale and raise arms overhead, reaching fingertips toward ceiling. Exhale, and bend forward from hips, bringing hands to floor (it's okay to bend knees). Inhale, and as you exhale, step right leg back into a lunge (left knee bent about 90 degrees, knee over ankle; right leg extended and on ball of foot). Inhale and raise arms overhead; gaze forward. Hold, then return to standing and repeat, stepping left leg back.

Make it Harder: From end position, inhale and arch torso, arms, and head backward, gazing at fingertips.

Make it Easier: Lower right knee to touch floor as you step back into a lunge, and rest hands on left thigh.

    

MAIN MOVE: Willow [Firms sides of abs]

Stand with feet together, arms at sides. Place sole of left foot on inside of right thigh, knee bent to side. Touch palms in front of chest for 2 breaths. On third inhale, extend arms up, fingertips toward ceiling. Exhale, and on the inhale, bend torso to left. Inhale and straighten. Repeat 3 to 5 times, pressing foot into thigh; switch sides.

Make it Easier: Keep left foot on calf or touch toes to floor for balance.

Make it Harder: Close eyes as you balance and bend.

    

HOW TO START DOING YOGA?

                                        EASY POSE--SUKHASANA

1. Pick a Yoga Type                      

A little research will be required on your part. Many yoga classes are out there, and you may be turned off if you pick one that does not suit your personality and state of physical fitness.

Take a few minutes to read this overview of yoga styles. For most beginners, a hatha or vinyasa class will be most appropriate, depending on whether you want a slow or fast-paced class. These are basic styles, and you can always try something fancier later.

2. Find a Class

Online resources will help you find a yoga class in your area. You can also check local alternative newspapers or wellness magazines for listings or search online for "yoga" and the name of your town.

Pick a studio that is convenient to your home or work so getting to class will be easy. Make sure you start with a basic level class. Many gyms also offer yoga classes; this is a good place to start if you already belong to a gym.

3. Find Out What to Bring

On the first day, you will not need to bring much except yourself and some comfortable, breathable clothing. Read up on basic yoga equipment you will encounter. Most studios have yoga mats that can be rented.

4. Learn What to Expect

In a typical yoga class, the students place their mats facing the front of the room (often identifiable by a small altar or by the teacher's mat) in a loose grid. It's best not to line up your mat exactly with the one next to it because you and your neighbor will need some space in certain poses. The students often sit in a cross-legged position waiting for class to start or do some gentle stretching.

The teacher may start class by leading the class in chanting "om" three times. Depending on the teacher, there may be a breathing exercise or short meditation at the start of class.

This is followed by warm-up poses, more vigorous poses, then stretches and final relaxation. At any time, take child's pose if you need some rest.

Sometimes the teacher will go around to each student during final relaxation and give them a little massage. Most teachers end class with another round of oms.

Know that you may be a little sore the day after your first class.

5. What if I Have No Access to Yoga Classes?

While many great yoga books and videos are available, there is no substitute from learning directly from a good teacher in a yoga class. That said, if you cannot get to a yoga class, I recommend starting with any beginner's video, as this will give you more visuals to follow than a book.

WHAT IS YOGA ?

---VARIETY POSES OF YOGA---

The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated. We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit.

What is commonly referred to as "yoga" can be more accurately described by the Sanskrit word asana, which refers to the practice of physical postures or poses.

Asana is only one of the eight "limbs" of yoga, the majority of which are more concerned with mental and spiritual well-being than physical activity. In the West, however, the words asana and yoga are often used interchangeably.

5 SURPRISNG BENEFITS

******5 SURPRISING BENEFITS******

1. Compassion. Who would have thought that a physical practice could help me feel compassion and understanding for myself and those around me? Yoga philosophy tells us that we’re all one, but it’s the experience of many bodies moving and breathing simultaneously that I think really created that understanding for me. I realized that we’re all just doing the best we can in life. There’s something very liberating about that mind-set that can melt away ill-will, competition, and petty disagreements like nothing else.

2. Mindful eating. I am not a health-food yogi. In fact, at one point in my life, my daily diet consisted of little more than chicken fingers, French fries, and soda. But after a just a few months of yoga, I found myself craving leafy greens. Yoga changed the way I ate because I started to pay more attention to how the food I took into my body affected me. I still eat my share of junk food (I do love a good cupcake!), but thanks to my yoga practice, it’s an occasional treat instead of a daily habit.

3. Strength.I was shocked when I realized how much strength it took to get through a yoga class. I was even more surprised by how quickly how strength-building poses that were once incredibly difficult for me got a little easier. I wasn’t just getting more flexible–I was becoming stronger, too!

4. Confidence. It’s one thing for someone to tell you that you can do anything you set your mind to. It’s another thing to actually experience it for yourself. It takes a lot of time and determination to stand on your head, hold the weight of your body on your hands, or even just to consistently unroll your mat to practice. But once you’ve experienced it, you really start to believe you can do anything! You also start to see a beauty in yourself that you never knew was there. For me, this translated into a boost of confidence that I really needed.

5. Better relationships. What do you get when you mix a little heightened awareness, a dash of compassion, a pinch of self-confidence, and a smidge of positivity? The ability to relate to people in a more meaningful way. And that means you get a stronger network of friends, confidants, and supporters. Of all the benefits I’ve reaped from my yoga practice, perhaps this is the most valuable of all.